Abstract: The method of accurately measuring the volume of urine in a bladder includes generating a plurality of ultrasound scan planes using the received ultrasound signals; detecting distances between the front and back walls of the bladder for each scan line in the ultrasound scan planes; determining an area of the bladder using the detected distances of the scan lines for each ultrasound scan plane; generating a virtual radius of the bladder using the determined area of the bladder for each ultrasound scan plane; determining a calibration coefficient for each ultrasound scan plane using the detected distances of the scan lines; calibrating the virtual radius of the bladder for each ultrasound scan plane using the calibration coefficient; determining the volume of urine in the bladder by calculating the volume of a sphere of which the radius is the average of the calibrated virtual radii for the ultrasound scan planes.

Abstract: An apparatus for measuring an amount of urine in a bladder using ultrasonic signals comprises: a transducer; a switch for selecting one of operational modes, which include a preliminary scan mode and a scan mode; a transducer drive unit for driving the transducer; and a central control unit for operating according to the operational mode to provide an amount of urine in the bladder. The central control unit in the preliminary scan mode acquires the ultrasonic signals for a single scan plane from the transducer, generates a 2-dimensional B-Mode ultrasonic image using the acquired ultrasonic signals, displays the B-Mode ultrasonic image, and marks a vertical center-line on the B-Mode ultrasonic image. The central control unit in the scan mode acquires ultrasonic signals for a plurality of scan planes from the transducer, measures an amount of urine in the bladder using the acquired ultrasonic signals, and provides the amount of urine.

Abstract: The present invention relates to an electric circuit having a transformer capable of functioning as a buffer inductor, and a magnetic stimulator using the transformer. The electric circuit of the present invention includes a power supply unit, and rectification means for rectifying current from the power supply unit. A transformer has an inductor on a primary side connected to the power supply unit. A capacitor is connected to an inductor on a secondary side of the transformer. Reverse flow prevention means is connected in series between the capacitor and the transformer to prevent charges stored in the capacitor from reversely flowing toward the transformer. A discharge inductor receives charges stored in the capacitor as discharge current and forms a magnetic field. First switching means turns on or off flow of the discharge current that flows in one direction. Bypass means causes current to flow in one direction.

Abstract: Disclosed an apparatus for measuring an amount of urine in a bladder using ultrasonic signals. The apparatus is comprising: a transducer; a switch for selecting one of operational modes, which include a preliminary scan mode and a scan mode; a transducer drive unit for driving the transducer; and a central control unit for operating according to the operational mode to provide an amount of urine in the bladder. The central control unit in the preliminary scan mode acquires the ultrasonic signals for a single scan plane from the transducer, generates a 2-dimensional B-Mode ultrasonic image using the acquired ultrasonic signals, and displays the B-Mode ultrasonic image. The central control unit in the scan mode acquires ultrasonic signals for a plurality of scan planes from the transducer, measures an amount of urine in the bladder using the acquired ultrasonic signals, and provides the amount of urine.

Abstract: The method of accurately measuring the volume of urine in a bladder includes the steps of; generating a plurality of ultrasound scan planes using the received ultrasound signals; detecting distances between the front and back walls of the bladder for each scan line in the ultrasound scan planes; determining an area of the bladder using the detected distances of the scan lines for each ultrasound scan plane; generating a virtual radius of the bladder using the determined area of the bladder for each ultrasound scan plane; determining a calibration coefficient for each ultrasound scan plane using the detected distances of the scan lines; calibrating the virtual radius of the bladder for each ultrasound scan plane using the calibration coefficient; determining the volume of urine in the bladder by calculating the volume of a sphere of which the radius is the average of the calibrated virtual radii for the ultrasound scan planes.

Abstract: The present invention relates to an electric circuit having a transformer capable of functioning as a buffer inductor, and a magnetic stimulator using the transformer. The electric circuit of the present invention includes a power supply unit, and rectification means for rectifying current from the power supply unit. A transformer has an inductor on a primary side connected to the power supply unit. A capacitor is connected to an inductor on a secondary side of the transformer. Reverse flow prevention means is connected in series between the capacitor and the transformer to prevent charges stored in the capacitor from reversely flowing toward the transformer. A discharge inductor receives charges stored in the capacitor as discharge current and forms a magnetic field. First switching means turns on or off flow of the discharge current that flows in one direction. Bypass means causes current to flow in one direction.

Abstract: The present invention relates to an ultrasonic diagnosis apparatus and method for the urinary bladder. The ultrasonic diagnosis apparatus has a preliminary scan mode and a scan mode. The ultrasonic diagnosis apparatus first operates in the preliminary scan mode and operates in the scan mode after accurately detecting the location of the urinary bladder, thus measuring the amount of urine in the urinary bladder. When operating in the preliminary scan mode, the ultrasonic diagnosis apparatus receives pieces of ultrasonic information of n scan lines for a single plane, and acquires and displays an image for a corresponding plane using the pieces of received ultrasonic information. When operating in the scan mode, the ultrasonic diagnosis apparatus sequentially receives pieces of ultrasonic information of n scan lines for each of m planes from a transducer, and calculates the amount of urine in the urinary bladder using the pieces of received ultrasonic information.

Abstract: Disclosed herein is ultrasonic scanning apparatus and method for diagnosing a bladder. The ultrasonic scanning apparatus includes a transducer, a transducer support, an analog signal processing unit, a display unit, a central control unit, a first stepping motor, a second stepping motor, and a drive control unit. The transducer emits ultrasonic signals for respective scan lines and receives ultrasonic signals reflected from an object. The transducer support configured such that the transducer is fixedly installed therein. The analog signal processing unit converts the ultrasonic signals into digital signals. The display unit outputs specific image signals. The central control unit performs image processing on the digital ultrasonic signals, outputs the results of the processing to the display unit, and controls the overall operation of the apparatus. The first stepping motor rotates in a first direction. The second stepping motor rotates in a second direction.