The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
May. 03, 1994
Filed:
Dec. 04, 1992
Ronald D Gatzke, Lexington, MA (US);
Michael P Anthony, Chelmsford, MA (US);
Hewlett-Packard Company, Palo Alto, CA (US);
Abstract
An ultrasound transducer apparatus for use with an ultrasound imaging system which includes signal transmission and signal receiving circuitry coupled to the transducer through a cable. The transducer apparatus includes a transducer for converting ultrasonic energy into electronic signals and a variable gain amplifier circuit having an input coupled to the transducer and an output coupled to the cable for amplifying the electronic signals at a gain determined by a gain control signal from the imaging system. The transducer apparatus is typically hand-held, and the variable gain amplifier circuit is preferably mounted in the hand-held unit in close proximity to the transducer element. The variable gain amplifier circuit preferably includes a preamplifier and a variable gain amplifier. Preferably, the transducer is a transducer array including a plurality of transducer elements, each having a preamplifier and a variable gain amplifier associated with it.