Probe apparatus, medical instrument comprising same, and control method of probe apparatus

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11344280-B2
Application number	US-201615759327-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 14, 2016
Priority date	Oct 16, 2015
Publication date	May 31, 2022
Grant date	May 31, 2022

Abstract

An example medical probe apparatus includes a main body; and a head which is detachably provided in the main body, and includes a transducer array configured to output an ultrasound for diagnosis of an object, the main body including: a transceiver configured to transmit and receive a signal to and from the transducer array through a plurality of channels; and at least one processor configured to control the transceiver to transmit a predetermined test signal to the transducer array of the head mounted to the main body, determine a probe type corresponding to the transducer array of the mounted head based on a feedback signal received through the transceiver in response to the test signal, and make the probe apparatus operate corresponding to the determined probe type.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A probe apparatus comprising:
a main body; and
a head detachably connected to the main body, and comprising a transducer array configured to output ultrasound signals,
the main body comprising:
a transceiver configured to transmit and receive signals to and from the transducer array through a plurality of channels; and
at least one processor configured to:
control the transceiver to transmit a test signal to the transducer array of the head through a channel among the plurality of channels,
control the transceiver to receive respective first feedback signals corresponding to the transmitted test signal on the plurality of channels,
identify a signal level pattern of signal levels of the respective first feedback signals on the plurality of channels, the signal level pattern being identified based on rates of change of the signal levels of the respective first feedback signals on the plurality of channels and being identified from among a plurality of signal level patterns each corresponding to a one of plurality of different probe types of the transducer array,
identify a probe type of the transducer array among the plurality of different probe types based on the identified signal level pattern, and
control operations of the probe apparatus based on the identified probe type.

2. The probe apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the at least one processor is configured to set a parameter for controlling the operations of the probe apparatus based on the identified probe type.

3. The probe apparatus according to claim 1 ,
wherein the transceiver is configured to transmit the test signal through a first channel among the plurality of channels, and
receive the plurality of first feedback signals through channels of the plurality channels other than the first channel.

4. The probe apparatus according to claim 3 , wherein the feedback signals are received through channels of the plurality of channels adjacent to the first channel.

5. The probe apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the processor is configured to control the transceiver to sequentially transmit respective test signals to the transducer array through each of the plurality of channels, and initialize the transceiver by correcting error between the plurality of channels based on deviation of a plurality of second feedback signals received based on the sequentially transmitted test signals.

6. The probe apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the processor is configured to determine whether a channel for transmitting the test signal among the plurality of channels is connected or not based on the plurality of first feedback signals, and cut off power supplied to at least one among the plurality of channels based on a result of the determination.

7. The probe apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the plurality of channels correspond to respective elements of the transducer array, and a number of elements in the transducer array is equal to or less than a number of the plurality of channels.

8. The probe apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the processor is configured to detect a level of a feedback signal among the plurality of first feedback signals, determine impedance of the transducer array based on the detected level of feedback signal, and adjust a level of power supplied to the transducer array based on the determined impedance.

9. A medical instrument comprising a probe apparatus and a display apparatus,
the probe apparatus comprising:
a main body, and a head detachably connected to the main body, and comprising a transducer array configured to output ultrasound signals,
the main body comprising:
a transceiver configured to transmit and receive signals to and from the transducer array through a plurality of channels;
at least one processor configured to:
control the transceiver to transmit a test signal to the transducer array of the head through a channel among the plurality of channels,
control the transceiver to receive respective feedback signals corresponding to the transmitted test signal on the plurality of channels,
identify a signal level pattern of signal levels of the respective feedback signals on the plurality of channels, the signal level pattern being identified based on rates of change of the signal levels of the respective feedback signals on the plurality of channels and being identified from among a plurality of signal level patterns each corresponding to one of a plurality of different probe types of the transducer array,
identify a probe type of the transducer array among the plurality of different probe types based on the identified signal level pattern, and
control operations of the probe apparatus based on the identified probe type; and

communication circuitry configured to communicate with the display apparatus and transmit information to the display apparatus about reflections by an object of the ultrasound signals, and
the display apparatus comprises a display configured to display an image generated based on the information received from the communication circuitry.

10. A method of controlling a probe apparatus comprising a main body and a head detachably connected to the main body, the method comprising:
determining whether a head comprising a transducer array configured to output ultrasound signals is connected to the main body;
transmitting a test signal to the transducer array through a channel among a plurality of channels of a transceiver provided in the probe apparatus;
receiving respective first feedback signals corresponding to the transmitted test signal on the plurality of channels,
identifying a signal level pattern of signal levels of the respective first feedback signals on the plurality of channels, the signal level pattern being identified based on rates of change of the signal levels of the respective first feedback signals on the plurality of channels and being identified from among a plurality of signal level patterns each corresponding to one of a plurality of different probe types of the transducer array;
identifying a probe type of the transducer array among the plurality of different probe types based on the identified signal level pattern; and
control operations of the probe apparatus based on the identified probe type.

11. The method according to claim 10 , further comprising setting a parameter for controlling the operations of the probe apparatus based on the identified probe type.

12. The method according to claim 10 , further comprising:
transmitting the test signal through a first channel among the plurality of channels; and
receiving the plurality of first feedback signals through channels of the plurality of channels other than the first channel.

13. The method according to claim 12 , wherein the feedback signals are received through channels of the plurality of channels adjacent to the first channel.

14. The method according to claim 10 , further comprising:
sequentially transmitting respective test signals to the transducer array, and
correcting error between the plurality of channels based on deviation of a plurality of second feedback signals received based on the sequentially transmitted test signals.

15. The method according to claim 10 , further comprising:
determining whether a channel for transmitting the test signal among the plurality of channels is connected or not based on the plurality of first feedback signals; and
cutting off power supplied to at least one among the plurality of channels based on a result of the determination.

16. The probe apparatus according to claim 1 , wh

Assignees

• Samsung Electronics Co Ltd

Inventors

• Lee Jei-Young
• Kim Dong-Ki
• Kim Young-Hwan
• Seo Min-Woo

Classifications

• A61B8/467

  characterised by special input means · CPC title

• A61B8/461

  Displaying means of special interest · CPC title

• A61B8/4411 Primary

  Device being modular · CPC title

• A61B8/565

  involving data transmission via a network · CPC title

• G01S7/52082

  involving a modular construction, e.g. a computer with short range imaging equipment (modular ultrasonic medical diagnostic devices A61B8/4411) · CPC title