Patent ID: 7892176

Claim:
An ultrasonic monitoring system comprising a probe unit including: an array of transducer cells arranged in rows and columns and formed along a first plane with a first pitch along a first direction; an integrated circuit including an array of circuit cells formed along a second plane parallel to the first plane, the circuit cells spaced apart along the first direction at a second pitch smaller than the first pitch, a first of the transducer cells vertically aligned, along a direction normal to one of the planes, with a first of the circuit cells and having a connection thereto, and a second of the transducer cells offset from vertical alignment with respect to the position of a second circuit cell so as to not overlie the second circuit cell; a connection subsystem positioned between the array of transducer cells and the array of circuit cells, configured to form the connection of the first transducer cell to the first circuit cell and to connect the second transducer cell with the second circuit cell; and an interconnection structure positioned to provide electrical connections between the integrated circuit and processing circuitry.