Patent ID: 8891334

Claim:
A CMUT on CMOS chip for forward-looking imaging applications comprising: a CMOS chip comprising: a plurality of CMUT transmit elements and associated driving circuitry on a planar top surface of the CMOS chip, the plurality of CMUT transmit elements configured to transmit an ultrasonic signal incident on a desired volume to be imaged, wherein the desired volume to be imaged comprises a volume opposite the planar top surface; a plurality of CMUT receive elements and associated detection circuitry on the planar top surface of the CMOS chip, the plurality of CMUT receive elements configured to receive an ultrasonic signal reflected by the desired volume to be imaged; and a digital control unit; wherein the digital control unit cycles the plurality of transmit elements on and off in a first sequence; wherein the digital control unit cycles the plurality of receive elements on and off in a second sequence; and wherein the digital control unit cycles the transmit and receive elements on and off until a predetermined number of transmit and receive elements have been cycled.