Patent ID: 8128563

Claim:
An ultrasound transducer, comprising: an array of elements forming rows and columns, the array comprising a central row and at least first and second outer rows positioned along opposite sides of the central row; wires within a transducer cable configured to connect at least a portion of the elements with an ultrasound system; a first set of lines for electrically connecting each of the elements within a first portion of the central row to one of the wires, the first portion comprising less than a total number of the elements within the central row; and a second set of lines for electrically connecting at least a portion of the elements within the first and second outer rows that are in a same column, the second set of lines further electrically connecting the elements within a second portion of the central row to the elements in the first and second outer rows that are in the same column as the elements within the second portion of the central row, each of the lines within the second set of lines being connected to one of the wires.