Ultrasonic diagnostic system

Abstract

The subject of the present invention is that it is not necessary to set up the device body at each inspection site, nor is it necessary to move the device body between multiple inspection sites. Even if there are multiple ultrasonic probes near the inspection site, the ultrasonic probe used for inspection can be appropriately selected. An ultrasonic diagnostic system of one embodiment comprises: multiple probes; at least one operation display unit, which is set at the same inspection site as at least one of the multiple probes; a communication unit, which communicates with the multiple probes and the operation display unit; a measuring unit, which measures physical quantities associated with the multiple probes; a correspondence establishing unit, which establishes correspondence between a specific probe among the multiple probes and the operation display unit based on the measured physical quantities; an ultrasonic server, which is set at a place different from the inspection site, receives first data collected by a specific probe via the communication unit, generates second data based on the received first data, and sends the generated second data to the operation display unit via the communication unit.

Description

[0001] Citation of Related Applications

[0002] This application is based on and claims the benefit of priority from Japanese Patent Application No. 2020-136919 (filing date: August 14, 2020), the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference. Technical Field

[0003] An embodiment of the present invention relates to an ultrasonic diagnostic system. Background Art

[0004] An ultrasonic diagnostic device is a device that emits ultrasonic pulses and continuous waves generated by a vibration element built into an ultrasonic probe into a subject, converts ultrasonic reflections generated by differences in acoustic impedance (Japanese: sound impedance) of the subject's tissue into electrical signals through the vibration element, and non-invasively collects information from the subject's body. Medical examinations using ultrasonic diagnostic devices can easily generate and collect medical images such as tomographic images and three-dimensional images of the subject's body by contacting the ultrasonic probe with the body surface, so they are widely used in morphological and functional diagnosis of organs.

[0005] As one form of ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus, an ultrasonic diagnostic system has been proposed that wirelessly connects an ultrasonic probe and components other than the ultrasonic probe (hereinafter referred to as the device body). In this ultrasonic diagnostic system, although the operability is improved because no cable is required to connect the ultrasonic probe and the device body, the device body needs to be installed in each examination location, such as each examination room in a hospital. Therefore, it becomes a waste when there are fewer patients. On the other hand, when it is desired to avoid waste, the device body needs to be moved to the examination room where the patient is located. In addition, even when an ultrasonic examination is performed in a ward in an inpatient building or when an ultrasonic examination is required during surgery, the device body needs to be moved each time. Summary of the invention

[0006] One of the problems to be solved by the embodiments disclosed in this specification and the drawings is that there is no need to set up the device body at each inspection site, nor is there any need to move the device body between multiple inspection sites, and even if there are multiple ultrasonic probes near the inspection site, the ultrasonic probe used for inspection can be appropriately selected.

[0007] An ultrasonic diagnostic system in one embodiment comprises: multiple probes; at least one operation display unit, which is located at the same examination site as at least one probe among the multiple probes; a communication unit, which communicates with the multiple probes and the operation display unit; a measuring unit, which measures physical quantities associated with the multiple probes; a correspondence establishing unit, which establishes a correspondence between a specific probe among the multiple probes and the operation display unit based on the measured physical quantities; and an ultrasonic server, which is set up at a location different from the examination site, receives first data collected at the specific probe through the communication unit, generates second data based on the received first data, and sends the generated second data to the operation display unit through the communication unit.

[0008] According to the ultrasonic diagnostic system of the above structure, it is not necessary to install the apparatus body at each examination site, nor to move the apparatus body between multiple examination sites, and even when multiple ultrasonic probes are present near the examination site, an ultrasonic probe used for examination can be appropriately selected. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0009] Figure 1 It is a diagram showing a system configuration example of the ultrasonic diagnostic system according to the first embodiment.

[0010] Figure 2 It is a diagram schematically showing an example of arrangement of components in an inspection room.

[0011] Figure 3 This is a block diagram showing an example of the functional configuration of the ultrasonic diagnostic system according to the first embodiment.

[0012] Figure 4 This is a flowchart showing a processing example of the ultrasonic diagnostic system according to the first embodiment.

[0013] Figure 5 This is a flowchart showing a processing example of the ultrasonic diagnostic system according to the first modification example of the first embodiment.

[0014] Figure 6 This is a flowchart showing a processing example of the ultrasonic diagnostic system according to the second modification example of the first embodiment.

[0015] Figure 7 It is a diagram showing a system configuration example of an ultrasonic diagnostic system according to a second embodiment.

[0016] Figure 8 This is a block diagram showing an example of the functional configuration of an ultrasonic diagnostic system according to the second embodiment.

[0017] Fig. 9 This is a flowchart showing a processing example of the ultrasonic diagnostic system according to the second embodiment.

[0018] Fig.10 This is a flowchart showing a processing example of the ultrasonic diagnostic system according to the modification example of the second embodiment.

[0019] Fig.11 This is a block diagram showing an example of the functional configuration of an ultrasonic diagnostic system according to the third embodiment.

[0020] Fig.12 This is a diagram showing an example of a probe list displayed on the display. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0021] Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0022] (First Embodiment)

[0023] Figure 1 1 is a diagram showing a system configuration example of an ultrasonic diagnostic system 1 according to the first embodiment. The ultrasonic diagnostic system 1 includes a plurality of ultrasonic probes 10 (hereinafter referred to as a plurality of probes 10 ), at least one operation display unit 30 , a base station 40 (also referred to as a communication device 40 ), and an ultrasonic server 50 .

[0024] The operation display unit 30 includes an operation panel 20 as an operation unit and a display 22. Figure 1 In the example shown, the inspection room A is provided with an operation panel A20 and a display A22, and the inspection room B is provided with an operation panel B20 and a display B22.

[0025] The operation panel 20 is provided with a track ball and various switches and knobs. In addition, the operation panel 20 may also include a touch screen. The touch screen is configured so that a user can input various data and information corresponding to the display content on the panel surface by touching the panel surface. The display 22 is, for example, a display device having a liquid crystal panel or an organic EL (ElectroLuminescence) panel.

[0026] At least one of the plurality of probes 10 is disposed at the same inspection location as the operation panel 20 and the display 22. Here, an example of the inspection location is, for example, Figure 1 The example is examination room A and examination room B in a hospital, but the examination location is not limited to this. Any place where examination and diagnosis using ultrasonic images can be performed can also be an examination location. For example, a treatment room in a hospital or a ward where a patient is hospitalized is also an example of an examination location.

[0027] exist Figure 1In the example shown, probe a10 and probe b10 are arranged in inspection room A among five probes 10, namely, probe a10, probe b10, probe c10, probe d10, and probe e10, and probe c10, probe d10, and probe e10 are arranged in inspection room B.

[0028] The communication device 40 (or base station 40) is arranged near the inspection site. Figure 1 In the example shown, the communication device 40 is arranged in the examination room A, but the present invention is not limited thereto. For example, the communication device 40 may be arranged in the examination room B, or in a place other than the examination room A and the examination room B, as long as it is arranged in a position where it can communicate with each probe 10 .

[0029] The communication between the communication device 40 and each probe 10 can be as follows Figure 1 The wireless method shown in the figure is not limited to this in the present embodiment, and the communication between the communication device 40 and each probe 10 may also be performed by wire. In addition, the following description assumes that the communication between the communication device 40 and each probe 10 is performed by wireless method.

[0030] When the communication device 40 and each probe 10 communicate with each other wirelessly, various communication methods can be used as wireless communication. For example, the communication device 40 and each probe 10 can communicate with each other wirelessly using a communication method called "5G private network (local 5G)" in the wireless communication method called the fifth generation mobile communication system (the so-called 5G system). In contrast to the conventional 5G system, which is a uniform communication service provided nationwide by a specific communication operator called a supplier, the "5G private network" is a self-operated 5G network built, operated, and utilized by local governments and general enterprises in specific areas such as their own buildings and land. When the communication device 40 and each probe 10 communicate with each other using the wireless communication of the "5G private network", the communication device 40 becomes a base station and each probe 10 becomes a terminal.

[0031] In addition, the wireless communication between the communication device 40 and each probe 10 can also use the wireless LAN communication based on the IEEE802.11 specification, i.e., the so-called Wi-Fi (registered trademark) system, or the ultra-wideband wireless system called UWB (Ultra-Wide-Band). In the next generation specification of IEEE802.11ay Wi-Fi, it can be said that the goal is ultra-high-speed communication of 100 Gbps.

[0032] Among the signals of the probe 10, although the ultrasonic signal requires ultra-high-speed communication, the communication of the signal for controlling the probe 10 does not require such high speed. Therefore, it is also possible that the communication of the ultrasonic signal adopts the ultra-high-speed communication method such as the above-mentioned 5G private network, and on the other hand, the communication of the probe control signal adopts a relatively low-speed communication method such as Bluetooth (registered trademark).

[0033] The ultrasound server 50 is set in a place different from the examination places such as the examination room A and the examination room B. For example, it is set in a specified server room in the hospital. The communication device 40 and the ultrasound server 50 are connected via a network 70 in the hospital, for example. The network 70 in the hospital can be constructed as a wired network, and can also be constructed as a wireless network such as the above-mentioned 5G private network.

[0034] Furthermore, the ultrasonic server 50 can also be installed in a place far away from the building where the inspection site is located. In this case, the ultrasonic server 50 and Figure 1 The network 70 shown is composed of an in-hospital network and a wired or wireless high-speed network different from the in-hospital network.

[0035] The operation panel A20 and the display A22 installed in the inspection room A, and the operation panel B20 and the display B22 installed in the inspection room B are all connected to the ultrasonic server 50 via the network 70 .

[0036] As described later, when a plurality of probes 10 and a plurality of operation display units 30 (operation panel 20 and display 22) are connected to the network 70, the ultrasound server 50 identifies a specific probe 10 from the plurality of probes 10 and establishes a correspondence with an operation display unit 30 to be connected to the specific probe 10. Furthermore, the ultrasound server 50 establishes communication between the specific probe 10 and the operation display unit 30 corresponding to the specific probe 10.

[0037] Then, the ultrasonic server 50 receives the first data (e.g., ultrasonic data) collected by the specific probe 10 via the communication device 40, and generates the second data (e.g., ultrasonic image data) based on the received first data. Furthermore, the generated second data is sent to the display 22 of the operation display unit 30 corresponding to the specific probe 10 via the communication device 40, so that the display 22 displays an ultrasonic image based on the second data (e.g., ultrasonic image data).

[0038] Figure 21 is a diagram schematically showing an example of the arrangement of the above-mentioned components in the examination room A. A bed is arranged in the examination room A for a subject (e.g., a patient) to lie down. An operation panel 20 operated by a user such as a physician and an ultrasound technician and a display 22 for displaying ultrasound images are arranged on the left side of the bed. In addition, a communication device 40 (e.g., a base station 40) is installed at a predetermined location in the examination room A, such as a wall in a corner of the examination room A.

[0039] And, in Figure 2 The "specified position" in the examination room is shown using an imaginary ball. Figure 2 In the example shown, the position of the pillow of the bed on which the patient lies during the examination is set as the “predetermined position.” Alternatively, the “predetermined position” may be any one of the position of the display 22, the position of the operation panel 20, or the position of the subject in the examination location.

[0040] Since the probe a10 and the probe b10 are wirelessly connected to the communication device 40, they can be arranged at any position in the inspection room A and can be moved to any position. Figure 2 In the illustrated state, the probe a10 is arranged at a location close to a predetermined position on the bed, and the probe b10 is arranged on a table placed at a location away from the bed.

[0041] As described later, the above-mentioned “predetermined position” is used to identify a specific probe 10 from among the plurality of probes 10 when the plurality of probes 10 are arranged so as to be able to communicate with the communication device 40. Figure 2 In the example shown, one specific probe 10 is identified from among the probe a10 and the probe b10 arranged in the inspection room A, and the probe c10, the probe d10, and the probe e10 arranged in the inspection room B.

[0042] Figure 3 1 is a block diagram showing an example of the functional structure of the ultrasonic diagnostic system 1 according to the first embodiment. A plurality of probes 10, such as probe a10 and probe b10 in the examination room A, and probe c10, probe d10, and probe e10 in the examination room B, are connected to a base station 40 (i.e., a communication device 40) through wireless communication, and the base station 40 is connected to an ultrasonic server 50 via a network 70.

[0043] Furthermore, the operation panel A20 and the display A22 in the examination room A, and the operation panel B20 and the display B22 in the examination room B are also connected to the ultrasound server 50 via the network 70 .

[0044] Each probe 10 includes, for example, a transducer array 101 , a transmission / reception circuit 102 , a signal processing circuit 103 , a wireless I / F (Interface) circuit 104 , a position (physical quantity) measurement circuit 105 , and a control circuit 106 .

[0045] The transducer array 101 is configured by arranging a plurality of transducers, and has, for example, transmission channels and reception channels corresponding in number to the number of transducers. The transducer array 101 converts a transmission signal applied as an electrical signal to each transmission channel via the transmission and reception circuit 102 into an ultrasonic signal and transmits the signal to the subject, and receives an ultrasonic reflection signal reflected from the subject and converts the signal into an electrical signal and outputs the signal to each reception channel.

[0046] The transmission / reception circuit 102 includes, for example, a transmission circuit, a transmission / reception separation circuit, a high-voltage switch, an amplifier, an A / D converter, and a reception buffer memory.

[0047] The transmission circuit in the transmission and reception circuit 102 generates a transmission signal for each transmission channel and outputs it to the transmission and reception separation circuit. In the transmission circuit, each transmission signal transmitted by the transducer array 101 is given a delay time. In addition, the plurality of transmission signals generated in the transmission circuit are respectively output to the corresponding transmission channels, and are applied to each element of the transducer array 101 via the transmission and reception separation circuit and the high-voltage switch. By giving a delay time to each transmission signal of the transmission channel, an ultrasonic signal formed into a directional ultrasonic transmission beam is transmitted from the transducer array 101.

[0048] On the other hand, the amplifier constituting the receiving system in the transmitting and receiving circuit 102 amplifies the receiving signal obtained by each receiving channel and outputs it to the A / D converter. The A / D converter A / D converts the analog RF (radio frequency) receiving signal of each receiving channel output from the amplifier into a digital RF receiving signal, and the digital RF receiving signal of each receiving channel after A / D conversion is stored in the receiving buffer memory.

[0049] The signal processing circuit 103 is composed of a beamformer and a data compression circuit. In the beamformer, beamforming is applied to the received signal stored in the receiving buffer memory of the transmitting and receiving circuit 102. The beamformer can apply beamforming of a phase-accumulation method (Japanese: phase-accumulation method) in which the receiving delay time of each receiving channel is assigned to each receiving signal and added, or can apply adaptive beamforming that implements delay time correction taking into account the sound velocity distribution inside the subject. In addition, beamforming can be performed in the ultrasonic server 50 instead of in the signal processing circuit 103. In the data compression unit, the ultrasonic receiving signal before or after beamforming (hereinafter referred to as ultrasonic data or first data) is compressed to a level that does not exceed the maximum value of the wireless communication rate.

[0050] The wireless I / F circuit 104 converts the ultrasonic data before or after beamforming obtained by the signal processing circuit 103 into a wireless signal that complies with the wireless communication specifications, such as the specifications of the 5G private network system, and transmits it to the base station 40. In addition to the ultrasonic data, the wireless I / F circuit 104 also transmits the signals and data required for the processing of the ultrasonic server 50 to the base station 40.

[0051] The position (physical quantity) measuring circuit 105 is a circuit for measuring physical quantities associated with the probe (e.g., the position of the probe, etc.). The data of the physical quantity measured by the position (physical quantity) measuring circuit 105 is also transmitted to the base station 40 via the wireless I / F circuit 104 together with the ultrasonic reception signal. More specific operations of the position (physical quantity) measuring circuit 105 will be described later.

[0052] The control circuit 106 is a circuit including a processor for controlling the transmission / reception circuit 102 , the signal processing circuit 103 , and the wireless I / F circuit 104 .

[0053] The base station 40 is a communication device 40 that relays each probe 10 and the ultrasonic server 50. Ultrasonic data before or after beamforming output from the signal processing circuit 103, data on physical quantities such as the position of the probe output from the position (physical quantity) measurement circuit 105, and signals and data required for processing by the ultrasonic server 50 are sent from the wireless I / F circuit 104 of each probe to the base station 40. In the base station 40, these data are sent to the ultrasonic server 50 via the network 70.

[0054] On the other hand, various control signals for the probe 10 are sent from the ultrasound server 50 to the base station 40 via the network 70. In the base station 40, these various control signals are sent to the wireless I / F circuit 104 of the probe 10. As described above, the communication between the base station 40 and the wireless I / F circuit 104 is performed using, for example, wireless communication that complies with the local 5G standard.

[0055] The ultrasonic server 50 is a computer that performs ultrasonic data processing, and is configured to include, for example, a wired I / F (interface) circuit 502 , a signal processing circuit 504 , an image processing circuit 506 , a storage circuit 508 , and a processing circuit 510 .

[0056] The wired I / F circuit 502 is an interface for connecting the ultrasonic server 50 to the network 70 .

[0057] The signal processing circuit 504 generates ultrasonic image data corresponding to various imaging methods based on the first data, that is, ultrasonic data before or after beamforming, sent from the probe 10. The aforementioned adaptive beamforming is applied to the ultrasonic data before beamforming to generate ultrasonic image data.

[0058] The signal processing circuit 504 generates ultrasonic image data corresponding to various imaging methods, such as B-mode method, color Doppler method, pulse Doppler method, contrast imaging method, elastic imaging method, etc. The ultrasonic image data generated by the signal processing circuit 504 is one-dimensional ultrasonic image data in which pixel data corresponding to various imaging methods are arranged in the distance direction (depth direction of the subject), two-dimensional ultrasonic image data in which pixel data corresponding to various imaging methods are arranged in the distance direction and azimuth direction, or three-dimensional ultrasonic image data in which pixel data corresponding to various imaging methods are arranged in the distance direction, azimuth direction, and elevation direction.

[0059] The image processing circuit 506 converts the ultrasonic image data generated by the signal processing circuit 504 into a data arrangement suitable for display on the display 22, and generates ultrasonic image data as a display image. In addition, the image processing circuit 506 generates various characters, graphics, and line graph data for displaying the following data, and synthesizes them with the ultrasonic image data to generate second data (that is, ultrasonic image data for display), wherein the data refers to data indicating the display position of the ultrasonic image, various auxiliary data displayed on the display 22 together with the ultrasonic image, auxiliary data for user operation, and data related to patient information, and generates second data (that is, ultrasonic image data for display).

[0060] The ultrasonic image data for display generated by the image processing circuit 506 is converted into a format suitable for transmission over the network 70 by the wired I / F circuit 502 , and is transmitted to the display 22 .

[0061] The storage circuit 508 can store the ultrasonic image data generated by the signal processing circuit 504 and the ultrasonic image data for display generated by the image processing circuit 506. In addition, the storage circuit 508 stores various data such as diagnostic information such as patient ID and doctor's opinion, diagnostic protocols, and various body marks. In addition, when the processing performed by the signal processing circuit 504 and the image processing circuit 506 is accompanied by software processing, the storage circuit 508 can store programs required for these software processing. In addition, the storage circuit 508 stores various programs executed by the processor of the processing circuit 510. The storage circuit 508 is a storage medium including external storage devices such as HDD (Hard Disk Drive) and optical disk devices in addition to ROM (Read Only Memory) and RAM (Random Access Memory).

[0062] The processing circuit 510 is a circuit including a processor that realizes the function as an information processing device, and controls the overall processing of the ultrasonic server 50. For example, the processing of the ultrasonic server 50 is generally controlled based on various setting requests, various control programs, and various data inputted by the operator via the operation panel 20.

[0063] Furthermore, the processing circuit 510 implements a correspondence establishing function 512. The correspondence establishing function 512 is a function of establishing correspondence between a specific probe among the plurality of probes 10 and the operation display unit 30 (operation panel 20 and display 22) based on a physical quantity measured by the position (physical quantity) measuring circuit 105 of each probe 10, such as the position of each probe 10. A more specific description of the correspondence establishing function 512 will be given later.

[0064] The processing circuit 510 is, for example, a circuit having a CPU and a dedicated or general-purpose processor. The processor implements various functions by executing various programs stored in the storage circuit 508. The processing circuit 510 can be composed of hardware such as FPGA and ASIC. Various functions described below can also be implemented by these hardware. In addition, the processing circuit 510 can also combine software processing based on the processor and the program with hardware processing to implement various functions.

[0065] (Corresponding to establishment processing)

[0066] In the ultrasonic diagnostic system 1 of this embodiment, as Figure 1 to Figure 3As shown, a plurality of probes 10 and a plurality of operation display units 30 (operation panel 20 and display 22) can be connected to one ultrasound server 50. Therefore, it is important to appropriately establish correspondence between a specific probe 10 and a specific operation display unit 30. When the correspondence is inappropriate, for example, an ultrasound image generated based on ultrasound data collected by an undesired probe 10, such as probe c10 located in examination room B, may be displayed on display A22 provided in examination room A.

[0067] Figure 4 This is a flowchart showing a processing example of the ultrasonic diagnostic system 1 according to the first embodiment, particularly focusing on the correspondence between the probe 10 and the operation display unit 30. Figure 4 The process of the flowchart is described.

[0068] In the ultrasonic diagnostic system 1 of the first embodiment, although the plurality of probes 10 can be moved from one examination site to another, the operation display unit 30 composed of the display 22 and the operation panel 20 is assumed to be fixed at a predetermined examination site. In addition, it is assumed that the ultrasonic server 50 holds the identification information of the operation display unit 30 installed at each examination site. For example, Figure 1 In the example shown in FIG. 1 and FIG. 2 , it is assumed that the ultrasound server 50 holds identification information of the display A22 and the operation panel A20 installed in the examination room A, and identification information of the display B22 and the operation panel B20 installed in the examination room B.

[0069] Under such assumptions, first, in step ST101, the plurality of probes 10 installed in each inspection field measure the position of the probe or measure the physical quantity associated with the probe. The position or physical quantity of the probe is measured, for example, by the position (physical quantity) measuring circuit 105 in each probe 10. Alternatively, the position of each probe 10 may be measured by a measuring unit installed in another manner.

[0070] Then, in step ST102 , each probe 10 transmits the measured position of the probe or the physical quantity associated with the probe to the ultrasonic server 50 via the base station 40 .

[0071] Various methods can be considered for measuring the position of the probe 10. For example, it is possible to use radio waves from the base station 40 (communication device 40) or a transmitting device not shown in the figure for positioning. For example, the following methods can be used for positioning: an RSSI (Received Signal Strength Indicator) method that estimates the position of the probe 10 using the strength of the radio waves from the base station 40 or a transmitting device not shown in the figure; an AoA (Angle of Arrival) method that measures not only the strength of the radio waves but also the angle of the direction of arrival of the radio waves; or a triangulation positioning method that performs positioning by triangulation using multiple transmitting devices.

[0072] Furthermore, a method of positioning a magnetic sensor installed in the probe 10 by installing a magnetic generating device (not shown) near the inspection site may be used, or a GPS (Global Positioning System) may be used. In addition, an acceleration sensor may be installed in the probe 10, and the position of the probe may be obtained using acceleration information. Alternatively, an optical camera installed in the inspection room as a measuring unit installed in another manner may be used to measure the position of each probe based on an image of the optical camera.

[0073] In order to improve the positioning accuracy, the above-mentioned multiple methods may be combined. Furthermore, the dimension of the measured position may be two-dimensional or three-dimensional including information in the height direction.

[0074] Furthermore, the position information of each probe 10 measured by an optical camera or the like is also transmitted to the ultrasonic server 50 via the network 70 or the like.

[0075] Instead of directly measuring the position, it is also possible to measure a physical quantity associated with each probe and send the measured physical quantity to the ultrasonic server 50. For example, it is also possible to measure the intensity of the radio wave from the base station 40 or the transmitting device and send the measured radio wave intensity as a physical quantity associated with each probe to the ultrasonic server 50. In addition, in order to determine a specific probe corresponding to the operation display unit 30 from a plurality of probes 10, a user such as a physician or an ultrasonic technician may hold the probe 10 on site and send the temperature of the user's hand measured by a temperature sensor provided near the periphery of the probe 10 and acceleration information indicating vibration and position change measured by an acceleration sensor provided in the probe as physical quantities associated with each probe to the ultrasonic server 50 as information indicating that the probe 10 is about to be used.

[0076] In step ST103, the ultrasound server 50 establishes a correspondence between a specific probe 10 among the plurality of probes 10 and the display 22 and the operation panel A20 provided at each examination site, based on the position of the probe or the physical quantity associated with the probe sent by each probe 10. The processing of step ST103 is performed by the correspondence establishing function 512 of the ultrasound server 50.

[0077] As described above, the ultrasonic server 50 holds the identification information of the display 22 and the operation panel 20 installed at each inspection location. For example, the ultrasonic server 50 holds the identification information of the display A22 and the operation panel A20 installed in the inspection room A. On the other hand, for each inspection location (for example, the inspection room A), Figure 2 As shown, a “predetermined position” is set. For example, a “predetermined position” is set above a bed in examination room A.

[0078] The corresponding establishment function 512 of the ultrasonic server 50 determines the probe 10 closest to the "prescribed position" from among the plurality of probes 10 as the specific probe 10, based on the positions of the probes 10 sent from the plurality of probes 10. For example, from among the five probes 10, namely, probe a10 and probe b10 installed in the examination room A, and probe c10, probe d10, and probe e10 installed in the examination room B, the probe a10 closest to the "prescribed position" in the examination room A is determined as the specific probe 10.

[0079] Alternatively, the corresponding establishment function 512 of the ultrasonic server 50 determines, from among the multiple probes 10, a probe 10 closest to the "specified position" as a specific probe 10 based on physical quantities associated with each probe 10 and sent from the multiple probes 10 (for example, the intensity of radio waves received by each probe 10).

[0080] Then, the association establishing function 512 of the ultrasonic server 50 establishes association between the specific probe 10 determined based on the “predetermined position” of the examination site, and the display 22 and the operation panel 20 installed at the examination site.

[0081] In step ST104, the correspondence establishing function 512 of the ultrasound server 50 establishes communication between the corresponding specific probe 10 and the display 22 and the operation panel 20. By establishing this communication, for example, the display A22 and the operation panel A20 in the examination room A are connected only to the specific probe 10 closest to the "specified position", that is, the probe a10.

[0082] In step ST105 , the ultrasound server 50 generates ultrasound image data based on ultrasound data sent from the specific probe 10 according to control data from the operation panel 22 associated with the specific probe 10 , and sends the generated ultrasound image data to the display 22 associated with the specific probe 10 .

[0083] Then, in step ST106 , the ultrasonic server 50 causes the display 22 associated with the specific probe 10 to display the ultrasonic image based on the ultrasonic image data.

[0084] (Modification of the first embodiment)

[0085] Figure 5 1 is a flowchart showing a processing example of the ultrasonic diagnostic system 1 according to the first modified example of the first embodiment. The first modified example of the first embodiment and the processing of the first embodiment described above ( Figure 4 ) is that the processing of step ST200 is added. The other processing is the same as that of the first embodiment.

[0086] In step ST200, it is monitored whether a connection start signal is input from the user input interface, and when the connection start signal is input, the process proceeds to step ST103. That is, in step ST200, when the connection start signal is input, the specific probe 10 closest to the "predetermined position" is determined as the specific probe 10.

[0087] The input interface to which the connection start signal is input is, for example, the operation panel 20 provided at the examination site, an appropriate switch provided in the probe 10 , etc. The processing of step ST200 is performed by the association establishing function 512 of the ultrasonic server 50 .

[0088] Figure 6 1 is a flowchart showing a processing example of the ultrasonic diagnostic system 1 according to the second modified example of the first embodiment. The second modified example of the first embodiment and the processing of the first embodiment described above ( Figure 4 ) is that the processing of step ST210 to step ST230 is added. The other processing is the same as that of the first embodiment.

[0089] When the probe 10 is wirelessly connected, the user can relatively easily move the probe 10. Therefore, the specific probe 10 is temporarily associated with the operation panel 20 and the display 22, and the specific probe 10 can be moved even when signals are being sent and received between the specific probe 10, the operation panel 20 and the display 22. As a result, there is a possibility that the distance from the temporarily determined specific probe 10 to the prescribed position is farther than other probes 10 other than the specific probe 10. In this case, when the temporarily determined specific probe 10 and other probes 10 are switched only based on the judgment based on the distance to the prescribed position, the specific probe 10 and other probes 10 may be frequently switched against the user's intention.

[0090] Therefore, in step ST210, even if it is determined that the distance between the temporarily determined specific probe 10 and the specified position is farther than that between the specific probe 10 and the specified position (step ST210: yes), if the specific probe 10 is within the specified range (for example, within the specified range from the "specified position") (step ST220: yes), the process returns to step ST105 to maintain the correspondence and communication between the specific probe 10 and the operation panel 20 and the display 22.

[0091] On the other hand, when it is determined in step ST220 that the specific probe 10 has gone out of the prescribed range (step ST220: No), an alarm is generated to notify the user of this situation (step ST230). In addition, in step ST230, the generation of the alarm may be replaced or the correspondence between the specific probe 10 and the operation panel 20 and the display 22 may be cancelled based on the generation of the alarm, and other probes 10 other than the specific probe 10 that are closer to the prescribed position within the prescribed range may be associated with the operation panel 20 and the display 22.

[0092] (Second Embodiment)

[0093] In the ultrasonic diagnostic system 1 of the first embodiment described above, the plurality of probes 10 are each movable from one examination site to another examination site, but the operation display unit 30 composed of the display 22 and the operation panel 20 is assumed to be fixed at a predetermined examination site. In contrast, in the ultrasonic diagnostic system 1 of the second embodiment, it is assumed that not only each of the plurality of probes 10 but also the plurality of operation display units 30 are each movable from one examination site to another examination site and can be moved between examination sites.

[0094] The operation display unit 30 of the ultrasonic diagnostic system 1 of the second embodiment is configured as a portable display terminal 60 such as a tablet terminal. The portable display terminal 60 has a touch screen display capable of displaying ultrasonic images and inputting various operation data.

[0095] Figure 7 1 is a diagram showing a system configuration example of an ultrasonic diagnostic system 1 according to a second embodiment. The difference from the first embodiment is that the operation display unit 30 composed of the operation panel 20 and the display 22 is replaced by a portable display terminal 60, and the operation panel 20 and the display 22 are connected to the network 70 by wire, while the portable display terminal 60 is connected to the base station 40 (communication device 40) by wireless.

[0096] exist Figure 7In the example shown, the portable display terminal A60 is arranged in the inspection room A, and the portable display terminal B60 is arranged in the inspection room B, but as described above, each portable display terminal 60 can be carried by the user. Therefore, there is also a case where the portable display terminal A60 is arranged in the inspection room B, and the portable display terminal B60 is arranged in the inspection room A. Alternatively, the portable display terminal A60 and the portable display terminal B60 may be arranged in one of the inspection rooms A or B.

[0097] Figure 8 2 is a block diagram showing an example of the functional configuration of an ultrasonic diagnostic system 1 according to the second embodiment. Figure 8 In the embodiment, the components other than the portable display terminal 60 are the same as those in the first embodiment ( Figure 3 )same.

[0098] As described above, the portable display terminal 60 has a touch screen display capable of displaying ultrasonic images and inputting various operation data, and further has a position (physical quantity) measuring circuit 601. The function and structure of the position (physical quantity) measuring circuit 601 are the same as those of the position (physical quantity) measuring circuit 105 of the probe 10, and therefore description thereof is omitted.

[0099] Fig. 9 This is a flowchart showing a processing example of the ultrasonic diagnostic system 1 according to the second embodiment, particularly a processing example focusing on the correspondence between the probe 10 and the portable display terminal 60 .

[0100] First, in step ST301, each of the plurality of probes 10 installed at each inspection site and the portable display terminal 60 measures the position of the probe 10 and the position of the portable display terminal 60, or measures a physical quantity associated with the probe 10 and the portable display terminal 60. The measurement of the position of the probe 10 or the physical quantity associated with the probe 10 is the same as in the first embodiment, and is performed by, for example, the position (physical quantity) measurement circuit 105 in each probe 10. On the other hand, the measurement of the position of the portable display terminal 60 or the physical quantity associated with the portable display terminal 60 is performed by, for example, the position (physical quantity) measurement circuit 605 in each portable display terminal 60.

[0101] The meaning of each portable display terminal 60 measuring the position of the portable display terminal 60 or the physical quantity associated with the portable display terminal 60, and the method of performing these measurements are substantially the same as the meaning of the position of the probe or the physical quantity associated with the probe, and the method of performing these measurements described in the first embodiment, so the description is omitted.

[0102] In step ST302 , each probe 10 and each portable display terminal 60 transmits the measured position of the probe and the portable display terminal, or physical quantities associated with the probe 10 and the portable display terminal 60 to the ultrasound server 50 via the base station 40 .

[0103] In step ST303, the ultrasonic server 50 establishes a correspondence between a specific probe 10 among the multiple probes 10 and a specific portable display terminal 60 among the multiple portable display terminals 60 based on the positions of each probe 10 and the positions of each portable display terminal 60 sent by each probe 10 and each portable display terminal 60, or physical quantities associated with each probe 10 and each portable display terminal 60.

[0104] The method of identifying the specific portable display terminal 60 from the plurality of portable display terminals 60 can be the same method as the method of identifying the specific probe 10 from the plurality of probes 10. For example, the portable display terminal 60 closest to the "predetermined position" in the examination room can be identified as the specific portable display terminal 60. The processing of step ST303 is performed by the correspondence establishment function 512 of the ultrasonic server 50.

[0105] In step ST304 , the correspondence establishing function 512 of the ultrasound server 50 establishes communication between the specific probe 10 and the specific portable display terminal 60 with which correspondence has been established.

[0106] In step ST305, the ultrasonic server 50 generates ultrasonic image data based on the ultrasonic data sent from the specific probe 10 according to the control data from the specific portable display terminal 60 that has established a correspondence with the specific probe 10, and sends the generated ultrasonic image data to the specific portable display terminal 60 that has established a correspondence with the specific probe 10.

[0107] Then, in step ST306 , the ultrasound server 50 causes the specific portable display terminal 60 associated with the specific probe 10 to display the ultrasound image based on the ultrasound image data.

[0108] (Variation of the Second Embodiment)

[0109] Fig.10 1 is a flowchart showing a processing example of the ultrasonic diagnostic system 1 according to a modification of the second embodiment. The modification of the second embodiment and the processing of the second embodiment described above ( Fig. 9 ) is that the processing of step ST410 to step ST430 is added. The other processing is the same as the second embodiment.

[0110] Since the portable display terminal 60 is wirelessly connected, the user can easily move the portable display terminal 60. Therefore, the specific probe 10 and the specific portable display terminal 60 are temporarily associated, and the specific portable display terminal 60 can be moved even when the specific probe 10 and the specific portable display terminal 60 are transmitting and receiving signals via the ultrasonic server 50. As a result, there is a possibility that the distance from the temporarily determined specific portable display terminal 60 to the prescribed position is farther than that of other portable display terminals 60 other than the specific portable display terminal 60. In this case, as with the case of the probe 10, when the temporarily determined specific portable display terminal 60 and other portable display terminals 60 are switched only based on the determination based on the distance to the prescribed position, the specific portable display terminal 60 and other portable display terminals 60 may be frequently switched against the user's intention.

[0111] Therefore, in step ST410, even if it is determined that the distance between the temporarily determined specific portable display terminal 60 and the specified position is farther than that of other portable display terminals 60 other than the specific portable display terminal 60 (step ST410: yes), if the specific portable display terminal 60 is within the specified range (step ST420: yes), the process returns to step ST305 to maintain the correspondence and communication between the specific probe 10 and the specific portable display terminal 60.

[0112] On the other hand, when it is determined in step ST420 that the specific portable display terminal 60 has come out of the prescribed range (step ST420: No), an alarm is generated to notify the user of the situation (step ST430). In addition, as in the second modified example of the first embodiment, in step ST430, the generation of the alarm may be replaced or the correspondence between the specific probe 10 and the specific portable display terminal 60 may be cancelled based on the generation of the alarm, and the correspondence between the specific probe 10 and the specific portable display terminal 60 other than the specific portable display terminal 60 and the prescribed position located within the prescribed range may be established.

[0113] (Third Embodiment)

[0114] Fig.11 1 is a block diagram showing an example of the functional configuration of an ultrasonic diagnostic system 1 according to the third embodiment. Figure 3 ) is that the processing circuit 510 of the ultrasonic server 50 has a probe list display function 514.

[0115] For example, in the first modified example of the first embodiment, the user operates the operation panel 20 installed at the examination site (for example, the operation panel A20 installed in the examination room A) to send an instruction to start the examination, such as a connection start instruction, and at this timing, a specific probe 10 is determined based on the distance between the probe 10 and the specified position. Then, the specific probe 10 is connected to the operation panel A20 and the display A22.

[0116] On the other hand, there is a case where the user knows the connection possibilities and connection priorities of each of the multiple probes 10, and based on the results, wants to determine a specific probe 10 to be connected to the operation panel A20 and the display A22 from among the multiple probes 10. In the third embodiment, information for supporting such probe selection is displayed as, for example, a probe list on the display A22.

[0117] Fig.12 1 is a diagram showing an example of a probe list displayed on the probe list screen DS. The probe list is for displaying at a glance the connection status of probes related to a predetermined examination room using the ultrasonic diagnostic system 1.

[0118] For example, a probe list indicating the connection status of probes related to the inspection room A is displayed on the probe list screen DS of the display A22 provided in the inspection room A. In this case, for example, by pressing a switch or button provided on the operation panel A20 provided in the same inspection room A, the probe list screen DS is displayed on the display A22. In addition, when the operation panel A20 is provided with a touch screen, the probe list screen DS can also be displayed on the touch screen.

[0119] The probe list includes, for example, a "connected probe" column that displays the connection status of the probe together with the probe icon, a "connected display" column that indicates the display to which the probe is connected, and a "priority" column that indicates the connection priority of the probe.

[0120] The probe icon displayed in the "Connected probe" column schematically shows the shape of the connected probe, and the identification information of the probe, such as "P001", is displayed at the lower right of the probe shape. In addition, the probe icons have different backgrounds, so that the connection status of each probe can be known at a glance according to the brightness of the background. For example, the connection status of each probe can be indicated by "highlight" display of the brightest background, "normal" display of medium brightness, "gray down" display of the darkest background, etc.

[0121] For example, a "highlight" display indicates that the probe is currently connected to the display A22. A "normal" display indicates that the probe is currently connectable. However, the currently connected probe is an exception. A "low grayscale" display indicates that the probe is currently not connectable.

[0122] Here, the possibility of connecting the probe is determined based on at least one of the following conditions: (a) whether the probe is connected to a display other than the display (e.g., display A22), (b) a diagnosis condition and a communication condition related to the probe, (c) a charging condition of the probe, (d) a distance between the probe and a specified position, and (e) whether the probe is within a specified range. This determination is performed, for example, by the probe list display function 514 of the ultrasound server 50.

[0123] Here, the so-called diagnostic status refers to information indicating what kind of diagnosis is performed, and is information related to the required value of the communication speed for the probe. Specifically, it refers to information such as the anatomical part of the subject to be examined, imaging modes such as B-mode method and color Doppler method, imaging conditions such as frame rate, and the content of the examination such as contrast examination or non-contrast examination. Depending on these diagnostic conditions, the required value of the communication speed of the probe required for the diagnosis is different.

[0124] On the other hand, the communication status refers to the maximum communication speed that the probe can currently achieve. By comparing the diagnostic status (e.g., the required value for the communication speed of the probe) and the communication status (e.g., the maximum communication speed that can be achieved), the connection possibility of the probe can be determined.

[0125] The "Connected Display" column displays identification information of the display currently connected to each probe 10. When the "Connected Probe" column is "highlighted", the "Connected Display" column of the same row displays identification information of the display (eg, "D00aa" etc.).

[0126] In the column of “Priority”, a number indicating the connection priority of the probe is displayed. The connection priority is data that is preset for each probe 10 managed by the ultrasonic server 50 and is stored in the storage circuit 508 or the like by the ultrasonic server 50 .

[0127] The connection priority may be set by the user, or may be automatically set by the ultrasound server 50 based on data (eg, a lookup table) that associates the identification information of the probe 10 , the diagnosis status, and the connection priority.

[0128] As described above, the diagnosis status is information indicating what kind of diagnosis was performed, and includes the contents of the examination such as contrast examination or non-contrast examination. For example, in an examination with a high diagnostic cost such as contrast examination, it is desirable to increase the connection priority of the probe used in the examination.

[0129] The connection priority thus set is displayed in the "Priority" column of the probe list. The user can confirm the connection status of each probe by referring to the probe list displayed on the display 22. In addition, the user can also select the probe to be used by, for example, using a probe selection button provided on the operation panel 20 while viewing the probe list.

[0130] In addition, functions other than displaying the probe list can be realized based on the connection priority. For example, when there are multiple probes connected to the base station 40, a function of preferentially securing the transmission rate for the probe with the higher priority can be realized.

[0131] In addition, the probe list display function 514 of the ultrasonic server 50 may also additionally display data related to the distance of each probe from the “predetermined position” or the position information of the probe in the probe list.

[0132] Several embodiments of the present invention have been described, but these embodiments are presented as examples and are not intended to limit the scope of the invention. These embodiments can be implemented in various other ways, and various omissions, substitutions, and changes can be made without departing from the scope of the subject matter of the invention. These embodiments and their variations are included in the scope or subject matter of the invention, and are also included in the invention described in the claims and the scope of their equivalents.

Claims

1. An ultrasonic diagnostic system, characterized in that: have: Multiple probes; at least one operation display unit is provided at the same inspection location as at least one of the plurality of probes; A communication unit, communicating with the plurality of probes and the operation display unit; a measuring unit for measuring a physical quantity associated with the plurality of probes; a correspondence establishing unit that determines, based on the measured physical quantity, a probe that is closest to the position of the subject in the examination place or a specific position on the bed in the examination place as a specific probe among the plurality of probes, and establishes a correspondence between the determined specific probe and the operation display unit; and An ultrasonic server is set at a location different from the inspection location. The ultrasonic server receives first data collected by the specific probe via the communication unit, generates second data based on the received first data, and sends the generated second data to the operation display unit via the communication unit.

2. The ultrasonic diagnostic system according to claim 1, characterized in that: The association unit determines the position of the subject in the examination site or a specific position on the bed in the examination site as a predetermined position of the examination site, and determines the probe closest to the predetermined position as the specific probe.

3. The ultrasonic diagnostic system according to claim 2, characterized in that: The measuring unit detects the positions of the respective probes. The association unit determines, based on the respective distances between the plurality of probes and the predetermined position, a probe closest to the predetermined position of the inspection site as the specific probe.

4. The ultrasonic diagnostic system according to claim 3, characterized in that: After the specific probe and the operation display unit are temporarily corresponded, the correspondence establishing unit maintains the correspondence between the specific probe and the operation display unit even if the distance between the specific probe and the specified position is farther than the distance between other probes and the specified position.

5. The ultrasonic diagnostic system according to claim 2, characterized in that: The correspondence establishing unit sets a specified range around the specified position, and when the specific probe goes out of the specified range, performs at least one of the following processes: (a) canceling the correspondence between the specific probe and the operation display unit, (b) establishing correspondence between probes other than the specific probe within the specified range and the operation display unit, and (c) outputting an alarm.

6. The ultrasonic diagnostic system according to claim 2, characterized in that: The ultrasonic diagnostic system further comprises an input interface for inputting a connection start signal for indicating the start of connection. The association unit determines the probe closest to the predetermined position as the specific probe when the connection start signal is input.

7. The ultrasonic diagnostic system according to claim 2, characterized in that: The at least one operation display unit is a plurality of portable operation display units configured in a portable manner, The ultrasonic diagnostic system further includes a second measuring unit configured to measure a second physical quantity associated with the plurality of portable operation display units. The association establishing unit establishes an association between a specific portable operation display unit among the plurality of portable operation display units and the specific probe based on the measured second physical quantity, The ultrasonic server transmits the generated second data to the specific portable operation display unit via the communication unit.

8. The ultrasonic diagnostic system according to claim 7, characterized in that: The second measuring unit detects the positions of the respective portable operation display units. The association establishing unit selects the portable operation display unit closest to the prescribed position of the inspection site as the specific portable operation display unit based on the respective distances between the plurality of portable operation display units and the prescribed position.

9. The ultrasonic diagnostic system according to claim 8, characterized in that: After the specific portable operation display unit and the specific probe are temporarily corresponded, the correspondence establishing unit maintains the correspondence between the specific portable operation display unit and the specific probe even if the distance between the specific portable operation display unit and the specified position is farther than the distance between other portable operation display units and the specified position.

10. The ultrasonic diagnostic system according to claim 7, characterized in that: The correspondence establishing unit sets a second prescribed range around the prescribed position, and when the specific portable operation display unit goes out of the second prescribed range, performs at least one of the following processes: (a) canceling the correspondence between the specific portable operation display unit and the specific probe, (b) establishing correspondence between a portable operation display unit other than the specific portable operation display unit within the second prescribed range and the specific probe, and (c) outputting an alarm.

11. The ultrasonic diagnostic system according to claim 1, characterized in that: The plurality of probes are configured to communicate with the communication unit wirelessly.

12. The ultrasonic diagnostic system according to claim 7, characterized in that: The plurality of portable operation display units are configured to communicate with the communication unit in a wireless manner.

13. The ultrasonic diagnostic system according to claim 1, characterized in that: The at least one operation display unit includes the operation display unit installed at the inspection location and at least one other operation display unit installed at an inspection location different from the inspection location. The ultrasonic server causes the operation display unit to display a probe list including probes connected to the operation display unit, probes connectable to the operation display unit, and probes connected to the other operation display units.

14. The ultrasonic diagnostic system according to claim 13, characterized in that: The probe list includes information indicating the possibility of connection with the probes in the probe list, The ultrasonic server determines the connection possibility based on at least one of the following situations: (a) whether the probe is connected to a display other than the operation display unit, (b) the diagnostic status and communication status related to the probe, (c) the charging status of the probe, (d) the distance between the probe and a specified position, and (e) whether the probe is within a specified range.

15. The ultrasonic diagnostic system according to claim 13 or 14, characterized in that: The probe list includes information indicating the connection priority of the probe list, The connection priority is set by the user.

16. The ultrasonic diagnostic system according to claim 13 or 14, characterized in that: The probe list includes information indicating the connection priority of the probe list, The ultrasound server sets the connection priority based on data in which at least one of the identification information and the diagnosis status of the probe is associated with the connection priority.

17. The ultrasonic diagnostic system according to claim 13 or 14, characterized in that: The probe list includes the location information of the probes.

18. The ultrasonic diagnostic system according to claim 15, characterized in that: When two or more probes communicate via the communication unit, the ultrasonic server preferentially secures a transmission rate for the probe having a higher connection priority.

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