Universal ultrasound device and related apparatus and methods

Abstract

A universal ultrasound device having an ultrasound probe includes a semiconductor die; a plurality of ultrasonic transducers integrated on the semiconductor die, the plurality of ultrasonic transducers configured to operate a first mode associated with a first frequency range and a second mode associated with a second frequency range, wherein the first frequency range is at least partially non-overlapping with the second frequency range; and control circuitry configured to: control the plurality of ultrasonic transducers to generate and/or detect ultrasound signals having frequencies in the first frequency range, in response to receiving an indication to operate the ultrasound probe in the first mode; and control the plurality of ultrasonic transducers to generate and/or detect ultrasound signals having frequencies in the second frequency range, in response to receiving an indication to operate the ultrasound probe in the second mode.

1 - 24 . (canceled) 
     
     
         25 . An ultrasound device in operative communication with a smartphone or tablet, comprising:
 a semiconductor die having a two-dimensional array of micromachined ultrasonic transducers, wherein the two-dimensional array is configured to operate at frequencies between about 1 MHz and 7 MHz using a pitch of the micromachined ultrasonic transducers smaller than or equal to lambda for each of the frequencies; and   a controller coupled to the array of micromachined ultrasonic transducers and configured to control the array of micromachined ultrasonic transducers to operate as any of the linear probe, phased array probe, or curvilinear probe.   
     
     
         26 . The ultrasound device of  claim 25 , wherein the pitch of the micromachined ultrasonic transducers is smaller than or equal to lambda/2 for at least some of the frequencies. 
     
     
         27 . The ultrasound device of  claim 25 , wherein the pitch of the micromachined ultrasonic transducers is approximately equal to lambda/4 for at least some of the frequencies. 
     
     
         28 . The ultrasound device of  claim 25 , wherein the pitch of the micromachined ultrasonic transducers is approximately 200 microns. 
     
     
         29 . The ultrasound device of  claim 25 , wherein the controller is further configured to control the array of micromachined ultrasonic transducers to:
 operate in a first mode wherein a subset of a first set a second set of micromachined ultrasonic transducers is selected for operation; and   operate in a second mode wherein a combination of the first set and the second set of micromachined ultrasonic transducers is selected for operation.   
     
     
         30 . The ultrasound device of  claim 29 , wherein the controller is further configured to:
 provide a first voltage to the subset of the micromachined ultrasonic transducers when operating in the first mode; and   provide a second voltage to the combination of the micromachined ultrasonic transducers when operating in the second mode.   
     
     
         31 . The ultrasound device of  claim 29 , wherein the controller is further configured to:
 control the subset of the micromachined ultrasonic transducers to operate with a first center frequency when operating in the first mode; and   control the subset of the micromachined ultrasonic transducers to operating with a second center frequency when operating in the second mode.   
     
     
         32 . The ultrasound device of  claim 29 , wherein the controller is further configured to:
 control the subset of the micromachined ultrasonic transducers to operate with a first frequency range when operating in the first mode; and   control the subset of the micromachined ultrasonic transducers to operating with a second frequency range when operating in the second mode;   wherein the first frequency range and the second frequency range overlap.   
     
     
         33 . The ultrasound device of  claim 25 , wherein the controller is further configured to:
 control the array of micromachined ultrasonic transducers to use a first amount of grouping of the micromachined ultrasonic transducers when operating in a first frequency range; and   control the array of micromachined ultrasonic transducers to use a second amount of grouping of the micromachined ultrasonic transducers when operating in a second frequency range;   wherein:
 at least some of the frequencies in the first frequency range are lower than at least some of the frequencies in the second frequency range; and 
 the first amount of grouping is greater than the second amount of grouping. 
   
     
     
         34 . The ultrasound device of  claim 25 , wherein the micromachined ultrasonic transducers comprise capacitive micromachined ultrasonic transducers (CMUTs). 
     
     
         35 . The ultrasound device of  claim 25 , wherein the micromachined ultrasonic transducers comprise piezoelectric micromachined ultrasonic transducers (PMUTs). 
     
     
         36 . An ultrasound device in operative communication with a smartphone or tablet, comprising:
 a semiconductor die having a two-dimensional array of micromachined ultrasonic transducers;   a controller coupled to the array of micromachined ultrasonic transducers and configured to:
 control the array of micromachined ultrasonic transducers to operate as any of the linear probe, phased array probe, or curvilinear probe; 
 control the array of micromachined ultrasonic transducers to use a first pitch of the micromachined ultrasonic transducers when operating in a first frequency range; and 
 control the array of micromachined ultrasonic transducers to use a second pitch of the micromachined ultrasonic transducers when operating in a second frequency range; 
   wherein:
 at least some of the frequencies in the first frequency range are lower than at least some of the frequencies in the second frequency range; and 
 the first pitch is greater than the second pitch. 
   
     
     
         37 . The ultrasound device of  claim 36 , wherein the first pitch is approximately  500  microns. 
     
     
         38 . The ultrasound device of  claim 36 , wherein the second pitch is approximately 200 microns. 
     
     
         39 . The ultrasound device of  claim 36 , wherein the controller is configured to implement the first pitch by subset selection of the array of micromachined ultrasonic transducers. 
     
     
         40 . The ultrasound device of  claim 36 , wherein the controller is further configured to control the array of micromachined ultrasonic transducers to:
 operate in a first mode wherein a subset of a first set and a second set of micromachined ultrasonic transducers is selected for operation; and   operate in a second mode, wherein a combination of the first set and the second set of micromachined ultrasonic transducers is selected for operation.   
     
     
         41 . The ultrasound device of  claim 40 , wherein the controller is further configured to:
 provide a first voltage to the subset of the micromachined ultrasonic transducers when operating in the first mode; and   provide a second voltage to the combination of the micromachined ultrasonic transducers when operating in the second mode.   
     
     
         42 . The ultrasound device of  claim 40 , wherein the controller is further configured to:
 control the subset of the micromachined ultrasonic transducers to operate with a first center frequency when operating in the first mode; and   control the subset of the micromachined ultrasonic transducers to operating with a second center frequency when operating in the second mode.   
     
     
         43 . The ultrasound device of  claim 40 , wherein the controller is further configured to:
 control the subset of the micromachined ultrasonic transducers to operate with a first frequency range when operating in the first mode; and   control the subset of the micromachined ultrasonic transducers to operating with a second frequency range when operating in the second mode;   wherein the first frequency range and the second frequency range overlap.   
     
     
         44 . The ultrasound device of  claim 36 , wherein the controller is further configured to:
 control the array of micromachined ultrasonic transducers to use a first amount of grouping of the micromachined ultrasonic transducers when operating in a first frequency range; and   control the array of micromachined ultrasonic transducers to use a second amount of grouping of the micromachined ultrasonic transducers when operating in a second frequency range;   wherein:
 at least some of the frequencies in the first frequency range are lower than at least some of the frequencies in the second frequency range; and 
 the first amount of grouping is greater than the second amount of grouping.