Modular apparatus for diagnostic ultrasound

• US 7,534,211 B2
• Filed: 01/31/2003
• Issued: 05/19/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 03/29/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: FUJIFILM SonoSite, Inc. (Fujifilm Holdings Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Sonosite Incorporated (Fujifilm Holdings Corporation)
• Inventors: Little, Blake W., Hwang, Juin-Jet
• Primary Examiner(s): Winakur; Eric F
• Assistant Examiner(s): Rozanski; Michael T
• Application Number:
  US10/356,335
• Publication Number:
  US 20040152982A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,300 Days
• Field of Search: 600/441, 600/459, 600/447, 600/437, 361/686
• US Class Current: 600/459
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/4405 Device being mounted on a trolley
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/4411 Device being modular
• 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 8/56 Details of data transmission or power supply
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 15/899 Combination of imaging systems with ancillary equipment
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 7/52079 Constructional features constructional features of transducers B06B; mounting transducers G10K11/00; constructional features of ultrasonic medical diagnostic devices A61B8/44
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 7/52082 involving a modular construction, e.g. a computer with short range imaging equipment modular ultrasonic medical diagnostic devices A61B8/4411

Abstract

A modular diagnostic ultrasound apparatus is provided comprising a core unit, system electronics and an I/O port. The core unit comprises a housing and a system electronics package within the housing. The system electronics has one or more concatenated filters, including a front end transmit/receive circuit, a processor, a back end circuit for scan conversion, a system clock and a programmable system memory device. There is at least one I/O port connected to the front end and the back end of the system electronics package and extending through the core unit housing wherein all system data processing information is transmitted or received through the I/O port.

Claims

1. A modular diagnostic ultrasound apparatus comprising:

a core unit including

a system electronics package having one or more concatenated functions, said system electronics package including an ultrasound front end transmit/receive circuit, a processor, a back end circuit for ultrasound scan conversion, a system clock and a programmable system memory device; and

at least one I/O port having a plurality of data lines, at least one connected to each of said front end circuit and said back end circuit of said system electronics package and extending through said core unit;

wherein all system data processing information is transmitted or received through said at least one I/O port; and

a docking station for releasably receiving said core unit.

2. The modular diagnostic ultrasound apparatus as described in claim 1, wherein said back end circuit further comprises a means for producing video output signals.

3. The modular diagnostic ultrasound apparatus as described in claim 1, wherein said system electronics package further comprises a means for data storage.

4. The modular diagnostic ultrasound apparatus of claim 1, wherein said system electronics package includes a digital signal processor comprising:

a digital B mode filter for filtering B mode signals;

a digital Doppler filter for filtering Doppler signals;

a B mode signal detector and mapping circuit; and

a Doppler signal estimator circuit.

5. The modular diagnostic ultrasound apparatus as described in claim 1, wherein the programmable system memory device is one or more flash ram chip(s) integrated into said system electronics package.

6. The modular diagnostic ultrasound apparatus as described in claim 1, wherein said at least one I/O port consists of a transducer connector and a data I/O connector for communication with a plurality of peripheral devices.

7. The modular diagnostic ultrasound apparatus as described in claim 1, wherein said at least one I/O port consists of a physio port, a transducer connector and a data I/O port for communication with a plurality of peripheral devices.

8. The modular diagnostic ultrasound apparatus as described in claim 1, wherein said at least one I/O port consists of a physio port, a transducer connector, a power adaptor receptacle and a data I/O port for communication with a plurality of peripheral devices.

9. The modular diagnostic ultrasound apparatus as described in claim 1, wherein said at least one I/O port is a multi-pin connector having dedicated pin out and receive for a plurality of peripheral devices.

10. The modular diagnostic ultrasound apparatus as described in claim 1, wherein said at least one I/O port is a multi-pin connector having shared pin out and receive for communicating with a plurality of peripheral devices, wherein sharing is achieved through a timing scheme of signal I/O based on said system clock.

11. The modular diagnostic ultrasound apparatus as described in claim 1, wherein said at least one I/O port is a multi-pin connector having a combination of dedicated and shared pin out and receive.

12. The modular diagnostic ultrasound apparatus as described in claim 1 preferably weighing less than 10 pounds (4.5 kg).

13. The modular diagnostic ultrasound apparatus as described in claim 1 more preferably weighing less than seven pounds (3.18 kg).

14. The modular diagnostic ultrasound apparatus as described in claim 1 even more preferably weighing less than 2.2 pounds (1 kg).

15. The modular diagnostic ultrasound apparatus as described in claim 1, wherein said system electronics package is divided among two or more circuit boards and arranged to shield digital or noisy areas from sensitive signal areas.

16. The modular diagnostic ultrasound apparatus of claim 1 wherein said core unit operates as a portable ultrasound device when removed from said docking station.

17. The modular diagnostic ultrasound apparatus of claim 1 wherein said core unit operates as a cart-style ultrasound device when in electronic communication with said docking station.

18. The modular diagnostic ultrasound apparatus of claim 1, said docking station further comprising:

a base;

a mini-dock attached to said base; and

a power supply incorporated within said base and in electronic communication with said mini-dock.

19. The modular diagnostic ultrasound apparatus of claim 18, said mini-dock further comprising:

a housing;

a receptacle; and

a plurality of peripheral device ports in electronic communication with said receptacle.

20. The modular diagnostic ultrasound apparatus of claim 18, said base further comprising:

means for guiding said core unit into alignment with said mini-dock; and

means for securing said core unit to said mini-dock.

21. The modular diagnostic ultrasound apparatus of claim 1 wherein said docking station is mounted on a base having a plurality of castors.

22. The modular diagnostic ultrasound apparatus of claim 21 wherein at least one of said plurality of castors is capable of locking.

23. A modular diagnostic ultrasound apparatus contained within a clamshell style enclosure weighing less than 10 pounds (4.5 kg), said enclosure further comprising:

a bottom unit having a system electronics package, a battery, a plurality of user interface elements positioned substantially on a top surface of said bottom unit, at least one I/O port connector in electronic communication with said system electronics package and extending through the enclosure and said bottom unit having an underside opposite said top surface;

a top unit hingedly connected to said bottom unit, comprising of a video display screen; and

an aperture for receiving a transducer connector and communicating therewith, said aperture being positioned on the underside of the bottom unit.

24. The modular diagnostic ultrasound apparatus of claim 23, wherein said system electronics package includes a digital signal processor comprising:

a digital B mode filter for filtering B mode signals;

a digital Doppler filter for filtering Doppler signals;

a B mode signal detector and mapping circuit; and

a Doppler signal estimator circuit.

25. The modular diagnostic ultrasound apparatus as described in claim 23, wherein a transducer having a transducer connector is releasably engaged to said aperture.

26. The modular diagnostic ultrasound apparatus as described in claim 23, preferably weighing less than eight pounds (3.63 kg).

27. The modular diagnostic ultrasound apparatus as described in claim 23 more preferably weighing less than five pounds (2.27 kg).

28. The modular diagnostic ultrasound apparatus as described in claim 23, wherein said user interface consists essentially of an alpha numeric keypad, a plurality of programmable and preprogrammed control buttons, and a pointing device.