Probe control method and apparatus

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9610065-B2
Application number	US-201414457013-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 11, 2014
Priority date	Aug 12, 2013
Publication date	Apr 4, 2017
Grant date	Apr 4, 2017

Abstract

Disclosed are a probe control method and apparatus and an ultrasound system which apply a mounting signal used to sense a mounting status of a probe, detect the mounting signal transferred through a cable, and automatically activate/deactivate the probe according to a change in a sensed mounting status.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A probe control apparatus comprising:
a signal transmitter that causes an induced current to flow in at least one of a probe or a cable of the probe by generating a magnetic field;
a signal detector that receives identification information of the probe through the cable of the probe, and detects a mounting signal which is the induced current generated by electromagnetic induction and transferred through the cable, wherein a level of the detected mounting signal changes according to a distance between the signal transmitter and the cable of the probe;
a sensor that senses a change in a mounting status of the probe recognized with the identification information, on a basis of the level of the detected mounting signal; and
a controller that controls the recognized probe to be activated or deactivated according to the change in the mounting status.

2. The probe control apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the identification information includes information about at least one of a kind or specification of the probe.

3. The probe control apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the mounting status is a first status in which the probe is mounted on the holder or a second status in which the probe is separated from the holder.

4. The probe control apparatus of claim 1 , wherein a frequency of the mounting signal is a frequency other than a frequency band used to generate an ultrasound image and a frequency band used to acquire Doppler data.

5. The probe control apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the signal detector includes a comparator that compares a stored reference signal and the detected mounting signal.

6. The probe control apparatus of claim 5 , wherein the signal detector further includes:
an amplifier that amplifies the detected mounting signal; and
a rectifier that rectifies the amplified mounting signal.

7. The probe control apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the signal detector detects the mounting signal which is applied during a section between a plurality of ultrasound signals transmitted to an object by the probe.

8. The probe control apparatus of claim 1 , comprising a plurality of signal detectors that match a plurality of probes, respectively.

9. The probe control apparatus of claim 8 , wherein the controller controls the plurality of probes in an order of changed mounting signals or according to predetermined priorities.

10. The probe control apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the signal detector is provided at a port in which the cable is connected to the probe control apparatus.

11. The probe control apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the signal transmitter is provided in at least one of the holder, a housing, or a rest on which the probe is mounted.

12. An ultrasound diagnostic system comprising the probe control apparatus of claim 1 .

13. A probe control method comprising:
causing, by a signal transmitter, an induced current to flow in at least one of a probe or a cable of the probe by generating a magnetic field;
receiving identification information of the probe through the cable of the probe;
detecting a mounting signal which is the induced current generated by electromagnetic induction and transferred through the cable, wherein a level of the detected mounting signal changes according to a distance between the signal transmitter and the cable of the probe;
sensing a change in a mounting status of the probe recognized with the identification information, on a basis of the level of the detected mounting signal; and
controlling the recognized probe to be activated or deactivated according to the change in the mounting status.

14. The probe control method of claim 13 , wherein the identification information includes information about at least one of a kind or specification of the probe.

15. The probe control method of claim 13 , wherein the mounting status is a first status in which the probe is mounted on the holder or a second status in which the probe is separated from the holder.

16. The probe control method of claim 13 , wherein a frequency of the mounting signal is a frequency other than a frequency band used to generate an ultrasound image and a frequency band used to acquire Doppler data.

17. The probe control method of claim 13 , wherein the detecting includes comparing a stored reference signal and the detected mounting signal.

18. The probe control method of claim 17 , further comprising:
amplifying the detected mounting signal; and
rectifying the amplified mounting signal.

19. The probe control method of claim 13 , wherein the detecting includes detecting the mounting signal which is applied during a section between a plurality of ultrasound signals transmitted to an object by the probe.

20. The probe control method of claim 13 , wherein the receiving and the detecting are performed by each of a plurality of probes.

21. The probe control method of claim 20 , wherein the controlling includes controlling the plurality of probes in an order of changed mounting signal or according to predetermined priorities.

22. The probe control method of claim 13 , wherein the receiving and the detecting are performed at a port in which the cable is connected to the probe control apparatus.

23. The probe control method of claim 13 , wherein the causing is performed in at least one of the holder, a housing, or a rest on which the probe is mounted.

Assignees

• Samsung Medison Co Ltd

Inventors

• Kim Hyoung-Jin
• Kim Nam-Woong
• Hyun Dong-Gyu

Classifications

• A61B8/4477

  using several separate ultrasound transducers or probes · CPC title

• A61B8/54 Primary

  Control of the diagnostic device · CPC title

• A61B8/4405

  Device being mounted on a trolley · CPC title

• A61B8/5207

  involving processing of raw data to produce diagnostic data, e.g. for generating an image · CPC title

• A61B8/4438

  Means for identifying the diagnostic device, e.g. barcodes · CPC title