Highly integrated solution for an ultrasound imaging system

Texas Instruments TX7316 Three or Five-Level Transmitters is a highly integrated, high-performance solution for an ultrasound imaging system. The device provides 16 PULS, 16 transmit/receive switches, and supports both on-chip and off-chip beamformer (TxBF). Furthermore, the device also integrates on-chip floating power supplies that decrease the quantity of needed high voltage power supplies.

The transmitters provide a pulser circuit that generates three-level high voltage pulses (up to ±100V) that is to be utilised to excite multiple channels of an ultrasound transducer. The receiver circuit is protected by a T/R switch under OFF state by giving high isolation between the high-voltage transmitter and the low-voltage receiver when the pulser is producing high-voltage pulses.

In the off-chip beamformer mode, the output transition of each pulser and TR switch ON/OFF action is controlled by external control pins. Ultrasound transmissions rely on the excitation of multiple transducer elements with the delay profile of the excitation over the different elements determining the direction of the transmission. The transmitters are available in a 15mm x 10mm 216-pin NFBGA package and are specified for operation from 0C to 70C.

Typical applications include ultrasound imaging systems, piezoelectric drivers, and in-probe ultrasound imaging.