Ultrasonic scanning image information generating device and method

Abstract

The present invention relates to an ultrasonic scanning image information generation device and method, which converts the rotational motion of a motor into the linear reciprocating motion of an ultrasonic probe, thereby enabling the ultrasonic probe to scan a subject at high speed and quickly generate accurate three-dimensional ultrasonic images using a trigger signal. According to one embodiment of the present invention, the ultrasonic scanning image information generation device includes: an ultrasonic irradiation / receiving unit, which irradiates ultrasonic waves to a subject through a probe and receives echo signals of the irradiated ultrasonic waves through the probe; a signal conversion unit, which receives the input echo signals and converts them into digital image signals; a main control unit, which receives the input digital image signals and generates ultrasonic image information about the subject; and a trigger control unit, which generates a trigger signal based on the motion information of the probe and can generate ultrasonic image information in a form synchronized with the trigger signal.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to an ultrasonic scanning image information generating device and method, and more particularly to an ultrasonic scanning image information generating device and method, which generates a two-dimensional or three-dimensional ultrasonic image of a detection object (subject) while moving an ultrasonic probe at high speed. Background Art

[0002] Ultrasound systems are widely used as important diagnostic systems. Their non-invasive and non-destructive nature makes them widely applicable in various fields. Recently, ultrasound systems have been used to generate two-dimensional or three-dimensional images of the internal shape of an object.

[0003] This ultrasound system includes a probe with a broadband transducer for transmitting and receiving ultrasonic signals. When the transducer is electrically stimulated, an ultrasonic signal is generated and transmitted toward the subject. The ultrasonic signal propagates back to the subject and is converted into an electrical signal by the transducer. The converted electrical signal is amplified and processed to generate ultrasonic image data of the subject.

[0004] In addition, as an example of an ultrasonic system in the prior art, Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 9-288097 (hereinafter referred to as the "prior technical document") proposes an "ultrasonic flaw detection device". The ultrasonic flaw detection device proposed in the prior technical document is a technology that allows the flaw detection probe to move along the X, Y, and Z axes while performing flaw detection on the object to be inspected.

[0005] However, in the ultrasonic flaw detection device proposed in the prior art literature, the flaw detection probe is moved along the X, Y, and Z axes with the help of a ball screw and a belt drive mechanism. The structural characteristics of such a ball screw and a belt drive mechanism result in limitations in the high-speed movement of the flaw detection probe. Because of such limitations, the ultrasonic flaw detection device of the prior art cannot scan the object at high speed. Summary of the Invention

[0006] The purpose of the present invention is to provide an ultrasonic scanning image information generation device and method, which converts the rotational motion of the motor into the linear reciprocating motion of the ultrasonic probe, so that the ultrasonic probe can scan the subject at high speed and can quickly generate accurate three-dimensional ultrasonic images using trigger signals.

[0007] According to an embodiment of the present invention, an ultrasonic scanning image information generating device converts the unidirectional rotational motion of a driving motor into the linear reciprocating motion of an ultrasonic probe connected to the driving motor, and performs a two-dimensional scan of the subject with the help of the linear motion of the probe and the vertical motion perpendicular to the linear motion to generate an image of the subject, including: an ultrasonic irradiation / receiving unit, which irradiates ultrasonic waves to the subject through the probe and receives the echo signal of the irradiated ultrasonic waves through the probe; a signal conversion unit, which receives the input echo signal and converts it into a digital image signal; a main control unit, which receives the input digital image signal and generates ultrasonic image information about the subject; and a trigger control unit, which generates a trigger signal according to the motion information of the probe and can generate ultrasonic image information in a form synchronized with the trigger signal.

[0008] The position of the probe when each trigger signal is generated may be calculated, and the echo signal of the calculated position may be stored in a form corresponding to each trigger signal.

[0009] The motion information of the ultrasonic probe may be rotational motion information of a rotary encoder that detects the rotational motion of the drive motor. The rotary encoder may be an incremental rotary encoder that outputs A-phase signals, B-phase signals, and Z-phase signals.

[0010] A trigger signal can be generated based on rotational position information, wherein the rotational position information is determined by the A-phase signal of an incremental rotary encoder that detects the rotational motion of the drive motor, and the linear motion position of the probe when each trigger signal is generated can be calculated, and the echo signal of the calculated linear motion position can be stored in a form corresponding to each trigger signal.

[0011] The rotation angle can be determined by the number of pulses of the A-phase signal based on the Z-phase signal of the rotary encoder. To calculate the rotational position information, the linear motion position (x) of the probe can be calculated using the following formula:

[0012]

[0013] Here, R is the length of the crankshaft connected to the motor, and L is the length of the connecting rod connecting the crankshaft and the probe.

[0014] A trigger signal can be generated based on the linear motion position of the probe, wherein the linear motion position of the probe is calculated by a pulse signal generated by a linear encoder that detects the linear motion of the probe, and the echo signal of each linear motion position of the probe can be stored in a form corresponding to each trigger signal.

[0015] The motion information of the probe may include the rotational motion information of the rotary encoder that detects the rotational motion of the drive motor and the linear motion information of the linear encoder that detects the linear motion of the probe. The rotary encoder can be an incremental rotary encoder that outputs A-phase signal, B-phase signal, and Z-phase signal in pulse form respectively. The linear encoder can output linear pulse signals at certain intervals in pulse form according to the position on the linear motion trajectory of the probe.

[0016] The drive motor starts to rotate in one direction, and after generating the Z-phase signal of the rotary encoder, a first trigger event signal is generated. If the first trigger event signal is generated, the pulse signal of the linear encoder can be used as a synchronization signal to generate a trigger signal in the form of a pulse until the probe reaches a predetermined position.

[0017] The first trigger event signal may be generated after the Z-phase signal of the rotary encoder is input and then the A-phase signal with a preset pulse number Z1 is input.

[0018] The trigger signal may be generated at intervals that are integer multiples of the interval of the pulse signal of the linear encoder.

[0019] After stopping generating the trigger signal, the trigger control unit generates a second trigger event signal in a form corresponding to the preset probe position. If the second trigger event signal is generated, the pulse signal of the linear encoder can be used as a synchronization signal to generate a trigger signal in a pulse form until the preset probe position is reached.

[0020] The second trigger event signal may be generated after the Z-phase signal of the rotary encoder is input and then the A-phase signal with a preset pulse number Z2 is input.

[0021] The ultrasonic scanning image information generating device may also include: a subject photographing unit, which photographs the subject; and a region dividing unit, which extracts the position values ​​of the start and end points of the region for acquiring status information from the image of the photographed subject, thereby dividing the region for acquiring status information.

[0022] According to another embodiment of the present invention, a method for generating ultrasonic scanning image information, which performs two-dimensional scanning of a subject with the help of the linear motion of an ultrasonic probe and the vertical motion perpendicular to the linear motion, thereby generating ultrasonic image information about the subject, can include the following steps: generating an ultrasonic irradiation trigger signal according to the motion information of the probe; irradiating the subject with ultrasonic waves through the probe, and receiving the echo signal of the irradiated ultrasonic waves through the probe; converting the echo signal into a digital image signal; generating ultrasonic image information about the subject based on the digital image signal; generating an ultrasonic irradiation trigger signal according to the motion information of the probe, and the irradiation of ultrasonic waves can be achieved by using the trigger signal as a synchronization signal.

[0023] The trigger signal may be generated in a form corresponding to the motion information of the probe, the position of the probe when each trigger signal is generated may be calculated, and the ultrasonic echo signal of the calculated position may be stored in a form corresponding to each trigger signal.

[0024] A trigger signal can be generated in a form corresponding to rotational position information, wherein the rotational position information is determined by the A-phase signal of an incremental rotary encoder that detects the rotational motion of the drive motor, and the linear motion position of the probe when each trigger signal is generated can be calculated, and the echo signal of the calculated linear motion position can be stored in a form corresponding to each trigger signal.

[0025] A trigger signal can be generated based on the linear motion position of the probe, wherein the linear motion position of the probe is calculated by a pulse signal generated by a linear encoder that detects the linear motion of the probe, and the echo signal of each linear motion position of the probe can be stored in a form corresponding to each trigger signal.

[0026] The motion information of the probe may include the rotational motion information of the rotary encoder that detects the rotational motion of the drive motor and the linear motion information of the linear encoder that detects the linear motion of the probe. The rotary encoder can be an incremental rotary encoder that outputs A-phase signal, B-phase signal, and Z-phase signal in pulse form respectively. The linear encoder can output linear pulse signals at certain intervals in pulse form according to the position on the linear motion trajectory of the probe.

[0027] The drive motor starts to rotate in one direction, and after generating the Z-phase signal of the rotary encoder, a first trigger event signal is generated. If the first trigger event signal is generated, the pulse signal of the linear encoder can be used as a synchronization signal to generate a trigger signal in the form of a pulse until the probe reaches a predetermined position.

[0028] After stopping generating the trigger signal, a second trigger event signal is generated in a form corresponding to the preset probe position. If the second trigger event signal is generated, the pulse signal of the linear encoder can be used as a synchronization signal to generate a trigger signal in a pulse form until the preset probe position is reached.

[0029] According to the present invention, by converting the rotational motion of the motor into the linear motion of the ultrasonic probe, a subject can be scanned at high speed and an accurate three-dimensional ultrasonic image can be quickly generated. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0030] Figure 1 It is a diagram illustrating a slider crank mechanism.

[0031] Figure 2This is a diagram for explaining a process of scanning a subject using a slider crank mechanism.

[0032] Figure 3 This is a diagram showing a preferred structure of the present device invention.

[0033] Figure 4 This is a diagram showing a preferred flow of the present method invention.

[0034] Figure 5 is a diagram showing a timing diagram of event signals, trigger signals, and related signals generated according to the present invention. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0035] Before describing specific embodiments of the present invention, for ease of understanding, an outline of the core technical concept of the present invention and a solution to the problem to be solved will be first presented.

[0036] It should be noted that in this specification, "subject" is used as a term to refer to an object of a certain inspection, especially visual inspection. Its types are very diverse in many industrial fields, and the types and forms of inspection are also very diverse in many industrial fields.

[0037] According to the present invention, when converting the rotational motion of a drive motor into the linear reciprocating motion of a probe connected to the motor and performing a two-dimensional scan of a subject using the probe's linear reciprocating motion and the perpendicular motion of the reciprocating motion to acquire ultrasonic image information related to the subject, the ultrasonic scanning image information generating device introduces a virtual Z-phase pulse signal to compensate for the problem caused by the instability of the actual Z-phase pulse signal of the rotary encoder that provides the motor's motion information. This ensures (improves) the accuracy (reliability) of the image information generated about the subject. Specifically, the "start of the scanning action" based on the actual Z-phase pulse signal and the "start of irradiation of ultrasonic waves for acquiring status information" based on the virtual Z-phase pulse signal are achieved with a time difference, thereby obtaining accurate image information that has been removed from noise and the like.

[0038] Numerous approaches have been proposed and implemented in industry for generating image information related to an object. Examples include generating medical ultrasound images and generating images related to an object to detect damage. The approaches mentioned here are merely a glimpse into the vast array of possible solutions.

[0039] Among these various approaches, some generate image information about the subject by scanning the subject. The present invention, as a method for generating image information through scanning, utilizes a drive motor and a scanning probe connected to the motor. Furthermore, the underlying mechanism involved in the operation of the motor and scanning probe is called a "slider-crank mechanism."

[0040] Figure 1 It is a diagram illustrating a slider crank mechanism.

[0041] The slider-crank mechanism converts the rotational motion of the motor into the linear translation motion of the probe connected to the motor. Figure 1 The center point O is called the fixed link, and point B is called the slider link. Mechanically, the fixed link is equivalent to the drive motor that performs rotational motion, and the slider is equivalent to the scanning probe that performs linear reciprocating motion. Figure 1 The OC is called the crank link, and the CB is called the coupler link. In terms of mechanical structure, the crank link is equivalent to the crankshaft, and the coupler is equivalent to the connecting rod.

[0042] One end of the crankshaft is fastened to the shaft of the motor, and the other end is connected to one end of the connecting rod through a form similar to a hinge, and the other end of the connecting rod is also connected to the probe through a form similar to a hinge. If the motor rotates, the crankshaft rotates in the same direction as the motor's rotation direction. Such rotation pushes one end of the connecting rod, and the driving force is transmitted to the other end of the connecting rod along the length of the connecting rod, thereby inducing linear reciprocating motion of the probe (movement in the +X direction and -X direction). This mechanism is similar to the movement mechanism of the crankshaft and piston of a four-stroke engine (four-stroke engine) that is suitable for internal combustion engines. In addition, in order to ensure the stability of the linear reciprocating motion, a linear guide is usually provided on the sliding rod (probe side).

[0043] In addition, encoders are provided on the motor side and the probe side to measure various physical quantities related to the motion, such as the current position, movement speed, rotation speed, and rotation angle. On the motor side, a rotary encoder is provided to easily measure physical quantities related to the rotational motion (rotational speed, rotation angle, etc.) because the motor performs rotational motion. On the probe side, a linear encoder is provided to easily measure physical quantities related to the linear motion (parallel motion speed, parallel motion distance, probe position, etc.) because the probe performs linear parallel motion. These encoders provide the measured physical quantities in the form of electrical signals to the controller that controls the movement of the motor or probe, and the controller controls the movement based on the obtained physical quantities. Here, the expression "motor side (probe side)" is used to combine the case where the motor (probe) has an encoder built in and the case where the encoder is not built in. In fact, there are cases where the encoder is built in and the case where the encoder is provided outside the motor (probe), and the same applies to the following content.

[0044] Reference Figure 2 To briefly explain the process of scanning an object using a slider-crank mechanism, the Nth line (line #N) of the object is scanned along one direction of the probe's translation (the X direction). Once the Nth line is scanned, the probe is moved to the Y direction, and the N+1th line (line #N+1) is scanned in the opposite direction of the translation (the -X direction). This means that alternating scanning is performed on a line-by-line basis, creating a so-called zigzag two-dimensional scan.

[0045] Encoders are broadly categorized into incremental and absolute encoders based on how they measure all of the aforementioned physical quantities. Detailed information on these two types of encoders is well-known in numerous publications, so detailed descriptions are omitted. However, a brief overview of the implementation scheme of the present invention, described later, is provided below.

[0046] The slits of incremental encoders and absolute encoders differ in shape. In the former, each slit has a uniform shape, while the latter has a unique and individual shape. This difference in slit shape determines whether a reference point (origin) is required when measuring all the aforementioned physical quantities. The former requires a reference point, while the latter does not. The former has the disadvantage that, if certain problems occur (such as an unpredictable power outage or an unpredictable interruption of motion), all information about the physical quantities provided to the motion controller of the motor or probe is lost (returning to the reference point), requiring all physical quantities to be measured again from the beginning. In contrast, the latter has the advantage of not requiring a reference point. Therefore, even if a problem occurs, there is no need for such concerns, unlike the former. Once the problem is resolved, all physical quantities can be measured again from the beginning. This ensures the continuity of measurement for all physical quantities.

[0047] However, the latter method requires a significant amount of time to manufacture due to the unique characteristics of the slit shape. This also complicates and challenges the design of the motor's motion control mechanism, requiring significant effort and time to implement. This ultimately increases the cost of achieving the desired product, significantly higher than using the former method under the same conditions. Consequently, most industries prefer the former method despite its aforementioned drawbacks.

[0048] However, in the case of the former, due to the above-mentioned shortcomings, it is difficult to use in fields that require precise or even continuous control of the movement of motors and equipment (probes). In particular, it is not easy to ensure the stability of the above-mentioned reference points (stable implementation) for many reasons, so there are often problems with the reliability of the information generated about the subject (the information you want to obtain). In other words, there is often a problem that the accuracy of the generated information may be lacking. A so-called Z-phase pulse signal is generated from the reference point of the former. This pulse signal is a signal generated every time the motor rotates once. This signal serves as a reference signal for measuring all physical quantities (reference point function). As mentioned above, it is not easy to achieve stable implementation of the reference point, which causes incompleteness in the control of the movement of the motor and equipment (probe), and thus there is often a possibility of lack of accuracy in the generated information.

[0049] Therefore, the core of the technical idea of ​​the present invention is that when using a slider crank mechanism to obtain image information about the subject, the problems that may arise due to the inability to stably implement the reference point are compensated through prescribed signal processing, thereby ensuring (improving) the accuracy (reliability) of the image information generated about the subject.

[0050] The following describes in detail the specific details for implementing the present invention according to preferred embodiments of the present invention with reference to the accompanying drawings. It is noted that when reference numerals are assigned to components shown in the accompanying drawings, identical components will be assigned the same reference numerals even if they are shown in different drawings. Furthermore, when describing the accompanying drawings, reference may be made to components from different drawings as necessary. Furthermore, if it is determined that the detailed description of a known function or configuration of the present invention, or any other matters beyond that, is not relevant to the gist of the present invention, the detailed description thereof will be simplified or omitted.

[0051] Furthermore, while the terminology used in this specification is generally common and widely used today, taking into account the functions of the present invention, its meaning may vary depending on the intentions, practices, and emerging technologies of those skilled in the art. Furthermore, in certain cases, the inventor may arbitrarily select a term; in such cases, the meaning will be detailed in the description of the corresponding invention. Therefore, the terms used in this specification must be defined based on their meaning and the full scope of the present invention, rather than simply their names.

[0052] When a section is described as "including" a certain component throughout this specification, unless otherwise clearly stated, this does not exclude other components and instead implies that other components may be included. Furthermore, the term "section" as used in this specification not only refers to hardware components such as FPGAs or ASICs, but also includes software components.

[0053] However, the term "unit" is not limited to software or hardware. A "unit" can be configured to exist on an addressable storage medium or to run on one or more processors. Thus, for example, a "unit" includes components such as software components, object-oriented software components, class components, and task components, programs, functions, attributes, applications, subroutines, segments of program code, drivers, firmware, microcode, circuits, data, databases, data structures, tables, arrays, and variables. The functions provided by the components and "units" can be combined into a smaller number of components and "units" or can be separated into additional components and "units."

[0054] Figure 3 This is a diagram showing a preferred structure of the present invention. Figure 4 is a diagram showing a preferred process of the present method invention, Figure 5 1 is a diagram showing a timing diagram of a trigger signal, related signals, and a plurality of data generated according to the present invention.

[0055] First, the present invention uses an incremental encoder due to the shortcomings of an absolute encoder. In addition, when using an incremental encoder, it has been mentioned that it is not easy to ensure the stability of the reference point (stable realization), which is further explained in detail below.

[0056] In the manufacturing process of incremental rotary encoders, when generating a Z-phase pulse signal and forming a slit (reference point), it may be formed in a different position than the original intention due to process problems, or due to storage problems or temperature and humidity effects on the rotary encoder that has already formed a slit, it may be deformed, thereby distorting the position of the already formed slit. If the position of the slit is distorted in this way, it is difficult to detect the accurate rotation angle or number of rotations of the motor. In other words, if the formation position of the slit set in a form that represents a specific rotation angle is distorted, the rotation angle actually indicated by the slit will have another rotation angle rather than the specific angle originally intended. However, the rotary encoder believes that the specific slit represents the existing specific rotation angle, so there is a difference between the actual angle of the specific slit and the expected angle. Due to this difference, the measurement results of the motor's rotation angle or number of rotations cannot be trusted. In addition, the mechanical vibration that may be generated during the movement of the motor and probe can also make the generation of the Z-phase pulse signal unstable.

[0057] This inevitably leads to inaccurate image information generated using the slider-crank mechanism. Because the reference point is unstable, the reference signal for controlling the motor and device (probe) motion is unstable, ultimately inducing distortion of the image information due to image signal distortion, noise, and other artifacts. The present invention, as a solution to address these issues, introduces a virtual Z-phase pulse signal (virtual Z) to ensure the accuracy of the generated image information.

[0058] The trigger control unit 50 generates an ultrasonic emission trigger signal based on the motion information of the ultrasonic probe 10 and outputs it to the ultrasonic emitting / receiving unit 20. In this case, the trigger control unit 50 generates the trigger signal based on the rotational position information determined by the A-phase signal of the incremental rotary encoder that detects the rotational motion of the drive motor, and calculates the linear motion position of the probe at the time each trigger signal is generated.

[0059] In addition, in order to achieve the purpose of the present invention, it is preferable to calculate the rotation angle according to the number of pulses of the A phase signal based on the Z phase signal of the rotary encoder. To calculate the rotational position information, the linear motion position x of the probe is calculated using the following formula:

[0060]

[0061] Here, R is the length of the crankshaft connected to the motor ( Figure 1 The length of OC), L is the length of the connecting rod that connects the crankshaft and the probe ( Figure 1 length of CB).

[0062] Alternatively, the trigger control unit 50 may generate a trigger signal based on the linear motion position of the probe 10, where the linear motion position of the probe 10 is calculated using a pulse signal generated by a linear encoder that detects the linear motion of the probe 10. In other words, a trigger signal may be generated based solely on the linear motion position of the probe 10, where the linear motion position of the probe 10 is detected using a pulse signal generated by the linear encoder, without using a rotary encoder.

[0063] Alternatively, the trigger control unit 50 can generate a trigger signal based on both the rotational motion information from the rotary encoder that detects the drive motor's rotational motion and the linear motion information from the linear encoder that detects the probe's linear motion. In this case, the rotary encoder is an incremental rotary encoder that outputs A-phase, B-phase, and Z-phase signals in pulse form, respectively. The linear encoder outputs linear pulse signals at regular intervals in pulse form based on the probe's 10 position along its linear motion trajectory.

[0064] Next, the generation of the trigger signal by the trigger control unit 50 will be examined from the perspective of generation timing.

[0065] When the drive motor begins unidirectional rotation, the Z-phase signal from the rotary encoder is generated, and a first trigger event signal is generated to obtain the subject's status information for the Nth scan line. Once the first trigger event signal is generated, the linear encoder's pulse signal is used as a synchronization signal, and a trigger signal is generated in the form of pulses until the probe reaches a predetermined position (thereby irradiating the subject with ultrasound). Specifically, the first trigger event signal is generated after the Z-phase signal from the rotary encoder is generated and a predetermined number of pulses of the A-phase signal are input.

[0066] In this case, the trigger signal is preferably generated at intervals that are integer multiples of the interval of the linear encoder's pulse signal. This is intended to allow the trigger signal interval to be determined based on an externally set resolution, thereby enabling the output of fewer ultrasonic irradiation signals and the input of fewer ultrasonic echo signals, thereby reducing the load on ultrasonic signal generation and processing. Furthermore, the purpose is to evaluate the image quality of the generated image signal in real time and adaptively adjust the trigger signal generation interval, thereby achieving optimal image quality while reducing the load on ultrasonic signal generation and processing.

[0067] Furthermore, while it is most preferable that the wavelength (interval) of the generated trigger signal and the interval of the linear encoder pulse signal are always the same (because this allows for maximum acquisition of the subject's state information and thus generation of high-resolution image information), there is a concern that this may require excessive processing time for the acquired state information and increase the load on the process of generating image information about the subject. This may cause inaccuracy in the generated image information (because errors may occur in all processing steps used to generate image information as the load increases), which in turn reduces the significance of the present invention. Therefore, it is necessary to appropriately set the required amount of state information to be acquired, taking into account various factors such as the type and state of the subject. This depends on the wavelength of the generated trigger signal (the output of the trigger signal) to which it is set. For example, if the interval (resolution) of the linear encoder pulse signal is 20 [μm], the trigger control unit 50 generates the trigger signal in such a manner that the interval of the generated trigger signal is 40 [μm], 60 [μm], 80 [μm], etc. When a trigger signal is generated, the ultrasonic wave emitting / receiving unit 20 uses the trigger signal as a synchronization signal and starts emitting ultrasonic waves for obtaining status information of the subject through the probe 10 .

[0068] Furthermore, a first trigger event signal is generated, and the linear encoder pulse signal is used as a synchronization signal. After the trigger signal is generated in a pulse form until the probe reaches a predetermined position, the generation of the trigger signal ceases (thereby terminating the ultrasonic irradiation and completing the acquisition of the subject's status information for the Nth scan line). To obtain the subject's status information for the N+1th scan line, a second trigger event signal is generated in a form corresponding to another predetermined position of the probe 10. When the second trigger event signal is generated, the linear encoder pulse signal is used as a synchronization signal, and the trigger signal is generated in a pulse form until the probe reaches the predetermined position.

[0069] In the above description, the first trigger event signal and the second trigger event signal are equivalent to virtual Z-phase pulse signals (virtual Z). Status information acquisition begins with the generation of these two event signals, not the actual Z-phase pulse signal (physical Z). In other words, in the present invention, the actual Z-phase pulse signal is assigned only the notification function of "starting a scanning operation," while the notification function of "starting status information acquisition" is assigned to these two event signals. "Virtual" means that these two event signals perform a portion of the functions required of the actual Z-phase pulse signal, thus acting as if these two event signals are functioning in accordance with the actual Z-phase pulse signal.

[0070] If the actual Z-phase pulse signal is generated and the "scanning action" and "state information acquisition" are performed simultaneously (without time difference), then as mentioned above, the actual Z-phase pulse signal cannot be guaranteed to be stably realized, and thus the acquisition of state information will inevitably be unstable and inaccurate. Therefore, it can be seen that the two event signals according to the present invention are meaningful in terms of compensation. By generating these two event signals, only a part of the interval of each scan line ( Figure 2 The status information is obtained only from the bold part of the interval rather than the entire interval.

[0071] In addition, according to the present invention, through the above content and Figure 2 As can be seen, there's a difference between generating a status information acquisition start event signal (trigger event signal) for each scan line and generating an actual Z-phase pulse signal only once every two scan lines. This is to ensure certainty in acquiring status information for each scan line. Specifically, due to the motion characteristics of the slider-crank mechanism, an actual Z-phase pulse signal is only generated once every two scan lines. As mentioned above, this can lead to instability in the actual Z-phase pulse signal, making it unclear which scan line the acquired status information belongs to. Therefore, to prevent this ambiguity, the present invention generates a trigger event signal for "beginning status information acquisition" for each scan line.

[0072] More specific and preferred examples are given to illustrate the manner related to the generation of the event signal as follows.

[0073] As mentioned above, the trigger control unit 50 generates a trigger signal based on the rotational motion information of the rotary encoder for detecting the rotational motion of the drive motor and the linear motion information of the linear encoder for detecting the linear motion of the probe. The interpretation of the motion information is based on the number of A-phase pulse signals. Since the number of these pulse signals ultimately reflects the two types of motion information.

[0074] That is, the trigger control unit 50 starts counting the number of A-phase pulse signals of the rotary encoder by sensing the generation of the Z-phase pulse signal. At this time, it doesn't matter if the number of B-phase pulse signals of the rotary encoder is counted instead of the A-phase pulse signals. The only difference between the two signals is that the phase difference is 90 degrees, and they belong to the same type of signal.

[0075] For the trigger control unit 50, if the number of A-phase or B-phase pulse signals reaches a preset count (Counting Num: Z1), a first trigger event signal is generated. If the number of A-phase or B-phase pulse signals reaches a preset count (Z2), a second trigger event signal is generated.

[0076] Here, the relationship Z1 < Z2 holds and is a preset value. Preferably, considering the size of the subject, the shape of the subject, the size of the part of the subject where state information needs to be obtained, etc., specifically, it is set in the following manner.

[0077] In the present invention, the scanning of the subject is not to scan all areas AR where the scanner (the probe in the present invention) of the scanning device (not shown in the drawings) can be located, but only to scan the area PR where state information about the subject needs to be obtained, thereby preventing the generation of unnecessary data that may occur during the process of obtaining state information. For this reason, in the present invention, before scanning the subject and obtaining state information, after photographing the subject, the size of the area PR where state information needs to be obtained is determined from the photographed image, and state information is obtained (the subject is scanned) only for the area PR belonging to this size.

[0078] The photographing of the subject is performed by the subject photographing unit 90. The subject photographing unit 90 can be implemented by an optical camera, for example. The photographing can be performed according to the so-called "principle of photo composition". The core of this principle is that since it is absolute to make the object of interest in the photograph be located in the central area of the picture as much as possible, the photographing is performed in such a way that the object of interest (the subject) is located in the central area of the photographed picture to the greatest extent.

[0079] The object photographing unit 90 can be located, for example, at the upper end in the vertical direction (Z direction) of the center point of the entire area AR where the scanner (probe) of the scanning device of the object can be located. In addition, the present invention is applicable to situations where a visual inspection of the object is performed, and it is necessary to clearly distinguish between the object and the portion other than the object (background). Therefore, the background color is set to a single color, and it is absolutely set to a color that is significantly different from the brightness and chromaticity of the object. Therefore, photographing under the above-mentioned background is conducive to more clearly distinguishing between the object and the background, and the size of the area PR for which status information needs to be obtained can completely cover the object portion of the photographed image.

[0080] The region dividing unit 80 extracts the position values ​​of the start and end points of the region PR for acquiring status information from the image of the subject captured by the subject imaging unit 90, thereby dividing the region PR for acquiring status information. In this case, the position values ​​may be, for example, coordinate values ​​on an XY plane with the aforementioned center point as the origin. Furthermore, these coordinate values ​​may be the X- and Y-direction distances from the origin (starting point) of the entire region AR in which the scanner (probe) can be positioned.

[0081] You can set Z1 and Z2 according to the position value. Figure 2 And specific examples are described below.

[0082] The distances d1 and d2 from the Y-direction corners of the entire area AR where the scanner (probe) of the scanning device can be located to the two Y-direction corners of the area PR (the area where status information is ultimately obtained) determined by the position values ​​extracted by the area division unit 80 are 9 [cm] and 29 [cm], respectively. If the wavelength of the A-phase pulse signal per cycle is 8 [mm], then Z1 should be set to 11. This is because the first trigger event signal needs to be generated at the beginning of the area PR where status information is obtained, or slightly earlier than that point. Therefore, in the case of this embodiment, 8 [mm] * 11 = 8.8 [cm] to 8 [mm] * 12 = 9.6 [cm], so Z1 should be 11.

[0083] Next, in order to obtain status information for the scan line (N+1th scan line), the probe 10 moves in the Y direction. The extent of movement in the Y direction can be determined by the overall situation, but in order to improve the Y-direction resolution of the image generated later, it is preferably set in the shortest possible form. In the case of obtaining high-resolution images, if the above example is used, Z2 is set to about 38 to 39 (d2 = 29 [cm], so 8 [mm] * 37 = 29.6 [cm] ~ 8 [mm] * 39 = 31.2 [cm]). The reason is the same as the reason (method) for setting Z1 mentioned above, and Z2 is determined to be a value different from the above example depending on the extent to which the Y-direction resolution is set.

[0084] If a Z-phase pulse signal is generated for scanning the N+2 and N+3 scan lines after the scan of the N+1 scan line is completed, the trigger control unit 50 will initialize (counting reset) the number of A-phase pulse signals calculated during the scan of the N and N+1 scan lines to 0. This means that the values ​​of the rotation angle φ and linear motion position x calculated above are also initialized. This is to clearly indicate that the scan of the N and N+1 scan lines has ended, and it also helps to improve the accuracy of the image information generated later. The above process for the N and N+1 scan lines is repeated for the scan lines after the N+2 scan line, thereby obtaining the state information of the subject and generating image information.

[0085] The ultrasonic irradiation / reception unit 20 uses the trigger signal generated by the trigger control unit 50 as a synchronization signal, irradiates the subject with ultrasonic waves through the probe 10 , and receives echo signals of the irradiated ultrasonic waves through the probe 10 .

[0086] The converter 30 receives the echo signal input from the ultrasonic irradiation / reception unit 20 and converts it into a digital image signal. The main control unit 40 receives the input digital image signal and generates ultrasonic image information about the subject. The echo signal includes information about the subject's status, and thus, the subject's status information is generated as ultrasonic image information. Regarding the implementation of ultrasonic image information, many methods have been disclosed in various documents, including patents, or are currently being implemented in the industry. Therefore, detailed descriptions of these methods are omitted. The main control unit 40 also generates ultrasonic image information using known or currently implemented methods.

[0087] The generation of ultrasonic image information according to the present invention is briefly described below.

[0088] Using the trigger signal generated by the trigger control unit 50 as a synchronization signal, ultrasonic waves are irradiated toward the subject via the ultrasonic irradiation / reception unit 20 and the probe 10. The probe 10 receives the ultrasonic echo signal reflected from the subject and transmits information about the subject's status (the ultrasonic echo signal) to the ultrasonic irradiation / reception unit 20. At this time, the received ultrasonic echo signal is stored in a format corresponding to each trigger signal corresponding to the position of the probe 10 calculated when the trigger signal was generated.

[0089] The main control unit 40 combines the position of the ultrasonic probe 10 corresponding to each trigger signal with the echo signal at that position (specifically, the digital image signal output by the converter 30) to generate overall scan image information (ultrasonic image information). The generated ultrasonic image information can be two-dimensional or three-dimensional, depending on the application area of ​​the present invention and the examination characteristics of the subject.

[0090] The ultrasonic irradiation / receiving unit 20 uses the trigger signal generated by the trigger control unit 50 as a synchronization signal, irradiates ultrasonic waves and receives ultrasonic echo signals, and generates ultrasonic image information only in a pre-set area PR at a set interval, thereby minimizing the load while allowing ultrasonic images to be input quickly.

[0091] The present method invention can also be implemented as computer-readable code in a computer-readable recording medium. Computer-readable recording media include all types of recording devices that store data and are readable by a computer system. Examples of computer-readable recording media include ROM, RAM, CD-ROM, DVD-ROM, magnetic tape, floppy disk, optical data storage devices, etc., and also include devices implemented in the form of carrier waves (e.g., transmitted via a wireless / wireless network). Furthermore, computer-readable recording media can be distributed across computer systems connected by a network, allowing the computer-readable code to be stored and executed in a distributed manner.

[0092] The above disclosure improves the technical concept of the present invention by disclosing preferred embodiments of the present invention that ensure the specificity of the concept. It is understood that a person skilled in the art with general knowledge in the technical field to which the present invention belongs can implement the preferred embodiments in a modified form without departing from the technical concept (essential characteristics) of the present invention. Therefore, the disclosed embodiments should be considered from an illustrative rather than a limiting perspective, and should be interpreted as including not only the matters disclosed in the claims, but also all differences within the scope of their equivalents.

Claims

1. An ultrasonic scanning image information generating device, which converts the unidirectional rotational motion of a drive motor into the linear reciprocating motion of an ultrasonic probe connected to the drive motor, and uses the linear motion of the probe and the vertical motion perpendicular to the linear motion to perform a two-dimensional scan of a subject to generate an image of the subject, characterized in that: include: an ultrasonic irradiation / reception unit that irradiates ultrasonic waves toward the subject through the probe and receives echo signals of the irradiated ultrasonic waves through the probe; a signal conversion unit that receives an input echo signal and converts it into a digital image signal; a main control unit that receives an input digital image signal and generates ultrasonic image information about a subject; and The trigger control unit generates a trigger signal according to the motion information of the probe. generating ultrasonic image information in a form synchronized with a trigger signal; The motion information of the probe includes the rotational motion information of the rotary encoder for detecting the rotational motion of the drive motor and the linear motion information of the linear encoder for detecting the linear motion of the probe. The rotary encoder is an incremental rotary encoder that outputs A-phase signal, B-phase signal, and Z-phase signal in pulse form. The linear encoder outputs linear pulse signals at certain intervals in the form of pulses according to the position of the probe on the linear motion trajectory; Start the unidirectional rotation of the drive motor, After generating the Z-phase signal of the rotary encoder, the first trigger event signal is generated. After the first trigger event signal is generated, the pulse signal of the linear encoder is used as a synchronization signal to generate a trigger signal in a pulse form until the probe reaches a preset position; After stopping the generation of the trigger signal, the trigger control unit generates a second trigger event signal in a form corresponding to the preset position of the probe. After the second trigger event signal is generated, a pulse signal from the linear encoder is used as a synchronization signal to generate a trigger signal in a pulse form until the probe reaches a preset position.

2. The ultrasonic scanning image information generating device according to claim 1, wherein: The position of the probe when each trigger signal is generated is calculated, and the echo signal at the calculated position is stored in a form corresponding to each trigger signal.

3. The ultrasonic scanning image information generating device according to claim 1, wherein: The motion information of the ultrasonic probe is rotational motion information of a rotary encoder that detects the rotational motion of the drive motor.

4. The ultrasonic scanning image information generating device according to claim 1, wherein: generating a trigger signal based on rotational motion information generated by a phase A signal of an incremental rotary encoder that detects the rotational motion of a drive motor, and calculating the linear motion position of the probe when each trigger signal is generated; The calculated echo signals of the linear motion positions are stored in a form corresponding to the respective trigger signals.

5. The ultrasonic scanning image information generating device according to claim 4, characterized in that: The rotation angle is determined by the number of pulses of the A-phase signal based on the Z-phase signal of the rotary encoder. To calculate the rotational position information, the linear motion position (x) of the probe is calculated using the following formula: Here, R is the length of the crankshaft connected to the motor, and L is the length of the connecting rod connecting the crankshaft and the probe.

6. The ultrasonic scanning image information generating device according to claim 1, wherein: A trigger signal is generated based on the linear motion information of the probe, wherein the linear motion information of the probe is calculated by a pulse signal generated by a linear encoder that detects the linear motion of the probe, and an echo signal of each linear motion position of the probe is stored in a form corresponding to each trigger signal.

7. The ultrasonic scanning image information generating device according to claim 1, wherein: The first trigger event signal is generated after the Z-phase signal of the rotary encoder is input and then the A-phase signal having a preset first number of pulses is input.

8. The ultrasonic scanning image information generating device according to claim 1, wherein: The trigger signal is generated at intervals that are integer multiples of the pulse signal interval of the linear encoder.

9. The ultrasonic scanning image information generating device according to claim 1, wherein: The second trigger event signal is generated after the Z-phase signal of the rotary encoder is input and then the A-phase signal having a preset second number of pulses is input.

10. The ultrasonic scanning image information generating device according to claim 1, wherein: Also includes: a subject imaging unit for imaging the subject; as well as The region dividing unit extracts position values ​​of a start point and an end point of a region for acquiring status information from a captured image of the subject, thereby dividing the region for acquiring status information.

11. A method for generating ultrasonic scanning image information, wherein a subject is scanned two-dimensionally by an ultrasonic probe using linear motion and motion perpendicular to the linear motion to generate ultrasonic image information about the subject, characterized in that: The following steps are involved: Generate an ultrasonic irradiation trigger signal according to the motion information of the probe; irradiating an ultrasonic wave to a subject through a probe and receiving an echo signal of the irradiated ultrasonic wave through the probe; Convert the echo signal into a digital image signal; generating ultrasonic image information about the subject based on the digital image signal; Generate ultrasonic irradiation trigger signal based on the motion information of the probe, Ultrasonic wave irradiation is achieved by using the trigger signal as a synchronization signal; The motion information of the probe includes the rotational motion information of the rotary encoder for detecting the rotational motion of the drive motor and the linear motion information of the linear encoder for detecting the linear motion of the probe. The rotary encoder is an incremental rotary encoder that outputs A-phase signal, B-phase signal, and Z-phase signal in pulse form. The linear encoder outputs linear pulse signals at certain intervals in the form of pulses according to the position of the probe on the linear motion trajectory; Start the unidirectional rotation of the drive motor, After generating the Z-phase signal of the rotary encoder, the first trigger event signal is generated. After the first trigger event signal is generated, the pulse signal of the linear encoder is used as a synchronization signal to generate a trigger signal in a pulse form until the probe reaches a preset position; After stopping the generation of the trigger signal, a second trigger event signal is generated in a form corresponding to the preset position of the probe. After the second trigger event signal is generated, a pulse signal from the linear encoder is used as a synchronization signal to generate a trigger signal in a pulse form until the probe reaches a preset position.

12. The method for generating ultrasonic scanning image information according to claim 11, wherein: Generates a trigger signal in a form corresponding to the motion information of the probe, And calculate the position of the probe when each trigger signal is generated, The ultrasonic echo signals at the calculated positions are stored in a form corresponding to the respective trigger signals.

13. The method for generating ultrasonic scanning image information according to claim 11, wherein: generating a trigger signal in a form corresponding to rotational motion information, wherein the rotational motion information is generated by an A-phase signal of an incremental rotary encoder that detects the rotational motion of the drive motor; And calculate the linear motion position of the probe when each trigger signal is generated, The calculated echo signals of the linear motion positions are stored in a form corresponding to the respective trigger signals.

14. The method for generating ultrasonic scanning image information according to claim 11, wherein: A trigger signal is generated based on the linear motion information of the probe, wherein the linear motion information of the probe is calculated by a pulse signal generated by a linear encoder that detects the linear motion of the probe. The echo signals at each probe position are stored in a form corresponding to each trigger signal.

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