Ultrasound imaging apparatus and method of controlling the same

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016238563-A1
Application number	US-201514789759-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Jul 1, 2015
Priority date	Feb 13, 2015
Publication date	Aug 18, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

Disclosed herein is an ultrasound imaging apparatus including a beamformer to transmit or receive an ultrasound signal; a first probe connection unit in which a first probe connector is placed; and a second probe connection unit in which a second probe connector is placed. The second probe connection unit is connected to the beamformer via the first probe connection unit, and the first probe connection unit includes a disconnecting unit to disconnect the first probe connection unit and the second probe connection unit from each other.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . An ultrasound imaging apparatus comprising:
a beamformer to transmit or receive an ultrasound signal; a first probe connection unit in which a first probe connector is placed; and a second probe connection unit in which a second probe connector is placed, wherein the second probe connection unit is connected to the beamformer via the first probe connection unit, and the first probe connection unit comprises a disconnecting unit to disconnect the first probe connection unit and the second probe connection unit from each other.

2 . The ultrasound imaging apparatus according to claim 1 , further comprising a controller to control the first and second probe connection units, and
wherein the first probe connection unit comprises a locking unit to lock the first probe connector into the first probe connection unit and the second probe connection unit comprises a locking unit to lock the second probe connector into the second probe connection unit, based on a control signal generated by the controller.

3 . The ultrasound imaging apparatus according to claim 2 , wherein, when the first probe connector is locked into the first probe connection unit, the disconnecting unit disconnects the first probe connection unit and the second probe connection unit from each other.

4 . The ultrasound imaging apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the first and second probe connectors are locked into the first and second probe connection units, respectively, through a user's manual manipulation.

5 . The ultrasound imaging apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the disconnecting unit comprises at least one among an analog switch, a field-effect transistor (FET), an integrated circuit, and micro-electromechanical systems (MEMS) to disconnect the first probe connection unit and the second probe connection unit.

6 . The ultrasound imaging apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the first probe connection unit further comprises a socket pin configured to transmit or receive an ultrasound signal when the socket pin comes in contact with an connection pin of the first probe connector, and
the disconnecting unit disconnects the first probe connection unit and the second probe connection unit when the connection pin comes in contact with the socket pin.

7 . The ultrasound imaging apparatus according to claim 6 , wherein the socket pin is formed in a convex shape and connected to the beamformer and the disconnecting unit, and
the disconnecting unit is connected to the socket pin, the beamformer, and the second probe connection unit, and disconnects the first probe connection unit and the second probe connection unit when a physical force is applied to a convex portion of the socket pin.

8 . The ultrasound imaging apparatus according to claim 6 , wherein the socket pin has a convex portion, one end of the socket pin is connected to the beamformer, and the socket pin is connected to the disconnecting unit when another end of the socket pin comes in contact with the disconnecting unit,
one end of the disconnecting unit is connected to the second probe connection unit, and the disconnecting unit is connected to the socket pin when the socket pin comes in contact with the disconnecting unit, and the other end of the socket pin is separated from the other end of the disconnecting unit when a physical force is applied to the convex portion of the socket pin.

9 . The ultrasound imaging apparatus according to claim 6 , wherein the socket pin has a central protruding portion, a central end of the socket pin is connected to the beamformer, both ends of the socket pin are connected to the second probe connection unit, and a plurality of holes are formed in the both ends of the socket pin, through which the disconnecting unit passes, and
one end of the disconnecting unit passes through one of the plurality of holes as the disconnecting unit is moved to the left or the right, and another end of the disconnecting unit causes the socket pin to be separated from the second probe connection unit.

10 . The ultrasound imaging apparatus according to claim 9 , further comprising a controller to control the disconnecting unit, and
wherein the disconnecting unit is moved to the left or the right according to a control signal generated by the controller or through a user's manipulation.

11 . The ultrasound imaging apparatus according to claim 6 , wherein the first probe connection unit further comprises a driving device to cause the connection pin of the first probe connector and the socket pin to contact each other.

12 . The ultrasound imaging apparatus according to claim 11 , wherein the driving device comprises a motor or an actuator.

13 . The ultrasound imaging apparatus according to claim 1 , further comprising a controller to control the disconnecting unit, and
wherein the disconnecting unit changes a direction in which the first probe connection unit and the second probe connection unit are to be disconnected from each other, according to a control signal generated by the controller or through a user's manipulation.

14 . The ultrasound imaging apparatus according to claim 1 , further comprising an input device to receive a command to select a first probe or a second probe from a user,
wherein, when the first probe is selected, the disconnecting unit disconnects the first probe connection unit and the second probe connection unit from each other.

15 . The ultrasound imaging apparatus according to claim 14 , further comprising:
an image processor to generate image data based on an ultrasound signal received from the first or second probe selected by the user; and a display device to display an ultrasound image based on the image data.

16 . The ultrasound imaging apparatus according to claim 1 , further comprising a third probe connection unit in which a third probe connector is placed,
wherein the third probe connection unit is connected to the beamformer via the first and second probe connection units, and the second probe connection unit comprises a disconnecting unit to disconnect the second probe connection unit and the third probe connection unit from each other.

17 . An ultrasound imaging apparatus comprising:
a beamformer to transmit or receive an ultrasound signal; a first probe connection unit in which a first probe connector is placed; a second probe connection unit in which a second probe connector is placed, the second probe connection unit connected to the beamformer via the first probe connection unit; and a disconnecting unit to disconnect the first probe connection unit and the second probe connection unit.

18 . The ultrasound imaging apparatus according to claim 17 , further comprising a controller to control the first and second probe connection units, and
wherein the first probe connection unit comprises a locking unit to lock the first probe connector into the first probe connection unit and the second probe connection unit comprises a locking unit to lock the second probe connector into the second probe connection unit, based on a control signal generated by the controller.

19 . The ultrasound imaging apparatus according to claim 17 , wherein the disconnecting unit comprises at least one among an analog switch, a field-effect transistor (FET), an integrated circuit, and micro-electromechanical systems (MEMS) to disconnect the first probe connection unit and the second probe connection unit.

20 . The ultrasound imaging apparatus according to claim 17 ,

Assignees

• Samsung Medison Co Ltd

Inventors

• Lee Sang-Mok
• Kim Nam-Woong
• Lee Hong-Gyo

Classifications

• G01N29/24 Primary

  Probes {(transducers for acoustic waves B06B, G10K; for measuring G01H)} · CPC title

• A61B8/4405 Primary

  Device being mounted on a trolley · 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

• A61B8/467

  characterised by special input means · CPC title

• A61B8/4477

  using several separate ultrasound transducers or probes · CPC title