Patent ID: 7632233

Claim:
An ultrasonic endoscope comprising: an ultrasonic transducer unit including plural ultrasonic transducers, each having a first electrode and a second electrode, for transmitting and receiving ultrasonic waves, said plural ultrasonic transducers being provided in plural angle regions formed by dividing a scanning angle region by predetermined angle, each of said plural angle region being divided into a first sub region and a second sub region; a plurality of first interconnections each connected to the first electrodes of a first respective one of said plural ultrasonic transducers provided in the first sub region and a second respective one of said plural ultrasonic transducers provided in the second sub region within a corresponding one of said plural angle regions; and a plurality of second interconnections each connected to the second electrodes of ultrasonic transducers provided in respective one of the first sub regions and the second sub regions; wherein said ultrasonic transducer unit performs scanning operation by simultaneously transmitting a same number of ultrasonic beams in each of said plural angle regions when selectively supplied with drive signals via said plurality of first interconnections and said plurality of second interconnections.