JP4370974B2 - Ultrasonic diagnostic equipment - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to an ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus having a power saving mode.

  Ultrasound diagnostic devices that perform in-vivo observations using ultrasound transmission / reception have been generally used in places such as medical laboratories, but in recent years, the size and weight of the devices have been reduced. As a result, hand-held ultrasonic diagnostic devices have been developed and used for home visits. Also, relatively large ultrasonic diagnostic apparatuses are mainly provided with a caster or the like at the lower part of the apparatus so that the diagnosis can be performed by moving the apparatus to the patient. Many of such ultrasonic diagnostic apparatuses use a rechargeable battery as a power source, or can use a rechargeable battery and a commercial power source properly depending on the place of use. The ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus that can be operated by such a battery has a limited time during which the apparatus can be used according to the battery capacity. For this reason, as a device for extending the use time, there has been a technique in which power consumption is suppressed by a method such as lowering the CPU clock frequency as described in Patent Document 1, for example.

In a conventional ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus, the remaining battery level is monitored, and when it falls below a set threshold value, a transition to a low power consumption operating state (power saving mode) is made. Switching was performed automatically on the device side. However, as the CPU clock frequency decreases, the data processing speed naturally decreases. Therefore, when such a power saving mode is started and the clock frequency is lowered, for example, in the B mode in which tomographic images are displayed, the frame rate is lowered, or the blood flow velocity is measured using the Doppler effect. In the Doppler mode, the blood flow velocity range may change to a low velocity flow. However, such a sudden decrease in the frame rate or a low blood flow velocity range may be considered as a malfunction of the apparatus for the examiner, and a high frame rate. However, when the necessary inspection is performed, if the device setting is changed arbitrarily, there is a disadvantage that the setting must be performed again.
Special Table 2004-500146

  The problem to be solved by the present invention is to provide an ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus that does not perform an unexpected operation of an inspector when the remaining battery level is reduced.

  An ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus according to the present invention, which has been made to solve the above-mentioned problems, is an ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus operated by a battery, in which a) a battery remaining amount measuring means for measuring the remaining amount of the battery, and b) the battery Power saving execution determining means for allowing an inspector to determine whether or not to execute a predetermined power saving method when it is determined by the remaining amount measuring means that the remaining battery level is equal to or less than a predetermined threshold value. It is characterized by.

  In the present invention, the “ultrasound diagnostic apparatus operated by a battery” refers to an apparatus capable of using a battery as a power source, and can be used by appropriately switching between a battery and a commercial power source as well as those operating only with a battery. Including things. In the latter case, only when the battery is used as a power source, the remaining battery level is measured and the implementation of the power saving method is determined.

  When the remaining battery level falls below a set threshold, the inspector can determine whether or not to implement the power saving method. There is no inconvenience of changing to the power mode. Furthermore, if a power saving method for making an inquiry to the inspector when the remaining battery level is low can be set in advance, the number of inquiry items can be limited, and it takes time to determine the implementation of the power saving method when the remaining battery level is low. There is nothing.

Hereinafter, the best mode for carrying out the present invention will be described using embodiments.
(Example)
FIG. 1 shows a configuration of a main part of the ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus of this embodiment. The probe 11 is in contact with a living body to transmit and receive ultrasonic waves. The pulse signal generated by the pulsar circuit 12 is converted into ultrasonic waves by the probe 11 and transmitted to the living body. The voltage control circuit 13 adjusts the acoustic power of the transmitted ultrasonic wave by controlling the pulse voltage. The ultrasonic wave reflected in the living body is received by the probe 11, converted into an electrical signal, amplified and detected by the amplifier 14, and sent to the signal processing circuit 15. The signal processing circuit 15 generates a tomographic image, a flow velocity spectrum, character information of diagnostic data, and the like by performing predetermined calculation processing based on the reflected wave signal, and outputs the character information to the monitor 16. The Doppler sound generation circuit 17 synthesizes the Doppler sound based on the output signal from the signal processing circuit 15 in the Doppler mode, and outputs it to the speaker 18.
The operation of each unit is controlled by the control unit 19, and an instruction from the examiner is input to the control unit 19 through the input unit 20 including a keyboard and a pointing device. In addition, power to the respective units is supplied by the battery 21, and the remaining battery level is measured by the remaining battery level measuring unit 22 connected to the battery 21.

  Hereinafter, the operation of the ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus according to the present embodiment will be described with reference to the drawings. FIG. 2 shows a power saving mode setting screen in the ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus of this embodiment, and FIG. 3 shows a flowchart showing the operation of the ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus of this embodiment when the remaining battery level is low. Indicates a state in which the inquiry item is displayed on the diagnosis screen.

  The setting of the power saving mode in the ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus of the present embodiment is performed according to the following procedure. First, the inspector performs a predetermined operation on the input unit 20 to display a power saving mode setting screen 30 as shown in FIG. The power saving mode setting screen 30 includes a threshold setting column 31, a notification method column 32, and an inquiry item column 33.

  The threshold value setting column 31 is used to set how far the remaining battery level is to be inquired about the power saving mode. By moving the slide bar 35 on the battery gauge 34, the remaining battery level can be reduced. Set the threshold value. The set threshold value is displayed in the text box 36. In addition, a numerical value can be directly input into the text box 36.

  In the notification method column 32, “voice”, “display”, or “not notify” options for notifying the inspector that the remaining battery level has reached the threshold set in the threshold setting column 31 The radio button 37 is used for selection. When “not notify” is selected, the setting is made so that notification of a decrease in the remaining battery level and an inquiry about a power saving method to be described later are not performed even when the remaining battery level reaches a threshold value.

  In the inquiry item column 33, various power saving methods for suppressing the power consumption of the ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus are shown. By checking a check box 38 provided in front of each item, the remaining battery level is shown. Select an item to inquire of the inspector when the threshold is reached. Details of each power saving method will be described later.

  When all the settings are completed, the setting is saved in the storage unit 23 by pressing an “OK” button 39. Since these settings are also applied to subsequent diagnoses, it is not necessary to make settings for each diagnosis.

Next, in the ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus according to the present embodiment, an operation when the remaining battery level falls below a set threshold value will be described.
When the remaining battery level is read by the remaining battery level measuring unit 22 (S1) and it is determined that the remaining battery level is less than or equal to the threshold set on the power saving mode setting screen 30 (S2), a diagnostic screen is displayed. The following dialog box is displayed on 40 (S3).
“The battery is low. You can use it for about 15 minutes.”
Subsequently, as shown in FIG. 4, the inquiry items set on the power saving mode setting screen 30 are displayed in the dialog box 41 (S4). When it is determined whether to execute the inquired power saving method by selecting Yes or No (S5), the next inquiry item is displayed (S4).

For example, in the power saving mode setting screen 30, “decrease monitor brightness” and “decrease frame rate” are set as inquiry items, and it is necessary to observe an image at a high frame rate such as a heart examination in the B mode. When the above-mentioned inquiry item is displayed during a certain diagnosis, the inspector refuses either power saving method.
Further, for example, in the power saving mode setting screen 30, “decrease monitor brightness” and “shut off Doppler sound circuit” are set as inquiry items, and the inquiry items are displayed during the examination in the pulse Doppler mode. If the examiner determines that there is no problem with blocking the Doppler sound circuit as long as at least the blood flow spectrum can be observed, answer Yes to the item “Block Doppler sound circuit”. . In addition, if the examiner determines that there is no problem in observing the spectrum even if the monitor is dark, since the diagnosis is performed in the pulse Doppler mode alone, answer “Yes” to the “Reduce monitor brightness” item. To do.

When the answers to all the inquiry items set in advance are completed (S6), the ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus starts operation with the determined power saving method (S7).
Hereinafter, an operation when each power saving method is performed will be described. In the power saving method shown in the inquiry item column 33 of FIG. 2, when “decrease the brightness of the monitor” is performed, the brightness of the monitor 16 is lowered by the control unit 19. When “block the Doppler sound circuit” is selected, the Doppler sound generation circuit 17 is blocked and the output of the Doppler sound from the speaker 18 is stopped. When “lowering the frame rate” is performed, the repetition frequency of the pulse signal generated in the pulser circuit 12 is lowered, and the frame rate is lowered. When “reducing acoustic power” is performed, the voltage voltage is reduced by the voltage control circuit 13 and the acoustic power of the ultrasonic signal is reduced. When “lower the center frequency of the ultrasonic wave” is selected, the center frequency of the pulse signal generated in the pulser circuit 12 is lowered. When “lower the flow velocity range” is performed, the flow velocity range in the Doppler mode shifts to the low-speed flow side. When “Turn off keyboard LED” is selected, the LED for operating state display provided on the keyboard of the input unit 20 is turned off.

  Here, the case where the notification by display is selected in the notification method column 32 of the power saving mode setting screen 30 is shown, but when the notification by voice is selected, the above notification and inquiry are sent from the speaker 18. When the inspector performs a predetermined key operation or the like on the input unit 20 according to the voice, it is determined whether or not the power saving method can be performed.

  In the ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus of the present invention, the battery remaining amount measuring means can use the one provided in the conventional ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus having the power saving mode, and the power saving execution determining means and the power saving method. The selection means can be realized by software modification.

  As mentioned above, although embodiment of the ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus of this invention was described using the Example, this is an example to the last, this invention is not limited to the said Example, A change is accept | permitted suitably It is. For example, on the power saving mode setting screen 30, the power saving means may be set for each diagnosis mode. In other words, by making it possible to individually register items to be inquired when the remaining battery level is reduced during diagnosis in B mode and items to be inquired when the remaining battery level is reduced during diagnosis in Doppler mode, The inquiry items can be narrowed down for each mode, and the trouble of re-setting the power saving mode every time the diagnostic mode is changed can be saved.

The block diagram which shows the structure of the principal part of the ultrasonic diagnosing device which concerns on the Example of this invention. The figure which shows the power saving mode setting screen in the ultrasonic diagnosing device of the Example. The flowchart which shows the operation | movement at the time of the battery remaining low in the ultrasonic diagnosing device of the Example. The figure which shows the screen display at the time of the battery remaining low in the ultrasonic diagnosing device of the Example.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10 ... Ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus 11 ... Probe 12 ... Pulser circuit 13 ... Voltage control circuit 14 ... Amplifier 15 ... Signal processing circuit 16 ... Monitor 17 ... Doppler sound generation circuit 18 ... Speaker 19 ... Control part 20 ... Input part 21 ... Battery 22 Battery remaining amount measuring unit 23 Storage unit 30 Power saving mode setting screen 31 Threshold setting column 32 Notification method column 33 Inquiry item column 40 Diagnosis screen 41 Dialog box

Claims (3)

In an ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus operated by a battery,
a) a battery remaining amount measuring means for measuring the remaining amount of the battery;
b) Power saving execution determining means for allowing an inspector to determine whether or not to execute a predetermined power saving method when it is determined by the battery remaining amount measuring means that the remaining battery level is equal to or less than a predetermined threshold value. When,
An ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus comprising:   2. The power saving method selection means according to claim 1, further comprising: a power saving method selection means for causing the inspector to select in advance a power saving method to be determined by the inspector in the power saving execution determining means. Ultrasonic diagnostic equipment.   The ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the power saving method selection unit is configured to select a power saving method for each diagnosis mode of the apparatus.

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