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:
Aug. 31, 2010
Filed:
Jun. 05, 2002
Shin-ichiro Umemura, Hachioji, JP;
Yuichi Miwa, North Bethesda, MD (US);
Takashi Azuma, Kawasaki, JP;
Takashi Sugiyama, Nagareyama, JP;
Hiroshi Kuribara, Abiko, JP;
Shin-ichiro Umemura, Hachioji, JP;
Yuichi Miwa, North Bethesda, MD (US);
Takashi Azuma, Kawasaki, JP;
Takashi Sugiyama, Nagareyama, JP;
Hiroshi Kuribara, Abiko, JP;
Hitachi Medical Corporation, Tokyo, JP;
Abstract
An ultrasonograph capable of generating a transmission beam comprising a main beam having a uniform width over a wide range in an ultrasonic wave propagation direction by one-time transmission of an ultrasonic pulse. A weighted mean value of a plurality of transmission delay time values corresponding to focal lengths of transmission pulse waves having a plurality of focal points which are set in the ultrasonic wave propagation direction is calculated for each of elements constituting a transmission aperture and used as the delay time. The curvature of a transmitted wave front is close to a short focal length in the center portion of the transmit aperture and is close to a long focal length in the peripheral portion. Thus, a transmission beam including a relatively narrow main beam with a uniform width over a wide range in the ultrasonic wave propagation direction can be generated.