Ultrasound diagnostic equipment

Abstract

To reduce a load in a user during operation.SOLUTION: An ultrasonic probe includes a handle and a first input interface. The handle is gripped by a user. The first input interface is operated by the user who grips the handle. The first input interface includes a first touch pad or a first liquid crystal touch panel.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 2

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The embodiments disclosed in this specification and the drawings , super relate to a sonic diagnostic apparatus.

Background Art

[0002] In ultrasonic examinations, generally, an ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus including an ultrasonic probe and an apparatus main body connected to the ultrasonic probe is used. In such an ultrasonic examination, the user presses the ultrasonic probe against the patient's body surface and checks the ultrasonic image of the affected area on the display of the apparatus main body. Further, in order to obtain an ultrasonic image of the part to be examined, the user needs to check the patient's body surface, closely attach the ultrasonic probe at an appropriate position, visually recognize the ultrasonic image displayed on the display, and appropriately operate a control switch of the apparatus main body or the like.

[0003] However, such an operation by the user has many points to be confirmed and is complicated, so there is a concern that the burden is large.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0004]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0005] One of the problems to be solved by the embodiments disclosed in this specification and the drawings is to reduce the burden of the operation by the user. However, the problems to be solved by the embodiments disclosed in this specification and the drawings are not limited to the above problems. The problems corresponding to the respective effects of each configuration shown in the embodiments described later can also be regarded as other problems.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0006] The ultrasonic probe according to this embodiment comprises a handle and a first input interface. The handle is grasped by a user. The first input interface is operated by the user who is grasping the handle. The first input interface includes a first touchpad or a first liquid crystal touch panel. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0007] [Figure 1] Figure 1 is a block diagram showing an example of the configuration of an ultrasound diagnostic device equipped with an ultrasound probe according to the first embodiment. [Figure 2] Figure 2 is a schematic diagram showing an example of the appearance of an ultrasonic probe according to the first embodiment. [Figure 3] Figure 3 is a sequence diagram illustrating the operation in the first embodiment. [Figure 4] Figure 4 is a schematic diagram showing an example of the front view of the main body of the device according to the second embodiment. [Figure 5] Figure 5 is a schematic diagram showing an example of the rear view of the main body of the device according to the second embodiment. [Figure 6] Figure 6 is a sequence diagram illustrating the operation in the second embodiment. [Figure 7] Figure 7 is a schematic diagram showing an example of the external appearance of the front side of the device body according to a modified example of the second embodiment. [Figure 8] Figure 8 is a schematic diagram showing an example of the external appearance of the rear side of the device body according to a modified example of the second embodiment. [Figure 9] Figure 9 is a sequence diagram illustrating the operation in a modified example of the second embodiment. [Figure 10] Figure 10 is a schematic diagram showing an example of the front view of the device body according to another modification of the second embodiment. [Figure 11] Figure 11 is a schematic diagram showing an example of the front view of the device body according to yet another modification of the second embodiment. [Figure 12]Figure 12 is a schematic diagram showing an example of the rear view of the device body according to yet another modification of the second embodiment. [Figure 13] Figure 13 is a sequence diagram illustrating the operation in a modified example of each embodiment. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0008] The ultrasonic probes and ultrasonic diagnostic devices according to each embodiment will be described below with reference to the drawings. In the following description, the same reference numerals will be used for substantially identical parts in different drawings to avoid redundant explanations.

[0009] <First Embodiment> Figure 1 is a block diagram showing an example of the configuration of an ultrasound diagnostic apparatus equipped with an ultrasound probe according to the first embodiment. This ultrasound diagnostic apparatus 1 comprises a main unit 10 and an ultrasound probe 20. The main unit 10 may be connected to an external device via a network.

[0010] The main unit 10 is, for example, a computer equivalent to a tablet terminal or a laptop computer. However, it is not limited to these, and the main unit 10 may be a device dedicated to ultrasound diagnosis.

[0011] The device body 10 and the ultrasonic probe 20 are wirelessly connected to each other. However, the device body 10 and the ultrasonic probe 20 may also be connected via a wired connection, for example, through an interface cable (IFC). The IFC has data transfer and power supply functions. The IFC is, for example, equivalent to a cable conforming to the Universal Serial Bus (USB) standard. The IFC may have the ultrasonic probe 20 connected to one end and a USB terminal on the other end.

[0012] The device main body 10 is a device that generates ultrasonic images based on reflected wave signals (described later) received by the ultrasonic probe 20. The device main body 10 includes an internal storage circuit 110, an image memory 120, a second input interface 130, a display 140, a communication interface 160, and a processing circuit 170.

[0013] The internal storage circuit 110 has a storage medium readable by a processor, such as a magnetic storage medium, an optical storage medium, or a semiconductor memory. The internal storage circuit 110 stores a program for realizing ultrasonic transmission and reception, various data, etc. Not limited to this, the internal storage circuit 110 may further store a program related to the rotation of the head 22 described later. These programs and various data may be stored in the internal storage circuit 110 in advance, for example. Also, the programs and various data may be stored and distributed in a non-transitory storage medium, read from the non-transitory storage medium, and installed in the internal storage circuit 110. Further, the internal storage circuit 110 stores B-mode image data, contrast image data, etc. generated by the processing circuit 170 via the second input interface 130. The internal storage circuit 110 can also transfer the stored image data to an external device or the like via the communication interface 160.

[0014] Note that the internal storage circuit 110 may be a drive device or the like that reads and writes various information to and from portable storage media such as a CD-ROM drive, a DVD drive, and a flash memory. The internal storage circuit 110 can write the stored data to a portable storage medium and store the data in an external device via the portable storage medium.

[0015] The image memory 120 has, for example, a storage medium readable by a processor, such as a magnetic storage medium, an optical storage medium, or a semiconductor memory. The image memory 120 stores image data corresponding to a plurality of frames immediately before a freeze operation input via the second input interface 130. The image data stored in the image memory 120 is, for example, continuously displayed (cine display).

[0016] These internal memory circuits 110 and the image memory 120 do not necessarily have to be realized by respective independent storage devices. The internal memory circuit 110 and the image memory 120 may be realized by a single storage device. Also, each of the internal memory circuit 110 and the image memory 120 may be realized by a plurality of storage devices.

[0017] The second input interface 130 receives various input operations from the user, such as data or instructions, and converts the received input operations into electrical signals which are then output to the processing circuit 170. For example, the second input interface 130 can be implemented using a mouse, keyboard, trackball, various switches, buttons, joysticks, a touchpad that performs input operations by touching the operating surface, a liquid crystal touch panel that integrates a display screen and a touchpad, a non-contact input circuit using an optical sensor, an audio input circuit, etc. Various switches can be called buttons if they operate in response to a push or click operation, regardless of whether they are implemented in hardware or software. The second input interface 130 is connected to the processing circuit 170, for example, via a bus, and converts the operation instructions input by the user into electrical signals which are then input to the processing circuit 170. For example, when the second input interface 130 detects a predetermined touch operation by the user, it may input a decision instruction that determines the instruction selected by the operation signal received from the ultrasonic probe 20. Note that the second input interface 130 is not limited to those equipped with physical operating components such as a mouse and keyboard. For example, a circuit that receives an electrical signal corresponding to an operation instruction input from an external input device, which is separate from the ultrasound diagnostic device 1, and outputs this electrical signal to the processing circuit 170 is also included as an example of the second input interface 130.

[0018] The display 140 is implemented by any display such as a liquid crystal display, organic EL display, LED display, plasma display, or CRT display, for example, to output electrical signals from the processing circuit 170. The display 140 displays, for example, an ultrasound image based on ultrasound image data, and a GUI for receiving various operations from the user, based on instructions from the processing circuit 170. The display 140 may also be a touch panel display that also serves as the second input interface 130.

[0019] The communication interface 160 is connected to the ultrasonic probe 20 via wireless communication and performs data communication with the ultrasonic probe 20. However, it is not limited to this, and the communication interface 160 may also be connected to the ultrasonic probe 20 via wired communication. Furthermore, the communication interface 160 may be connected to an external device, for example, via a network NW, and perform data communication with the external device.

[0020] The processing circuit 170 is, for example, a processor that controls the operation of the ultrasound diagnostic device 1. The processing circuit 170 realizes functions corresponding to the program by executing the program stored in the internal memory circuit 110. The processing circuit 170 has, for example, a signal processing function 170a, an image generation function 170b, a display control function 170c, and a system control function 170d.

[0021] This embodiment describes a case in which a single processor implements the signal processing function 170a, the image generation function 170b, the display control function 170c, and the system control function 170d, but is not limited to this. For example, a processing circuit may be configured by combining multiple independent processors, and each processor may execute a program to implement the signal processing function 170a, the image generation function 170b, the display control function 170c, and the system control function 170d. Alternatively, dedicated hardware circuits capable of executing each function may be incorporated.

[0022] The signal processing function 170a generates B-mode data based on the received signal from the ultrasonic probe 20. The processing circuit 170, using the signal processing function 170a, performs, for example, envelope detection and logarithmic compression on the received signal from the ultrasonic probe 20 to generate data (B-mode data) in which the signal intensity is represented by brightness. The generated B-mode data is stored as B-mode RAW data on a two-dimensional ultrasonic scan line (raster) in a RAW data memory (not shown).

[0023] Furthermore, the signal processing function 170a performs frequency analysis on the received signal from the ultrasonic probe 20 to generate data (Doppler information) that extracts motion information based on the Doppler effect of moving objects within the ROI (Region of Interest) set in the scan area. The generated Doppler information is stored as Doppler RAW data on a two-dimensional ultrasonic scan line in a RAW data memory (not shown).

[0024] The image generation function 170b is a function that generates various ultrasonic image data based on the data generated by the signal processing function 170a. Specifically, the processing circuit 170 generates B-mode image data composed of pixels by performing, for example, a RAW-to-pixel conversion on the B-mode RAW data stored in the RAW data memory, for example, a coordinate transformation according to the ultrasonic scanning pattern by the ultrasonic probe 20.

[0025] Furthermore, the processing circuit 170 generates Doppler image data in which blood flow information is visualized by, for example, performing a RAW-to-pixel conversion on the Doppler RAW data stored in the RAW data memory. The Doppler image data is either average velocity image data, variance image data, power image data, or a combination thereof.

[0026] The display control function 170c is a function that displays images based on various ultrasonic image data generated by the image generation function 170b on the display 140. Specifically, for example, the processing circuit 170 controls the display on the display 140 based on B-mode image data, Doppler image data, or image data including both, using the display control function 170c.

[0027] More specifically, the processing circuit 170, using the display control function 170c, converts, for example, the scan line signal sequence of an ultrasonic scan into a scan line signal sequence of a video format such as that used in televisions (scan conversion), and generates display image data. The processing circuit 170 may also perform various processing on the display image data, such as dynamic range, brightness, contrast, gamma curve correction, and RGB conversion. The processing circuit 170 may also add ancillary information to the display image data, such as character information for various parameters, scales, and body marks. Furthermore, the processing circuit 170 may generate a user interface (GUI: Graphical User Interface) for the user to input various instructions via the second input interface 130, and display the GUI on the display 140.

[0028] The system control function 170d is a function that comprehensively controls the operation of the entire ultrasound diagnostic device 1. For example, the processing circuit 170 controls the ultrasound probe 20 based on parameters related to the transmission and reception of ultrasound, as determined by the system control function 170d. The processing circuit 170 also controls the operation of the entire ultrasound diagnostic device 1 so that it executes processing based on the operation signals received from the ultrasound probe 20, as determined by the system control function 170d. The device body 10, which includes the system control function 170d, the processing circuit 170, and the communication interface 160, is an example of a device body that receives operation signals from the ultrasound probe 20 in accordance with the operation of the first input interface and executes processing based on the received operation signals.

[0029] Meanwhile, the ultrasound probe 20 performs an ultrasound scan on a scan area within the biological specimen P, which is the subject of the examination, in accordance with control from the main unit 10 of the device, for example.

[0030] The ultrasonic probe 20 is, for example, a 1D linear array probe in which a plurality of ultrasonic transducers are arranged in a predetermined direction. Alternatively, the ultrasonic probe 20 may be a 2D array probe in which a plurality of ultrasonic transducers are arranged along a first element arrangement direction (elevation direction) and a second element arrangement direction (azimuth direction).

[0031] The ultrasonic probe 20 comprises a handle 21 that is grasped by the user and a head 22 that transmits and receives ultrasonic waves. The handle 21 includes a first input interface 230, a battery 240, and a communication interface 250. However, the first input interface 230 is positioned within a range that can be operated by the user's fingers on the side that grasps the handle 21. Therefore, the positioning of the first input interface 230 differs depending on whether substantially the entire handle 21 is grasped or not. For example, if substantially the entire handle 21 is grasped, the first input interface 230 is positioned on the upper surface of the head 22, or on the probe surface spanning the handle 21 and the head 22. Also, for example, if only a part of the handle 21 is grasped, the first input interface 230 is positioned on the ungraspable surface of the handle 21. The head 22 comprises a probe section 220 having a plurality of ultrasonic transducers arranged in a predetermined direction.

[0032] The probe unit 220 includes, for example, a plurality of ultrasonic transducers, matching layers provided on the ultrasonic transducers, and a backing material that prevents the propagation of ultrasonic waves backward from the ultrasonic transducers. The ultrasonic transducers generate ultrasonic waves based on a drive signal and receive reflected ultrasonic wave signals, which are converted into electrical signals. The ultrasonic transducers are, for example, piezoelectric transducers, and are made of piezoelectric ceramics as an example.

[0033] Multiple ultrasonic transducers generate ultrasound based on drive signals supplied from the ultrasonic transmitting / receiving circuit 210. This transmits ultrasound from the detection unit 220 to the living body P. When ultrasound is transmitted from the detection unit 220 to the living body P, the transmitted ultrasound is reflected one after another by discontinuities in acoustic impedance in the tissues of the living body P, and the reflected wave signals are received by the multiple ultrasonic transducers. The amplitude of the received reflected wave signals depends on the difference in acoustic impedance at the discontinuities where the ultrasound is reflected. Furthermore, when the transmitted ultrasound pulse is reflected by a moving blood flow or the surface of the heart wall, the reflected wave signal undergoes a frequency shift due to the Doppler effect, depending on the velocity component of the ultrasound transmission direction of the moving object. The ultrasonic transducers receive the reflected wave signals from the living body P and convert them into electrical signals.

[0034] The ultrasonic transmitting and receiving circuit 210 is a processor that supplies drive signals to the probe unit 220. For the sake of explanation, the ultrasonic transmitting and receiving circuit will be described separately as an ultrasonic transmitting circuit and an ultrasonic transmitting and receiving circuit below.

[0035] The ultrasonic transmission circuit is implemented by, for example, a trigger generation circuit, a transmission delay circuit, and a pulser circuit (pulsor group). The trigger generation circuit repeatedly generates rate pulses at a predetermined rate frequency to form the transmitted ultrasonic waves. The transmission delay circuit provides a delay time for each piezoelectric transducer necessary to focus the ultrasonic waves generated from the detection unit 220 into a beam shape and determine the transmission directivity, to each rate pulse generated by the trigger generation circuit. The pulser circuit applies drive signals (drive pulses) to a plurality of ultrasonic transducers provided in the detection unit 220 at timings based on the rate pulses. By changing the delay time provided to each rate pulse by the transmission delay circuit, the transmission direction from the surface of the piezoelectric transducer can be arbitrarily adjusted.

[0036] Furthermore, the ultrasonic transmission circuit can arbitrarily change the output intensity of the ultrasound using a drive signal. In an ultrasound diagnostic device, increasing the output intensity can reduce the effect of ultrasound attenuation within the biological body. By reducing the effect of ultrasound attenuation, the ultrasound diagnostic device can acquire a reflected wave signal with a high signal-to-noise ratio during reception.

[0037] Generally, when ultrasound propagates within a living organism, the intensity of the ultrasound vibrations (also known as acoustic power), which corresponds to the output intensity, attenuates. This attenuation of acoustic power occurs through absorption, scattering, and reflection. The degree of decrease in acoustic power depends on the frequency of the ultrasound and the distance in the direction of ultrasound radiation. For example, increasing the frequency of the ultrasound increases the degree of attenuation. Also, the longer the distance in the direction of ultrasound radiation, the greater the degree of attenuation.

[0038] The ultrasonic receiving circuit is a processor that performs various processes on the reflected wave signal received by the probe unit 220 to generate a received signal. The ultrasonic receiving circuit generates a received signal for the ultrasonic reflected wave signal acquired by the probe unit 220. Specifically, the ultrasonic receiving circuit is implemented by, for example, a preamplifier (group of preamplifiers), an A / D converter, a demodulator, and a beamformer (receive delay summing circuit). The preamplifier amplifies the reflected wave signal received by the probe unit 220 for each channel and performs gain correction processing. The A / D converter converts the gain-corrected reflected wave signal into a digital signal. The demodulator demodulates the digital signal. The beamformer, for example, gives the demodulated digital signal a delay time necessary to determine the receiving directivity and adds up multiple digital signals to which the delay time has been given. The summing process of the beamformer generates a received signal in which the reflected component from the direction corresponding to the receiving directivity is emphasized.

[0039] As shown in Figure 2, the first input interface 230 includes a first touchpad 231 or a first liquid crystal touch panel that is operated by a user holding the handle 21. The first touchpad 231 or first liquid crystal touch panel is positioned on the probe surface where the user's thumb or index finger is located when the user holds the handle 21. The first input interface 230 generates operation signals in response to user operations. The operation signals may include, for example, a selection signal that selects an instruction for processing the ultrasound diagnostic device 1, and a decision signal that determines the selected instruction.

[0040] The battery 240 is, for example, a rechargeable battery and its peripheral circuitry that supplies the necessary power to each part and circuit of the ultrasound probe 20. The rechargeable battery is, for example, a small lithium-ion battery or a nickel-metal hydride battery. The rechargeable battery may be removable from the ultrasound probe 20. Alternatively, a non-rechargeable battery may be used instead of a rechargeable battery.

[0041] The communication interface 250 is connected to the main unit 10, for example, via wireless communication, and performs data communication with the main unit 10. However, it is not limited to this, and the communication interface 250 may also be connected to the main unit 10 via wired communication. The communication interface 250 is an example of a communication interface that transmits operation signals via wire or wireless.

[0042] Next, the operation of the ultrasound diagnostic device configured as described above will be explained using the sequence diagram in Figure 3.

[0043] First, the ultrasound probe 20 transmits and receives ultrasound waves from the head 22 to the living body P while the user holds the handle 21 and the transducer surface of the head 22 is in close contact with the living body P, and outputs the received signal to the device body 10. Based on the output of the ultrasound probe 20, the device body 10 generates and displays an ultrasound image representing the internal tissue of the examination surface corresponding to the position and angle of the head 22 on the body surface.

[0044] At this time, in step S20, the ultrasound probe 20 generates an operation signal corresponding to the user's operation of the first touchpad 231. This operation may be, for example, a sliding operation by the user's thumb or index finger. In addition, the operation signal generated may be, for example, a selection signal that selects an instruction for processing the ultrasound diagnostic device 1 in response to the sliding operation.

[0045] After step S20, in step S22, the ultrasonic probe 20 transmits the operation signal to the device body 10. The operation signal includes a selection signal.

[0046] After step S22, in step S24, the main unit 10 receives an operation signal from the ultrasonic probe 20 corresponding to the operation of the first touchpad 231, and performs processing based on the received operation signal. For example, the processing circuit 170 performs processing such as moving the cursor to an icon for selecting an instruction on the screen displayed on the display 140. For example, each of the multiple icons displayed on the screen corresponds to a different instruction for the main unit 10. Examples of such instructions include a mode change instruction, a gain adjustment instruction, an angle adjustment instruction, a depth adjustment instruction, a freeze execution instruction, and an image save instruction, which can be used as appropriate. In addition, one of the multiple icons may correspond to an operation confirmation instruction.

[0047] After step S24, in step S26, the ultrasonic probe 20 generates an operation signal corresponding to the user's operation (decision operation) of the first touchpad 231. For example, this operation may be a double-tap operation. In addition, the operation signal generated is a decision signal that confirms the selected instruction in response to the double-tap operation. Note that the decision operation in step S26 may also be performed on the second input interface 130 of the device body 10, as shown by the dashed line.

[0048] After step S26, in step S28, the ultrasonic probe 20 transmits the operation signal to the device body 10. The operation signal includes a decision signal.

[0049] After step S28, in step S30, the main unit 10 receives an operation signal from the ultrasonic probe 20 corresponding to the operation of the first touchpad 231, and performs processing based on the received operation signal. For example, the processing circuit 170 double-clicks the cursor on the icon indicating the selected instruction to confirm the selected instruction. This confirms the operation to select an instruction.

[0050] Subsequently, the processing circuit 170 executes the process according to the determined instructions.

[0051] As described above, according to the first embodiment, the ultrasonic probe 20 comprises a handle 21 and a first input interface 230. The handle 21 is grasped by the user. The first input interface 230 is operated by the user who is grasping the handle 21. Therefore, since the user can operate the first input interface 230 while grasping the handle 21 of the ultrasonic probe 20, the burden on the user during operation can be reduced.

[0052] For example, in recent years, as part of point-of-care ultrasound (POCUS), there are cases where the device body 10 is a small terminal device like a tablet, and the user carries the terminal device and the ultrasound probe 20 to perform ultrasound diagnosis on a patient. In this case, the diagnostic location is unspecified, such as at the patient's bedside or at an outdoor disaster site. On the other hand, because the diagnostic location is not a well-equipped diagnostic room, there are constraints on the placement and fixing of the ultrasound diagnostic device, and it may be necessary to perform ultrasound diagnosis while holding the terminal device with one's hand. In this case, it is difficult to press the ultrasound probe against the patient's body surface, hold the tablet-shaped terminal device with one's hand, and operate control switches on the terminal device. Furthermore, such operations place a heavy burden on the user. Even in such cases, according to the first embodiment, the user can operate the first input interface 230 while holding the handle 21, thus reducing the burden of operation.

[0053] Furthermore, according to the first embodiment, the handle 21 is equipped with a communication interface 250. The first input interface 230 generates an operation signal in response to user operation. The communication interface 250 transmits the operation signal by wire or wireless. In this way, since an operation signal is transmitted in response to operation of the first input interface 230 of the ultrasonic probe 20, the burden on the user can be reduced, as described above.

[0054] Furthermore, according to the first embodiment, the operation signal includes either a selection signal that selects an instruction for processing the ultrasound diagnostic device 1, or a decision signal that determines the selected instruction. In this case, in addition to the effects described above, the user can differentiate between the operation to select an instruction and the operation to determine an instruction by operating the handle 21, thereby further reducing the burden on the user.

[0055] Furthermore, according to the first embodiment, the first input interface 230 includes a first touchpad 231 or a first liquid crystal touch panel. In this case, in addition to the effects described above, a first input interface 230 that allows various operations to be performed on a small surface area of ​​the probe can be implemented.

[0056] Furthermore, according to the first embodiment, the ultrasound diagnostic device 1 comprises the aforementioned ultrasound probe 20 and the device body 10. The device body 10 receives an operation signal from the ultrasound probe 20 in response to the operation of the first input interface 230 and performs processing according to the received operation signal. Therefore, since the device body 10 can perform processing in response to the operation of the ultrasound probe 20, the burden of operation on the user can be reduced.

[0057] (modified version) The first embodiment uses a first touchpad 231 as the first input interface 230 of the ultrasonic probe 20, but is not limited to this. For example, a first liquid crystal touch panel may be used as the first input interface 230 of the ultrasonic probe 20. In this case, in addition to the effects described above, the burden of operation can be further reduced by displaying an operation support screen on the first liquid crystal touch panel.

[0058] Furthermore, while the first embodiment involves the ultrasonic probe 20 transmitting operation signals via wireless communication, it is not limited to this. For example, the ultrasonic probe 20 may transmit operation signals via wired communication. In this case as well, the same effects as the first embodiment can be obtained.

[0059] Furthermore, while the first embodiment describes an operation signal including a decision signal transmitted by the ultrasonic probe 20, it is not limited to this. For example, when a predetermined touch operation by the user is detected at the second input interface 130 of the device body 10, a decision instruction that determines the instruction selected by the operation signal may be input to the processing circuit 170. In this case, for example, an operation signal including a selection signal is transmitted by an operation on the ultrasonic probe 20 side, and a decision instruction is input by a touch operation on the device body 10 side, thus simplifying the operation of the first input interface 230 on the ultrasonic probe 20.

[0060] Furthermore, in the first embodiment, the ultrasonic probe 20 transmitted an operation signal including a decision signal by a double-tap operation, but is not limited to this. For example, the ultrasonic probe 20 may transmit an operation signal including a decision signal by a special operation, such as three or more taps. In this case as well, the same effects as in the first embodiment can be obtained.

[0061] Furthermore, while the first embodiment uses a tablet terminal as the device body 10, it is not limited to this. For example, a device specifically for ultrasound diagnosis may be used as the device body 10. In this case as well, the same effects as the first embodiment can be obtained.

[0062] The modifications of the first embodiment described above can also be applied to the following embodiments.

[0063] <Second Embodiment> The second embodiment is a modification of the first embodiment in which the main body 10 of the device performs processing in response to an operation signal from the ultrasonic probe 20, and the main body 10 of the device is configured to determine whether the operation signal is valid or invalid.

[0064] Accordingly, the second input interface 130 of the device body 10 detects touch operations by the user. This second input interface 130 includes at least one of the second touchpad and the second liquid crystal touch panel as a detection surface. The following describes an example in which both are included as detection surfaces, but is not limited to this.

[0065] In other words, as shown in Figure 4, the second input interface 130 includes a first detection surface consisting of a second liquid crystal touch panel 131 located on the front of the device body 10. The second liquid crystal touch panel 131 may include a predetermined area 131a that is located within an area operable by the user's hand hd on the side holding the device body 10 and is touch-operated when an operation signal is valid. However, the second liquid crystal touch panel 131 is not limited to the predetermined area 131a, as long as it detects touch operation when an operation signal is valid.

[0066] Furthermore, as shown in Figure 5, the second input interface 130 includes a second sensing surface consisting of a second touchpad 132 located on the back of the device body 10. In this case, it is preferable that the back of the device body 10 is provided with a support portion 11 for supporting a hand hd that is gripping the device body 10. The support portion 11 is, for example, a strip-shaped member provided substantially parallel to one side of the device body 10, with both ends fixed to the back of the device body 10. The support portion 11 supports a hand hd inserted between the support portion 11 and the device body 10. In Figure 5, the support portion 11 is provided substantially parallel to the left side of the device body 10 and supports a hand hd that is gripping the device body 10 from the side, but is not limited to this. For example, the support portion 11 may be provided substantially parallel to the lower side of the device body 10 and support a hand hd that is gripping the device body 10 from below. Alternatively, the support portion 11 may be provided substantially parallel to the right side of the device body 10 to support a hand hd that grasps the device body 10 from the right.

[0067] Furthermore, in addition to the functions described above, the system control function 170d of the processing circuit 170 has the function of determining that the operation signal from the ultrasonic probe 20 is valid during the period in which a touch operation of the second input interface 130 is detected. The system control function 170d is an example of the first determination unit.

[0068] The other configurations are the same as in the first embodiment.

[0069] Next, the operation of the ultrasound diagnostic device configured as described above will be explained using the sequence diagram in Figure 6.

[0070] Now, as described above, the ultrasound probe 20 transmits and receives ultrasound waves from the head 22 to the living body P while the user holds the handle 21 and the transducer surface of the head 22 is in close contact with the living body P, and outputs the received signal to the device body 10. Based on the output of the ultrasound probe 20, the device body 10 generates and displays an ultrasound image representing the internal tissue of the examination surface corresponding to the position and angle of the head 22 on the body surface.

[0071] At this time, in step S10, the second input interface 130 of the device body 10 is touch-operated by the user's hand hd, which is holding the device body 10. The second input interface 130 of the device body 10 detects the touch operation by the user.

[0072] After step S10, steps S20 and S22 are performed as described above, and an operation signal is transmitted from the ultrasonic probe 20 to the main unit 10 of the device.

[0073] After step S22, in step S23, the processing circuit 170 of the device body 10 determines that the operation signal from the ultrasonic probe 20 is valid during the period in which a touch operation of the second input interface 130 is detected.

[0074] After step S23, in step S24, the device body 10 performs processing such as moving the cursor CS based on the operation signal that has been determined to be valid.

[0075] As described above, the processing from step S26 onwards is executed.

[0076] As described above, according to the second embodiment, the second input interface 130 of the device body 10 detects touch operations by the user. The processing circuit 170 determines that the operation signal is valid during the period in which the touch operation is detected. Therefore, in addition to the effects described above, since the device body 10 performs processing in accordance with a valid operation signal, it is possible to prevent processing based on an incorrect operation signal received from the ultrasonic probe 20.

[0077] To elaborate, for example, in the aforementioned POCUS, there is a concern that errors may occur when the terminal device is held in the hand or other means during operation. In contrast, according to the second embodiment, control operations are made possible on the first touchpad 231 of the ultrasonic probe 20, and a mechanism for controlling the enable / disable status of the operation of the first touchpad 231 is provided in the part of the device body 10 that is held. Therefore, with this configuration, it is possible to control the device body 10 by operating the first touchpad 231 while preventing errors in operation of the first touchpad 231. Furthermore, according to the second embodiment, the processing circuit 170 determines that the operation signal is valid only during the period in which a touch operation is detected, that is, during the period in which the second input interface 130 is pressed, so errors in operation of the first touchpad 231 can be prevented with high accuracy.

[0078] Furthermore, according to the second embodiment, the second input interface 130 of the device body 10 includes at least one of the second touchpad 132 and the second liquid crystal touch panel 131 as a detection surface. In this case, the same effects as described above can be obtained.

[0079] Furthermore, according to the second embodiment, the second input interface 130 of the device body 10 includes a first detection surface consisting of a second liquid crystal touch panel 131 located on the front of the device body 10, and a second detection surface consisting of a second touch pad 132 located on the back of the device body 10. In this case, since the operation signal can be activated by touching either the front or back of the device body 10, the burden on the user can be further reduced.

[0080] (modified version) In the second embodiment, the second input interface 130 includes, but is not limited to, both a predetermined area 131a in the second liquid crystal touch panel 131 on the front of the device body 10 and a second touchpad 132 on the back of the device body 10. For example, the second input interface 130 may omit the second touchpad 132 on the back of the device body 10. In this case, the effects of the second embodiment can be obtained by using the predetermined area 131a on the front for touch operation detection. Alternatively, the second input interface 130 may not use the predetermined area 131a on the front of the device body 10. In this case, the effects of the second embodiment can be obtained by using the second touchpad 132 on the back for touch operation detection.

[0081] Furthermore, in the second embodiment, the second input interface 130 uses a predetermined area 131a within the second liquid crystal touch panel 131 on the front of the device body 10, but is not limited to this. For example, as shown in Figure 7, the second input interface 130 may use icons 133 within the second liquid crystal touch panel 131 instead of the predetermined area 131a within the second liquid crystal touch panel 131. The icons 133 are positioned within a range that can be operated by the hand hd on the side that is holding the device body 10. The second input interface 130 detects a touch operation on any of the multiple icons 133 presented on the second liquid crystal touch panel 131. The processing circuit 170 determines that the operation signal is valid during the period in which the touch operation is detected. Even in this case, the same effects as in the second embodiment can be obtained.

[0082] Similarly, in the second embodiment, the second input interface 130 uses the entire second touchpad 132 on the back of the device body 10, but is not limited to this. For example, as shown in Figure 8, the second input interface 130 may use icons 133 within the second touchpad 132 instead of the entire second touchpad 132. The icons 133 are positioned within a range that can be operated by the hand hd on the side that is holding the device body 10. The second touchpad 132 has protrusions 134 that indicate the position of each of the multiple icons 133. The protrusions 134 are formed, for example, with minute bumps and grooves so that several lines contact or penetrate the icons 133. However, the protrusions 134 are not limited to lines; protrusions may be formed on the icons 133. In other words, the protrusions 134 should be a structure that the user can feel with their fingertips to indicate the position and operation of the icons 133 on the back, which are difficult to see. In any case, the second input interface 130 detects a touch operation on any of the multiple icons 133 presented on the second touchpad 132. The processing circuit 170 determines that the operation signal is valid during the period in which the touch operation is detected. Even in this case, the same effects as in the second embodiment can be obtained.

[0083] Furthermore, the second liquid crystal touch panel 131 equipped with the icon 133 shown in Figure 7 may be implemented on the device body 10 equipped with the second touchpad 132 shown in Figure 5 or Figure 8, or on the device body 10 without the second touchpad 132 on the back. In any case, since the second input interface 130 detects touch operations on any of the multiple icons 133, the same effect as the modified example shown in Figure 7 can be obtained.

[0084] Furthermore, the second touchpad 132 equipped with the icon 133 shown in Figure 8 may be implemented on the device body 10 equipped with the second liquid crystal touch panel 131 shown in Figure 4 or Figure 7, or it may be implemented on the device body 10 without the front second liquid crystal touch panel 131. In any case, since the second input interface 130 detects touch operations on any of the multiple icons 133, the same effect as the modified example shown in Figure 8 can be obtained.

[0085] Furthermore, in the modified examples shown in Figures 7 and 8, touch operation on the icon 133 is used to determine whether the operation signal is valid or invalid, but the invention is not limited to this. For example, each of the multiple icons 133 may correspond to a specific instruction for the device body 10. Examples of such instructions include, for instance, a mode change instruction, a gain adjustment instruction, an angle adjustment instruction, a depth adjustment instruction, a freeze execution instruction, and an image saving instruction, which can be used as appropriate. Also, one of the multiple icons 133 may correspond to an operation confirmation instruction. Furthermore, each of the multiple icons 133 is positioned within a range that can be operated by the user's hand hd on the side holding the device body 10. According to this modified example, it becomes possible to associate the instruction corresponding to the operated icon 133 with the operation signal from the ultrasonic probe 20. For example, the processing circuit 170 of the device body 10 can perform processing based on the operation signal received from the ultrasonic probe 20 and the instruction corresponding to the touched icon 133. In this case, for example as shown in Figure 9, in step S10a, one of the icons 133 shown in Figure 7 or Figure 8 is touched by the user's hand hd.

[0086] After step S10a, steps S20 and S22 are performed as described above, and an operation signal is transmitted from the ultrasonic probe 20 to the main unit 10 of the device.

[0087] After step S22, in step S23a, the processing circuit 170 of the main body of the device 10 determines that the operation signal from the ultrasonic probe 20 is valid during the period in which the touch operation of icon 133 is detected.

[0088] After step S23a, in step S24a, the device body 10 performs processing such as moving the cursor CS based on the operation signal that has been determined to be valid and the instruction corresponding to the touched icon 133.

[0089] As described above, the processing from step S26 onwards is executed.

[0090] As shown in the modified examples in Figures 7 to 9, by touching any of the icons 133, users can select an instruction corresponding to that icon while preventing accidental operation, thereby further reducing the burden on the user.

[0091] Furthermore, in the modified examples shown in Figures 7 to 9, the touch operation on icon 133 was continued during the period in which the operation signal was active, but this is not limited to this. For example, as shown in Figure 10, the display control function 170c of the processing circuit 170 may control the display 140 to display the icon 133 that has been touched among the multiple icons 133 presented on the second liquid crystal touch panel 131 in a lit state. In this case, the lit icon 133 can be considered as continuing the touch operation, so the user can take their hand off icon 133 even during the period in which the operation signal is active. The display control function 170c of the processing circuit 170 also controls the display 140 to display a menu corresponding to the touched icon 133. Here, the menu displays information corresponding to the instruction that corresponds to icon 133. For example, in response to a mode change instruction, options such as B mode and Doppler mode are displayed in a pull-down menu or the like. Also, as shown in Figure 10, for example, in response to a gain adjustment instruction, a slider bar 135 for adjusting the gain is displayed. In other words, as a menu, for example, information about the options is displayed in response to a change instruction, and a slider bar 135 is displayed in response to an adjustment instruction. The processing circuit 170 and the display control function 170c are examples of a display control unit.

[0092] Furthermore, while icons 133 were used in the modified examples shown in Figures 7 to 10, the design is not limited to these. For example, the second input interface 130 may use a physical switch, such as a button, instead of icons 133.

[0093] For example, in the modified example shown in Figure 7, the second input interface 130 uses an icon 133 on the second liquid crystal touch panel 131 on the front of the device body 10, but is not limited to this. For example, as shown in Figure 11, the second input interface 130 may use a button 136 outside the second liquid crystal touch panel 131 instead of the icon 133. The button 136 is a physical switch that is operated by the user and is located within an area operable by the user's hand hd on the side holding the device body 10. The second input interface 130 detects the user's operation on the button 136. The system control function 170d of the processing circuit 170 determines that the operation signal is valid during the period in which the operation of the button 136 is detected. The processing circuit 170 and the system control function 170d are examples of the second determination unit. Even in this case, the same effects as in the second embodiment can be obtained.

[0094] Similarly, in the second embodiment, the second input interface 130 uses an icon 133 on the second touchpad 132 on the back of the device body 10, but is not limited to this. For example, as shown in Figure 12, the second input interface 130 may use a plurality of physical switches, namely buttons 136, instead of the second touchpad 132. The plurality of buttons 136 are arranged within a range that can be operated by the hand hd on the side that is holding the device body 10. The second input interface 130 detects operation on any of the plurality of buttons 136, as described above. The processing circuit 170 determines that the operation signal is valid during the period in which operation of a button 136 is detected. In this case as well, the same effects as in the second embodiment can be obtained.

[0095] Furthermore, in the modified examples shown in Figures 11 and 12, operation of button 136 is used to determine whether the operation signal is valid or invalid, but this is not limited to this. For example, each of the multiple buttons 136 may correspond to a different instruction to the device body 10. Also, the processing circuit 170 of the device body 10 may perform processing based on the operation signal received from the ultrasonic probe 20 and the instruction corresponding to the operated button 136. In this case, by operating any of the buttons 136, the user can select an instruction corresponding to that button 136 while preventing erroneous operation, thereby further reducing the burden on the user.

[0096] Furthermore, in the modified example shown in Figure 10, the icon 133 is illuminated, but the system is not limited to this; the button 136 may also be illuminated. In this case as well, the same effect as the modified example shown in Figure 10 can be obtained.

[0097] Furthermore, while the second embodiment and its modifications use touch, icon, or button operations on the second input interface 130, the invention is not limited to these. For example, voice input to the second input interface 130 may be used. That is, the second input interface 130 receives a voice signal indicating whether the operation signal is enabled or disabled. The second input interface 130 is an example of a voice input unit. The system control function 170d of the processing circuit 170 determines whether the operation signal is enabled or disabled based on the voice signal. The processing circuit 170 and the system control function 170d are examples of a third determination unit. In this case, for example, as shown in Figure 13, in step S10b, the second input interface 130 inputs a voice signal indicating whether the operation is enabled or disabled to the processing circuit 170 by collecting the user's voice with a microphone. The processing circuit 170 sets whether the operation is enabled or disabled according to the voice signal.

[0098] After step S10b, steps S20 and S22 are performed as described above, and an operation signal is transmitted from the ultrasonic probe 20 to the main unit 10 of the device.

[0099] After step S22, in step S23b, the processing circuit 170 of the device body 10 determines that the operation signal from the ultrasonic probe 20 is valid, according to the settings in step S10b.

[0100] After step S23a, in step S24a, the device body 10 performs processing such as moving the cursor CS based on the operation signal that has been determined to be valid and the instruction corresponding to the touched icon 133.

[0101] As described above, the processing from step S26 onwards is executed.

[0102] As shown in the modified example in Figure 13, by inputting whether to enable or disable an operation signal via voice, it is possible to prevent erroneous operation while executing processing corresponding to the operation signal, thereby further reducing the burden on the user.

[0103] Furthermore, while the modified example shown in Figure 13 uses voice input to determine whether an operation is valid or invalid, the system is not limited to this. For example, processing may be performed based on instructions corresponding to voice input and operation signals. In this case, since instructions corresponding to the voice input can be selected and executed while preventing erroneous operations, the burden on the user can be further reduced.

[0104] According to at least one embodiment described above, the burden on the user during operation can be reduced.

[0105] In the above description, the term "processor" refers to circuits such as CPUs, GPUs, or Application Specific Integrated Circuits (ASICs), programmable logic devices (e.g., Simple Programmable Logic Devices (SPLDs), Complex Programmable Logic Devices (CPLDs), and Field Programmable Gate Arrays (FPGAs)). When the processor is a CPU, for example, it performs its functions by reading and executing programs stored in memory. On the other hand, when the processor is an ASIC, for example, instead of the program being stored in memory, the functions are directly incorporated as logic circuits within the processor's circuitry. In this embodiment, each processor is not limited to being configured as a single circuit; multiple independent circuits may be combined to form a single processor and perform its functions. Furthermore, the multiple components shown in Figure 1 may be integrated into a single processor to perform its functions.

[0106] While several embodiments have been described, these embodiments are presented as examples only and are not intended to limit the scope of the invention. These embodiments can be implemented in a variety of other forms, and various omissions, substitutions, modifications, and combinations of embodiments are possible without departing from the spirit of the invention. These embodiments and their variations are included in the scope and spirit of the invention, as well as in the claims and their equivalents. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0107] 1. Ultrasound diagnostic equipment 10 Main unit of the device 20 Ultrasound probes 21 Handle 22 heads 110 Internal memory circuit 120 Image Memory 130 Second Input Interface 131 Second LCD touch panel 131a Predetermined area 132 Second Touchpad 133 icons 134 Convex part 135 Slide Bar 136 buttons 140 displays 160,250 communication interfaces 170 Processing Circuits 170a Signal Processing Function 170b Image generation function 170c Display control function 170d System Control Function 210 Ultrasonic Transceiver Circuit 220 Probe section 230 First Input Interface 231 First Touchpad 240 batteries

Claims

1. An ultrasonic probe comprising a handle held by a user, and a first input interface including a first touchpad or a first liquid crystal touch panel operated by the user holding the handle, The device includes a main body that receives an operation signal corresponding to the operation of the first input interface and performs processing based on the operation signal, The main body of the aforementioned device is A second input interface that includes at least one of a second touchpad and a second liquid crystal touch panel as a detection surface for detecting touch operations by the user, A first determination unit determines that the operation signal corresponding to the operation of the first input interface is valid during the period when the touch operation on the detection surface is detected, and determines that the operation signal corresponding to the operation of the first input interface is invalid during the period when the touch operation on the detection surface is not detected. An ultrasound diagnostic device equipped with [specific features / equipment].

2. The second input interface comprises a first detection surface consisting of the second liquid crystal touch panel located on the front of the device body, and a second detection surface consisting of the second touch pad located on the back of the device body. The ultrasound diagnostic apparatus according to claim 1.

3. The second input interface detects a touch operation on any of the multiple icons presented on the detection surface, Each of the aforementioned multiple icons corresponds to a respective instruction to the device body, The main body of the device performs processing based on the received operation signal and the instruction corresponding to the touched icon. The ultrasound diagnostic apparatus according to claim 1.

4. The aforementioned plurality of icons are arranged within a range that can be operated by the user with the hand holding the device body. The ultrasound diagnostic apparatus according to claim 3.

5. The second touchpad has protrusions formed on it that indicate the position of each of the plurality of icons. The ultrasound diagnostic apparatus according to claim 3.

6. Equipped with a display control unit, The second input interface includes the second liquid crystal touch panel that displays the plurality of icons, The display control unit controls the display to show the touched icon in an illuminated state. The ultrasound diagnostic apparatus according to claim 3.

7. The display control unit controls the display to show a menu corresponding to the touched icon. The ultrasound diagnostic apparatus according to claim 6.

8. The main body of the aforementioned device is Includes a physical switch operated by the user, The system includes a second determination unit that determines the operation signal corresponding to the operation of the first input interface is valid during the period in which the operation of the physical switch is detected. The ultrasound diagnostic apparatus according to claim 1.

9. The main body of the aforementioned device is A voice input unit that inputs an audio signal indicating whether the aforementioned operation signal is valid or invalid, A third determination unit determines whether the operation signal corresponding to the operation of the first input interface is valid or invalid based on the aforementioned audio signal, Equipped with, The ultrasound diagnostic apparatus according to claim 1.

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