Dock for connecting peripheral devices to a modular diagnostic ultrasound apparatus

• US 7,591,786 B2
• Filed: 01/31/2003
• Issued: 09/22/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 01/31/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: FUJIFILM SonoSite, Inc. (Fujifilm Holdings Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Sonosite Incorporated (Fujifilm Holdings Corporation)
• Inventors: Little, Blake W., Bunce, Steven M., Holmberg, Randy T.
• Primary Examiner(s): Casler; Brian
• Assistant Examiner(s): Mehta; Parikha S
• Application Number:
  US10/356,401
• Publication Number:
  US 20040150963A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,426 Days
• Field of Search: 600/437, 600/459, 735/84, 736/28, 736/32, 361/686, 361/681, 710/303
• US Class Current: 600/437
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2560/0456 Apparatus provided with a docking unit
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/00 Diagnosis using ultrasonic, sonic or infrasonic waves imaging of objects using sonar G01S15/00
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/4405 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 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

The present invention describes a system for use with a core module for diagnostic ultrasound, the system comprising at least one core module having a housing, system electronics package and a I/O port and one or more docking station(s) in electronic communication with a plurality of peripheral devices, the docking station capable of releasable connection to the core module. The invention further details the individual modular components of the system, being a receptacle connector, a docking station, a multiple transducer adaptor and a mobile docking station.

Claims

1. A mini-dock for connecting peripheral devices to a modular diagnostic ultrasound apparatus, the mini-dock comprising:

a receptacle housing;

a plurality of peripheral device ports, in or on said receptacle housing, each peripheral device port connected to one or more individual electrical connector(s), at least one peripheral device port of said plurality of peripheral device ports comprises an ultrasound transducer adaptor; and

a receptacle for releasably mating with an I/O port of said modular diagnostic ultrasound apparatus, said receptacle in electronic communication with said plurality of peripheral device ports.

2. The mini-dock as described in claim 1, wherein the electronic communication between said receptacle and said peripheral device ports is a pass through connection.

3. The mini-dock as described in claim 1, wherein the electronic communication between said receptacle and said peripheral device ports is achieved through the use of one or more active circuits.

4. The mini-dock as described in claim 3, wherein an active circuit of the one or more active circuits is a digital to analog video converter for video signal passing from the modular diagnostic ultrasound apparatus to a video device through a peripheral device port.

5. The mini-dock as described in claim 3, wherein an active circuit of the one or more active circuits is an analog to digital video converter for video feed through a peripheral device port to the receptacle.

6. The mini-dock as described in claim 1, having one or more means for removably connecting the mini-dock to the modular diagnostic ultrasound apparatus.

7. The mini-dock as described in claim 1, further comprising a surge protector.

8. The mini-dock as described in claim 1, wherein at least one peripheral device port of said plurality of peripheral device ports comprises a physio-adaptor.

9. A docking station for connecting a plurality of peripheral devices to a modular diagnostic ultrasound apparatus, the docking station comprising:

a mini-dock having a housing, a receptacle, a plurality of peripheral device ports in electronic communication with the receptacle, at least one peripheral device port of said plurality of peripheral device ports comprises an ultrasound transducer adaptor;

a base fixedly attached to the mini-dock and having means for guiding a modular diagnostic ultrasound apparatus into alignment with said mini-dock and means for securing the modular diagnostic ultrasound apparatus to the mini-dock; and

a power supply incorporated within said base and in electronic communication with said mini-dock such that electrical power can be fed from the power supply to the modular ultrasound apparatus through the mini-dock.

10. The docking station as described in claim 9, wherein the base further comprises a housing having an aperture for slidably receiving said modular diagnostic ultrasound apparatus.

11. The docking station as described in claim 10, wherein said housing has a reinforced internal frame for supporting a video display unit.

12. The docking station as described in claim 9, further comprising a plurality of user interfaces for controlling said modular diagnostic ultrasound apparatus.

13. A multi-transducer connector module comprising a housing having a relief connector for mating with an aperture for a transducer connector on a modular diagnostic ultrasound apparatus, said multi-transducer connector having a plurality of recess connectors fittingly engaging a plurality of relief transducer connectors of a plurality of diagnostic ultrasound transducer assemblies, the housing having a switch for each recess connector by which an operator can select which transducer connected to the ultrasound device to be used at any particular moment.

14. The multi-transducer connector of claim 13, wherein the switch is an electronic switch controlled through a user interface.

15. The multi-transducer connector as described in claim 13, wherein the various transducers of the plurality of diagnostic ultrasound transducer assemblies may be hot switched for use with said modular diagnostic ultrasound apparatus.

16. The multiple transducer connector of claim 13, wherein when the diagnostic ultrasound apparatus is operable to detect which transducers are connected to the multi-transducer connector for selection of appropriate beamformer program and data processing functionality when the diagnostic ultrasound apparatus is mated to the multi-transducer connector.

17. A mobile docking station for use with a modular diagnostic ultrasound apparatus comprising:

a base having a plurality of castors wherein at least one said castor is capable of locking;

a tower mounted on said base; and

a docking station located substantially near the top of the tower, the docking station capable of releasably receiving a modular diagnostic ultrasound apparatus, said docking station having a plurality of peripheral device ports, each peripheral device port connected to one or more individual electrical connector(s), at least one peripheral device port of said plurality of peripheral device ports comprises an ultrasound transducer adaptor, and a receptacle for releasably mating with an I/O port of said modular diagnostic ultrasound apparatus, said receptacle in electronic communication with said plurality of peripheral device ports.

18. The mobile docking station as described in claim 17, further comprising a plurality of storage bins.

19. The mobile docking station as described in claim 17, wherein the tower further comprises a means for adjusting the height of the tower.

20. The mobile docking station as described in claim 19, wherein the means for adjusting the height of the tower is a gas cylinder actuated by a manual trigger.

21. The mobile docking station as described in claim 17, wherein the tower is a Z frame.

22. The mobile docking station as described in claim 17, wherein the tower is a A frame.

23. The mobile docking station as described in claim 17, wherein the tower is an inverted T frame.

24. The mobile docking station as described in claim 17, wherein the tower is an I frame.

25. The mobile docking station as described in claim 17, wherein said plurality of peripheral device ports of said docking station further comprises an I/O port operable for connecting a universal control pad.

26. A system for diagnostic ultrasound examinations comprising:

at least one core module having a housing, system electronics package and a I/O port; and

one or more docking station(s) in electronic communication with a plurality of peripheral devices, the docking station capable of releasable connection to said core module, wherein the core module is operable to generate diagnostic ultrasound images while docked to at least one docking station of the one or more docking station(s), and said core module further operable so that all data inputs and outputs are sent or received through the at least one docking station to or from the peripheral devices.

27. The system of claim 26, wherein the docking station is a mobile docking station.

28. The system of claim 26, wherein the one or more docking station(s) is a mix of mobile docking stations and desktop docking stations.