Host of an ultrasound device and ultrasound device

Abstract

The utility model discloses an ultrasonic equipment's host computer and a kind of ultrasonic equipment, ultrasonic equipment's host computer includes processing device and battery pack, processing device is connected with battery pack, wherein, processing device includes central processing unit and microcontroller unit, wherein, central processing unit is connected with microcontroller unit, microcontroller unit is connected with battery pack;Battery pack is connected with target component in host computer, for the power supply of target component;Central processing unit is used to communicate with battery pack by microcontroller unit to control battery pack and stop power supply for target component power supply or.The host computer of the ultrasonic equipment of the application controls the power-off of battery pack by using non-physical disconnected communication mode, battery pack does not have to be detached from host computer, can save manpower, improve the installation efficiency of host computer.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This utility model relates to the field of ultrasonic equipment, specifically to a main unit of an ultrasonic device and an ultrasonic device. Background Technology

[0002] Ultrasound equipment is a standard diagnostic tool in the medical field, and most commonly used ultrasound devices have built-in battery packs. The battery packs primarily provide power to key components (referred to as target components, such as pulse generators, beamformers, and central processing units) in the ultrasound device's main unit when external power is disconnected, preventing interruptions to ongoing patient examinations. They also quickly wake up the target components when the ultrasound device is in standby mode after external power is lost, and ensure timely data backup in case of sudden power failure, preventing data loss. However, the transportation of ultrasound equipment involves many uncertainties, such as bumps, vibrations, and temperature differences. If the battery pack continuously supplies power during transport, it could lead to accidental power-on or abnormally high current output, creating safety hazards. Therefore, ultrasound devices with built-in battery packs must be transported with the battery pack not supplying power to the entire device to eliminate safety risks. In existing ultrasound equipment, power to the battery pack is primarily disconnected by physically breaking the electrical connection between the built-in battery pack and the target component to be powered within the ultrasound equipment (e.g., unplugging the connecting cable). While this physical disconnection is thorough, it is inconvenient for installation. In particular, installing the built-in battery pack in some ultrasound devices requires extensive disassembly. Utility Model Content

[0003] The present invention addresses the aforementioned problems. Embodiments of the present invention provide a host unit for an ultrasonic device and an ultrasonic device that can control the power outage of a battery pack using a non-physical disconnection communication method.

[0004] According to one aspect of the present invention, a main unit of an ultrasonic device is provided, including a processing device and a battery pack. The processing device is connected to the battery pack. The processing device includes a central processing unit and a microcontroller unit. The central processing unit is connected to the microcontroller unit, and the microcontroller unit is connected to the battery pack. The battery pack is connected to a target component within the main unit and is used to supply power to the target component. The central processing unit is used to communicate with the battery pack through the microcontroller unit to control the battery pack to supply power to or stop supplying power to the target component.

[0005] Optionally, the central processing unit and the microcontroller unit are integrated on the same circuit board.

[0006] Alternatively, the central processing unit and the microcontroller unit can be integrated on different circuit boards.

[0007] Optionally, the central processing unit and the microcontroller unit are connected via a universal asynchronous transceiver (UART), and the central processing unit communicates with the microcontroller unit based on the UART's communication protocol.

[0008] Optionally, the microcontroller unit is connected to the battery pack via a system management bus, and the microcontroller unit communicates with the battery pack based on the communication protocol of the system management bus.

[0009] Optionally, the battery pack is also connected to a central processing unit, and the target component includes a central processing unit and a microcontroller unit, wherein the battery pack supplies power to the target component through a power supply circuit.

[0010] Optionally, the battery pack includes interconnected battery cells and a charging management chip. The charging management chip is connected to a microcontroller unit, and the battery cells are connected to a target component. The charging management chip is used to control the battery cells to supply power to the target component or to stop supplying power.

[0011] According to another aspect of the present invention, an ultrasonic device is also provided, including the main unit of the ultrasonic device described above, and an ultrasonic probe connected to the main unit.

[0012] In the above technical solution, the main unit of the ultrasonic equipment controls the power-off of the battery pack through a non-physical disconnection communication method, eliminating the need to remove the battery pack from the main unit, thus saving manpower and improving the installation efficiency of the main unit. On the other hand, based on the connection relationship between the central processing unit, the microcontroller unit, and the battery pack, bidirectional communication between different components is realized, enabling rapid and efficient control of the battery pack's power supply status.

[0013] The above description is merely an overview of the technical solution of this utility model. In order to better understand the technical means of this utility model and to implement it in accordance with the contents of the specification, and to make the above and other objects, features and advantages of this utility model more obvious and understandable, specific embodiments of this utility model are given below. Attached Figure Description

[0014] The above and other objects, features, and advantages of this utility model will become more apparent from the more detailed description of the embodiments thereof in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. The drawings are provided to further illustrate the embodiments of this utility model and form part of the specification. They are used together with the embodiments of this utility model to explain the utility model and do not constitute a limitation thereof. In the drawings, the same reference numerals generally represent the same components or steps.

[0015] Figure 1A schematic diagram of the main unit of an ultrasonic device according to an embodiment of the present invention is shown. Detailed Implementation

[0016] To make the objectives, technical solutions, and advantages of this utility model more apparent, exemplary embodiments according to this utility model will be described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Obviously, the described embodiments are merely some embodiments of this utility model, and not all embodiments of this utility model. It should be understood that this utility model is not limited to the exemplary embodiments described herein. Based on the embodiments of this utility model described herein, all other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art without inventive effort should fall within the protection scope of this utility model.

[0017] As mentioned above, while physically disconnecting the target components in the ultrasound device from the battery pack can completely de-energize the ultrasound device, it requires disassembling and installing the battery pack, which is inconvenient. In particular, the installation of the built-in battery pack in some ultrasound devices requires a lot of disassembly work.

[0018] This utility model embodiment provides a host for an ultrasonic device, through which the battery pack can be completely powered off without physical disconnection.

[0019] The main unit of the ultrasonic device provided by this utility model includes a processing device and a battery pack. The processing device is connected to the battery pack. The processing device includes a central processing unit and a microcontroller unit. The central processing unit is connected to the microcontroller unit, and the microcontroller unit is connected to the battery pack. The battery pack is connected to a target component in the main unit and is used to supply power to the target component. The central processing unit is used to communicate with the battery pack through the microcontroller unit to control the battery pack to supply power to or stop supplying power to the target component.

[0020] For example, an ultrasound device may include a main unit, an ultrasound probe, and optional accessories. The main unit may consist of a power supply, back-end components, and front-end components. The back-end components may include the main unit's processing unit. The processing unit may include multiple processors, such as a Central Processing Unit (CPU), a Microcontroller Unit (MCU), a Digital Signal Processor (DSP), a Graphics Processing Unit (GPU), or a Field-Programmable Gate Array (FPGA). These processors may be integrated on the same or different chips. An operating system for controlling the operation of the ultrasound device may run on the CPU. The Microcontroller Unit (MCU) can be used to control communication between components within the main unit. The MCU may be located on a back-end low-level board and is used to control the power-on and power-off of at least some components within the main unit, as well as to control the fan speed within the main unit and the connection of external devices. The central processing unit (CPU) and microcontroller unit can be connected via a specific communication bus. This bus can be, for example, an Inter-Integrated Circuit (I2C) bus, a Serial Peripheral Interface (SPI) bus, a Universal Asynchronous Receiver / Transmitter (UART) bus, or an internal dedicated bus, including Advanced Extensible Interface (AMBAAXI), Advanced High Performance Bus (AHB), and Advanced Peripheral Bus (APB). The front-end components control the operation of the ultrasound probe. The power supply can include a battery pack. When the host has no external power supply (e.g., mains AC), the battery pack can power other components within the host, such as the front-end and back-end components. The battery pack can be a single battery cell or multiple battery cells connected in series / parallel. The battery cells can be, for example, lithium batteries. The battery pack within the host can be a smart battery pack. The host's processing unit can communicate with the battery pack via wired or wireless communication.In some embodiments, the battery pack may have a communication interface for wired communication with the host processing device, and the communication protocol may be, for example, the System Management Bus (SMBus) interface protocol. In other embodiments, the smart battery pack may communicate with the processing device wirelessly via Bluetooth, Wireless Fidelity (WiFi), Near Field Communication (NFC), or other wireless methods. The communication between the processing device and the battery pack may include the processing device sending instructions to the battery pack, such as a power-off instruction. When the battery pack receives a power-off instruction, it may perform a power-off operation based on the instruction. Specifically, the battery pack may supply power to target components within the host, and the target components may be at least some of the components within the host other than the battery pack. It is understood that some components within the host may not be powered by the battery pack; these components may be powered solely by an external power source or may have their own independent power supply. When the main unit has no external power supply, before the battery pack receives a power-off command, the battery pack can supply power to multiple target components within the main unit through a power distribution circuit (power supply circuit). These target components can include front-end and back-end components of the ultrasonic equipment. For example, target components may include pulse generators, preamplifiers, beamformers, etc., which belong to the front-end components, and microcontroller units, central processing units, displays, etc., which belong to the back-end components. The power-off command can be sent through a specific communication protocol, which depends on the communication method between the processing device and the battery pack.

[0021] In the above technical solution, the main unit of the ultrasonic equipment controls the power-off of the battery pack through a non-physical disconnection communication method, eliminating the need to remove the battery pack from the main unit, thus saving manpower and improving the installation efficiency of the main unit. On the other hand, based on the connection relationship between the central processing unit, the microcontroller unit, and the battery pack, bidirectional communication between different components is realized, enabling rapid and efficient control of the battery pack's power supply status.

[0022] Optionally, the central processing unit and the microcontroller unit are integrated on the same circuit board.

[0023] For example, the central processing unit and the microcontroller unit can be connected via a specific communication bus, such as I2C, SPI, or UART. The central processing unit and the microcontroller unit can be located in different areas of the circuit board, and heat sinks and fans can also be installed on the circuit board.

[0024] The above technical solution can reduce the number of components and cost of the main unit of the ultrasound equipment, making the entire ultrasound system operate more compactly and efficiently.

[0025] Alternatively, the central processing unit and the microcontroller unit can be integrated on different circuit boards.

[0026] For example, the central processing unit and the microcontroller unit can also be integrated on different circuit boards. In this case, the communication bus used to connect the central processing unit and the microcontroller unit can be, for example, a USB data cable, an RS-232 serial cable, an RS-485 serial cable, etc.

[0027] The above technical solution allows for separate maintenance, replacement, or upgrades of the central processing unit and the microcontroller unit, improving the overall performance and reliability of the system. It offers high flexibility and makes the system easy to maintain. Furthermore, it enables data transmission between the central processing unit and the microcontroller unit via encrypted communication protocols, enhancing data security.

[0028] Optionally, the central processing unit and the microcontroller unit are connected via a universal asynchronous transceiver (UART), and the central processing unit communicates with the microcontroller unit based on the UART's communication protocol.

[0029] For example, the central processing unit (CPU) can be connected to the microcontroller unit via a universal asynchronous transceiver (UAST). The UAST is a serial communication interface used for bidirectional data transmission between the CPU and the microcontroller unit. Those skilled in the art will understand that the UAST interface requires connection to a transmit data line (TX line), a receive data line (RX line), and a shared ground line.

[0030] The above technical solution realizes communication between the central processing unit and the microcontroller unit through a universal asynchronous transceiver, enabling the central processing unit and the microcontroller unit to exchange data without the need for a synchronous clock signal, and at a low cost.

[0031] Optionally, the microcontroller unit is connected to the battery pack via a system management bus, and the microcontroller unit communicates with the battery pack based on the communication protocol of the system management bus.

[0032] For example, the microcontroller unit can connect to the battery pack via the system management bus to communicate with the battery pack, thereby monitoring the status of the battery pack and controlling its power supply / stopping. Specifically, the system management bus includes two signal lines: a data line (SDA) and a clock line (SCL). The microcontroller unit and the battery pack each correspond to different device addresses.

[0033] The above technical solution uses a system management bus to realize communication between the microcontroller unit and the battery pack. The system management bus uses a simple two-wire interface, which reduces hardware complexity.

[0034] Optionally, the battery pack is also connected to a central processing unit, and the target component includes a central processing unit and a microcontroller unit, wherein the battery pack supplies power to the target component through a power supply circuit.

[0035] For example, the battery pack can be connected to the central processing unit via a power supply circuit, which also supplies power to target components, including the central processing unit. It is understood that the power supply circuit includes relays and contactors for switching circuits on and off and controlling current flow, and the microcontroller unit can control the distribution of current to each target component based on the relays and contactors.

[0036] The above technical solution connects the central processing unit to the battery pack through a power supply circuit, so that the battery pack can supply power to the central processing unit when the external power supply is interrupted, thus avoiding the sudden power failure of the ultrasonic equipment during operation and affecting its use.

[0037] Optionally, the battery pack includes interconnected battery cells and a charging management chip. The charging management chip is connected to a microcontroller unit, and the battery cells are connected to a target component. The charging management chip is used to control the battery cells to supply power to the target component or to stop supplying power.

[0038] For example, the battery pack may include interconnected battery cells and a charging management chip, which controls the charging and discharging of the battery cells. Additionally, the battery pack may include other components, such as protection circuits and temperature sensors. The charging management chip may be connected to a microcontroller unit via a specific communication bus (e.g., an I2C bus). In one specific embodiment, the charging management chip may be connected to a processing device, serving as a communication medium between the battery pack and the microcontroller unit, and receiving power-off commands sent by the microcontroller unit. Upon receiving a power-off command, the charging management chip may, in response to the command, perform an operation to control the battery cells to shut down. For example, the process of controlling the battery cells to shut down may include: controlling the gate voltage of a metal-oxide-semiconductor field-effect transistor (MOSFET, MOS) in the power supply circuit to bring it into a cutoff state, cutting off the power supply current, and stopping the discharge of the battery cells. Those skilled in the art will understand that the power-off command may be in the form of a data packet or a frame.

[0039] The above technical solution receives power-off commands through the charging management chip and controls the battery cells of the battery pack to shut down. It can control the power-off or power supply of the battery pack using a non-physical disconnection communication method, and it is not necessary to remove the battery pack from the host when controlling the battery pack to shut down.

[0040] Please see Figure 1The diagram shows the structure of the main unit of an ultrasound device according to an embodiment of the present invention. The processing unit in the main unit may include a central processing unit (CPU) and a microcontroller unit (MCU). Specific application software may run on the CPU. Users can input power-off operation information into the input device of the application software to control the CPU to send a power-off command to the MCU. The CPU and MCU communicate via a Universal Asynchronous Receiver / Transmitter (UART), with the CPU sending the power-off command to the MCU via the UART. A battery pack is also provided in the main unit. The battery pack supplies power to the target components within the main unit through a specific power supply circuit. In this embodiment, the target components include the CPU and the MCU. The MCU can communicate with the battery pack via a System Management Bus (SMBus). The MCU can send the power-off command sent by the CPU to the battery pack via the SMBus. Upon receiving the power-off command from the MCU, the battery pack can generate feedback information and send it to the MCU via the SMBus. The MCU then sends the feedback information to the CPU via the UART.

[0041] According to another aspect of this utility model, an ultrasonic device is also provided, including the main unit of the ultrasonic device described above, and an ultrasonic probe connected to the main unit. Specifically, the ultrasonic device can be a portable ultrasonic device.

[0042] Although exemplary embodiments have been described herein with reference to the accompanying drawings, it should be understood that the above exemplary embodiments are merely illustrative and are not intended to limit the scope of the invention. Various changes and modifications can be made therein by those skilled in the art without departing from the scope and spirit of the invention. All such changes and modifications are intended to be included within the scope of the invention as claimed in the appended claims.

[0043] Furthermore, those skilled in the art will understand that although some embodiments herein include certain features included in other embodiments but not others, combinations of features from different embodiments are intended to be within the scope of this invention and form different embodiments. For example, in the claims, any of the claimed embodiments can be used in any combination.

[0044] It should be noted that the above embodiments are illustrative of the present invention and not restrictive, and those skilled in the art can devise alternative embodiments without departing from the scope of the appended claims. In the claims, any reference signs placed between parentheses should not be construed as limiting the claims. The word "comprising" does not exclude the presence of elements or steps not listed in the claims. The word "a" or "an" preceding an element does not exclude the presence of a plurality of such elements. The present invention can be implemented by means of hardware comprising a plurality of different elements. In a unit claim enumerating a plurality of means, several of these means may be embodied by the same item of hardware. The use of the words first, second, and third, etc., does not indicate any order. These words can be interpreted as names.

[0045] The above are merely specific embodiments or descriptions of the present utility model. The protection scope of the present utility model is not limited thereto. Any variations or substitutions that can be easily conceived by those skilled in the art within the technical scope disclosed in the present utility model should be included within the protection scope of the present utility model. The protection scope of the present utility model shall be determined by the scope of the claims.

Claims

1. A main unit of an ultrasonic device, characterized in that, The device includes a processing unit and a battery pack, wherein the processing unit is connected to the battery pack, and the processing unit includes a central processing unit and a microcontroller unit, wherein the central processing unit is connected to the microcontroller unit, and the microcontroller unit is connected to the battery pack. The battery pack is connected to the target component within the host computer and is used to power the target component. The central processing unit is used to communicate with the battery pack through the microcontroller unit to control the battery pack to supply power to or stop supplying power to the target component.

2. The host computer according to claim 1, characterized in that, The central processing unit and the microcontroller unit are integrated on the same circuit board.

3. The host computer according to claim 1, characterized in that, The central processing unit and the microcontroller unit are integrated on different circuit boards.

4. The host computer according to any one of claims 1-3, characterized in that, The central processing unit and the microcontroller unit are connected via a universal asynchronous transceiver (UART), and the central processing unit communicates with the microcontroller unit based on the communication protocol of the UART.

5. The host computer according to any one of claims 1-3, characterized in that, The microcontroller unit is connected to the battery pack via a system management bus, and the microcontroller unit communicates with the battery pack based on the communication protocol of the system management bus.

6. The host computer according to any one of claims 1-3, characterized in that, The battery pack is also connected to the central processing unit, and the target component includes the central processing unit and the microcontroller unit, wherein the battery pack supplies power to the target component through a power supply circuit.

7. The host computer according to any one of claims 1-3, characterized in that, The battery pack includes interconnected battery cells and a charging management chip. The charging management chip is connected to the microcontroller unit, and the battery cells are connected to the target component. The charging management chip is used to control the battery cells to supply power to the target component or to stop supplying power.

8. An ultrasonic device, characterized in that, The device includes the main unit of the ultrasound equipment as described in any one of claims 1-7, and also includes an ultrasound probe connected to the main unit.

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