Ultrasound system front-end circuit for a 128-element array probe

Abstract

Front-end circuitry for an ultrasound system comprises a beamformer FPGA integrated circuit, transmit ICs with both pulse transmitters and linear waveform transmitters and T/R switches, transmit control and receiver ICs, and analog-to-digital converter (ADC) ICs. Only the transmit ICs require high voltages, and the transmit/receive switches are integrated in the transmit ICs, isolating the receiver ICs from high voltages. The transmitters can be trimmed to adjust the pulse rise and fall rates, enabling the transmission of pulses with low harmonic frequency content and thus better harmonic images.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An ultrasound system having a front-end circuit comprising:
 a high voltage transducer drive circuit comprising a complementary pair of high voltage transistors coupled in series between a positive high voltage supply and a negative high voltage supply; and   a transistor size trimming circuit coupled to one of the high voltage transistors,   wherein the transistor size trimming circuit operates to selectively adjust the size of one of the high voltage transistors.   
     
     
         2 . The ultrasound system front-end circuit of  claim 1 , wherein the transistor size trimming circuit further comprises a plurality of controllable size selection switches coupled to an electrode of a high voltage transistor. 
     
     
         3 . The ultrasound system front-end circuit of  claim 2 , further comprising a transistor size trimming circuit coupled to each of the high voltage transistors. 
     
     
         4 . An ultrasound system having a front-end circuit comprising:
 a high voltage transducer drive circuit comprising a complementary pair of high voltage transistors coupled in series between a positive high voltage supply and a negative high voltage supply;   a low voltage drive transistor coupled to an electrode of each of the high voltage transistors; and   a transistor drive trimming circuit coupled to one of the low voltage drive transistors,   wherein the transistor drive trimming circuit operates to selectively adjust a bias of one of the low voltage drive transistors.   
     
     
         5 . The ultrasound system front-end circuit of  claim 4 , wherein the transistor drive trimming circuit further comprises a plurality of controllable bias selection switches coupled between a supply voltage and the low voltage drive transistor. 
     
     
         6 . The ultrasound system front-end circuit of  claim 5 , further comprising a transistor drive trimming circuit coupled to each of the low voltage drive transistors.