Patent ID: 7399279

Claim:
A method of configuring an ultrasound array to transmit a beam pattern sufficient to insonate a region of interest at an internal site of a subject, said method comprising the steps of: a) providing an array of ultrasound transducer elements; b) outputting a beam pattern from said array of ultrasound transducer elements to insonate a region of interest at an internal site in a body that is sufficiently large that the beam output pattern comprises a multi-beam pattern, insonating multiple receiver elements over a substantially simultaneous period by directing energy produced by said array of ultrasound transducer elements into said region of interest in said body, and adjusting an amplitude of energy output by said array of transducers to cause the beam pattern output to have a generally flat upper pattern and nulls in a grating lobe region; and c) introducing a propagation time delay of the beam pattern output from said array of ultrasound transducer elements, wherein the propagation delay increases as a distance increases from a central output area of said array of ultrasound transducer elements.