Ellen Marie Rowland, 516437 129Th Pl SE, Bellevue, WA 98006

2006017, Aug 3, 2006

Dec 17, 2004

11/015085

Xiaocong Guo - Woodinville WA, US
Grazyna Palczewska - Bellevue WA, US
Ellen Rowland - Bellevue WA, US
Haifeng Wang - Issaquah WA, US

A61B 8/14

600459000

Electronic cross-talk is reduced in an ultrasound transducer. Ground traces are interleaved with signal traces on a flexible film. By providing ground traces between the signal traces, the electrical cross-talk between signal traces is reduced.

2005022, Oct 13, 2005

Apr 1, 2004

10/815307

Stephen Englund - Bellevue WA, US
Ellen Rowland - Bellevue WA, US
Grazyna Palczewska - Bellevue WA, US
Gregg Frey - Issaquah WA, US
Lisa Fearn - Seattle WA, US
Vaughn Marian - Saratoga CA, US
Nelson Oliver - Sunnyvale CA, US
Walter Wilser - Cupertino CA, US
Worth Walters - Cupertino CA, US

H01L041/18

310334000

Electrical connection is provided in a transducer stack through a backing block. A flexible circuit is sandwiched between pieces of acoustic attenuating material. For example, 2 to 200 or more flexible circuits are stacked in alternating layers with pieces of acoustically attenuating material. The alternating layers are then connected together to form a backing block with Z-axis electrical connection. The top surface of the connected backing block includes a plurality of exposed electrical traces from the flex circuit. Since flex circuits are used, the electrical traces are precisely aligned along one dimension. Since pre-formed acoustic attenuating material pieces are used, precise alignment is provided along a second or orthogonal dimension. The substrate holding the electrical traces in the flexible circuits provides more stability and allows for easier connection to circuit boards as compared to individual strips of metal.