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:
Mar. 24, 2015
Filed:
Jun. 15, 2012
Kunio Hashiba, Tokyo, JP;
Shinichiro Umemura, Sendai, JP;
Hiroshi Masuzawa, Machida, JP;
Satoshi Tamano, Kashiwa, JP;
Kunio Hashiba, Tokyo, JP;
Shinichiro Umemura, Sendai, JP;
Hiroshi Masuzawa, Machida, JP;
Satoshi Tamano, Kashiwa, JP;
Hitachi, Ltd., Tokyo, JP;
Hitachi Medical Corporation, Tokyo, JP;
Abstract
Ultrasound imaging apparatus including a two-dimensional array of plural transducer elements distributed two-dimensionally and transmits and receives ultrasonic waves while scanning an area to be imaged to create an ultrasound three-dimensional image. Transducer elements are divided into plural element blocks including a first element block of which a size in a second direction of an arrangement surface of the two-dimensional array is larger than a size in a first direction of the surface, and a second element block of which a size in the first direction is larger than a size in the second direction. Each of the element blocks is divided into a predetermined number of groups to form a transmit beam and plural receive beams in the area to be imaged. Further included is a selecting means for making transmit/receive channels of the transducer elements grouped to be one channel in each of the groups.