JPH0380017B2 - - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION Technical Field The present invention relates to a multi-stage focus type ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus, and more particularly to technical means for making the joints (seams) of ultrasonic tapered by each focus in a multi-stage focus type ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus inconspicuous. It is something.

BACKGROUND TECHNOLOGY In a conventional multi-stage focus type ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus that creates ultrasound images using multiple focuses, the joint portion of ultrasound data from each focus is connected to the adjacent focus F, as shown in FIG. 1A. The ultrasonic data D ₁ and D ₂ of ₁ and F ₂ are taken in redundantly, and as shown in FIG. 1B, they are displayed as data D ₀ that is the average of both, so that they do not stand out.

However, when focusing by changing the aperture, since the aperture of each focus changes, the ultrasonic energy and its sensitivity are not constant, making it impossible to capture data at the joints of each focus.

Purpose The present invention provides technical means for improving image quality in a multi-stage focus type ultrasonic device by removing steps on the screen caused by differences in sensitivity between each focus.

The above and other objects and novel features of the present invention will become apparent from the description of this specification and the accompanying drawings.

Configuration The configuration of the present invention will be explained together with examples.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing the circuit configuration of an embodiment of the present invention.

In FIG. 2, 1 is a wave transmission control unit for controlling the emission of ultrasonic waves from the probe 2;
is a gain control section, which receives the ultrasonic waves reflected by the object through the probe 2 and controls its sensitivity. 4 is a depth address generator for expressing the depth of the connection point of data from each focus, and 5 is a multiplexer which switches and outputs the ultrasound data from each focus and the previous captured data Df. 6
is a data buffer memory, 7 is a data selection circuit,
8 is a line counter, 9 is a focus control section, and its output is sent to the wave transmission control section 1,
The signal is sent to the gain control section 3 and the data selection circuit 7. 10 is a display data buffer memory, 11 is a buffer memory for data interpolation, 12 is a data interpolation circuit, 13 is a display memory,
14 is a display device such as a cathode ray tube (CRT), 15 is a controller, and 16 is a controller for display control.

Next, the operation of this embodiment will be explained.

FIG. 3 is a diagram showing a displayed ultrasound image for explaining the present example, and in FIG. 3,
L is a line (scanning line), P is a switching point (data connection point) with data from an adjacent focus in one line, and Q is a range forming a connection point P of data from each focus, and within this range Change the connection position with .

FIG. 4 is a time chart for explaining the operation of this embodiment, and is an if-focus signal.
F ₁ is the first focus, F ₂ is the second focus, F ₃
indicates the third focus. B is the depth signal of ultrasonic reception, C is the captured data, D ₁ is the captured data by the first focus F ₁ , D ₂ is the captured data by the second focus F ₂ , D ₃ is the captured data by the third focus F The data captured by ₃ is shown.
D is the output data of the data buffer memory 6, and Df indicates the previously captured data (unnecessary data). E is a switching selection signal that controls the multiplexer 5, and is controlled by the line counter 8 so that adjacent lines are not connected at the same position (depth). F is the output signal of the multiplexer 5, which is written into the data buffer memory 6 and the display buffer memory 10. is a signal for controlling the writing and reading of the data buffer 6;
During periods A and B, after reading the contents of the data buffer memory 6, the multiplexer 5 is sent to the same address.
control to write the selected data. Then, the period C indicates the end of multi-stage focus, the data buffer memory 6 is set to the data read mode, and the display data buffer memory 1 is set to the data read mode.
One line of data is written to 0 to complete one line of data capture.

In FIG. 2, the wave transmission control section 1 controls the probe 2 corresponding to the focus selected by the output signal ``L'' of the line counter 8 controlled by the controller 15 and the output signal ``I'' of the focus control section 9. Select the transducer and emit ultrasonic waves.

Next, the reflected signal of this ultrasonic wave is received by the probe 2, converted into electrical signal data, and inputted to the gain control section 3, where the connection points of data from each focus are smoothed. The sensitivity is corrected as follows.

This sensitivity-corrected data is input to the first input terminal of the multiplexer 5. At this time, the data previously selected by the multiplexer 5 is input to the second input terminal of the multiplexer 5, and these two types of data are connected with adjacent lines (scanning lines) at the same depth. The output data of the multiplexer 5 is selected and inputted to the data buffer memory 6 and the display data buffer memory 10 by the multiplexer switching selection signal E, which is controlled so as not to occur. Here, the multiplexer switching selection signal HO is controlled by the output signal LO of the line counter 8 and is output from the data selection circuit 7.

Further, the selection of the data buffer memory 6 and the display data buffer memory 10 is made such that the display data buffer memory 10
The controller 15 creates a timing such that the data buffer memory 6 is selected before the end of one line's capture, and outputs the read/write signal RI and the read signal NU. The read/write signal is a control signal for writing the output data selected by the multiplexer 5 to the same address after reading from the data buffer memory 6.
After one line of ultrasound data is taken into the display data buffer memory 10, data is displayed in the data interpolation buffer memory 11 and the display memory 13 using control signals CHI, CHLE and ADDRESS OFF synchronized with the display control timing. Data buffer memory 10
The display data is read from the data interpolation buffer memory 11, interpolated with the previous line data read from the data interpolation buffer memory 11, and written into the display memory 13. Then, the display control controller 16 controls the data interpolation buffer memory 11 to write new data at the address from which the previous line data was read.

The data written in the display memory 13 is
The display device 14 is controlled by the display control controller 16.
will be displayed.

Effects As explained above, the novel technical means disclosed in the present application provides the following effects.

(1) Provide ultrasonic data connection means for connecting ultrasonic data from adjacent focuses,
Since the connection position of the ultrasound data is changed for each line, it is possible to make it difficult to understand the connection position of the ultrasound data on the display screen.

(2) Since the sensitivity is corrected for the ultrasound data captured for each focus, it is possible to smooth the connections between ultrasound data from adjacent focuses.

It goes without saying that the present invention is not limited to the embodiments described above, and can be modified in various ways without departing from the gist thereof. For example, the received ultrasonic signal may be subjected to sensitivity correction and weighted. Furthermore, it goes without saying that the data of the connection portion may be taken in duplicate and averaged as in the conventional method.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a diagram for explaining the problems of a conventional multi-stage focus type ultrasonic diagnostic device, and FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing the circuit configuration of an embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 3 is a diagram showing a displayed ultrasonic image for explaining the operation of this embodiment, and FIG. 4 is a time chart for explaining the operation of this embodiment. 1... Wave transmission control unit, 2... Probe, 3
...Gain control section, 4...Depth address generator, 5...Multiplexer, 6...Data buffer memory, 7...Data selection circuit, 8...Line counter, 9...Focus control section, 10... ...Display data buffer memory, 11...
... Buffer memory for data interpolation, 12 ... Data interpolation circuit, 13 ... Display memory, 14 ... Display device, 15 ... Controller, 16 ... Controller for display control.

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. In a multi-stage focus type ultrasound device that creates ultrasound images using a plurality of focuses, an ultrasound reception signal is captured for each focus, and ultrasound data from adjacent focuses are connected. A multi-stage focus type ultrasonic device comprising an ultrasonic data connecting means and a connecting position changing means for changing the connecting position of the ultrasonic data for each line. 2. In a multi-stage focus type ultrasound device that creates ultrasound images using a plurality of focuses, ultrasound data connecting means captures ultrasound reception signals for each focus and connects ultrasound data from adjacent focuses. , a multi-stage focus characterized by comprising a connection position changing means for changing the connection position of the ultrasonic data for each line, and a sensitivity correction means for correcting the sensitivity of the ultrasonic reception signal taken in for each focus. Type ultrasound device.