Patent ID: 8641629
Filing Date: 2014-02-04
Classification: A61B,H02J

Abstract:
1. An ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus that uses respective rechargeable batteries as operational power sources, and sets, as the target of a communication, a plurality of ultrasonic probes for executing: a transmission and a reception of ultrasonic waves to and from an examinee; and a wireless transmission/reception of signals related to the transmission and the reception of said ultrasonic waves, to and from an external apparatus, and selects any one of said plurality of ultrasonic probes, in accordance with detection signals obtained by detecting that said ultrasonic probes are connected to respective chargers for charging said batteries, and transmits/receives the signals related to the transmission and the reception of said ultrasonic waves, the ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus comprising: a wireless communicator, configured to wirelessly communicate the signals related to the transmission and the reception of said ultrasonic waves; a transmitting and receiving circuit for generating a signal related to the transmission of an ultrasonic signal in an ultrasonic probe, and supplying it to said wireless communicator as the transmission signal to said ultrasonic probe, and generating a diagnostic information on the basis of the signals related to the reception of the ultrasonic waves in said ultrasonic probe that is received in said wireless communicator; a probe switching circuit for selecting any one of said plurality of ultrasonic probes and enabling the transmission/reception to/from said transmitting and receiving circuit; and a controller configured to control said probe switching circuit so that said ultrasonic probe which is not connected to said charger is selected, in accordance with said detection signal, and to determine whether another ultrasonic probe, of the plurality of ultrasonic probes, that is currently transmitting and receiving further ultrasonic waves is also currently in use for diagnosis from a change in an ultrasonic image, and to stop the transmitting and the receiving of the further ultrasonic waves by the another ultrasonic probe when it is not currently in use for diagnosis.