JPH07155320A - Ultrasonic diagnostic system - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To perform the scan of the piezoelectric vibrator of an ultrasonic wave probe and the selection of the ultrasonic wave probe with a small number of control lines in a short time and to easily perform the extension of the number of piezoelectric vibrators and that of ultrasonic wave probes. CONSTITUTION:A data generating means 8 stores the state of a switch group 2 in accordance with a scanning line address, and outputs data in accordance with the scanning line address sequentially. The data from the data generating means 8 is stored in shift register groups 11a, 11b by inverting/non-inverting. A completion pulse is inputted immediately after the data is stored in the shift register groups 11a, 11b, and the states of the shift register groups 11a, 11b are inputted to latch groups 12a, 12b which hold the state of the switch group 2. The output of a clear signal generating part 13 is inputted to the reset terminals of the latch groups 12a, 12b.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus, and more particularly to an apparatus for selectively controlling a piezoelectric vibrator used when transmitting and receiving ultrasonic waves.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, in this type of ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus, in order to selectively control a piezoelectric vibrator, a configuration as shown in FIG. 7 has been known (Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 54-155683).

In FIG. 7, 701 is a piezoelectric vibrator arrayed from P1 to P128, 702 is an analog multiplexer having the same number of channels as the number of piezoelectric vibrators 701, 703 is a counter, and 704 is a shift register.

Then, the clock 705 corresponding to the scanning line address is input to the shift register 704, and the output from the shift register 704 by the control line 706 is input to the counter 7.
The clock of No. 03 is used, and the switch of the multiplexer 702 corresponding to one to one can be opened and closed by the data output from the counter 703 through the control line 707.

As described above, in the conventional ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus, the setting data is set to the same number of clocks 70 as the number of movements of the scanning address.
The scan line address can be moved by resetting the shift register 704 in step 5.

[0006]

However, in the above-mentioned conventional ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus, when a large number of scanning line addresses are moved, the number of clocks 70 corresponding to 128 of the piezoelectric vibrators 701 is used.
Since 5 is required, there are many control lines 706 and 707, and it takes time to set data. In addition, when increasing the number of piezoelectric vibrators 701 of the ultrasonic probe, the shift register 704
Since the number of data and the number of clocks 705 also increase as the number of data lines increases, the number of control lines 706 and 707 increases, and there is a problem that it takes time to set data.

The present invention solves such a conventional problem, and it is possible to scan the piezoelectric vibrator and select the ultrasonic probe in a short time with a small number of control lines. Can be increased, and the number of piezoelectric vibrators and ultrasonic probes can be easily expanded. Therefore, even if the number of ultrasonic probes is increased, the frame rate can be increased. It is an object of the present invention to provide an ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus capable of keeping the same.

[0008]

Means for Solving the Problems The technical means of the present invention for achieving the above object is to provide an ultrasonic probe in which a plurality of voltage vibrators are arranged and which transmits and receives ultrasonic waves, and the piezoelectric vibrator. A plurality of switches for switching, a scanning line address generating means for generating an acoustic scanning line address according to an ultrasonic transmission / reception position, a read address generating means for generating a read address in the order in which the switches are set, the scanning line address and the reading. Data generating means for outputting data for determining the state of the switch based on an address, end pulse generating means for generating an end pulse indicating that the data output from the data generating means has ended, and the data generating means. A plurality of shift register groups that receive the data output from and the output of this shift register group is held by the end pulse, A latch that control switch the serial switch sequentially receives data output from said data generating means, in which a clear signal generator for resetting the latches.

A memory may be used as the data generating means, and the data output from the data generating means may be sequentially received by a plurality of shift register groups in an inverted and non-inverted manner.

[0010]

Therefore, according to the present invention, the adjacent piezoelectric vibrators are divided into groups and connected to the shift register group to open / close the switches, and the switches are opened / closed for each group by controlling the clear terminal. This makes it possible to scan piezoelectric transducers and select ultrasonic probes in a short time with a small number of control lines, and easily expand the number of piezoelectric transducers and the number of ultrasonic probes. .

[0011]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS An embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing an essential part of an ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing the entire ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus.

In FIG. 1, reference numeral 1 denotes an ultrasonic probe in which a plurality of piezoelectric vibrators are arranged, which transmits and receives ultrasonic waves, 2 is a high withstand voltage switch group for switching the piezoelectric vibrators, and 3 is a piezoelectric vibrator. A pulse generation circuit for generating a transmission pulse in order to radiate an ultrasonic wave to the subject, 4 is a reception circuit for processing an echo signal received by the piezoelectric vibrator, and 5 is a control unit for controlling the switch group 2.

The control unit 5 includes a scanning line address generating means 6 for generating an acoustic scanning line address according to a transmission / reception position of ultrasonic waves, and a read address for generating a read address for sequentially reading data in the order of setting of the switch group 2. A generator 7 and a data generator 8 that stores the state of the switch group 2 according to the scanning line address and outputs piezoelectric vibrator selection data, a clock, and a latch pulse based on the scanning line address and the read address. , Data generation means 8
End pulse generating means 9 for generating an end pulse indicating that the data output from the data generating means has been completed, an inverter 10 for inverting the serial data of the data generating means 8, and the data output from the data generating means 8 together with a clock, An L stage that outputs the state of the switch group 2, in the illustrated example, outputs the first and second shift register groups 11a and 11b and the output of the shift register groups 11a and 11b to the data setting end pulse ( Hereinafter, latch groups 12a and 12b for holding and holding the pulse groups) to control switching of the switch group 2 and the data generating means 8
And the latch pulse from the end pulse generating means 9 to receive the data and clock from the latch group 12a and 12b.
And a clear signal generator 13 for generating a clear signal for resetting the signal.

In FIG. 2, 1a, 1b, or 1c
Is an ultrasonic probe in which 256 piezoelectric transducers are arranged, and 3 is a transmission side amplifier (pulse generation circuit) that amplifies 64 trigger signals and sends them to the ultrasonic probes 1a1b or 1c. ) 4, a receiving-side amplifier (reception circuit) that amplifies the echo signal received by the ultrasonic probe 1a, 1b, or 1c, 14 a delay unit that delay-synthesizes the amplified echo signal, and 15 delay-synthesis A /
A signal processing unit for D conversion, 16 is a scanning conversion unit for converting the converted digital signal into data of a television scanning line, 17
Is a television that displays a tomographic image of the subject by the converted television signal. The switch group 2 and the control unit 5 in FIG. 2 have the same configuration as in FIG.

The above configuration will be described in more detail below along with the operation thereof. The scanning line address generating means 6 generates a scanning line address, the read address generating means 7 generates a read address, and the data generating means 8
Entered in. The data generating means 8 outputs serial data for determining the state of the switch group 2 based on the scanning line address and the read address, the data inverted by the inverter 10 to the shift register group 11a, and the non-inverted data to the shift register. Input to the group 11b together with a clock, and the shift register groups 11a and 11b output to the latch groups 12a and 12b as parallel data. On the other hand, the data generator 8 to the clear signal generator 13
The clear signal data is input together with the clock to the clear signal generator 13 and the clear signal is definitely output to the latch groups 12a and 12b by the clear latch clock.
Further, based on the read address output from the read address generation means 7, a latch pulse is input from the end pulse generation means 9 to the latch groups 12a and 12b. The switch of the selected address in the switch group 2 is turned on by the control of the latch groups 12a and 12b.

The high-voltage pulse generated by the transmission-side amplifier (pulse generation circuit) 3 that receives the trigger signal is passed through the switch selected as described above, and then the ultrasonic probe 1 is obtained.
It is sent to the piezoelectric vibrators a, 1b, or 1c, where it is converted into ultrasonic waves and emitted to the subject. The echo signal from the inside of the subject is received by the same piezoelectric vibrator, converted into an electric signal, passes through the same switch, and is amplified by the reception side amplifier (reception circuit) 4. The amplified echo signals are delayed and combined by the delay unit 14, processed by the signal processing unit 15, converted into the data of the television scanning line by the scan conversion unit 16, and displayed on the television 17 as a tomographic image.

The above shift register groups 11a and 11b
The relationship between the latch groups 12a and 12b and the switch group 2 will be described in more detail with reference to FIG.

Each of the shift register groups 11a and 11b and the latch groups 12a and 12b forms a pair as shown in the figure, and controls the switch group 2, and these are integrated. HV2216 and the like are generally used as typical ones.

The above-mentioned set of shift register groups 11a and 11
b, the latch groups 12a and 12b and the switch group 2 are controlled by a grid-like control line as shown in FIG. 4 (note that in FIG. 4, the latch pulse and the clock in FIG. 3 are all connected in common. .). CL0 to CL7 are clear signals for the latch groups 12a and 12b, D0 to D7 are data for the shift register groups 11a and 11b, and Y0
˜Y511 represents the piezoelectric transducers of the two ultrasonic probes 1a and 1b by serial numbers.
Is Y0 to Y255, and the ultrasonic probe 1b is Y256 to
Y511 is assigned. In this example, ultrasonic waves are transmitted and received simultaneously from the 64 adjacent piezoelectric vibrators of the ultrasonic probes 1a and 1b having 256 piezoelectric vibrators. Y0-Y15, Y128-Y1
The data of the shift register groups 11a and 11b of 43, Y256 to Y271, and Y384 to Y399 is D0, and the common data is used. Therefore, fourteen groups of 16 piezoelectric vibrators are simultaneously selected. CL0-CL
Reference numeral 7 is connected to the clear terminals of the latch groups 12a and 12b in the subsequent stage of the shift register groups 11a and 11b, and clears the selected group except the group including 64 piezoelectric vibrators to be transmitted and received.

In the case of selecting 64 piezoelectric vibrators Y0 to Y63 in FIG. 3, 32 is Y1 to Y64.
Shift register group 1 when selecting four piezoelectric vibrators
The serial data is set to 1a and 11b, the data is indicated by D0 to D7, and the serial data set in the shift register groups 11a and 11b in the clear signal generation unit 13 is indicated by clear, and the data is shifted from the right side in order. It is input to the register groups 11a and 11b.

When selecting 64 piezoelectric vibrators Y0 to Y63, the data of D0 to D3 is set so that the switch group 2 is turned on. When D0 to D7 in 31 are 1, the switch group 2 is turned on, and at this time, Y128 to
The data of Y191, Y259 to Y319, and Y384 to Y447 are also set so that the switch group 2 is turned on, but the clear terminals CL1 to CL7 are in the clear state (31
(0 is set for clearing), Y0-Y
Select only 63.

Next, when selecting the piezoelectric vibrators of Y1 to Y64, the data of Y1 to Y64 is turned on and all the signals except the clear signal of the group including the selected piezoelectric vibrator are set to the clear state. In this case, CL2-CL7
Y1 to Y by setting each clear terminal of
Select only 64.

FIG. 5 shows the timing of data setting, clearing and latching. The D signal represents the data D0 to D7, and D
The shift register groups 11a and 11b are set at the rising edge of the clock during the setting period. Clear is the data of the clear signal, and is set in the clear signal generator 13 at the rising edge of the clock during the clear signal setting section. The clock is common to all the shift register groups 11a and 11b and the clear signal generator 13. The outputs of the latch groups 12a and 12b are determined at the rising edge of the latch signal, and are determined in the state of the switch group 2. The CL clock is a clear signal generator 13
And is input to the clear terminals of the latch groups 12a and 12b.

FIG. 6 shows a method of generating the clear signals CL0 to CL7. The clear signal controls the outputs of the latch groups 12a and 12b connected to the group of 16 adjacent piezoelectric vibrators. The clear signal generating section 13 is composed of eight stages of shift register groups 11a and 11b and latch groups 12a and 12b connected to their respective outputs, and selects a group of 16 adjacent piezoelectric vibrators in units of four. As a combination of selections, up to two adjacent CLXs can be selected, and CL0 and CL7 can be selected independently. The latch groups 12a and 12b of the output destination are cleared except for the selection. Also, the shift register group 1 used here
The clocks 1a and 11b are the shift register group 11 described above.
The same thing as what was used by a, 11b can be used.

Then, the shift register groups 11a, 11
b, all the data and clocks used in the clear signal generating section 13 are decoded by the data generating means 8 by decoding the scanning line address for selecting the center of the piezoelectric vibrator to be used and the read address which is the basic cycle of the clock. Occur.

When the ultrasonic probe or the piezoelectric vibrator is added, the shift register groups 11a and 11b and the latch groups 12a and 1 are connected to the data control lines D0 to D7 of FIG.
2b is added and connected.
By adding CL7 to CL7 to generate a clear signal and performing the same control as above, it is possible to control without adding a data control line and a data setting clock. It is possible to add an ultrasonic probe or a piezoelectric vibrator, and there is an advantage that the data setting time does not change.

Further, the data D4 to D7 may be input to the inverter unit 10 and input to the shift register groups 11a and 11b as inverted data of D0 to D3, respectively.
In this case, D0 and D4, D1 and D5, D2 and D
6, the same data can be used for D3 and D7,
Since it is also possible to control with four types of data, there is an advantage that the number of control lines is reduced.

The data generating means 8 in the above embodiment may be a memory device. In this case, the memory can perform address decoding, which has the advantage of reducing the number of devices.

[0030]

As described above, according to the present invention, the adjacent piezoelectric vibrators are divided into groups and connected to the shift register, and the switches are opened and closed for each group by controlling the clear terminal. Since the scanning of the piezoelectric vibrator and the selection of the ultrasonic probe can be performed in a short time with a small number of control lines, the frame rate for displaying a tomographic image can be increased. In addition, it is possible to increase the number of piezoelectric transducers without changing the time required for scanning the piezoelectric transducers and selecting ultrasonic transducers, so the number of ultrasonic transducers can be easily expanded. The frame rate does not change even when the number of ultrasonic probes is increased.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a schematic block diagram showing a main part of an ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing the entire ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus.

FIG. 3 is a shift register group in the ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus,
Illustration of the relationship between the latch group and the switch group

FIG. 4 is an explanatory view of a control relationship of a shift register group in the ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus.

FIG. 5 is a timing chart of control signals in the ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus.

FIG. 6 is an explanatory diagram of a clear signal generating method in the ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus.

FIG. 7 is a block diagram showing a conventional ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Ultrasonic probe 2 Switch group 5 Control section 6 Scan line address generating means 7 Read address generating means 8 Data generating means 9 End pulse generating means 10 Inverter 11a Shift register group 11b Shift register group 12a Latch group 12b Latch group 13 Clear Signal generator

Claims (3)

[Claims] 1. An ultrasonic probe in which a plurality of piezoelectric vibrators are arranged and which transmits / receives ultrasonic waves, a plurality of switches for switching the piezoelectric vibrators, and an acoustic scanning line address corresponding to a position of transmitting / receiving ultrasonic waves. Generating scanning line address generating means,
Read address generating means for generating a read address in the order in which the switches are set, data generating means for outputting data for determining the state of the switch based on the scanning line address and the read address, and data from the data generating means. An end pulse generating means for generating an end pulse indicating that the output has ended, a plurality of shift register groups for receiving the data output from the data generating means, and the output of this shift register group is held by the end pulse, An ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus comprising: a latch group that controls switching of the switches; and a clear signal generation unit that sequentially receives the data output from the data generating means and resets the latch group. 2. The data generating means is a memory.
The ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus described. 3. The ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the plurality of shift register groups sequentially receive the data output from the data generating means in an inverted and non-inverted manner.