Ultrasonic Diagnostic Apparatus Power Supply Noise Synchronization
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Solution Overview
Problem
Ultrasonic diagnostic apparatuses face image noise issues due to switching noise generated by switching power supply circuits, which is not effectively addressed by existing methods that increase circuit complexity and cost.
Innovation Solution
Synchronizing the phase of the power supply clock signal with the transmission or reception clock signal to control the switching operation of the switching power supply circuit, allowing for correlation processing to cancel noise and remove image noise without the need for additional shielding or low-pass filters.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of energy
If a switching power supply is used to achieve high conversion efficiency and low cost, then power supply efficiency is improved and cost is reduced, but switching noise is generated that mixes into analog signals and creates image noise
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies periodic action by synchronizing the switching operation of the power supply clock with the transmission timing of ultrasonic pulses. The switching frequency is set to an integral multiple of the transmission timing frequency, creating a periodic pattern where noise occurs at predictable intervals that can be eliminated through correlation processing.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent converts the harmful switching noise into a beneficial effect by synchronizing it with the transmission timing. The noise, which would normally be random and difficult to filter, becomes periodic and predictable, allowing correlation processing to identify and cancel it out, thereby transforming a harmful factor into a controllable parameter.
2Object-affected harmful factors
If shielding or low-pass filters are incorporated to reduce image noise, then image noise is reduced, but device complexity and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces physical noise filtering mechanisms (shielding and low-pass filters) with a signal processing approach. Instead of using additional hardware components to block noise, the invention uses correlation processing on the digital signal to identify and cancel noise, substituting mechanical/electrical filtering with computational methods.
3Object-affected harmful factors
If shielding or additional filters are added to reduce noise, then image noise is reduced, but mounting area and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts and removes the need for additional noise-reduction hardware components. By implementing noise cancellation through correlation processing in the signal domain, the invention eliminates the requirement for physical shielding and additional filtering circuits, thereby reducing the substrate area required.
Data Source
AI summary
An ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus according to a present embodiment includes a transmission circuit, a reception circuit, a data processing circuit, an image generating circuit, a switching power supply circuit, and a control circuit. The switching power supply circuit is configured to generate a drive voltage for at least one of the transmission circuit, the reception circuit, the data processing circuit, and the image generating circuit. The control circuit is configured to control the transmission circuit to repeatedly transmit an ultrasonic pulse, and control a timing of a switching operation of the switching power supply circuit to synchronize the timing with a transmission timing or a reception timing of the ultrasonic pulse.