Surgery – Diagnostic testing – Detecting nuclear – electromagnetic – or ultrasonic radiation
Reexamination Certificate
1999-09-07
2001-06-26
Lateef, Marvin M. (Department: 3737)
Surgery
Diagnostic testing
Detecting nuclear, electromagnetic, or ultrasonic radiation
C600S453000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06251075
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates to an ultrasonic diagnosis apparatus for generating an ultrasonic image based on at least one of phase information and amplitude information contained in a signal that is created by scanning a cross section of a to-be-examined subject with an ultrasonic wave.
The conventional ultrasonic diagnosis apparatuses generally comprise a plurality of units corresponding to the manners of signal processing and image processing. These units are connected in the order according to the processes of the signal processing and image processing.
Interfaces of a fixed type corresponding to the order of connection of the units are each provided between a corresponding pair of adjacent units. A certain unit is arranged to process, in accordance with a predetermined timing signal, an image signal, for example, input thereto via a corresponding interface in a real-time manner, and then to output the process result to the next unit. Thus, in the conventional ultrasonic diagnosis apparatus, a series of processing is performed in a fixed order corresponding to the order of connection of the units.
FIG. 6
is a block diagram roughly illustrating the structure of the conventional ultrasonic diagnosis apparatus.
As is shown, the ultrasonic diagnosis apparatus comprises a plurality of units such as an ultrasonic probe
100
, a rate pulse generating circuit
101
, a transmission control circuit
102
, a reception control circuit
103
, a receiver
104
, a digital scan converter (DSC)
105
, an encoder
106
, a monitor
107
, a blood flow analysis unit
108
and a CPU unit
109
.
When the operator has performed a predetermined operation for ultrasonic scanning, using, for example, an operation panel, the CPU unit
109
performs processing corresponding to the predetermined operation, thereby setting, in each unit, a parameter necessary for the ultrasonic scanning. In accordance with this setting, the rate pulse generating circuit
101
creates a basic signal (a rate pulse signal) for transmitting and receiving an ultrasonic wave. The transmission control circuit
102
drives the ultrasonic probe
100
to generate an ultrasonic pulse signal based on the basic signal. As a result, an ultrasonic pulse signal is transmitted from the ultrasonic probe
100
to a to-be-examined subject.
The ultrasonic probe
100
then receives a signal reflected from the subject. The reception control circuit
103
supplies the receiver
104
and the blood flow analysis unit
108
with the reflection signal received by the ultrasonic probe
100
. As is shown in
FIG. 7
, the reception control circuit
103
, which is called a “beam former”, comprises pre-amplifiers
110
for amplifying a signal that indicates a received wave and is output from the ultrasonic probe
100
, A/D converters (ADC)
111
for converting the amplified electric signals (analog signals) into digital signals, delay circuits
112
for delaying the digital signals from the respective ADCs
111
, and an adder
113
for adding signals output from the delay circuits
112
. The circuit
103
creates an ultrasonic reception signal, which is provided with predetermined directional characteristics by a received signal that has a predetermined delay corresponding to each ultrasonic oscillating element incorporated in the ultrasonic probe
100
.
The receiver
104
subjects the received signal to predetermined signal processes such as quadrature detection, magnitude detection, filter processing, edge emphasis processing, etc., and outputs the process result, e.g. a B-mode image signal, to the DSC
105
provided after the receiver
104
.
The blood flow analysis unit
108
performs signal processing such as MTI filtering, autocorrelation processing, etc., thereby generating a two-dimensional blood flow signal indicative of flow velocity, power, dispersion, etc. An FFT unit incorporated in the blood flow analysis unit
108
calculates a flow velocity distribution. The signal processing results of the blood flow analysis unit
108
are supplied to the DSC
105
, superposed therein upon the B-mode image signal output from the receiver
104
, and developed into a two-dimensional image. The two-dimensional image is converted by the encoder
106
into a video signal that can be displayed on, for example, a TV monitor, and is then displayed on the monitor
107
.
The above-described conventional ultrasonic diagnosis apparatus has the following problems:
(1) A series of ultrasonic scanning, signal processing and display processing are performed in a fixed order as aforementioned, and therefore it is difficult to add a new function so as to enhance the performance of the apparatus.
(2) The unit structure is hard to change since it is limited by the interface rules. This means that to reduce the size or cost of the apparatus is difficult.
(3) The data flow between units is also hard to change, and hence it is difficult to access data from each unit in a desired manner. Data indicating a signal or an image obtained by ultrasonic scanning is dispersed and stored, while it is processed, in storage devices that are incorporated in the units. To access desired data from a unit for special processing other than usual image display processing, it is necessary to provide an exclusive signal line used for reading data from, for example, the CPU, as well as a signal line for usual image display. Also from the viewpoint of cost reduction of the apparatus, it is not preferable to disperse signals or images into storage devices of the units.
(4) When, for example, a failure has occurred in a particular unit, the function of the unit (for example, the blood flow display function of the blood flow analysis unit) cannot be provided unless the unit is exchanged for a new one.
BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention has been developed under the above-described circumstances, and is aimed at providing an ultrasonic diagnosis apparatus capable of realizing a data flow of high freedom between a plurality of units connected to each other via a general-purpose data transmission path.
According to the present invention, there is provided an ultrasonic diagnosis apparatus comprising: an ultrasonic probe for emitting an ultrasonic wave to a subject to be examined, receiving a wave reflected from the subject, and outputting a signal corresponding to the reflected wave; a beam former unit for generating RF data based on the signal corresponding to the reflected wave and output from the ultrasonic probe; a receiver unit for generating detection data based on the RF data; a scan converter unit for generating image data based on the detection data; a bus connected to the beam former unit, the receiver unit and the scan converter unit for transferring the RF data, the detection data and the image data between the units; and control means for controlling a data flow between the units.
Additional objects and advantages of the invention will be set forth in the description which follows, and in part will be obvious from the description, or may be learned by practice of the invention. The objects and advantages of the invention may be realized and obtained by means of the instrumentalities and combinations particularly pointed out hereinafter.
REFERENCES:
patent: 5603323 (1997-02-01), Pflugrath et al.
patent: 5795297 (1998-08-01), Daigle
patent: 6102864 (2000-08-01), Hatfiled et al.
patent: 6104673 (2000-08-01), Cole et al.
patent: 6-343634 (1994-12-01), None
Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba
Lateef Marvin M.
Oblon & Spivak, McClelland, Maier & Neustadt P.C.
Patel Maulin
LandOfFree
Ultrasonic diagnosis apparatus does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this patent.
If you have personal experience with Ultrasonic diagnosis apparatus, we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Ultrasonic diagnosis apparatus will most certainly appreciate the feedback.
Profile ID: LFUS-PAI-O-2483987