JP6047597B2 - Ultrasound diagnostic system - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to an ultrasonic diagnostic system, and more particularly to an ultrasonic diagnostic system including a plurality of portable devices.

  The ultrasonic diagnostic system is an apparatus that forms an ultrasonic image based on a reception signal obtained by transmitting / receiving ultrasonic waves to / from a living body. When the ultrasonic diagnostic system is configured by a plurality of devices (units and modules) that are independent from each other, generally, the plurality of devices are used in a separate state or they are used in a docking state. In the separate state, a plurality of devices are electrically connected according to a wireless communication method. In the docking state, a plurality of devices are connected according to a wired communication method. The latter state may include a state where two devices are connected by a cable.

  Patent Document 1 discloses an ultrasonic diagnostic system having a first housing and a second housing. Patent Document 2 discloses an ultrasonic diagnostic system including a front-end device and a back-end device. In the ultrasonic diagnostic system disclosed in Patent Document 3, the apparatus main body and the ultrasonic probe are connected wirelessly. Patent Document 4 discloses a technique for distributing power in an ultrasonic diagnostic system including a main processing unit including a battery and a transducer assembly including a battery. However, none of the patent documents recognizes a technique for solving an inherent problem occurring in a system in which a plurality of AC / DC adapters are connected.

JP 2011-5241 A Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2008-114065 JP 2011-87841 A JP 2008-125043 A

  When the ultrasound diagnostic system is constituted by a plurality of devices each having a battery, it is necessary to supply individual power to a group of circuits in each device or to charge a battery in each device. An AC / DC adapter (hereinafter, simply referred to as “adapter” in some cases) is individually connected to the apparatus as necessary. However, each device can easily recognize that the adapter is connected to itself, but knows whether the adapter is connected to a device other than itself unless a special mechanism is provided in the system. It is not possible.

  For example, when a device upstream from the living body (front end device) and a device downstream from the living body (back end device) are in a docked state, an adapter is connected to the upstream device, And when the adapter is not connected to the downstream device, a part of the power obtained from the adapter in the upstream device is routed to the downstream device, which is used as operating power in the downstream device and battery charging. It is desired to use it as power. However, in that case, the upstream device cannot determine whether the adapter is connected to the downstream device (that is, whether power supply is necessary), and the downstream device Cannot determine whether or not the adapter is connected in the upstream device (whether or not power can be received). By exchanging information including the presence / absence of an adapter between the upstream device and the downstream device, it is possible to accurately determine whether power supply is required or whether power is received in each device. Configuration and control become complicated. In particular, when the system is composed of three or more devices, and when an arbitrary number of devices are connected, the problem pointed out above becomes more prominent.

  An object of the present invention is to allow an electric power obtained from the outside to be appropriately exchanged between a plurality of apparatuses without using a complicated configuration or control in an ultrasonic diagnostic system including a plurality of apparatuses. Alternatively, when the power supply side device is operated by the power of the battery, the power of the battery is prevented from being taken in by the power receiving side device. Alternatively, when the power supply side device is operating with electric power obtained from the outside, the power receiving side device receives power without causing instability of the operation of the power supply side device.

  An ultrasonic diagnostic system according to the present invention includes a first device and a second device that operate for ultrasonic diagnosis. The first device supplies external power captured via the first adapter to the first load in a state where the first battery, the power supply terminal, and the first adapter are connected, and the first adapter is connected. A first power supply circuit for supplying the power of the first battery to the first load in a state where the first adapter is not connected; and allowing supply of interchangeable power to the power supply terminal in a state where the first adapter is connected; And a first control circuit that restricts the supply of interchangeable power to the power supply terminal in a state where the adapter is not connected. The second device includes a second battery, a power receiving terminal electrically connectable to the power feeding terminal, and external power captured via the second adapter in a state where the second adapter is connected to the second load. And supplying the power of the second battery to the second load in a state where the second adapter is not connected and the power receiving terminal is not receiving interchangeable power, and the second adapter is not connected. And a second power supply circuit for supplying the accommodation power to the second load in a state where the accommodation power is received by the power receiving terminal. Preferably, the second device further includes a second control circuit that restricts the reception of the interchanged power through the power receiving terminal in a state where the second adapter is connected.

  According to the above configuration, in a situation where power can be supplied from the first device to the second device, even if the first device does not know the power status of the second device (particularly whether or not the second adapter is connected), Even if the second device does not know the power status of the first device (especially whether or not the first adapter is connected), a part of the external power acquired by the first device is supplied to the second device as interchangeable power. The accommodation power can be used by the second device. In a state where the first adapter is not connected to the first device (first adapter non-connected state), the first control circuit restricts the supply of interchangeable power to the charging terminal. Thereby, the situation where the electric power of a finite 1st battery is consumed carelessly in a 2nd apparatus can be avoided. In this way, the first control circuit allows the supply of interchangeable power to the charging terminal only in a state where the first adapter is connected to the first device (first adapter connection state). Thereby, in the 2nd apparatus, it becomes possible to utilize interchange power as needed. In the state where the second adapter is not connected to the second device (second adapter non-connected state), if interchange power appears at the power supply terminal of the first device, the second device receives the interchange power. It is possible to capture via the terminal. Desirably, in a state where the second adapter is connected (second adapter connection state), the second control circuit does not need the interchangeable power so that the second control circuit receives the interchangeable power via the power reception terminal. Restrict. That is, in the first adapter connection state and the second adapter connection state, the accommodation power is supplied to the power supply terminal of the first device, but the second device itself restricts the acquisition of the accommodation power.

  With the above configuration, in the first device, it is not necessary to monitor whether or not the second adapter is connected to the second device. In the second device, the first adapter is connected to the first device. There is no need to monitor whether or not is connected. That is, power control can be simplified in each device. Each of the first adapter and the second adapter is a device for capturing external power, and preferably they are AC / DC converters.

  Preferably, the first device and the second device can be used in a state selected from a separate state and a docking state, and the first control circuit is connected to the docking state and the first adapter. In the state, the accommodation power is supplied to the power supply terminal, and the second control circuit restricts reception of the accommodation power in the docking state and the state where the second adapter is connected. The docking state includes not only a mode in which the first device and the second device are physically coupled, but also a mode in which they are connected via a cable.

  Preferably, the first device includes a switch circuit provided on a power supply line connected to the power supply terminal, and the first control circuit is configured so that the switch circuit is in the docked state and the first adapter is connected. Is turned on, and the switch circuit is turned off in the docked state and the state where the first adapter is not connected. In the configuration in which the power supply line is drawn from the power supply line connected to the first load, external power and power from the first battery also appear on the power supply line, but appear on the power supply terminal on the second device side. The nature of electricity cannot be discriminated by itself. Therefore, the operation of the switch circuit is controlled so that only the external power is supplied to the power supply terminal, in other words, the power of the first battery does not appear carelessly at the power supply terminal. .

  Preferably, the first device includes a first charging circuit that charges the first battery using external power taken in via the first adapter, and the second device passes through the second adapter. A second charging circuit that charges the second battery using external electric power captured and the interchanged electric power from the first device, and is in the docking state in the first device and the second device. When external power is supplied only to the first device, the external power is distributed to the first load, the first battery, the second load, and the second battery, in which case the second battery The charging of the first battery is prioritized over the charging.

  In the first adapter connected state and the second adapter non-connected state, external power obtained from the first adapter is supplied to the first load, and is supplied to the first battery as necessary. In addition, a part of the external power is sent to the second device as accommodation power, supplied to the second load, and also supplied to the second battery as necessary. If a relatively large amount of power is used for charging the second battery, power that can be used by the first device may be insufficient or power supplied to the second load may be insufficient. The second battery is charged in the rear order. That is, priority is given to charging of the first battery. Specifically, the charging current amount is controlled such that the charging current amount (upper limit value or rated value) of the second battery is lower than the charging current amount (upper limit value or rated value) of the first battery. The charging current amount of the second battery may be fixedly set to a low value. You may make it raise the charging current amount (upper limit value) of a 2nd battery, when the charge of a 1st battery will be in a completion state or the state corresponded to it. When the state of charge of the other device is constantly monitored in one device, the configuration and control become complicated. Therefore, it is basically desirable to monitor only the charge amount of each device. If necessary, a signal corresponding to the completion of charging may be given from one device to the other device.

  Especially in a system in which three or more devices are connected in series and electric power is distributed from upstream to downstream, it is necessary to control the power supply status of other devices in each device with rather complicated control. However, reliable power distribution control can be realized with a simple configuration as long as the signal indicating the completion of charging is sequentially transmitted to the subsequent stage.

  Preferably, the second control circuit has a function of suppressing the amount of received power of the accommodation power. In the above configuration, there is no host control unit that performs power distribution control for the entire first device and second device. Therefore, if too much interchangeable power is taken in on the second device side, power supply to the first device becomes unstable or power shortage in the first device occurs. Therefore, it is desirable that the second device itself sets an upper limit on the amount of received power, that is, limits power reception itself.

  Preferably, the second control circuit has a function of suppressing a charging current in the second battery when the second battery is charged using the interchangeable power. According to this configuration, it is possible to suppress power consumption during charging of the second battery and to avoid the problem of insufficient power at the first device side or at the load of the second device. When the first device is a front-end device and the second device is a back-end device, the first device requires a relatively large amount of power for transmitting and receiving ultrasonic waves. Therefore, it is desirable that the power supply to the first device be given priority in consideration of this. In the second device, it is desirable that surplus power is used for charging the second battery. The surplus power amount can be fixedly set in advance, or can be adaptively set according to the power consumption amount at the second load.

  Preferably, the first device includes a signal generation circuit that generates a high charge state signal when the first battery is in a fully charged state or a state close thereto, and the second control circuit includes the high charge state. When a signal is generated, it has a function of mitigating suppression of the charging current of the second battery. When the charging of the first battery is completed or almost completed on the first device side, the amount of power consumption on the first device is reduced, and this is notified to the second device as a signal. This notification makes it possible to increase the amount of power used for charging the second battery in the second device.

  Preferably, the second control circuit suppresses the charging current of the second battery based on whether the second device is in a power-on state or a power-off state. When the first adapter is connected and the second adapter is not connected and the second device is in a power-on state, even if a charge completion signal is generated in order to ensure sufficient power supply to the second load It is desirable not to raise the charging current amount of the second battery. On the contrary, when the second device is in the power-off state, the power consumption in the second load is small (because it is about standby power), so it is desirable to increase the charging current amount of the second battery.

  Preferably, the first device is a front-end device having a transmission / reception circuit, and the second device is a back-end device having a display for displaying an ultrasonic image. Preferably, when the front end device and the back end device are docked, the power feeding terminal and the power receiving terminal are connected. In that case, a docking condition is detected in the individual device.

  The method according to the present invention is a power distribution method in an ultrasonic diagnostic system including a first device and a second device capable of selectively taking a separate state and a docking state, wherein the first device is in the docking state and When a first adapter for capturing external power is connected to the first device, the supply of interchangeable power to a power supply terminal of the first device is permitted, and the first device is in the docking state. When the first adapter is not connected to the power supply terminal, the supply power to the power supply terminal is limited, and the second device is in the docking state and the second device is connected to the second device. When the adapter is connected, the taking-in of the accommodation power through the power receiving terminal of the second device is limited.

  According to the present invention, in an ultrasonic diagnostic system including a plurality of devices, electric power obtained from the outside can be skillfully interchanged between the plurality of devices without adopting a complicated configuration or control. Alternatively, when the power supply side device operates with the power of the battery, the power reception side device reliably limits power reception. Alternatively, when the power supply side device is operating with power obtained from the outside, the power reception side device can receive power without causing instability of the operation of the power supply side device.

1 is a conceptual diagram showing a preferred embodiment of an ultrasonic diagnostic system according to the present invention. It is a perspective view of the ultrasonic diagnostic system in a separated state. It is a perspective view of the ultrasonic diagnostic system in a docking state. It is a block diagram of a front end device. It is a block diagram of a back end apparatus. It is a figure which shows the communication system in a docking state, and the communication system in a separate state. It is a block diagram which shows the electric power related structure in an ultrasonic diagnosing system. It is the figure which showed typically a mode that the external electric power supplied to the FE apparatus was distributed to FE apparatus and BE apparatus. It is a block diagram which shows an example of the electric power related structure in an FE apparatus. It is a block diagram which shows an example of the electric power related structure in BE apparatus. It is a figure which shows the operation | movement for every state. It is a figure which shows the charging operation in the state 5 and the state 6. FIG. It is a block diagram which shows the other example of the electric power related structure in BE apparatus. 2 is a configuration example of a system including a plurality of devices connected in series.

    DESCRIPTION OF EXEMPLARY EMBODIMENTS Hereinafter, preferred embodiments of the invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

(1) Ultrasonic Diagnostic System FIG. 1 shows a schematic configuration of an ultrasonic diagnostic system according to the present invention. The ultrasonic diagnostic system 10 is a medical device used in a medical institution such as a hospital, and is for performing ultrasonic diagnosis on a subject (living body). The ultrasonic diagnostic system 10 is roughly divided into a front end (FE) device 12, a back end (BE) device 14, and a probe 16. The FE device 12 is a device close to the living body and the BE device 14 is a device far from the living body. The FE device 12 and the BE device 14 are separated, and each constitutes a portable device. The FE device 12 and the BE device 14 can operate in a separate state where they are separated, and can operate in a docking state where they are coupled. FIG. 1 shows a separate state.

  The probe 16 is a transducer that transmits and receives ultrasonic waves while being in contact with the surface of a living body. The probe 16 includes a 1D array transducer including a plurality of vibration elements arranged in a linear shape or an arc shape. An ultrasonic beam is formed by the array transducer and is repeatedly electronically scanned. A beam scanning surface is formed in the living body for each electronic scanning. As an electronic scanning method, an electronic linear scanning method, an electronic sector scanning method, and the like are known. It is also possible to provide a 2D array transducer capable of forming a three-dimensional echo data capturing space instead of the 1D array transducer. In the configuration example shown in FIG. 1, the probe 16 is connected to the FE device 12 via a cable 28. The probe 16 may be connected to the FE device 12 by wireless communication. In that case, a wireless probe is used. In a state where a plurality of probes are connected to the FE device 12, a probe to be actually used may be selected from them. A probe to be inserted into the body cavity may be connected to the FE device 12.

  The FE device 12 and the BE device 14 are electrically connected to each other by a wireless communication method in the separated state shown in FIG. In the present embodiment, these devices are connected to each other by the first wireless communication method and the second wireless communication method. In FIG. 1, a wireless communication path 18 based on the first wireless communication system and a wireless communication path 20 based on the second wireless communication system are clearly shown. The first wireless communication method is faster than the second wireless communication method, and in this embodiment, ultrasonic reception data is transmitted from the FE device 12 to the BE device 14 using this method. That is, the first wireless communication system is used for data transmission. The second wireless communication method is a communication method that is lower in speed and simpler than the first wireless transmission method. In this embodiment, a control signal is transmitted from the BE device 14 to the FE device 12 using the method. That is, the second wireless communication system is used for control.

  In a docking state in which the FE device 12 and the BE device 14 are physically coupled, the FE device 12 and the BE device 14 are electrically connected by a wired communication method. Compared with the above two wireless communication systems, the wired communication system is considerably faster. In FIG. 1, a wired communication path 22 is shown between the two devices 12 and 14. The power supply path 26 is for supplying DC power from the FE device 12 to the BE device 14 in the docking state. The electric power is used for the operation of the BE device 14 and is used for charging the battery in the BE device 14.

  Reference numeral 24 denotes a DC power supply line supplied from an AC adapter (AC / DC converter). The AC adapter is connected to the FE device 12 as necessary. The FE device also has a built-in battery, and can operate while using the battery as a power source. The FE device 12 has a box shape as will be described later. The configuration and operation of the FE device 12 will be described in detail later.

  On the other hand, the BE device 14 has a tablet form or a flat form in the present embodiment. It basically has the same configuration as a general tablet computer. However, the BE device 14 is equipped with various types of dedicated software for ultrasonic diagnosis. This includes an operation control program, an image processing program, and the like. The BE device 14 includes a display panel 30 with a touch sensor. It functions as a user interface that doubles as an input device and a display device. In FIG. 1, a B-mode tomographic image as an ultrasonic image is displayed on the display panel 30. The user performs various inputs using the icons displayed on the display panel 30. On the display panel 30, a slide operation, an enlargement operation, and the like can be performed.

  The ultrasonic diagnostic system 10 can be operated in a usage mode selected from the separate state and the docking state in accordance with the diagnostic application, the examiner's preference, and the like. Therefore, it is possible to provide an ultrasonic diagnostic system that is easy to use.

  In this embodiment, in order to prevent the operation of the ultrasound diagnostic system 10 from becoming unstable or inappropriate when the state is changed, the control for forcibly setting the ultrasound diagnostic system 10 to the frozen state is executed when the state is changed. Specifically, in the process of shifting from the separate state to the docking state, the FE device 12 and the BE device 14 respectively determine immediately before docking based on the radio wave intensity or reception state that indicates the distance between the two devices. In accordance with the determination, control for changing the operation state to the freeze state is executed in each of the devices 12 and 14. After the docking state is formed and the freeze release operation by the inspector, the freeze state of the devices 12 and 14 is released. Incidentally, in the process of shifting from the docking state to the separate state, the separate state is detected by the FE device 12 and the BE device 14 by disconnection detection or other methods, and they are in a freeze state. After the subsequent freeze release operation, the freeze state of these devices 12 and 14 is released.

  The BE device 14 can be separately connected to the hospital LAN by a wireless communication method and a wired communication method. These communication paths are not shown. The BE device 14 (or the FE device 12) may be separately connected to another dedicated device (for example, a remote controller) that functions for ultrasonic diagnosis by a wireless communication method or a wired communication method.

  FIG. 2 shows a separate state. The FE device 12 is placed on a desk, for example. The FE device 12 has a holder 34 having an insertion slot (slot). The holder 34 has a hinge mechanism and can rotate around a horizontal axis. A connector provided at the end of the probe cable arrives at a specific side surface of the FE device 12. You may form the room which accommodates a probe etc. in the inside of the FE apparatus 12. FIG. According to such a configuration, it is convenient when the ultrasonic diagnostic system is transported, and the probe can be protected. In FIG. 2, the BE device 14 is separated from the FE device 12, and the BE device 14 can be further separated from the FE device 12 as long as wireless communication can be performed.

  FIG. 3 shows the docked state. The lower end of the BE device is inserted into the insertion port of the holder 34. In the insertion state, the FE device 12 and the BE device 14 are in a wired connection state. That is, both are connected by a wired LAN, and both are connected by a wired power supply line. In the docking state, the angle of the BE device 14 can be arbitrarily changed to change its posture. It is also possible to completely tilt the BE device 14 to the rear side (the upper surface side of the FE device 12).

(2) Front End Device FIG. 4 is a block diagram of the FE device 12. Each block in the figure is configured by hardware such as a processor and an electronic circuit. The transmission signal generation circuit 38 is a circuit that supplies a plurality of transmission signals in parallel to a plurality of vibration elements in the probe via the probe connection circuit 40. This supply forms a transmit beam at the probe. When the reflected waves from the living body are received by the plurality of vibration elements, a plurality of reception signals are output from them, and the plurality of reception signals are input to the reception signal processing circuit 42 via the probe connection circuit 40. The reception signal processing circuit 42 includes a plurality of preamplifiers, a plurality of amplifiers, a plurality of A / D converters, and the like. A plurality of digital reception signals output from the reception signal processing circuit 42 are sent to the reception beamformer 46. The reception beamformer 46 applies phasing addition to a plurality of digital reception signals, and outputs beam data as a signal after phasing addition. The beam data corresponds to the received beam, and consists of a plurality of echo data arranged in the depth direction. The reception frame data is constituted by a plurality of beam data obtained by one electronic scan.

  The transmission / reception controller 44 controls transmission signal generation and reception signal processing based on transmission / reception control data sent from the BE device. The beam processor 50 is a circuit that performs various types of data processing such as detection processing, logarithmic conversion processing, and correlation processing on individual beam data input in time series order. The control unit 52 controls the overall operation of the FE device 12. In addition, the control unit 52 performs control for transmitting the beam data sequentially transmitted from the beam processor to the BE apparatus by wire transmission or wireless transmission. In the present embodiment, the control unit 52 also functions as a wired communication device. The wireless communication device 54 is a module for performing communication using the first wireless communication method. The wireless communication device 56 is a module for performing communication using the second wireless communication method. Reference numeral 18 indicates a wireless communication path according to the first wireless communication system, and reference numeral 20 indicates a wireless communication path according to the second wireless communication system. Each is a bidirectional transmission path. In this embodiment, a large amount of received data is transmitted from the FE device 12 to the BE device using the former, and a control signal is transmitted from the BE device to the FE device 12 using the latter. Is transmitted. Reference numeral 64 denotes a terminal for wired communication, to which the wired communication path 22 is connected. Reference numeral 66 denotes a power supply terminal to which the power supply line 26 is connected. The power line 26 is a line for supplying DC power from the FE device 12 to the BE device as described above.

  The battery 60 is, for example, a lithium ion battery, and charging / discharging therein is controlled by a power supply controller 58. When the battery is driven, power from the battery 60 is supplied to each circuit in the FE device 12 via the power controller 58. Reference numeral 62 denotes a power supply line when the AC adapter is connected. When the AC adapter is connected, external power is supplied to each circuit in the FE device 12 by the action of the power supply controller 58. At that time, if the charge of the battery 60 is less than 100%, the battery 60 is charged using external power.

  At the time of ultrasonic diagnosis operation (during transmission / reception), the FE device 12 repeatedly executes supply of a plurality of transmission signals to the probe and processing of a plurality of reception signals obtained thereafter in accordance with control on the BE device side. . The beam data in chronological order obtained in this way are sequentially transmitted to the BE device by wireless communication in the separate state and by wire communication in the docked state. In that case, each beam data is converted into a plurality of packets, and each beam data is transmitted by a so-called packet transmission method.

  In addition to the B mode, various modes such as a CFM mode, an M mode, and a D mode (PW mode, CW mode) are known as operation modes. Transmission / reception processing for harmonic imaging and elasticity information imaging may be executed. In FIG. 1, circuits such as a biological signal input circuit are not shown.

(3) Backend Device FIG. 5 is a block diagram of the BE device 14. In the figure, each block represents hardware such as a processor, a circuit, and a memory. The CPU block 68 includes a CPU 70, an internal memory 72, and the like. The internal memory 72 functions as a working memory or a cache memory. The external memory 80 connected to the CPU block 68 stores an OS, various control programs, various processing programs, and the like. The latter includes a scan conversion processing program. The external memory 80 also functions as a cine memory having a ring buffer structure. A cine memory may be configured on the internal memory 72.

  The CPU block 68 generates display frame data by a scan conversion process based on a plurality of beam data. It constitutes an ultrasonic image (for example, a tomographic image). The processing is sequentially executed to generate a moving image. The CPU block 68 performs various processes for displaying an ultrasonic image on the beam data or the image. In addition, the operation of the BE device 14 is controlled, and the entire ultrasonic diagnostic system is controlled.

  The touch panel monitor (display panel) 78 functions as an input device and a display device. Specifically, the touch panel monitor 78 includes a liquid crystal display and a touch sensor, and functions as a user interface. A display image including an ultrasonic image is displayed on the touch panel monitor 78, and various buttons (icons) for operation are displayed.

  The wireless communication device 74 is a module for performing wireless communication according to the first wireless communication method. The wireless communication path at that time is indicated by reference numeral 18. The wireless communication device 76 is a module for performing wireless communication according to the second wireless communication method. The wireless communication path at that time is indicated by reference numeral 20. The CPU block 68 also has a function of performing wired communication according to a wired communication method. In the docked state, a wired communication line is connected to the wired communication terminal 92. The power supply line 26 is connected to the power supply terminal 94.

  A plurality of detectors 84 to 90 are connected to the CPU block 68 via an I / F circuit 82. These include illuminance sensors, proximity sensors, temperature sensors and the like. A module such as a GPS may be connected to the I / F circuit 82. The I / F circuit 82 functions as a sensor controller.

  The battery 102 is a lithium ceramic type battery, and charging / discharging thereof is controlled by the power supply controller 100. The power supply controller 100 supplies power from the battery 102 to each circuit in the BE device 14 during battery operation. At the time of non-battery operation, the power supplied from the FE device or the power supplied from the AC adapter is supplied to each circuit in the BE device 14. Reference numeral 104 denotes a power supply line via an AC adapter.

  The BE device 14 controls the FE device, sequentially processes the beam data sent from the FE device, generates an ultrasonic image, and displays it on the touch panel monitor 78. At that time, an operation graphic image is also displayed together with the ultrasonic image. In the normal real-time operation, the FE device and the BE device 14 are electrically connected by radio or wire, and the ultrasonic diagnosis operation is continuously executed while the two are synchronized. In the freeze state, the operation of the transmission signal generation circuit and the reception signal generation circuit is stopped in the FE device, and the operation of the booster circuit in the power supply controller is also stopped. In the BE device 14, a still image is displayed at the time of freezing, and the content is maintained. You may comprise so that an external indicator can be connected to BE apparatus 14. FIG.

(4) Communication Method In FIG. 6, communication methods used in the docking state 118 and the separate state 120 are organized. Reference numeral 110 denotes a first wireless communication system, and reference numeral 112 denotes a second wireless communication system. Reference numeral 114 denotes a wired communication system. Reference numeral 116 indicates the contents of the wireless communication system. In the docking state 118, wired communication is selected, and in the FE device and the BE device, the first wireless communication device and the second wireless communication device are in an operation suspension state. This saves power. On the other hand, in the separate state 120, wireless communication is selected, and the first wireless communication device and the second wireless communication device operate in the FE device and the BE device. At that time, the wired communication system is in an operation halt state. Note that the first wireless communication method 110 is faster than the second wireless communication method 112. In other words, the second wireless communication method 112 is slower than the first wireless communication method 110, but is simple and inexpensive, and has low power consumption. As a wired communication system, there is a TCP / IP protocol on Ethernet (registered trademark). The first wireless communication method is IEEE802.11, and the second wireless communication method is IEEE802.15.1. They are only examples, and other communication methods can be used. In any case, it is desirable to use a secure communication method.

  In the present embodiment, the wireless communication device according to the second wireless communication method 112 has a function of automatically changing the transmission power according to the reception strength (that is, the distance). That is, when the FE device comes close to the BE device, control for decreasing the transmission power of both devices is automatically executed. Therefore, it is possible to determine that both devices are close to each other based on the set transmission power. Alternatively, it is possible to determine that two devices are close to each other based on reception intensity, reception error rate, and the like. It is also possible to use a proximity sensor.

(5) Power Control Next, the power-related configuration and control in the ultrasonic diagnostic system will be described with reference to FIGS.

FIG. 7 shows the FE device 12 and the BE device 14 in the docked state. However, FIG. 7 shows only the power-related configuration, and the other configurations are not shown. As described with reference to FIG. 4, the FE device 12 includes the power supply controller 58, the battery 60, and the control unit 52. The power controller 58 is a circuit that supplies power to the load 200 of the FE device 12. The power controller 58 functions as a power circuit. The power controller 58 also functions as a charging circuit for the battery 60. The control unit 52 controls the operation of the power supply controller 58 according to the state of the FE device 12. Reference numeral 62 denotes an external power supply line. When an AC / DC adapter is connected to the FE device 12, external power is supplied to the power supply controller 58 via the external power supply line 62. In that case, external power is supplied from the power supply controller 58 to the load 200, and part of the external power is supplied from the power supply controller 58 to the BE device 14 side via the switch circuit 202. Part of the power can be referred to as interchange power.

When the FE device 12 obtains external power, the power supply controller 58 charges the battery 60 using external power as necessary. On the other hand, when the FE device does not obtain external power, the power supply controller 58 supplies power obtained from the battery 60 to the load 200. A power supply line is drawn from a power supply line provided between the power supply controller 58 and the load 200, and a switch circuit 202 is provided on the power supply line. When power from the battery 60 is supplied to the load 200, the switch circuit 202 cuts off power supply by the switch line so that the power is not supplied to the BE device 14 side. Reference numeral 26 denotes a power supply path as shown in FIG. 1, which is a line for distributing accommodation power among the devices. The operation of the switch circuit 202 is controlled by the control unit 52.

  The control unit 52 obtains the docking signal 206 from the connector 214 in order to recognize the state of the FE device 12. When the FE device 12 and the BE device 14 are docked, the connector 214 and the connector 216 are physically and electrically connected. In that case, the docking signal 206 is output from the connector 214, while the docking signal 210 is output from the connector 216. The control unit 52 monitors the state of the load 200, and the content of the monitoring includes an on state or an off state of the power supply of the FE device 12. Further, the control unit 52 recognizes whether or not external power is supplied via the power supply controller 58. The power supply controller 58 has a function of detecting that the adapter is connected. The power controller 58 has a function of detecting the state of charge of the battery 60, and the controller 52 constantly monitors the state of charge of the battery 60. When the battery 60 is charged above a certain threshold, that is, when the battery 60 is in a high charge state, a high charge state signal 204 is output from the control unit 52 to the BE device 14. Based on such a signal, control such as relaxation of restriction on the charging current amount of the battery is executed on the BE device side as necessary.

  The connector 214 is provided with a power supply terminal for establishing the power supply path 26, while the connector 216 is provided with a power reception terminal connected to the power supply terminal. This will be described later.

  As described above, when the AC / DC adapter (hereinafter referred to as FE adapter) is connected to the FE device 12, that is, in the FE adapter connection state, the control unit 52 makes the switch circuit 202 conductive, When the FE adapter is not connected, the switch circuit 202 is turned off. Such control makes it possible to avoid a situation where the power is inadvertently consumed in the BE device 14 when the FE device 12 is operating using the power of the battery 60. Incidentally, a plurality of power supply lines having different voltages are connected to the load 200. A feed line is drawn out from a part of it.

  Next, the BE device 14 will be described. As described with reference to FIG. 5, the BE device 14 includes a power supply controller 100, a battery 102, and a control unit (CPU block) 68. The power supply controller 100 functions as a power supply circuit that supplies power to the load 200. The power controller 100 also functions as a charging circuit for the battery 102.

  The operation of the power supply controller 100 is controlled by the control unit 68. In accordance with the state of the BE device 14, the control unit 68 particularly determines whether or not an AC / DC adapter (hereinafter referred to as a BE adapter) is connected and whether or not flexible power is supplied to the power receiving terminal. Accordingly, the operation of the power controller 100 is controlled. Reference numeral 104 denotes an external power supply line to which external power is supplied via the BE adapter.

  In the BE adapter connection state, external power is supplied to the load 208 via the power supply controller 100. In the BE adapter non-connected state and the non-receiving power state, the power from the battery 102 is supplied to the load 208 via the power controller 100. When the BE adapter is not connected and the power is received, the power received via the power receiving terminal is supplied to the load 208 via the power controller 100. The power supply controller 100 also has a function of charging the battery 102 using external power and flexible power.

  In the present embodiment, the control unit 68 executes control for restricting (specifically prohibiting) reception of the interchanged power in the BE adapter connected state. That is, the FE device 12 performs an operation of supplying interchangeable power to the power supply terminal in the FE adapter connected state, but when the BE adapter is connected to the BE device 14, the interchangeable power is unnecessary. The input of interchange power is cut off at the judgment of the receiving side. According to the configuration of the present embodiment, it is not necessary to monitor whether or not the BE adapter is connected to the BE device 14 in the FE device 12, and the FE adapter is connected to the FE device 12 in the BE device 14. There is no need to monitor whether it is connected or not.

  As described above, in the docking state of the FE device 12 and the BE device 14, the docking signal 210 is output from the connector 216 to the control unit 68. The control unit 68 monitors the state of the load 208, and specifically monitors whether or not the power supply of the BE device 14 is on. The control unit 68 monitors the state of charge of the battery 102 via the power controller 100. As will be described later, the charge controller 100 has a function of determining the presence / absence of interchangeable power and the connection / non-connection of the BE adapter, a function of monitoring the amount of charge, and the like. The monitoring result by the power controller 100 is sent to the control unit 68.

In the above description, the FE device 12 and the BE device 14 are in the docking state, but when they are in the separate state, power control is executed independently in each device. That is, in the separate state, no interchangeable power is transmitted between the devices. Even if the FE device 12 and the BE device 14 are physically separated from each other, if both are connected by a cable, it can be regarded as one aspect of the docking state.

  In the present embodiment, when the BE device 14 is receiving interchanged power, the BE device 14 performs control to limit the received power to a constant value. In particular, an upper limit is set for the charging current amount of the battery 102. By such conditioning, it is possible to avoid excessive consumption of interchangeable power in the BE device 14 and to secure sufficient power for the FE device 12. In the FE device 12, the power consumption in the load 200 and the power consumption by the BE device 14 are in a side-by-side relationship. When the above-described high charge state signal 204 is obtained, the control unit 68 recognizes that the power consumption in the FE device 12 has decreased, and performs control to relax the restriction on the amount of charge current in the battery 102 as necessary. Execute. This will be described in detail later. By the way, when the BE device 14 is operating with interchangeable power, the remaining power (surplus power) as a result of supplying power to the load 208 is used for charging the battery 102. In view of the relationship between the load 208 and the battery 102, priority is given to power supply to the load 208. Further, in a state where the interchangeable power is supplied from the FE device 12 to the BE device 14, the charging of the battery 60 is prioritized over the charging of the battery 102. This will also be described in detail later.

  FIG. 8 shows a state where the FE adapter is connected to the FE device 12 and the BE adapter is not connected to the BE device 14. In such a state, the external power taken via the external power supply line 62 is supplied to the load 200 as indicated by reference numeral 290B, and, if necessary, as indicated by reference numeral 290A, the battery 60 Supplied to. Furthermore, as indicated by reference numeral 290C, a part of the external power is supplied to the BE device 14 as interchangeable power. Specifically, in the BE device 14, the interchange power is supplied to the load 208 as indicated by reference numeral 290E, and is supplied to the battery 102 as indicated by reference numeral 290D as necessary. In this way, in the state shown in FIG. 8, the external power received via the single AC / DC adapter is distributed to the entire system. However, the power consumption of the FE device 12 is larger than the power consumption of the BE device 14, and as a result, the FE device 12 has priority over the BE device 14 in power distribution. In order to establish the priority relationship, in the present embodiment, the control unit 68 in the BE device 14 executes necessary power reception restriction. Therefore, in this embodiment, it is not necessary for the FE device 12 to monitor the power consumption in one or more devices connected to the subsequent stage of the FE device 12.

  FIG. 9 shows an example of a power-related configuration in the FE device 12. The power supply controller 58 includes an adapter detection circuit 220, a charging circuit 228, a charge amount detection circuit 230, and a power supply circuit 232 as shown in the figure. The adapter detection circuit 220 is a circuit that monitors whether an AC / DC adapter (that is, an FE adapter) 222 is connected to the terminal 224a. For example, whether or not the FE adapter is connected is determined by monitoring the terminal voltage. Reference numeral 224 denotes an external power line. The detection result of the detection circuit 220 is transmitted to the control circuit 238. Reference numeral 226 denotes an internal power supply line, and external power is sent to the power supply circuit 232 via the line 226 and also sent to the charging circuit 228.

The charging circuit 228 charges the battery 60 using the external power when the external power is obtained. Of course, such a charging operation is not performed when the battery 60 is in a fully charged state. The operation of the charging circuit 228 is controlled by the control circuit 238. The charge amount detection circuit 230 is a circuit that detects the charge amount in the battery 60, and the detection result is sent to the control unit 52. The power supply circuit 232 is a circuit that supplies external power or battery power 60 to the load 200. A plurality of power supply voltages are generated as necessary. Of these, the main power supply voltage is applied to the power supply terminal 214 b in the connector 214 via the switch circuit 202. The switch circuit 202 is provided on the power supply line, and its operation is controlled by the control unit 52. As described above, the switch circuit 202 conducts only when external power is obtained. That is, only in such a case, the accommodation power is supplied to the power supply terminal 214b.

  The controller 52 includes a control circuit 238, a determination circuit 234, and a signal generation circuit 240 as shown in the figure. The control circuit 238 has a function of determining a situation, a function of controlling charging, and a function of limiting power feeding. Specifically, operations of the power controller 58 and the switch circuit 202 are controlled by the control circuit 238. The determination circuit 234 determines a high charge state when the amount of charge reaches a predetermined threshold, and outputs the determination result to the control circuit 238 and the signal generation circuit. When the high charge state is determined, the signal generation circuit 240 generates a high charge state signal 242 representing the high charge state. The signal is output to the terminal 214a. The connector 214 has a docking detection function, and reference numeral 206 represents a docking detection signal. The signal 206 is given to the control circuit 238. As described above, the control circuit 238 recognizes the state of the FE device 12 and executes appropriate power control according to the state. The details of the control will be described later with reference to FIG.

  FIG. 10 shows an example of a power-related configuration in the BE device 14. The power supply controller 100 includes a detection circuit 250, a charge amount detection circuit 260, and a power supply circuit 262. The detection circuit 250 has a first detection function for detecting whether or not the AC / DC adapter (that is, the BE adapter) 252 is connected. Reference numeral 254 indicates an external power supply path, and reference numeral 254a indicates a terminal to which the BE adapter is connected. The detection circuit 250 monitors the internal power line 256a, and has a second detection function for detecting when interchanged power is applied to the power receiving terminal 216b. That is, the detection circuit 250 detects the presence or absence of connection of the BE adapter and the presence or absence of reception of interchange power. The detection result is sent to the control circuit 268. When the BE adapter 252 is connected, external power obtained through the BE adapter 252 is supplied to the power supply circuit 262 through the internal power line 256b. In such a case, even if the accommodation power is received from the FE device, the accommodation and consumption of the accommodation power is prohibited. That is, power reception is restricted. In the connector 216, the power receiving terminal 216b is provided, and a terminal 216a to which a high charge state signal is input is provided. In the docking state, the power feeding terminal and the power receiving terminal 216b are physically and electrically connected.

  The charging circuit 258 is a circuit that charges the battery 102 using external power or interchanged power. When the battery 102 becomes a predetermined charge amount or less, the charging circuit 258 performs a charging operation. The operation of the charging circuit 208 is actually controlled by the control circuit 268. The charge amount detection circuit 260 detects the charge amount of the battery 102, and the detection result is sent to the determination circuit 264. The determination circuit 264 determines a high charge state when the amount of charge exceeds a predetermined threshold. The determination result is sent to the control circuit 268. The power supply circuit 262 is a circuit that supplies external power, accommodation power, or power of the battery 102 to the load 208. The power supply circuit 262 generates a plurality of necessary power supply voltages. The operation is controlled by the control unit 68.

  In the BE adapter connection state, the power supply circuit 262 supplies external power to the load 208. In the BE adapter non-connected state and the interchange power non-power receiving state, the power supply circuit 262 supplies the power of the battery 102 to the load 208. In the BE adapter non-connected state and the receiving state of the accommodation power, the power supply circuit 262 supplies the received accommodation power to the load 208.

  The control unit 68 includes a control circuit 268 and a determination circuit 264. The control circuit 268 has a function of determining the status of the BE device 14, a function of limiting power reception, a function of limiting charging, and the like. The control circuit 268 receives the high charge state signal 242, the docking detection signal 210, and the determination signal of the determination circuit 264. A detection signal from the detection circuit 250 is also input. The control circuit 268 executes power control in the BE device 14 based on these signals. As described above, in a state where the interchanged power is being received and consumed, the control circuit 268 controls the power supply controller 100 to limit power reception so as not to accept the interchanged power more than a certain amount. In that case, priority is given to the supply of interchangeable power to the load 208, and control is performed so that the surplus is applied to the charging of the battery 102. Further, the control circuit 268 executes control to relax the upper limit value of the charging current amount in the battery 102 when the high charge state signal 242 is obtained in a predetermined state (the power supply state of the BE device 14 in this embodiment). To do.

  Next, power-related operations in the FE device and the BE device will be described with reference to FIG. FIG. 11 shows a list of power control contents in each device. The column denoted by reference numeral 292 indicates various states, and specifically includes state 1 to state 8. A column denoted by reference numeral 294 indicates the operation content of the FE apparatus. A column denoted by reference numeral 296 indicates the operation content of the BE apparatus.

  State 1 and state 2 are cases where the FE adapter is connected to the FE device and the BE adapter is also connected to the BE device. In state 1, the FE device and the BE device are in a power switch off state, and in state 2, these devices are in a power switch on state.

  In state 1, the power of the FE adapter is supplied to the battery in the FE as necessary, and the battery is charged. In the BE device, power from the BE adapter is supplied to the battery in the BE device as necessary, and the battery is charged. In the BE apparatus, when a BE adapter is connected, power reception restriction is executed. This is indicated by reference numeral 302. That is, in the FE device, when the FE adapter is connected, the switch circuit is turned on (see reference numeral 300). On the other hand, since the power reception restriction control is executed in the BE device, as a result, the receiving side Capturing power consumption is limited by this function. In this way, although the status of other devices cannot be recognized in individual devices, the cooperation of both devices results in avoiding unnecessary supply of interchangeable power. In state 2, as in state 1, external power from the adapter is supplied to the battery in each device as needed, and external power is supplied to the load in each device. In state 1 and state 2, power is consumed independently in each device.

  State 3 and state 4 are when the adapter is not connected to either the FE device or the BE device. In the FE device, since the FE adapter is not connected, the switch circuit is turned off (cut-off state). On the other hand, since the BE adapter is not connected on the BE device side, power reception restriction is not performed. As a result, the supply of interchangeable power is limited by the function on the supply side. Since the switch circuit is disconnected, the problem that the power of the battery in the FE device is unnecessarily supplied to the BE device is avoided. In the state 3, the power switch of the FE device and the BE device is in a state of being turned off. In that case, power is supplied to necessary circuits by spontaneous discharge of the battery in each device. It is standby power. On the other hand, in the state 4, each device is in a state where the power switch is turned on. In this case, the power from the battery is supplied to the load in each device in each device.

State 5 and state 6 are cases where the FE adapter is connected to the FE device, while the BE adapter is not connected to the BE device. State 5 is a state where the power switch of each device is turned off, and state 6 is a state where the power switch of each device is turned on. First, focusing on the state 5, in the FE device, power from the FE adapter is supplied to the battery in the FE device as needed. At the same time, a part of the electric power is supplied to the BE apparatus as interchangeable electric power. Charging of the battery in the BE device is executed as necessary by the electric power (see reference numeral 304) . However, the charging of the battery in the FE device has priority over the charging of the battery in the BE device. In the BE device, until the high charge state signal is obtained, the upper limit value of the charge current amount of the battery in the BE device is limited to the first value, and when the high charge state signal is obtained, the charge current amount Is raised to the second value. In this way, when the power switches of both devices are in the OFF state, the power consumption in the load is about standby power. Therefore, as long as the condition is satisfied while giving priority to the charging of the battery in the FE device. The charging of the battery in the BE device is promoted.

In state 6, in the FE device, external power from the FE adapter is supplied to a load in the FE device, and a battery in the FE device is charged using a part of the power as necessary. The Further, a part of the external power is supplied to the BE device as interchangeable power. The electric power is supplied to a load in the BE apparatus, and is supplied to the battery as required (see reference numeral 306). Even in this state 6, charging of the battery in the FE device is prioritized. That is, in the BE device, the charging current amount of the battery is suppressed to a constant value. Actually, the battery in the BE device is charged using surplus power other than the power applied to the load.

  In the present embodiment, in the state 6, even when a high charge state signal is generated, the control for raising the upper limit value of the charge current amount of the battery in the BE device is not performed. This is to ensure a state in which sufficient power is supplied to the load in the BE device. However, in the case where there is a margin in the available power, the upper limit value of the charging current amount may be increased when the high charge state signal is obtained.

  State 7 and state 8 are cases where the FE adapter is not connected to the FE device and the BE adapter is connected to the BE device. In that case, in the FE device, since the FE adapter is not connected, the switch circuit performs a cutoff operation. Thereby, the situation where the electric power from the battery of the FE device is supplied to the outside is avoided. On the other hand, in the BE device, since the BE adapter is connected, control of power reception restriction is executed. Therefore, taking in of interchange power is prohibited by the function of the BE device itself.

  State 7 shows the case where the power switch of the individual device is off, and state 8 shows the case where the power switch of the individual device is on. In state 7, in the FE device, power from the battery is supplied to the load as standby power, and in the BE device, external power is supplied to the load as standby power and also supplied to the battery.

  In state 8, the power from the battery is supplied to the load in the FE device. On the BE device side, external power is supplied to the load and supplied to the battery as necessary.

  As described above, in each device, the operation of the switch circuit is switched on the FE device side without monitoring the status of other devices, specifically, the presence or absence of the adapter connection and the charge amount, and the BE device side As a result, interchangeable power can be properly exchanged between devices by switching the presence / absence of power reception restriction. In addition, the problem of inadvertently supplying the power of the battery in the FE apparatus to the BE apparatus side is also prevented.

  FIG. 12 shows a change in the charging current amount and a change in the load current amount in the state 5 and the state 6. State 5 is started at T1. Reference numeral 218 indicates a change in the charging current amount of the battery in the FE device, and reference numeral 220 indicates a change in the charging current amount of the battery in the BE device. In the period T12, the charging current amount a1 is given to the battery in the FE device. At that time, a charging current amount a3 is given to the battery in the BE device. That is, the amount of charging current for the battery in the BE device is considerably limited.

  T2 indicates the timing when the charging of the FE battery is completed. In that case, the high charge state signal described above is generated. In response to the signal generation, the charging current amount for the battery in the BE device is increased from a3 to a2 in period T23. That is, the charge current amount is limited, but the limit value is increased. Thereby, charging of the battery in the BE device can be promoted. T3 indicates completion of charging in the BE device. Incidentally, in the example shown in FIG. 12, the relationship of a1> a2> a3 is established.

  T4 indicates the start timing of state 6. Reference numeral 222 indicates a change in the load current amount in the FE device, and reference numeral 226 indicates a change in the load current amount in the BE device. Reference numeral 228 indicates a change in the amount of charging current in the FE device, and reference numeral 230 indicates a change in the amount of charging current in the BE device. In the period T45, the battery in the FE device is charged with the charging current amount a1. At the same time, the battery in the BE device is charged with the charging current amount a4. That is, the battery in the BE device is charged with an extremely limited amount of charging current. In state 6, since the system is operating, the battery in the BE device is charged using surplus power as long as sufficient power supply to the load in each device is ensured. T5 indicates the completion of charging of the battery in the FE device.

  In the period T56, in the present embodiment, the charging current amount a4 of the battery in the BE device is maintained. As described above, the charging current limit value may be increased at the timing when the high charge state signal is obtained. T6 indicates completion of charging of the battery in the BE device. Incidentally, a4 is equal to or less than a3.

  As shown in FIG. 12, when charging of the battery in the FE device is compared with charging of the battery in the BE device, the former is prioritized. In addition, when charging the battery and supplying power to the load are compared, priority is given to supplying power to the load. When the relationship between the BE device and the FE device is broader, power supply to the FE device is prioritized. In this embodiment, a communication circuit is included in the FE device, and power consumption in the FE device is relatively large. Therefore, power supply to the FE device is given priority over power supply to the BE device. Since the BE device is also equipped with a battery, even if the above-described preferential power supply control is executed, basically no failure occurs in the operation of the BE device. When the battery charge amount in the BE device is lowered, an adapter may be connected to the battery charge amount. As shown in FIG. 2 and FIG. 3, the FE device 12 is a relatively large device, whereas the BE device 14 is a relatively small device with low power consumption. It is reasonable to supply power with priority.

(6) Modified Example FIG. 13 shows a modified example of the BE apparatus. In the BE device 14A, the same components as those shown in FIG. The BE device 14A includes a control unit 68A and a power supply controller 100A. The power supply controller 100A includes a detection circuit 250, a charging circuit 258, a charge amount detection circuit 260, and a power supply circuit 262A. Similarly to the configuration described in FIG. 9, the power supply circuit 262 </ b> A includes a power supply line that supplies accommodation power to the subsequent apparatus, and a switch circuit 278 is provided on the power supply line. The connector 272 includes a power supply terminal 272b and a terminal 272a. Other devices are connected to the subsequent stage of the BE device 14A as necessary. For example, another BE device is connected.

  The control unit 68A includes a control circuit 268, a determination circuit 264, and a signal generation circuit 270. When the high charge state is determined, the signal generation circuit 270 generates a high charge state signal 279 indicating the high charge state and outputs it to the terminal 272a.

  Therefore, the other devices connected to the subsequent stage can obtain the interchange power from the BE device 14A that is the upstream device when viewed from there, and can operate using the interchange power. . In addition, the other device can execute control based on the high charge state signal obtained from the BE device 14A. The signal generation circuit 270 described above monitors the high charge state signal supplied from the FE device, and when the high charge state signal is obtained from the FE device and the high charge state is determined in its own device. Only in the high charge state signal 279. Therefore, when a plurality of devices are connected in series from upstream to downstream, priority is given to power consumption and battery charging in the upstream device.

FIG. 14 shows a plurality of devices connected in series. Specifically, the first device 280, the second device 282, and the third device 284 are connected, and one or more devices are connected to the subsequent stage of the third device 284 as necessary. An adapter can be connected to each device. In the example shown in FIG. 14, an AC / DC adapter is connected to the first device 280. That is, external power is supplied to the first device 280. The external power is supplied to the second device 282 via the supply line 288, and the external power is supplied to the third device 284 as further interchangeable power. In the second apparatus, the accepted accommodation power is supplied to the subsequent apparatus as accommodation power. When performing such daisy chain connection, it is desirable that each device autonomously restricts power reception. For example, it is desirable to set an upper limit value of the amount of received power in each device. Thereby, it is possible to avoid the problem that power shortage occurs in the first device 280 and the like. In addition, by supplying the high charge state signal 286 from the upstream side to the downstream side, the battery can be preferentially charged stepwise from the upstream side to the downstream side.

The system configuration shown in FIG. 14 does not require a part for overall management of power distribution as a whole system, and realizes rational power distribution as a whole only by performing power supply control and power reception limitation in each device. Is possible.

10 ultrasonic diagnostic systems, 12 front-end (FE) devices, 14 back-end (BE) devices, 16 probes.

Claims (12)

Including a first device and a second device operating for ultrasound diagnosis,
The first device includes:
A first battery;
A power supply terminal;
External power taken in via the first adapter is supplied to the first load when the first adapter is connected, and power of the first battery is supplied to the first load when the first adapter is not connected. A first power supply circuit for supplying to
A circuit that performs power control in the first device in a situation where the first device does not know whether or not the second adapter is connected to the second device, and the power supply in a state where the first adapter is connected. A first control circuit that allows supply of flexible power to a terminal and restricts supply of flexible power to the power supply terminal in a state where the first adapter is not connected;
Including
The external power taken in through the first adapter in a state where the first adapter is connected is supplied to the power supply terminal as the accommodation power,
In a state where the first adapter is not connected, it is limited that power from the first battery is supplied to the power supply terminal as the accommodation power,
The second device includes:
A second battery;
A power receiving terminal electrically connectable to the power feeding terminal;
The external power taken through the second adapter is supplied to the second load, not receiving power interchanged in the and the power receiving terminal and the second adapter is not connected in a state in which the second adapter is connected In the state, the electric power of the second battery is supplied to the second load, and the electric power is supplied to the second load in a state where the second adapter is not connected and the electric power receiving terminal receives the electric power. A second power supply circuit,
The second device is a circuit that performs power control in the second device under a situation in which the first device is not connected to the first device, and the second device is connected in the state where the second adapter is connected. A second control circuit for restricting the reception of the interchanged power via the power receiving terminal;
An ultrasonic diagnostic system comprising: The system of claim 1, wherein
The first device includes a signal generation circuit that generates a high charge state signal when the first battery is in a fully charged state or a state close thereto.
The second control circuit has a function of relaxing suppression of charging current of the second battery when the high charge state signal is generated,
Signals exchanged between the first device and the second device for the power control in the first device and the power control in the second device include the high power charge in addition to the accommodation power. Status signal only,
An ultrasonic diagnostic system characterized by that. The system of claim 1 , wherein
The first device and the second device can be used in a state selected from a separate state and a docking state,
The first control circuit supplies the accommodation power to the power supply terminal in the docked state and the state where the first adapter is connected,
The second control circuit restricts reception of the accommodation power in the docked state and the second adapter is connected;
An ultrasonic diagnostic system characterized by that. The system of claim 3, wherein
The first device includes a switch circuit provided on a power supply line connected to the power supply terminal,
The first control circuit turns on the switch circuit in the docked state and the first adapter is connected, and turns off the switch circuit in the docked state and the first adapter is not connected. To
An ultrasonic diagnostic system characterized by that. The system of claim 3, wherein
The first device includes a first charging circuit that charges the first battery using external power taken in via the first adapter;
The second device includes a second charging circuit that charges the second battery using external power taken in via the second adapter and interchanged power from the first device,
When the external power is supplied only to the first device among the first device and the second device in the docking state, the external power is supplied to the first load, the first battery, and the second device. Distributed to two loads and the second battery, in which case charging of the first battery has priority over charging of the second battery.
An ultrasonic diagnostic system characterized by that. The system of claim 5, wherein
The second control circuit has a function of suppressing the amount of received power of the accommodation power.
An ultrasonic diagnostic system characterized by that. The system of claim 5, wherein
The second control circuit has a function of suppressing a charging current in the second battery when the second battery is charged using the accommodation power.
An ultrasonic diagnostic system characterized by that. The system of claim 7, wherein
The first device includes a signal generation circuit that generates a high charge state signal when the first battery is in a fully charged state or a state close thereto.
The second control circuit has a function of relaxing suppression of a charging current of the second battery when the high charge state signal is generated.
An ultrasonic diagnostic system characterized by that. The system of claim 8, wherein
The second control circuit suppresses the charging current of the second battery based on whether the second device is in a power-on state or a power-off state.
An ultrasonic diagnostic system characterized by that. The system of claim 1, wherein
The first device is a front-end device including a transmission / reception circuit,
The second device is a back-end device having a display for displaying an ultrasonic image.
An ultrasonic diagnostic system characterized by that. The system of claim 10, wherein
When the front end device and the back end device are docked, the power feeding terminal and the power receiving terminal are connected,
An ultrasonic diagnostic system characterized by that. In the power distribution method in the ultrasonic diagnostic system including the first device and the second device capable of selectively taking the separation state and the docking state,
The first device is in the docking state under a situation where the second adapter is not connected to the second device , and the first device is connected to the first device for capturing external power. The power supply terminal is allowed to supply power to the power supply terminal of the first device, and the power supply terminal is in the docked state and the first adapter is not connected to the first device. Restricting the supply of electricity to
When the first adapter is connected, the external power taken in via the first adapter is supplied to the power supply terminal as the accommodation power,
When the first adapter is not connected, power from the first battery is restricted from being supplied to the power supply terminal as the accommodation power,
When the second device is in the docking state and the second adapter is connected to the second device in a situation where the first device is not connected to the first device. Limiting the incorporation of the accommodation power through the power receiving terminal of the second device,
A power distribution method characterized by the above.

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