METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR CONTROLLING OUTPUT VOLTAGE OF ULTRASOUND SIGNAL

• US 20130137978A1
• Filed: 05/29/2012
• Published: 05/30/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 11/29/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Samsung Medison Company Limited (Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Samsung Medison Company Limited (Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.)
• Inventors: Lee, Yoon-chang, Oh, Tae-hyeong
• Granted Patent: US 9,439,628 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 600/437
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/467 characterised by special input means
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/481 involving the use of contrast agent, e.g. microbubbles introduced into the bloodstream analysis of echo signal exploiting properties of a contrast enhancer in devices for short-range imaging with acoustic waves G01S7/52039
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/54 Control of the diagnostic device
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/56 Details of data transmission or power supply
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 7/5202 for pulse systems
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 7/5205 Means for monitoring or calibrating

Abstract

A method of controlling an output voltage of an ultrasound signal that is output by an ultrasound signal generating unit to a target object via a probe, the method including acquiring a target output voltage to be output by the probe to the target object and transmission conditions; acquiring property information regarding the probe; and controlling a voltage of the ultrasound signal output by the ultrasound signal generating unit based on the target output voltage, the transmission conditions, and the property information regarding the probe.

Claims

1. A method of controlling an output voltage of an ultrasound signal that is output by an ultrasound signal generating unit to a target object via a probe, the method comprising:

acquiring a target output voltage to be output by the probe to the target object and transmission conditions;

acquiring property information regarding the probe; and

controlling a voltage of the ultrasound signal output by the ultrasound signal generating unit based on the target output voltage, the transmission conditions, and the property information regarding the probe.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of controlling a voltage of the ultrasound signal output by the ultrasound signal generating unit comprises:

detecting a first voltage with respect to an ultrasound signal input to the probe;

predicting a second voltage of an ultrasound signal to be output by the probe to the target object based on the detected first voltage, the property information regarding the probe, and the transmission conditions; and

in a case where a difference between the predicted second voltage and the target output voltage exceeds a predetermined tolerance, generating a new voltage level to be input to the ultrasound signal generating unit.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the step of generating a new voltage level comprises converting information regarding the newly generated voltage level to a predetermined bit (Binary digit) digital signal.

4. The method of claim 2, further comprising:

in a case where a low mechanical index (Ml) mode is selected, stopping the probe from outputting ultrasound signals to the target object; and

in a case where a difference between the predicted second voltage and the target output voltage is within a predetermined tolerance, allowing the probe to output ultrasound signals to the target object.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the transmission conditions comprise at least one from among transmission frequency, transmission cycle, and transmission duty rate.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the controlling of the voltage of an ultrasound signal output by the ultrasound signal generating unit is repetitively performed a predetermined number of times or during a predetermined time interval.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of acquiring property information regarding the probe comprises:

acquiring identification information regarding the probe; and

extracting property information regarding the probe corresponding to the acquired identification information regarding the probe.

15. A computer readable recording medium having recorded thereon a computer program for implementing the method of controlling an output voltage of an ultrasound signal of claim 1.

8. An ultrasound signal output voltage controlling apparatus comprising:

an ultrasound signal generating unit, which generates ultrasound signals;

a probe, which receives ultrasound signals from the ultrasound signal generating unit and outputs the received ultrasound signals to a target object;

a receiving unit, which receives a target output voltage to be output by the probe to the target object, transmission conditions, and property information regarding the probe; and

a voltage control unit, which controls a voltage of an ultrasound signal output by the ultrasound signal generating unit based on the target output voltage, the transmission conditions, and the property information regarding the probe.

9. The ultrasound signal output voltage controlling apparatus of claim 8, wherein the voltage control unit comprises:

a voltage detecting unit, which detects a first voltage with respect to an ultrasound signal input to the probe;

a predicting unit, which predicts a second voltage of an ultrasound signal to be output by the probe to the target object based on the detected first voltage, the property information regarding the probe, and the transmission conditions; and

a voltage level generating unit, which generates a new voltage level to be input to the ultrasound signal generating unit, in a case where a difference between the predicted second voltage and the target output voltage exceeds a predetermined tolerance.

10. The ultrasound signal output voltage controlling apparatus of claim 9, wherein the voltage level generating unit converts information regarding the newly generated voltage level to a predetermined bit (Binary digit) digital signal.

11. The ultrasound signal output voltage controlling apparatus of claim 9, further comprising a probe output control unit, which stops the probe from outputting ultrasound signals to the target object in a case where a low mechanical index (MI) mode is selected and allows the probe to output ultrasound signals to the target object in a case where a difference between the predicted second voltage and the target output voltage is within a predetermined tolerance.

12. The ultrasound signal output voltage controlling apparatus of claim 8, wherein the transmission conditions comprise at least one from among transmission frequency, transmission cycle, and transmission duty rate.

13. The ultrasound signal output voltage controlling apparatus of claim 8, wherein the voltage control unit repetitively controls voltage of an ultrasound signal output by the ultrasound signal generating unit a predetermined number of times or during a predetermined time interval.

14. The ultrasound signal output voltage controlling apparatus of claim 8, wherein the receiving unit comprises a probe identification information determining unit, which acquires identification information regarding the probe and extracts property information regarding the probe corresponding to the acquired identification information regarding the probe.