Patent ID: 8394028

Claim:
An ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus comprising: an ultrasonic probe including plural ultrasonic transducers configured to transmit ultrasonic waves according to drive signals, and receive ultrasonic echoes to output reception signals, a signal processing unit configured to perform signal processing on the reception signals outputted from said plural ultrasonic transducers to generate a transfer signal, and a first wireless communication unit configured to transmit the transfer signal to an outside via wireless communication; and an ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus main body including a second wireless communication unit configured to receive the transfer signal transmitted from said first wireless communication unit, and an image signal generating unit configured to generate an image signal based on the transfer signal received by said second wireless communication unit; wherein said ultrasonic probe further includes a probe ID transport unit having a transport distance shorter than that of said first wireless communication unit, and configured to transport a probe ID for identifying said ultrasonic probe to an outside of said ultrasonic probe in a noncontact manner, and said probe ID transport unit includes one of a wireless transmitter, an RFID (radio frequency identification) unit, and an infrared communication unit; said ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus main body further includes a probe ID acquiring unit configured to acquire the probe ID transported from said probe ID transport unit, a storage unit configured to store plural probe IDs, and a control unit configured to establish, when the probe ID acquired by said probe ID acquiring unit is identical with one of the plural probe IDs stored in said storage unit, wireless connection between an ultrasonic probe having the probe ID acquired by said probe ID acquiring unit and said ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus main body; and said second wireless communication unit is configured to receive the transfer signal from said ultrasonic probe having the probe ID acquired by said probe ID acquiring unit.