An ultrasound beamformer architecture performs the task of signal beamforming using a matrix of analog random access memory cells to capture, store and process instantaneous samples of analog signals from ultrasound array elements and this architecture provides significant reduction in power consumption and the size of the diagnostic ultrasound imaging system such that the hardware build upon this ultrasound beamformer architecture can be placed in one or few application specific integrated chips (ASIC) positioned next to the ultrasound array and the whole diagnostic ultrasound imaging system could fit in the handle of the ultrasonic probe while preserving most of the functionality of a cart-based system. The ultrasound beamformer architecture manipulate analog samples in the memory in the same fashion as digital memory operates that can be described as an analog store—digital read (ASDR) beamformer. The ASDR architecture provides improved signal-to-noise ratio and is scalable.

An ultrasound imaging system includes a processor that is programmed to operate the system in a normal operating state and two or more lesser power states. The processor lowers the operating power state to a lesser power state upon detecting one or more operating conditions such as no tissue been imaged in a predetermined time limit or that the imaging system or transducer has not been moved in a time limit. Upon awakening from a power off state, the processor implements a lesser power state before operating at the normal operating state to avoid undue power use until the transducer is positioned to image tissue.

A system and method from improving the image quality achievable with an ultrasound transducer by using a composite aperture for receiving ultrasound echoes. By using two receive cycles per vector, twice as many transducers may be used for receiving ultrasound imaging data than there are physical channels available in the ultrasound probe. An ultrasound probe utilizing a composite aperture can achieve high image quality from a system have reduced power, size, cost and complexity.

Power supplies for electronic devices (e.g. medical imaging devices) are disclosed herein. In one embodiment, a switched mode power supply is minimized in size and weight while maintaining efficiency and an artifact-free image using power supply design techniques tailored to increasing the power conversion frequency to be above the desired receive band of an ultrasound imaging system. In another embodiment, a switched mode power supply is minimized in size and weight while maintaining efficiency and an artifact-free image using power supply design techniques tailored to increasing the power conversion frequency to be just below the desired receive band of an ultrasound imaging system causing the third harmonic and possibly the second harmonic to fall just above the desired receive band.

An ultrasound system, probe and method are provided. The ultrasound system includes a transducer with piezoelectric transducer elements polarized in a poling direction. A bipolar transmit circuit is configured to generate a transmit signal having first and second polarity segments. The first and second polarity segments have corresponding first and second peak amplitudes. A bias generator is configured to generate a bias signal in a direction of the poling direction. The bias signal is combined with the transmit signal to form a biased transmit signal that is shifted in the direction of the poling direction and still includes both of positive and negative voltages over a transmit cycle.

During acquisition of an ultrasound image feed, ultrasound control data frames are acquired that may be interspersed amongst the ultrasound data frames. The control data frames may use consistent reference scan parameters, irrespective of the scanner settings, and may not need to be converted to image frames. The control data frames can be passed to an artificial intelligence model, which predicts the suitable settings for scanning the anatomy that is being scanned. The artificial intelligence model can be trained with a dataset containing different classes of ultrasound control data frames for different settings, where substantially all the ultrasound control data frames in the dataset are consistently acquired using the reference scan parameters.

A dynamic power reduction method and apparatus for use in an ultrasound system are described. In one embodiment, the ultrasound system comprises: a transducer assembly and imaging subsystem having a transmit data path having a transmitter to transmit acoustic signals and a receive data path having including signal acquisition circuitry with a receiver to receive acoustic signals representing echoes; a plurality of real-time signals indicative of status of imaging operations being performed by the transmit and receive paths; a clock generator to generate one or more clocks for use by the transmit and receive data paths; clock gating circuitry coupled to the clock generator and the transmit and receive paths and having circuits to gate clocks to at least one of the transmit and receive paths; and a clock gating controller coupled to the clock gating circuitry to control the circuits to gate or pass clock signals to at least one of the transmit and receive paths automatically in response to receipt of one or more signals from the plurality of real-time signals.

Techniques for presence-detection devices to emission levels of ultrasonic signals that are used to detect movement in an environment. The presence-detection devices may detect movement of a person by emitting the ultrasonic signals into an environment, and characterizing the change in the frequency, or the Doppler shift, of the reflections of the ultrasonic signals off the person caused by the movement of the person relative to the presence-detection devices. However, presence-detection devices that continuously emit ultrasonic signals may experience reduced battery life, increased likelihood of overheating, etc. To reduce these negative effects, the presence-detection devices may reduce the emission levels of ultrasonic signals. For instance, once motion is detected, the presence-detection devices may, for a period of time, stop emitting ultrasonic signals or reduce the power level at which the ultrasonic signals are emitted. Accordingly, the presence-detection devices can reduce emission levels of ultrasonic signals while still detecting motion.

Aspects of the technology described herein relate to ultrasound device circuitry as may form part of a single substrate ultrasound device having integrated ultrasonic transducers. The ultrasound device circuitry may facilitate the generation of ultrasound waveforms in a manner that is power- and data-efficient.

During acquisition of an ultrasound image feed, ultrasound control data frames are acquired that may be interspersed amongst the ultrasound data frames. The control data frames may use consistent reference scan parameters, irrespective of the scanner settings, and may not need to be converted to image frames. The control data frames can be passed to an artificial intelligence model, which predicts the suitable settings for scanning the anatomy that is being scanned. The artificial intelligence model can be trained with a dataset containing different classes of ultrasound control data frames for different settings, where substantially all the ultrasound control data frames in the dataset are consistently acquired using the reference scan parameters.