An ultrasound probe has a two dimensional matrix array transducer and a digital microbeamformer. The microbeamformer comprises a plurality of transmitters and amplifiers coupled to elements of the array transducer, a plurality of low power analog to digital converters and digital beamforming circuitry coupled to the amplifiers, a microbeamformer controller, a power supply and a USB controller which cumulatively consume three watts or less.

Methods and apparatus for ultrasound imaging using ultrasound sensor elements comprising thin film transistors. Specifically, ultrasound elements for use in a two dimensional array of ultrasound elements, two dimensional arrays of ultrasound elements, ultrasound sensor element array assemblies, ultrasound imaging devices and methods of performing an ultrasound scan using a two dimensional array of ultrasound elements. A sensor element comprises: an ultrasound transducer, a transmit circuit configured to provide an electrical signal to the transducer for output of an ultrasound signal; and a receive circuit configured to receive an electrical signal from the transducer, based on a received reflected ultrasound signal, wherein the transmit and receive circuits each comprise one or more thin film transistors.

Various techniques for driving phased array systems are described, specifically intended for acoustic phased arrays with applications to mid-air haptics, parametric audio, acoustic levitation and acoustic imaging, including a system: 1) that is capable of mitigating the effect of the changes in the air to provide a consistent haptic experience; 2) that produces trap points in air; 3) that defines phased-array optimization in terms of vectors for the production of more consistent haptic effects; 4) that defines one or more control points or regions in space via a controlled acoustic field; 5) that uses a reduced representation method for the construction of acoustic basis functions; 6) that performs efficient evaluation of complex-valued functions for a large quantity of throughput; 7) that generates a Krylov sub-space of a matrix; and 8) that maximizes an objective described by different control points and/or regions to those used to create the acoustic basis functions.

A signal generator generates an electrical signal that is sent to an amplifier, which increases the power of the signal using power from a power source. The amplified signal is fed to a sender transducer to generate ultrasonic waves that can be focused and sent to a receiver. The receiver transducer converts the ultrasonic waves back into electrical energy and stores it in an energy storage device, such as a battery, or uses the electrical energy to power a device. In this way, a device can be remotely charged or powered without having to be tethered to an electrical outlet.

A method include placing a first processor in a sleep operating mode and running a second processor that is operative to wake the first processor from the sleep operating mode in response to a speech command phrase. The method includes identifying, by the second processor, a speech command phrase segment and performing a control operation in response to detecting the segment in detected speech. The control operation is performed while the first processor is maintained in the sleep operating mode.

The present invention includes methods, circuits, devices, systems and associated computer executable code for acquiring, processing and rendering acoustic signals. According to some embodiments, one or more direction specific audio signals may be generated using a microphone array comprising two or more microphones and an audio stream generator. The audio stream generator may receive a direction parameter from an optical tracking system. There may be provided an audio rendering system adapted to normalize and/or balance acoustic signals acquired from a soundscape.

An ultrasound imaging system includes a plurality of transducer elements forming a transducer array, each of the plurality of transducer elements configured to transmit a waveform. The ultrasound system further includes a plurality of driving circuits configured to drive the transducer array, each of the plurality of driving circuits including a complex programmable logic device (CPLD) and a plurality of delay elements enabling communication between the plurality of driving circuits and the transducer array, the plurality of delay elements configured to linearly distribute delays to the plurality of transducer elements based on clock period. The clock period acts as a basis for controlling a steering angle of the waveform transmitted by each of the plurality of transducer elements.

A circuit for 3D ultrasound imaging systems includes multiple sensor units, multiple unit circuits and multiple row sharing circuits. The unit circuits are connected with the sensor units respectively. Each row of unit circuits share a row sharing circuit. Each unit circuit includes a first electrically controlled switch, a second electrically controlled switch and a control circuit. Each row sharing circuit includes a signal transmission bus, a signal receiving bus and a row main control circuit. The signal transmission bus and the signal receiving bus of each row sharing circuit extend through a corresponding row of unit circuits. The row main control circuit of each row is configured to transmit main control signals, transmission control signals and receiving control signals to a corresponding row of unit circuits so as to select the corresponding sensor units to transmit or receive ultrasound signals.

An acoustic transducer and method of generating acoustic transmit and receive beams is disclosed. The system includes a plurality of transducer elements arranged to form an array, where the elements are electrically connected into groups which operate at the same electrical phase, where the phases of adjacent groups of elements differ by between about 50 and 70 degrees and a beamforming circuit where the transmit and receive signals are operated with appropriate phase shifts to maintain the between about 50 and 70 degrees phase difference between adjacent groups. The resulting transducer generates transmit and receive beams that are nominally inclined less than about 30 degrees from a planar normal axis of the array.

A method include placing a first processor in a sleep operating mode and running a second processor that is operative to wake the first processor from the sleep operating mode in response to a speech command phrase. The method includes identifying, by the second processor, a speech command phrase segment and performing a control operation in response to detecting the segment in detected speech. The control operation is performed while the first processor is maintained in the sleep operating mode.