Patent ID: 8679022

Claim:
An ultrasonic sensor comprising: a probe surface; a first ultrasonic array disposed on the probe surface, the first ultrasonic array having a plurality of first ultrasonic elements arranged in a first linear scanning direction; a second ultrasonic array disposed on the probe surface, the second ultrasonic array having a plurality of second ultrasonic elements arranged in a second linear scanning direction, the second linear scanning direction being different from the first linear scanning direction; a third ultrasonic array disposed on the probe surface, the third ultrasonic array having a plurality of third ultrasonic elements arranged in a third linear scanning direction, the third linear scanning direction being different from the second linear scanning direction; and a delay control unit configured to control a transmission angle of ultrasonic waves transmitted from the first and second ultrasonic arrays, the second ultrasonic array being disposed between the first ultrasonic array and the third ultrasonic array in the second linear scanning direction and being disposed apart from a quadrilateral area in the probe surface as viewed from a perpendicular direction to the probe surface, corners of the quadrilateral area being defined by first and second ends of the first ultrasonic array in the first linear scanning direction and third and fourth ends of the third ultrasonic array in the third linear scanning direction, the delay control unit being configured to control the transmission angle of the ultrasonic waves transmitted from the first and second ultrasonic arrays by controlling a timing for transmitting the ultrasonic waves from each of the first and second ultrasonic elements, the first and second ultrasonic arrays being arranged in positions spaced apart from each other.