Modular piezoelectric sensor array with co-integrated electronics and beamforming channels

Abstract

A modular array includes modular array includes one or more array modules. Each array module includes one or more transducer arrays, where each of the one or more transducer arrays includes a plurality of piezoelectric elements; a conducting interposer arranged and configured to provide acoustic absorbing backing for the one or more transducer arrays; and one or more Application Specific Integrated Circuits (ASICs). The conducting interposer and the one or more ASICs are in electrical contact with each other at a first direct electrical interface. Additionally, the conducting interposer and the one or more transducer arrays are in electrical contact with each other at a second direct electrical interface.

1 .- 32 . (canceled) 
     
     
         33 . A modular ultrasound system comprising:
 at least two piezoelectric sensor modules, each comprising multiple piezoelectric elements arranged in groups of piezoelectric elements; and   a multi-channel processing unit;   wherein a first element in a first of the groups in a first piezoelectric sensor module is coupled with a first interconnect bus line through a first interface unit, and a second element in the first group in the first piezoelectric sensor module is coupled with a second interconnect bus line through a second interface unit;   wherein a first element in a first of the groups in a second of the piezoelectric sensor modules is coupled with the first interconnect bus line through a third interface unit;   wherein the first interconnect bus line is further coupled to a first channel in the multi-channel processing unit, and the second interconnect bus line is further coupled to a second channel in the multi channel processing unit; and   wherein the multi-channel processing unit is operable to transmit ultrasound pulses to the elements of the piezoelectric sensor modules in a first operating mode and receive sensor signals from the elements of the piezoelectric sensor modules in a second operating mode.   
     
     
         34 . The modular ultrasound system of  claim 33 , wherein
 piezoelectric elements of each of the at least two piezoelectric sensor modules are disposed as a rectangular array of piezoelectric elements with rows along an azimuthal direction and columns along an elevation direction, and   the groups of piezoelectric elements are the columns of the rectangular array.   
     
     
         35 . The modular ultrasound system of  claim 34 , wherein the interconnect bus lines are distributed along an elevation direction in the rectangular array. 
     
     
         36 . The modular ultrasound system of  claim 34 , wherein the interconnect bus lines are distributed along an azimuthal direction in the rectangular array. 
     
     
         37 . The modular ultrasound system of  claim 34 , wherein
 the interconnect bus lines are distributed along both azimuthal and elevation directions, and   the modular ultrasound system further comprises switches arranged and configured to selectively connect channels in the multi-channel processing unit to horizontal interconnect bus lines in the first coupling mode, and vertical interconnect bus lines in the second coupling mode.   
     
     
         38 . The modular ultrasound system of  claim 33 , wherein he interface units comprise switching circuitry configured to selectively couple an element in a piezoelectric sensor module of the at least two piezoelectric sensor modules to another element in the first sensor module to form a paired grouping. 
     
     
         39 . The modular ultrasound system of  claim 38 , wherein the switching circuitry comprises a high voltage semiconductor switch. 
     
     
         40 . The modular ultrasound system of  claim 38 , wherein the switching circuitry comprises a low voltage semiconductor switch. 
     
     
         41 . The modular ultrasound system of  claim 38 , wherein the switching circuitry comprises an electronically-actuated micromechanical switch. 
     
     
         42 . The modular ultrasound system of  claim 38 , wherein the switching circuitry comprises a network of three switches which all share a first terminal, where one of the switches has its second terminal connected to ground. 
     
     
         43 . The modular ultrasound system of  claim 38 , wherein the elements of the paired grouping are physically located adjacent to each other in the piezoelectric sensor module. 
     
     
         44 . The modular ultrasound system of  claim 43 ; wherein the elements of the paired grouping arc part of a same one of the groups of piezoelectric elements. 
     
     
         45 . The modular ultrasound system of  claim 43 , wherein the elements of the paired grouping are part of adjacent ones of the groups of piezoelectric elements. 
     
     
         46 . The modular ultrasound system of  claim 38 , wherein the elements of the paired grouping are symmetrically situated relative to an axis of the piezoelectric sensor module. 
     
     
         47 . The modular ultrasound system of  claim 38 , wherein the elements of the paired grouping are symmetrically situated relative to an axis of an active aperture of the piezoelectric sensor module. 
     
     
         48 . The modular ultrasound system of  claim 38 , wherein the switching circuitry are actuated by locally integrated control circuits. 
     
     
         49 . The modular ultrasound system of  claim 33 , wherein the interface units comprise electrical buffer circuits. 
     
     
         50 . The modular ultrasound system of  claim 49 , wherein the electrical buffer circuits are configured to be switched to an off state in which they draw minimal power. 
     
     
         51 . The modular ultrasound system of  claim 48 , wherein the locally integrated control circuits are configured to store one or more switch state bits internally. 
     
     
         52 . The modular ultrasound system of  claim 51 , wherein the locally integrated control circuits are configured to switch between stored state bits one or more times during the second operating mode. 
     
     
         53 . The modular ultrasound system of  claim 38 , wherein the switching circuitry is configured to form the paired grouping of the piezoelectric sensor module coupled with the first channel, and a paired grouping of another piezoelectric sensor module of the at least two piezoelectric sensor modules coupled with the second channel. 
     
     
         54 . The modular ultrasound system of  claim 38 , wherein the switching circuitry is configured to form
 a first and second paired grouping of the piezoelectric sensor module coupled with a first channel, and   a first and second paired grouping of another piezoelectric sensor module of the at least two piezoelectric sensor modules coupled to the second channel.   
     
     
         55 . The modular ultrasound system of  claim 53  or  claim 54 , wherein the elements of the at least two piezoelectric sensor modules are configured to respond to channels that operate at different frequencies. 
     
     
         56 . The modular ultrasound system of  claim 38 , wherein the switching circuitry is configured to implement,
 in a first mode, a piezoelectric sensor module with an element pitch greater than half a transmit wavelength, and,   in a second mode, a piezoelectric sensor module with the element pitch equal to or less than half of the transmit wavelength.   
     
     
         57 . The modular ultrasound system of  claim 38 , wherein the switching circuitry is configured to implement,
 in a first coupling mode, element grouping for a coarse sampling of the piezoelectric sensor module with a wide aperture, and,   in a second coupling mode, another element grouping for a fine sampling of the piezoelectric sensor module with a narrow aperture.   
     
     
         58 . The modular ultrasound system of  claim 33 , wherein the first channel is configured to operate in a high power transmit mode while the second channel operates in a low power transmit imaging mode. 
     
     
         59 .- 60 . (canceled)