Beamforming apparatus, beamforming method, and ultrasonic imaging apparatus

Abstract

A beamforming apparatus includes: a signal output unit configured to output signals; a time difference corrector configured to correct a time difference between the signals; and a weight applier configured to apply a weight value to the signals, according to an error between the signals with the corrected time difference and a target delay pattern.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing a program, the program comprising instructions to execute a method comprising:
 outputting signals;   correcting a time difference between the signals; and   obtaining an error between the signals with the corrected time difference and a target delay pattern and applying a weight value to the signals based on the error,   wherein the correcting of the time difference comprises correcting the time difference so that the signals with the corrected time difference form a predetermined gradient of the target delay pattern.   
     
     
         2 . A beamforming apparatus comprising:
 a signal output unit configured to output signals;   a time difference corrector configured to correct a time difference between the signals; and   a weight applier configured to apply a weight value to the signals, according to an error between the signals with the corrected time difference and a target delay pattern,   wherein the time difference corrector comprises a plurality of time difference devices, and each of the time difference devices being configured to group signals transmitted from a plurality of channels into a plurality of groups and to correct the time difference of the signals such that the signals of each of the groups form a same target pattern.   
     
     
         3 . The beamforming apparatus according to  claim 2 , wherein the target pattern comprises a predetermined gradient. 
     
     
         4 . The beamforming apparatus according to  claim 2 , further comprising:
 an analog-to-digital converter configured to convert the signals into digital signals.   
     
     
         5 . The beamforming apparatus according to  claim 2 , further comprising:
 a synthesizer configured to synthesize the signals with the corrected time difference.   
     
     
         6 . The beamforming apparatus according to  claim 2 , further comprising:
 a storage unit configured to store the target pattern.   
     
     
         7 . A beamforming apparatus comprising:
 a signal output unit configured to output signals;   a time difference corrector configured to correct a time difference between the signals; and   a weight applier configured to apply a weight value to the signals, according to an error between the signals with the corrected time difference and a target delay pattern,   wherein signals transmitted from a plurality of channels are grouped into a plurality of groups, and   the time difference of the signals are corrected such that the signals of each of the groups form a same target pattern.   
     
     
         8 . The beamforming apparatus according to  claim 7 , wherein the target pattern comprises a predetermined gradient. 
     
     
         9 . The beamforming apparatus according to  claim 7 , further comprising:
 an analog-to-digital converter configured to convert the signals into digital signals.   
     
     
         10 . The beamforming apparatus according to  claim 7 , further comprising:
 a synthesizer configured to synthesize the signals with the corrected time difference.   
     
     
         11 . The beamforming apparatus according to  claim 7 , further comprising:
 a storage unit configured to store the target pattern.   
     
     
         12 . A beamforming method comprising:
 outputting signals;   correcting a time difference between the signals; and   applying a weight value to the signals according to an error between the signals with the corrected time difference and a target pattern,   wherein the correcting comprises grouping signals transmitted from a plurality of channels into a plurality of groups and correcting the time difference of the signals such that the signals of each of the groups form a same target pattern.   
     
     
         13 . The beamforming method according to  claim 12 , wherein the target pattern comprises a predetermined gradient. 
     
     
         14 . The beamforming method according to  claim 12 , further comprising:
 converting the signals into digital signals.   
     
     
         15 . The beamforming method according to  claim 12 , further comprising:
 synthesizing the signals with the corrected time difference.   
     
     
         16 . An ultrasonic imaging apparatus comprising:
 an ultrasound transducer configured to receive ultrasonic waves, configured to convert the ultrasonic waves into electrical signals, and configured to output ultrasonic signals;   a first beamformer configured to synthesize the ultrasonic signals to generate first synthesized signals; and   a second beamformer configured to apply a weight value to the first synthesized signals according to an error between the first synthesized signals and a target pattern, configured to synthesize the first synthesized signals to which the weight value has been applied, and configured to generate a second synthesized signal,   wherein the first beamformer comprises a plurality of time difference devices, and each of the time difference devices being configured to group signals transmitted from a plurality of channels into a plurality of groups and to correct the time difference of the signals such that the signals of each of the groups form a same target pattern.   
     
     
         17 . The ultrasonic imaging apparatus according to  claim 16 , wherein the target pattern comprises a predetermined gradient. 
     
     
         18 . The ultrasonic imaging apparatus according to  claim 16 , further comprising:
 a storage unit configured to store the target pattern.   
     
     
         19 . The ultrasonic imaging apparatus according to  claim 16 , wherein the first beamformer comprises a first time difference corrector configured to correct a time difference between the ultrasonic signals, and the first time difference corrector comprises the plurality of time difference devices. 
     
     
         20 . The ultrasonic imaging apparatus according to  claim 16 , further comprising at least one of:
 a converter configured to convert the first synthesized signals into digital signals;   a signal processor configured to perform processing on the second synthesized signal, and configured to output the processed signal, the processing comprising at least one of filtering, demodulation, and compression; and   an image processor configured to convert the processed signal into an ultrasound image, and configured to perform image processing on the ultrasound image.