Ultrasonic imaging apparatus

• US 20020077548A1
• Filed: 10/26/2001
• Published: 06/20/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 12/18/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: GE Medical Systems Global Technology Company LLC A Delaware Limited Liability Company
• Original Assignee: GE Medical Systems Global Technology Company LLC A Delaware Limited Liability Company
• Inventors: Amemiya, Shinichi
• Granted Patent: US 6,669,634 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 600/437
• 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: A61B 8/565 involving data transmission via a network
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 15/8979 Combined Doppler and pulse-echo imaging systems
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 15/899 Combination of imaging systems with ancillary equipment
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 7/52055 in association with ancillary recording equipment

Abstract

In order to provide an ultrasonic imaging apparatus that responds to the requirement for both portability and versatility, the ultrasonic imaging apparatus includes a portable imaging apparatus 100 comprising ultrasonic imaging means, and a support apparatus 500 which comprises supporting means for supporting extension of functions of the imaging apparatus, and which is electrically connected to and mechanically joined to the imaging apparatus so that it can be removably combined with the imaging apparatus.

Claims

1. An ultrasonic imaging apparatus comprising:

a portable imaging apparatus comprising ultrasonic imaging means; and

a support apparatus which comprises supporting means for supporting extension of functions of said imaging apparatus, and which is electrically connected to and mechanically joined to said imaging apparatus so that it can be removably combined with said imaging apparatus.

2. The ultrasonic imaging apparatus as defined by claim 1, wherein said imaging apparatus has a pair of surfaces that can be folded so that the surfaces face each other.

3. The ultrasonic imaging apparatus as defined by claim 2, wherein one surface of said pair of surfaces is provided with a display section and the other is provided with an operating section.

4. The ultrasonic imaging apparatus as defined by any one of claims 1-3, wherein said support apparatus has a mounting portion for mounting said imaging apparatus.

5. The ultrasonic imaging apparatus as defined by claim 4, wherein said mounting portion has a connecting portion for electrically connecting said imaging apparatus and said support apparatus.

6. The ultrasonic imaging apparatus as defined by claim 5, wherein said mounting portion has a joining portion for mechanically joining said imaging apparatus and said support apparatus.

7. The ultrasonic imaging apparatus as defined by any one of claims 1-6, wherein said imaging apparatus and said support apparatus have individual CPU'"'"'s operating under respective OS'"'"'s that are different in kind from each other.

8. The ultrasonic imaging apparatus as defined by claim 7, wherein the OS for the CPU in said imaging apparatus has a simpler configuration than the OS for the CPU in said support apparatus.

9. The ultrasonic imaging apparatus as defined by any one of claims 1-8, wherein said imaging apparatus is operated by power supplied from a direct current power supply.

10. The ultrasonic imaging apparatus as defined by claim 9, wherein said direct current power supply is a battery built in said imaging apparatus.

11. The ultrasonic imaging apparatus as defined by any one of claims 1-10, wherein said support apparatus is operated by power supplied from an alternating current power supply.

12. The ultrasonic imaging apparatus as defined by any one of claims 1-11, wherein said supporting means in said support apparatus comprises means for supplying power to said imaging apparatus.

13. The ultrasonic imaging apparatus as defined by any one of claims 1-12, wherein said supporting means in said support apparatus comprises means for supplying high voltage power to said imaging apparatus.

14. The ultrasonic imaging apparatus as defined by any one of claims 1-13, wherein said supporting means in said support apparatus comprises means for supplying power to an external device.

15. The ultrasonic imaging apparatus as defined by any one of claims 12-14, wherein said means for supplying power comprises means for insulating a primary and a secondary of a power supply path.

16. The ultrasonic imaging apparatus as defined by any one of claims 1-15, wherein said ultrasonic imaging means in said imaging apparatus and said supporting means in said support apparatus comprise means for performing data communication between said imaging apparatus and said support apparatus.

17. The ultrasonic imaging apparatus as defined by any one of claims 1-16, wherein said supporting means in said support apparatus comprises means for performing data communication with an external device.

18. The ultrasonic imaging apparatus as defined by claim 16 or 17, wherein said means for performing data communication comprises means for insulating a primary and a secondary of a data communication path.

19. The ultrasonic imaging apparatus as defined by any one of claims 1-18, wherein said supporting means in said support apparatus comprises means for recording an image captured by said imaging apparatus.

20. The ultrasonic imaging apparatus as defined by any one of claims 1-19, wherein said supporting means in said support apparatus comprises means for managing an image captured by said imaging apparatus.

21. The ultrasonic imaging apparatus as defined by any one of claims 1-20, wherein said supporting means in said support apparatus comprises means for outputting an image captured by said imaging apparatus to an external device.

22. The ultrasonic imaging apparatus as defined by claim 21, wherein said means for outputting an image comprises means for insulating a primary and a secondary of an image output path.

23. The ultrasonic imaging apparatus as defined by any one of claims 1-22, wherein:

said ultrasonic imaging means in said imaging apparatus comprises means for performing either or both of B-mode imaging or/and pulsed Doppler imaging; and

said supporting means in said support apparatus comprises means for performing continuous wave Doppler imaging through said imaging apparatus.

24. The ultrasonic imaging apparatus as defined by claim 23, wherein said means for performing continuous wave Doppler imaging comprises means for supplying a continuous wave transmit signal to said imaging apparatus.

25. The ultrasonic imaging apparatus as defined by claim 23 or 24, wherein said means for performing continuous wave Doppler imaging comprises means for gathering a continuous wave receive signal from said imaging apparatus.