System and method for three-dimensional ultrasound imaging

Abstract

Under one aspect, an ultrasound system for producing a representation of an object includes: a concave transducer array configured to transmit ultrasonic pulses into the object and to receive ultrasonic pulses from the object, the ultrasonic pulses from the object containing structural information about the object, each transducer in the array generating an output signal representative of a portion of the structural information about the object; a multi-focal lens structure for focusing the transmitted ultrasonic pulses; a multiplexing structure in operable communication with the concave transducer array and including logic for coupling the output signals from at least one pair of transducers in the concave transducer array; and a beamformer in operable communication with the multiplexing structure and including logic for constructing a representation of structural information about the object based on the coupled output signals from the multiplexing structure

1 - 21 . (canceled) 
     
     
         22 . A method of multiplexing signals from transducer elements in a concave transducer array, the method comprising:
 turning on columns of transducer elements in the concave transducer array based on a desired azimuthal beam performance; and   connecting the turned on rows-and-columns to a beamformer.