Abstract: According to one embodiment, an ultrasound diagnosis apparatus includes a storage and a control unit. The storage stores transmission/reception conditions for a first ultrasound probe among a plurality of ultrasound probes. Upon receipt of a second switching instruction to switch a second ultrasound probe to the first ultrasound probe after a first switching instruction to switch the first ultrasound probe to the second ultrasound probe, the control unit applies the transmission/reception conditions stored in the storage to the first ultrasound probe when the time between the first switching instruction and the second switching instruction is less than a predetermined time.

Abstract: An ultrasound diagnosis apparatus includes a transmitting and receiving circuitry, an input circuitry, and a processing circuitry. The transmitting and receiving circuitry transmits a first ultrasound wave used for changing the shape of a tissue in the body of a patient and transmits/receives a second ultrasound wave that is transmitted/received with timing different from that of the first ultrasound wave. The input circuitry receives an input of a request indicating that the first ultrasound wave should be transmitted. When the input circuitry has received the input of the request indicating that the first ultrasound wave should be transmitted, the processing circuitry controls the transmission of the first ultrasound wave in accordance with the strength of a reflected-wave signal of the second ultrasound wave or one or more pixel values of an image resulting from an imaging process performed by using the reflected-wave signal of the second ultrasound wave.

Abstract: An ultrasonic diagnostic device according to an embodiment includes an ultrasonic probe and transformer circuitry. The ultrasonic probe transmits ultrasonic waves to a subject and converts reflection waves reflected by the subject to a reflection wave signal. The transformer circuitry includes an auto transformer that transforms the reflection wave signal at a transformation ratio in accordance with a control signal based on information related to the ultrasonic probe among a plurality of transformation ratios.

Abstract: There is provided an optical transmitter including a memory, a processor coupled to the memory and the processor to generate an electric signal, an optical generator to generate light, an optical modulator to modulate the light with the electric signal to create an optical signal, a first voltage electrode to apply a first voltage to the optical signal, a second voltage electrode to apply a second voltage to the optical signal to which the first voltage is applied, and a detector to detect an optical power of the optical signal to which the second voltage is applied, wherein the processor stops generating the electric signal, controls the first voltage electrode to change the first voltage after the stop of generating the electric signal, and controls the second voltage electrode to change the second voltage according to the detected optical power after the change of the first voltage.

Abstract: In general, according to one embodiment, an ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus includes an ultrasonic probe, a plurality of power supplies implemented by circuitry, at least one pulser, and a controller implemented by circuitry. The ultrasonic probe includes a plurality of piezoelectric transducers which generate ultrasonic waves in response to supplied driving signals. The pulser outputs the driving signal based on an applied voltage applied from any one of the plurality of power supplies. The controller switches the plurality of power supplies in accordance with the at least one pulser used for generation of the driving signal in one transmission mode period.

Abstract: To provide an ultrasound diagnosis apparatus capable of appropriately assigning a transmission delay time of a group to a transducer without complicated wires. The ultrasound diagnosis apparatus of the embodiment comprises a plurality of transducers, a timing pulse generator, a switch part, and a switch controller. Ultrasound waves are transmitted to the transducers. The timing pulse generator has output terminals for outputting timing pulses based on a delay time to a channel corresponding to each of the transducers, in which a plurality of output terminals are divided into groups and each group has the output terminals of a specific number greater than two. The timing pulse generator then generates the transmission delay time within a predetermined time range for the each group. The switch part selectively connects the channels with the output terminals.

Abstract: An ultrasonic diagnosis apparatus includes an ultrasonic probe, an image generation unit, a display unit, and a control unit. The image generation unit generates image data from a reflected wave received from the ultrasonic probe. The display unit displays the image data. The ultrasonic probe includes a plurality of temperature sensors that measure the temperature of the ultrasonic probe and a switching circuit that is connected to the respective temperature sensors and switches connection to any one of the temperature sensors to a valid state to output data from the temperature sensors to a temperature detector. The control unit includes an instruction unit that instructs the switching circuit to switch connection to any one of the temperature sensors to a valid state at a predetermined time interval and a determination unit that determines whether a temperature measured by the temperature detector is within a set temperature range.

Abstract: An ultrasound probe and ultrasonic diagnosis apparatus that can maintain surface temperature of an ultrasound probe within a safe range, without reduction in performance. The ultrasound probe includes a casing, a transducer, an electronic circuit, and a heat-transfer construction. Elements of the transducer are aligned at one end of the casing and send out ultrasound waves in accordance with their respective delay times. The electronic circuit, disposed in the casing, includes a delay circuit setting delay times and pulsers for generating pulses in accordance with the delay times, the pulses being sent to the transducer. While the electronic circuit is being energized, the heat-transfer construction disposes a member having a low heat conductivity at least either between the electronic circuit and the casing or between the electronic circuit and the transducer. Thereby, heat from the electronic circuit is conducted to the other end of the casing.

Abstract: The present embodiment relates to an ultrasound probe having a first ultrasound vibrator group and a second ultrasound vibrator group, comprising a plurality of matrix switches and an adder. The ultrasound probe has a mode to send ultrasound to a predetermined observation point within a subject by the first ultrasound vibrator group, and to receive ultrasound echoes reflected within the subject by the second ultrasound vibrator group. The plurality of matrix switches extract, based on the distance between the second ultrasound vibrator group and the observation point, a plurality of ultrasound echoes having substantially the same phase from a plurality of ultrasound echoes output by the second ultrasound vibrator group. The adder adds the plurality of ultrasound echoes extracted by the plurality of matrix switches for each of the matrix switches and outputs them.

Abstract: According to one embodiment, an ultrasound diagnosis apparatus includes a storage and a control unit. The storage stores transmission/reception conditions for a first ultrasound probe among a plurality of ultrasound probes. Upon receipt of a second switching instruction to switch a second ultrasound probe to the first ultrasound probe after a first switching instruction to switch the first ultrasound probe to the second ultrasound probe, the control unit applies the transmission/reception conditions stored in the storage to the first ultrasound probe when the time between the first switching instruction and the second switching instruction is less than a predetermined time.

Abstract: There is provided an optical transmitter including a memory, a processor coupled to the memory and the processor to generate an electric signal, an optical generator to generate light, an optical modulator to modulate the light with the electric signal to create an optical signal, a first voltage electrode to apply a first voltage to the optical signal, a second voltage electrode to apply a second voltage to the optical signal to which the first voltage is applied, and a detector to detect an optical power of the optical signal to which the second voltage is applied, wherein the processor stops generating the electric signal, controls the first voltage electrode to change the first voltage after the stop of generating the electric signal, and controls the second voltage electrode to change the second voltage according to the detected optical power after the change of the first voltage.

Abstract: A distortion compensation device includes: a signal processing unit to perform signal processing on a symbol; a storage unit to store a distortion compensation value for every pattern string including a symbol of interest and predetermined number of symbols ahead of the symbol of interest among a plurality of input symbols, a distortion in the signal processing unit being compensated for such that the symbol of interest is corrected to a target value based on the distortion compensation value; a first acquisition unit to acquire a pattern string of interest including the current input symbol and the predetermined number of input symbols ahead of the current input symbol; a second acquisition unit to acquire the distortion compensation value associated with the pattern string of interest from the storage unit; and a setting unit to set the distortion compensation value to a correction value of the signal processing unit.

Abstract: There is provided a phase synchronization circuit including: a generation circuit to which an input clock signal is input, and configured to shift the input clock signal by intervals at which numbers of clocks of the input clock signal become equal so as to generate a plurality of pulse signals; a plurality of counter circuits each configured to measure pulse intervals of each of the plurality of pulse signals generated by the generation circuit, respectively; an average value calculation circuit configured to calculate an average value of measured values by the plurality of counter circuits; a frequency calculation circuit configured to calculate a frequency of the input clock signal from the average value calculated by the average value calculation circuit; and a phase locked loop (PLL) circuit configured to perform a phase synchronization processing on the input clock signal, based on the frequency calculated by the frequency calculation circuit.

Abstract: After an ultrasonic diagnosis apparatus is temporally placed on the receptacle of a docking cart to relieve a weight load, the portable ultrasonic diagnosis apparatus is placed at a predetermined position by sliding the apparatus while guiding it along the shapes of the edges of the receptacle. After the portable ultrasonic diagnosis apparatus is slid on the receptacle and rear foot portions come into contact with the stoppers of the receptacle, the front side of the portable ultrasonic diagnosis apparatus is placed on the receptacle. With this operation, front foot portions are fitted in fitting portions, and the portable ultrasonic diagnosis apparatus is placed at an accurate position on the receptacle. In addition, when an operator places the portable ultrasonic diagnosis apparatus on the receptacle or lifts the portable ultrasonic diagnosis apparatus from the receptacle, the fingers which grasp the apparatus are placed in the recessed portions of the receptacle.

Abstract: A data frame generation circuit, includes: a frame generation unit configured to output a first data frame including client signals and a first signal count of the client signals included in the first data frame, the client signal being stored in the first data frame in accordance with a system clock; a storage unit configured to store a signal count range; a comparison unit configured to compare the first signal count to the signal count range; and a control unit configured to control a frequency of the system clock based on a comparison result, wherein, if the first signal count falls within the signal count range, the control unit changes the frequency of the system clock.

Abstract: According to one embodiment, an ultrasound diagnosis apparatus includes a transmitter, a receiver, a needle tip position acquisition unit, a ROI setting unit, an image generator, and a display controller. The transmitter transmits ultrasound beams to a subject into which a puncture needle is inserted while scanning the subject. The receiver receives signals reflected from the subject. The needle tip position acquisition unit successively acquires the position of the needle tip of the puncture needle. The ROI setting unit sets a region of interest at least in a direction in which the puncture needle is inserted. The image generator generates an image of the region of interest according to the position of the needle tip based on the signals. The display controller displays the image of the region of interest.

Abstract: In general, according to one embodiment, an ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus includes an ultrasonic probe, a plurality of power supplies implemented by circuitry, at least one pulser, and a controller implemented by circuitry. The ultrasonic probe includes a plurality of piezoelectric transducers which generate ultrasonic waves in response to supplied driving signals. The pulser outputs the driving signal based on an applied voltage applied from any one of the plurality of power supplies. The controller switches the plurality of power supplies in accordance with the at least one pulser used for generation of the driving signal in one transmission mode period.

Abstract: A distortion compensation device includes: a signal processing unit to perform signal processing on a symbol; a storage unit to store a distortion compensation value for every pattern string including a symbol of interest and predetermined number of symbols ahead of the symbol of interest among a plurality of input symbols, a distortion in the signal processing unit being compensated for such that the symbol of interest is corrected to a target value based on the distortion compensation value; a first acquisition unit to acquire a pattern string of interest including the current input symbol and the predetermined number of input symbols ahead of the current input symbol; a second acquisition unit to acquire the distortion compensation value associated with the pattern string of interest from the storage unit; and a setting unit to set the distortion compensation value to a correction value of the signal processing unit.

Abstract: An ultrasonic diagnostic device according to an embodiment includes an ultrasonic probe and transformer circuitry. The ultrasonic probe transmits ultrasonic waves to a subject and converts reflection waves reflected by the subject to a reflection wave signal. The transformer circuitry includes an auto transformer that transforms the reflection wave signal at a transformation ratio in accordance with a control signal based on information related to the ultrasonic probe among a plurality of transformation ratios.

Abstract: An ultrasound diagnosis apparatus includes a transmitting and receiving circuitry, an input circuitry, and a processing circuitry. The transmitting and receiving circuitry transmits a first ultrasound wave used for changing the shape of a tissue in the body of a patient and transmits/receives a second ultrasound wave that is transmitted/received with timing different from that of the first ultrasound wave. The input circuitry receives an input of a request indicating that the first ultrasound wave should be transmitted. When the input circuitry has received the input of the request indicating that the first ultrasound wave should be transmitted, the processing circuitry controls the transmission of the first ultrasound wave in accordance with the strength of a reflected-wave signal of the second ultrasound wave or one or more pixel values of an image resulting from an imaging process performed by using the reflected-wave signal of the second ultrasound wave.