Ultrasound imaging probe with sigma-delta beamformer and apodization therein

摘要

An ultrasound transducer probe (104) includes a transducer array (108) of elements ( 1 10) that emit an ultrasound signal and receive analog echo signals produced in response thereto and a beamformer (1 12), housed by the probe, that converts the analog echo signals to digital signals, applies delays to the digital signals, and sums the delayed digital signals, produces a value of a bit stream, wherein the beamformer apodizes the signals