Portable, configurable and scalable ultrasound imaging system

The invention relates generally to ultrasound imaging systems, and, more particularly, to a portable and configurable ultrasound imaging system. A portable, configurable and scalable ultrasonic imaging system uses a phased ultrasonic transducer array coupled to a portable, configurable and scalable ultrasonic processor to develop ultrasonic images. When used in conjunction with a sector phased array, the portable, configurable and scalable ultrasonic imaging system uses a processing channel associated with each element in the transducer array to develop the ultrasonic image. When used with a linear or curved linear transducer array, the portable, configurable and scalable ultrasonic processor uses fewer processing channels than transducer elements to develop the ultrasonic image. Since the portable, configurable and scalable ultrasonic processor is scalable, it is able to use a variety of processors, software and transducer arrays to develop a number of different ultrasonic output images. The portable, configurable and scalable ultrasound imaging system includes a scalable architecture and includes alternative software configurable imaging applications and operating modes, and includes modifiable processing algorithms and operating features.