Patent ID: 6221022
Filing Date: 2001-04-24
Classification: A61B,G01S,G10K

Abstract:
In an ultrasound scanner for transmitting ultrasound transmit pulses in multiple transmit focal zones within a subject being studied, apparatus for improving the frame rate of the transmit pulses comprising:a transducer arranged to transmit a first ultrasound beam of said transmit pulses along a first axis and to transmit a second ultrasound beam of said transmit pulses along a second axis displaced from the first axis by a predetermined distance and to receive echo pulses from the subject in response to the transmit pulses;a beam former arranged to cause said transducer to transmit a first one of said transmit pulses along the first axis and to transmit a second one of said transmit pulses along the second axis before the echo pulse from said first transmit pulse is received by said transducer.