Method, apparatus and related device for motion control of an ultrasound transducer

Abstract

The application relates to a motion control method and device of an ultrasonic transducer and related equipment. The method comprises the following steps: acquiring current motion state information of an ultrasonic transducer inside an ultrasonic probe through a positioning device; the positioning device is installed on the inner wall of the ultrasonic probe shell; generating a motion control instruction of the ultrasonic transducer based on the current motion state information and target motion state information of the ultrasonic transducer; and performing motion control on the ultrasonic transducer based on the motion control instruction. Since the positioning device is installed in the ultrasonic probe, the positioning device can accurately acquire the current motion state information of the ultrasonic transducer, thereby improving the detection accuracy of the motion state of the ultrasonic transducer. Further, when the current motion state information of the ultrasonic transducer is accurate and effective, the motion process of the ultrasonic transducer can be effectively controlled based on the current motion state information.

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD

[0001] The present application relates to the technical field of ultrasonic detection, in particular to a motion control method and device of an ultrasonic transducer and related equipment. BACKGROUND

[0002] An ultrasonic diagnostic device is a medical device that uses the electroacoustic conversion characteristics of piezoelectric materials to generate ultrasonic signals, relies on the signal propagation differences of ultrasonic waves in different tissues of the human body to obtain echo signals, and thus realizes imaging of human tissues.

[0003] An ultrasonic probe includes a stepper motor and an ultrasonic transducer. The ultrasonic transducer, as a key hardware component of an ultrasonic diagnostic device, is excited by inputting an electrical signal to make piezoelectric materials vibrate to generate ultrasonic waves of a required frequency, and is a signal output component. When performing ultrasonic scanning, the ultrasonic transducer needs to be driven by the stepper motor to continuously and uniformly perform slice scanning on a measured part, and then three-dimensional reconstruction is performed to obtain an ultrasonic image.

[0004] Therefore, in order to obtain an accurate ultrasonic image, the motion of the ultrasonic transducer needs to be precisely controlled when the ultrasonic probe performs ultrasonic scanning. SUMMARY

[0005] Therefore, in order to obtain an accurate ultrasonic image, the motion of the ultrasonic transducer needs to be precisely controlled when the ultrasonic probe performs ultrasonic scanning.

[0006] In a first aspect, the present application provides a motion control method of an ultrasonic transducer, which comprises:

[0007] obtaining current motion state information of the ultrasonic transducer inside the ultrasonic probe by a positioning device; the positioning device is installed on the inner wall of the ultrasonic probe shell;

[0008] generating a motion control instruction of the ultrasonic transducer based on the current motion state information and target motion state information of the ultrasonic transducer;

[0009] controlling the motion of the ultrasonic transducer based on the motion control instruction.

[0010] In one of the embodiments, the motion control instruction includes at least one of a step-out control instruction, a reset control instruction and a limit control instruction.

[0011] In one of the embodiments, if the motion control instruction is the step-out control instruction, the motion of the ultrasonic transducer is controlled based on the motion control instruction, which includes:

[0012] obtaining a step angle of the ultrasonic transducer according to the current motion state information;

[0013] If the step angle is zero, the ultrasonic transducer is compensated for step loss.

[0014] In one of the embodiments, the step angle of the ultrasonic transducer is obtained according to the motion state information, comprising:

[0015] The measurement height of the ultrasonic transducer is obtained according to the installation position of the positioning device; the measurement height is the distance between the measurement point of the positioning device relative to the ultrasonic transducer and the installation fixed position of the ultrasonic transducer inside the ultrasonic probe when the ultrasonic transducer coincides with the center line of the ultrasonic probe;

[0016] The step angle of the ultrasonic transducer is determined according to the current motion state information, the reset distance and the measurement height; the reset distance is the distance between the installation position of the positioning device and the center line of the ultrasonic probe.

[0017] In one of the embodiments, if the motion control instruction is a reset control instruction, the ultrasonic transducer is controlled to move based on the motion control instruction, comprising:

[0018] The distance between the installation position of the positioning device and the center line of the ultrasonic probe is obtained to obtain the reset distance;

[0019] The ultrasonic transducer is controlled to reset according to the current motion state information and the reset distance, so that the ultrasonic transducer coincides with the center line of the ultrasonic probe.

[0020] In one of the embodiments, if the motion control instruction is a limit control instruction, the ultrasonic transducer is controlled to move based on the motion control instruction, comprising:

[0021] The safe motion range of the ultrasonic transducer in the ultrasonic probe is obtained;

[0022] The ultrasonic transducer is controlled to limit according to the current motion state information and the safe motion range.

[0023] In one of the embodiments, the safe motion range is the area between the left moving safety line and the right moving safety line in the inner wall of the ultrasonic probe shell, and the distance between the left moving safety line and the right moving safety line and the inner wall of the ultrasonic probe shell satisfies the preset limit distance;

[0024] The ultrasonic transducer is controlled to limit according to the current motion state information and the safe motion range, comprising:

[0025] If the current motion state information indicates that the ultrasonic transducer coincides with the left moving safety line, or the current motion state information indicates that the ultrasonic transducer coincides with the right moving safety line, the ultrasonic transducer is controlled to adjust the motion direction and move in the opposite direction.

[0026] In a second aspect, the application further provides a motion control device of an ultrasonic transducer, the device comprising:

[0027] a motion monitoring module configured to acquire current motion state information of the ultrasonic transducer inside the ultrasonic probe by a positioning device installed on an inner wall of the ultrasonic probe shell;

[0028] a state judging module configured to generate a motion control instruction of the ultrasonic transducer based on the current motion state information and target motion state information of the ultrasonic transducer;

[0029] a motion control module configured to control the motion of the ultrasonic transducer based on the motion control instruction.

[0030] In a third aspect, the application further provides an ultrasonic probe, comprising an ultrasonic transducer, a processor and a memory;

[0031] a positioning device installed on an inner wall of the ultrasonic probe shell, the positioning device being configured to acquire current motion state information of the ultrasonic transducer inside the ultrasonic probe;

[0032] the memory stores a computer program, and the processor implements the steps of the method of the first aspect when executing the computer program.

[0033] In a fourth aspect, the application further provides an ultrasonic diagnostic device, comprising the ultrasonic probe of the third aspect and a probe controller;

[0034] a positioning device installed on an inner wall of the ultrasonic probe shell, the positioning device being configured to acquire current motion state information of the ultrasonic transducer inside the ultrasonic probe;

[0035] the probe controller comprises a memory and a processor, the memory stores a computer program, and the processor implements the steps of the method of the first aspect when executing the computer program.

[0036] The aforementioned motion control method, apparatus, and related equipment for ultrasonic transducers acquire the current motion state information of the ultrasonic transducer inside the ultrasonic probe by using a positioning device installed on the inner wall of the ultrasonic probe housing. Then, based on the current motion state information and the target motion state information of the ultrasonic transducer, motion control commands are generated for the ultrasonic transducer, and the transducer is then motion-controlled based on these commands. Because this application installs the positioning device inside the ultrasonic probe, it can accurately acquire the current motion state information of the ultrasonic transducer, improving the detection accuracy of the ultrasonic transducer's motion state. Furthermore, when the current motion state information of the ultrasonic transducer is accurate and valid, the motion process of the ultrasonic transducer can be effectively controlled based on this information. Moreover, the positioning device can be implemented using an integrated chip, resulting in a small size. It is easy to install inside the ultrasonic probe without affecting its internal structure, and the positioning device is low-cost and highly practical. Attached Figure Description

[0037] Figure 1a This is an application environment diagram of the motion control method for an ultrasonic transducer in one embodiment.

[0038] Figure 1b This is a schematic diagram of the internal structure of an ultrasonic probe in one embodiment;

[0039] Figure 2 This is a flowchart illustrating the motion control method for an ultrasonic transducer in one embodiment;

[0040] Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the installation position of the positioning device in one embodiment;

[0041] Figure 4 This is a flowchart illustrating the out-of-step control process in one embodiment;

[0042] Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram of the step angle calculation process in one embodiment;

[0043] Figure 6 This is a schematic diagram of the out-of-step compensation process in one embodiment;

[0044] Figure 7 This is a schematic diagram of the reset control process in one embodiment;

[0045] Figure 8 This is a flowchart illustrating the reset control process in another embodiment;

[0046] Figure 9 This is a flowchart illustrating the limit control process in one embodiment;

[0047] Figure 10Fig. 1 is a schematic diagram of a safe motion range of an ultrasonic transducer in an ultrasonic probe according to an embodiment;

[0048] Figure 11 Fig. 2 is a schematic diagram of a flow of a limit control according to another embodiment;

[0049] Figure 12 Fig. 3 is a structural block diagram of a motion control device of an ultrasonic transducer according to an embodiment;

[0050] Figure 13 Fig. 4 is an internal structural diagram of a computer device according to an embodiment. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0051] In order to make the purposes, technical solutions and advantages of the present application clearer, the present application will be further described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings and embodiments. It should be understood that the specific embodiments described herein are only used to explain the present application and should not be used to limit the present application.

[0052] Before explaining the technical solutions of the present application, the application environment of the present application will be explained and described.

[0053] The motion control method of the ultrasonic transducer provided by the present application can be applied to the application environment as shown in Figure 1a The ultrasonic device 100 in the application environment includes an ultrasonic probe 110 and a control device 120. The ultrasonic probe 110 and the control device 120 can communicate with each other through wired or wireless means.

[0054] As an example, the control device can be, but is not limited to, various personal computers, notebook computers, smart phones, tablet computers, portable wearable devices, independent servers, server clusters composed of multiple servers, etc.

[0055] In actual application, the ultrasonic probe can perform ultrasonic detection on a target part of a measured object, obtain ultrasonic data, and send the ultrasonic data to the control device. After receiving the ultrasonic data sent by the ultrasonic probe, the control device can further analyze and process the ultrasonic data to generate an ultrasonic image and / or output a data processing result.

[0056] Taking a human body as an example, the target part for detection using the ultrasonic probe can be the abdomen, the chest cavity, the pelvic cavity, the lower abdomen, etc., which is not limited in the present embodiment.

[0057] Optionally, in the case where the ultrasonic probe is integrated with a processor, the ultrasonic probe can also directly analyze and process part of the ultrasonic data and directly output a data processing result. In this way, the ultrasonic probe integrated with the data processing function can make the ultrasonic detection process more intelligent and have a wider range of adaptation.

[0058] Based on the above ultrasonic device 100, referring to Figure 1b The application further provides an ultrasonic probe. The ultrasonic probe 110 comprises an ultrasonic probe shell 111, a positioning device 112, an ultrasonic transducer 113 and a motor 114.

[0059] The positioning device 112 is mounted on the inner wall of the ultrasonic probe shell 111 and is used to acquire the motion state information of the ultrasonic transducer 113; the ultrasonic transducer 113 can move inside the ultrasonic probe shell 111 to acquire the ultrasonic data of the target part currently detected by the ultrasonic probe 110; and the motor 114 is used as the driving device of the ultrasonic probe and is used to drive the ultrasonic transducer 113 to move.

[0060] As an example, the ultrasonic probe can be a 4D ultrasonic probe, and the positioning device mounted on the inner wall of the ultrasonic probe can be a laser sensor.

[0061] Further, the 4D ultrasonic imaging technology, i.e., using the 4D ultrasonic probe to slice the organs inside the tissue of the measured object in real time along the X, Y and Z axes, and adding the fourth dimension of time vector on the basis of three-dimensional ultrasonic imaging to obtain the real-time activity image of the internal organs of the measured object, can more vividly and intuitively show the morphology of the tissue and plays an increasingly important role in the application of clinical medicine.

[0062] It should be noted that the control device 120 in the above Figure 1a can not only be used to analyze and process the ultrasonic data collected by the ultrasonic probe, but also can control the motion of the ultrasonic transducer inside the ultrasonic probe, so as to ensure that the ultrasonic transducer can normally move to emit ultrasonic waves and receive ultrasonic echoes during the working process of the ultrasonic probe, thereby acquiring the ultrasonic data of the target part in contact with the ultrasonic probe.

[0063] In a possible implementation, the motion control process of the ultrasonic transducer can be as follows: the positioning device acquires the current motion state information of the ultrasonic transducer and sends the current motion state information to the control device. The control device determines whether the motion process of the ultrasonic transducer needs to be controlled according to the current motion state information of the ultrasonic transducer and the target motion state information of the ultrasonic transducer. If the motion process of the ultrasonic transducer needs to be controlled, the control device generates the motion control instruction of the ultrasonic transducer based on the current motion state information and the target motion state information, so as to drive the motor to work through the motion control instruction to drive the ultrasonic transducer to move, thereby realizing the motion control of the ultrasonic transducer.

[0064] Optionally, if the ultrasonic probe 110 can also include a processor, the motion control process of the ultrasonic transducer can be that the positioning device obtains the current motion state information of the ultrasonic transducer and sends the current motion state information to the processor. The processor generates the motion control instruction of the ultrasonic transducer according to the current motion state information and the target motion state information of the ultrasonic transducer, so as to drive the motor to work through the motion control instruction to drive the ultrasonic transducer to move, thereby realizing the motion control of the ultrasonic transducer.

[0065] Based on the above ultrasonic probe provided with the positioning device, the motion state information of the ultrasonic transducer can be effectively obtained in real time, the obtaining process is simple, and complex calculation is not required. The motion process of the ultrasonic transducer can be accurately controlled according to the motion of the ultrasonic transducer in the ultrasonic probe. Moreover, the positioning device is usually designed as an integrated chip, has a small size, has low requirements on structural installation size, simplifies the composition structure of the ultrasonic probe, and has higher reliability and practicability than the traditional probe.

[0066] Next, the technical solutions of the embodiments of the present application and how the technical solutions of the embodiments of the present application solve the above technical problems will be described in detail through embodiments and in combination with the drawings. The following specific embodiments can be combined with each other, and the same or similar concepts or processes can not be described in some embodiments. It should be noted that the motion control method of the ultrasonic transducer provided by the embodiments of the present application can be the motion control device of the ultrasonic transducer. The device can be realized as part or all of the processor by software, hardware or combination of software and hardware, can also be the ultrasonic probe, and can also be the probe controller. Obviously, the described embodiments are part of the embodiments of the present application, not all the embodiments.

[0067] In one embodiment, as shown in Figure 2 , a motion control method of an ultrasonic transducer is provided. The embodiment takes the method applied to the control device 120 as shown in Figure 1a . It can be understood that the method can also be applied to the ultrasonic probe 110 as shown in Figure 1a or Figure 1b , and can also be applied to the ultrasonic equipment including the ultrasonic probe 110 and the control device 120 and realized through the interaction of the ultrasonic probe 110 and the control device 120. In the embodiment, the method includes the following steps:

[0068] Step 210: obtaining the current motion state information of the ultrasonic transducer inside the ultrasonic probe through the positioning device; the positioning device is installed on the inner wall of the ultrasonic probe shell.

[0069] It should be noted that the embodiments of this application do not restrict the installation position of the positioning device on the inner wall of the ultrasonic probe housing, as long as the ultrasonic transducer moving inside the ultrasonic probe is always within the sensing range of the positioning device.

[0070] As an example, see Figure 3 Point O is the fixed installation position of the ultrasonic transducer inside the ultrasonic probe. Assuming the positioning device is a laser sensor, the laser sensor can be installed at point N, point M, or any position between point N and point M on the inner wall of the ultrasonic probe, without limitation. Figure 3 Points M and N are shown. It's understandable that this arrangement is for one side of the ultrasound probe; the same arrangement can be used on the other side of the ultrasound probe.

[0071] Points N and M were determined based on the error detected by the laser sensor in the ultrasonic sensor during the experiment.

[0072] Specifically, optical fiber can be used as the transmission medium for the laser, serving as both the transmitting and receiving paths for the laser sensor. One end of the optical fiber is fixed at point M, and the other end at point N. The laser emitted from this optical fiber is perpendicular to the ultrasonic transducer located at point A, and the laser emitted from the laser sensor is at a fixed angle α to the ultrasonic probe housing.

[0073] In addition, the current motion status information of the ultrasonic transducer includes one or more of the following: current motion position, current motion distance, current motion speed, current motion acceleration, current motion direction, and current offset angle.

[0074] As an example, if the positioning device is a laser sensor with ranging function, the laser sensor can collect the straight-line distance Di between its own installation position and the ultrasonic transducer in real time during the left and right movement of the ultrasonic transducer, and then calculate the current motion state information of the ultrasonic transducer based on the real-time straight-line distance Di and the aforementioned fixed angle α.

[0075] When the current position of the ultrasonic transducer coincides with the centerline of the ultrasonic probe, the linear distance Di obtained by the laser sensor is equal to... Figure 3 The straight-line distance D.

[0076] It should be noted that in step 210, the positioning device can acquire the current motion state information of the ultrasonic transducer in real time, or periodically, or when the motion control operation is triggered. This embodiment does not limit this.

[0077] The motion control trigger operation can be manually triggered by a user on the ultrasound probe 110 or the control device 120, or can be automatically triggered when it is detected that a preset operation exists in the ultrasound probe. The present embodiment does not limit this.

[0078] Step 220: generating a motion control instruction of the ultrasound transducer based on the current motion state information and the target motion state information of the ultrasound transducer.

[0079] Similarly, the target motion state information can include one or more of a target motion position, a target motion distance, a target motion speed, a target motion acceleration, a target motion direction, and a target offset angle.

[0080] As an example, the target motion state information can be pre-stored in the ultrasound probe / control device. For example, the target motion state information can be a target motion speed of the ultrasound transducer, so as to control the ultrasound transducer to move at a constant speed in the ultrasound probe by the target motion speed.

[0081] As another example, the target motion state information can be real-time control information of the ultrasound transducer, which can be carried in a control request sent by a user to the ultrasound probe or the control device. For example, the target motion state information can be a target motion position of the ultrasound transducer, so as to request the ultrasound transducer to move to the target motion position.

[0082] In a possible implementation, the implementation process of step 220 can be: analyzing motion offset information between the current motion state and the target motion state according to the current motion state information and the target motion state information, and then generating a motion control instruction of the ultrasound transducer according to the motion offset information, so as to adjust the ultrasound transducer from the current motion state to the target motion state.

[0083] The motion control instruction includes at least one of a lost-step control instruction, a reset control instruction, and a limit control instruction.

[0084] Taking the motion state information as a motion position as an example, if there is a deviation between the current motion position and the target motion position, it is determined that the ultrasound transducer is out of step, that is, a lost-step control instruction is generated according to a position deviation value between the current motion position and the target motion position, so as to compensate for the lost step of the ultrasound transducer; if the target motion position is a center line of the ultrasound probe, a reset control instruction is generated according to the current motion position and the target motion position, so as to make the ultrasound transducer move to a position coinciding with the center line of the ultrasound probe; if the target motion position represents a safe motion range of the ultrasound transducer in the ultrasound probe, a limit control instruction is generated according to the current motion position and the target motion position, so as to ensure that the ultrasound transducer does not exceed the safe motion range during motion.

[0085] Step 230: motion control of the ultrasonic transducer based on the motion control instruction.

[0086] As described above, if the motion control instruction is the out-of-step control instruction, the out-of-step compensation of the ultrasonic transducer is performed by the driving system; if the motion control instruction is the reset control instruction, the reset control of the ultrasonic transducer is performed by the driving system to make the ultrasonic transducer return to the position coinciding with the center line of the ultrasonic probe; if the motion control instruction is the limit control instruction, the limit control of the ultrasonic transducer is performed by the driving system to avoid the collision between the ultrasonic transducer and the inner wall of the ultrasonic probe shell.

[0087] In the motion control method of the ultrasonic transducer, the current motion state information of the ultrasonic transducer inside the ultrasonic probe is obtained by the positioning device installed on the inner wall of the ultrasonic probe shell, and then the motion control instruction of the ultrasonic transducer is generated based on the current motion state information and the target motion state information of the ultrasonic transducer, and the motion control of the ultrasonic transducer is performed based on the motion control instruction. Since the positioning device is arranged in the ultrasonic probe in the present application, the current motion state information of the ultrasonic transducer can be accurately obtained, and the detection accuracy of the motion state of the ultrasonic transducer is improved. Further, in the case that the current motion state information of the ultrasonic transducer is accurate and effective, the motion process of the ultrasonic transducer can be effectively controlled based on the current motion state information.

[0088] Moreover, the positioning device can be realized in the form of an integrated chip, which has a small volume and is easy to install in the ultrasonic probe without affecting the internal structure of the ultrasonic probe, and the positioning device has a low cost and is more practical.

[0089] Based on the above embodiments, next, the specific implementation process of the out-of-step compensation, reset control and limit control of the ultrasonic transducer will be explained in combination with the accompanying drawings. Figures 4-11

[0090] In one embodiment, as shown in FIG. 4, if the motion control instruction is the out-of-step control instruction, the implementation process of the motion control of the ultrasonic transducer based on the motion control instruction in the above step 230 can include the following steps: Figure 4

[0091] Step 410: obtaining the step angle of the ultrasonic transducer according to the current motion state information.

[0092] The step angle is the offset angle corresponding to the moving step length of the ultrasonic transducer in unit time.

[0093] ​​In a possible implementation, the implementation process of step 410 can be: obtaining the measurement height of the ultrasonic transducer according to the installation position of the positioning device; and determining the step angle of the ultrasonic transducer according to the current motion state information, the reset distance, and the measurement height.

[0094] Referring to Figure 5 , the measurement height (H) is the distance between the measuring point (S) of the ultrasonic transducer and the fixed installation position (O) of the ultrasonic transducer inside the ultrasonic probe, when the ultrasonic transducer coincides with the center line (OP) of the ultrasonic probe, and the positioning device (installed at point M) is relative to the ultrasonic transducer. The reset distance (D) is the distance between the installation position of the positioning device (installed at point M) and the center line (OP) of the ultrasonic probe.

[0095] The measurement height (H) can be calculated by the following formula (1).

[0096] H = sin α × R (1)

[0097] In the formula, α is the angle between the vertical line between the positioning device and the center line of the ultrasonic probe, and the inner wall of the ultrasonic probe where the positioning device is located, and R is the distance between the installation position (M) of the positioning device and the fixed installation position (O) of the ultrasonic transducer.

[0098] Since the installation position of the positioning device is known, that is, α and R are known quantities, the measurement height (H) of the ultrasonic transducer can be quickly calculated by the above formula (1).

[0099] Further, when the ultrasonic transducer starts to move from the center line position of the ultrasonic probe, the laser emitted by the laser sensor (i.e. the positioning device) is no longer perpendicular to the ultrasonic transducer, and the laser sensor can obtain the real-time straight-line distance Di between the ultrasonic transducer. Further, according to the difference between the real-time straight-line distance Di and the reset distance (D), the length d shown in the following formula (2) can be obtained. Figure 5

[0100] Suppose that when the ultrasonic transducer moves to the nth step, the laser sensor measures the movement distance between the ultrasonic transducer as Dn, and the angle between the ultrasonic transducer and the center line of the ultrasonic probe as θn. n The step angle θ of the ultrasonic transducer can be calculated by the following formulas (2) and (3).

[0101]

[0102] θ = θ n+1 - θ n (3)

[0103] ​In the formula, D is the reset distance, Dn is the real-time obtained movement distance of the ultrasonic transducer (i.e. the straight-line distance between the current movement position of the ultrasonic transducer and the installation position of the positioning device), and the absolute value of the difference between D and Dn is Figure 5 the length d shown in FIG. 1; H is the measurement height of the ultrasonic transducer. Wherein, θ n and θ n+1 are adjacent steps in time.

[0104] Step 420: If the step distance angle is zero, then the out-of-step compensation is performed on the ultrasonic transducer.

[0105] It should be noted that the ultrasonic transducer is driven by a motor to perform a scanning task on a target part of the measured object. After the position of the ultrasonic transducer is calculated, it is fed back to the motor driving system, which then controls the movement of the ultrasonic transducer.

[0106] Taking a stepping motor as an example, the rotation speed of the stepping motor depends on the pulse frequency, the number of rotor teeth and the number of taps. The higher the starting frequency, the smaller the torque of the stepping motor. If the maximum stepping speed of the stepping motor is exceeded, the out-of-step phenomenon will occur. In addition, if the torque of the motor is less than the torque of the load, the out-of-step phenomenon will also occur. When the stepping motor is out of step, it will cause the ultrasonic probe scanning to fail, affecting the quality of ultrasonic imaging.

[0107] Therefore, the embodiments of the present application obtain the current movement position of the ultrasonic transducer through the positioning device, calculate the step distance angle in real time, and determine whether the motor is out of step according to the step distance angle, and control the out-of-step of the ultrasonic transducer when the motor is out of step.

[0108] Wherein, when the motor is working normally and there is no out-of-step phenomenon, the ultrasonic transducer is continuously moving inside the ultrasonic probe, and the step distance angle between adjacent steps must be zero. Therefore, when the step distance angle of the ultrasonic transducer is zero, the motor is out of step, causing the ultrasonic transducer to be out of step, and the out-of-step of the ultrasonic transducer needs to be compensated, i.e. the movement step of the ultrasonic transducer is adjusted to move the ultrasonic transducer from the current movement position to the target movement position.

[0109] In one possible implementation, the workflow of compensating for the out-of-step of the ultrasonic transducer according to the step distance angle θ obtained in step 410 is as shown in Figure 6 .

[0110] Specifically, when the step distance angle θ is determined to be zero, the current movement state information of the ultrasonic transducer is fed back to the motor driving system, and the motor driving system issues an out-of-step control instruction. The out-of-step control instruction carries an out-of-step compensation parameter. Thus, after receiving the out-of-step control instruction, the ultrasonic transducer adjusts the movement step according to the out-of-step compensation parameter.

[0111] The step-out compensation parameter includes one or more of a step length adjustment value, a motion speed adjustment value, and a target motion position.

[0112] In the embodiment, the current motion state information of the ultrasonic transducer in the ultrasonic probe is acquired in real time by the positioning device, and the step angle of the ultrasonic transducer is calculated. When the step angle is zero, it is determined that there is a step-out in the current motion process of the ultrasonic transducer, and the motion step length of the ultrasonic transducer is compensated according to the current motion state information. In this way, based on the current motion state information of the ultrasonic transducer, the step-out control of the ultrasonic transducer can be timely and effectively performed, so that the ultrasonic transducer is moved to the corresponding target motion position, thereby improving the detection result accuracy of the ultrasonic probe.

[0113] In one embodiment, as shown in Figure 7 , if the motion control instruction is a reset control instruction, the implementation process of the step 230 of performing motion control on the ultrasonic transducer based on the motion control instruction can include the following steps:

[0114] Step 710: Obtain the distance between the installation position of the positioning device and the center line of the ultrasonic probe, to obtain a reset distance.

[0115] Referring to Figure 3 or Figure 5 , the reset distance is the vertical distance D between the installation position M of the positioning device and the center line (OP) of the ultrasonic probe.

[0116] Step 720: According to the current motion state information and the reset distance, perform reset control on the ultrasonic transducer to make the ultrasonic transducer coincide with the center line of the ultrasonic probe.

[0117] In one possible implementation, the implementation process of the step 720 can be: according to the current motion state information and the reset distance, determining a reset adjustment distance of the ultrasonic transducer, and then driving the system to control the ultrasonic transducer to move from the current motion position by the reset adjustment distance to a position coinciding with the center line of the ultrasonic probe.

[0118] The current motion state information includes the current motion position of the ultrasonic transducer. Further, if the positioning device is a laser sensor, the current motion position of the ultrasonic transducer can be represented by the motion distance between the current position of the ultrasonic transducer detected by the laser sensor.

[0119] As an example, the workflow of the reset control of the ultrasonic transducer is as shown in Figure 8As shown in the figure. Specifically, the positioning device acquires the motion state information of the ultrasonic transducer, which includes the motion distance Dn. Further, it is judged whether Dn is equal to the reset distance D. If Dn=D, it indicates that the ultrasonic transducer has coincided with the center line of the ultrasonic probe, and there is no need to perform the reset operation; if Dn≠D, the current motion state information of the ultrasonic transducer is fed back to the motor driving system, and the motor driving system calculates the reset adjustment distance according to the current motion state information and the reset distance; and sends a reset control instruction, which carries the reset adjustment distance. In this way, after receiving the reset control instruction, the ultrasonic transducer resets according to the reset adjustment distance, so as to move to the position coinciding with the center line of the ultrasonic probe.

[0120] In this embodiment, the current motion state information of the ultrasonic transducer inside the ultrasonic probe is acquired in real time by the positioning device, and it is judged whether the ultrasonic transducer is at the position coinciding with the center line of the ultrasonic probe. If not, the reset adjustment distance of the ultrasonic transducer is determined according to the current motion state information of the ultrasonic transducer and the reset distance, so as to control the reset of the ultrasonic transducer according to the reset adjustment distance. In this way, the reset control of the ultrasonic transducer can be quickly and effectively realized.

[0121] In one embodiment, as shown in the figure, if the motion control instruction is a limit control instruction, the implementation process of the step 230 of controlling the motion of the ultrasonic transducer based on the motion control instruction can include the following steps: Figure 9

[0122] Step 910: Acquire the safe motion range of the ultrasonic transducer in the ultrasonic probe.

[0123] Wherein, the safe motion range is the area between the left and right safe lines in the inner wall of the ultrasonic probe shell, and the distance between the left and right safe lines and the inner wall of the ultrasonic probe shell satisfies the preset limit distance.

[0124] It should be noted that the limit distance can be a pre-set safe distance, such as 2cm, 1cm, 0.5cm, 3cm, etc., as long as it does not affect the use of the ultrasonic probe, which is not limited herein. Under this limit distance, even if the ultrasonic transducer moves to the position coinciding with the left or right safe line, it will not collide with the inner wall of the ultrasonic probe, ensuring the safety of the movement of the ultrasonic transducer.

[0125] As an example, as shown in the figure, the left safe line is OE and the right safe line is OF, and the area indicated by the arrow in the figure is the safe motion range. Figure 10

[0126] Step 920: Limit control the ultrasonic transducer according to the current motion state information and the safe motion range.​​

[0127] In one possible implementation, step 920 can be implemented as follows: if the current motion state information indicates that the ultrasonic transducer coincides with the left-shifting safety line, or if the current motion state information indicates that the ultrasonic transducer coincides with the right-shifting safety line, then control the ultrasonic transducer to adjust its motion direction and move in the opposite direction.

[0128] That is, the current motion position of the ultrasonic transducer is determined based on the current motion status information. If the current motion position coincides with the left-shifting safety line, the ultrasonic transducer is controlled to adjust its motion direction and move towards the right-shifting safety line; if the current motion position coincides with the right-shifting safety line, the ultrasonic transducer is controlled to adjust its motion direction and move towards the left-shifting safety line.

[0129] As an example, the limit control workflow of an ultrasonic transducer is as follows: Figure 11 As shown. Specifically, the positioning device acquires the motion state information of the ultrasonic transducer, including the current motion distance Dn. Further, based on the current motion distance, it determines whether the current motion position of the ultrasonic transducer coincides with the left-shifting safety line or the right-shifting safety line, i.e., whether Dn equals DE or DF. If Dn = DE, it indicates that the ultrasonic transducer coincides with the left-shifting safety line; if Dn = DF, it indicates that the ultrasonic transducer coincides with the right-shifting safety line. Therefore, when Dn = DE or Dn = DF, the current motion state information of the ultrasonic transducer is fed back to the motor drive system, which then issues a limit control command based on the current motion state information. Thus, upon receiving the limit control command, the ultrasonic transducer adjusts its motion direction, moving in the opposite direction to prevent the ultrasonic transducer's motion position from exceeding the safe motion range.

[0130] In this embodiment, the positioning device acquires the current motion status information of the ultrasonic transducer inside the ultrasonic probe in real time and determines whether the ultrasonic transducer is in a position coinciding with the left-shifting safety line or the right-shifting safety line. If it is in a coinciding position, the ultrasonic transducer is controlled to adjust its movement direction and move in the opposite direction. In this way, the ultrasonic transducer can be effectively limited and controlled, avoiding collisions between the ultrasonic transducer and the inner wall of the ultrasonic probe, which could affect the accuracy of the ultrasonic probe's detection results.

[0131] It should be understood that although each step in the flowchart involved in each embodiment as described above is shown in sequence according to the direction of the arrow, these steps are not necessarily executed in the order indicated by the arrow. Unless explicitly stated herein, there is no strict order limitation for the execution of these steps, and these steps can be executed in other orders. Moreover, at least part of the steps in the flowchart involved in each embodiment as described above can include multiple steps or multiple stages, which are not necessarily executed at the same time, but can be executed at different times, and the execution order of these steps or stages is not necessarily sequential, but can be alternately executed with at least part of other steps or steps or stages in other steps.

[0132] Based on the same inventive concept, the embodiments of the present application also provide a motion control device for implementing the motion control method of the ultrasonic transducer as described above. The implementation scheme for solving the problem provided by the device is similar to the implementation scheme described in the above method, so the specific limitations in one or more motion control device embodiments of the ultrasonic transducer provided below can refer to the limitations of the motion control method of the ultrasonic transducer in the above text, and will not be repeated here.

[0133] In one embodiment, as shown in FIG. 12, a motion control device of an ultrasonic transducer is provided, and the device 1200 includes a motion monitoring module 1210, a state judgment module 1220, and a motion control module 1230, wherein: Figure 12

[0134] The motion monitoring module 1210 is configured to acquire current motion state information of the ultrasonic transducer inside the ultrasonic probe through a positioning device installed on the inner wall of the ultrasonic probe shell.

[0135] The state judgment module 1220 is configured to generate a motion control instruction of the ultrasonic transducer based on the current motion state information and target motion state information of the ultrasonic transducer.

[0136] The motion control module 1230 is configured to perform motion control on the ultrasonic transducer based on the motion control instruction.

[0137] In one embodiment, the motion control instruction includes at least one of a step-out control instruction, a reset control instruction, and a limit control instruction.

[0138] In one embodiment, if the motion control instruction is a step-out control instruction, the motion control module 1230 includes:

[0139] A first acquisition unit is configured to acquire a step angle of the ultrasonic transducer according to the current motion state information. ​

[0140] A step-out compensation unit is configured to compensate the ultrasonic transducer if the step-out angle is zero.

[0141] In one embodiment, the first obtaining unit comprises:

[0142] The obtaining sub-unit is configured to obtain a measurement height of the ultrasonic transducer according to the installation position of the positioning device; the measurement height is a distance between a measurement point of the ultrasonic transducer relative to the ultrasonic transducer and a fixed installation position of the ultrasonic transducer inside the ultrasonic probe when the ultrasonic transducer coincides with the center line of the ultrasonic probe.

[0143] The determining sub-unit is configured to determine the step-out angle of the ultrasonic transducer according to the current motion state information, the reset distance, and the measurement height; the reset distance is a distance between the installation position of the positioning device and the center line of the ultrasonic probe.

[0144] In one embodiment, if the motion control instruction is a reset control instruction, the motion control module 1230 comprises:

[0145] The second obtaining unit is configured to obtain a distance between the installation position of the positioning device and the center line of the ultrasonic probe, to obtain the reset distance.

[0146] The reset control unit is configured to perform reset control on the ultrasonic transducer according to the current motion state information and the reset distance, so that the ultrasonic transducer coincides with the center line of the ultrasonic probe.

[0147] In one embodiment, if the motion control instruction is a limit control instruction, the motion control module 1230 comprises:

[0148] The third obtaining unit is configured to obtain a safe motion range of the ultrasonic transducer in the ultrasonic probe.

[0149] The limit control unit is configured to perform limit control on the ultrasonic transducer according to the current motion state information and the safe motion range.

[0150] In one embodiment, the safe motion range is an area between a left moving safety line and a right moving safety line in an inner wall of the ultrasonic probe shell; the distances between the left moving safety line and the right moving safety line and the inner wall of the ultrasonic probe shell satisfy a preset limit distance.

[0151] The limit control unit comprises:

[0152] The control sub-unit is configured to control the ultrasonic transducer to adjust a motion direction and move in an opposite direction if the current motion state information indicates that the ultrasonic transducer coincides with the left moving safety line, or the current motion state information indicates that the ultrasonic transducer coincides with the right moving safety line.

[0153] Each of the modules in the motion control device of the ultrasonic transducer described above can be implemented wholly or partially by software, hardware and combinations thereof. The modules described above can be embedded in the processor in the computer device (such as the ultrasonic probe and the control device) in hardware form or independent of the processor, or can be stored in the memory in the computer device in software form, so as to be called and executed by the processor to perform the operations corresponding to each of the modules.

[0154] In one embodiment, an ultrasonic probe is provided, which includes an ultrasonic transducer, a processor and a memory, a positioning device is installed in the inner wall of the ultrasonic probe shell, the positioning device is used to acquire the current motion state information of the ultrasonic transducer inside the ultrasonic probe, the memory stores a computer program, and the processor implements the motion control method of the ultrasonic transducer when executing the computer program.

[0155] The ultrasonic probe provided in the above embodiments has similar implementation principles and technical effects to the method embodiments, and thus will not be described here.

[0156] In one embodiment, an ultrasonic diagnostic device is provided, which can include an ultrasonic probe and a probe controller; a positioning device is installed in the inner wall of the ultrasonic probe shell, the positioning device is used to acquire the current motion state information of the ultrasonic transducer inside the ultrasonic probe; the probe controller includes a memory and a processor, the memory stores a computer program, and the processor implements the motion control method of the ultrasonic transducer when executing the computer program.

[0157] The ultrasonic diagnostic device provided in the above embodiments has similar implementation principles and technical effects to the method embodiments, and thus will not be described here.

[0158] In one embodiment, a computer device is provided, which can be an ultrasonic probe or a control device connected to the ultrasonic probe, and the internal structure diagram thereof can be as shown in Figure 13 The computer device includes a processor, a memory, a communication interface, a display screen and an input device connected through a system bus. The processor of the computer device is used to provide computing and control capabilities. The memory of the computer device includes a non-volatile storage medium and an internal memory. The non-volatile storage medium stores an operating system and a computer program. The internal memory provides an environment for the operating system and the computer program in the non-volatile storage medium to run. The communication interface of the computer device is used to perform wired or wireless communication with an external terminal. The wireless communication can be achieved through WIFI, an operator network, NFC (near field communication) or other technologies. The computer program is executed by the processor to implement a motion control method of an ultrasonic transducer.

[0159] Optionally, when the computer device is a control device externally connected with the ultrasonic probe, the computer device can further include a display unit and an input device. The display screen of the display unit can be a liquid crystal display screen or an electronic ink display screen, and the input device of the computer device can be a touch layer overlaid on the display screen, or a button, trackball or touchpad arranged on the shell of the computer device, or an externally connected keyboard, touchpad or mouse, etc.

[0160] Those skilled in the art can understand that, Figure 13 The structure shown in the figure is only a block diagram of part of the structure related to the scheme of the present application, and does not constitute a limitation on the computer device to which the scheme of the present application is applied. The specific computer device can include more or fewer components than those shown in the figure, or combine certain components, or have a different arrangement of components.

[0161] In one embodiment, a computer device is provided, which can be an independent ultrasonic probe or a control device externally connected with the ultrasonic probe. The computer device includes a memory and a processor, and the memory stores a computer program. When the processor executes the computer program, the following steps are implemented:

[0162] The current motion state information of the ultrasonic transducer inside the ultrasonic probe is acquired through the positioning device, and the positioning device is mounted on the inner wall of the shell of the ultrasonic probe;

[0163] Based on the current motion state information and the target motion state information of the ultrasonic transducer, a motion control instruction of the ultrasonic transducer is generated;

[0164] The motion control instruction is used to control the motion of the ultrasonic transducer.

[0165] The computer device provided in the above embodiment has similar implementation principles and technical effects to the above method embodiments, and thus will not be described here.

[0166] In one embodiment, a computer readable storage medium is provided, which stores a computer program. When the computer program is executed by a processor, the following steps are implemented:

[0167] The current motion state information of the ultrasonic transducer inside the ultrasonic probe is acquired through the positioning device, and the positioning device is mounted on the inner wall of the shell of the ultrasonic probe;

[0168] Based on the current motion state information and the target motion state information of the ultrasonic transducer, a motion control instruction of the ultrasonic transducer is generated;

[0169] The motion control instruction is used to control the motion of the ultrasonic transducer.

[0170] The computer readable storage medium provided in the above embodiment has similar implementation principles and technical effects to the method embodiments, and thus detailed description is omitted here.

[0171] In one embodiment, a computer program product is provided, comprising a computer program which, when executed by a processor, implements the following steps:

[0172] The current motion state information of the ultrasonic transducer inside the ultrasonic probe is acquired by a positioning device installed on the inner wall of the ultrasonic probe shell.

[0173] Based on the current motion state information and target motion state information of the ultrasonic transducer, a motion control instruction of the ultrasonic transducer is generated.

[0174] Based on the motion control instruction, the motion of the ultrasonic transducer is controlled.

[0175] The computer program product provided in the above embodiment has similar implementation principles and technical effects to the method embodiments, and thus detailed description is omitted here.

[0176] Those skilled in the art can understand that all or part of the processes in the above method embodiments can be completed by a computer program instructing related hardware. The computer program can be stored in a non-volatile computer readable storage medium. When the computer program is executed, the processes of the above embodiments can be included. Any reference to memory, storage, database or other medium in each embodiment provided in the present application can include at least one of non-volatile and volatile memory. Non-volatile memory can include read-only memory (ROM), magnetic tape, floppy disk, flash memory or optical memory. Volatile memory can include random access memory (RAM) or external cache memory. As an illustration but not limitation, RAM can be in various forms, such as static random access memory (SRAM) or dynamic random access memory (DRAM).

[0177] Each technical feature of the above embodiments can be combined arbitrarily. In order to make the description concise, all possible combinations of each technical feature in the above embodiments are not described, but as long as the combinations of the technical features do not exist, they should be considered as the scope of the present application.

[0178] The above-described embodiments are merely illustrative of several embodiments of the present application, which are described in more detail and in a specific and detailed manner, but should not be construed as limiting the scope of the patent. It should be noted that for those skilled in the art, several modifications and improvements can be made without departing from the concept of the present application, and these all belong to the protection scope of the present application. Therefore, the protection scope of the patent of the present application should be subject to the appended claims.

Claims

1. A motion control method for an ultrasonic transducer, characterized in that, The method includes: The current motion status information of the ultrasonic transducer inside the ultrasonic probe is obtained through a positioning device; the positioning device is installed on the inner wall of the ultrasonic probe housing. Based on the current motion state information and the target motion state information of the ultrasonic transducer, a motion control command for the ultrasonic transducer is generated. Based on the motion control command, motion control is performed on the ultrasonic transducer; wherein, the motion control includes a step-out control command, and the motion control of the ultrasonic transducer based on the motion control command includes: obtaining the measurement height of the ultrasonic transducer according to the installation position of the positioning device; the measurement height is the distance between the measurement point of the positioning device relative to the ultrasonic transducer and the fixed installation position of the ultrasonic transducer inside the ultrasonic probe when the ultrasonic transducer coincides with the center line of the ultrasonic probe; determining the step angle of the ultrasonic transducer according to the current motion state information, the reset distance and the measurement height; the reset distance is the distance between the installation position of the positioning device and the center line of the ultrasonic probe; if the step angle is zero, then step-out compensation is performed on the ultrasonic transducer.

2. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that, The motion control commands also include at least one of reset control commands and limit control commands.

3. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that, The step loss compensation for the ultrasonic transducer includes: The current motion state information of the ultrasonic transducer is sent to the motor drive system to generate a step loss control command; the step loss control command carries step loss compensation parameters. The step size of the ultrasonic transducer is adjusted according to the out-of-step compensation parameters.

4. The method according to claim 3, characterized in that, The step loss compensation parameters include one or more of the following: step length adjustment value, movement speed adjustment value, and target movement position.

5. The method according to claim 2, characterized in that, If the motion control command is a reset control command, then the motion control of the ultrasonic transducer based on the motion control command includes: The distance between the installation position of the positioning device and the center line of the ultrasonic probe is obtained to determine the reset distance; Based on the current motion state information and the reset distance, the ultrasonic transducer is reset to make the ultrasonic transducer coincide with the center line of the ultrasonic probe; the current motion state information includes the current motion distance.

6. The method according to claim 2, characterized in that, If the motion control command is a limit control command, then the motion control of the ultrasonic transducer based on the motion control command includes: Obtain the safe range of motion of the ultrasonic transducer within the ultrasonic probe; The ultrasonic transducer is subjected to limit control based on the current motion state information and the safe motion range; the current motion state information includes the current motion position.

7. The method according to claim 6, characterized in that, The safe movement range is the area between the left-moving safety line and the right-moving safety line on the inner wall of the ultrasonic probe housing, and the distances between the left-moving safety line and the right-moving safety line and the inner wall of the ultrasonic probe housing respectively meet the preset limit distances; The step of limiting the ultrasonic transducer based on the current motion state information and the safe motion range includes: If the current motion state information indicates that the ultrasonic transducer coincides with the left-shifted safety line, or if the current motion state information indicates that the ultrasonic transducer coincides with the right-shifted safety line; Then the ultrasonic transducer is controlled to adjust its movement direction and move in the opposite direction.

8. A motion control device for an ultrasonic transducer, characterized in that, The device includes: A motion monitoring module is used to acquire the current motion status information of the ultrasonic transducer inside the ultrasonic probe through a positioning device; the positioning device is installed on the inner wall of the ultrasonic probe housing. The state judgment module is used to generate motion control commands for the ultrasonic transducer based on the current motion state information and the target motion state information of the ultrasonic transducer. A motion control module is used to perform motion control on the ultrasonic transducer based on the motion control command; wherein, the motion control includes a step-out control command, and the motion control of the ultrasonic transducer based on the motion control command includes: obtaining the measurement height of the ultrasonic transducer according to the installation position of the positioning device; the measurement height is the distance between the measurement point of the positioning device relative to the ultrasonic transducer and the fixed installation position of the ultrasonic transducer inside the ultrasonic probe when the ultrasonic transducer coincides with the center line of the ultrasonic probe; determining the step angle of the ultrasonic transducer according to the current motion state information, the reset distance and the measurement height; the reset distance is the distance between the installation position of the positioning device and the center line of the ultrasonic probe; if the step angle is zero, then performing step-out compensation on the ultrasonic transducer.

9. An ultrasonic probe, characterized in that, The ultrasonic probe includes an ultrasonic transducer, a processor, and a memory; A positioning device is installed in the inner wall of the ultrasonic probe housing. The positioning device is used to obtain the current motion state information of the ultrasonic transducer inside the ultrasonic probe. The memory stores a computer program, and when the processor executes the computer program, it implements the steps of the method according to any one of claims 1 to 7.

10. An ultrasound diagnostic device, characterized in that, The device includes the ultrasonic probe and probe controller as described in claim 9; A positioning device is installed in the inner wall of the ultrasonic probe housing. The positioning device is used to obtain the current motion state information of the ultrasonic transducer inside the ultrasonic probe. The probe controller includes a memory and a processor, the memory storing a computer program, and the processor executing the computer program to implement the steps of the method according to any one of claims 1 to 7.

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