Independently operated piezoelectric ultrasound elements arranged in a checkerboard pattern

Abstract

Described herein are arrays of piezoelectric ultrasound elements. The piezoelectric ultrasound elements may be arranged in a checkerboard pattern. The piezoelectric ultrasound elements in one column may be shifted along the vertical dimension of the array with respect to piezoelectric ultrasound elements in an adjacent column. A piezoelectric ultrasound element in one column may be coupled to a different circuit than all other piezoelectric ultrasound elements in the column. The circuit may be, for example, an analog-to-digital converter or a circuit configured to transmit ultrasound signals from the array. Each piezoelectric ultrasound element in a column may be configured so that it can operate at a different frequency from each of the other piezoelectric ultrasound elements in the column. There array may include at least 1,000 piezoelectric ultrasound elements. The array may be monolithically integrated with a substrate comprising different circuits for each piezoelectric ultrasound element in the array.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 - 405 . (canceled) 
     
     
         406 . An apparatus, comprising:
 an array of piezoelectric ultrasound elements in a two-dimensional arrangement, the array having a horizontal dimension and a vertical dimension and comprising a first set of columns of piezoelectric ultrasound elements interleaved with a second set of columns of piezoelectric ultrasound elements, wherein:
 each column in the first and second sets of columns comprises at least three piezoelectric ultrasound elements positioned sequentially with respect to one another along the vertical dimension of the array; 
 each of a plurality of columns in the first set of columns is between and immediately adjacent to two columns in the second set of columns, and each of a plurality of columns in the second set of columns is between and immediately adjacent to two columns in the first set of columns; 
 the first set of columns and the second set of columns are substantially parallel to one another and are arranged along the horizontal dimension of the array; 
 a plurality of piezoelectric ultrasound elements in the first set of columns are shifted along the vertical dimension of the array with respect to adjacent piezoelectric ultrasound elements in the second set of columns; and 
 a first piezoelectric ultrasound element in a column of the first set of columns is coupled to a different circuit than all other piezoelectric ultrasound elements in the column. 
   
     
     
         407 . The apparatus of  claim 406 , wherein the first piezoelectric ultrasound element is coupled to a first circuit comprising a first analog-to-digital converter (ADC), and a second piezoelectric ultrasound element in the column is coupled to a second circuit comprising a second ADC. 
     
     
         408 . The apparatus of  claim 406 , wherein each piezoelectric ultrasound element in the array is coupled to a different circuit comprising an ADC. 
     
     
         409 . The apparatus of  claim 406 , wherein the array comprises at least 1,000 piezoelectric ultrasound elements. 
     
     
         410 . The apparatus of  claim 406 , wherein the array of piezoelectric ultrasound elements is monolithically integrated with a substrate comprising different circuits for each piezoelectric ultrasound element in the array. 
     
     
         411 . The apparatus of  claim 406 , wherein the first piezoelectric ultrasound element is coupled to a first circuit configured to transmit ultrasound signals from the array, and a second piezoelectric ultrasound element in the column is coupled to a second circuit configured to transmit ultrasound signals from the array. 
     
     
         412 . The apparatus of  claim 406 , wherein each piezoelectric ultrasound element in the array is coupled to a different circuit configured to transmit ultrasound signals from the array. 
     
     
         413 . The apparatus of  claim 406 , wherein the piezoelectric ultrasound elements are not hexagonal in shape. 
     
     
         414 . The apparatus of  claim 406 , wherein a piezoelectric ultrasound element in the array extends along the vertical dimension beyond a vertical extent of an adjacent piezoelectric ultrasound element. 
     
     
         415 . The apparatus of  claim 406 , wherein the plurality of piezoelectric ultrasound elements in the first set of columns are located equidistant between centers of adjacent piezoelectric ultrasound elements in the second set of columns along the vertical dimension of the array. 
     
     
         416 . An apparatus, comprising:
 an array of piezoelectric ultrasound elements in a two-dimensional arrangement, the array comprising at least four piezoelectric ultrasound elements that are adjacent to one another and arranged in a checkerboard pattern, wherein:
 the piezoelectric ultrasound elements in the checkerboard pattern are configured so that each can operate at a frequency that is different from each of the other adjacent piezoelectric ultrasound elements in the checkerboard pattern. 
   
     
     
         417 . The apparatus of  claim 416 , wherein the array comprises at least 1,000 piezoelectric ultrasound elements, all of the elements being in checkerboard configuration, wherein each piezoelectric ultrasound element in the array can be configured to operate at a different frequency from all other piezoelectric ultrasound elements in the array. 
     
     
         418 . The apparatus of  claim 416 , wherein a first piezoelectric ultrasound element of the at least four piezoelectric ultrasound elements is coupled to a first circuit comprising a first analog-to-digital converter (ADC), and a second piezoelectric ultrasound element of the at least four piezoelectric ultrasound elements is coupled to a second circuit comprising a second ADC. 
     
     
         419 . The apparatus of  claim 416 , wherein the array comprises at least 1,000 piezoelectric ultrasound elements. 
     
     
         420 . The apparatus of  claim 416 , wherein the array of piezoelectric ultrasound elements is monolithically integrated with a substrate comprising the different circuits for each piezoelectric ultrasound element in the array. 
     
     
         421 . The apparatus of  claim 416 , wherein a first piezoelectric ultrasound element of the at least four piezoelectric ultrasound elements is coupled to a first circuit configured to transmit ultrasound signals from the array, and a second piezoelectric ultrasound element of the at least four piezoelectric ultrasound elements is coupled to a second circuit configured to transmit ultrasound signals from the array. 
     
     
         422 . The apparatus of  claim 416 , wherein each piezoelectric ultrasound element in the array is coupled to a different circuit configured to transmit ultrasound signals from the array. 
     
     
         423 . The apparatus of  claim 416 , wherein the piezoelectric ultrasound elements are not hexagonal in shape. 
     
     
         424 . The apparatus of  claim 416 , wherein the piezoelectric ultrasound elements in the checkerboard pattern are shifted along a vertical dimension of the array with respect to adjacent piezoelectric ultrasound elements. 
     
     
         425 . The apparatus of  claim 416 , wherein the piezoelectric ultrasound elements in the checkerboard pattern are located equidistant between centers of adjacent piezoelectric ultrasound elements along a vertical dimension of the array. 
     
     
         426 . The apparatus of  claim 416 , wherein a piezoelectric ultrasound element in the array extends along a vertical dimension of the array beyond a vertical extent of an adjacent piezoelectric ultrasound element. 
     
     
         427 . The apparatus of  claim 416 , wherein the at least four piezoelectric ultrasound elements are immediately adjacent to one another in the checkerboard pattern. 
     
     
         428 . An apparatus, comprising:
 an array of piezoelectric ultrasound elements in a two-dimensional arrangement, the array comprising columns of piezoelectric ultrasound elements arranged in a plurality of columns substantially parallel to one another along a horizontal dimension of the array; wherein:
 the array comprises at least four piezoelectric ultrasound elements that are adjacent to one another and arranged in a checkerboard pattern; and 
 a first piezoelectric ultrasound element in a column of the plurality of columns is coupled to a different circuit than all other piezoelectric ultrasound elements in the column. 
   
     
     
         429 . The apparatus of  claim 428 , wherein the first piezoelectric ultrasound element is coupled to a first circuit comprising a first analog-to-digital converter (ADC), and a second piezoelectric ultrasound element in the column is coupled to a second circuit comprising a second ADC. 
     
     
         430 . The apparatus of  claim 428 , wherein the array comprises at least 1,000 piezoelectric ultrasound elements. 
     
     
         431 . The apparatus of  claim 428 , wherein the array of piezoelectric ultrasound elements is monolithically integrated with a substrate comprising different circuits for each piezoelectric ultrasound element in the array. 
     
     
         432 . The apparatus of  claim 428 , wherein each piezoelectric ultrasound element in the array is coupled to a different circuit configured to transmit ultrasound signals from the array. 
     
     
         433 . The apparatus of  claim 428 , wherein the piezoelectric ultrasound elements are not hexagonal in shape. 
     
     
         434 . The apparatus of  claim 428 , wherein a piezoelectric ultrasound element in the array extends along the vertical dimension beyond a vertical extent of an adjacent piezoelectric ultrasound element. 
     
     
         435 . An apparatus, comprising:
 an array of at least 1,000 piezoelectric ultrasound elements arranged in a checkerboard configuration, wherein each piezoelectric ultrasound element in the array is coupled to a different circuit comprising an ADC.