High speed distribution of data for control of ultrasound devices

Inventors

Taffler, Sean

Assignees

Acoustiic Inc

Abstract

A method of distributing data to a transducer array of an ultrasonic device, the transducer array including transduction elements arranged in module units, includes generating a data packet using an optical transceiver controlled by a controller, the data packet including activation instructions encoded in a first wavelength, transmitting the data packet from the controller to a target device via a signal in an optical fiber, the target device having a beam divider device, splitting the data signal, using the beam divider device, into a plurality of data streams, where each of the data streams carries the data packet in an identical phase, transmitting the data streams to the module units, and activating the transduction elements based on the received data streams.

Core Innovation

The invention relates to distributing ultrasound data to a transducer array of a target device by receiving a data packet in an optical fiber data signal at the target device. The data packet comprises data encoded in a first wavelength, and the target device uses a beam divider device to split the data signal into a plurality of data streams carrying the data packet in an identical phase. The beam divider transmits the data streams to drivers of the transducer array, and the drivers activate transduction elements of the transducer array based on the received data streams.

An ultrasonic system is described in which a target device includes a transducer array and a beam divider device connected to an optical transceiver by an optical fiber. The target device receives, via the optical fiber, a data packet comprising data encoded in a first wavelength. The beam divider device divides the data signal into a plurality of data streams and transmits the data streams to the drivers, and the drivers activate transduction elements based on the received data streams.

In further aspects, the data packet can include a clock signal and the clock signal can be encoded using a second wavelength different from the first wavelength. Imaging data can be received from multiple transduction elements, combined into a return data packet, and transmitted back to a controller via a return signal in the optical fiber. The splitting can be specified such that the division creates two or more data streams with a zero phase shift across the divide.

Claims Coverage

The independent claims cover two aspects: a method of distributing wavelength-encoded data packets over an optical fiber to a transducer array and activating transduction elements using split, identical-phase data streams; and an ultrasonic system implementing that distribution architecture at the target device using a beam divider device connected to an optical transceiver via an optical fiber. The inventive features are further refined by clock/wavelength encoding, optional imaging-data return using a return data packet, and a zero phase shift constraint across the split.

Across both independent claims, the core claim coverage centers on driving transduction elements using a beam divider that splits an optical-fiber data signal into multiple identical-phase data streams that carry wavelength-encoded data packets encoded in a first wavelength. Dependent claim refinements add a clock signal encoded in a second wavelength and/or imaging-data return using a return data packet, and specify that splitting can be performed with zero phase shift across the divide.

Stated Advantages

Documented Applications