Low power portable ultrasonic diagnostic instrument

• US 6,471,651 B1
• Filed: 05/03/2000
• Issued: 10/29/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 05/05/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: FUJIFILM SonoSite, Inc. (Fujifilm Holdings Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Sonosite Incorporated (Fujifilm Holdings Corporation)
• Inventors: Jones, Geoffrey, Coughlin, Justin M., Dhatt, Davin, Little, Blake W., Hwang, Juin-Jet
• Primary Examiner(s): Jaworski, Francis J.
• Assistant Examiner(s): PATEL, MAULIN M
• Application Number:
  US09/564,299
• Time in Patent Office: 909 Days
• Field of Search: 600/459, 600/442, 600/455, 600/456, 600/457, 600/443, 600/444, 600/460, 600/447
• US Class Current: 600/459
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/00 Diagnosis using ultrasonic, sonic or infrasonic waves imaging of objects using sonar G01S15/00
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/06 Measuring blood flow measuring volume flow in general G01F, e.g. G01F1/66, G01F1/72; measuring speed of fluids in general G01P5/00
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/13 Tomography A61B8/10, A61B8/12 take precedence; tomography for radiation diagnosis A61B6/02
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/4427 Device being portable or laptop-like
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 7/52017 particularly adapted to short-range imaging G01S7/53 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 7/52096 related to power management, e.g. saving power or prolonging life of electronic components details of power supplies for ultrasonic medical diagnostic imaging devices A61B8/56

Abstract

A portable ultrasonic diagnostic instrument including an array transducer, a beamformer, signal processing and imaging circuitry, and a display for the processed echo signals operates on no more than 25 watts of electrical power. Circuit functions can be selecting attend depending on mode of operation of the instrument to thereby reduce power consumption. Further, a power monitor and control can monitor electrical current from a battery power source, and when power consumption reaches a pre-determined level the power monitor and control further alters one or more functional units in the instrument including display mode of operation, clock frequency for analog to digital conversion and signal processing, color signal processing, and 3D signal processing. Power consumption can be monitored against two or more pre-determined levels wherein instrument functional units or mode of operation are altered depending on which level of power consumption has been reached. In an instrument with an analog beamformer power consumption can be limited to 10 watts, whereas in a digital beamformer instrument power consumption can be limited to no more than 25 watts.

Claims

1. In a portable ultrasonic diagnostic instrument having ultrasound transducers for transmitting and receiving ultrasonic waves and beamforming circuitry for focusing transmitted and received waves, a method of operating the instrument at a reduced power consumption level comprising the steps of:

a) providing a battery source of electrical current for circuitry in the instrument, and

b) selectively altering circuitry functions depending on mode of operation of the instrument when a first power limit is reached, thereby reducing power consumption.

2. The method as defined by claim 1 wherein step b) is performed before instrument operation.

3. The method as defined by claim 2 wherein step b) is performed also during instrument operation.

4. The method as defined by claim 2 wherein the instrument further includes signal processing circuitry, imaging circuitry for controlling a display of processed signals, and a display.

5. The method as defined by claim 4 wherein step b) includes altering display of processed signals.

6. The method as defined by claim 5 wherein the display of processed signals is shifted in mode from active scanning to a mode selected from freeze and sleep.

7. The method as defined by claim 4 wherein step b) further includes turning off un-needed functional blocks.

8. The method as defined by claim 7 wherein un-needed functional blocks includes color display and 3D display of processed signals.

9. The method as defined by claim 4 wherein step b) further includes reducing clock frequency for at least one functional unit.

10. The method as defined by claim 9 wherein the at least one functional unit includes analog to digital signal conversion.

11. The method as defined by claim 9 wherein the at least one functional unit includes a data processor.

12. The method as defined by claim 1 wherein step b) further includes altering second functions in instrument operation when monitored current indicates the power consumption has reached a second power limit.

13. The method as defined by claim 12 wherein first functions and second functions selected from display operation, color signal processing, 3D signal processing, clock frequency for analog to digital signal conversion, and clock frequency for data processing.

14. A portable ultrasonic diagnostic instrument comprising:

a) ultrasound transducers for transmitting and receiving ultrasonic waves,

b) beamforming circuitry for focusing transmitted and received waves,

c) a display,

f) battery power, and

d) power control for limiting power consumption in the instrument not to exceed 25 watts.

15. The portable ultrasonic diagnostic instrument as defined by claim 14 wherein the beamforming circuitry is digital.

16. The portable ultrasonic diagnostic instrument as defined by claim 15 wherein the power control reduces clock frequency to analog to digital converter circuitry in the beamformer when power consumption exceeds a first limit.

17. The portable ultrasonic diagnostic instrument as defined by claim 16 and further including:

e) signal processing circuitry for processing electrical signals from received waves,

f) imaging circuitry for controlling a display of processed signals, and

g) a display.

18. The portable ultrasonic diagnostic instrument as defined by claim 14 wherein the power control blocks color display and 3D display of processed signals.

19. The portable ultrasonic diagnostic instrument as defined b claim 18 wherein power control alters display of processed signals.

20. The portable ultrasonic diagnostic instrument as defined by claim 19 wherein the display of processed signals is shifted in mode from active scanning to a mode selected from freeze and sleep.

21. The portable ultrasonic diagnostic instrument as defined by claim 14 wherein the beamforming circuitry is analog and the power control limits power consumption to 10 watts.

22. The portable ultrasonic diagnostic instrument as defined by claim 21 wherein power control limits one or more functions when power consumption reaches a first level.

23. The portable ultrasonic diagnostic instrument as defined by claim 22 wherein the one or more functions include display operation, color signal processing, 3D signal processing, clock frequency for analog to digital conversion, and clock frequency for data processing.

24. A portable ultrasonic diagnostic instrument comprising:

an array transducer,

a beamformer for delaying and combining echo signals received by elements of the array transducer,

signal processing and imaging circuitry for processing the echo signals, and

a display for the processed signals, wherein the instrument operates on no more than 25 watts of electrical power.

25. The instrument as defined by claim 24 wherein the beamformer is digital.

26. The instrument as defined by claim 24 wherein the beamformer is analog, wherein the instrument operates on no more than 10 nwatts of electrical power.