Programmable ultrasound transmit beamformer integrated circuit and method
View Patent ↗A digital switched current source is coupled to a programmable current source-driver and controlled by waveforms stored in the programmable and floating complementary sourcing and sinking current source-driver. A plurality of complementary P- and N-MOSFET is coupled to the programmable floating current source driver. The transformer-less programmable ultrasound transmit beamformer integrated circuit is provided and directly coupled to the plurality of transducers.
1. An electrical waveform generating circuit comprising:
a floating source-driver and control circuit;
a pair of switching control circuits coupled to the floating source-driver and control circuit;
a plurality of complementary P- and N-type MOSFETs coupled to the switching control circuits; and
a transducer coupled to the complementary P- and N-type MOSFETs;
wherein the floating source-driver and control circuit comprises:
a frequency pre-scale unit;
control logic coupled to the frequency pre-scale unit;
a waveform memory coupled to the frequency pre-scale unit;
an address generator coupled to the waveform memory and the frequency pre-scale unit; and
a pair of digital to analog converters coupled to the waveform memory, wherein one of the pair of digital to analog converters is coupled to a switching current control circuit.
2. An electrical waveform generating circuit in accordance with claim 1 , wherein the floating source-driver and control circuit further comprises a serial port interface coupled to the frequency pre-scale unit.
3. An electrical waveform generating circuit in accordance with claim 1 , wherein the plurality of complementary P- and N-type MOSFETs coupled to the switching control circuits comprises:
a pair of P-type output circuits coupled to a first of the pair of switching control circuits;
a pair of N-type output circuits coupled to a second of the pair of switching control circuits;
a pair of P-type MOSFETs wherein a drain terminal of each of the pair of P-type MOSFETs is coupled to the transducer; and
a pair of N-type MOSFETs wherein a drain terminal of each of the pair of N-type MOSFETs is coupled to the transducer.