KR102490619B1 - Portable ultrasound diagnostic apparatus and method for the same - Google Patents

Abstract

The portable ultrasound diagnosis device includes a flexible display and a control unit that changes the layout of images displayed on the flexible display, so that images necessary for diagnosing an object can be appropriately arranged on the flexible display according to circumstances, so that the user can intuitively view ultrasound images. can judge

Description

Portable ultrasound diagnosis device and its control method {PORTABLE ULTRASOUND DIAGNOSTIC APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR THE SAME}

It relates to a portable ultrasound diagnosis device and a control method of the portable ultrasound diagnosis device.

An ultrasound diagnosis apparatus is a device that non-invasively acquires an image of a soft tissue layer or blood flow by irradiating ultrasound waves from a surface of an object toward a target point inside the object and receiving reflected echo ultrasound waves.

Ultrasound diagnosis apparatuses are widely used because they are compact and inexpensive compared to other imaging diagnosis apparatuses such as X-ray devices, CT scanners (Computerized Tomography Scanner), MRI (Magnetic Resonance Image), and the like, and can display diagnostic images in real time.

An ultrasound diagnosis apparatus includes a main body accommodating a probe for transmitting and receiving ultrasound, a display unit for displaying various contents based on signals received from the probe, and a control unit for controlling operation of the display unit and other components; There is a portable ultrasound diagnostic device that is portable and mobile.

Disclosed embodiments are intended to provide a portable ultrasound diagnosis device that changes the layout of an image displayed on a flexible display and a method for controlling the portable ultrasound diagnosis device.

A portable ultrasound diagnosis apparatus according to an embodiment includes a flexible display and a control unit that changes the layout of an image displayed on the flexible display.

The flexible display may display at least one of an ultrasound image and a control panel that receives a control command of the portable ultrasound diagnostic device on one or more display areas.

The controller may expand, reduce, move, rotate, power on, or power off one or more display areas of the flexible display.

The controller may enlarge, reduce, rotate, or change an image displayed on the flexible display.

The portable ultrasound diagnosis apparatus further includes a probe that transmits and receives ultrasound waves and generates electrical signals corresponding to the received ultrasound waves, and the controller may change the layout of an image when the electrical signals are received.

The portable ultrasound diagnosis apparatus may further include an input unit that receives a layout change command from a user, and the controller may change the layout of an image according to the layout change command.

The input unit includes an emergency mode button, and when the emergency mode button is selected, the flexible display may display an emergency mode image providing a guide for an emergency situation to the user.

The emergency mode image may include an image showing the location of the diagnosis site of the object.

When the emergency mode button is selected, the flexible display may display an image representing the location of the diagnosis site of the object based on at least one of FAST 4Ps and FAST-ABCD.

The input unit includes an emergency mode button, and when the emergency mode button is selected, the flexible display may display text providing a guide for an emergency situation to the user.

The portable ultrasound diagnosis apparatus may further include a sensor that detects physical deformation of the flexible display, and the controller may change the layout of the image according to the detection signal of the sensor.

The sensor may include a touch sensor that detects contact between both ends of the flexible display.

The control unit turns off the power of the flexible display when the touch sensor detects contact between both ends, and when it does not detect contact between both ends, transmits ultrasound images and control commands of the portable ultrasound diagnostic device to a plurality of areas of the flexible display, respectively. You can display the control panel that receives the input.

The sensor may include an angle sensor that detects a degree of bending of the flexible display.

The controller may expand or contract a display area where an image of the flexible display is displayed based on a detection signal of the angle sensor.

When the flexible display is bent at a preset angle or more, the controller may control the same object to be displayed on the same plane in the first area and the second area of the flexible display.

When the flexible display is bent at a preset angle or more, the controller may control the front and back surfaces, the left and right surfaces, or the current and past images of the 3D image to be displayed on the first and second regions of the flexible display, respectively.

The sensor may include at least one of a gyro sensor, an acceleration sensor, a pressure sensor, and a temperature sensor.

The flexible display may be implemented as a touch screen and display a control panel that receives a control command from a user through a user interface.

The control panel implements at least one of a keyboard, a mouse, a trackball, a time gain compensation (TGC) control knob, a lateral gain compensation (LGC) control knob, and a paddle as a user interface. can

The control unit may change a user interface implemented by the control panel.

The portable ultrasound diagnosis apparatus may further include a freeze button for stopping an ultrasound image displayed on the flexible display.

The portable ultrasound diagnosis apparatus may further include a wireless probe that transmits and receives ultrasound waves and generates an electrical signal corresponding to the received ultrasound waves.

The wireless probe may include a beamformer that applies a time delay to ultrasonic waves.

The portable ultrasound diagnosis apparatus may further include an input unit that receives a control command for simultaneously controlling a plurality of display areas of the flexible display from a user.

The flexible display and the controller may be implemented on a portable computer or portable terminal.

A control method of a portable ultrasound diagnosis apparatus includes changing the layout of an image displayed on a flexible display, and using at least one of a control panel that receives an ultrasound image and a control command of the portable ultrasound diagnosis apparatus on the flexible display according to the changed layout. Including displaying

According to the portable ultrasound diagnosis apparatus according to an embodiment, since images necessary for diagnosing an object can be appropriately arranged on a flexible display according to circumstances, a user can intuitively determine an ultrasound image.

1A and 1B are control block diagrams of a portable ultrasound diagnosis apparatus according to an exemplary embodiment.
2 and 3 are external views of a portable ultrasound diagnostic device according to another exemplary embodiment.
Figure 4 is an exemplary view for showing various forms of the main body.
5 is an exemplary view of one or more display areas displaying content on a flexible display.
6 to 12 are various exemplary views of a flexible display whose layout is changed according to a control signal from a system controller.
13 to 16 are exemplary diagrams of images displayed on a flexible display for guiding a user to a diagnosis according to a first criterion.
17 and 18 are exemplary diagrams of images displayed on a flexible display for guiding a user to a diagnosis according to a second criterion.
19 is an external view of a main body on which a sensor is mounted according to another embodiment.
20 is an exemplary view for explaining various types of flexible displays.
21 to 23 are exemplary diagrams for explaining a flexible display whose layout is changed according to a control signal.
24A and 24B are external views of a body including a flexible display that is folded twice and three times, respectively.
24C is a diagram for explaining another embodiment of a foldable flexible display.
25 is a control flowchart of a portable ultrasound diagnosis apparatus according to an exemplary embodiment.

Hereinafter, a configuration of a portable ultrasound diagnosis apparatus according to an exemplary embodiment will be described with reference to FIGS. 1A and 3 .

1A and 1B are control block diagrams of a portable ultrasound diagnosis apparatus according to an exemplary embodiment, and FIGS. 2 and 3 are external views of a portable ultrasound diagnosis apparatus according to another exemplary embodiment.

Referring to FIG. 1A , a portable ultrasound diagnosis apparatus 10 includes a probe 100 that radiates ultrasound waves to an object ob, receives echo ultrasound waves reflected from the object ob, and converts them into electrical signals, and electrical signals. It includes a main body 200 that generates an ultrasound image based on it.

Referring to FIG. 1B , a probe 100 according to an embodiment includes a transducer module 110, a beamformer 120, a transmit/receive switch 123, an amplifier 124, and an analog-to-digital converter 125. do.

The transducer module 110 generates ultrasonic waves according to applied pulses and radiates them to the object ob. Ultrasound irradiated to the object ob is reflected from a target point inside the object ob. The transducer module 110 receives the reflected echo ultrasound and converts the received echo ultrasound into an electrical signal.

The object ob may be a living body of a human or animal, or an in vivo tissue such as blood vessel, bone, muscle, etc., but is not limited thereto, and any object whose internal structure can be imaged by the portable ultrasound diagnostic device 10 can be

The beamformer 120 focuses the ultrasonic waves generated by the transducer module 110 on a target point of the object ob at the same desired time, or the echo ultrasonic wave reflected from the target point of the object and returned to the transducer module It is a device that gives an appropriate delay time to irradiated ultrasound or received echo ultrasound so as to overcome the time difference between reaching each transducer element included in (110).

The beamformer 120 includes a pulser 121 , a pulse delayer 122 , an echo delayer 126 , and an adder 127 .

The pulser 121 generates an AC voltage (ie, pulse) to drive the transducer module 110 when ultrasonic waves are irradiated.

The number of pulsers 121 corresponding to the number of channels or the number of transducer elements included in the transducer module 110 is present.

When ultrasonic waves are irradiated, the transmit/receive switch 123 operates in a transmit mode, and the pulser 121 generates, for example, a voltage pulse of about -80V to +80V or 0V to 200V as a transmit pulse, so that the transducer module 110 ) can be input to each transducer element constituting.

When ultrasonic waves are irradiated, the pulse delayer 122 adds a delay time to pulses according to a focal point of ultrasonic waves and a steering angle to form a transmission signal pattern.

The number of pulse delayers 122 may also correspond to the number of transducer elements included in the transducer module 110 or the number of channels.

The pulse delayer 122 applies a time delay to each transducer element so that pulses generated from each pulser 121 can reach the focal point. In this case, a plurality of focal points may exist, and the plurality of focal points may form one scan line. The time-delayed voltage pulse may be input to each transducer element constituting the transducer module 110 as a transmission pulse.

The echo delayer 126 time-delays the digital signal of each transducer element according to the focal point and the steering angle when ultrasonic waves are received.

The echo delayer 126 responds to the echo ultrasound from the analog-to-digital converter 125 when the transceiver module 110 receives the echo ultrasound when the transceiver switch 123 operates in the reception mode after the ultrasound irradiation is completed. receiving a digital signal, and time-delays the digital signal of each transducer element included in the transducer module 110 based on the focal point of the ultrasonic wave and the steering angle with respect to the target point.

For example, the echo delayer 126 determines the delay frequency based on at least one of parameters including whether a two-dimensional transducer array is included, a focal depth, a steering angle, an aperture size, and the number of activated transducer elements. It is set flexibly, and a delay time is applied to the digital signal of each transducer element included in the transducer module 110 according to the set delay frequency.

The adder 127 adds the time-delayed digital signals of each transducer element when ultrasonic waves are received.

The adder 127 adds up the digital signals of each transducer element included in the transducer module 110 to which the delay time is applied by the echo delayer 126 and focuses them into one digital signal. The focused digital signal is output from the probe 10 and transmitted to the signal processing unit 220 of the main body 200. After signal processing by the signal processing unit 220, the image processing unit 230 generates various types of ultrasound images. Image processing may be performed.

In the portable ultrasound diagnosis apparatus 10 shown in FIG. 1B , the beamformer 120 may be included in the probe 100 corresponding to the front end as described above, or the main body 200 corresponding to the back end. may be included in Since the embodiment of the beam former 120 is not limited thereto, all or some of the components of the beam former 120 may be included in any part of the front-end and the back-end.

The transmit/receive switch 123 converts the mode to a transmit mode when ultrasonic waves are irradiated or to a receive mode when ultrasonic waves are received according to a control signal of the system controller 240 of the main body 200 .

The amplifier 124 amplifies the voltage according to the current output from the transducer module 110 .

The amplifier 124 may include a pre-amplifier that amplifies an analog signal having a minute size, and a low noise amplifier (LNA) may be used as the pre-amplifier.

In addition, the amplifier 124 may include a variable gain amplifier (VGA) (not shown) that controls a gain value according to an input signal. In this case, a time gain compensation (TGC) for compensating a gain according to a focal point or a distance to a focal point or a lateral gain compensation (LGC) for compensating a lateral gain may be used as a variable gain amplifier, but is not limited thereto. .

The analog-to-digital converter 125 converts the analog voltage output from the amplifier 124 into a digital signal.

1B shows that the digital signal converted from the analog-to-digital converter 125 is input to the echo delay 126 of the beamformer 120, but the analog signal delayed by the echo delay 126 is analog-to-digital. Input to the converter 126 is also possible, and the order is not limited.

In addition, although the analog-to-digital converter 125 is illustrated as being provided in the probe 100 in FIG. 1B, it is not necessarily limited thereto, and the analog-to-digital converter 125 may also be provided in the main body 200. In this case, the analog-to-digital converter 125 may receive the analog signal focused by the adder 127 from the probe 100 and convert it into a digital signal.

The main body 200 is a device for accommodating components necessary for controlling the probe 100 or generating an ultrasound image based on a signal received from the probe 100, and is connected to the probe 100 through a cable or a wireless communication network. can

Hereinafter, the signal processing unit 220, the image processing unit 230, and the system controller 240 included in the main body 200 will be described, and the flexible display 250 and the input unit 260 will also be described.

The signal processor 220 converts the focused digital signal received from the probe 100 into a format suitable for image processing. For example, the signal processor 220 may perform filtering to remove noise signals outside of a desired frequency band.

In addition, the signal processing unit 220 may be implemented as a digital signal processor (DSP), and may generate ultrasound image data by performing envelope detection processing to detect the magnitude of echo ultrasound based on the focused digital signal.

The image processing unit 230 generates an image based on the ultrasound image data generated by the signal processing unit 220 so that a user, such as a doctor or patient, can visually check the inside of an object ob, such as the human body. do.

The image processing unit 230 transmits an ultrasound image generated using ultrasound image data to the flexible display 250 .

In addition, the image processing unit 230 may further perform separate additional image processing on the ultrasound image according to embodiments. For example, the image processing unit 230 may further perform image post-processing, such as correcting or readjusting contrast, brightness, or sharpness of an ultrasound image.

Such additional image processing by the image processing unit 230 may be performed according to a predetermined setting or may be performed according to a user's instruction or command input through the input unit 260 .

The system controller 240 controls overall operations of the portable ultrasound diagnosis apparatus 10 . For example, the system controller 240 controls the operation of the signal processor 220, the image processor 230, the probe 100, and the flexible display 250.

Depending on the embodiment, the system controller 240 may control the operation of the portable ultrasound diagnosis apparatus 10 according to predetermined settings, and a predetermined control command according to a user's instruction or command input through the input unit 260. After generating, the operation of the portable ultrasound diagnosis apparatus 10 may be controlled.

The system controller 240 includes a memory for storing programs and data for controlling the probe 100 and the main body 200 and each component included in the probe 100 and the main body 200, and programs and data stored in the memory. It may include a processor for generating a control signal according to.

When receiving an electrical signal from the probe 100, the system controller 240 according to an embodiment may change the layout of the display area displayed on the flexible display 250.

When receiving a layout change command from the input unit 260 , the system controller 240 according to another embodiment may change the layout of an image displayed on the flexible display 250 .

When a sensor is attached to the main body 200, the system controller 240 according to another embodiment may layout an image displayed on the flexible display 250 according to whether or not a physical deformation is detected by the attached sensor or the degree of deformation. can be changed

Details related to the layout change will be described later.

The system control unit 240 receives input from a processor, a ROM in which a control program for controlling the portable ultrasound diagnosis apparatus 10 is stored, and the probe 200 or the input unit 260 of the portable ultrasound diagnosis apparatus 10. RAM may be used as a storage area to store signals or ultrasound image data to be performed or to correspond to various tasks performed in the portable ultrasound diagnosis apparatus 10 .

Also, a graphic processing board including a processor, RAM, or ROM may be included on a separate circuit board electrically connected to the system controller 240 . The processor, RAM and ROM may be interconnected through an internal bus.

Also, the system controller 240 may be used as a term referring to components including a processor, RAM, and ROM. Also, the system controller 240 may be used as a term referring to components including a processor, RAM, ROM, and a processing board.

The flexible display 250 is a display manufactured using a bendable material such as a plastic substrate. It is lighter than other displays and does not break, and the material is flexible, so it can be folded (folding) or rolled (rolling). (bending) Means a display. The flexible display 250 is free to bend, so it can replace not only fashion for clothing and medical diagnosis but also publications.

Referring to FIG. 2 , the flexible display 250 has a bending degree of freedom that allows the user to bend the screen. For example, the degree of freedom of bending indicates that the user can hold both corners (eg, the first end and the second end) and bend it back and forth in a convex or concave manner.

The flexible display 250 can display various contents on one or more display areas. For example, the flexible display 250 displays an ultrasound image generated by the image processing unit 230 on at least one display area so that the user can visually check the internal structure or tissue of the object ob. A detailed description of the one or more display areas will be described later.

Referring back to FIG. 1B , the input unit 260 receives a predetermined instruction or command from the user to control the portable ultrasound diagnosis apparatus 10 .

The input unit 260 may be a user interface such as, for example, a keyboard, a mouse, a trackball, a Time Gain Compensation (TGC) control knob, a Lateral Gain Compensation (LGC) control knob, or a paddle. can include

Referring to FIG. 2, the input unit 260 is implemented as a touch screen, so that the aforementioned trackball 261, TGC control knob 262, and the like can be implemented as a user interface on the flexible display 250. In addition, various buttons, wheels, or knobs that can be manipulated by the user, such as a keyboard, a mouse, an LGC control knob, or a paddle, can be implemented as a user interface on the flexible display 250.

When the input unit 260 is implemented as a touch screen, the input unit 260 is integrated with the flexible display 250 to display content or receive a user's command.

The input unit 260 may receive commands for simultaneously controlling multiple display areas as well as commands for individually controlling multiple display areas included in the flexible display 250 .

Each component of the probe 100 and the main body 200 may be interconnected through a bus.

In addition, as shown in FIG. 2, the probe 100 and the main body 200 may be wired connected through various terminals and cables such as USB, and as shown in FIG. 3, each includes a wireless communication module and , can be connected through a wireless communication network to transmit and receive electrical signals.

Meanwhile, in FIGS. 2 and 3, the main body 200 in the form of a laptop that can be folded once is shown, but the main body 200 can be implemented in various forms. Figure 4 is an exemplary view for showing various forms of the main body.

Referring to FIG. 4 , the main body 200 may be implemented as a portable computer or portable terminal including a flexible display 250 . Here, the portable computer includes, for example, a laptop, a laptop, a tablet PC, a slate PC, etc. equipped with a web browser, and the portable terminal has portability and mobility that can be held with one hand, for example. As a guaranteed wireless communication device, PCS (Personal Communication System), GSM (Global System for Mobile communications), PDC (Personal Digital Cellular), PHS (Personal Handyphone System), PDA (Personal Digital Assistant), IMT (International Mobile Telecommunication) All types such as -2000, CDMA (Code Division Multiple Access)-2000, W-CDMA (W-Code Division Multiple Access), WiBro (Wireless Broadband Internet) terminal, smart phone, wearable device, etc. may include a handheld-based wireless communication device of

The flexible display 250 included in the body 200 may include one or more flat surfaces depending on the shape of the body 200 or independently of the shape of the body 200, and may include one or more concave or convex curved surfaces. there is.

Hereinafter, a wireless probe that transmits a digital signal to the main body 200 through a wireless communication network will be described as an example of the probe 100, including an input unit 260 implemented on the flexible display 250 as a touch screen, and once The main body 200 implemented in the form of a folding laptop will be described as an example, but the shapes of the probe 100 and the main body 200 are not necessarily limited thereto.

The flexible display 250 may display content on one or more display areas. 5 is an exemplary view of one or more display areas displaying contents of a flexible display.

Here, one display area means a unit area of the flexible display 250 on which one or more images are displayed, and the first to fourth areas to be described later mean display areas that are distinguished from each other.

Referring to FIG. 5 , the flexible display 250 may display an ultrasound image in a first area D1 at the top and a control panel in a second area D2 at the bottom. Here, the first area D1 and the second area D2 may be implemented as a touch screen.

The ultrasound image refers to an ultrasound image generated by the image processing unit 230 based on the digital signal received from the probe 100, and the control panel refers to a touch screen image that receives a user's control command.

The flexible display 250 may display a control panel on the first area D1 and an ultrasound image on the second area D2, or may display ultrasound images on both the first area D1 and the second area D2. Since an image or a control panel may be displayed, the displayed image may be different from that shown in FIG. 5 .

Ultrasound images include A-mode (Amplitude mode) images, B-mode (Brightness mode) images, D-mode (Doppler mode) images, E-mode (Elastography mode) images, and M-mode (Motion mode) images. could be an example of that. Here, the D-mode image includes a color Doppler image and a spectral Doppler image.

The flexible display 250 according to an embodiment may change the layout of displayed images according to a control signal from the system controller 240 .

"Layout change" may include extension, contraction, movement, rotation, or power on/off of at least one of the display areas D1 and D2, and may include at least one of the display areas D1 and D2. It may include enlargement, reduction, rotation, or change of the image displayed in D2).

6 to 12 are various exemplary views of a flexible display whose layout is changed according to a control signal from a system controller.

Referring to FIG. 6 , the flexible display 250 may expand the first area D1 according to the control signal. In this case, the area occupied by the first area D1 where the ultrasound image is displayed may be expanded to the area occupied by the second area D2, and the second area D2 is formed by the expansion of the first area D1. can be reduced Conversely, the flexible display 250 may reduce the first area D2 and expand the second area D2 according to the control signal.

Here, the expansion includes at least one of expansion in a vertical direction, expansion in a horizontal direction, and expansion in a diagonal direction.

When the first area D1 is expanded, the range of the ultrasound image of the object ob shown in the first area D1 may be widened, and when the second area D2 is reduced, the second area ( The command that the control panel can receive may be different as shown in D2).

For example, when the main body 200 receives a digital signal from the probe 100, the first area D1 expands in the vertical direction, the second area D2 shrinks in the vertical direction, and the second area D1 expands in the vertical direction. The control panel displayed in (D2) may be changed from a state of displaying the TGC control knob 262 and the track ball 261 to a state of displaying only the track ball 261.

Also, referring to FIG. 7 , the flexible display 250 may rotate an image displayed on the first area D1 while expanding the first area D1 according to a control signal. In this case, while the area occupied by the first area D1 on which the ultrasound image is displayed is extended to the area occupied by the second area D2, the ultrasound image can be rotated by a preset angle, and the area of the first area D1 The second area D2 may be removed by expansion. Conversely, the flexible display 250 may remove the first area D2, expand the second area D2, and rotate the image displayed on the second area D2 according to the control signal.

When the first region D1 is expanded and rotated, the range of the ultrasound image of the object ob shown in the first region D1 may be widened.

For example, when the main body 200 receives a digital signal from the probe 100, the first region D1 rotates 90 degrees and expands horizontally, and the second region D2 can be removed. there is.

The rotation angle or degree of expansion may be arbitrarily changed by the user by manipulating a control panel or a separate input device.

Also, referring to FIG. 8 , the flexible display 250 may move an area where an ultrasound image and a control panel are displayed according to a control signal.

In this case, the flexible display 250 may move the ultrasound image displayed in the first area D1 to the second area D2 according to the control signal, and remove the control panel displayed in the second area D2. It can be moved to 1 area (D1).

For example, when the main body 200 receives a digital signal from the probe 100, the ultrasound image displayed in the first area D1 may be displayed in the second area D2, and the second area D2 The control panel displayed in ) may be displayed in the first area D1.

Also, referring to FIG. 9 , the flexible display 250 may enlarge or reduce an image displayed in the first area D1 or the second area D2 according to a control signal.

For example, when the main body 200 receives a digital signal from the probe 100, the flexible display 250 may enlarge the ultrasound image by increasing the magnification of the ultrasound image displayed in the first area D1. . In this case, the center point of the enlarged ultrasound image may be a preset point, and the magnification or movement of the center point of the enlargement may be manipulated by a user through a control panel or a separate input device.

Also, referring to FIGS. 10 to 12 , the flexible display 250 may change an image displayed on the first area D1 or the second area D2 according to a control signal.

For example, referring to FIG. 10 , the flexible display 250 displays a B-mode image in a first area D1 and simultaneously displays a B-mode image and a TGC control knob in a second area D2. state, when the main body 200 receives a digital signal related to the D-mode image from the probe 100, the flexible display 250 displays a color Doppler image in the first area D1 and displays a color Doppler image in the second area D2. A spectral Doppler image may be displayed.

Also, referring to FIG. 11, the flexible display 250 displays a B-mode image in a first area D1, and a first control panel displaying a track ball 261 and a TGC control knob 262 is displayed in a second area D1. In the state of being displayed on the area D2, the first control panel gives a command (for example, pressing a separate touch button 263) to change the image displayed on the first area D1 to the second control panel. When input is received, the flexible display 250 may display the LGC control knob 264 and the sub display area 265 in the first area D1 and display the first control panel in the second area D2.

Also, referring to FIG. 12, the flexible display 250 displays a B-mode image in a first area D1, and a first control panel displaying a track ball 261 and a TGC control knob 262 is displayed in a second area D1. In the state of being displayed on the area D2, the first control panel gives a command (for example, pressing a separate touch button 266) to change the image displayed on the second area D2 to the third control panel. When input is received, the flexible display 250 may display an ultrasound image in the first area D1 and display a third control panel that receives the user's keyboard input in the second area D2.

In addition, the flexible display 250 can display various images in the first area D1 or the second area D2 according to the control signal, and the color Doppler image and the spectral Doppler image of FIG. 10 can be displayed. What is changed is not limited to the change from the ultrasound image to the control panel in the first area D1 of FIG. 11 and the change of the control panel mode in the second area D2 of FIG. 12 .

Meanwhile, the flexible display 250 displays an image on at least one display area and changes the layout of the image according to a control signal from the system control unit 240. The control signal includes transmission of an electrical signal from the probe 100, a user It may be generated differently according to the input of or a detection signal of a separately mounted sensor.

According to an embodiment, the system controller 240 may generate a control signal for changing the layout of an image displayed on at least one display area when receiving an electrical signal from the probe 100 .

For example, when the probe 100 and the main body 200 are connected through a USB cable, when the USB cable is connected to the USB terminal of the main body 200 and the USB cable is connected to the USB terminal of the probe 100 , the system controller 240 may generate a control signal for expanding the first area D1.

In addition, when the probe 100 and the main body 200 are connected through a wireless communication network, when it is determined that the main body 200 and the probe 100 are within a distance accessible through the wireless communication network, the system controller 240 A control signal for extending the first region D1 may be generated.

According to another embodiment, the system controller 240 may generate a control signal for changing the layout of at least one display area when receiving a preset command from a user.

For example, when a separate "emergency mode" button is provided on the main body 200 and the user presses the emergency mode button, the system controller 240 enters the "emergency mode" and displays an ultrasound image in one area. The flexible display 250 may generate a control signal to display an ultrasound image and a control panel in the first area D1 and the second area D2 in multiple stages.

Also, when the user presses the emergency mode button, the system controller 240 enters the emergency mode, the flexible display 250 displays an emergency mode image in the first area D1, and displays the emergency mode image in the second area D2. A control signal for displaying an ultrasound image may be generated. Here, entering the emergency mode is a program that guides a part requiring ultrasound diagnosis using at least one of video, voice, and text when an emergency occurs. means to run

Hereinafter, referring to FIGS. 13 to 18 , a portable ultrasound diagnosis apparatus 10 that guides a user to a part requiring ultrasound diagnosis through an image will be described.

13 to 16 are exemplary diagrams of images displayed on a flexible display for guiding a diagnosis to a user according to a first criterion, and FIGS. 17 and 18 are examples of images displayed on a flexible display for guiding a diagnosis to a user according to a second criterion. This is an example of a video.

The first standard may be, for example, an international standard, Focused Assessment with Sonography for Trauma (FAST) 4Ps (Pericardial, Perihepatic, Perisplenic, Pelvic) standard, and the second standard may be, for example, an international standard, FAST (Focused Assessment with Sonography for Trauma). Assessment with Sonography for Trauma) may be based on ABCD (Airway, Breathing, Circulation, Disability). Hereinafter, the first criterion is explained as the FAST 4Ps criterion, and the second criterion is explained as the FAST ABCD criterion.

Referring to FIG. 13 , when the emergency mode button or emergency mode icon 251 is selected by the user, a first reference icon 252 and a second reference icon 253 are displayed in the first area D1 of the flexible display 250. ) can be displayed.

When the user selects one of the first and second criterion icons 252 and 253, one or more diagnostic sites that can be diagnosed according to the selected criterion may be displayed in the diagnosis area display area 254 of the first area D1. and, when the user selects a diagnosis site, the location of the selected diagnosis site may be displayed in the guide area 255 of the first area D1.

Furthermore, in the thumbnail display area 256, the location of each diagnosis site may be briefly displayed as a thumbnail.

For example, referring to FIG. 14 , when the first reference icon 252 is selected, the diagnosis portion display area 254 includes a liver perihepatic region, a heart pericardial region, a spleen peripheral region perisplenic region, and an icon for selecting one of the diagnostic regions of the pelvic region (Pelvic) may be displayed.

When the user selects the pericardial region, the guide area 255 may display the position and direction of the virtual probe 257 for acquiring an image of the pericardial region. In this case, the user may refer to the guide area 255 to actually position the probe 100 around the heart of the object ob, and transmit and receive ultrasound waves to the second area D2 for the area around the heart. An ultrasound image may be displayed. An ultrasound image of a region around the heart may be stored in a memory.

Also, referring to FIG. 15 , when an ultrasound image of a region around the heart is acquired, a thumbnail of a location of a diagnosis region displayed in the thumbnail display area 256 may be changed to a thumbnail of an acquired ultrasound image.

Accordingly, the user may determine which diagnostic region an ultrasound image has already been acquired.

Also, referring to FIG. 16 , when an ultrasound image for each diagnosis region is acquired, a thumbnail indicator of the ultrasound image displayed in the thumbnail display area 256 may be further displayed on the guide area 255 .

For example, when an ultrasound image of the liver periphery is obtained and a thumbnail of the ultrasound image of the liver periphery is displayed as a first thumbnail, a first indicator is displayed at a point where the liver periphery is located in the guide area 255. It can be.

In addition, when ultrasound images of two heart peripheral regions are acquired and thumbnails for each ultrasound image are displayed as a 4th thumbnail and a 4.1 thumbnail, the guide area 255 includes a fourth image at a point where each heart peripheral region is located. Indicators and 4.1 indicators can be displayed.

In addition, when an ultrasound image of the periphery of the spleen is acquired and a thumbnail of the ultrasound image of the periphery of the spleen is displayed as a second thumbnail, a second indicator may be displayed at a point where the periphery of the spleen is located in the guide area 255. there is.

When an ultrasound image of the pelvic periphery is obtained and a thumbnail of the pelvic periphery ultrasound image is displayed as a third thumbnail, a third indicator may be displayed at a point where the pelvic periphery is located in the guide area 255 .

Meanwhile, referring to FIG. 17 , when the second reference icon 253 is selected, the diagnosis part display area 254 includes airway, lung, cardiovascular, trauma, and eye ( An icon for selecting one of the diagnosis sites may be displayed.

Similar to the first criterion, when the user selects an airway, the guide area 255 may display the position and direction of the virtual probe 257 for obtaining an image of the airway. In this case, the user may refer to the guide area 255 to actually position the probe 100 in the airway of the object ob, and an ultrasound image of the airway is displayed in the second area D2 by transmitting and receiving ultrasound. It can be. An ultrasound image of the airway may be stored in memory.

Also, similar to the first criterion, when an ultrasound image of the respiratory tract is acquired, the thumbnail of the position of the diagnosis site displayed in the thumbnail display area 256 may be changed to a thumbnail of the acquired ultrasound image.

Accordingly, the user may determine which diagnostic region an ultrasound image has already been acquired.

Also, referring to FIG. 18 , similar to the first criterion, in the guide area 255, when an ultrasound image for each diagnosis region is acquired, a thumbnail indicator of the ultrasound image displayed in the thumbnail display area 256 is further displayed. can be displayed

For example, when an ultrasound image of an airway is obtained and a thumbnail of the airway ultrasound image is displayed as a first thumbnail, a first indicator may be displayed at a point where the airway is located in the guide area 255 .

In addition, when an ultrasound image of the lungs is obtained and a thumbnail of the lung image is displayed as a second thumbnail, a second indicator may be displayed at a point where each heart periphery is located in the guide area 255 .

In addition, when an ultrasound image of the heart is acquired and thumbnails of the three ultrasound images of the heart are displayed as third and third thumbnails, third and third and third indicators are displayed at the point where the heart is located in the guide area 255. can

When an ultrasound image of the trauma is acquired and the thumbnails of the ultrasound image above the trauma are displayed as the 4th and 4.1th thumbnails, the 4th and 4.1 indicators may be displayed at the point where the trauma is located in the guide area 255. .

In the above example, the emergency mode image is displayed in the first area D1 and the ultrasound image is displayed in the second area D2, but the display area of the emergency mode image and the ultrasound image is not necessarily limited thereto. No, the arrangement may be reversed or may be displayed in other areas. In addition, it is possible to display a control panel other than an ultrasound image in the second region D2, but it is not necessarily limited to displaying an ultrasound image.

In addition, in the above example, each criterion, diagnosis site, etc. is selected by the user's icon selection. However, when an ultrasound image for each criterion or diagnosis site is obtained by the system controller 240, the next criterion or diagnosis site is automatically acquired. A diagnostic site may be selected.

In addition, selectable diagnostic sites can be modified or added according to user input. In addition, the control panel displayed in the second area D2 of the flexible display 250 has a Freeze button for stopping the ultrasound image. In addition, when the user touches the freeze button, the system controller 240 displays only the first area D1 of the flexible display 250, which has been displaying images on the plurality of areas D1 and D2 in multiple stages, and A control signal for removing the second region D2 may be generated. In this case, even when an electrical signal is continuously received from the probe 100 by an input of the freeze button, the ultrasound image displayed on the first area D1 of the flexible display 250 may remain still.

According to another embodiment, the system controller 240 may generate a control signal for changing the layout of at least one display area according to a detection signal from a sensor mounted separately. Hereinafter, a process of generating a control signal of the main body 200 equipped with a sensor will be described with reference to FIGS. 19 to 23 .

19 is an external view of a body on which a sensor is mounted according to another embodiment, FIG. 20 is an exemplary view for explaining various forms of a flexible display, and FIGS. 21 to 23 are flexible displays whose layout is changed according to control signals. It is an example diagram for explaining.

The flexible display 250 included in the main body 200 uses a bendable material as described above, and has a property of being folded (folding), rolled (rolling), or bendable (bending). Have.

In order to determine the extent to which the flexible display 250 is folded, rolled, or bent, the main body 200 may further include separate sensors 271 and 272 .

For example, when the flexible display 250 having the first end E1 and the second end E2 is bent in one direction as shown in FIG. 19 , the touch sensor 271 of the main body 200 ) may determine whether the flexible display 250 is folded by detecting whether the first end portion E1 and the second end portion E2 are in contact.

When the contact sensor 271 detects contact between the first and second ends E1 and E2, the system controller 240 controls the flexible display 250 based on the detection signal of the contact sensor 271. You can change the layout of

In addition, when the flexible display 250 is bent in one direction, the angle sensor 272 of the other main body 200 determines the degree to which the first end E1 and the second end E2 are spaced apart or face each other. By sensing, it is possible to determine the extent to which the flexible display 250 is bent.

When the angle sensor 272 detects the extent to which the flexible display 250 is bent, the system controller 240 may change the layout of the flexible display 250 based on the detection signal of the angle sensor 272 .

Referring to FIG. 20 , the contact detection sensor 271 detects contact between the first end E1 and the second end E2, or the angle sensor 272 detects contact between the first end E1 and the second end E2. ) is determined to be less than 30 degrees, the system controller 240 may control not to display an image in each area of the flexible display 250 .

Next, the contact detection sensor 271 detects non-contact between the first end E1 and the second end E2, and the angle sensor 272 measures the angle between the first end E1 and the second end E2. When it is determined that the angle is greater than or equal to 30 degrees and less than 130 degrees, the system controller 240 may control a preset image to be displayed in each area of the flexible display 250 .

Next, the contact detection sensor 271 detects non-contact between the first end E1 and the second end E2, and the angle sensor 272 measures the angle between the first end E1 and the second end E2. When it is determined that the angle is greater than or equal to 130 degrees and less than 190 degrees, the system controller 240 may control one area of the flexible display 250 to be expanded and another area to be reduced.

For example, referring to FIG. 21 , when the flexible display 250 is unfolded from a folded state by a user's manipulation, the touch sensor 271 detects the first end E1 and the second end E2. ), and when the angle between the first end E1 and the second end E2 is detected as 130 degrees or more, the system controller 240 determines the first end E1 and the second end E2. The area of the first area D1 may be increased and the area of the second area D2 may be reduced in proportion to the angle of .

Referring back to FIG. 20 , the contact detection sensor 271 detects non-contact between the first end E1 and the second end E2, and the angle sensor 272 detects a non-contact between the first end E1 and the second end E1 ( When the angle of E2) is determined to be greater than or equal to 190 degrees and less than 360 degrees, the system controller 240 displays the same plane of the same image in each area of the flexible display 250, or displays the three-dimensional ultrasound image of the front/rear side and left/right side of the object. It may be controlled to display ultrasound images or current/past ultrasound images.

For example, referring to FIG. 22 , the flexible display 250 is unfolded in a direction different from the folded direction by a user's manipulation, so that the angle between the first end E1 and the second end E2 is When it is detected as 200 degrees, the system controller 240 may control the flexible display 250 to display the same ultrasound image in the first area D1 and the second area D2. In this case, a user observing the first region D1 and a user observing the second region D2 may observe the same ultrasound image.

Also, referring to FIG. 23 , the flexible display 250 is unfolded in a direction different from the folded direction by a user's manipulation, so that the angle between the first end E1 and the second end E2 is 200 degrees. If detected in the first area D1, the system controller 240 may control the flexible display 250 so that the front side of the 3D image is displayed in the first area D1 and the back side of the 3D image is displayed in the second area D2. . In this case, the user can simultaneously observe the front and back sides of the 3D image on one flexible display 250 .

In this way, the system controller 240 may change the layout of the flexible display 250 based on the detection signals of the touch detection sensor 271 and the angle sensor 272, but the sensors included in the main body 200 Various sensors capable of detecting physical deformation of the flexible display 250, such as a gyro sensor, an acceleration sensor, a pressure sensor, a temperature sensor, and a deformation sensor, are not limited to the aforementioned contact detection sensor 271 and angle sensor 272 includes

In addition, the layout of the flexible display 250 that is changed by the detection signal of the sensor is not limited to the above.

Meanwhile, the foregoing embodiment has described the flexible display 250 that displays one image in each area by being folded once and the main body 200 including the flexible display 250, but the flexible display 250 can be folded multiple times. In addition, a plurality of images may be displayed in each area.

24A and 24B are external views of a main body including a flexible display that is folded twice and three times, respectively, and FIG. 24C is a view for explaining another embodiment of the foldable flexible display.

Referring to FIG. 24A , when the flexible display 250 is folded twice, the flexible display 250 formed of one flat surface can display images in three display areas D1 , D2 , and D3 . The layout of the display areas D1 , D2 , and D3 may be changed according to a control signal from the system controller 240 .

Referring to FIG. 24B , when the flexible display 250 is folded three times, the flexible display 250 formed of one flat surface can display images in four display areas D1 , D2 , D3 , and D4 . The layout of the display areas D1 , D2 , D3 , and D4 may be changed according to a control signal from the system controller 240 .

For example, as shown in FIG. 24C , according to a control signal from the system controller 240, the flexible display 250 may turn on or turn off the second area D2 and the fourth area D4. Power on or power off of each display area may be controlled according to a user's input.

Meanwhile, in the above-described embodiment, the flexible display 250 is folded multiple times to display a plurality of images in each area, but the flexible display 250 may form one or more curved surfaces by performing only bending without folding. In addition, the system controller 240 may change the layout according to the degree of bending of the flexible display 250, and the physical deformation of the flexible display 250 is not limited to the above-described embodiment.

In the above-described embodiment, some of the components constituting the portable ultrasound diagnosis apparatus 10 may be implemented as a kind of 'module'. Here, 'module' refers to software or a hardware component such as a Field Programmable Gate Array (FPGA) or Application Specific Integrated Circuit (ASIC), and the module performs certain roles. However, a module is not meant to be limited to software or hardware. A module may be configured to reside in an addressable storage medium and may be configured to execute one or more processors.

Thus, as an example, a module includes components such as software components, object-oriented software components, class components and task components, processes, functions, properties, procedures, subroutines. fields, segments of program code, drivers, firmware, microcode, circuits, data, databases, data structures, tables, arrays, and variables. Functionality provided in components and modules may be combined into fewer components and modules or further separated into additional components and modules. Moreover, the components and modules may execute one or more CPUs within a device.

Hereinafter, a control method of a portable ultrasound diagnosis apparatus will be described with reference to FIG. 25 . 25 is a control flowchart of a portable ultrasound diagnosis apparatus according to an exemplary embodiment.

The portable ultrasound diagnosis apparatus 10 according to an embodiment changes the layout of an image displayed on the flexible display 250 according to circumstances.

According to an embodiment, when the main body 200 of the ultrasound diagnosis apparatus 10 receives an electrical signal related to the echo ultrasound from the probe 100 (Yes in S1100), the flexible display 250 displays the displayed image The layout of can be changed (S1400).

Here, the change of the layout may include extension, contraction, movement, rotation, or power on/off of at least one display area of the flexible display 250, and displaying on at least one display area It may include enlargement, reduction, or change of the image to be used.

For example, when the probe 100 is implemented as a wireless probe and the beamformer 120 and the analog-to-digital converter 125 are included in the probe 100, the flexible display 250 outputs echo ultrasound from the probe 100. When a digital signal related to is received, the layout of an image displayed on the flexible display 250 can be changed.

According to another embodiment, when the user of the ultrasound diagnosis apparatus 10 inputs a control command for changing the layout through the input unit 260 (Yes in S1200), the flexible display 250 displays the layout of the displayed image. can be changed (S1400).

For example, if an "emergency mode" hard key is provided in the main body 200, and the user presses the emergency mode hard key, the flexible display 250 moves the first area of the flexible display 250 to suit an emergency situation. It may be placed on the front side, and an ultrasound image may be displayed in a horizontal direction in the first area.

For another example, when a user inputs a control command for changing a layout through a control panel displayed by the flexible display 250 of the body 200, the flexible display 250 changes the layout according to the user's control command. can be changed

According to another embodiment, when a sensor is provided in the ultrasound diagnosis apparatus 10 and the sensor generates a detection signal (Yes in S1300), the flexible display 250 responds to the detection signal and displays the layout of the displayed image. can be changed.

For example, when a touch sensor is provided in the main body 200 of the ultrasound diagnosis apparatus 10, the system controller 240 determines the current state of the flexible display 250 corresponding to the detection signal of the touch sensor (for example, , contact/non-contact or folding), and a control signal for controlling the flexible display 250 may be generated according to the determined state of the flexible display 250 . The flexible display 250 may change the layout of displayed images according to a control signal from the system controller 240 .

As another example, when the angle sensor of the ultrasound diagnosis apparatus 10 is provided, the system controller 240 determines the current state of the flexible display 250 (for example, the flexible display) corresponding to the detection signal generated by the angle sensor. The bending angle of 250) may be determined, and a control signal for controlling the flexible display 250 may be generated according to the determined state of the flexible display 250 . The flexible display 250 may change the layout of displayed images according to a control signal from the system controller 240 .

As such, the layout of the flexible display 250 may be changed based on the detection signals of the touch sensor and the angle sensor, but the sensor is not limited to the aforementioned touch sensor and angle sensor, and may include a gyro sensor, an acceleration sensor, It includes various sensors capable of detecting physical deformation of the flexible display 250, such as a pressure sensor, a temperature sensor, and a deformation sensor.

According to such a portable ultrasound diagnosis apparatus according to various embodiments, an image necessary for diagnosing an object can be appropriately arranged on a flexible display according to circumstances, so that a user can intuitively determine an ultrasound image.

Meanwhile, the control method of the portable ultrasound diagnosis apparatus 10 described above may be implemented as computer readable codes on a computer readable recording medium. Computer-readable recording media includes all types of recording media in which data that can be decoded by a computer system is stored. For example, there may be read only memory (ROM), random access memory (RAM), magnetic tape, magnetic disk, flash memory, optical data storage device, and the like. In addition, the computer-readable recording medium may be distributed to computer systems connected through a computer communication network, and stored and executed as readable codes in a distributed manner.

The foregoing description is for illustrative purposes, and those skilled in the art to which the disclosed invention pertains can understand that it can be easily modified into other specific forms without changing the technical spirit or essential features of the disclosed invention. Therefore, the embodiments described above should be understood as illustrative in all respects and not limiting. For example, each component described as a single type may be implemented in a distributed manner, and similarly, components described as distributed may be implemented in a combined form.

250: flexible display
D1, D2: first area, second area

Claims (27)

a flexible display including a first area and a second area partitioned by a bending area;
a controller that changes the layout of the image displayed on the flexible display; and
A probe for transmitting and receiving ultrasonic waves and generating an electrical signal corresponding to the received ultrasonic waves;
The flexible display displays an ultrasound image in the first area;
The portable ultrasound diagnosis apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the control unit changes a layout of the ultrasound image to display the ultrasound image on a portion of the first area and a part of the second area when the electrical signal is received. According to claim 1,
The flexible display displays at least one of the ultrasound image and a control panel that receives a control command of the portable ultrasound diagnosis device on one or more display areas. According to claim 1,
The controller expands, reduces, moves, rotates, powers on, or powers off one or more display areas of the flexible display. According to claim 1,
The controller enlarges, reduces, rotates, or changes an image displayed on the flexible display. delete According to claim 1,
Further comprising an input unit for receiving a layout change command from a user,
The controller changes the layout of the image according to the layout change command. According to claim 6,
The input unit includes an emergency mode button,
The flexible display displays an emergency mode image to provide a guide for an emergency situation to a user when the emergency mode button is selected. According to claim 7,
The emergency mode image includes an image representing a location of a diagnosis site of an object. According to claim 7,
The flexible display displays an image representing a location of a diagnosis site of an object based on at least one of FAST 4Ps and FAST-ABCD when the emergency mode button is selected. According to claim 6,
The input unit includes an emergency mode button,
The portable ultrasound diagnosis apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the flexible display displays text providing a guide for an emergency situation to a user when the emergency mode button is selected. According to claim 1,
Further comprising a sensor for detecting physical deformation of the flexible display,
The controller changes the layout of the image according to the detection signal of the sensor. According to claim 11,
The sensor includes a touch detection sensor for detecting contact between both ends of the flexible display. According to claim 12,
The control unit turns off the power of the flexible display when the touch sensor detects the contact between the both ends, and when it does not detect the contact between the both ends, displays an ultrasound image and the image in a plurality of areas of the flexible display, respectively. A portable ultrasound diagnosis device displaying a control panel receiving control commands of the portable ultrasound diagnosis device. According to claim 11,
The sensor includes an angle sensor for detecting a degree of bending of the flexible display. 15. The method of claim 14,
The controller expands or contracts a display area where an image of the flexible display is displayed based on a detection signal of the angle sensor. 15. The method of claim 14,
The control unit controls the same plane of the same object to be displayed on the first area and the second area of the flexible display when the flexible display is bent at a predetermined angle or more. 15. The method of claim 14,
When the flexible display is bent at a preset angle or more, the control unit displays the front and back surfaces, the left and right surfaces, or the current and past images of the 3D image on the first and second regions of the flexible display, respectively. Portable ultrasound diagnostic device. According to claim 11,
The sensor includes at least one of a gyro sensor, an acceleration sensor, a pressure sensor, and a temperature sensor. According to claim 1,
The flexible display is implemented as a touch screen and displays a control panel that receives control commands from a user through a user interface. According to claim 19,
The control panel uses at least one of a keyboard, a mouse, a trackball, a Time Gain Compensation (TGC) control knob, a Lateral Gain Compensation (LGC) control knob, and a paddle as a user interface. A portable ultrasound diagnostic device that implements According to claim 19,
The control unit changes a user interface implemented by the control panel. According to claim 1,
The portable ultrasound diagnostic apparatus further comprising a freeze button for stopping an ultrasound image displayed on the flexible display. According to claim 1,
The probe further comprises a wireless probe. 24. The method of claim 23,
The wireless probe includes a beam former for applying a time delay to ultrasonic waves. According to claim 1,
The portable ultrasound diagnostic apparatus further comprising an input unit that receives a control command for simultaneously controlling a plurality of display areas of the flexible display from a user. According to claim 1,
The flexible display and the control unit are implemented on a portable computer or a portable terminal. displaying an ultrasound image in the first area of a flexible display including a first area and a second area partitioned by a bending area;
changing a layout of an image displayed on the flexible display; and
displaying at least one of an ultrasound image and a control panel for receiving a control command of the portable ultrasound diagnosis apparatus on a flexible display according to the changed layout;
The step of changing the layout of the image,
transmitting and receiving ultrasonic waves;
generating an electrical signal corresponding to the received ultrasonic waves; and
and changing a layout of the ultrasound image to display the ultrasound image on parts of the first area and the second area when the electrical signal is received.

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