Patent attributes
An ultrasonic imaging method and apparatus capable of obtaining image information at a high volume rate and improving resolution. The ultrasonic imaging apparatus has an ultrasonic transducer array including plural ultrasonic transducers for transmitting ultrasonic waves in accordance with drive signals and receiving ultrasonic waves to output detection signals; pulsers for supplying the drive signals; an ignition timing controller for controlling the pulsers to respectively transmit plural ultrasonic beams toward plural directions within a predetermined period so that adjacent two ultrasonic beams are separated by 20° or more from each other; receivers for processing the plural detection signals; and plural phase matching units, provided in correspondence with a number of the ultrasonic beams to be transmitted, for performing phase matching on the basis of the processed detection signals so that plural receiving focal points are formed for each of the transmitted plural ultrasonic beams.
