Energy-Efficient High-Voltage Pulsers for Ultrasound Transducers

Jaesuk Choi; Sangyeon Youn; Jae Youn Hwang; Sohmyung Ha; Chul Kim; Minkyu Je

doi:10.1109/TCSII.2020.3040548

Energy-Efficient High-Voltage Pulsers for Ultrasound Transducers

Jaesuk Choi, Sangyeon Youn, Jae Youn Hwang, Sohmyung Ha, Chul Kim, Minkyu Je

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

Abstract

This brief reviews high-voltage pulsers for ultrasound imaging systems with a focus on energy efficiency. Most ultrasound imaging systems have been developed with the aim of achieving a high signal-to-noise ratio for good image quality. As miniaturization and portability of the systems are pursued recently, high energy efficiency is of great need. In the ultrasonic imaging systems, the most power-hungry block is typically the pulser that drives the ultrasound transducer at a high voltage. To better understand the pulser's operation and power consumption, an equivalent circuit model of the transducer is introduced. Based on the model, we investigate the fundamentals of pulser driving methods and review the conventional class-D pulser as well as state-of-the-art pulsers with dynamic power loss reduction techniques. Their operation principles, strengths, and limitations are analyzed and discussed in depth.

Original language	English (US)
Article number	9270589
Pages (from-to)	19-23
Number of pages	5
Journal	IEEE Transactions on Circuits and Systems II: Express Briefs
Volume	68
Issue number	1
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1109/TCSII.2020.3040548
State	Published - Jan 2021

Keywords

DC-DC converter
Medical ultrasound imaging
charge redistribution
class-D
dynamic power consumption
energy efficiency
equivalent circuit
high-voltage pulser
miniaturization
multi-level pulse-shaping
parasitic capacitance
ultrasound transducer

ASJC Scopus subject areas

Electrical and Electronic Engineering

Access to Document

10.1109/TCSII.2020.3040548

Fingerprint Dive into the research topics of 'Energy-Efficient High-Voltage Pulsers for Ultrasound Transducers'. Together they form a unique fingerprint.

Cite this

@article{68736688307945c88498fa1ba277b7f7,

title = "Energy-Efficient High-Voltage Pulsers for Ultrasound Transducers",

abstract = "This brief reviews high-voltage pulsers for ultrasound imaging systems with a focus on energy efficiency. Most ultrasound imaging systems have been developed with the aim of achieving a high signal-to-noise ratio for good image quality. As miniaturization and portability of the systems are pursued recently, high energy efficiency is of great need. In the ultrasonic imaging systems, the most power-hungry block is typically the pulser that drives the ultrasound transducer at a high voltage. To better understand the pulser's operation and power consumption, an equivalent circuit model of the transducer is introduced. Based on the model, we investigate the fundamentals of pulser driving methods and review the conventional class-D pulser as well as state-of-the-art pulsers with dynamic power loss reduction techniques. Their operation principles, strengths, and limitations are analyzed and discussed in depth. ",

keywords = "DC-DC converter, Medical ultrasound imaging, charge redistribution, class-D, dynamic power consumption, energy efficiency, equivalent circuit, high-voltage pulser, miniaturization, multi-level pulse-shaping, parasitic capacitance, ultrasound transducer",

author = "Jaesuk Choi and Sangyeon Youn and Hwang, {Jae Youn} and Sohmyung Ha and Chul Kim and Minkyu Je",

note = "Funding Information: Manuscript received November 2, 2020; accepted November 21, 2020. Date of publication November 25, 2020; date of current version December 21, 2020. This work was supported in part by the Electronics Systems Industry Core Technology Development Program funded by the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy, South Korea, under Grant 10085624, and in part by the Korea Medical Device Development Program funded by the Korea Government (the Ministry of Science and ICT, the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy, the Ministry of Health and Welfare, South Korea, the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety) under Grant 202012D17. This brief was recommended by Associate Editor E. Bonizzoni. (Corresponding authors: Chul Kim; Minkyu Je.) Jaesuk Choi and Minkyu Je are with the School of Electrical and Engineering, Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology, Daejeon 34141, South Korea (e-mail: jaesuk.choi@kaist.ac.kr; mkje@kaist. ac.kr).",

year = "2021",

month = jan,

doi = "10.1109/TCSII.2020.3040548",

language = "English (US)",

volume = "68",

pages = "19--23",

journal = "IEEE Transactions on Circuits and Systems II: Express Briefs",

issn = "1549-7747",

publisher = "Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers Inc.",

number = "1",

}

TY - JOUR

T1 - Energy-Efficient High-Voltage Pulsers for Ultrasound Transducers

AU - Choi, Jaesuk

AU - Youn, Sangyeon

AU - Hwang, Jae Youn

AU - Ha, Sohmyung

AU - Kim, Chul

AU - Je, Minkyu

N1 - Funding Information: Manuscript received November 2, 2020; accepted November 21, 2020. Date of publication November 25, 2020; date of current version December 21, 2020. This work was supported in part by the Electronics Systems Industry Core Technology Development Program funded by the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy, South Korea, under Grant 10085624, and in part by the Korea Medical Device Development Program funded by the Korea Government (the Ministry of Science and ICT, the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy, the Ministry of Health and Welfare, South Korea, the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety) under Grant 202012D17. This brief was recommended by Associate Editor E. Bonizzoni. (Corresponding authors: Chul Kim; Minkyu Je.) Jaesuk Choi and Minkyu Je are with the School of Electrical and Engineering, Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology, Daejeon 34141, South Korea (e-mail: jaesuk.choi@kaist.ac.kr; mkje@kaist. ac.kr).

PY - 2021/1

Y1 - 2021/1

N2 - This brief reviews high-voltage pulsers for ultrasound imaging systems with a focus on energy efficiency. Most ultrasound imaging systems have been developed with the aim of achieving a high signal-to-noise ratio for good image quality. As miniaturization and portability of the systems are pursued recently, high energy efficiency is of great need. In the ultrasonic imaging systems, the most power-hungry block is typically the pulser that drives the ultrasound transducer at a high voltage. To better understand the pulser's operation and power consumption, an equivalent circuit model of the transducer is introduced. Based on the model, we investigate the fundamentals of pulser driving methods and review the conventional class-D pulser as well as state-of-the-art pulsers with dynamic power loss reduction techniques. Their operation principles, strengths, and limitations are analyzed and discussed in depth.

AB - This brief reviews high-voltage pulsers for ultrasound imaging systems with a focus on energy efficiency. Most ultrasound imaging systems have been developed with the aim of achieving a high signal-to-noise ratio for good image quality. As miniaturization and portability of the systems are pursued recently, high energy efficiency is of great need. In the ultrasonic imaging systems, the most power-hungry block is typically the pulser that drives the ultrasound transducer at a high voltage. To better understand the pulser's operation and power consumption, an equivalent circuit model of the transducer is introduced. Based on the model, we investigate the fundamentals of pulser driving methods and review the conventional class-D pulser as well as state-of-the-art pulsers with dynamic power loss reduction techniques. Their operation principles, strengths, and limitations are analyzed and discussed in depth.

KW - DC-DC converter

KW - Medical ultrasound imaging

KW - charge redistribution

KW - class-D

KW - dynamic power consumption

KW - energy efficiency

KW - equivalent circuit

KW - high-voltage pulser

KW - miniaturization

KW - multi-level pulse-shaping

KW - parasitic capacitance

KW - ultrasound transducer

UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85097153418&partnerID=8YFLogxK

UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=85097153418&partnerID=8YFLogxK

U2 - 10.1109/TCSII.2020.3040548

DO - 10.1109/TCSII.2020.3040548

M3 - Article

AN - SCOPUS:85097153418

VL - 68

SP - 19

EP - 23

JO - IEEE Transactions on Circuits and Systems II: Express Briefs

JF - IEEE Transactions on Circuits and Systems II: Express Briefs

SN - 1549-7747

IS - 1

M1 - 9270589

ER -