Portable ultrasonic device for detecting a bulk in a breast by motion control of a

Abstract

A portable ultrasonic device for detecting a mass in a breast according to an embodiment of the present invention comprises: a contact part which includes a contact region in contact with the breast of a user and is positioned at one end of the portable ultrasonic device; a transducer cover, the outer surface of which is located in at least a part of the contact area; an ultrasonic transducer unit including N (N is a natural number of 1 or more) ultrasonic transducers that emit an ultrasonic signal through the outer surface of the transducer cover and receive the reflected ultrasonic signal; a movement speed detection unit that detects a movement speed at which the contact region is in contact with the breast and moves, and generates movement speed information; a control unit that outputs a control signal for controlling the ultrasonic transducer unit and generates ultrasonic image information on the basis of the received ultrasonic signal; and a communication unit that transmits the ultrasound image information to an external terminal.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a portable ultrasonic device for photographing internal breast tissues of a user using ultrasonic waves and detecting breast masses. Background Art

[0002] Recently, digital image processing technology and medical equipment manufacturing technology have been applied to the clinical diagnosis field, leading to many developments in medical imaging. In particular, ultrasonic diagnosis has the following characteristics: it can avoid harmful radiation exposure compared to CT or X-ray medical equipment, so it is harmless to the human body. It can not only obtain tomographic images of the human body through a non-invasive method, but also is portable and low-cost.

[0003] In particular, since images can be obtained in real time, there is an advantage that the motion state of organs can be observed in real time. This ultrasonic diagnosis technology, together with mammography using X-rays, is widely used for breast cancer screening.

[0004] However, in the case of ultrasonic diagnosis based on a breast mass detection device, when the posture (tilt, incident angle, contact pressure, position, etc.) of the ultrasonic scanner is incorrect, due to low resolution of the ultrasonic image and severe noise generation, it is impossible to obtain high-quality ultrasonic images. Moreover, the ultrasonic scanner needs to change the contact pressure and tilt for each affected part position. Therefore, it is actually very difficult to operate the ultrasonic scanner if not a skilled professional, and thus self-examination cannot be performed at home. In addition, only a skilled professional can identify a mass suspected of cancer in the captured ultrasonic image.

[0005] In addition, ultrasonic scanners manufactured for specialized medical personnel include ultrasonic elements in a complex arrangement form, and precise control algorithms are required during the process of driving the above-mentioned multiple ultrasonic elements. Therefore, the price of equipment for detecting breast masses increases, and there is a problem that it is difficult for general users who want to detect breast masses to access.

[0006] Breast cancer is a disease with a high cure rate if detected early. With the increasing importance of self-diagnosis of breast cancer worldwide, many self-palpation diagnosis methods are widely known. However, since they are not self-diagnosis using specialized equipment, there are problems with the accuracy of measurement and difficulty in systematic data management. In addition, even when palpation diagnosis is performed by a specialist in the relevant field, there is a problem that the accuracy is less than 50%. Summary of the Invention

[0007] Technical Problem

[0008] A portable ultrasonic device is provided, enabling a user who wants to self-diagnose breast cancer using an ultrasonic scanner to move the ultrasonic scanner at a constant speed according to the guidance provided by the ultrasonic scanner, thereby guiding the generation of a correct ultrasonic image of a mass in the breast.

[0009] In addition, a portable ultrasonic device is provided, which uses a relatively small number of ultrasonic transducers to form the scanner, reducing the production cost of the ultrasonic scanner to reduce the unit price of the ultrasonic scanner, improving portability, reducing battery usage, and thus enhancing the accessibility of breast cancer self-diagnosis for users.

[0010] In addition, a portable ultrasonic device is provided, which provides the captured ultrasonic image from the ultrasonic scanner to the user's mobile terminal, enabling the user to confirm the captured ultrasonic image in real time even without an additional display device, and thus enhancing the convenience of breast cancer self-diagnosis.

[0011] However, the technical problems to be achieved in this embodiment are not limited to the above-mentioned technical problems, and there may be other technical problems.

[0012] Technical Solution

[0013] As a means for achieving the above technical problems, an embodiment of the present invention provides a portable ultrasonic device, including: a transducer cover, including a contact area that contacts the user's breast, located at one end of the portable ultrasonic device; a contact portion, the outer surface of which is located in at least a part of the contact area; an ultrasonic transducer unit, including N (N is a natural number of 1 or more) ultrasonic transducers that emit ultrasonic signals through the outer surface of the contact portion and receive the reflected ultrasonic signals; a moving speed detection unit, detecting the moving speed of the contact area moving in contact with the breast to generate moving speed information; a control unit, outputting a control signal for controlling the ultrasonic transducer unit and generating ultrasonic image information according to the received ultrasonic signals; and a communication unit, transmitting the ultrasonic image information to an external terminal.

[0014] In addition, an embodiment of the present invention provides a portable ultrasonic device, including: a transducer cover, including a contact area that contacts a user's breast, located at one end of the portable ultrasonic device; a contact portion, an outer surface of which is located in at least a part of the contact area; an ultrasonic transducer unit, including N (N is a natural number of 2 or more) ultrasonic transducers that emit ultrasonic signals through the outer surface of the contact portion and receive the reflected ultrasonic signals; a control unit that outputs a control signal for controlling the ultrasonic transducer unit and generates ultrasonic image information based on the received ultrasonic signals; and a communication unit that transmits the ultrasonic image information to an external terminal. The control unit can turn on only one ultrasonic transducer within one period T, turn off the remaining ultrasonic transducers, and generate one ultrasonic image information based on one ultrasonic signal received from the one ultrasonic transducer.

[0015] The above means for solving the problem are only for illustration and should not be construed as intended to limit the present invention. In addition to the above illustrated embodiments, there may be additional embodiments described in the drawings and the detailed description of the invention.

[0016] Advantages of the Invention

[0017] According to any one of the above means for solving the technical problem of the present invention, a user who wants to perform breast cancer self-diagnosis using an ultrasonic scanner can move the ultrasonic scanner at a constant speed according to the guidance provided by the ultrasonic scanner, thereby being able to guide the generation of accurate ultrasonic images.

[0018] In addition, by configuring the scanner with a relatively small number of ultrasonic transducers, the production cost of the ultrasonic scanner can be reduced, thereby reducing the unit price of the ultrasonic scanner. Therefore, the accessibility of the user for detecting breast masses can be improved.

[0019] In addition, the captured ultrasonic image is provided from the ultrasonic scanner to the user's mobile terminal. Therefore, the user can confirm the captured ultrasonic image in real time even without an additional display device, and thus the convenience of the breast mass detection process can be improved. Brief Description of the Drawings

[0020] Figure 1 is a structural diagram of an ultrasonic breast cancer diagnosis system including a portable ultrasonic device based on an embodiment of the present invention.

[0021] Figure 2 is a diagram for illustratively explaining the structure of a portable ultrasonic device based on an embodiment of the present invention.

[0022] Figure 3 and Figure 4It is a diagram for illustrating the scanning operation of a portable ultrasonic device based on an embodiment of the present invention.

[0023] Figure 5 And Figure 6 It is a diagram for illustrating the control signal of a portable ultrasonic device based on an embodiment of the present invention.

[0024] Figure 7a , Figure 7b , Figure 8a And Figure 8b It is another diagram for illustrating the ultrasonic transducer unit of a portable ultrasonic device based on an embodiment of the present invention.

[0025] Figure 9 It is another diagram for illustrating the interface screen of a mobile terminal that displays the ultrasonic image generated in a portable ultrasonic device based on an embodiment of the present invention.

[0026] Figures 10 to 14 It is a diagram for illustrating the case of implementing axial movement in a portable ultrasonic device based on an embodiment of the present invention. Detailed Description of the Invention

[0027] Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings so that those skilled in the art can easily implement them. However, the present invention can be implemented in various different ways and is not limited to the embodiments described herein. And, to clearly illustrate the present invention, parts irrelevant to the description are omitted in the drawings, and like reference numerals are attached to like parts throughout the specification.

[0028] Throughout the specification, when it is described that a certain part is "connected" to another part, this includes not only the case of "directly connected" but also the case of "electrically connected" with other elements intervening therebetween. In addition, when it is described that a certain part "includes" a certain component, unless otherwise specifically stated to the contrary, it means that other components are not excluded but rather that other components can also be included, and it should be understood that the existence or additional possibility of one or more other features or numbers, steps, actions, components, assemblies, or combinations thereof is not precluded in advance.

[0029] In this specification, a "unit" includes a unit implemented by hardware, a unit implemented by software, and a unit implemented by both. In addition, one unit can be implemented by two or more pieces of hardware, or two or more units can be implemented by one piece of hardware.

[0030] In this specification, some of the actions or functions described as being performed by a terminal or device can also be performed instead by a server connected to the corresponding terminal or device. Similarly, some of the actions or functions described as being performed by a server can also be performed by a terminal or device connected to the corresponding server.

[0031] Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0032] Figure 1 It is a structural diagram of an ultrasonic breast mass detection system including a portable ultrasonic device based on an embodiment of the present invention.

[0033] Referring to Figure 1 , the ultrasonic breast mass detection system can include a portable ultrasonic device 10, a wireless network 20, and an external terminal 30.

[0034] Moreover, on the outer surface of the portable ultrasonic device 10, a transducer cover 11, a contact portion 12, and a main body portion 13 can be included. In the main body portion 13, a wave switch 14, a power switch 15, a charging terminal 16, a handle 17, and an LED portion 18 can be included.

[0035] The portable ultrasonic device 10 can be connected to an external device such as the external terminal 30 through a wired or wireless network 20. For example, the portable ultrasonic device 10 can be connected to the network 20 simultaneously with the external terminal 30 or at intervals. In addition, the network means a connection structure capable of exchanging information between each node such as multiple terminals and multiple servers, including a local area network (LAN), a wide area network (WAN), the Internet (WWW), wired and wireless data communication networks, telephone networks, wired and wireless television networks, etc. As an example of a wireless data communication network, it includes 3G, 4G, 5G, the 3rd Generation Partnership Project (3GPP), Long Term Evolution (LTE), Worldwide Interoperability for Microwave Access (WIMAX), mobile hotspot (Wi-Fi), Bluetooth communication, infrared communication, ultrasonic communication, visible light communication (VLC), visible light wireless communication (LiFi), etc., but is not limited thereto.

[0036] The transducer cover 11 of the portable ultrasonic device 10 includes a contact area that directly contacts the user's breast during the use of the portable ultrasonic device 10, and for this purpose, it can be located at one end of the portable ultrasonic device 10.

[0037] The contact portion 12 includes an ultrasonic transducer portion that emits ultrasonic signals to generate ultrasonic image information inside. An outer surface is formed in an area including at least a part of the contact area of the transducer cover 11, and it can directly contact the user's skin during the scanning process of the portable ultrasonic device 10.

[0038] That is, the contact portion 12 can cover one or more ultrasonic transducers located inside and can be formed of a material that provides acoustic impedance matching suitable for the anatomical part or enables proper concentration when ultrasonic energy is projected onto the anatomical part.

[0039] The main body portion 13 is a structure of the portable ultrasonic device 10 excluding the transducer cover 11. The main body portion 13 can include a toggle switch 14, a power switch 15, a charging terminal 16, a handle 17, and an LED portion 18.

[0040] The main body portion 13 can include: a toggle switch 14 for receiving input from the user; a power switch 15 for changing the on / off state of the power supply of the portable ultrasonic device 10; a charging terminal 16 for connecting a cable for charging the battery module inside the portable ultrasonic device 10; and a handle 17 for the user to grip with the hand.

[0041] The handle 17 enables the user to move the portable ultrasonic device 10 relative to the area of concern (e.g., the breast) with the hand. The handle 17 can be configured in a shape that is recessed into the device interior to make it easy for the user to hold.

[0042] The user grips the portable ultrasonic device 10 through the handle 17, activating one or more ultrasonic transducers located inside the transducer cover 11, thereby enabling ultrasonic signals to be sent to the area of concern of the patient (e.g., a specific body organ, body joint, blood vessel, etc.). For example, the transducer cover 11 can be located on the user's breast.

[0043] The LED portion 18 can display the power state of the portable ultrasonic device 10 through the LEDs exposed to the outside. In addition, the LED portion 18 can blink or output a specific color according to the movement speed information, which will be described later.

[0044] When scanning a user's area of concern, it is possible to start an ultrasonic scan of an anatomical part selected during the period when the ultrasonic transducer within the contact portion 12 is in contact with the surface portion of the user's body. In other embodiments, the scan of the ultrasonic transducer can be started by operating a trigger, and at this time, the trigger can be manually or automatically started by an additional fluctuation switch 14 attached to the outer surface of the portable ultrasonic device 10 or by operating an interface within an external terminal 30 wirelessly connected to the portable ultrasonic device 10.

[0045] Although Figure 1 not shown in the figure, a display unit for displaying information generated during the scan of the user's breast by text or image can be formed in a part of the main body portion 13. Additionally, in a part of the main body portion 13, a plurality of holes can be formed at a position adjacent to a speaker unit that provides voice guidance to the user during the scan of the user's breast or outputs sound based on the movement speed control information described later.

[0046] The external terminal 30 is connected to the portable ultrasonic device 10 via the network 20 and can transmit and receive data. The external terminal 30 can include a display, and the display can receive and display various information generated by the portable ultrasonic device 10 and provided via the network 20. Additionally, according to the user's control, the external terminal 30 can transmit a signal for controlling the portable ultrasonic device 10 via the network 20. At this time, the external terminal 30 can be connected to the network 20, and examples can include a mobile smartphone, a personal computer, or a medical terminal equipped with an additional display.

[0047] As another example, the external terminal 30 can include an artificial intelligence cloud server. The user can access the artificial intelligence cloud server included in the external terminal 30 using an additional terminal device, can access the artificial intelligence cloud server to download data uploaded from the portable ultrasonic device 10, or can upload other data to the artificial intelligence cloud server. The artificial intelligence cloud server can provide instructions or store data based on the data uploaded from the user's above-mentioned additional terminal device to the portable ultrasonic device 10.

[0048] Figure 2 It is a diagram for illustratively explaining the structure of a portable ultrasonic device based on an embodiment of the present invention.

[0049] Referring to Figure 2 , the portable ultrasonic device 10 can include a transducer cover 100, a contact portion 200, an ultrasonic transducer portion 300, a movement speed detection portion 400, a control portion 500, a communication portion 600, and an output portion 700.

[0050] As Figure 1As described, the transducer cover 100 and the contact part 200 can be located on the outer surface of the portable ultrasonic device 10. More specifically, the transducer cover 100 can be formed to include a contact area where the portable ultrasonic device 10 contacts the breast skin of the user, which is the body area of the user being the examination object. At this time, the main body part can correspond to the remaining area of the portable ultrasonic device 10 excluding the transducer cover 100.

[0051] The transducer cover 100 can be formed at one end of the portable ultrasonic device 10, and the contact part 200 can be formed on at least a part of the contact area. For example, the contact part 200 can be located at the center of the contact area of the transducer cover 100. The contact part 200 can cover the ultrasonic transducer part 300 located inside. The contact part 200 can have a shape that protrudes more than the surface corresponding to the contact area of the transducer cover 100. Thus, when the user observes the outer surface of the portable ultrasonic device 10, the user can more easily grasp the position of the contact part 200 corresponding to the area where scanning is substantially implemented, and can perform ultrasonic scanning on their own breast more accurately.

[0052] The ultrasonic transducer part 300 emits ultrasonic signals through the outer surface of the contact part 200, and can include at least two or more ultrasonic transducers arranged horizontally on the transducer cover 100.

[0053] The ultrasonic transducer part 300 can accommodate one or more ultrasonic transducers. The ultrasonic transducers generate ultrasonic energy at a specific frequency and / or pulse repetition rate and receive the reflected ultrasonic energy (for example, ultrasonic echoes), and can convert the reflected ultrasonic energy into an electrical signal.

[0054] For example, the ultrasonic transducer part 300 can be configured to send ultrasonic signals within a certain frequency range. The ultrasonic transducer part 300 can transmit each pulse signal to the ultrasonic transducers according to the received pulse control information. In addition, the ultrasonic transducer part 300 can accommodate ultrasonic transducers arranged in one row or two or more rows.

[0055] The ultrasonic transducer part 300 can also include a transceiver circuit network including a transmitter and a receiver for sending and receiving ultrasonic signals.

[0056] The moving speed detection part 400 can detect the moving speed at which the contact area of the transducer cover 100 contacts and moves on the breast to generate moving speed information. The moving speed detection part 400 can be, for example, a speed calculation part, an image sensor, an acceleration sensor or an optical sensor that calculates the speed of the ultrasonic transducers in the portable ultrasonic device according to the change of the received ultrasonic signals.

[0057] When the moving speed detection unit 400 corresponds to the acceleration calculation unit, the speed calculation unit can measure the moving speed based on the change in the received ultrasonic signal. Here, the ultrasonic signal can correspond to the signal generated by the ultrasonic transducer unit 300. The ultrasonic signal can correspond to a signal with a one-dimensional value measured by the ultrasonic transducer unit 300 at regular time intervals.

[0058] The process by which the speed calculation unit calculates the speed based on the ultrasonic signal can be defined as in the following <Equation 1>.

[0059] <Equation 1>

[0060]

[0061] Here, Δ can represent the change value of the position. yk can correspond to the value sampled by the speed calculation unit in the order of the sampling time of the analog-to-digital converter for the signal measured at the first position of the ultrasonic transducer unit 300 (k is a natural number greater than or equal to 1 and less than or equal to n, and n is the number of ultrasonic transducers). y'k can correspond to the value sampled by the speed calculation unit in the order of the sampling time of the analog-to-digital converter for the signal measured at the second position of the ultrasonic transducer unit 300 (k is a natural number greater than or equal to 1 and less than or equal to n, and n is the number of ultrasonic transducers). Also, the time interval between yk and yk-1 and the time interval between y`k and y`k-1 can be defined as the same.

[0062] Regarding the above Δ, when the ultrasonic transducer does not move, it can theoretically be derived as 0, or can be derived as a value close to 0 due to noise or minute signal differences.

[0063] Regarding the above Δ, it increases when the ultrasonic transducer does not move. The greater the degree of change in the position of the ultrasonic transducer, the greater the value it can have. The speed calculation unit can measure the speed of the ultrasonic transducer unit based on the calculation of Δ.

[0064] When the moving speed detection unit 400 includes an image sensor, the image sensor can photograph the contact area of the transducer cover 100 or its adjacent area through a camera exposed on the outer surface of the portable ultrasonic device 10. The moving speed detection unit 400 can calculate the speed of the portable ultrasonic device 10 based on the change in the image information generated from the image sensor at regular time intervals. For example, the speed calculation unit can calculate the speed of the portable ultrasonic device through an object tracking algorithm, a feature point detection algorithm, or an optical flow estimation algorithm.

[0065] The target tracking algorithm is an algorithm that uses image processing technology to track the position of a specific location in continuously captured images. The speed calculation unit can continue to track a specific target or feature point in the image through the target tracking algorithm, and can use the tracked information to calculate the motion vector.

[0066] The feature point detection algorithm is an algorithm that detects feature points (mainly invariant features) in an image and makes them consistent with other images to grasp the position change. For example, Scale-Invariant Feature Transform (SIFT) or Speeded Up Robust Features (SURF) can be exemplified. The speed calculation unit can use the feature point detection algorithm to extract feature points in the image, find corresponding feature points in other images, and make them consistent to estimate the position change.

[0067] The optical flow estimation algorithm is an algorithm that analyzes the pixel movement pattern between adjacent frames in an image to estimate the motion vector. The optical flow can provide information on how the pixels move. The speed calculation unit can use this to estimate the motion vector and calculate the moving speed using the moving distance and time interval.

[0068] When the moving speed detection unit 400 is equivalent to an acceleration sensor, the moving speed of the portable ultrasonic device 10 can be detected by the acceleration sensor. For example, when the acceleration sensor is a micro electro mechanical systems (MEMS)-based acceleration integrated circuit (IC), the acceleration sensor can be a capacitive MEMS accelerometer or a piezoresistive MEMS accelerometer, and can measure the acceleration corresponding to the movement of the portable ultrasonic device 10. The moving speed detection unit 400 calculates the distance traveled by the portable ultrasonic device 10 during a predetermined time period using the acceleration of the portable ultrasonic device 10 detected by the acceleration sensor, and thus can generate moving speed information including the current speed.

[0069] When the movement speed detection unit 400 corresponds to an optical sensor, the optical sensor can be disposed inside the portable ultrasonic device 10. A user can observe the direction toward the breast skin and perform sensing during use of the portable ultrasonic device 10. When analyzing the information generated thereby in time series, an image change based on a time change can be calculated. More specifically, the optical sensor can be constituted by an optical sensor using an LED or an optical flow sensor. When using the optical sensor, the skin is illuminated by an LED (or laser) located inside the portable ultrasonic device 10, and the optical sensor can detect a pattern change of the skin according to the movement of the portable ultrasonic device 10. The movement sensor 400 can track the movement of the portable ultrasonic device 10 based on the pattern change and generate movement speed information. On the contrary, when using the optical flow sensor, the pixel movement between consecutive image frames can be tracked to detect a position change. Thereby, the movement sensor 400 can calculate the movement direction and speed of the portable ultrasonic device 10 to generate movement speed information. In addition, the movement speed detection unit 400 can apply at least one of the object tracking algorithm, the feature point detection algorithm, or the optical flow estimation algorithm of the above-described speed calculation unit to a plurality of images generated by the above-described method to calculate the speed of the portable breast mass detection device 10.

[0070] The movement speed information generated by the movement speed detection unit 400 is provided to the output unit 700 described later, and is processed by the output unit 700 into other types of information corresponding to the movement speed information, and can be output to the user holding the portable breast mass detection device 10. On the contrary, the movement speed information generated by the movement speed detection unit 400 is provided to the communication unit 600, or the movement speed can be transmitted to the external terminal 30 through the communication unit 600.

[0071] The control unit 500 outputs a control signal for controlling the ultrasonic transducer unit 300, and can generate ultrasonic image information based on the ultrasonic signal received from the ultrasonic transducer unit 300. Further, the control unit 500 can turn on (ON) only one ultrasonic transducer among the plurality of ultrasonic transducers included in the ultrasonic transducer unit 300 and turn off (OFF) the remaining ultrasonic transducers within one period T, and can generate one ultrasonic image information based on one ultrasonic signal received from the above-described one ultrasonic transducer.

[0072] Further, the control unit 500 turns on only the first ultrasonic transducer in the first period and turns on only the second ultrasonic transducer in the second period, and the intervals in which the first and second ultrasonic transducers are turned on may not overlap.

[0073] Moreover, the above cycle T can be determined by dividing the traveling speed of the ultrasonic wave in the above breast by the measured depth value of the above ultrasonic transducer.

[0074] Moreover, the signal phase between the above N ultrasonic transducers can be determined independently of the number of the above N, the shape of the above ultrasonic transducer, and the interval between the above ultrasonic transducers.

[0075] Moreover, the ultrasonic transducer unit 300 can sequentially and independently transmit the above ultrasonic wave signals from the above N ultrasonic transducers to the above control unit, and the control unit 500 can sequentially and independently receive the above ultrasonic wave signals from the N ultrasonic transducers, so that the above ultrasonic image information can be sequentially and independently generated.

[0076] Moreover, the control signal can be a signal independent of the cross-sectional size of each of the above N ultrasonic transducers and the interval size between the above N ultrasonic transducers.

[0077] In addition, the control unit 500 can correct the generated ultrasonic image information according to the moving speed information generated by the moving speed detection unit 400.

[0078] The above-mentioned multiple operations of the control unit 500 will be described in more detail later.

[0079] The communication unit 600 can transmit the ultrasonic image information generated by the control unit 500 to the external terminal 30. In addition, the communication unit 600 can receive data or instructions transmitted from the external terminal 30. The communication unit 600 can transmit the moving speed information generated by the above moving speed detection unit 400 to the external terminal 30. The external terminal 30 can display the moving speed information to the user through the display of the corresponding terminal. At this time, regarding the moving speed information, the moving speed of the portable ultrasonic device 10 can be processed as text or an image corresponding to the speed state and displayed on the external terminal 30.

[0080] The output unit 700 can display multiple information generated by the portable breast mass detection device 10 outside the portable ultrasonic device 10. More specifically, the output unit 700 can output information corresponding to the moving speed information.

[0081] The output unit 700 can include at least one of a display unit 710 for outputting an image or text corresponding to the moving speed information, an LED display unit 720 that blinks or outputs a color in a manner corresponding to the moving speed information, a vibration unit 730 that vibrates in a manner corresponding to the moving speed information, and a speaker unit 740 that outputs a sound corresponding to the moving speed information.

[0082] The display unit 710 can display the measured moving speed of the portable ultrasonic device 10 as text or an image corresponding to the moving speed state. Thus, the user can confirm in real time whether the portable breast mass detection device 10 is moving at an appropriate speed and perform scanning, and control the scanning speed according to the sound, so as to obtain an appropriate scanning result.

[0083] The LED display unit 720 can change the repetition period, brightness, or color of the output light and output it according to whether the moving speed is within a preset normal range or outside the normal range. More specifically, when the moving speed is within the preset range, the LED display unit 720 can repeatedly output at least one color. And when the moving speed exceeds the preset range and is judged to be slow or fast, the LED display unit 720 can change at least one of the brightness, color, and repetition period of the output color and output it. Thus, the user can confirm in real time whether the portable ultrasonic device 10 is moving at an appropriate speed and perform scanning, and control the scanning speed according to the sound, so as to obtain an appropriate scanning result.

[0084] The vibration unit 730 can change the interval, magnitude, and mode of the output vibration and output it according to whether the moving speed of the portable ultrasonic device 10 is within a preset normal range or outside the normal range. More specifically, when the moving speed is within the preset range, the vibration unit 730 can output a weak vibration at regular intervals and of a certain length that does not interfere with the user's scanning. And when the moving speed exceeds the preset range and is judged to be slow or fast, the vibration unit 730 can change the interval, magnitude, and mode of the output vibration and output it. Thus, the user can confirm in real time whether the portable ultrasonic device 10 is moving at an appropriate speed and perform scanning, and control the scanning speed according to the sound, so as to obtain an appropriate scanning result.

[0085] The speaker unit 740 can change at least one of the interval, magnitude, and type of the output sound and output it according to whether the moving speed is within a preset normal range or outside the normal range. More specifically, when the moving speed is within the preset range, the speaker unit 740 can repeatedly output a single tone or a signal sound with a simple rhythm. And when the moving speed exceeds the preset range and is judged to be slow or fast, the speaker unit 740 can change at least one of the interval, magnitude, and type of the output sound and output it. On the contrary, the speaker unit 740 can output information corresponding to the moving speed through voice guidance. Thus, the user can confirm in real time whether the portable ultrasonic device 10 is moving at an appropriate speed and perform scanning, and control the scanning speed according to the sound, so as to obtain an appropriate scanning result.

[0086] The moving speed information includes information on the moving speed of the portable ultrasonic device 10, and the portable ultrasonic device 10 can determine whether the moving speed exceeds a predetermined range. For example, the portable ultrasonic device 10 can be divided into cases where it moves slower than the reference speed range of the preset moving speed, cases where it moves within the reference speed range, and cases where it moves faster than the reference speed range to determine the moving speed state.

[0087] In addition, the portable ultrasonic device 10 can inform the user of the currently measured moving speed state through the LED display unit 14. For example, when the LED display unit 14 lights up red, it can inform that the current moving speed is too fast, and when the LED display unit 14 lights up yellow, it can inform that the current moving speed is too slow. In addition, the portable ultrasonic device 10 can also inform the moving speed state by making the LED display unit 14 repeatedly flash the light-emitting state corresponding to the moving speed at a predetermined cycle. For example, when the LED display unit 14 flashes at a very fast speed, it can inform that the current moving speed is fast, and when the LED display unit 14 flashes at a very slow speed, it can inform that the current moving speed is slow.

[0088] The operations of the respective structures included in the above-mentioned portable ultrasonic device 10 will be described more specifically with reference to the following drawings and description.

[0089] Figure 3 and Figure 4 are diagrams for exemplarily illustrating a method of using a portable ultrasonic device according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0090] In order to provide acoustic impedance matching when the contact portion 200 is located on the skin of the breast, the user can apply acoustic energy gel to the skin of the breast. Thereafter, the user can perform an ultrasonic scan of the breast by pressing the wave switch of the portable ultrasonic device 10 or inputting a scan start instruction of the external terminal 30 or speaking a voice instruction, so as to be able to select and execute. Correspondingly, the portable ultrasonic device 10 can send an ultrasonic signal into the breast and can receive the reflected ultrasonic signal. The reflected ultrasonic signal can be processed into an image presented on the external terminal 30.

[0091] Refer to Figure 3It can be seen that the portable ultrasonic device 10 moves in a certain direction D1 on the skin of the user's breast. More specifically, for the movement of the portable ultrasonic device 10, the user can bring the contact portion 12 into contact with the breast skin of the user while holding the portable ultrasonic device 10. Then, the user can turn on the power of the portable ultrasonic device 10 and move the arm or hand while the contact portion 12 is in contact with the user's breast, enabling the portable ultrasonic device 10 to move. During this movement process, the portable ultrasonic device 10 emits an ultrasonic signal from the area where the contact portion 12 of the portable ultrasonic device 10 is in contact with the user's breast, receives the ultrasonic signal reflected according to the position and shape of the tissues in the breast, and thus can generate ultrasonic image information. When there is a mass M that may cause breast cancer in the user's breast within the movement path of the portable ultrasonic device 10, ultrasonic image information including the above-mentioned mass M can be generated from the portable ultrasonic device 10.

[0092] Refer to Figure 4 It can be seen that the portable ultrasonic device 10 changes the movement direction D2 on the skin of the user and performs ultrasonic scanning for a range wider than the Figure 3 illustrated example. In order to scan a wider area, the user can move the portable ultrasonic device 10 from one location to another location and scan the breast tissues within the movement path, and then move to another location in a rotated direction to another area and scan the breast tissues to search for the location of the mass M.

[0093] As described later, since ultrasonic signals are transmitted and received from one ultrasonic transducer at regular time intervals, the user can move the portable ultrasonic device 10 at a constant speed in order to obtain an accurate ultrasonic image of each scanned part.

[0094] For this purpose, the movement speed detection unit 400 can detect the movement speed of the portable ultrasonic device 10 when the ultrasonic transducer unit 300 emits an ultrasonic signal and generate movement speed information.

[0095] Figure 5 And Figure 6 are diagrams for exemplarily illustrating the process in which the control unit of the portable ultrasonic device based on an embodiment of the present invention transmits a control signal and controls the operation of the ultrasonic transducer unit.

[0096] The control unit 500 can transmit a control signal including a pulse signal to the ultrasonic transducer unit 300 so that each ultrasonic transducer (S 1 to S k ) of the ultrasonic transducer unit 300 emits an ultrasonic signal according to a preset pulse. Figure 5It is a diagram illustrating a pulse signal included in a control signal and a plurality of ultrasonic transducers that emit ultrasonic signals corresponding to the pulse signal. By Figure 5 it can be seen that for the pulse signals of the plurality of ultrasonic transducers (S 1 to S k ) included in the pulse control information, and thereby the operation times of the respective ultrasonic transducers (S 1 to S k ) are defined.

[0097] In order to control the operation times of the respective plurality of ultrasonic transducers, the control signal can include pulse signals provided to each ultrasonic transducer. The control signal can include information on the operating order of each ultrasonic transducer so that each ultrasonic transducer can operate in sequence.

[0098] The operating order of the ultrasonic transducers is defined as the order of a plurality of ultrasonic transducers (S 1 , S 2 , S 3 …S k ) set in advance. The order of each ultrasonic transducer (S 1 to S k ) can start from one end of the ultrasonic transducer unit 400, for example. Here, k can represent the number of ultrasonic transducers included in the ultrasonic transducer unit 400. In Figure 5 and Figure 6 the value of k is illustrated as 4.

[0099] The first ultrasonic transducer S 1 of the ultrasonic transducer unit 400 can operate at the first time t 1 according to the pulse signal. And the second ultrasonic transducer S 2 can operate at the second time t 2 according to the pulse signal, and the third ultrasonic transducer S 3 can operate at the third time t 3 according to the pulse signal S 3 . In this way, the k-th ultrasonic transducer S 4 can operate at the fourth time t 4 according to the pulse signal. After that, the first ultrasonic transducer S 1 can operate again at the fifth time t 5 .

[0100] Here, the time interval between consecutive times can be defined as a period T. The time interval between the first time t 1 and the second time t 2 can differ by T, and the time interval between the second time t 2 and the third time t 3The time intervals can also differ by the period T. Therefore, the k-th moment (t k ) when the k-th ultrasonic transducer operates can be different from the first moment t 1 by (k - 1)*T. That is, the signal phases between the respective ultrasonic transducers (S 1 to S 4 ) can be independently fixed at T regardless of the number, shape, or spacing of the ultrasonic transducers. Each ultrasonic transducer can transmit ultrasonic signals sequentially and independently through the control signals transmitted to the k ultrasonic transducers.

[0101] Here, the period T can correspond to the time required for one ultrasonic transducer to complete its operation. For example, the operation of the ultrasonic transducer can include the process of emitting an ultrasonic signal and the emitted ultrasonic signal being reflected by the tissue in the breast and then received again by the ultrasonic transducer. The control unit 500 can transmit a pulse signal through the control signal so that the operations of the respective ultrasonic transducers are sequentially performed at intervals of the period T. Thus, only one ultrasonic transducer performs an operation during one period T. That is, it can be controlled such that different ultrasonic transducers emit ultrasonic signals at different time periods. The operation times of the respective ultrasonic transducers may not overlap. Thus, after one operation is completed based on one ultrasonic transducer, in order to perform the next operation again, it may take k*T time. In Figure 5 the example shown, the first ultrasonic transducer S 1 performs an operation at the first moment t 1 , and the fifth moment t 5 when it performs an operation again can be different from the first moment by 4T.

[0102] Since the period T corresponds to the operation time of each ultrasonic transducer, in order to specifically calculate this period T, the period T can be determined according to the value obtained by dividing the traveling speed of the ultrasonic wave in the breast to be measured by the portable ultrasonic device 10 by the measurement depth in the breast.

[0103] The control unit 500 can transmit a control signal such that only the first ultrasonic transducer S 1 is turned on within the first period (the time from t 2 ), and then only the second ultrasonic transducer S 1 is turned on within the second period (the time from t 2 to t 3 ). At this time, the intervals during which the first ultrasonic transducer S 2 is turned on and the second ultrasonic transducer S 1 is turned on can be non-overlapping with each other. Similarly, during the period when the third ultrasonic transducer S 2 is turned on within the third period (the time from t 3 to t 3 to t 4 ), the second ultrasonic transducer S2 It can be turned off. That is, a control signal can be provided such that corresponding to the moment when one ultrasonic transducer changes to the on state, the ultrasonic transducers in the previous order change to the off state.

[0104] Regarding this, in a professional ultrasonic device with dozens to hundreds of ultrasonic transducers, control signals for multiple ultrasonic transducers are transmitted within a period T determined according to the measurement depth. As a result, there is a phase difference in the signals received from each ultrasonic transducer, and it is necessary to set the time delay according to the cross-sectional size, interval of the transducers, and the shape of the target beam. And according to the prior art, multiple ultrasonic signals generated by a professional ultrasonic device are combined into one signal to generate an ultrasonic image. According to the prior art, it is necessary to consider the cross-sectional size, interval of each ultrasonic transducer, and the shape of the target beam to generate the control signal, so a more complex process is required, which increases the design difficulty of the ultrasonic system, and thus there is a problem of increasing the production cost of the overall ultrasonic device.

[0105] On the contrary, one of the features of a portable ultrasonic device with 10 or fewer ultrasonic transducers according to an embodiment of the present invention is that only one ultrasonic transducer is turned on within a period T. Thus, the signal phase between the ultrasonic transducers can be fixed to a constant period T regardless of the number, shape, and interval of the ultrasonic transducers. In addition, each ultrasonic signal is transmitted sequentially and independently and used for generating individual ultrasonic images. For example, K ultrasonic signals are received sequentially and independently, and K images are generated through the received signals for t 1 、t 2 …t k . At this time, the period T becomes tk - t(k - 1). Therefore, there is an effect of reducing the design difficulty of the ultrasonic system and reducing the production cost of the overall ultrasonic device. Referring to Figure 6 It can be seen that an example shows the ultrasonic signal received after being reflected after transmitting an ultrasonic signal according to a pulse signal transmitted to each ultrasonic transducer (S 1 to S 4 ) of the ultrasonic transducer unit 300 according to a control signal generated by the control unit 500.

[0106] Each ultrasonic transducer (S 1 to S 4 ) can complete the transmission of the ultrasonic signal and the reception of the reflected ultrasonic signal within the period T, Figure 6 The example shows the moment when each ultrasonic transducer (S 1 to S 4 ) receives the ultrasonic signal. Through Figure 6It can be seen that only one ultrasonic transducer receives the reflected ultrasonic signal within the period T. The ultrasonic signal thus received can be transmitted to the control unit 500, and the control unit 500 can generate ultrasonic image information based on the received ultrasonic signal. Within the period T, one ultrasonic transducer can realize the emission of ultrasonic images for scanning and the reception of reflected ultrasonic signals. When k ultrasonic transducers respectively receive the reflected ultrasonic signals and transmit them to the control unit 500, it may take k*T time.

[0107] The control unit 500 can sequentially and independently receive ultrasonic signals from the N ultrasonic transducers in the ultrasonic transducer unit 300, and sequentially and independently generate ultrasonic image information. That is, each ultrasonic transducer can independently transmit the reflected ultrasonic signal to the control unit 500. In addition, such individual transmissions can be sequentially implemented according to the order in which each ultrasonic transducer is turned on.

[0108] The control signal provided from the control unit 500 may be a signal independent of the size of the cross section of each ultrasonic transducer included in the ultrasonic transducer unit 300 and the size of the interval between the ultrasonic transducers. The control signal can be independently provided to each ultrasonic transducer. The independently provided control signal can include a pulse signal for controlling the opening and closing timings of each ultrasonic transducer. Even if the size of the cross section of each ultrasonic transducer is different or the size of the interval between the ultrasonic transducers is different, the control signal can be provided independently of these factors.

[0109] More specifically, in the case of an ultrasonic device for professionals having tens to hundreds of ultrasonic transducers, the cross-section of each ultrasonic transducer is a quadrilateral, and the characteristics of the control signal between adjacent ultrasonic transducers should vary according to the size of each cross-section or the size of the interval, and the shape of the cross-section. As a result, there is a problem that the structure of the ultrasonic system is complicated and the maintenance and repair costs of the system increase.

[0110] On the contrary, in the control unit 500 of the portable ultrasonic device 10 in which the number of ultrasonic transducers is 10 or less according to the embodiment of the present invention, due to the characteristic of maintaining only one ultrasonic transducer in an on state in one cycle, it is possible to provide an independent and constant control signal regardless of the shape, size, and interval of the cross section of each ultrasonic transducer. Therefore, it is not necessary to fully reflect the characteristics of multiple ultrasonic transducers, and the control signal can be designed more easily and simply, which has the effect of reducing the maintenance and repair costs of the ultrasonic device.

[0111] Figure 7a , Figure 7b , Figure 8a and Figure 8b This is another diagram for illustrating the ultrasonic transducer unit of the portable ultrasonic device according to one embodiment of the present invention.

[0112] As shown Figure 7a in, a plurality of ultrasonic transducers 310 included in the ultrasonic transducer unit 300 can be configured to be arranged in a row. Also, as shown Figure 7b in, each ultrasonic transducer can be arranged in a direction from the ultrasonic transducer unit 300 toward the contact portion cover 200, and the plurality of ultrasonic transducers can be arranged in a direction horizontal to the transducer cover 100. During the scanning of the portable ultrasonic device 10, each ultrasonic transducer 310 can operate in sequence to emit an ultrasonic wave signal. At this time, they can operate in an adjacent order from the ultrasonic transducer unit at one end to the ultrasonic transducer at the other end. In Figure 7a and Figure 7b , although the number of the plurality of ultrasonic transducers 310 included in the ultrasonic transducer unit 300 is exemplified as 3, according to the design, the number of ultrasonic transducers can be changed to a number of 1 or more and 10 or less.

[0113] Figure 7a and Figure 8a exemplify a view of the ultrasonic transducer unit 300 observed from the front. At this time, the cross-sections of the plurality of ultrasonic transducers 310, 311, 312 included in the ultrasonic transducer unit 300 can be circular. In another embodiment, different from what is exemplified in Figure 7a and Figure 8a , the cross-sections of the plurality of ultrasonic transducers 310, 311, 312 can be quadrilateral.

[0114] In an embodiment of the present invention, the number of ultrasonic transducers included in the ultrasonic transducer unit 300 can be set to at most 10 or less.

[0115] When the number of ultrasonic transducers is in the dozens to hundreds, the production cost of the portable ultrasonic device 10 including the ultrasonic transducer unit may increase. In addition, as the number of ultrasonic transducers increases, the signal processing process of the process of emitting and receiving ultrasonic wave signals becomes complicated, and additional efforts and training may be required for maintaining and repairing such an ultrasonic system. In addition, when the number of ultrasonic transducers increases, the weight and size of the portable ultrasonic device 10 increase, so there is a problem that the portability of the device decreases. Moreover, when the number of ultrasonic transducers increases, the power consumption during the scanning process increases, so there is a problem that the usage time of the portable ultrasonic device 10 powered by a battery without a wired connection decreases. Therefore, it is preferable to set the number of portable ultrasonic transducers according to an embodiment of the present invention to 10 or less.

[0116] As shown Figure 8aAs shown, a plurality of ultrasonic transducers 310 and 320 included in the ultrasonic transducer unit 300 can be configured to be arranged in two columns. And when a plurality of ultrasonic transducers 310 and 320 included in the ultrasonic transducer unit 300 are arranged in two or more columns, as Figure 8a shown, a plurality of ultrasonic transducers 310 arranged in each column can be configured in a zigzag pattern. In this case, there is an effect that dead angles generated due to the intervals between the plurality of ultrasonic transducers 310 can be reduced during the operation of the plurality of ultrasonic transducers 310. For example, for a region corresponding to the arrangement interval S between a plurality of ultrasonic transducers 131 adjacent to one column, it is difficult for only one column of a plurality of ultrasonic transducers 311 to receive accurate ultrasonic signals. In this case, when two columns of a plurality of ultrasonic transducers 312 are arranged at positions corresponding to the interval S of one column of a plurality of ultrasonic transducers 311, ultrasonic signals can also be received for the region corresponding to the above interval S.

[0117] When a plurality of ultrasonic transducers in the ultrasonic transducer unit 300 are configured in two or more columns, the first and third ultrasonic transducers among the ultrasonic transducers can be arranged in the first column, and the second ultrasonic transducer can be arranged in the second column. At this time, the second ultrasonic transducer arranged in the second column is preferably configured to be able to scan the region corresponding to between the first and third ultrasonic transducers. Thus, the second ultrasonic transducer can measure the blind area of the edge portion with respect to the first and third ultrasonic transducers. In Figure 8a and Figure 8b it is exemplified that the number of a plurality of ultrasonic transducers included in the ultrasonic transducer unit 300 is 5, but the number of ultrasonic transducers can be changed to a number of 3 or more and 10 or less according to the design.

[0118] Figure 9 is another diagram for exemplifying and explaining an interface screen of a mobile terminal that displays an ultrasonic image generated in a display portable ultrasonic device according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0119] More specifically, Figure 9 it exemplifies an interface screen displayed on the external terminal 30 when ultrasonic image information generated in the portable ultrasonic device 10 is provided to the external terminal 30 through the network 20. Here, the external terminal 30 can represent a mobile terminal such as a smart phone, a personal PC, or a medical terminal used by the user of the portable ultrasonic device 10.

[0120] The external terminal 30 can use an internal data processing device to display the received ultrasonic image information in the form of an image on the display 31 of the external terminal 30. At this time, the display 31 not only displays the processed ultrasonic image, but also displays the area of the detection target M determined to be related to breast cancer as a graphic 32 so that it can be distinguished from other areas. For example, when a mass that causes breast cancer is found in the ultrasonic image, the external terminal 30 displays a bounding box or pixel-level segmentation for the in-image area of the mass so that it can be distinguished from other areas.

[0121] In order to detect breast masses in the transmitted ultrasonic image, the external terminal 30 can use an artificial neural network pre-trained based on artificial intelligence. The above artificial neural network can mean an artificial intelligence model that analyzes the input image and outputs the coordinate values of the area corresponding to the mass of breast cancer. The above artificial intelligence model can be learned by means of an image processing algorithm such as a convolutional neural network (CNN), an image classification algorithm, etc.

[0122] The external terminal 30 can display a graphic or an additional image at the pixel level so as to be overlapped and displayed in a way that distinguishes the mass in the image from other areas according to the coordinate values of the mass area.

[0123] In addition, the external terminal 30 can consider the resolution of the ultrasonic image preset through the display 31, the in-image size of the detection target, etc., to display the actual expected size 33 of the detection target, the in-skin depth 34 of the area where the detection target is located, and the existence probability 35 derived during the process in which the detection target is determined to be a tumor related to breast cancer. Here, the existence probability 35 can represent the probability that the target in the area judged by the above artificial intelligence model is equivalent to a mass related to breast cancer.

[0124] When the external terminal 30 is equivalent to an artificial intelligence cloud server, the user can use an additional terminal device to access the artificial intelligence cloud server included in the external terminal 30, and can access the artificial intelligence cloud server to download the data uploaded from the portable ultrasonic device 10, or can upload other data to the artificial intelligence cloud server. The artificial intelligence cloud server can provide instructions based on data uploaded from the user's above additional terminal device or store data to the portable ultrasonic device 10.

[0125] Figures 10 to 14 It is a diagram for illustratively showing the case of realizing axial movement in a portable ultrasonic device based on an embodiment of the present invention.

[0126] Figure 10Illustrate the direction D3 in which the exemplary portable ultrasonic device 10 moves along the breast skin 40 according to the user's control. During the process where the user holds the portable ultrasonic device 10 by hand and scans to find the mass M under the skin 40, due to the user's inattention or the height difference of the breast skin, the portable ultrasonic device 10 can move in the axial direction D4. When scanning along the breast skin without movement in the axial direction D4, as Figure 11 shown, an ultrasonic image having the same shape as the scanned object can be generated. On the contrary, when movement in the axial direction D4 occurs during scanning, as Figure 12 shown, deformation can occur in a part of the region 50.

[0127] Figure 13 Illustrate a diagram for comparing adjacent original signals (RF signals) when no movement in the axial direction D4 occurs during scanning using the portable breast mass detection device. Figure 14 Illustrate a diagram for comparing adjacent original signals when movement in the axial direction D4 occurs during scanning using the portable breast mass detection device. As Figure 14 shown, it can be seen that when movement in the axial direction D4 occurs, as the moving distance of the ultrasonic signal changes, the signal moves along the depth direction.

[0128] In Figure 13 and Figure 14 each original signal can be measured by a two-dimensional coordinate system in which the X-axis corresponds to the measurement depth at which the portable breast mass detection device 10 is used for mass detection and the Y-axis is defined as the signal magnitude received by the ultrasonic transducer.

[0129] When it is determined that axial movement occurs during the generation of the ultrasonic image, the control unit 500 can correct the image by the method described below to generate a more accurate ultrasonic image.

[0130] The control unit 500 measures the first peak p1 of the first original signal R1 generated successively as the portable ultrasonic device 10 moves, and can derive the first depth value corresponding to the above first peak.

[0131] And the control unit 500 can measure the second peak of the second original signal and derive the second depth value corresponding to the above second peak p2.

[0132] Thereafter, the control unit 500 calculates the difference between the first depth value and the second depth value, and can generate a correction signal for performing movement correction on the second original signal R2 with the calculated difference. Thus, the depth values of the peak of the first original signal and the peak of the correction signal can be corrected in the same way. Thereafter, the control unit 500 can perform image correction corresponding to the movement in the axis direction by using the correction signal to replace the second original signal R2.

[0133] The above method can be further divided into additional steps through the embodiments described previously by Figures 1 to 14 or can be combined into fewer steps. Additionally, some steps can be omitted as needed, and the order between the steps can also be changed.

[0134] It should be understood that the above description of the present invention is for illustration, and those skilled in the art can easily be deformed into other specific forms without changing the technical idea or essential features of the present invention. Therefore, it should be understood that the embodiments described above are illustrative in all aspects and not restrictive. For example, each component described in a single form can also be implemented dispersedly, and the components described in a dispersed form can also be implemented in a combined manner.

[0135] The scope of the present invention is represented by the claims rather than the above detailed description, and it should be interpreted that all changes or deformation manners derived from the meaning and scope of the claims and their equivalent concepts are included in the scope of the present invention.

Claims

1. A portable ultrasonic device for detecting breast masses, comprising: A transducer cover including a contact area that contacts the user's breast, located at one end of the portable ultrasonic device; A contact portion, at least a part of the outer surface of which is located in the contact area; An ultrasonic transducer unit including N ultrasonic transducers that emit ultrasonic signals through the outer surface of the contact portion and receive the reflected ultrasonic signals, where N is a natural number greater than or equal to 2; A control unit that outputs a control signal for controlling the ultrasonic transducer unit and generates ultrasonic image information based on the received ultrasonic signals; and A communication unit that transmits the ultrasonic image information to an external terminal, The control unit turns on only one ultrasonic transducer within one period (T), turns off the remaining ultrasonic transducers, and generates one ultrasonic image information based on one ultrasonic signal received from the one ultrasonic transducer.

2. The portable ultrasonic device according to claim 1, wherein, The control unit turns on only the first ultrasonic transducer in the first period and only the second ultrasonic transducer in the second period, and the intervals during which the first and second ultrasonic transducers are turned on do not overlap.

3. The portable ultrasonic device according to claim 1, wherein, The period (T) is determined based on the value obtained by dividing the traveling speed of ultrasonic waves in the breast by the measurement depth of the ultrasonic transducer.

4. The portable ultrasonic device according to claim 1, wherein, The signal phases among the N ultrasonic transducers are determined independently of the number of N, the shape of the ultrasonic transducers, and the intervals between the ultrasonic transducers.

5. The portable ultrasonic device according to claim 1, wherein, The ultrasonic transducer unit sequentially and independently transmits the ultrasonic signals from the N ultrasonic transducers to the control unit.

6. The portable ultrasonic device according to claim 1, wherein, The control unit sequentially and independently receives the ultrasonic signals from the N ultrasonic transducers and sequentially and independently generates the ultrasonic image information.

7. The portable ultrasonic device according to claim 1, wherein, The control signal is a signal independent of the cross-sectional sizes of the N ultrasonic transducers and the sizes of the intervals between the N ultrasonic transducers.

8. The portable ultrasonic device according to claim 1, wherein, The portable ultrasonic device further includes a moving speed detection unit that detects the moving speed at which the contact area contacts and moves relative to the breast and generates moving speed information.

9. The portable ultrasonic device according to claim 8, wherein, The moving speed detection unit is a speed calculation unit, an acceleration sensor, or an optical sensor that calculates the speed of the portable ultrasonic device based on changes in the received ultrasonic signals.

10. The portable ultrasonic device according to claim 1, wherein, N is a natural number greater than or equal to 3 and less than or equal to 10, The N ultrasonic transducers are arranged in two columns in a zigzag pattern.

11. The portable ultrasonic device according to claim 10, wherein, The first and third ultrasonic transducers among the N ultrasonic transducers are arranged in a first column, and the second ultrasonic transducer is arranged in a second column and is disposed between the first and third ultrasonic transducers. The second ultrasonic transducer measures blind areas with respect to edge portions of the first and third ultrasonic transducers.

12. The portable ultrasonic device according to claim 1, wherein, the external terminal is configured to, detect breast masses based on the received ultrasonic image information, and display the detected breast masses using graphical differentiation.

13. The portable ultrasonic device according to claim 1, wherein, the external terminal, when detecting the breast masses, uses an artificial neural network pre-trained based on artificial intelligence.

14. The portable ultrasonic device according to claim 1, wherein, the external terminal is configured to, display at least one of the size, depth, and existence probability of the detected breast masses.

15. The portable ultrasonic device according to claim 1, wherein, the external terminal is a personal smartphone, personal computer, or tablet computer connected to the portable ultrasonic device.

16. The portable ultrasonic device according to claim 1, wherein, the external terminal is an artificial intelligence cloud server connected to a plurality of the portable ultrasonic devices.

17. The portable ultrasonic device according to claim 1, wherein, the external terminal is a medical terminal connected to a plurality of the portable ultrasonic devices.

18. The portable ultrasonic device according to claim 1, wherein, when the contact area moves horizontally while in contact with the breast, the control unit detects axial movement in the vertical direction, and corrects the received ultrasonic signal based on the detected axial movement to generate the ultrasonic image.

19. The portable ultrasonic device according to claim 1, wherein, N is a natural number greater than or equal to 2 and less than or equal to 10.

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