JPH03182236A - Ultrasonic diagnosing device - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To make the number of probes unlimited and facilitate the probe information transmission by employing a read/write memory means for writing and storing new information read with a read circuit every time the probe is replaced and controlling the drive of the probe information read from the read/write memory means. CONSTITUTION:When the connector 1a of a probe 1 is connected to a device 10, the probe information on the probe 1 stored in a ROM 16-1 of the probe 1 is read with a read circuit 18. The information read is sent and newly written to a RAM 20. The control section of a device 10 reads this probe information in succession from the RAM 20 and performs drive control of the probe 1. When the connector 2a of a probe 2 is connected to the device 10, the probe information on the probe 2 is read with the read circuit 18 from a ROM 16-2, sent and newly written to the RAM 20. Similarly various information is read with the control section and the probe 2 is drive controlled by the control section.

Description

[Detailed Description of the Invention] [Industrial Application Field] The present invention is directed to transmitting probe information to the device main body side in an ultrasonic diagnostic device, particularly in an ultrasonic diagnostic device that can selectively use multiple types of probes. Concerning improvements in transmission mechanisms.

[Prior Art] In an ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus, a probe having ultrasonic transducers arranged in an array at its tip transmits ultrasonic waves to a subject and receives reflected echoes.

There are various types and characteristics of such probes. For example, there are those that transmit and receive ultrasound waves from the body surface of the subject, and those that transmit and receive ultrasound waves that come into direct contact with organs during surgery. There are those that perform ultrasonic waves, and those that penetrate into the body cavity of a subject to transmit and receive ultrasound waves.

Furthermore, there are various scanning methods for ultrasonic beams, such as linear scanning, sector scanning, and convex scanning, and probes suitable for each scanning are used.

Further, in order to adjust the penetration depth of the ultrasound waves into the subject, the resolution of image display, etc., various holes are used for the ultrasound frequencies. Therefore, a probe having an appropriate ultrasonic transducer corresponding to the various frequencies of the probe is selected and used.

In this way, various light probes are used depending on the purpose of ultrasonic diagnosis. Therefore, the main body of the ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus is required to be capable of selectively replacing and using such various probes. That is, it is necessary to perform drive control under optimal conditions for probes with different characteristics so that the probes function effectively. For this purpose, information about the probe connected to the ultrasound diagnostic equipment body, such as its configuration and control conditions for proper operation, is transmitted to the equipment body as probe information. Based on this, it is necessary to perform drive control of the probe by the control section of the apparatus main body.

FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram of a conventional information transmission mechanism for transmitting probe information of a probe connected to and used in the apparatus main body to the apparatus main body.

In the figure, various probes are connected to the main body 10 of the ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus through connectors provided on the respective probes. In this figure, a probe 1 and a probe 2 are shown, and are connected to the apparatus main body 10 by respective connectors 1a and 2b. Through this connection, a drive signal from the apparatus main body 10 to the ultrasonic transducer is supplied to each probe, and the received ultrasonic echo is transmitted to the apparatus main body 10 side.

Transmission of probe information such as the type of probe and appropriate operating conditions is performed using a plug terminal in the connector of the probe (la in the case of probe 1). For example, a group of plug terminals (4p
(in to 16 pins) are coded and recognized by the device main body 10. For example, a predetermined connector terminal may be grounded or floated to set it as a binary code, and when the probe is connected to the device body 10, the code can be checked on the device body 10 side. Obtaining probe information.

The apparatus main body 10 is provided with means for receiving information from such a probe and sending the probe information to a control section within the apparatus main body 10.

First, the apparatus main body 10 is provided with a discrimination circuit 12, which receives the above-mentioned code from the connector 1a of the connected probe 1 and discriminates the type of the probe.

This discrimination circuit 12 includes a ROM (Read Only Memory) that stores multiple types of probe information.
14 are connected.

Therefore, this ROM 14 receives the discrimination signal from the discrimination circuit 12, sends the probe information regarding the corresponding probe to the control section (not shown), and the control section selects the probe information under appropriate probe conditions. The drive control of the probe is performed in . for example,
In the discrimination circuit 12, the currently connected probe is (
When it is determined that the probe is the probe 1), based on this discrimination signal, the ROM 14 stores various operating conditions of the probe stored for the probe 1, such as the number of scanning lines for ultrasonic beam scanning, and the number of images to be displayed. Appropriate operating conditions for the probe, such as size, ultrasound frequency, etc., are sent to the controller.

[Problem to be solved by the invention J\i] In the conventional ultrasonic diagnostic equipment described above, the probe is first identified by a code, but this code uses the plug terminal in the connector of the probe. There is a problem that there is a limit to the number of probes that can be used, making it impossible to code all types of probes.

In addition, all of the various types of probes can be stored in ROM in advance.
Moreover, it is difficult to store the information in the ROM 14 in advance, and special probes, custom-made probes, new prototype probes, and other probes cannot be stored in the ROM 14 in advance. Therefore, when using such a special probe, it is necessary to replace the ROM 14, and there is a problem that it cannot be used without performing complicated work.

Purpose of the Invention The present invention has been made to solve the above-mentioned problems, and its purpose is to limit the number of probes that can be used, and to easily use special probes such as custom-made products. An object of the present invention is to provide an ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus capable of transmitting probe information.

[Means for solving the problem] In order to achieve the above object, the ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus according to the present invention includes a plurality of types of probes that can be selectively used, and a control section in the main body of the ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus. In an ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus that controls the drive of a probe based on probe information such as the type of probe selected and various operating conditions, each of the probes has a A storage means storing probe information is provided, and the ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus main body includes a readout circuit for reading the stored information of the storage means of the selected probe;
A read/write storage means is provided for newly writing and storing the information read out by the readout circuit each time the probe is handled, and the control unit drives the probe based on the information read from the read/write storage means. It is characterized by being controlled.

[Function] According to the ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus having the above configuration, the main body of the ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus is not provided with a ROM that stores probe information for a plurality of types of probes in advance; The probe information of each probe is stored in a storage means provided in the probe itself.

A reading circuit for reading out the probe information stored in the storage means of each of the probes is provided on the main body side of the ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus, and the readout circuit reads out the probe information stored in the storage means of each of the probes. The information is written and stored in the read/write storage means.

That is, each time a probe is handled and connected, the probe information of the probe is read out via the readout circuit and newly written into the read/write storage means.

The stored probe information is then supplied from this read/write storage means to a control section (not shown) within the main body of the apparatus, and the control section performs appropriate driving control of the probe.

In this way, since each probe is provided with a storage means that stores the probe information of each probe, the number of probes that can be connected to the main body of the apparatus and used is unlimited. In other words, the read/write storage means in the main body of the device is rewritten one by one according to the probe information from the probe, so even if the probe is a special order product or prototype, each probe If the probe information of these probes is stored in the child storage section, the probe information of each probe can be reliably sent to the control section of the main body of the apparatus.

This makes it possible to easily connect and use a wide variety of probes and special probes without having to replace the memory section of the device itself, and allows coding using the plug terminal of the probe connector. The number of probes that can be used is not limited as in the case where the probes are used.

[Example] Hereinafter, a preferred example of the present invention will be described based on the drawings.

FIG. 1 is a diagram showing a schematic configuration of a probe information transmission mechanism of an ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus according to the present invention, and elements similar to those of the conventional apparatus shown in FIG. 2 are given the same reference numerals.

Each probe is provided with a ROM 16 as a storage means that stores probe information such as various operating conditions.

On the other hand, a readout circuit 18 is provided on the device main body 10 side,
This read circuit 18 serves as a read/write storage means.
AM (Randos Access Memory)
20 are connected.

The operation of the present invention is such that when the connector 1a of the probe 1 is first connected to the device main body 10, the probe information about the probe 1 stored in the ROM 16-1 of the probe 1 is transferred to the readout circuit 18. is read by The read content is R
The data is sent to the AM 20, and probe information regarding the probe 1 is newly written in the RAM 20. That is, the operating conditions for properly operating the probe 1, such as the type of probe 1, the number of scanning lines, the image size, and the frequency, are stored in the RAM 20.
will be written to. The control section within the device main body 10 is
The probe information is read from this RAM 20 one by one, and the probe 1
Performs drive control.

Next, when performing ultrasonic diagnosis by replacing probe 1 with probe 2, when connector 2a of probe 2 is connected to main body 10, readout circuit 18 similarly The probe information is read from the ROM 16-2 and stored in the RAM 20.
sent to. At this time, probe 2 is newly stored in the RAM 20.
The probe information about is written. Then, each piece of information is similarly read by the control section, and the probe 2 is driven and controlled by the control section.

In this way, by connecting the probe equipped with the ROM 16 that stores probe information to the device main body 10, new probe information is stored in the RAM 20 in the device main body 10. Written every time. Therefore, if each probe information is stored in the ROM 16 provided in each probe, it becomes possible to handle and use any type of probe. In other words, new probe information is stored in the RAM 20 in the device main body 10 each time a probe is replaced and connected, so the number of usable probes does not increase.

[Effects of the Invention] As explained above, according to the ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus according to the present invention, the transmission of probe information to the main body of the apparatus does not depend on the coding of the plug terminal in the connector of the probe. You can do it without any problems. Therefore, the types and number of probes can be unlimited, making it possible to make one ultrasonic diagnostic device more diverse and multifunctional.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a schematic explanatory diagram of a probe information transmission mechanism of an ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus according to the present invention, and FIG. 2 is a schematic explanatory diagram of a probe information transmission mechanism of a conventional ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus. 0 2 4 6 8 0 Device body discrimination circuit ROM ROM readout circuit RAM0

Claims (1)

[Claims] It includes a plurality of types of probes that can be selectively used, and a control section within the main body of the ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus stores probe information such as the type of the selected probe and various operating conditions. In the ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus, each of the probes is provided with a storage means that stores the probe information of each probe, and the ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus main body is provided with a storage means that stores the probe information of each probe. is provided with a readout circuit for reading out the information stored in the storage means of the selected probe, and a readout/write storage means for newly writing and storing the information read out by the readout circuit each time the probe is replaced. An ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus characterized in that the control section controls the drive of a probe based on the information read from the read/write storage means.