Ultrasound probe, control method of ultrasound probe, and ultrasound probe inspection system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11712227-B2
Application number	US-202017035916-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 29, 2020
Priority date	Apr 5, 2018
Publication date	Aug 1, 2023
Grant date	Aug 1, 2023

Abstract

An ultrasound probe includes a housing; a transducer array housed in the housing; a transmission/reception unit which is housed in the housing, transmits ultrasonic wave from the transducer array, and generates a sound ray signal on the basis of a reception signal acquired by the transducer array; an image information data generation unit which is housed in the housing, and generates image information data on the basis of the sound ray signal generated by the transmission/reception unit; a wireless communication unit which is housed in the housing, and wirelessly transmits the image information data generated by the image information data generation unit; a light emission unit which is housed in the housing, and emits light to an outside of the housing; and a light emission control unit which is housed in the housing, and causes the light emission unit to emit light in synchronization with a transmission timing of the ultrasonic wave by the transmission/reception unit in a case of a manufacturing inspection.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A wireless ultrasound probe comprising:
a housing;
a transducer array housed in the housing;
a light emission device which is housed in the housing, and emits light to an outside of the housing; and
a controller which is housed in the housing, the controller being configured to:
transmit ultrasonic wave from the transducer array, and generate a sound ray signal on the basis of a reception signal acquired by the transducer array;
generate image information data on the basis of the sound ray signal generated;
wirelessly transmit the image information data generated; and
cause the light emission device to emit light in synchronization with a transmission timing of the ultrasonic wave in a case of a manufacturing inspection,

wherein the controller turns on and off the light emission device in synchronization with the transmission timing of the ultrasonic wave from the transducer array for each scanning line, and
wherein the controller turns on and off the light emission device in synchronization with a start timing of each frame in ultrasound image generation, at a cycle different from an on-off cycle of the light emission device in the transmission timing for each scanning line.

2. The ultrasound probe according to claim 1 ,
wherein the light emission device emits light having an invisible wavelength.

3. The ultrasound probe according to claim 2 ,
wherein the light having the invisible wavelength is infrared light.

4. The ultrasound probe according to claim 1 ,
wherein the light emission device emits light having a visible wavelength.

5. The ultrasound probe according to claim 4 ,
wherein the light emission device serves as an indication of power-on of the ultrasound probe.

6. The ultrasound probe according to claim 5 ,
wherein the controller detects a wireless communication state, and
the light emission device indicates the wireless communication state detected by the controller.

7. The ultrasound probe according to claim 6 , further comprising a battery,
wherein the controller detects a remaining amount of the battery, and
the light emission device indicates the remaining amount of the battery detected by the controller.

8. The ultrasound probe according to claim 5 , further comprising a battery,
wherein the controller detects a remaining amount of the battery, and
the light emission device indicates the remaining amount of the battery detected by the controller.

9. The ultrasound probe according to claim 4 ,
wherein the controller detects a wireless communication state, and
the light emission device indicates the wireless communication state detected by the controller.

10. The ultrasound probe according to claim 9 , further comprising a battery,
wherein the controller detects a remaining amount of the battery, and
the light emission device indicates the remaining amount of the battery detected by the controller.

11. The ultrasound probe according to claim 9 , further comprising a probe-side light receiving device,
wherein the controller accepts a command from the outside of the housing on the basis of light acquired by the probe-side light receiving device, and causes the light emission device to emit light on the basis of the command accepted.

12. The ultrasound probe according to claim 4 , further comprising a battery,
wherein the controller detects a remaining amount of the battery, and
the light emission device indicates the remaining amount of the battery detected by the controller.

13. The ultrasound probe according to claim 1 , further comprising a probe-side light receiving device,
wherein the controller accepts a command from the outside of the housing on the basis of light acquired by the probe-side light receiving device, and causes the light emission device to emit light on the basis of the command accepted.

14. A control method of an ultrasound probe, comprising:
transmitting an ultrasonic wave from a transducer array;
generating a sound ray signal on the basis of a reception signal acquired by the transducer array;
generating image information data on the basis of the generated sound ray signal;
wirelessly transmitting the generated image information data;
causing a light emission device to emit light in synchronization with a transmission timing of the ultrasonic wave from the transducer array in a case of a manufacturing inspection;
turning on and off the light emission device in synchronization with the transmission timing of the ultrasonic wave from the transducer array for each scanning line; and
turning on and off the light emission device in synchronization with a start timing of each frame in ultrasound image generation, at a cycle different from an on-off cycle of the light emission device in the transmission timing for each scanning line.

15. An ultrasound probe inspection system comprising:
a wireless ultrasound probe; and
an inspection apparatus,
wherein the wireless ultrasound probe comprises:
a housing;
a transducer array housed in the housing;
a light emission device which is housed in the housing, and emits light to an outside of the housing; and
a controller which is housed in the housing, the controller being configured to:
transmit ultrasonic wave from the transducer array, and generate a sound ray signal on the basis of a reception signal acquired by the transducer array;
generate image information data on the basis of the sound ray signal generated;
wirelessly transmit the image information data generated; and
cause the light emission device to emit light in synchronization with a transmission timing of the ultrasonic wave in a case of a manufacturing inspection,

wherein the inspection apparatus receives the ultrasonic wave transmitted from the transducer array of the ultrasound probe, generates a synchronization signal on the basis of light emitted from the light emission device of the ultrasound probe, and performs an inspection of the ultrasound probe on the basis of the received ultrasonic wave and the synchronization signal, in the case of the manufacturing inspection.

16. The ultrasound probe inspection system according to claim 15 ,
wherein the inspection apparatus has
a probe holder that holds the ultrasound probe, and
an inspection apparatus-side light receiving device that is installed in the probe holder and receives light emitted from the light emission device of the ultrasound probe.

Assignees

• Fujifilm Corp

Inventors

• Murakami Hiroshi

Classifications

• A61B8/58 Primary

  Testing, adjusting or calibrating the diagnostic device · CPC title

• A61B8/4209

  by using holders, e.g. positioning frames · CPC title

• A61B8/54

  Control of the diagnostic device · CPC title

• A61B8/565

  involving data transmission via a network · CPC title

• G08C23/00 Primary

  Non-electrical signal transmission systems, e.g. optical systems · CPC title