JP2805360B2 - Ultrasound diagnostic equipment - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to an ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus that transmits an ultrasonic wave into a subject, receives a reflected echo from a diagnostic site, and obtains an ultrasonic image based on the echo signal. In particular, the present invention relates to an ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus capable of arbitrarily changing and setting the transmission power level of an ultrasonic wave by an operator.

[Conventional technology]

A conventional ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus of this type includes a circuit that controls the transmission power of the ultrasonic waves emitted by the control of the ultrasonic transmission / reception unit based on the signal from the transmission power level switch. , For example, is switched to about three stages. As the transmission power level switch, for example, a rotary switch having four circuits and three contacts is used to switch the transmission power between high (High), middle (Low), and low (Low). Or, as another example, "UP / D
The transmission power was switched as a loop from High → Middle → Low → High → Middle → Low →... By a loop switch type key switch indicating the direction of “OWN”.

[Problems to be solved by the invention]

However, in the control of the transmission power in such a conventional ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus, for example, when a rotary switch is used, the positions of the high, middle, and low contacts are mechanically fixed. Cannot be set to the minimum value of the transmission power level possessed by the apparatus itself even if the level is switched to the above level. Therefore, in consideration of safety for the subject, especially the fetus, etc., when the device is turned on or when the probe or the diagnostic mode is switched, ultrasonic waves are emitted at the lowest transmission power level of the device itself. Start,
It is not possible to gradually increase the transmission power level and to perform an examination on the subject or the diagnostic site with the lowest ultrasonic power. On the contrary,
It is possible to bring the device into a factory or the like and change the software setting for switching the transmission power level, for example, to lower the Low level value, but it takes time,
The operator at the diagnostic site could not make adjustments and the operability was reduced. Furthermore, it is conceivable to provide a large number of contacts of the above-mentioned rotary switch within a range of 360 ° for one rotation to make the switching of the transmission power level small, but in this case, the mechanism of the rotary switch becomes larger. And it became complicated.

Further, when a key switch of a loop switching method is used, it is not possible to directly set a desired transmission power level, and when the number of transmission power level switching steps increases, it takes some time before each level switching completes. And it takes time to switch the transmission power level. Therefore, the operability of the apparatus is also reduced.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is an object of the present invention to solve such a problem and to provide an ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus capable of arbitrarily changing and setting the transmission power level of an ultrasonic wave by an operator.

[Means for solving the problem]

In order to achieve the above object, an ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus according to the present invention includes a probe for transmitting and receiving an ultrasonic wave, and an ultrasonic transmitting and receiving device for controlling the probe to emit an ultrasonic wave and amplify a received echo signal. A means for processing the echo signal from the ultrasonic transmission / reception unit to display an ultrasonic image, and a transmission power of the ultrasonic wave emitted under the control of the ultrasonic transmission / reception unit by a signal from the transmission power level switch. An ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus comprising a circuit for controlling the transmission power level using an infinite rotation type power switch as the transmission power level switch,
Detecting the input of the transmission power level switching signal from the infinite rotary power switch, activates the transmission power control circuit, and sets the transmission power level value to be changed for the ultrasonic transmission / reception unit. The transmission power is changed and set.

[Action]

The ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus configured as described above detects that the transmission power level switching signal from the infinite rotary power switch is input to the transmission power control circuit, and activates the transmission power control circuit. The transmission power level to be changed is transmitted from the transmission power control circuit to the ultrasonic transmission / reception unit. Thus, the ultrasonic transmission / reception unit controls the applied voltage to the transducer in the probe, the time, and the like, and changes and sets the transmission power to a given level value.

〔Example〕

Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing an embodiment of an ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus according to the present invention. This ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus transmits an ultrasonic wave into a subject, receives a reflected echo from a diagnostic site, and obtains an ultrasonic image based on the echo signal. As shown in FIG. And an ultrasonic transmitting and receiving unit 2;
It comprises a digital scan converter (hereinafter abbreviated as “DSC”) 3, a display device 4, an operation control console 5, and a transmission power control circuit 6.

The probe 1 transmits and receives ultrasonic waves to and from the inside of the subject, and has a built-in transducer that is a source of ultrasonic waves and receives reflected waves and converts the reflected waves into electric signals. The ultrasonic transmission / reception unit 2 controls the probe 1 to emit ultrasonic waves and amplifies the received echo signals. Although not shown, the ultrasonic transmission / reception unit 2 includes an ultrasonic emission circuit, a reception amplification circuit, and an internal circuit. It has a control circuit. DSC3
Is for inputting an echo signal output from the ultrasonic transmission / reception unit 2 and digitizing the same, and writing and reading ultrasonic image data to and from internal storage means for processing. For example, an A / D converter and It consists of an image memory, an image control circuit, a television synchronization circuit, a D / A converter, and a central processing unit (CPU). The display device 4 receives an analog video signal output from the DSC 3 and displays an ultrasonic image.
For example, it comprises a television monitor.

The operation control console 5 inputs various operation commands to control the overall operation of the ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus, and switches the transmission power level of the ultrasonic waves emitted from the probe 1 to a plurality of stages. It has a transmission power level switch 7 and a diagnostic mode switch 8 for switching between diagnostic modes such as B mode, M mode, and Doppler blood flow measurement mode.

Further, the transmission power control circuit 6 controls the transmission power of the ultrasonic waves emitted from the probe 1 under the control of the ultrasonic transmission / reception unit 2 based on the signal from the transmission power level switch 7. A processing device (hereinafter abbreviated as “MPU”) 9 for controlling the overall procedure of the transmission power level switching operation, and a ROM for an operating system (hereinafter referred to as a ROM) in which a program for operating the MPU 9 is written. "O
10), a work RAM 11 for writing and reading a new transmission power level value obtained in the processing of the MPU 9, and various operation commands output from the operation control console 5. An operation console input port 12 to be sent to the MPU 9 and an interrupt signal only when an operation command is input from the operation console 5 to the operation console input port 12
An interrupt generation circuit 13 to be sent to the MPU 9, an output port 14 for the ultrasonic transmission / reception unit which takes in the value of the new transmission power level obtained in the processing of the MPU 9 and sends it to the ultrasonic transmission / reception unit 2. A DSC output port 15 which takes in the new (current) transmit power level value and sends it to the DSC 3 for display on the screen.

Here, in the present invention, an infinite rotation type power switch is used as the transmission power level switch 7 of the operation control console 5. This infinite rotary power switch transmits information on the current contact position using only the rotational movement amount without using a physical contact position. For example, an infinite rotary switch having eight contacts per circuit or An infinite rotary switching switch having 12 contacts per circuit is employed. FIG. 2 shows an example in which an infinite rotation type switch having eight contacts in one circuit is used as the transmission power level switch 7. The infinite rotation type switching switch 7 includes a movable contact 7a provided at a center portion and eight fixed contacts 7b provided around the movable contact 7a. The movable contact 7a is connected to a ground level, The position of the fixed contact 7b with which it is in contact can be determined. In the example of FIG. 2, a case is shown in which a priority assignment code circuit for changing eight inputs to three outputs is used as the operation console input port 12.
The 3-bit output encoded from the 8-bit switch output is input to the MPU 9 and the interrupt generation circuit 13 at the next stage and processed.

FIG. 3 shows another example of the transmission power level switch 7. In this example, an infinite rotary absolute value output encoder having a resolution of 4 bits is used. This infinite rotation type absolute value output encoder (7)
The range of 360 ° is divided into, for example, 16 and information on each position is output with a 4-bit code. FIG. 3 shows an example in which a line buffer is used as the operation console input port 12. The 4-bit code output is input to the MPU 9 and the interrupt generation circuit 13 of the next stage via the line buffer. Is being processed.

An example of the internal configuration of the interrupt generation circuit 13 in the transmission power control circuit 6 shown in FIG. 1 is as shown in FIG.
A first data latch circuit 16 and a second data latch circuit
17 and a comparison circuit 18. The bit output encoded by, for example, the transmission power level switch 7 shown in FIG. 2 or 3 is first input to the first data latch circuit 16 through the respective operation console input ports 12. ,
Here, it is assumed that the data “A” is held, for example, and then the data is input to the second data latch circuit 17, and that the data “B” is held, for example. Thereafter, the data held in the first and second data latch circuits 16 and 17 are:
Each is input to the comparison circuit 18 in the next stage. Then, the respective latch data “A” and “B” are compared, and A ≠
In the case of B, since a different transmission power level value is input by the operation of the transmission power level switch 7, the comparison circuit 18 outputs an interrupt signal Si. Thereafter, when the interrupt signal Si is input to the MPU 9, the entire processing operation of the transmission power control circuit 6 is started.

Next, the operation of changing and setting the transmission power level in the transmission power control circuit 6 in the ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus thus configured will be described with reference to the flowchart shown in FIG. First, an interruption occurs due to a change in the operation command from the operation control console 5 shown in FIG. At this time, the interrupt generation circuit of the transmission power control circuit 6
13 sends an interrupt signal Si to the MPU 9,
The U9 will read the output from the console input port 12 for the first time. Here, due to the above interrupt generation, the MPU 9
An operation for changing the transmission power level is started based on a program stored in the OS ROM 10.

First, the transmission power level to be changed or the diagnostic mode output from the transmission power level switch 7 or the diagnostic mode switch 8 is input from the operation console input port 12 (step in FIG. 5). Next, it is determined whether the transmission power level has been changed by operating the transmission power level switch 7 or the diagnostic mode has been changed by operating the diagnostic mode switch 8 (step). Here, assuming that the transmission power level has been changed, the step proceeds to the "YES" side. Then, the position information of the transmission power level switch 7 that has been stored so far in the work RAM 11 is read out, the difference with the position information by the current change operation is obtained, and “± n” representing the rotational movement amount and the rotational direction is obtained. Is detected (step). Next, the transmission power level value "P" which has been stored so far in the work RAM 11 is read out, and the rotational movement amount and the rotation direction by the operation of the transmission power level switch 7 determined in the above step are represented. "±
n, the transmission power level value “P
± n ”is calculated (step). Next, the new position information “N” of the transmission power level switch 7 obtained as described above and the new transmission power level value “P ± n” are
It is stored in the work RAM 11 for the next basic calculation (step). Then, the new transmission power level value “P ± n” is output to the ultrasonic transmission / reception unit 2 via the ultrasonic transmission / reception unit output port 14 and the DSC output port 1
Output to DSC3 via 5 (step). As a result, the procedure for changing the transmission power level ends, and the transmission power level is stopped.

If it is determined in the above step that the diagnostic mode has been changed, the step proceeds to "NO". Then, the MPU 9 outputs the new diagnostic mode information input from the operation console input port 12 to the ultrasonic transmission / reception unit 2 via the ultrasonic transmission / reception unit output port 14, and outputs the new diagnostic mode information via the DSC output port 15. Output to DSC3 (step). Next, from the viewpoint of safety, the lowest transmission power level value corresponding to the new diagnostic mode is output to the ultrasonic transmission receiver 2 and the DSC 3 in the same manner as described above (step). Then, the new minimum transmission power level value is stored in the work RAM 11 for the next basic calculation (step). As a result, the procedure for changing the diagnostic mode ends, and the diagnostic mode is stopped. Thereafter, the process waits until an interruption of the next change of the transmission power level or the change of the diagnostic mode occurs.

〔The invention's effect〕

Since the present invention is configured as described above, the transmission power level switching signal of a desired value from the transmission power level switch 7 comprising an infinite rotation type power switch is input to the transmission power control circuit 6. Is detected, the transmission power control circuit 6 is activated, and the transmission power control circuit 6 can transmit a transmission power level value to be changed to the ultrasonic transmission / reception unit 2. Thereby, the ultrasonic transmitting and receiving unit 2
By controlling the voltage applied to the transducer in the probe 1 and the time, the transmission power can be changed and set as a given level value. Therefore, according to the present invention, the transmission power level of the ultrasonic wave is arbitrarily changed by the operator of the apparatus,
Can be set. For this reason, it is necessary to launch ultrasonic waves at the lowest transmission power level possessed by the apparatus itself or to change the transmission power level in multiple stages without carrying the apparatus to a factory or the like as in the past. Operability of the apparatus can be improved.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing an embodiment of an ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus according to the present invention. FIGS. 2 and 3 are circuit diagrams showing specific examples of a transmission power level switch and an operation control console input port. FIG. 4 is a block diagram showing an example of the internal configuration of the interrupt generation circuit, and FIG. 5 is a flow chart for explaining the operation of changing and setting the transmission power level in the transmission power control circuit. 1 ... probe, 2 ... ultrasonic transmitting and receiving unit, 3 ... DSC, 4
... Display device, 5 ... Operation control console, 6 ... Transmission power control circuit, 7 ... Transmission power level switch, 8 ... Diagnostic mode switch, 9 ... MPU, 12 ... Operation control console Input port, 13: Interrupt generation circuit.

Claims (2)

(57) [Claims] A probe for transmitting and receiving an ultrasonic wave, an ultrasonic transmitting and receiving unit for controlling the probe to emit an ultrasonic wave and amplifying a received echo signal, and an echo signal from the ultrasonic transmitting and receiving unit Means for processing and displaying an ultrasonic image,
An ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus comprising: a diagnostic mode switch for switching and setting a plurality of diagnostic modes; and an infinite rotary transmission power level switch for setting and inputting a plurality of levels of ultrasonic transmission power levels. The power level corresponding to the current position of the wave power level switch is stored, the ultrasonic transmission / reception unit is controlled to transmit the ultrasonic wave from the probe, and the transmission power level switch is switched. When the transmission power level is changed, the newly set transmission power level is calculated from the rotation amount and the rotation direction of the transmission power level switch based on the transmission power level before switching, and stored. Storage means for storing the transmission power level stored in the power level calculation storage means regardless of the position of the transmission power level switch when the diagnostic mode switch is operated; Ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus characterized by comprising a means for resetting the value. 2. The ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the transmission power level set when the diagnostic mode switch is operated is a minimum level of the apparatus.