ULTRASONIC PROBE AND ULTRASONIC DIAGNOSTIC APPARATUS

• US 20150327839A1
• Filed: 05/14/2015
• Published: 11/19/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 05/14/2014
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Inventors: KIM, Baehyung, KIM, Youngil, SONG, Jong Keun, LEE, Seungheun, CHO, Kyungil
• Application Number:
  US14/711,968
• Publication Number:
  US 20150327839A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/00 Diagnosis using ultrasonic, sonic or infrasonic waves imaging of objects using sonar G01S15/00
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/08 Detecting organic movements or changes, e.g. tumours, cysts, swellings A61B8/02 - A61B8/06 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/14 Echo-tomography
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/4405 Device being mounted on a trolley
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/4427 Device being portable or laptop-like
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/4433 involving a docking unit
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/4472 Wireless probes
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/4488 the transducer being a phased array
• 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 8/56 Details of data transmission or power supply
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 31/3828 using current integration
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 2310/23 The load being a medical device, a medical implant, or a life supporting device
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/05 using capacitive coupling
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/10 using inductive coupling
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/12 of the resonant type
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/20 using microwaves or radio frequency waves
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0048 Detection of remaining charge capacity or state of charge [SOC]

Abstract

Disclosed herein is an ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus including: an ultrasonic probe including an ultrasonic transducer array; and an ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus main body comprising a transceiver configured to transmit and receive ultrasonic waves via the ultrasonic transducer array, an image processor configured to generate an ultrasonic image of an object based on an ultrasonic echo signal acquired via the transceiver, a communication unit configured to wirelessly communicate with a docking station, and a charge unit configured to charge power which is received wirelessly from the docking station via the communication unit, in a charge battery. Therefore, it is possible to efficiently supply power to the ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus main body regardless of time and place, and to improve mobility and portability of the ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus main body.

Claims

1. An ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus comprising:

an ultrasonic probe which includes an ultrasonic transducer array; and

an ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus main body comprising a transceiver configured to transmit and receive ultrasonic waves via the ultrasonic transducer array, an image processor configured to generate an ultrasonic image of an object based on an ultrasonic echo signal acquired via the transceiver, a communicator configured to wirelessly communicate with a docking station, and a charger configured to charge power which is wirelessly received from the docking station via the communicator, in a charge battery.

2. The ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus main body further comprises a power supply controller configured to control power supplied from an external device, and

wherein the power supply controller is further configured to receive power which is transmitted wirelessly from the docking station, and to transfer the received power to the charger.

3. The ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the communicator is further configured to wirelessly transmit the ultrasonic echo signal and the ultrasonic image to the docking station.

4. The ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the charger is further configured to charge the power received from the docking station, in the charge battery, by using at least one method from among a capacitive method using an electric field, a resonance method using a magnetic field, and an inductive method.

5. The ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus main body further comprises:

a battery level calculator configured to calculate a battery level of the charge battery; and

a display configured to display the calculated battery level of the charge battery and the ultrasonic image.

6. The ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus main body further comprises an input device configured to set a wireless power transfer mode for wirelessly receiving power from the docking station.

7. An ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus, comprising an ultrasonic probe and an ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus main body,

wherein the ultrasonic probe comprises an ultrasonic transducer array, a transceiver configured to transmit and receive ultrasonic waves via the ultrasonic transducer array, a first communicator configured to wirelessly communicate with the ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus main body, and a charger configured to charge power which is wirelessly received from the ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus main body via the first communicator, in a charge battery, and

wherein the ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus main body comprises a second communicator configured to wirelessly communicate with the ultrasonic probe, and an image processor configured to generate an ultrasonic image of an object based on an ultrasonic echo signal acquired via wireless communication with the ultrasonic probe.

8. The ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus according to claim 7, wherein the ultrasonic probe further comprises a power supply controller configured to control power supplied from an external device, and

wherein the power supply controller is further configured to receive power which is transmitted wirelessly from the ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus main body, and to transfer the received power to the charger.

9. The ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus according to claim 7, wherein the first communicator is further configured to wirelessly transmit the ultrasonic echo signal to the ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus main body.

10. The ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus according to claim 7, wherein the ultrasonic probe further comprises:

a battery level calculator configured to calculate a battery level of the charge battery; and

a display configured to display the calculated battery level of the charge battery.

11. An ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus, comprising an ultrasonic probe and an ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus main body,

wherein the ultrasonic probe comprises an ultrasonic transducer array, a transceiver configured to transmit and receive ultrasonic waves via the ultrasonic transducer array, a probe communicator configured to wirelessly communicate with the ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus main body, and a probe charger configured to charge power which is wirelessly received from the ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus main body via the probe communicator, in a probe charge battery, and

wherein the ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus main body comprises a first main body communicator configured to wirelessly communicate with the ultrasonic probe, an image processor configured to generate an ultrasonic image of an object based on an ultrasonic echo signal acquired from the ultrasonic probe via the first main body communicator, a second main body communicator configured to wirelessly communicate with a docking station, and a main body charger configured to charge power which is wirelessly received from the docking station via the second main body communicator, in a main body charge battery.

12. The ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus according to claim 11, wherein the ultrasonic probe further comprises a probe power supply controller configured to control power supplied from an external device, and

wherein the probe power supply controller is further configured to receive power which is transmitted wirelessly from the ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus main body, and to transfer the received power to the probe charger.

13. The ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus according to claim 11, wherein the ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus main body further comprises a main body power supply controller configured to control power supplied from an external device, and

wherein the main body power supply controller is further configured to receive power which is transmitted wirelessly from the docking station, and to transfer the received power to the main body charger.

14. The ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus according to claim 11, wherein the probe communicator is further configured to wirelessly transmit the ultrasonic echo signal to the ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus main body.

15. The ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus according to claim 14, wherein the second main body communicator is further configured to wirelessly transmit the ultrasonic echo signal and the ultrasonic image to the docking station.

16. The ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus according to claim 11, wherein the ultrasonic probe further comprises:

a probe battery level calculator configured to calculate a battery level of the probe charge battery; and

a probe display configured to display the calculated battery level of the probe charge battery.

17. The ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus according to claim 11, wherein the ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus main body further comprises:

a main body battery level calculator configured to calculate a battery level of the main body charge battery; and

a main body display configured to display the calculated battery level of the main body charge battery.

18. An ultrasonic probe comprising:

an ultrasonic transducer array;

a transceiver configured to transmit and receive ultrasonic waves via the ultrasonic transducer array;

an image processor configured to generate an ultrasonic image of an object based on an ultrasonic echo signal acquired via the transceiver;

a display configured to display the ultrasonic image of the object; and

a communicator configured to wirelessly communicate with a docking station; and

a charger configured to charge power which is wirelessly received from the docking station via the communicator, in a charge battery.

19. The ultrasonic probe according to claim 18, further comprising a power supply controller configured to control power supplied from an external device,

wherein the power supply controller is further configured to receive power which is transmitted wirelessly from the docking station, and to transfer the received power to the charger.

20. The ultrasonic probe according to claim 18, wherein the communicator is further configured to wirelessly transmit the ultrasonic echo signal and the ultrasonic image to the docking station.