Ultrasonic sensing approaches are described with integrated MEMS-CMOS implementations. Embodiments include ultrasonic sensor arrays for which PMUT structures of individual detector elements are at least partially integrated into the CMOS ASIC wafer. MEMS heating elements are integrated with the PMUT structures by integrating under the PMUT structures in the CMOS wafer and/or over the PMUT structures (e.g., in the protective layer). For example, embodiments can avoid wafer bonding and can reduce other post processing involved with conventional manufacturing of PMUT ultrasonic sensors, while also improving thermal response.

Provided is an ultrasound endoscope capable of suppressing image quality deterioration of an ultrasound image and achieving reduction in diameter.

An ultrasound endoscope includes an insertion part that includes a distal end part having an ultrasound transducer array in which a plurality of ultrasound transducers are arranged, a cable that is inserted into the insertion part, and a substrate that electrically connects the plurality of ultrasound transducers and the cable, and is disposed in the distal end part. The cable has a non-coaxial cable that includes a first cable bundle consisting of a plurality of signal wires and a plurality of ground wires, and a first shield layer with which the first cable bundle is coated, and an outer coat with which a second cable bundle consisting of a plurality of the non-coaxial cables is coated. The substrate includes a plurality of electrode pads connected to the plurality of ultrasound transducers, respectively. Each first cable bundle is individually led out from the cable, and each signal wire of the first cable bundle is led out and electrically connected to the corresponding electrode pad of the substrate. The plurality of ultrasound transducers are configured in a plurality of drive units to be driven simultaneously. The plurality of signal wires of each first cable bundle are connected to a plurality of electrode pads in each drive unit to configure a signal wire group, and the signal wire group includes at least two kinds or more of signal wires different in length from a distal end of the first cable bundle.

Provided is an ultrasonography system capable of suppressing image quality deterioration of an ultrasound image and achieving reduction in diameter of an ultrasound endoscope.

An ultrasonography system includes an ultrasound transducer array in which a plurality of ultrasound transducers are arranged, a cable that is connected to the plurality of ultrasound transducers, the cable having a non-coaxial cable that includes a first cable bundle consisting of a plurality of signal wires and a plurality of ground wires, and a first shield layer with which the first cable bundle is coated, and an outer coat with which a second cable bundle consisting of a plurality of the non-coaxial cables is coated, a memory that stores static capacitance data indicating static capacitance of each signal wire included in the first cable bundle, and a processor that periodically corrects transmission and reception sensitivity of each ultrasound transducer based on the static capacitance data stored in the memory.

Provided is an ultrasound endoscope capable of preventing a non-coaxial cable from being disconnected and achieving reduction in diameter.

An ultrasound endoscope includes an insertion part that includes a distal end part having an ultrasound transducer array in which a plurality of ultrasound transducers are arranged, a cable that is inserted into the insertion part, and a substrate that electrically connects the plurality of ultrasound transducers and the cable, and is disposed in the distal end part. The cable has a non-coaxial cable that includes a first cable bundle consisting of a plurality of signal wires and a plurality of ground wires, and a first shield layer with which the first cable bundle is coated, and an outer coat with which a second cable bundle consisting of a plurality of the non-coaxial cables is coated. The substrate includes a plurality of electrode pads connected to the plurality of ultrasound transducers, respectively. Each first cable bundle is individually led out from the cable, and each signal wire of the first cable bundle is led out and electrically bonded to the corresponding electrode pad of the substrate. The ultrasound endoscope further includes a fixing part that fixes relative positions of the substrate and each first cable bundle.

An optical-element driving device includes: a fixing part; a movable part disposed apart from the fixing part; a supporting part configured to support the movable part with respect to the fixing part; a driving unit that includes an ultrasonic motor including a piezoelectric element and an active element configured to resonate with vibration of the piezoelectric element; and a passive element that moves relatively with respect to the active element; and that is configured such that the active element and the passive element make contact with each other in a biased manner to move the movable part with respect to the fixing part; and an enclosing portion enclosing, on the passive element, at least a part of a contact region between a passive-side contact portion of the passive element and an active-side contact portion of the active element.

An ultrasonic wave sensor includes an oscillating plate including a plurality of oscillators, a wall portion provided on the oscillating plate and surrounding the oscillator, a first piezoelectric element provided in the predetermined number of oscillators among the plurality of oscillators, and a second piezoelectric element provided in the oscillator where the first piezoelectric element is not provided. An input and an output of a drive signal are possible to the first piezoelectric element, and the first piezoelectric element is connected to at least another first piezoelectric element in parallel. The second piezoelectric element is electrically insulated from the first piezoelectric element. The second piezoelectric element is disposed between the first piezoelectric elements adjacent in one direction.

The present disclosure relates to circuitry for driving a piezoelectric transducer based on an input signal. The circuitry comprises: primary driver circuitry configured to receive the input signal and to output a primary driving signal to the piezoelectric transducer based on the input signal; and secondary driver circuitry configured to receive an error signal indicative of an error between the input signal and the primary driving signal and to output a secondary driving signal to the piezoelectric transducer based on the error signal, wherein the primary driver circuitry and the secondary driver circuitry both comprise switching converter circuitry.

Methods, systems, and devices for an H-bridge driver for haptics and camera voice coil motor applications are described. A device may generate a control signal for an application executing on the device such as a camera application, a gaming application, or any application receiving a user input or outputting feedback to the user. The device may generate the control signal using a voice coil motor driver of a camera component of the device. The device may drive a haptics motor based on the generated control signal and generate a haptic response based on driving the haptics motor. The device may, as a result, output the generated haptic response. Additionally or alternatively, the device may drive a voice coil motor based on the generated control signal and may control a camera component of the device based on driving the voice coil motor or the haptics motor, or both.

Disclosed is a driver stage for activating a first ultrasonic transducer and a method for the operation thereof. The driver stage comprises a first charge pump or power source and a first capacitor. The driver stage also comprises first means for charging the first capacitor with electrical energy from the charge pump and second means for connecting the first capacitor and ultrasonic transducer to different polarities. The first means do not charge the first capacitor with energy from the charge pump or power source when the first capacitor is connected to the ultrasonic transducer by the second means.

A method and system for imaging a sample uses a 2D array of bias-sensitive, ultrasound transducers arranged in first and second strips, and a source of radiation to stimulate the sample to be imaged. The second electrode strips are sequentially biased according to sequential biasing patterns of voltages that correspond to rows or columns of an invertible matrix. For each biasing pattern, signals are measured from the first electrode strips to detect return signals from the sample that result from the sample being stimulated. A dataset is calculated based on the measured signals, the dataset comprising an effective signal for each of a plurality of transducer elements in the array. An image of the sample is generated based on the dataset.