Ultrasound diagnosis apparatus and method of operating the same
An ultrasound diagnosis apparatus includes: a two-dimensional (2D) transducer array in which a plurality of transducers that transmit/receive an ultrasound signal to/from an object are arranged in two dimensions; an analog beamformer configured to perform analog beamforming in a first direction, and perform analog beamforming in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction on signals respectively received by the plurality of transducers; and a digital beamformer configured to perform digital beamforming on the signals that are analog-beamformed in the first direction, and perform digital beamforming on the signals that are analog-beamformed in the second direction.
1. An ultrasound diagnosis apparatus comprising:
a two dimensional transducer array configured to receive ultrasound echo signals from a target object;
an image processor configured to generate a first ultrasound image corresponding to a first cross-section of the target object and a second ultrasound image corresponding to a second cross-section of the target object based on the ultrasound echo signals, the first and second cross-sections perpendicular to each other; and
a display configured to display the first ultrasound image, the second ultrasound image, and a region,
wherein the region comprises:
a first central reference line displayed in a first direction of the region,
a second central reference line displayed in a second direction of the region, the first and second directions perpendicular to each other; and
a first movement bar displayed parallel to the first central reference line, the first movement bar representing a location of the first cross-section.
2. The ultrasound diagnosis apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising:
a user interface configured to receive a user input,
wherein the first movement bar is moved along the second direction in the region according to the user input.
3. The ultrasound diagnosis apparatus of claim 2 ,
wherein, when the first movement bar is moved, the display displays the first ultrasound image corresponding to a moved first cross-section.
4. The ultrasound diagnosis apparatus of claim 2 ,
wherein the region further comprises:
a second movement bar displayed parallel to the second central reference line, the second movement bar representing a location of the second cross-section.
5. The ultrasound diagnosis apparatus of claim 4 ,
wherein the second movement bar is moved along the first direction in the region according to the user input.
6. The ultrasound diagnosis apparatus of claim 5 ,
wherein, when the second movement bar is moved, the display displays the second ultrasound image corresponding to a moved second cross-section.
7. The ultrasound diagnosis apparatus of claim 2 ,
wherein the user input is at least one of a track ball input, a touch input, an up/down key input, and a left/right key input.
8. The ultrasound diagnosis apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising:
an analog beamformer configured to perform analog beamforming in a first direction on ultrasound echo signals received by the two dimensional transducer array to generate a plurality of first analog signals, and perform analog beamforming in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction on ultrasound echo signals received by the two dimensional transducer array to generate a plurality of second analog signals; and
a digital beamformer configured to perform digital beamforming on the plurality of first analog signals to generate a plurality of first digital signals corresponding to a plurality of first scan lines based on the first analog signals beamformed in the first direction, for a first ultrasound image, and perform digital beamforming on the plurality of second analog signals to generate a plurality of second digital signals corresponding to a plurality of second scan lines based on the second analog signals beamformed in the second direction, for a second ultrasound image,
wherein at least one of the first scan lines is aligned with at least one of the second scan lines.
9. A method of operating an ultrasound diagnosis apparatus comprising a two dimensional transducer array, the method comprising:
receiving ultrasound echo signals from a target object;
generating a first ultrasound image corresponding to a first cross-section of the target object and a second ultrasound image corresponding to a second cross-section of the target object based on the ultrasound echo signals, the first and second cross-sections perpendicular to each other; and
displaying the first ultrasound image, the second ultrasound image, and a region,
wherein the region comprises:
a first central reference line displayed in a first direction of the region,
a second central reference line displayed in a second direction of the region, the first and second directions perpendicular to each other; and
a first movement bar displayed parallel to the first central reference line, the first movement bar representing a location of the first cross-section.
10. The method of claim 9 , further comprising:
receiving a user input; and
moving the first movement bar along the second direction in the region according to the user input.
11. The method of claim 10 ,
displaying the first ultrasound image corresponding to a moved first cross-section, when the first movement bar is moved.
12. The method of claim 10 ,
wherein the region further comprises:
a second movement bar displayed parallel to the second central reference line, the second movement bar representing a location of the second cross-section.
13. The method of claim 12 ,
moving the second movement bar along the first direction in the region according to the user input.
14. The method of claim 13 ,
displaying the second ultrasound image corresponding to a moved second cross-section, when the second movement bar is moved.
15. The method of claim 10 ,
wherein the user input is at least one of a track ball input, a touch input, an up/down key input, and a left/right key input.
16. The method of claim 9 , further comprising:
performing analog beamforming in a first direction on ultrasound echo signals received by the two dimensional transducer array to generate a plurality of first analog signals, and performing analog beamforming in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction on ultrasound echo signals received by the two dimensional transducer array to generate a plurality of second analog signals; and
performing digital beamforming on the plurality of first analog signals to generate a plurality of first digital signals corresponding to a plurality of first scan lines based on the first analog signals beamformed in the first direction, for a first ultrasound image, and performing digital beamforming on the plurality of second analog signals to generate a plurality of second digital signals corresponding to a plurality of second scan lines based on the second analog signals beamformed in the second direction, for a second ultrasound image,
wherein at least one of the first scan lines is aligned with at least one of the second scan lines.