Method and apparatus for controlling output voltage of ultrasound signal

• US 9,439,628 B2
• Filed: 05/29/2012
• Issued: 09/13/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 11/29/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Samsung Medison Company Limited (Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Samsung Medison Company Limited (Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.)
• Inventors: Lee, Yoon-chang, Oh, Tae-hyeong
• Primary Examiner(s): TURCHEN, ROCHELLE DEANNA
• Application Number:
  US13/482,430
• Publication Number:
  US 20130137978A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,568 Days
• Field of Search: 600/437, 600/459
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/467 characterised by special input means
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/481 involving the use of contrast agent, e.g. microbubbles introduced into the bloodstream analysis of echo signal exploiting properties of a contrast enhancer in devices for short-range imaging with acoustic waves G01S7/52039
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/54 Control of the diagnostic device
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/56 Details of data transmission or power supply
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 7/5202 for pulse systems
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 7/5205 Means for monitoring or calibrating

Abstract

A method of controlling an output voltage of an ultrasound signal that is output by an ultrasound signal generating unit to a target object via a probe, the method including acquiring a target output voltage to be output by the probe to the target object and transmission conditions; acquiring property information regarding the probe; and controlling a voltage of the ultrasound signal output by the ultrasound signal generating unit based on the target output voltage, the transmission conditions, and the property information regarding the probe.

Claims

1. A method of controlling an output voltage of an ultrasound signal that is output by a probe to a target object, the method comprising:

acquiring property information regarding the probe, the property information defining a relationship between frequency information and gain information;

detecting a first voltage of the ultrasound signal which is input to the probe;

determining a gain value according to a transmission frequency of the ultrasound signal and the property information of the probe;

predicting a second voltage of the ultrasound signal to be output by the probe to the target object according to the detected first voltage and the gain value; and

in a case where a difference between the predicted second voltage of the ultrasound signal to be output by the probe to the target object and a target output voltage to be output to the target object exceeds a predetermined tolerance, generating a new voltage level to be input to an ultrasound signal generator for driving the probe.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the generating a new voltage level comprises converting information regarding the newly generated voltage level to a predetermined bit(Binary digit) digital signal.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving a selection of a low mechanical index (MI) mode;

stopping the probe from outputting ultrasound signals to the target object according to the selection; and

in a case where a difference between the predicted second voltage and the target output voltage is within a predetermined tolerance, allowing the probe to output ultrasound signals to the target object.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the acquiring property information regarding the probe comprises:

acquiring identification information regarding the probe; and

extracting property information regarding the probe corresponding to the acquired identification information regarding the probe.

5. An ultrasound signal output voltage controlling apparatus comprising:

an ultrasound signal generator configured to generate ultrasound signals;

a probe configured to receive ultrasound signals from the ultrasound signal generator and output the received ultrasound signals to a target object;

a receiver configured to receive property information regarding the probe, the property information defining a relationship between frequency information and gain information;

a voltage detector configured to detect a first voltage of an ultrasound signal which is input to the probe;

a voltage controller configured to determine a gain value according to a transmission frequency of the ultrasound signal and the property information of the probe, and to predict a second voltage of the ultrasound signal to be output by the probe to the target object according to the detected first voltage and the gain value; and

a voltage level generator configured to generate a new voltage level to be input to the ultrasound signal generator for driving the probe, in a case where a difference between the predicted second voltage of the ultrasound signal to be output by the probe to the target object and a target output voltage to be output to the target object exceeds a predetermined tolerance.

6. The ultrasound signal output voltage controlling apparatus of claim 5, wherein the voltage level generator converts information regarding the newly generated voltage level to a predetermined bit(Binary digit) digital signal.

7. The ultrasound signal output voltage controlling apparatus of claim 5, wherein the receiver is configured to receive a selection of a low mechanical index (MI) mode, and

further comprising a probe output controller configured to stop the probe from outputting ultrasound signals to the target object according to the selection of the low mechanical index (MI) mode and allow the probe to output ultrasound signals to the target object in a case where a difference between the predicted second voltage and the target output voltage is within a predetermined tolerance.

8. The ultrasound signal output voltage controlling apparatus of claim 5, wherein the receiver acquires identification information regarding the probe and extracts property information regarding the probe corresponding to the acquired identification information regarding the probe.

9. A non-transitory computer readable recording medium having recorded thereon a computer program for implementing the method of controlling an output voltage of an ultrasound signal that is output by a probe to a target object, the method comprising:

acquiring a target output voltage to be output by the probe to the target object and transmission conditions;

acquiring property information regarding the probe, the property information defining a relationship between frequency information and gain information;

detecting a first voltage of the ultrasound signal which is input to the probe;

determining a gain value according to a transmission frequency of the ultrasound signal and the property information of the probe;

predicting a second voltage of the ultrasound signal to be output by the probe to the target object according to the detected first voltage and the gain value; and

in a case where a difference between the predicted second voltage of the ultrasound signal to be output by the probe to the target object and a target output voltage to be output to the target object exceeds a predetermined tolerance, generating a new voltage level to be input to an ultrasound signal generator for driving the probe.