JP2814902B2 - Ultrasound diagnostic equipment - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus for displaying a tomographic image or blood flow of a living body, and more particularly to an apparatus for controlling the brightness of a display.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art FIG. 3 shows a configuration of a conventional ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus. In FIG. 3, 1 is an ultrasonic probe for transmitting and receiving ultrasonic waves, 2 is a diagnostic apparatus main body, and 3 is a display.

The diagnostic apparatus main body 2 includes a transmitting section 4 for generating a high-voltage electric pulse to be supplied to the ultrasonic probe 1 and a receiving section 5 for amplifying a reception signal received by the ultrasonic probe 1.
A reception signal processing unit 6 for detecting and scanning-converting the amplified reception signal; a synchronization signal mixing unit 7 for mixing a video synchronization signal with a signal from the reception signal processing unit 6; And a first video amplifying unit 8 for amplifying the video signal to be reproduced.

The display 3 includes a second video signal amplifier 9 for amplifying the video signal supplied from the first video signal amplifier 8 and a video signal output from the second video signal amplifier 9. A synchronizing signal separating unit 10 for separating the video synchronizing signal, a vertical deflection circuit unit 11 for vertically deflecting the vertical synchronizing signal separated by the synchronizing signal separating unit 10, and a horizontal synchronizing signal separated by the synchronizing signal separating unit 10 A horizontal deflection circuit section 12 for deflecting, a cathode ray tube 13 for displaying a tomographic image of a living body on a tube surface, a deflection coil 14 for deflecting a cathode ray of the cathode ray tube 13, and a high voltage for generating a high voltage applied to the cathode ray tube 13 A circuit unit 15, a contrast adjusting unit 16 for adjusting the contrast of the tomographic image displayed on the cathode ray tube 13, and a contrast adjusting unit 17 for adjusting the contrast adjusting unit 16
And a brightness adjusting unit 18 for adjusting the brightness of the tomographic image displayed on the cathode ray tube 13, and a brightness adjusting unit 19 for adjusting the brightness adjusting unit 18.

Next, the operation of the above conventional example will be described. In FIG. 3, when the transmitting unit 4 supplies a high-voltage electric pulse signal to the ultrasonic probe 1, an ultrasonic wave is generated from the ultrasonic probe 1, and an ultrasonic pulse is transmitted toward the inside of a living body. .

A reflected ultrasonic wave generated by a difference in acoustic impedance in a living body is received by the ultrasonic probe 1, converted into an electric signal, and supplied to the receiving unit 5. Then, the receiving unit 5 amplifies the received signal. The amplified signal is detected and scan-converted by the received signal processing unit 6, and further mixed with the video synchronization signal in the synchronization signal mixing unit 7.
Is amplified by the video signal amplifying unit 8 and then sent from the diagnostic device main unit 2 to the display 3 as a video image signal.

The second video signal amplifying unit 9 amplifies the video image signal sent from the diagnostic device main unit 2 and supplies the amplified video image signal to the synchronizing signal separating unit 10 and the contrast adjusting unit 16. The synchronization signal separation unit 10
The output signal of the second video signal amplifier 9 is separated into a video signal component and a video synchronization signal component, and only the video synchronization signal component is extracted. Since the video synchronizing signal component includes a horizontal synchronizing signal component and a vertical synchronizing signal component, the horizontal synchronizing signal is separated by the high band pass filter, and the vertical synchronizing signal is separated by the low band pass filter. The vertical synchronization signal separated by the video synchronization signal separation unit 10 is supplied to a vertical deflection circuit unit 11 and vertically deflects the electron beam of the cathode ray tube 13. The horizontal synchronizing signal separated by the video synchronizing signal separating section 10 is supplied to a horizontal deflection circuit section 12, and horizontally deflects the electron beam of the cathode ray tube 13. The vertical deflection current and the horizontal deflection current are guided to the deflection coil 14 via output transformers in the vertical deflection circuit 11 and the horizontal deflection circuit 12, respectively, and deflect the cathode ray of the cathode ray tube 13. Part of the horizontal output transformer is supplied to the high-voltage circuit unit 15. The high voltage circuit unit 15 generates a high voltage of several tens kV applied to the fluorescent screen of the cathode ray tube 13.

[0008] The contrast of the displayed tomographic image of the living body is adjusted by operating the contrast adjusting means 17. The contrast of the tomographic image displayed on the cathode ray tube 13 is adjusted by adjusting the gain of the amplifier of the contrast adjusting unit 16 in accordance with the output of the contrast adjusting means 17. The brightness of the tomographic image displayed on the cathode ray tube 13 is adjusted by adjusting the brightness adjusting means 19. In accordance with the output of the brightness adjusting means 19, the brightness adjusting unit 18 varies the voltage corresponding to the pedestal level of the video signal supplied from the contrast adjusting unit 16 to change the voltage (hereinafter, the tomographic image displayed on the cathode ray tube 13). Image brightness is abbreviated as display brightness). The cathode ray tube 13 is provided with the brightness adjusting unit 1.
The video signal supplied from 8 is displayed on the phosphor screen.

As described above, the display brightness of the cathode ray tube 13 can also be adjusted by adjusting the brightness adjusting means 19 in the conventional ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus.

[0010]

Even if the display brightness on the display unit 3 is constant, the illuminance in the room where the ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus is placed (hereinafter, the illuminance in the room where the ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus is placed is simply abbreviated as illuminance). ), The ratio between the display luminance and the illuminance of the ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus changes, so that at the time of diagnosis, the tomographic image cannot be recognized with the same luminance, and the display luminance needs to be adjusted.

Therefore, in the conventional ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus,
When it is necessary to adjust the display luminance due to the change in the illuminance, the luminance adjusting means 19 must be adjusted each time. Further, when the adjustment value of the brightness adjusting means 19 is changed in accordance with the change in the illuminance, when the illuminance becomes a value before the adjustment of the brightness adjusting means 19 is changed, the brightness adjusting means 19 can accurately return to the original value. There were problems such as difficulty.

The present invention is to solve such a conventional problem, and it is possible to change the display brightness without any operation by the user even if the illuminance changes. It is another object of the present invention to provide an ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus in which the display brightness can be set by a user, and thus the convenience of use can be improved.

[0013]

In order to achieve the above object, the present invention provides a display means for displaying a tomographic image, a brightness adjustment means for adjusting the brightness of the display means, and Illuminance detection means for detecting and outputting illuminance data, storage means for storing a readable and writable table of brightness control data to be referred based on the illuminance data, and display means for displaying the brightness control data output from the storage means. A luminance adjustment unit that adjusts the luminance of the upper tomographic image, and supplies the luminance adjustment unit with reference to luminance control data of the storage unit based on illuminance data output from the illuminance detection unit,
Control means for detecting a change in the adjustment of the brightness adjusting means and updating the brightness control data in the table of the storage means referred to by the illuminance data at that time.

[0014]

Therefore, according to the present invention, when the illuminance detecting means outputs illuminance data that changes with a change in illuminance,
The control unit refers to the luminance control data from the table of the storage unit with the output illuminance data, and supplies the luminance control data to the luminance adjustment unit to adjust the luminance of the tomographic image on the display unit. The display luminance can be adjusted according to the change in the illuminance without performing the adjustment operation. When the control unit detects that the user has changed the adjustment of the brightness adjustment unit, the control unit can update the brightness control data in the table of the storage unit referred to by the illuminance data at that time. The user can update the brightness control data for setting the display brightness that changes according to the illuminance with a simple operation of adjusting the brightness adjusting means.

[0015]

An embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 is a schematic block diagram showing an ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus according to one embodiment of the present invention. In the present embodiment, the same components as those of the conventional ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus shown in FIG. 3 are denoted by the same reference numerals, detailed description thereof will be omitted, and different configurations will be described.

In this embodiment, as shown in FIG.
The display unit 3 stores an illuminance detection unit 20 for detecting illuminance in a room where the ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus is placed, and a readable / writable table of luminance control data to be referred to based on the illuminance data detected by the illuminance detection unit 20. A brightness control data to the brightness adjustment unit 18 by referring to the storage means 21 based on the illuminance data detected by the illuminance detection means 20, and when the adjustment of the brightness adjustment means 19 changes, the storage means A microprocessor (hereinafter abbreviated as “microcomputer”) 22 for updating the brightness control data of the table 21 is provided.

The above configuration will be described in further detail below together with its operation. Here, an operation different from the above-described conventional example will be described.

The illuminance detecting means 20 detects the illuminance and supplies the detected illuminance data to the microcomputer 22. Brightness adjustment unit 1
Reference numeral 8 varies the voltage corresponding to the pedestal level of the signal supplied from the contrast adjustment unit 16 based on the luminance control data supplied from the microcomputer 22.

FIG. 2 shows a flowchart of a control program of the microcomputer 22. First, the brightness control data referred to by the illuminance data detected by the illuminance detection unit 20 is read from the storage unit 21 and supplied to the brightness adjustment unit 18 (step 31). Thereafter, it is determined whether the illuminance data supplied from the illuminance detection means 20 has changed by comparing with the illuminance data supplied previously (step 3).
2) When the luminance has changed, the brightness control data referred to by the changed illuminance is read from the storage unit 21 and the brightness adjustment unit 1
8 (step 33). Subsequently, it is determined whether or not the adjustment of the brightness adjustment unit 19 has changed (step 34). If the adjustment has been made, brightness control data is created from the output of the brightness adjustment unit 19 after the change, and the brightness control data is sent to the brightness adjustment unit 18. At the same time, the brightness control data stored in the storage means 21 is rewritten (step 35). Subsequently, the process returns to the process of determining a change in the illuminance data, and the process is repeated.

As described above, according to the above embodiment, the illuminance detecting means 20 outputs the illuminance data which changes with the change of the illuminance, and the microcomputer 22 reads out from the storage means 21 the brightness control data referred to by the illuminance data. By supplying the luminance to the luminance adjuster 18, the luminance adjuster 18 can adjust the display luminance by changing the voltage, so that the display luminance can be changed according to the change of the illuminance without user's operation. . Further, the microcomputer 22 detects that the adjustment of the brightness adjusting means 19 has been changed by the user, and can update the brightness control data of the storage means 21 referred to by the illuminance data at that time. There is an advantage that the user can update the brightness control data for setting the display brightness to be performed.

In the above embodiment, the brightness adjusting means 19
Is changed, the brightness control data in the storage means 21 is immediately rewritten. However, the brightness control data may be rewritten when there is no change for a fixed time after the adjustment of the brightness adjustment means 19 is changed. . In this case, the number of times of rewriting the brightness control data in the storage unit 21 can be reduced.

In the above embodiment, the microcomputer 22 is arranged in the display 3 and the luminance control data is supplied to the luminance adjusting unit 18. However, the microcomputer 22 is arranged in the diagnostic device main unit 2 and The luminance control data output by the input 22 is input to the video signal amplifying unit 8 or the received signal processing unit 6,
The gain may be adjusted in each amplifying unit. In this case, the illuminance detection means 20 and the storage means 21 are also installed on the diagnostic device main body 2 side, so that the display 3
Circuit can be reduced, the size of the display 3 can be reduced,
The weight can be reduced.

[0024]

As described above, according to the present invention, when the illuminance detecting means outputs the illuminance data which changes with the change of the illuminance, the control means uses the illuminance data output from the table of the storage means to execute the brightness control. With reference to the data, the luminance control data can be supplied to the luminance adjustment unit to adjust the luminance of the tomographic image on the display means. Therefore, the display luminance can be changed without changing the luminance without changing the luminance. Can be adjusted. As described above, it is possible to reduce the burden of the user changing (managing) the display luminance due to the change in the illuminance in the room where the ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus is installed due to the change in the illuminance of the sunlight during the day and night, and to concentrate on the diagnosis. can do. Also,
When the control section detects that the adjustment of the brightness adjustment means has been changed by the user, the brightness control data in the table of the storage means referred to by the illuminance data at that time can be updated. In this way, the user can update the brightness control data, so that the display brightness desired by the user can be realized for repeated use, and the convenience can be improved.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a schematic block diagram showing an ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a flowchart for explaining a control operation of a microprocessor used in the ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus.

FIG. 3 is a schematic block diagram showing a conventional ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus.

[Explanation of symbols]

 REFERENCE SIGNS LIST 1 ultrasonic probe 2 diagnostic device main body 3 display 4 transmission unit 5 reception unit 6 reception signal processing unit 7 synchronization signal mixing unit 8 first video signal amplification unit 9 second video signal amplification unit 10 synchronization signal separation Unit 11 vertical deflection circuit unit 12 horizontal deflection circuit unit 13 cathode ray tube 14 deflection coil 15 high voltage circuit 16 contrast adjustment unit 17 contrast adjustment unit 18 brightness adjustment unit 19 brightness adjustment unit 20 illuminance detection unit 21 storage unit 22 microprocessor (microcomputer)

──────────────────────────────────────────────────続 き Continuation of front page (72) Inventor Yoshinobu Watanabe 3-1, Tsunashimahigashi 4-chome, Kohoku-ku, Yokohama-shi, Kanagawa Prefecture Inside Matsushita Communication Industrial Co., Ltd. (56) References JP-A-61-57904 (JP, A) JP-A-5-328364 (JP, A) (58) Fields investigated (Int. Cl. ⁶ , DB name) A61B 8/14 A61B 8/06 G01N 29/06

Claims (1)

(57) [Claims] A display means for displaying a tomographic image; a brightness adjustment means for adjusting the brightness of the display means; an illuminance detection means for detecting and outputting illuminance data in a room where the tomographic image is installed; Storage means for storing a readable / writable table of brightness control data to be referred to based on the brightness control data; a brightness adjustment unit for adjusting the brightness of the tomographic image on the display means with the brightness control data output from the storage means; Supplying the luminance adjustment unit with reference to the luminance control data of the storage unit based on the illuminance data output from the detection unit,
An ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus comprising: control means for detecting a change in the adjustment of the brightness adjusting means and updating brightness control data in a table of the storage means referred to by the illuminance data at that time.