JP7680894B2 - Ultrasound probes and wireless ultrasound probes - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to ultrasonic probes and wireless ultrasonic probes, and in particular to a transmission technique for signals generated by ultrasonic probes.

Ultrasound diagnostic systems are widely used. Ultrasound diagnostic systems generally include an ultrasound probe and a main unit. The ultrasound probe transmits ultrasound to a subject and receives ultrasound reflected by the subject. The main unit generates ultrasound image data of the subject based on the received signal acquired from the ultrasound probe, and displays an image based on the ultrasound image data.

In recent years, an ultrasound diagnostic system has been developed that configures an image processing ultrasound probe that integrates the function for generating ultrasound image data in the ultrasound probe, and displays ultrasound images on an image display device provided separately from the image processing ultrasound probe. The image processing ultrasound probe generates ultrasound image data based on the received ultrasound and wirelessly transmits it to the image display device. The image display device displays an image based on the received ultrasound image data. For example, a smartphone, tablet, personal computer, etc. are used as the image display device.

The following Patent Document 1 describes an ultrasound system equipped with a wireless ultrasound probe. In this ultrasound system, the wireless ultrasound probe generates ultrasound image scan line data by transmitting and receiving ultrasound waves, and wirelessly transmits the data to a processor dongle. The processor dongle receives an image line data signal and performs image processing of the received image line data signal to generate an ultrasound image for display.

Patent Document 2 describes an ultrasound diagnostic system that includes an ultrasound probe device, a signal processing device, and an image display device. The ultrasound probe device wirelessly transmits signals obtained by transmitting and receiving ultrasound to the signal processing device. The signal processing device generates image data signals including ultrasound image data based on the signals transmitted from the ultrasound probe device, and wirelessly transmits the image data signals to the image display device. The image display device displays an image based on the image data signals.

JP 2018-519964 A JP 2021-65584 A

The above-mentioned imaging ultrasound probe is equipped with a battery, and the imaging ultrasound probe operates on the power output by the battery. Conventional imaging ultrasound probes consume a lot of power, and in order to ensure a certain amount of diagnostic time, it was necessary to install a large-capacity battery. This sometimes resulted in the imaging ultrasound probe becoming large.

In addition to multiple ultrasound transducers, the image processing ultrasound probe is equipped with a signal processing circuit, a wireless circuit, and a power supply circuit that supplies power from a battery to these circuits. Therefore, the image processing ultrasound probe is more expensive than a normal ultrasound probe that is connected to the main unit by a cable. If multiple types of image processing ultrasound probes (e.g., linear, convex, micro-convex, sector, etc.) are prepared in advance according to the ultrasound scanning method, the cost of maintaining the ultrasound diagnostic system increases. Therefore, there is a demand for the development of an image processing ultrasound probe with a simple and inexpensive configuration.

The object of the present invention is to miniaturize an imaging ultrasound probe or to simplify the configuration of an imaging ultrasound probe.

The ultrasonic probe according to the present invention comprises an ultrasonic transducer and a probe control unit which generates a transmission signal for the ultrasonic transducer, performs processing on a received signal based on ultrasonic waves received by the ultrasonic transducer, and generates an image data signal based on the received signal, and the ultrasonic probe is capable of being detachably wired-connected to at least a wireless unit having a battery which supplies power to the probe control unit, or an image display device, and when the wireless unit is wired-connected to the ultrasonic probe via a cable, the wireless unit supplies power from the battery to the probe control unit, acquires the image data signal from the probe control unit, and wirelessly transmits the image data signal to the image display device, and when the image display device is wired-connected to the ultrasonic probe, the image display device supplies power to the probe control unit via a wired connection , and acquires the image data signal from the probe control unit .

Desirably, the wireless unit is wired to the ultrasound probe via a cable, the cable including a serial data communication line for transmitting the image data signal to the wireless unit.

Preferably, the wireless unit is wired to the ultrasound probe via a cable, and the cable includes at least a power supply line that supplies power to the probe control unit.

Preferably, the cable is a USB cable.

The wireless ultrasound probe according to the present invention preferably comprises the ultrasound probe and the wireless unit.

According to the present invention, it is possible to miniaturize the image processing ultrasound probe or simplify the configuration of the image processing ultrasound probe.

FIG. 1 is a diagram showing a configuration of an ultrasound diagnostic system. FIG. 1 is a diagram showing a configuration of a wireless ultrasound probe. FIG. 1 is a diagram showing a configuration of a wireless ultrasound probe.

The embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to each figure. Identical items shown in multiple figures will be given the same reference numerals and their description will be omitted.

Figure 1 shows the configuration of an ultrasound diagnostic system 100 according to an embodiment of the present invention. The ultrasound diagnostic system 100 includes an image processing ultrasound probe 12 (hereinafter referred to as the image processing probe 12), a wireless unit 14, and an image display device 16. The image processing probe 12 is an ultrasound probe in which the functions for generating ultrasound image data are integrated. When an ultrasound diagnosis is performed, the image processing probe 12 is supported so that the transmitting and receiving surface of the image processing probe 12 is in contact with the subject.

The image processing probe 12 and the wireless unit 14 constitute a wireless ultrasound probe. The image processing probe 12 transmits ultrasound to the subject and receives ultrasound reflected by the subject. The image processing probe 12 generates a reception signal based on the received ultrasound, and generates an image data signal including information of the ultrasound image based on the reception signal. The image processing probe 12 is connected to the wireless unit 14 by a cable, and outputs the image data signal to the wireless unit 14. The wireless unit 14 wirelessly transmits the image data signal to the image display device 16. The image display device 16 may be a smartphone, a tablet, a personal computer, etc. The image display device 16 receives the image data signal wirelessly transmitted from the wireless unit 14, and displays an ultrasound image on a display based on the image data signal.

2 shows the configuration of the wireless ultrasound probe 102. The wireless ultrasound probe 102 includes an image processing probe 12 and a wireless unit 14 that are detachably connected by wire. The image processing probe 12 includes a transmitter 20, a transducer array 22, a receiver 26, a probe control unit 18, a probe-side power supply circuit 32, and a serial communication unit 30a. The probe-side power supply circuit 32 is connected to a battery 50 included in the wireless unit 14 via a power supply line 54. The probe-side power supply circuit 32 supplies the power supply power supplied from the wireless unit 14 to the transmitter 20, the receiver 26, the probe control unit 18, and the serial communication unit 30a. If any of the other components included in the image processing probe 12 require power supply, the probe-side power supply circuit 32 may supply power supply to the component. The power supply line 54 may be detachable from at least one of the probe-side power supply circuit 32 and the battery 50.

The probe control unit 18 may include a processor that executes processing according to a program. The probe control unit 18 stores the program itself or reads the program from an external memory and executes the program.

The transducer array 22 includes a plurality of ultrasonic transducers 24 arranged along the transmission/reception surface. The plurality of ultrasonic transducers 24 may be arranged in two orthogonal directions. The probe control unit 18 generates a transmission signal and outputs it to the transmission unit 20. The transmission unit 20 outputs a transmission signal with an adjusted delay time to each ultrasonic transducer 24 included in the transducer array 22. That is, the transmission unit 20 adjusts the delay time for each transmission signal output to each ultrasonic transducer 24. Each ultrasonic transducer 24 converts the transmission signal output from the transmission unit 20 into an ultrasonic wave and transmits it toward the subject. By adjusting the delay time of the transmission signal for each ultrasonic transducer 24, an ultrasonic beam is formed from the transducer array 22 toward a specific direction within the subject. In addition, by adjusting the delay time, ultrasonic waves that are approximated to a plane wave may be transmitted from the transducer array 22.

Each ultrasonic transducer 24 included in the transducer array 22 receives ultrasonic waves reflected by the subject, converts the received ultrasonic waves into electrical signals, and outputs them to the receiving unit 26. The receiving unit 26 generates a received signal by phasing and adding up the electrical signals output from each ultrasonic transducer 24. Here, phasing and adding up refers to adjusting the delay time of each electrical signal and adding up the multiple electrical signals based on ultrasonic waves arriving from a specific direction so that they reinforce each other. When the transmitted ultrasonic waves form a beam, the delay time of each electrical signal may be adjusted so that the electrical signals based on ultrasonic waves arriving from the direction of the beam reinforce each other.

The receiver 26 outputs the received signal obtained by phasing and adding to the probe controller 18. The probe controller 18 performs image processing and the like on the received signal to generate ultrasound image data, generates an image data signal including information on the ultrasound image, and outputs the image data signal to the serial communication unit 30a. Here, the image data signal does not have to be the final ultrasound image data, and may be any signal including information for displaying an ultrasound image.

Signal transmission between the probe control unit 18 and the serial communication unit 30a may be in the form of parallel data or serial data. Parallel data is a data format in which multiple bits of digital data are transmitted over multiple signal transmission lines. Serial data is a data format in which multiple bits of digital data are arranged on the time axis, and the digital data is transmitted over one signal transmission line or over a number of signal transmission lines fewer than the number of bits of the digital data.

One end of a serial data communication line 42 is connected to the serial communication unit 30a. The other end of the serial data communication line 42 is connected to the serial communication unit 30b provided in the wireless unit 14. The serial data communication line 42 may be detachable from at least one of the serial communication units 30a and 30b. The serial communication unit 30a transmits image data signals in the form of serial data to the wireless unit 14.

The wireless unit 14 includes a serial communication unit 30b, a wireless control unit 44, a wireless unit 46, an antenna 48, a battery 50, and a wireless power supply circuit 52. The battery 50 may be a disposable battery, or may be a battery (secondary battery) that can be repeatedly charged and discharged. The battery 50 supplies power to the image processing probe 12 via a power supply line 54. The battery 50 also supplies power to the wireless power supply circuit 52. The wireless power supply circuit 52 supplies power to the wireless control unit 44, the wireless unit 46, and the serial communication unit 30b. When the battery 50 is a secondary battery, the wireless unit 14 may include a charging circuit for charging the battery 50 from an external power supply device. The charging circuit may be a circuit connected to an external power supply device by a USB cable (Universal Serial Bus), or may be a circuit to which power is supplied from an external power supply device by non-contact power transmission.

The serial communication unit 30b receives image data signals transmitted from the image processing probe 12 and outputs the image data signals to the wireless control unit 44. Signal transmission between the serial communication unit 30b and the wireless control unit 44 may be in the form of serial data or parallel data. The wireless control unit 44 may include a processor that executes processing according to a program. The wireless control unit 44 stores the program itself or reads the program from an external memory and executes the program. The wireless control unit 44 outputs the image data signals to the wireless unit 46.

The wireless unit 46 performs wireless communication with the image display device 16 (Figure 1) via the antenna 48. That is, the wireless unit 46 wirelessly transmits image data signals. The image display device 16 receives the image data signals wirelessly transmitted from the wireless unit 46 and displays an ultrasound image of the inside of the subject on a display based on the image data signals.

The wireless unit 46 may receive a control signal wirelessly transmitted from the image display device 16 and output it to the wireless control unit 44. The wireless control unit 44 outputs the control signal output from the wireless unit 46 to the serial communication unit 30b. The serial communication unit 30b transmits the control signal to the serial communication unit 30a via the serial data communication line 42, and the serial communication unit 30a outputs the control signal to the probe control unit 18. The probe control unit 18 executes an operation according to the control signal.

Figure 3 shows a wireless ultrasound probe 104 according to an application embodiment of the present invention. The wireless ultrasound probe 104 detachably connects the image processing probe 12 and the wireless unit 14 with a USB cable 62. The image processing probe 12 is equipped with a USB connector 60a. The serial communication unit 30a and the probe side power supply circuit 32 are connected to the USB connector 60a.

The wireless unit 14 is equipped with a USB connector 60b. The serial communication unit 30b and the battery 50 are connected to the USB connector 60b. The USB cable 62 includes a serial data communication line 42 and a power supply line 54. USB plugs are connected to both ends of the USB cable 62, with the USB plug at one end connected to the USB connector 60a and the USB plug at the other end connected to the USB connector 60b.

The serial communication unit 30a transmits image data signals to the serial communication unit 30b via the USB connector 60a, the USB cable 62, and the USB connector 60b. The serial communication unit 30b transmits control signals to the serial communication unit 30a via the USB connector 60b, the USB cable 62, and the USB connector 60a. The battery 50 transmits power to the probe side power supply circuit 32 via the USB connector 60b, the USB cable 62, and the USB connector 60a.

3, USB plugs are connected to both ends of the USB cable 62, one end of the USB cable 62 is detachable from the image processing probe 12, and the other end is also detachable from the wireless unit 14. The USB cable 62 may be a cable having one end fixedly connected to the image processing probe 12 and the other end provided with a USB plug that is detachable from the USB connector 60b in the wireless unit 14. Alternatively, the USB cable 62 may be a cable having one end fixedly connected to the wireless unit 14 and the other end provided with a USB plug that is detachable from the USB connector 60a in the image processing probe 12. Also, one of the USB connectors 60a and 60b may be replaced with a USB plug, and the USB connector (60a or 60b) and the USB plug may be directly connected. In this case, the housing of the image processing probe 12 and the housing of the wireless unit 14 may be detachable, and a configuration may be used in which the USB connector and USB plug are connected when the housing of the image processing probe 12 is attached to the housing of the wireless unit 14.

As described above, the image processing probe 12 according to each embodiment includes an ultrasonic transducer 24 and a probe control unit 18. The probe control unit 18 generates a transmission signal for the ultrasonic transducer 24, processes a received signal based on ultrasonic waves received by the ultrasonic transducer 24, and generates an image data signal based on the received signal. The wireless unit 14 is detachably connected to the image processing probe 12 via a wired connection. The wireless unit 14 acquires an image data signal from the probe control unit 18 and wirelessly transmits the image data signal to the image display device 16. The cable for the wired connection may be a USB cable. The wireless unit 14 supplies power to at least the probe control unit 18. The wireless unit 14 includes a battery 50 that supplies power to at least the probe control unit 18.

With this configuration, the housing of the image processing probe 12 does not need to include a battery 50, a wireless control unit 44, and a wireless unit 46. This simplifies the configuration of the image processing probe 12, or makes the image processing probe 12 smaller or lighter. In addition, since heat is prevented from being transferred from the battery 50 to the subject, the physical or mental burden on the patient as the subject is reduced. Furthermore, the image processing probe 12 does not need to be provided with an over-discharge and over-charge protection circuit to prevent the battery 50 from heating up.

The wireless unit 14 is configured in a housing separate from the housing of the image processing probe 12. This allows the wireless unit 14 to be stored in a pocket of the clothing of a user such as a doctor or nurse, improving portability and operability. For example, a user may store the wireless unit 14 in a pocket, place the image processing probe 12 against a patient while hanging a cable connecting the wireless unit 14 and the image processing probe 12 around their neck, and refer to the display on the image display device 16. This prevents the image processing probe 12 from falling. The image display device 16 may be fixedly installed on a desk or bedside, or may be carried by hand by the user.

In addition, the image processing probe 12 is made smaller and lighter, and the price of the image processing probe 12 is reduced. This can reduce the cost of preparing multiple types of image processing probes 12 according to the ultrasound scanning method.

In the above, an ultrasound diagnostic system 100 has been shown in which the wireless unit 14 is detachably connected to the image processing probe 12 via a wired connection. The image processing probe 12 may be configured so that the image display device 16 is connected via a wired connection when the wireless unit 14 is not connected via a wired connection. In this case, the probe control unit 18 generates an image data signal suitable for processing by the image display device 16, and transmits the image data via a wired connection to the image display device 16 via the serial communication unit 30a and the serial data communication line 42. In addition, a power supply line 54 may be connected to the image display device 16, and power may be supplied from the image display device 16 to the probe-side power supply circuit 32.

In the wireless ultrasound probe 104 shown in FIG. 3, a USB plug at one end of a USB cable 62 may be connected to a USB connector 60a provided on the image processing probe 12, and the USB plug at the other end of the USB cable 62 may be connected to the image display device 16. In this case, the image processing probe 12 transmits image data signals to the image display device 16 via the USB cable 62. In addition, the image display device 16 supplies power to the image processing probe 12 via the USB cable 62.

In this way, when the wireless unit 14 is not connected to the image processing probe 12 by wire, the image display device 16 may be detachably connected to the image processing probe 12 by wire. The image display device 16 acquires image data signals and supplies power to at least the probe control unit 18 via a cable.

12 Image processing ultrasound probe, 14 Wireless unit, 16 Image display device, 18 Probe control unit, 20 Transmitter, 22 Transducer array, 24 Ultrasonic transducer, 26 Receiver, 30a, 30b Serial communication unit, 32 Probe side power supply circuit, 42 Serial data communication line, 44 Wireless control unit, 46 Wireless unit, 48 Antenna, 50 Battery, 52 Wireless side power supply circuit, 54 Power supply line, 60a, 60b USB connector, 62 USB cable, 100 Ultrasound diagnostic system, 102, 104 Wireless ultrasound probe.

Claims (5)

1. An ultrasound probe comprising:
An ultrasonic transducer;
a probe control unit that generates a transmission signal for the ultrasonic transducer, processes a reception signal based on the ultrasonic waves received by the ultrasonic transducer, and generates an image data signal based on the reception signal,
a wireless unit including a battery for supplying power to at least the probe control unit, or an image display device can be detachably connected to the ultrasonic probe by wire;
When the wireless unit is wired to the ultrasound probe via a cable, the wireless unit supplies power from the battery to the probe control unit, acquires the image data signal from the probe control unit, and wirelessly transmits the image data signal to an image display device.
An ultrasonic probe characterized in that, when the image display device is connected to the ultrasonic probe via a wired connection, the image display device supplies power to the probe control unit via a wired connection and acquires the image data signals from the probe control unit . 2. The ultrasonic probe according to claim 1,
The ultrasonic probe according to claim 1, wherein the cable includes a serial data communication line for transmitting the image data signal to the wireless unit. 3. The ultrasonic probe according to claim 1,
The ultrasonic probe according to claim 1, wherein the cable includes a power supply line for supplying power to at least the probe control unit. The ultrasonic probe according to any one of claims 1 to 3,
The ultrasonic probe according to claim 1, wherein the cable is a USB cable. An ultrasonic probe according to any one of claims 1 to 4,
The wireless unit;
A wireless ultrasound probe comprising:

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