Importance

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Abstract

A system for driving an ultrasonic transducer for use in ultrasound imaging of a target includes a charging voltage generator, a first impedance for coupling the charging voltage generator to a terminal of the transducer to permit the transducer to charge sufficiently slowly from the charging voltage source so that charging strain is not coupled from the transducer to the target, and a switch coupled to the transducer. Closing of the switch permits the transducer to discharge sufficiently rapidly that discharging strain is coupled from the transducer to the target. A system for processing return echoes includes a return echo-related signal processor. The return echoes impinge upon, and cause voltage signal related to the return echoes to appear across the terminals of, the transducer. The transducer is coupled to the return echo-related signal processor by a circuit including a signal splitter for dividing the return echo-related signal into two separate channels, and a signal combiner for combining the signal components from the two separate channels. The circuit including the transducer and the return echo-related signal processor has a characteristic resonant frequency. One of the two separate channels includes a delay line for delaying the signal component in the said one channel for substantially one half cycle of the characteristic resonant frequency.

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First Claim