Abstract: An object information acquiring apparatus according to the present invention includes: a supporter which supports a plurality of conversion elements each converting a photoacoustic wave from an object into an electrical signal; an imager which acquires an image of the object; a scanner which changes a relative position between the object and the supporter; an acquirer which acquires first and second specific information of the inside of the object based on an electrical signal acquired at a first and second relative position between the object and the supporter; and a corrector which corrects a deviation between the first and the second specific information based on positional information of the object.

Abstract: A specimen information acquisition apparatus includes a signal processor which can selectively operate in first and second modes. In the first mode, when a first group represents a group of devices among receiving devices and a second group represents at least a fraction of a group of devices other than the first group, a photoacoustic image and an ultrasonic image are obtained based on received signals from the first group and the second group, respectively. In the second mode, when a third group represents a group of devices having at least a fraction of a group of devices other than the first group and a fourth group represents at least a fraction of a group of devices other than the third group, a photoacoustic image and an ultrasonic image are obtained based on received signals from the third group and the fourth group, respectively.

Abstract: An object information acquiring apparatus includes: a plurality of detecting elements each receiving an acoustic waves having propagated from an object irradiated with light and outputting an electrical signal; a probe that supports the plurality of detecting elements so that a high-resolution region in which directivity axes of at least part of the plurality of detecting elements converge is formed; a processor acquiring specific information on the object using the electrical signal; and a memory storing correction data for correcting the electrical signals output by the plurality of detecting elements, and used when the processor acquires the specific information.

Abstract: An acoustic wave measuring apparatus includes: a probe having a plurality of transducers that are capable of converting an acoustic wave into an electric signal and vice versa; a transmitting and receiving unit that includes a plurality of channels connected to the probe, generates an acoustic wave from the probe, and obtains a reception signal of the probe; a plurality of switches that switch connections between the transducers and the channels; and an image generating unit that generates an image from the reception signal. The transducers include a central element row and an end portion element row, and the plurality of channels are respectively connected to the transducers on the central element row and the transducers on the end portion element row alternately via the switches.

Abstract: An object information acquiring apparatus that transmits an acoustic wave to an object, and receives and analyzes the reflected acoustic wave to acquire internal information of the object, comprises a probe that transmits and receives the acoustic wave; a holding member disposed between the object and the probe to hold the object; and an air bubble detection unit that detects an air bubble present between the object and the holding member on the basis of an intensity of the acoustic wave received after a first time from the transmission by the probe, the first time being calculated on the basis of a time when the acoustic wave reaches a predetermined distance.

Abstract: An object information acquiring apparatus according to the present invention includes: a supporter which supports a plurality of conversion elements each converting a photoacoustic wave from an object into an electrical signal; an imager which acquires an image of the object; a scanner which changes a relative position between the object and the supporter; an acquirer which acquires first and second specific information of the inside of the object based on an electrical signal acquired at a first and second relative position between the object and the supporter; and a corrector which corrects a deviation between the first and the second specific information based on positional information of the object.

Abstract: An object information acquiring apparatus is used which includes: a light source controller that controls radiation of light from a light source; a detector that detects an acoustic wave generated by an object irradiated with the light; an information processor that acquires characteristics information on an inside of the object using the acoustic wave; and a scan controller that changes a relative position between the detector and the object, this object information acquiring apparatus further including: a power source that supplies electricity for use by the object information acquiring apparatus; and a power source controller that controls activation timings for the light source controller and the scan controller so as to prevent a current value of a current flowing through the object information acquiring apparatus from exceeding an ampacity of the power source.

Abstract: An object information acquiring apparatus includes: a plurality of detecting elements each receiving an acoustic waves having propagated from an object irradiated with light and outputting an electrical signal; a probe that supports the plurality of detecting elements so that a high-resolution region in which directivity axes of at least part of the plurality of detecting elements converge is formed; a processor acquiring specific information on the object using the electrical signal; and a memory storing correction data for correcting the electrical signals output by the plurality of detecting elements, and used when the processor acquires the specific information.

Abstract: The aim of the invention is to enable high-speed signal processing for a measurement apparatus, which performs imaging using adaptive signal processing, and spatial smoothing. The measurement apparatus generates image data inside an object using an analog signal obtained by receiving an ultrasound propagated inside the object with a plurality of ultrasound transducing devices, the measurement apparatus comprising: a received signal processing unit which converts the analog signal to a digital signal; a calculating unit which performs adaptive signal processing on the digital signal and generates image information; and a data reducing unit which reduces data amount of the digital signal transferred from the received signal processing unit to the calculating unit.

Abstract: An object information acquiring apparatus of the present invention includes a receiver that receives an ultrasound echo and a photoacoustic wave, a scanner of the receiver, a processor that generates structural distribution information and functional distribution information, and a controller that causes a display to display each of the distribution information items. The controller causes, during the period in which the receiver receives the photoacoustic wave from a partial region formed of at least a part of the object and in which the processor generates the functional distribution information on the partial region, the display to sequentially display the structural distribution information generated by the processor on the basis of the ultrasound wave reflected from the partial region as the scanner moves the receiver to implement scanning.

Abstract: An object information acquiring apparatus that transmits an acoustic wave to an object, and receives and analyzes the reflected acoustic wave to acquire internal information of the object, comprises a probe that transmits and receives the acoustic wave; a holding member disposed between the object and the probe to hold the object; and an air bubble detection unit that detects an air bubble present between the object and the holding member on the basis of an intensity of the acoustic wave received after a first time from the transmission by the probe, the first time being calculated on the basis of a time when the acoustic wave reaches a predetermined distance.

Abstract: A specimen information acquisition apparatus includes a signal processor which can selectively operate in first and second modes. In the first mode, when a first group represents a group of devices among receiving devices and a second group represents at least a fraction of a group of devices other than the first group, a photoacoustic image and an ultrasonic image are obtained based on received signals from the first group and the second group, respectively. In the second mode, when a third group represents a group of devices having at least a fraction of a group of devices other than the first group and a fourth group represents at least a fraction of a group of devices other than the third group, a photoacoustic image and an ultrasonic image are obtained based on received signals from the third group and the fourth group, respectively.

Abstract: An acoustic wave measuring apparatus includes: a probe having a plurality of transducers that are capable of converting an acoustic wave into an electric signal and vice versa; a transmitting and receiving unit that includes a plurality of channels connected to the probe, generates an acoustic wave from the probe, and obtains a reception signal of the probe; a plurality of switches that switch connections between the transducers and the channels; and an image generating unit that generates an image from the reception signal. The transducers include a central element row and an end portion element row, and the plurality of channels are respectively connected to the transducers on the central element row and the transducers on the end portion element row alternately via the switches.

Abstract: An object information acquiring apparatus includes: a probe that converts an acoustic wave from an object into an electric signal; a unit that moves the probe; a generating unit that generates a plurality of first image data corresponding to tomographs of the object using a plurality of acoustic signals from respective positions of the object interior, and generates second image data using the plurality of acoustic signals; and a display control unit into which the first image data and second image data are input, and which displays on a display unit an image of the object interior, wherein the display control unit displays on the display unit a display based on the first image data, and switches the display when the second image data are input from an identical position of the object.

Abstract: A digital television which allows a user to view a digital broadcast program designates print information to be printed when making a DTV printer print using program information of the digital broadcast program and the print information supplied together with the program information. The digital television determines whether the print information is a content A supplied from a broadcast station together with the program information or a content B supplied from a WEB server by downloading it from a supply source. If the print information is the content B, the digital television determines whether the print information can be downloaded from the supply source prior to the program broadcasting. A system is thus constructed which can determine whether the print information can be printed when the user reserves printing of the print information.

Abstract: The aim of the invention is to enable high-speed signal processing for a measurement apparatus, which performs imaging using adaptive signal processing, and spatial smoothing. The measurement apparatus generates image data inside an object using an analog signal obtained by receiving an ultrasound propagated inside the object with a plurality of ultrasound transducing devices, the measurement apparatus comprising: a received signal processing unit which converts the analog signal to a digital signal; a calculating unit which performs adaptive signal processing on the digital signal and generates image information; and a data reducing unit which reduces data amount of the digital signal transferred from the received signal processing unit to the calculating unit.

Abstract: The present invention provides a measuring apparatus having: a first probe including a first acoustic conversion element that transmits an ultrasound wave, receives the ultrasound wave after the ultrasound wave is reflected by an object, and converts the ultrasound wave into an analog signal; a second probe including a second acoustic conversion element that receives a photo-acoustic wave generated when light emitted from a light emitter is absorbed by the object and converts the photo-acoustic wave into an analog signal; a receiver that receives the analog signals converted by the first and second acoustic conversion elements and converts the analog signals into digital signals; and a switching unit that switches the acoustic conversion element from which the receiver receives the analog signal.

Abstract: An apparatus receives printing structured document data relating to data broadcasting, that has been described in a markup language. The received printing structured document data is parsed, and layout information for printing is extracted. The descriptions relating to printing that are included in the printing structured document data are changed into descriptions which can be parsed by a browser application capable of displaying contents described in a markup language, using the layout information. Thus, when printing data broadcast data in digital broadcasting, a suitable preview display can be made of printing data which has been generated from printing structured document data described in a markup language, using browser functions of a digital TV, before performing printing output of printing data.

Abstract: An ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus is provided with a boundary extraction unit (2) that extracts boundaries between media appearing in an ultrasonic image based on the intensity of each of received signals. A boundary extraction unit performs boundary extraction processing on each of individual time series ultrasonic images sequentially generated while operating an ultrasonic probe to move, sets a target region (margin region) matched to a movement operation of the ultrasonic probe in an ultrasonic image being processed from a boundary extracted in an ultrasonic image preceding the ultrasonic image being processed, and performs processing of extracting a boundary in the ultrasonic image being processed by using received signals corresponding to the reflection waves reflected at an inner side of the target region thus set.

Abstract: A digital television (101) which allows a user to view a digital broadcast program designates print information to be printed when making a DTV printer (102) print using program information of the digital broadcast program and the print information supplied together with the program information. The digital television determines whether the print information is a content A (110) supplied from a broadcast station (109) together with the program information or a content B (107) supplied from a WEB server (106) by downloading it from a supply source. If the print information is the content B (107), the digital television determines whether the print information can be downloaded from the supply source prior to the program broadcasting. A system is thus constructed which can determine whether the print information can be printed when the user reserves printing the print information.