ULTRASOUND DIAGNOSTIC EQUIPMENT

• US 20130165796A1
• Filed: 02/22/2013
• Published: 06/27/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 09/10/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Fujifilm Corporation (Fujifilm Holdings Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Fujifilm Corporation (Fujifilm Holdings Corporation)
• Inventors: TASHIRO, Rika
• Granted Patent: US 10,105,124 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 600/459
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/145 characterised by scanning multiple planes
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/4433 involving a docking unit
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/4472 Wireless probes
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/4477 using several separate ultrasound transducers or probes
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/4488 the transducer being a phased array
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/462 characterised by constructional features of the display
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/467 characterised by special input means
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/5207 involving processing of raw data to produce diagnostic data, e.g. for generating an image reconstruction G06T11/00
• 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: H01M 10/425 Structural combination with electronic components, e.g. electronic circuits integrated to the outside of the casing printed circuits H05K1/00
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/44 Methods for charging or discharging circuits for charging H02J7/00
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/46 Accumulators structurally combined with charging apparatus circuits for charging H02J7/00
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/48 Accumulators combined with arrangements for measuring, testing or indicating the condition of cells, e.g. the level or density of the electrolyte constructional details of current conducting connections for detecting conditions inside cells or batteries, e.g. details of voltage sensing terminals, H01M50/569
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 2010/4271 Battery management systems including electronic circuits, e.g. control of current or voltage to keep battery in healthy state, cell balancing
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/10 Energy storage using batteries

Abstract

An ultrasound diagnostic equipment has at least one rechargeable ultrasound probe with a built-in battery, and a diagnostic equipment body connected to the at least one ultrasound probe in a wireless manner, wherein the diagnostic equipment body includes a power supply unit which supplies power to the battery of the at least one ultrasound probe, and a power supply controller which causes the battery of the at least one ultrasound probe to selectively perform refresh charging and top-up charging using the power supply unit on the basis of power supply information to the battery of the at least one ultrasound probe and the examination situation in the diagnostic equipment body.

Claims

1. An ultrasound diagnostic equipment comprising:

at least one rechargeable ultrasound probe with a built-in battery; and

a diagnostic equipment body connected to the at least one ultrasound probe in a wireless manner,

wherein the diagnostic equipment body includes

a power supply unit which supplies power to the battery of the at least one ultrasound probe, and

a power supply controller which causes the battery of the at least one ultrasound probe to selectively perform refresh charging and top-up charging using the power supply unit on the basis of power supply information to the battery of the at least one ultrasound probe and the examination situation in the diagnostic equipment body.

2. The ultrasound diagnostic equipment according to claim 1,

wherein the at least one ultrasound probe has a storage unit which stores the power supply information.

3. The ultrasound diagnostic equipment according to claim 1,

wherein the diagnostic equipment body includes a probe holder which holds the at least one ultrasound probe, and

the power supply unit supplies power to the battery of the at least one ultrasound probe held in the probe holder.

4. The ultrasound diagnostic equipment according to claim 1,

wherein the diagnostic equipment body includes a plurality of probe holders which holds a plurality of ultrasound probes,

the power supply unit supplies power separately to the batteries of the plurality of ultrasound probes held in the plurality of probe holders, and

the power supply controller causes the batteries of the plurality of ultrasound probes held in the plurality of probe holders to selectively perform refresh charging and top-up charging using the power supply unit on the basis of the corresponding power supply information and the examination situation.

5. The ultrasound diagnostic equipment according to claim 4,

wherein the power supply controller designates an ultrasound probe, in which refresh charging is preferentially performed, from among the plurality of ultrasound probes on the basis of the power supply information corresponding to the batteries of the plurality of ultrasound probes held in the plurality of probe holders.

6. The ultrasound diagnostic equipment according to claim 4,

wherein the power supply controller designates an ultrasound probe, in which refresh charging is preferentially performed, from among the plurality of ultrasound probes on the basis of the examination situations corresponding to the batteries of the plurality of ultrasound probes held in the plurality of probe holders.

7. The ultrasound diagnostic equipment according to claim 5,

wherein the power supply controller designates an ultrasound probe, in which refresh charging is preferentially performed, from among the plurality of ultrasound probes on the basis of the examination situations corresponding to the batteries of the plurality of ultrasound probes held in the plurality of probe holders.

8. The ultrasound diagnostic equipment according to claim 4,

wherein the power supply controller determines whether or not refresh charging is possible in the batteries of the plurality of ultrasound probes on the basis of the types of the plurality of ultrasound probes held in the plurality of probe holders and the power supply information corresponding to the batteries of the plurality of ultrasound probes.

9. The ultrasound diagnostic equipment according to claim 8,

wherein the power supply controller designates an ultrasound probe, in which refresh charging is preferentially performed, from among the plurality of ultrasound probes on the basis of the power supply information corresponding to the batteries of the plurality of ultrasound probes held in the plurality of probe holders.

10. The ultrasound diagnostic equipment according to claim 9,

wherein the power supply controller designates an ultrasound probe, in which refresh charging is preferentially performed, from among the plurality of ultrasound probes on the basis of the examination situations corresponding to the batteries of the plurality of ultrasound probes held in the plurality of probe holders.