Abstract: An object of the invention is to provide an ultrasonic probe, an ultrasonic diagnostic device, and a manufacturing method of the ultrasonic probe, which are capable of reducing a product defect rate. An ultrasonic probe according to one embodiment includes a plurality of channels. Each of the plurality of channels includes a vibrator that outputs an ultrasonic wave, and a transmission circuit unit that changes an output in response to an input transmission signal and causes the vibrator to output the ultrasonic wave by driving the vibrator with the output. Here, the transmission circuit unit includes a stop signal holding circuit that holds a stop signal when the stop signal is input in advance, and selects whether to change the output in response to the transmission signal based on whether the stop signal is held.

Abstract: An ultrasonic imaging apparatus includes a plurality of transducers that transmit ultrasonic waves and a transmission unit that supplies drive signals to the plurality of transducers. An amplitude control voltage generation unit and a transmission circuit unit are connected to a common voltage power supply. An amplitude control voltage generation unit receives an output voltage of the voltage power supply and an attenuation degree setting signal instructing an attenuation degree of the drive signal for each of the transducers for weighting of the drive signal, and generates an amplitude control voltage corresponding to a voltage obtained by attenuating the output voltage by the attenuation degree. The output voltage of the voltage power supply is reduced to a voltage corresponding to the amplitude control voltage, and a drive signal having a predetermined waveform is generated whose amplitude is the voltage after the reduction for each of the transducers.

Abstract: An ultrasound diagnostic apparatus and an ultrasonic probe are provided which are capable of reducing a leak current even in combined use of a low voltage transmission circuit and a high voltage transmission circuit including a buffer. The ultrasonic probe includes: a high voltage transmission circuit for transmitting a relatively high voltage; a low voltage transmission circuit for transmitting a relatively low voltage; and a transducer for selectively receiving a voltage transmitted from the high voltage transmission circuit and the low voltage transmission circuit. The high voltage transmission circuit includes: a current source for varying a current generated thereby and a current drawn thereby based on a set signal; a buffer for driving the transducer in accordance with the currents generated and drawn by the current source; and an impedance controller connected to an input terminal and an output terminal of the buffer.

Abstract: The ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus includes: a transducer; a driving signal generation unit configured to generate a driving signal; and a transmission circuit configured to output a driving current corresponding to the driving signal, so as to drive the transducer, the transmission circuit includes: a transducer driving unit formed by a current mirror with a low voltage transistor and a high voltage transistor, the high voltage transistor being connected with the transducer, and a current source configured to supply an operation current corresponding to the driving signal to the low voltage transistor of the transducer driving unit, the driving signal generation unit includes: a transmission circuit driving unit replica that has a configuration same as that of the transducer driving unit, and a feedback control unit to detect a current flowing through a high voltage transistor of the transmission circuit driving unit replica, and to control the current to be constant.

Abstract: Provided are an ultrasound probe, an element circuit thereof, and an ultrasound diagnostic device, whereby high image quality is possible and reduced size and lower cost are made possible. Provided is an ultrasound probe, comprising: a 2-D array transducer wherein a plurality of transducers are arrayed two-dimensionally; and a 2-D array IC in which are formed, upon an IC substrate, drive circuits which are disposed upon each of the transducers of the 2-D array transducer to drive each of the transducers at different timings with a prescribed delay quantity, and common current sources which supply drive current to the transducers of the 2-D array transducer. The number n of the common current sources which are formed upon the IC substrate is fewer than the number N of the drive circuits which are formed upon the IC substrate.

Abstract: An object of the invention is to provide an ultrasonic probe, an ultrasonic diagnostic device, and a manufacturing method of the ultrasonic probe, which are capable of reducing a product defect rate. An ultrasonic probe according to one embodiment includes a plurality of channels. Each of the plurality of channels includes a vibrator that outputs an ultrasonic wave, and a transmission circuit unit that changes an output in response to an input transmission signal and causes the vibrator to output the ultrasonic wave by driving the vibrator with the output. Here, the transmission circuit unit includes a stop signal holding circuit that holds a stop signal when the stop signal is input in advance, and selects whether to change the output in response to the transmission signal based on whether the stop signal is held.

Abstract: An ultrasonic imaging apparatus includes a plurality of transducers that transmit ultrasonic waves and a transmission unit that supplies drive signals to the plurality of transducers. An amplitude control voltage generation unit and a transmission circuit unit are connected to a common voltage power supply. An amplitude control voltage generation unit receives an output voltage of the voltage power supply and an attenuation degree setting signal instructing an attenuation degree of the drive signal for each of the transducers for weighting of the drive signal, and generates an amplitude control voltage corresponding to a voltage obtained by attenuating the output voltage by the attenuation degree. The output voltage of the voltage power supply is reduced to a voltage corresponding to the amplitude control voltage, and a drive signal having a predetermined waveform is generated whose amplitude is the voltage after the reduction for each of the transducers.

Abstract: The ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus includes: a transducer; a driving signal generation unit configured to generate a driving signal; and a transmission circuit configured to output a driving current corresponding to the driving signal, so as to drive the transducer, the transmission circuit includes: a transducer driving unit formed by a current mirror with a low voltage transistor and a high voltage transistor, the high voltage transistor being connected with the transducer, and a current source configured to supply an operation current corresponding to the driving signal to the low voltage transistor of the transducer driving unit, the driving signal generation unit includes: a transmission circuit driving unit replica that has a configuration same as that of the transducer driving unit, and a feedback control unit to detect a current flowing through a high voltage transistor of the transmission circuit driving unit replica, and to control the current to be constant.

Abstract: A detector circuit in which a change in a detection voltage due to temperature is suppressed is provided. The detector circuit includes a first rectification element having an anode to which an input signal is inputted. A second rectification element has a cathode connected with a cathode of the first rectification element and has an anode connected to an output terminal. A current mirror circuit for supplying a current to the first rectification element and for supplying a current-mirror current of the current to the second rectification element is included in the detector circuit.

Abstract: A transmit receive switch circuit has a first MOSFET (MN1) and a second MOSFET (MN2), goes into a switch-off state at the time of transmission, and goes into a switch-on state at the time of reception. The first MOSFET (MN1) and the second MOSFET (MN2) are connected between an input terminal (SWIN) and an output terminal (SWOUT). The switch circuit includes a shunt circuit (SHNT) that is connected between a common gate (COMG) and a common source (COMS), the common gate being connected to the gates of the first and second MOSFETs, and the common source being connected to the sources of the first and second MOSFETs. When a signal having a negative voltage relative to a reference voltage is applied to the input terminal, a switch that temporarily turns on causes the shunt circuit to short-circuit the common gate and the common source.

Abstract: An objective of the present invention is to provide an ultrasound system which can correct a positive-negative asymmetry in pulse inversion (PI) and obtain a high-image quality ultrasound image. To carryout an asymmetry correction of a transmission assembly circuit comprising an oscillation adjustment amplifier (10) and an ultrasound oscillator array (90), correction data obtained in a calibration mode is stored in a correction memory (46), and positive-negative asymmetry of an overall receiving assembly circuit comprising a computation unit (45) is corrected in a diagnostic mode of the device using the correction data.

Abstract: A change in a detection voltage due to the temperature is suppressed. A detector circuit includes: a first rectification element having an anode to which an input signal is inputted; a second rectification element having a cathode connected with a cathode of the first rectification element and having an anode connected to an output terminal; and a current mirror circuit for supplying a current to the first rectification element, and for supplying a current-mirror current of the current to the second rectification element.

Abstract: A work determination system includes: a biological signal obtaining unit obtaining a biological signal of a worker from a sensor attached to the worker during work; a feature extraction computation unit computing a feature extraction of the obtained biological signal of the worker; a work determination unit determining a work of the worker on the basis of a comparison result between the computed feature extraction of the biological signal of the worker and learning data generated in advance; and a learning unit generating the learning data, wherein the learning unit generates a musculoskeletal model corresponding to each worker, generates a quasi biological signal by reproducing a work of a determination target with the musculoskeletal model, computes a feature extraction of the quasi biological signal, and generates the learning data by associating, with each worker, the work of the determination target and a feature extraction distribution of the quasi biological signal.

Abstract: A transmit receive switch circuit has a first MOSFET (MN1) and a second MOSFET (MN2), goes into a switch-off state at the time of transmission, and goes into a switch-on state at the time of reception. The first MOSFET (MN1) and the second MOSFET (MN2) are connected between an input terminal (SWIN) and an output terminal (SWOUT). The switch circuit includes a shunt circuit (SHNT) that is connected between a common gate (COMG) and a common source (COMS), the common gate being connected to the gates of the first and second MOSFETs, and the common source being connected to the sources of the first and second MOSFETs. When a signal having a negative voltage relative to a reference voltage is applied to the input terminal, a switch that temporarily turns on causes the shunt circuit to short-circuit the common gate and the common source.

Abstract: Provided are an ultrasound probe, an element circuit thereof, and an ultrasound diagnostic device, whereby high image quality is possible and reduced size and lower cost are made possible. Provided is an ultrasound probe, comprising: a 2-D array transducer wherein a plurality of transducers are arrayed two-dimensionally; and a 2-D array IC in which are formed, upon an IC substrate, drive circuits which are disposed upon each of the transducers of the 2-D array transducer to drive each of the transducers at different timings with a prescribed delay quantity, and common current sources which supply drive current to the transducers of the 2-D array transducer. The number n of the common current sources which are formed upon the IC substrate is fewer than the number N of the drive circuits which are formed upon the IC substrate.

Abstract: An objective of the present invention is to provide an ultrasound system which can correct a positive-negative asymmetry in pulse inversion (PI) and obtain a high-image quality ultrasound image. To carryout an asymmetry correction of a transmission assembly circuit comprising an oscillation adjustment amplifier (10) and an ultrasound oscillator array (90), correction data obtained in a calibration mode is stored in a correction memory (46), and positive-negative asymmetry of an overall receiving assembly circuit comprising a computation unit (45) is corrected in a diagnostic mode of the device using the correction data.

Abstract: When a conventional optical receiver circuit is used, it is difficult to achieve noise reduction or provide a multichannel capability due to a considerable circuit area increase. Disclosed is an amplifier for optical communications that includes a CMOS inverter, which has a PMOS transistor and an NMOS transistor; an input terminal, which inputs a signal into the CMOS inverter; an output terminal, which outputs a signal from the CMOS inverter; a power supply, which is connected to the CMOS inverter; a first element and a second element, which are respectively connected to the CMOS inverter; and two types of power supply paths, which are in opposite phase to each other.

Abstract: In a semiconductor circuit, an impedance adjustment circuit having the characteristics same as those of a circuit having the nonlinear resistance characteristics is configured to include an operating point calculation circuit automatically calculating an operating point with a reference resistance through feedback control, and an impedance calculation circuit calculating the impedance at the operating point found by the operating point calculation circuit. The impedance adjustment circuit is also provided with an impedance determination circuit that determines whether or not the impedance found by the impedance calculation circuit is in a predetermined range. These components, i.e., the operating point calculation circuit, the impedance calculation circuit, and the impedance determination circuit, are provided each two for High-side and Low-side impedance adjustment use.

Abstract: When a conventional optical receiver circuit is used, it is difficult to achieve noise reduction or provide a multichannel capability due to a considerable circuit area increase. Disclosed is an amplifier for optical communications that includes a CMOS inverter, which has a PMOS transistor and an NMOS transistor; an input terminal, which inputs a signal into the CMOS inverter; an output terminal, which outputs a signal from the CMOS inverter; a power supply, which is connected to the CMOS inverter; a first element and a second element, which are respectively connected to the CMOS inverter; and two types of power supply paths, which are in opposite phase to each other.

Abstract: An output buffer circuit, a differential output buffer circuit, an output buffer circuit having a regulation circuit and a regulation function, and a transmission method, to improve resolution of a pre-emphasis amount without increasing power consumption or a circuit area. The output buffer includes a delay circuit, an inverter and output buffers to transmit a logical signal to a transmission line and generate a waveform having four or more types of signal voltages on a transmission side according to a signal attenuation amount of the transmission line. The output buffer has a selector and a variable resistance portion at an output resistance to change a pre-emphasis amount according to a change in a variable resistance value. The inverter is configured to select a signal to input into the output buffer, invert a data signal and adjust a tap pre-emphasis amount by a select signal of the selector logic.