Ultrasound diagnostic device and method for controlling the ultrasound diagnostic device

Abstract

To provide an ultrasound diagnostic apparatus and an ultrasound diagnostic apparatus control method capable of reducing power consumption by reliably detecting an operation situation without being troubled by unintended vibration, contact, or the like.SOLUTION: On the basis of a result of determination by a probe use determination unit 29 on whether an ultrasound probe 1 is in use and the presence or absence of operation on an operation panel 27 detected by a touch sensor 26, a power saving control circuit 30 selects a normal mode in which the ultrasound probe 1 and an apparatus body 2 operate normally or a power saving mode in which at least partial power consumption of the ultrasound probe 1 and the apparatus body 2 is reduced, and thereby controls the operation of the ultrasound probe 1 and the apparatus body 2.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to an ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus and a method for controlling the ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus, and more particularly to reducing the power consumption of an ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus that includes an ultrasonic probe and an apparatus main body. [Background technology]

[0002] In the medical field, ultrasonic diagnostic devices using ultrasonic images have been put to practical use for some time. Generally, this type of ultrasonic diagnostic device includes an ultrasonic probe with a built-in transducer array and a device main body connected to the ultrasonic probe. The transducer array of the ultrasonic probe transmits ultrasonic beams toward a subject, and ultrasonic echoes from the subject are received by the transducer array. The received signals are electrically processed to generate an ultrasonic image, which is then displayed on a monitor of the device main body.

[0003] In recent years, ultrasonic diagnostic devices have been developed that aim to improve the operability and mobility of the ultrasonic probe by connecting the ultrasonic probe and the device main body via wireless communication. In such ultrasonic diagnostic devices, a battery is generally built into the ultrasonic probe, and the ultrasonic probe is operated by power from the battery. Furthermore, many so-called laptop-type and cart-type ultrasonic diagnostic devices are operated by power from a battery built into the device body. Therefore, there is a demand for reducing the power consumption of ultrasonic diagnostic devices to enable long-term operation.

[0004] For example, Patent Document 1 discloses an ultrasound diagnostic device that detects the operation status of an ultrasound probe using a motion sensor mounted on the ultrasound probe and transitions to a low power state based on the detection result. This ultrasound diagnostic device detects that the ultrasound probe is not being moved using the motion sensor and switches from the current power state to a low power state, thereby reducing power consumption. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0005] [Patent Document 1] Patent Publication No. 2021-529030 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0006] However, if the motion sensor installed in the ultrasonic probe detects the operation status of the ultrasonic probe and switches the power state, there is a risk that the motion sensor may erroneously detect that the ultrasonic probe is being operated, even though it is not actually being operated, in cases such as when the workbench on which the ultrasonic probe is placed vibrates for some reason or when the user accidentally touches the ultrasonic probe, and the ultrasonic probe may switch from the low power state to the normal power state. Such erroneous detection by the motion sensor hinders efforts to reduce power consumption.

[0007] The present invention has been made to solve these conventional problems, and aims to provide an ultrasonic diagnostic device and a control method for an ultrasonic diagnostic device that can reliably detect the operating status and reduce power consumption without being bothered by unintended vibrations, contact, etc. [Means for solving the problem]

[0008] In order to achieve the above object, an ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus according to the present invention comprises: An ultrasonic diagnostic device comprising an ultrasonic probe having an array of transducers and a device main body connected to the ultrasonic probe, an imaging unit that transmits and receives ultrasonic beams from the transducer array to the subject and generates an ultrasonic image based on a received signal output from the transducer array; a probe use determination unit that determines whether an ultrasound probe is being used by analyzing an ultrasound image; An operation panel equipped with a touch sensor, a power-saving control circuit that controls the operation of the ultrasonic probe and the device body by selecting either a normal mode in which the ultrasonic probe and the device body operate normally or a power-saving mode in which power consumption of at least a part of the ultrasonic probe and the device body is reduced, based on the result of the determination by the probe use determination unit as to whether the ultrasonic probe is being used and the presence or absence of an operation on the operation panel detected by the touch sensor; It is characterized by having:

[0009] It is preferable that the probe usage determination unit determines that the ultrasound imaging probe is in use when the ultrasound image indicates that jelly has been applied to the ultrasound probe or that the ultrasound probe is not in an air-emitting state, and determines that the ultrasound imaging probe is not in use when the ultrasound image indicates that jelly has not been applied to the ultrasound probe and that the ultrasound probe is in an air-emitting state.

[0010] The power saving control circuit can switch to the power saving mode when, in the normal mode, the probe use determination unit determines that the ultrasonic probe has not been used for a specified period of time and the touch sensor detects that the operation panel has not been operated.

[0011] Furthermore, when the touch sensor detects that the operation panel is being operated in the power saving mode, the power saving control circuit can switch to the normal mode.

[0012] The ultrasonic probe has a probe sensor that detects that the ultrasonic probe is being held by a user, The power-saving control circuit may be configured to switch the power-saving mode to the normal mode when the probe sensor detects that the ultrasonic probe is being gripped in the power-saving mode. The probe sensor preferably comprises at least one of a pressure sensor, a capacitance sensor, and a temperature sensor mounted on the ultrasonic probe.

[0013] The power saving mode preferably includes a first mode in which only the power consumption of the imaging unit of the ultrasound probe and the device main body is reduced, and a second mode in which the overall power consumption of the ultrasound probe and the device main body is reduced.

[0014] The power saving control circuit can select the first mode to reduce power consumption of the imaging unit when the probe use determination unit determines that the ultrasound probe has not been used for a predetermined first time period.

[0015] Furthermore, when the touch sensor detects that the operation panel has not been operated for a predetermined second time in the first mode, the power saving control circuit can switch to the second mode, thereby reducing the overall power consumption of the ultrasound probe and the device body.

[0016] The operation panel preferably has a monitor and a touch sensor disposed over the monitor.

[0017] The power-saving control circuit may be configured to switch to the normal mode when the touch sensor detects that the operation panel has been touched in a predetermined first touch pattern in the power-saving mode. Furthermore, the power-saving control circuit can also switch to the power-saving mode when the touch sensor detects that the operation panel has been touched in a predetermined second touch pattern in the normal mode. In this case, the first contact pattern and the second contact pattern may be the same pattern.

[0018] A method for controlling an ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus according to the present invention includes: A method for controlling an ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus including an ultrasonic probe having an array of transducers and an apparatus main body connected to the ultrasonic probe, comprising: transmitting and receiving ultrasonic beams from the transducer array to the subject, and generating an ultrasonic image based on received signals output from the transducer array; determining whether an ultrasound probe is being used by analyzing the ultrasound image; The touch sensor detects whether the operation panel is being operated or not. The operation of the ultrasonic probe and the device main body is controlled by selecting either a normal mode in which the ultrasonic probe and the device main body operate normally, or a power saving mode in which the power consumption of at least a portion of the ultrasonic probe and the device main body is reduced, based on the determination result of whether the ultrasonic probe is being used and the detected presence or absence of operation on the operation panel. [Effects of the Invention]

[0019] According to the present invention, the power saving control circuit controls the operation of the ultrasonic probe and the device main body by selecting either a normal mode in which the ultrasonic probe and the device main body operate normally, or a power saving mode in which the power consumption of at least a portion of the ultrasonic probe and the device main body is reduced, based on the determination result of the probe use determination unit as to whether the ultrasonic probe is being used and the presence or absence of operation of the operation panel detected by the touch sensor.This makes it possible to reliably detect the operation status and reduce power consumption without being bothered by unintended vibrations, contact, etc. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0020] [Figure 1] 1 is a block diagram showing the configuration of an ultrasound diagnostic apparatus according to a first embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 2] 2 is a block diagram showing the internal configuration of a transmission / reception circuit according to the first embodiment. FIG. [Figure 3] FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing the internal configuration of an image generating unit according to the first embodiment. [Figure 4] FIG. 1 is a diagram showing an ultrasound image of the inside of a subject. [Figure 5] FIG. 10 is a diagram showing an ultrasound image when an ultrasound probe without jelly is in an air emission state. [Figure 6] FIG. 10 is a diagram showing an ultrasound image when an ultrasound probe coated with jelly is in an air emission state. [Figure 7] 4 is a flowchart showing the operation of the ultrasound diagnostic apparatus according to the first embodiment in normal mode. [Figure 8] 4 is a flowchart showing the operation of the ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus according to the first embodiment when transitioning from a normal mode to a power-saving mode. [Figure 9] 4 is a flowchart showing the operation of the ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus according to the first embodiment when transitioning from a power saving mode to a normal mode. [Figure 10] 10 is a flowchart showing the operation of the ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus according to the modification of the first embodiment when transitioning from a normal mode to a power-saving mode. [Figure 11] FIG. 10 is a block diagram showing the configuration of an ultrasound diagnostic apparatus according to a second embodiment. [Figure 12] FIG. 10 is a block diagram showing the configuration of an ultrasound diagnostic apparatus according to a third embodiment. [Figure 13] 10 is a flowchart showing the operation of the ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus according to the third embodiment when transitioning from a power saving mode to a normal mode. [Figure 14] FIG. 10 is a block diagram showing the configuration of an ultrasound diagnostic apparatus according to a fourth embodiment. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0021] Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings. The following description of the components will be given based on a representative embodiment of the present invention, but the present invention is not limited to such an embodiment. In this specification, a numerical range expressed using "to" means a range that includes the numerical values ​​before and after "to" as the lower and upper limits. In this specification, the terms "same" and "identical" include a margin of error generally accepted in the technical field.

[0022] [Embodiment 1] 1 shows the configuration of an ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus according to embodiment 1 of the present invention. The ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus has an ultrasonic probe 1 and a device main body 2 connected to the ultrasonic probe 1, and the ultrasonic probe 1 and the device main body 2 are connected by wire.

[0023] The ultrasonic probe 1 has an array of transducers 11 . The device main body 2 has a transmitting / receiving circuit 21 and an image generating section 22 which are connected in sequence to the transducer array 11 of the ultrasound probe 1, and the transmitting / receiving circuit 21 and the image generating section 22 form an imaging section .

[0024] A display control unit 24 and a monitor 25 are sequentially connected to the image generation unit 22, and a touch sensor 26 is disposed on top of the monitor 25. The monitor 25 and the touch sensor 26 form an operation panel 27. An image memory 28 and a probe use determination unit 29 are also connected to the image generation unit 22, and a power saving control circuit 30 is connected to the touch sensor 26 and the probe use determination unit 29. A main body control unit 31 is connected to the transmission / reception circuit 21, the image generation unit 22, the display control unit 24, the touch sensor 26, the image memory 28, and the probe use determination unit 29.

[0025] The transmitting and receiving circuit 21, the image generating unit 22, the display control unit 24, the probe use determining unit 29, and the main body control unit 31 constitute a main body processor 32. The power saving control circuit 30 is connected to a main body control unit 31 and a main body processor 32 . The device main body 2 also has a battery 33 .

[0026] The transducer array 11 of the ultrasonic probe 1 has a plurality of ultrasonic transducers arranged one-dimensionally or two-dimensionally. Each of these transducers transmits ultrasonic waves in accordance with a drive signal supplied from the transmission / reception circuit 21 of the device body 2, and receives reflected waves from the subject and outputs an analog reception signal. Each transducer is configured by forming electrodes on both ends of a piezoelectric element made of, for example, a piezoelectric ceramic typified by PZT (Lead Zirconate Titanate), a polymer piezoelectric element typified by PVDF (Poly Vinylidene Di Fluoride), or a piezoelectric single crystal typified by PMN-PT (Lead Magnesium Niobate-Lead Titanate).

[0027] The transmission / reception circuit 21 of the device main body 2, under the control of the main body control unit 31, transmits ultrasonic waves from the transducer array 11 and generates sound ray signals based on reception signals acquired by the transducer array 11. As shown in Fig. 2, the transmission / reception circuit 21 has a pulser 41 connected to the transducer array 11, an amplifier 42, an AD (Analog-to-Digital) converter 43, and a beamformer 44, which are connected in series to the transducer array 11.

[0028] The pulser 41 includes, for example, a plurality of pulse generators, and adjusts the delay amount of each drive signal and supplies it to the plurality of transducers of the transducer array 11 so that the ultrasound waves transmitted from the plurality of transducers form an ultrasound beam based on a transmission delay pattern selected in response to a control signal from the main body control unit 31. In this way, when a pulsed or continuous wave voltage is applied to the electrodes of the transducers of the transducer array 11, the piezoelectric material expands and contracts, and each transducer generates a pulsed or continuous wave ultrasound wave, and an ultrasound beam is formed from the composite wave of these ultrasound waves.

[0029] The transmitted ultrasonic beam is reflected by an object such as a part of the subject, and an ultrasonic echo propagates toward the transducer array 11 of the ultrasonic probe 1. The ultrasonic echo propagating toward the transducer array 11 in this manner is received by each transducer constituting the transducer array 11. At this time, each transducer constituting the transducer array 11 expands and contracts upon receiving the propagating ultrasonic echo, generating a received signal which is an electrical signal, and outputs this received signal to the amplifier 42.

[0030] The amplifier 42 amplifies signals input from each transducer constituting the transducer array 11 and transmits the amplified signals to the AD converter 43. The AD converter 43 converts the signals transmitted from the amplifier 42 into digital reception data and transmits this reception data to the beamformer 44. The beamformer 44 performs so-called reception focusing processing by adding each piece of reception data converted by the AD converter 43 with a respective delay in accordance with the speed of sound or the distribution of sound speeds set based on the reception delay pattern selected in response to a control signal from the main body control unit 31. This reception focusing processing causes the reception data converted by the AD converter 43 to be phased and added, and a sound ray signal with a narrowed focus of the ultrasonic echo is acquired.

[0031] As shown in FIG. 3, the image generating unit 22 has a configuration in which a signal processing unit 51, a DSC (Digital Scan Converter) 52, and an image processing unit 53 are connected in series. The signal processing unit 51 performs correction for attenuation due to distance on the sound ray signals sent from the transmission / reception circuit 21 in accordance with the depth of the ultrasonic wave reflection position, and then performs envelope detection processing to generate an ultrasound image signal (B-mode image signal) which is tomographic image information on the tissue within the subject.

[0032] The DSC 52 converts (raster converts) the ultrasound image signal generated by the signal processing unit 51 into an image signal that conforms to the scanning method of a normal television signal. The image processing unit 53 performs various necessary image processing such as gradation processing on the ultrasound image signal input from the DSC 52, and then outputs a signal representing the ultrasound image (hereinafter referred to as the ultrasound image) to the display control unit .

[0033] The transmitting / receiving circuit 21 and the image generating unit 22 form an imaging unit 23 that transmits and receives ultrasonic beams from the transducer array 11 to the subject and generates an ultrasonic image based on the received signals output from the transducer array 11.

[0034] The display control unit 24 causes the monitor 25 to display the ultrasound image generated by the image generation unit 22 as a display image. The monitor 25 displays an ultrasound image as a display image under the control of the display control unit 24, and includes, for example, a display device such as an LCD (Liquid Crystal Display) or an organic EL display (Organic Electroluminescence Display).

[0035] The touch sensor 26 is disposed over the display screen of the monitor 25, and is used for input operations by touching or bringing a user's finger, stylus pen, or the like into contact with or close to the display screen. An output signal from the touch sensor 26 is sent to the power saving control circuit 30 and the main body control unit 31. The monitor 25 and the touch sensor 26 constitute an operation panel 27 that allows the user to perform input operations.

[0036] The image memory 28 is a memory that stores ultrasound images generated by the image generation unit 22 under the control of the main body control unit 31. For example, the image memory 28 can hold multiple frames of ultrasound images generated by the image generation unit 22 in response to a diagnosis of the subject.

[0037] As the image memory 28, recording media such as flash memory, HDD (Hard Disc Drive), SSD (Solid State Drive), FD (Flexible Disc), MO disk (Magneto-Optical disc), MT (Magnetic Tape), RAM (Random Access Memory), CD (Compact Disc), DVD (Digital Versatile Disc), SD card (Secure Digital card), USB memory (Universal Serial Bus memory), etc. can be used.

[0038] The probe use determination unit 29 determines whether the ultrasonic probe 1 is being used for an ultrasonic examination by analyzing the ultrasonic image generated by the image generation unit 22. Specifically, whether the ultrasonic probe 1 is being used is determined based on whether the ultrasonic image shows a tomographic image of the subject, shows the air radiation state of the ultrasonic probe 1 without jelly applied, or shows the air radiation state of the ultrasonic probe 1 with jelly applied.

[0039] For example, if the subject's internal tissues are captured as structures in the image, as in ultrasound image G1 shown in Figure 4, it can be inferred that the transducer array 11 of the ultrasound probe 1, to which jelly has been applied, is in contact with the subject's body surface. On the other hand, when the entire image shows almost uniformly low brightness, as in ultrasound image G2 shown in Figure 5, and neither structures nor the wavefront of the ultrasound echo can be identified in the image, it can be inferred that the ultrasound probe 1, to which no jelly has been applied, is in an air-emitting state.

[0040] Furthermore, when no structures are observed in the image, as in ultrasound image G3 shown in Figure 6, but the wavefront of the ultrasound echo can be confirmed, it can be determined that the ultrasound probe 1 with jelly applied is in an air-emitting state, and it can be inferred that although the transducer array 11 of the ultrasound probe 1 is not in contact with the surface of the subject's body, the ultrasound probe 1 is in use or is scheduled to be used in the future.

[0041] Therefore, the probe use determination unit 29 determines that the ultrasonic probe 1 is in use when it is shown that jelly is applied to the ultrasonic probe 1 or that the ultrasonic probe 1 is not in an air-emitting state, as in the ultrasonic image G1 shown in Figure 4 and the ultrasonic image G3 shown in Figure 6, and on the other hand, when it is shown that jelly is not applied to the ultrasonic probe 1 and that the ultrasonic probe 1 is in an air-emitting state, as in the ultrasonic image G2 shown in Figure 5, it determines that the ultrasonic probe 1 is not in use.

[0042] Such analysis of ultrasound images can be performed using at least one of the following: template matching, image analysis technology using feature quantities such as Adaboost (Adaptive Boosting), SVM (Support Vector Machine) or SIFT (Scale-Invariant Feature Transform), and a determination model trained using machine learning technology such as deep learning. The determination model is a trained model that has learned the states of jelly application, no application, and airborne radiation.

[0043] The power saving control circuit 30 controls the operation of the ultrasonic probe 1 and the device main body 2 by selecting one of the normal mode and the power saving mode based on the determination result of the probe use determination unit 29 regarding whether the ultrasonic probe 1 is being used or not and the presence or absence of operation of the operation panel 27 detected by the touch sensor 26.

[0044] Specifically, in the normal mode in which the ultrasonic probe 1 and the device main body 2 operate normally, if the probe use determination unit 29 determines that the ultrasonic probe 1 is not in use and the touch sensor 26 detects that the operation panel 27 is not being operated, and this state continues for a predetermined time T0, the power saving control circuit 30 selects the power saving mode and switches the normal mode to the power saving mode. The time T0 can be set to, for example, 5 to 10 minutes.

[0045] The power saving mode is an operation mode that reduces the power consumption of at least a part of the ultrasound probe 1 and the device main body 2. In the power saving mode, the power saving control circuit 30 controls, for example, the main body control unit 31 or the main body side processor 32 to: (1) Reducing power consumption in the imaging unit 23 while transmitting and receiving ultrasound waves using the transducer array 11; (2) Stopping the operation of the imaging unit 23; (3) Stopping the operation of the main body processor 32. Processing such as the above can be performed.

[0046] The main body control unit 31 controls each unit of the device main body 2 based on a program stored in advance in a storage unit (not shown) or the like and on input operations by a user via the operation panel 27. The battery 33 supplies power to the imaging unit 23 , the display control unit 24 , the operation panel 27 , the probe use determination unit 29 , the power saving control circuit 30 and the main body control unit 31 in the device main body 2 .

[0047] The main body side processor 32 having the transmitter / receiver circuit 21, image generation unit 22, display control unit 24, probe use determination unit 29 and main body control unit 31 of the device main body 2 is composed of a CPU (Central Processing Unit) that executes various programs and a control program that causes the CPU to perform various processes, but may also be composed using an FPGA (Field Programmable Gate Array), DSP (Digital Signal Processor), ASIC (Application Specific Integrated Circuit), GPU (Graphics Processing Unit), or other ICs (Integrated Circuits), or may be composed of a combination of these.

[0048] In addition, the transmitter / receiver circuit 21, image generation unit 22, display control unit 24, probe use determination unit 29 and main body control unit 31 of the main body side processor 32 can be partially or entirely integrated into a single CPU or the like.

[0049] Next, the operation of the ultrasound diagnostic apparatus according to the first embodiment in normal mode will be described with reference to the flowchart of FIG. In the normal mode, an output signal from the touch sensor 26 is sent to the main body control unit 31 based on the operation of the operation panel 27 by the user, and the main body control unit 31 controls the operation of each unit in the device main body 2. When a user issues an instruction for an ultrasound examination via the operation panel 27, in step S1, the transducer array 11 of the ultrasound probe 1 transmits and receives ultrasound to and from the subject.

[0050] At this time, under the control of the main body control unit 31, ultrasonic waves are transmitted from the multiple transducers of the transducer array 11 in accordance with a drive signal from the pulser 41 of the transmission / reception circuit 21 of the imaging unit 23. Ultrasonic echoes reflected by the internal tissue of the subject are received by the multiple transducers of the transducer array 11, and the received signals are output to and amplified by the amplifier 42, and then AD converted by the AD converter 43. After that, reception focusing processing is performed by the beam former 44, and sound ray signals are generated.

[0051] In the following step S2, the image generating unit 22 of the imaging unit 23 generates an ultrasound image. The sound ray signals generated by the beam former 44 of the transmitting / receiving circuit 21 are sent to the image generating unit 22, where the signal processing unit 51 performs attenuation correction and envelope detection processing on the sound ray signals according to the depth of the ultrasonic wave reflection position, the DSC 52 converts the sound ray signals into image signals that comply with the scanning method of ordinary television signals, and the image processing unit 53 performs various necessary image processing such as gradation processing. In this way, the image generating unit 22 generates an ultrasound image.

[0052] The ultrasonic image thus generated is sent from the image generating unit 22 to the display control unit 24 in step S3, and is displayed on the monitor 25 via the display control unit 24. At this time, the ultrasound image is also sent from the image generating unit 22 to the image memory 28 and stored in the image memory 28. Furthermore, the ultrasound image is also sent from the image generating unit 22 to the probe use determining unit 29.

[0053] Thereafter, in step S4, it is determined whether the ultrasound examination on the subject has been completed. If it is determined that the examination has not yet been completed, the process returns to step S1 and steps S1 to S4 are repeated. If it is determined that the examination has been completed, the series of processes ends.

[0054] Next, the operation of the ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus according to embodiment 1 to transition from normal mode to power-saving mode will be described with reference to the flowchart of FIG. During operation in the normal mode, the output signal from the touch sensor 26 of the operation panel 27 and the output signal from the probe use determination unit 29 are input to the power saving control circuit 30, and the power saving control circuit 30 determines whether or not to switch to the power saving mode.

[0055] First, in step S11, the probe use determination unit 29 checks whether the ultrasonic probe 1 is being used to examine a subject. Here, the probe use determination unit 29 analyzes the ultrasonic image generated in the normal mode to infer whether the ultrasonic image shows a tomographic image of the subject, whether it shows the air radiation state of the ultrasonic probe 1 without jelly applied, or whether it shows the air radiation state of the ultrasonic probe 1 with jelly applied.

[0056] For example, if the subject's internal tissues are captured as structures in the image, as in ultrasound image G1 shown in Figure 4, it can be assumed that the transducer array 11 of the ultrasound probe 1, to which jelly has been applied, is in contact with the subject's body surface. On the other hand, when the entire image shows almost uniformly low brightness, as in ultrasound image G2 shown in Figure 5, and neither structures nor the wavefront of the ultrasound echo can be identified in the image, it is assumed that the ultrasound probe 1, which has no jelly applied, is in an air-emitting state.

[0057] Furthermore, when no structures are observed in the image, as in ultrasound image G3 shown in Figure 6, but the wavefront of the ultrasound echo can be confirmed, it is determined that the ultrasound probe 1 with jelly applied is in an air-emitting state, and it is inferred that although the transducer array 11 of the ultrasound probe 1 is not in contact with the surface of the subject's body, the ultrasound probe 1 is in use or is scheduled to be used in the future.

[0058] Therefore, the probe use determination unit 29 can determine that the ultrasonic probe 1 is in use when it is shown that jelly is applied to the ultrasonic probe 1 or that the ultrasonic probe 1 is not in an air-emitting state, as in the ultrasonic image G1 shown in Figure 4 and the ultrasonic image G3 shown in Figure 6, and can determine that the ultrasonic probe 1 is not in use when it is shown that jelly is not applied to the ultrasonic probe 1 and that the ultrasonic probe 1 is in an air-emitting state, as in the ultrasonic image G2 shown in Figure 5.

[0059] In step S11, if the probe use determining unit 29 sends a determination result to the power saving control circuit 30 that the ultrasonic probe 1 is being used, step S11 is repeated without transitioning to the power saving mode. On the other hand, in step S11, if the probe use determination unit 29 sends a determination result to the power saving control circuit 30 that the ultrasonic probe 1 is not being used, the process proceeds to step S12, where it is confirmed based on the output signal from the touch sensor 26 whether or not it has been detected that the operation panel 27 is being operated by the user.

[0060] In step S12, if it is detected that the operation panel 27 is being operated, it is determined that although the ultrasound probe 1 is not being used, an examination on the subject is being performed, such as viewing the ultrasound image displayed on the monitor 25 or inputting findings about the subject, and the system returns to step S11 without switching to the power saving mode, and steps S11 and S12 are repeated.

[0061] On the other hand, if it is not detected in step S12 that the operation panel 27 is being operated, the process proceeds to step S13, where it is determined whether or not a predetermined time T0 has elapsed. In step S13, the process returns to step S11 and steps S11 to S13 are repeated until it is confirmed that the time T0 has elapsed.

[0062] If it is determined in step S11 that the ultrasound probe 1 is in use before the time T0 has elapsed, or if it is detected in step S12 that the operation panel 27 is being operated, it is determined that an examination is being performed on the subject, and the process returns to step S11 without switching to the power saving mode.

[0063] On the other hand, if it is determined in step S11 that the ultrasonic probe 1 is not in use, and if the state in which the operation panel 27 is not detected to be operating is maintained in step S12, and the passage of time T0 is confirmed in step S13, it is determined that the ultrasonic probe 1 is not in use and the operation panel 27 is not being operated, and therefore an examination is not being performed on the subject, and the power saving control circuit 30 transitions from the normal mode to the power saving mode.

[0064] When the power saving mode is entered in this manner, for example, a power saving instruction is sent from the power saving control circuit 30 to the main body control unit 31, and under the control of the main body control unit 31, power consumption in the imaging unit 23 is reduced while ultrasonic transmission and reception is performed by the transducer array 11. Specifically, an ultrasonic image can be generated by lowering the frame rate of ultrasonic transmission and reception in the imaging unit 23. That is, ultrasonic waves are transmitted and received using the transducer array 11 of the ultrasonic probe 1 at a frame rate lower than the frame rate in the normal mode, and an ultrasonic image is generated. As a result, power consumption in the imaging unit 23 is reduced. In addition, it is also possible to reduce the power consumption in the imaging unit 23 by generating an ultrasound image by lowering the drive voltage supplied from the pulser 41 of the transmission / reception circuit 21 to the multiple transducers of the transducer array 11, or by driving only some of the multiple transducers of the transducer array 11 to generate an ultrasound image.

[0065] In addition, in the power saving mode, the operation of the imaging unit 23 can be stopped. This prohibits the transmission and reception of ultrasonic waves and the generation of ultrasonic images using the ultrasonic probe 1, thereby reducing the power consumption of the imaging unit 23. Furthermore, the power saving control circuit 30 can send an instruction to the main body processor 32 to stop the operation of the entire main body processor 32, thereby putting the device main body 2 into a so-called sleep state.

[0066] Next, the operation of the ultrasound diagnostic apparatus according to Embodiment 1 to transition from the power saving mode to the normal mode will be described with reference to the flowchart of FIG. In the power saving mode, as described above, the power consumption of at least a portion of the ultrasonic probe 1 and the device main body 2 is reduced, but the power supply from the battery 33 to the operation panel 27 and the power saving control circuit 30 continues.

[0067] Therefore, in step S21, it is confirmed based on the output signal from the touch sensor 26 whether or not it has been detected that the operation panel 27 has been operated by the user. In step S21, if it is not detected that the operation panel 27 is being operated, the power saving control circuit 30 does not transition to the normal mode and step S21 is repeated. On the other hand, if it is detected in step S21 that the operation panel 27 is being operated, it is determined that an examination on the subject is to be started or resumed, and the power saving control circuit 30 transitions from the power saving mode to the normal mode.

[0068] As described above, according to the first embodiment, the power saving control circuit 30 selects either the normal mode or the power saving mode based on whether or not the operation panel 27 is operated as detected by the touch sensor 26 and the result of the determination by the probe use determination unit 29 as to whether or not the ultrasonic probe 1 is being used, and controls the operation of the ultrasonic probe 1 and the device main body 2. This makes it possible to reliably detect the operating status and reduce power consumption without being bothered by unintended vibrations, contact, etc.

[0069] In the first embodiment, the imaging unit 23 including the transmitting / receiving circuit 21 and the image generating unit 22 is disposed in the device body 2, but at least a part of the imaging unit 23 may be disposed in the ultrasound probe 1.

[0070] [Modification of the first embodiment] In the above-described embodiment 1, when the state in which the ultrasonic probe 1 is not used and the operation panel 27 is not operated continues for the time T0, the normal mode is switched to the power saving mode. However, it is also possible to set two types of power saving modes, a first mode and a second mode, and to switch to the power saving mode in stages. For example, a first mode can be set in which the operation of the imaging unit 23 of the ultrasonic probe 1 and the device main body 2 is stopped to reduce the power consumption of only the imaging unit 23, and a second mode can be set in which the operation of the main body side processor 32 is stopped to reduce the overall power consumption of the ultrasonic probe 1 and the device main body 2.

[0071] The operation of the ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus according to the modification of the first embodiment for transitioning from the normal mode to the power saving mode will be described below with reference to the flowchart of FIG. First, in step S31, the determination result of the probe use determination unit 29 as to whether the ultrasonic probe 1 is being used to examine a subject is confirmed. In step S31, if the probe use determining unit 29 sends a determination result to the power saving control circuit 30 that the ultrasonic probe 1 is being used, step S31 is repeated without transitioning to the power saving mode.

[0072] On the other hand, in step S31, if the probe use determination unit 29 sends a determination result to the power saving control circuit 30 that the ultrasonic probe 1 is not being used, the process proceeds to step S32, where it is confirmed whether the predetermined time T1 has elapsed. In step S32, the process returns to step S31 and steps S31 to S32 are repeated until it is confirmed that the time T1 has elapsed.

[0073] If it is determined in step S31 that the ultrasonic probe 1 is in use before the time T1 has elapsed, it is determined that an examination on the subject is being performed, and the process returns to step S31 without transitioning to the power saving mode. On the other hand, if the state in which it was determined in step S31 that the ultrasonic probe 1 is not being used remains, and if it is confirmed in step S32 that time T1 has elapsed, it is determined that ultrasonic imaging is not being performed using the ultrasonic probe 1, and the process proceeds to step S33, where the power saving control circuit 30 transitions from normal mode to the first mode.

[0074] In the first mode, the operation of the imaging unit 23 is stopped by the main body control unit 31. This prohibits the transmission and reception of ultrasound waves and the generation of ultrasound images using the ultrasound probe 1, thereby reducing power consumption in the imaging unit 23.

[0075] During operation in the first mode, it is further confirmed in step S34 based on the output signal from the touch sensor 26 whether or not it has been detected that the operation panel 27 is being operated. In step S34, if it is detected that the operation panel 27 is being operated, it is determined that an examination on the subject is to be started or resumed, and the power saving control circuit 30 transitions from the first mode to the normal mode.

[0076] On the other hand, if it is not detected in step S34 that the operation panel 27 is being operated, the process proceeds to step S35, where it is determined whether or not a predetermined time T2 has elapsed. In step S35, the process returns to step S34 and steps S34 to S35 are repeated until it is confirmed that time T2 has elapsed.

[0077] If it is detected in step S34 that the operation panel 27 is being operated before the time T2 has elapsed, the mode is shifted from the first mode to the normal mode. On the other hand, if the state in which operation of the operation panel 27 is not detected in step S34 remains, and the passage of time T2 is confirmed in step S35, it is determined that neither ultrasound imaging using the ultrasound probe 1, viewing of the ultrasound image displayed on the monitor 25, nor input of findings regarding the subject has been performed, and the power saving control circuit 30 transitions from the first mode to the second mode. The times T1 and T2 can each be set to, for example, 5 to 10 minutes.

[0078] In the second mode, the power saving control circuit 30 sends an instruction to the main body processor 32, which stops the entire operation of the main body processor 32 and puts the device main body 2 into a so-called sleep state. This significantly reduces the overall power consumption of the ultrasonic probe 1 and the device main body 2. In addition, if the CPU constituting the main body processor 32 has multiple stages of deep sleep mode, the main body processor 32 can be transitioned to successively deeper sleep modes as time passes in step S35 while maintaining a state in which operation of the operation panel 27 is not detected.

[0079] [Embodiment 2] In the first embodiment described above, the ultrasonic probe 1 and the device main body 2 are connected to each other by wire, but they can also be connected wirelessly. 11 shows the configuration of an ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus according to embodiment 2. The ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus according to embodiment 2 has an ultrasonic probe 1A and an apparatus main body 2A wirelessly connected to the ultrasonic probe 1A.

[0080] The ultrasonic probe 1A is obtained by adding a transmitting / receiving circuit 21, an image generating unit 22, a probe-side wireless communication circuit 12, a probe control unit 13, and a battery 15 to the ultrasonic probe 1 of the first embodiment. A transmitter / receiver circuit 21 and an image generator 22 are connected in sequence to the transducer array 11, and a probe-side wireless communication circuit 12 is further connected to the image generator 22. A probe control unit 13 is connected to the transmitter / receiver circuit 21, the image generator 22, and the probe-side wireless communication circuit 12. The transmitting / receiving circuit 21, the image generating unit 22, and the probe control unit 13 constitute a probe-side processor 14.

[0081] The device main body 2A is the same as the device main body 2 in embodiment 1, except that a main body wireless communication circuit 34 is arranged in place of the imaging unit 23, and a main body control unit 31A is arranged in place of the main body control unit 31. The display control unit 24, the image memory 28, and the probe use determination unit 29 are connected to the main body wireless communication circuit 34. A main body control unit 31A is connected to the display control unit 24, the touch sensor 26, the image memory 28, the probe use determination unit 29, the power saving control circuit 30, and the main body side wireless communication circuit . The display control unit 24, the probe use determination unit 29, and the main body control unit 31A constitute a main body processor 32A.

[0082] The transmitting / receiving circuit 21 and the image generating section 22 of the ultrasonic probe 1A are the same as the transmitting / receiving circuit 21 and the image generating section 22 arranged in the device body 2 in the first embodiment, and form an imaging section 23.

[0083] The probe-side wireless communication circuit 12 performs wireless communication with the main body-side wireless communication circuit 34 of the device main body 2A, includes an antenna for transmitting and receiving radio waves, and generates a transmission signal by modulating a carrier based on the ultrasound image generated by the image generation unit 22, supplies the transmission signal to an antenna, and transmits radio waves from the antenna, thereby wirelessly transmitting the ultrasound image to the main body-side wireless communication circuit 34 of the device main body 2A. As a carrier modulation method, ASK (Amplitude Shift Keying), PSK (Phase Shift Keying), QPSK (Quadrature Phase Shift Keying), 16QAM (16 Quadrature Amplitude Modulation), etc. are used. Furthermore, the probe side wireless communication circuit 12 transmits various signals sent from the probe control unit 13 to the main body side wireless communication circuit 34 of the device main body 2A, and also receives various signals sent from the main body side wireless communication circuit 34 of the device main body 2A and sends them to the probe control unit 13.

[0084] The probe control unit 13 controls the transmitting / receiving circuit 21 and the image generating unit 22 based on a program stored in advance. The battery 15 also supplies power to the transmitting and receiving circuit 21, the image generating unit 22, the probe side wireless communication circuit 12, and the probe control unit 13 in the ultrasound probe 1A.

[0085] The probe-side processor 14, which has the transmission / reception circuit 21, image generation unit 22, and probe control unit 13 of the ultrasonic probe 1A, is composed of a CPU that executes various programs and a control program that causes the CPU to perform various processes, but may also be composed of an FPGA, DSP, ASIC, GPU, or other IC, or a combination of these. Furthermore, the transmitting / receiving circuit 21, the image generating unit 22, and the probe control unit 13 of the probe-side processor 14 can be configured as being partially or entirely integrated into a single CPU or the like.

[0086] The main body side wireless communication circuit 34 of the device main body 2A corresponds to the probe side wireless communication circuit 12 of the ultrasonic probe 1A, includes an antenna for transmitting and receiving radio waves, receives the transmission signal sent from the probe side wireless communication circuit 12 of the ultrasonic probe 1A via the antenna, demodulates the received transmission signal, and sends the ultrasound image to the display control unit 24, image memory 28, and probe use determination unit 29. Furthermore, the main body side wireless communication circuit 34 receives various signals transmitted from the probe side wireless communication circuit 12 of the ultrasonic probe 1A and sends them to the main body control unit 31A, and also transmits various signals transmitted from the main body control unit 31A to the probe side wireless communication circuit 12 of the ultrasonic probe 1A.

[0087] The main body control unit 31A controls each unit of the apparatus main body 2A based on a program stored in advance in a storage unit (not shown) or the like and on input operations by the user via the operation panel 27.

[0088] When capturing an ultrasound image in the normal mode, under the control of the probe control unit 13, the transmission / reception circuit 21 transmits and receives ultrasound using the transducer array 11, and an ultrasound image is generated by the image generation unit 22. The ultrasound image is wirelessly transmitted from the probe-side wireless communication circuit 12 to the device main body 2A, and the ultrasound image received by the main body-side wireless communication circuit 34 of the device main body 2A is displayed on the monitor 25 via the display control unit 24.

[0089] The operation of transitioning from the normal mode to the power saving mode in the second embodiment is the same as the operation of transitioning in the first embodiment. The ultrasound image received by the main body side wireless communication circuit 34 of the device main body 2A is analyzed by the probe use determination unit 29, and after determining whether the ultrasound probe 1A is being used to examine the subject, the determination result is sent to the power saving control circuit 30. In addition, the output signal from the touch sensor 26 is input to the power saving control circuit 30.

[0090] Similar to the transition operation of the first embodiment shown in the flowchart of FIG. 8, in step S11, the power saving control circuit 30 checks whether the ultrasound probe 1 is being used to examine the subject based on the determination result of the probe use determination unit 29, and further checks in step S12 based on the output signal from the touch sensor 26 whether it has been detected that the user is operating the operation panel 27.

[0091] Then, if it is determined that the ultrasound probe 1 is not in use and the operation panel 27 is not detected to be operating, and if it is confirmed in step S13 that time TO has elapsed, it is determined that an examination is not being performed on the subject, and the power saving control circuit 30 transitions from normal mode to power saving mode.

[0092] In the second embodiment, in the power saving mode, for example, a power saving instruction output from the power saving control circuit 30 is transmitted to the ultrasonic probe 1A via the main body control unit 31A and the main body side wireless communication circuit 34, and is further received by the probe side wireless communication circuit 12 and sent to the probe control unit 13. Then, under the control of the probe control unit 13, as in embodiment 1, the power consumption in the imaging unit 23 can be reduced by lowering the frame rate, lowering the driving voltage supplied to the multiple transducers of the transducer array 11, driving only some of the multiple transducers of the transducer array 11, etc.

[0093] Furthermore, in the second embodiment, the probe control unit 13 may control the probe side wireless communication circuit 12 to perform wireless communication with the main body side wireless communication circuit 34 of the device main body 2A at a communication interval longer than the communication interval in the normal mode. This also makes it possible to reduce the power consumption of the ultrasound probe 1A. In addition, in the power saving mode, the operation of the imaging unit 23 may be stopped. Furthermore, the power saving control circuit 30 can send an instruction to the main body processor 32A to stop the operation of the entire main body processor 32A, thereby putting the device main body 2A into a so-called sleep state.

[0094] The operation of transitioning from the power saving mode to the normal mode in the second embodiment is the same as the operation of transitioning in the first embodiment. Similar to the transition operation of the first embodiment shown in the flowchart of FIG. 9, in step S21, it is confirmed whether or not it has been detected that the operation panel 27 has been operated by the user based on the output signal from the touch sensor 26, and if it has been detected that the operation panel 27 has been operated, the power saving control circuit 30 transitions from the power saving mode to the normal mode.

[0095] [Embodiment 3] 12 shows the configuration of an ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus according to embodiment 3. The ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus according to embodiment 3 has an ultrasonic probe 1B and an apparatus main body 2B connected to the ultrasonic probe 1B by wire. The ultrasonic probe 1B is the ultrasonic probe 1 used in the ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus of the first embodiment shown in FIG. 1, but with a probe sensor 16 mounted thereon.

[0096] The device main body 2B is the device main body 2 used in the ultrasonic diagnostic device of embodiment 1, except that the power saving control circuit 30B and the main body control unit 31B are arranged in place of the power saving control circuit 30 and the main body control unit 31, and the other configurations are the same as those of the device main body 2 in embodiment 1. The power saving control circuit 30B is connected to the touch sensor 26, the probe use determination unit 29, and the probe sensor 16 of the ultrasonic probe 1B.

[0097] The main body control unit 31B is connected to the transmitting / receiving circuit 21, the image generating unit 22, the display control unit 24, the touch sensor 26, the image memory 28, the probe use determining unit 29, and the power saving control circuit 30B. Furthermore, the transmitting and receiving circuit 21, the image generating section 22, the display control section 24, the probe use determining section 29, and the main body control section 31B constitute a main body processor 32B.

[0098] The probe sensor 16 of the ultrasonic probe 1B detects that the ultrasonic probe 1B is being held by the user. For example, at least one of a pressure sensor, a capacitance sensor, and a temperature sensor mounted on the grip portion of the ultrasonic probe 1B is used as the probe sensor 16.

[0099] When the pressure change detected by the pressure sensor, the capacitance change detected by the capacitance sensor, or the temperature change detected by the temperature sensor exceeds a predetermined threshold, the probe sensor 16 sends a detection signal indicating that the ultrasonic probe 1B has been grasped to the power saving control circuit 30B of the device main body 2B. Based on the detection signal from the probe sensor 16, the power saving control circuit 30B can confirm whether the ultrasonic probe 1B is gripped or not.

[0100] The operation of transitioning from the normal mode to the power saving mode in the third embodiment is the same as the operation of transitioning in the first embodiment shown in the flowchart of FIG. That is, if it is determined in step S11 that the ultrasound probe 1 is not in use, and if it is confirmed in step S12 that the operation panel 27 is not being operated and time T0 has elapsed in step S13, it is determined that an examination is not being performed on the subject, and the power saving control circuit 30B transitions from normal mode to power saving mode.

[0101] Next, the operation of the ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus according to the third embodiment to transition from the power saving mode to the normal mode will be described with reference to the flowchart of FIG. In step S21, the power saving control circuit 30B checks, based on the output signal from the touch sensor 26, whether or not it has detected that the operation panel 27 is being operated by the user. If it does not detect that the operation panel 27 is being operated, the process proceeds to step S22, where it checks, based on the detection signal from the probe sensor 16, whether or not the ultrasonic probe 1B is being grasped.

[0102] In step S22, if it is not detected that the ultrasonic probe 1B is being gripped, steps S21 and S22 are repeated without transitioning to the normal mode. On the other hand, if it is detected in step S21 that the operation panel 27 is being operated, or if it is detected in step S22 that the ultrasound probe 1B is being held, it is determined that an examination of the subject will be started or resumed, and the power saving control circuit 30B transitions from the power saving mode to the normal mode.

[0103] Thus, according to the third embodiment, the transition from the power saving mode to the normal mode can be performed not only when it is detected that the operation panel 27 is being operated, but also when it is detected that the ultrasonic probe 1B is being held. Therefore, even if the generation of ultrasound images is prohibited in the power saving mode due to the operation of the imaging unit 23 being stopped or the operation of the main body processor 32 being stopped, it is possible to detect that the user has grasped the ultrasound probe 1B based on the detection signal from the probe sensor 16 mounted on the ultrasound probe 1B without the need to analyze the ultrasound image, and return the power saving mode to the normal mode.

[0104] [Embodiment 4] In the above third embodiment, the ultrasonic probe 1B and the device main body 2B are connected to each other by wire, but they can also be connected wirelessly. 14 shows the configuration of an ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus according to embodiment 4. The ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus according to embodiment 4 has an ultrasonic probe 1C and an apparatus main body 2C wirelessly connected to the ultrasonic probe 1C.

[0105] The ultrasonic probe 1C is the ultrasonic probe 1A used in the ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus of the second embodiment shown in FIG. 11, but is equipped with a probe sensor 16 and has a probe control unit 13C instead of the probe control unit 13. The other configurations are the same as those of the ultrasonic probe 1A of the second embodiment. The transmitting and receiving circuit 21, the image generating unit 22, and the probe side wireless communication circuit 12 are connected to a probe control unit 13C. The transmitting and receiving circuit 21, the image generating unit 22, and the probe control unit 13C constitute a probe-side processor 14C.

[0106] The device main body 2C is the same as the device main body 2A used in the ultrasonic diagnostic device of embodiment 2 shown in FIG. 11 except that the device main body 2A has a main body control unit 31C instead of the main body control unit 31A, and the other configurations are the same as those of the device main body 2A in embodiment 2. do. A main body control unit 31C is connected to the display control unit 24, the touch sensor 26, the image memory 28, the probe use determination unit 29, the power saving control circuit 30B, and the main body side wireless communication circuit . Furthermore, the display control unit 24, the probe use determination unit 29, and the main body control unit 31C constitute a main body processor 32C.

[0107] The detection signal output from the probe sensor 16 of the ultrasonic probe 1C is wirelessly transmitted from the probe side wireless communication circuit 12 to the device main body 2C under the control of the probe control unit 13C, received by the main body side wireless communication circuit 34, and sent to the power saving control circuit 30B. Therefore, as in the third embodiment, the power saving control circuit 30B can transition from the power saving mode to the normal mode not only when it is detected that the operation panel 27 is being operated, but also when it is detected that the ultrasonic probe 1C is being held.

[0108] [Embodiment 5] In the above-described embodiments 1-4, the transition between normal mode and power saving mode is performed automatically based on whether or not the operation panel 27 is operated and the determination result by the probe use determination unit 29, but the configuration may also be such that the user can manually force a change of mode.

[0109] For example, in the power saving mode, when the touch sensor 26 detects that the operation panel 27 has been touched with a predetermined first contact pattern, the power saving control circuit 30, 30B determines that the user has requested a mode change, and can switch the power saving mode to the normal mode.

[0110] As the first contact pattern, various patterns can be used, such as tapping the operation panel 27 twice quickly, drawing a horizontal bar mark or a check mark on the operation panel 27, drawing a specified shape such as a circle or polygon on the operation panel 27, or drawing a specified letter or number on the operation panel 27.

[0111] Furthermore, in the normal mode, when the touch sensor 26 detects that the operation panel 27 has been touched with a predetermined second contact pattern, the power saving control circuit 30, 30B determines that the user has requested a mode change, and can switch the normal mode to the power saving mode.

[0112] The second contact pattern can be the same as the first contact pattern, which eliminates the need for the user to memorize multiple contact patterns and allows for easy mode switching. Furthermore, the second contact pattern may be different from the first contact pattern, which allows the user to clearly understand their intention regarding the transition to power-saving mode or normal mode and switch between modes.

[0113] The device main bodies 2, 2A, 2B, and 2C in the above-described embodiments 1 to 5 may be compact portable or handheld device main bodies, or may be stationary device main bodies. The device main bodies 2, 2A, 2B, and 2C may also be configured to draw power from a commercial power source without incorporating a battery 33. [Explanation of symbols]

[0114] 1, 1A, 1B, 1C ultrasound probe, 2, 2A, 2B, 2C device main body, 11 transducer array, 12 probe side wireless communication circuit, 13, 13C probe control unit, 14, 14C probe side processor, 15, 33 battery, 16 probe sensor, 21 transmission / reception circuit, 22 image generation unit, 23 imaging unit, 24 display control unit, 25 monitor, 26 touch sensor, 27 operation panel, 28 image memory, 29 probe use determination unit, 30, 30B power saving control circuit, 31, 31A, 31B, 31C main body control unit, 32, 32A, 32B, 32C main body side processor, 41 pulser, 42 amplifier unit, 43 AD conversion unit, 44 beam former, 51 signal processing unit, 52 DSC, 53 image processing unit, G1, G2, G3 ultrasound image.

Claims

1. An ultrasonic diagnostic device comprising an ultrasonic probe having an array of transducers and a device main body connected to the ultrasonic probe, an imaging unit that transmits and receives ultrasonic beams from the transducer array to a subject and generates an ultrasonic image based on a received signal output from the transducer array; a probe use determination unit that determines whether the ultrasound probe is being used by analyzing the ultrasound image; An operation panel equipped with a touch sensor, a power-saving control circuit that controls the operation of the ultrasonic probe and the device main body by selecting either a normal mode in which the ultrasonic probe and the device main body operate normally or a power-saving mode in which power consumption of at least a part of the ultrasonic probe and the device main body is reduced, based on a determination result by the probe use determination unit as to whether the ultrasonic probe is being used and on the presence or absence of an operation on the operation panel detected by the touch sensor; and The probe usage determination unit determines that the ultrasound probe is in use when the ultrasound image indicates that jelly is applied to the ultrasound probe or that the ultrasound probe is not in an air-emitting state, and determines that the ultrasound probe is not in use when the ultrasound image indicates that jelly is not applied to the ultrasound probe and that the ultrasound probe is in an air-emitting state.

2. 2. The ultrasound diagnostic apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the power-saving control circuit switches to the power-saving mode when, in the normal mode, the probe usage determination unit determines that the ultrasound probe has not been used for a predetermined time period and the touch sensor detects that the operation panel has not been operated.

3. The ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus according to claim 2 , wherein the power-saving control circuit switches to the normal mode when the touch sensor detects that the operation panel is being operated in the power-saving mode.

4. the ultrasonic probe has a probe sensor that detects that the ultrasonic probe is held by a user; 4. The ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the power saving control circuit switches the power saving mode to the normal mode when the probe sensor detects that the ultrasonic probe is gripped in the power saving mode.

5. 5. The ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the probe sensor comprises at least one of a pressure sensor, a capacitance sensor, and a temperature sensor mounted on the ultrasonic probe.

6. The ultrasound diagnostic device according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the power saving modes include a first mode in which only the power consumption of the imaging unit of the ultrasound probe and the device main body is reduced, and a second mode in which the overall power consumption of the ultrasound probe and the device main body is reduced.

7. 7. The ultrasound diagnostic apparatus according to claim 6, wherein the power saving control circuit selects the first mode to reduce power consumption of the imaging unit when the probe use determination unit determines that the ultrasound probe has not been used for a predetermined first time period.

8. 8. The ultrasonic diagnostic device according to claim 7, wherein when the touch sensor detects that the operation panel has not been operated for a predetermined second time period in the first mode, the power saving control circuit switches to the second mode and reduces overall power consumption of the ultrasonic probe and the device body.

9. 9. The ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the operation panel comprises a monitor and the touch sensor disposed over the monitor.

10. 10. The ultrasound diagnostic apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the power saving control circuit switches to the normal mode when the touch sensor detects that the operation panel has been touched in a predetermined first contact pattern in the power saving mode.

11. 11. The ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus of claim 10, wherein the power saving control circuit switches to the power saving mode when the touch sensor detects that the operation panel has been touched in a predetermined second contact pattern in the normal mode.

12. The ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus of claim 11 , wherein the first contact pattern and the second contact pattern are the same pattern.

13. 1. A method for controlling an ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus including an ultrasonic probe having an array of transducers and an apparatus main body connected to the ultrasonic probe, comprising: transmitting and receiving ultrasonic beams from the transducer array to the subject, and generating an ultrasonic image based on received signals output from the transducer array; determining whether the ultrasound probe is being used by analyzing the ultrasound image; The touch sensor detects whether the operation panel is being operated or not. based on the determination result of whether the ultrasonic probe is being used and the presence or absence of an operation on the operation panel that is detected, control the operation of the ultrasonic probe and the device body by selecting one of a normal mode in which the ultrasonic probe and the device body operate normally and a power saving mode in which power consumption of at least a part of the ultrasonic probe and the device body is reduced; When the ultrasound image indicates that jelly is applied to the ultrasound probe or that the ultrasound probe is not in an air-emitting state, it is determined that the ultrasound probe is in use, and when the ultrasound image indicates that jelly is not applied to the ultrasound probe and that the ultrasound probe is in an air-emitting state, it is determined that the ultrasound probe is not in use. A method for controlling an ultrasound diagnostic device.

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