ISOLATION OF SHORT-CIRCUITED SENSOR CELL FOR HIGHLY RELIABLE OPERATION OF SENSOR ARRAY

摘要

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To isolate a short-circuited sensor cell for a highly reliable operation of a sensor array to neglect an influence onto imaging performance, as to an array of a finely machined ultrasonic transducer.;SOLUTION: The present invention provides a device having a sensor array and a number of bus lines. Each of sensors is connected electrically to each of the bus lines and includes a large number of groups 58 of the finely machined sensor cells. The sensor cell groups for the specified sensor are electrically connected each other via the bus line with the sensor connected thereto, and each of the sensor cell groups includes the large number of finely machined sensor cells 2 connected electrically each other, and not disconnectable switchingly each other. The device further includes a means (for example, short-circuiting protection module including a fuse or current sensor circuit, and an electric isolation switch) for isolating anyone of the sensor cell groups from the related bus line, in response to the fact that the anyone out of the large number of finely machined sensor cells in anyone of the sensor cell groups is short-circuited to grounding.;COPYRIGHT: (C)2007,JPO&INPIT