OPTIMIZATION OF A BATTERY DRIVEN ULTRASOUND DEVICE

• US 20160190844A1
• Filed: 12/29/2014
• Published: 06/30/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 12/29/2014
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: General Electric Company
• Original Assignee: General Electric Company
• Inventors: Sandvik, Trond, Bjaerum, Steinar
• Application Number:
  US14/584,205
• Publication Number:
  US 20160190844A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/4427 Device being portable or laptop-like
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/56 Details of data transmission or power supply
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 31/382 Arrangements for monitoring battery or accumulator variables, e.g. SoC
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 2310/23 The load being a medical device, a medical implant, or a life supporting device
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/00 Circuit arrangements for charging or depolarising batteries or for supplying loads from batteries
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/342 The other DC source being a battery actively interacting with the first one, i.e. battery to battery charging with circuits for polarity protection H02J7/0034

Abstract

An apparatus is described herein. The apparatus includes a first battery and a main battery. The first battery is a phone battery. The main battery is a battery of a handheld ultrasound system and the main battery is to maintain a charge of the first battery at an optimal charge level.

Claims

1. An apparatus, comprising:

a first battery, wherein the first battery is a phone battery; and

a main battery, wherein the main battery is a battery of a handheld ultrasound system and the main battery is to maintain a charge of the first battery at an optimal charge level.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the optimal charge level is a level of battery charging capacity that is to enable a maximum life span of the battery.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the optimal charge level is 70%-80% of the total battery charging level.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the main battery is to maintain a charge of the first battery at an optimal charge level during operation of the handheld ultrasound system.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the optimal charge level ensures a maximum life cycle of the first battery.

15. The apparatus of claim 1, comprising dual acquisition units.

6. A handheld ultrasound system, comprising:

a Smartphone unit, wherein the Smartphone unit includes a Smartphone battery;

an acquisition unit, wherein the acquisition unit includes power management functionality and is communicatively coupled with the Smartphone unit; and

a main battery;

wherein the main battery is to provide power such that a charge level of the Smartphone battery is within an optimal range.

7. The handheld ultrasound system of claim 6, wherein the optimal range is a range of battery charging capacity that is to enable a maximum life span of the battery.

8. The handheld ultrasound system of claim 6, wherein the main battery is to be charged by an internal charger coupled to a DC power supply.

9. The handheld ultrasound system of claim 6, wherein the acquisition unit is communicatively coupled with the Smartphone unit according to a Universal Serial Bus protocol.

10. The handheld ultrasound system of claim 6, wherein the acquisition unit provides power to the Smartphone battery according to a Universal Serial Bus protocol.

11. The handheld ultrasound system of claim 6, wherein the power management functionality is to perform a soft connect to the Smartphone unit to obtain Smartphone battery status information from the Smartphone unit.

12. The handheld ultrasound system of claim 6, wherein a Smartphone battery status is to be communicated to the acquisition unit using a proprietary protocol on top of an Android Open Accessory (AOA) protocol.

13. The handheld ultrasound system of claim 6, wherein the main battery is to maintain a charge of the Smartphone battery at an optimal charge level while the handheld ultrasound system is powered on.

14. The handheld ultrasound system of claim 6, wherein the Smartphone battery is charged via an external intelligent charger connected directly to the Smartphone unit via a dedicated external receptacle.

16. A method, comprising:

detecting a charge level of a first battery;

determining if the charge level is within an optimal charge range of the first battery; and

charging the first battery from a second battery, wherein the second battery is to maintain the charge level of the first battery within the optimal range.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the optimal charge range is to ensure a maximum lifespan of the battery.

18. The method of claim 16, wherein the first battery is a battery of a Smartphone.

19. The method of claim 16, wherein the second battery is a main battery of a handheld ultrasound system.

20. The method of claim 16, wherein an external DC power supply is to power the main battery.