# US 11,026,657 B2 · Ultrasound diagnosis apparatus and method of operating the same > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 11,026,657 B2 - Document ID: US11026657B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 15/871,261 - Filed: 2018-01-15 - Published: 2019-02-28 - Granted: 2021-06-08 - Earliest claimed: 2017-08-25 - Assignees: Samsung Medison Co., Ltd. - Applicants: Samsung Medison Co., Ltd. - Inventors: Gil-ju Jin; Jae-moon Jo; Yu-ri Kim; Mi-jeoung Ahn - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11026657B2 ## CPC - A61B 8/4472: {Wireless probes} - A61B 8/0833: {involving detecting or locating foreign bodies or organic structures} - A61B 8/0841: {for locating instruments} - A61B 8/085: {for locating body or organic structures, e.g. tumours, calculi, blood vessels, nodules} - A61B 8/4405: {Device being mounted on a trolley} - A61B 8/4427: {Device being portable or laptop-like} - A61B 8/4438: {Means for identifying the diagnostic device, e.g. barcodes} - A61B 8/4477: {using several separate ultrasound transducers or probes} - A61B 8/465: {adapted to display user selection data, e.g. icons or menus} - A61B 8/462: {characterised by constructional features of the display} - A61B 8/5207: {involving processing of raw data to produce diagnostic data, e.g. for generating an image} - A61B 8/54: {Control of the diagnostic device} - A61B 8/56: {Details of data transmission or power supply} - A61B: DIAGNOSIS; SURGERY; IDENTIFICATION (usefulness limited to only animals A61D) ## Abstract Provided is an ultrasound diagnosis apparatus connected with at least one wired ultrasound probe and at least one wireless ultrasound probe. The ultrasound diagnosis apparatus includes: at least one wired ultrasound probe connected via wire to the ultrasound diagnosis apparatus; at least one wireless ultrasound probe connected to the ultrasound diagnosis apparatus by using wireless communication; a wireless communication module configured to receive a pairing reception signal from the at least one wireless ultrasound probe to thereby be connected with the at least one wireless ultrasound probe by using a wireless communication method and to transmit and receive a beamforming control signal and ultrasound image data to and from each of the at least one wireless ultrasound probe; and a controller configured to detect an ultrasound probe being used by a user, and activate the detected ultrasound probe. ## Claims ### Claim 1 An ultrasound diagnosis apparatus comprising: at least one wired ultrasound probe connected via wire to the ultrasound diagnosis apparatus; at least one wireless ultrasound probe connected to the ultrasound diagnosis apparatus by using wireless communication; a wireless communicator configured to receive a pairing reception signal from the at least one wireless ultrasound probe to thereby be connected with the at least one wireless ultrasound probe by using a wireless communication method; a probe switching assembly configured to select a wired ultrasound probe from among the at least one wired ultrasound probe by connecting a signal transmission line to the wired ultrasound probe; and a controller configured to: control the wireless communicator to transmit and receive a beamforming control signal and ultrasound image data to and from each of the at least one wireless ultrasound probe, detect an ultrasound probe being selected by a user to examine an object, from among the at least one wired ultrasound probe and the at least one wireless ultrasound probe, and activate the detected ultrasound probe, wherein the controller is further configured to control the probe switching assembly to select a wired ultrasound probe from among the at least one wired ultrasound probe, and activate the selected wired ultrasound probe, and wherein the controller is further configured to deactivate an operation of the probe switching assembly when the ultrasound probe detected as being selected by the user is a wireless ultrasound probe from among the at least one wireless ultrasound probe. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The ultrasound diagnosis apparatus of claim 1, further comprising: a beamformer configured to generate a beamforming signal to be applied to each of a plurality of transducers included in each of at least one wired ultrasound probe, based on a position and a focal point of the plurality of transducers. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The ultrasound diagnosis apparatus of claim 2, wherein the controller is further configured to control the beamformer to transmit the beamforming signal to the wired ultrasound probe. ### Claim 4 (depends on 2) The ultrasound diagnosis apparatus of claim 2, wherein the controller is further configured to stop operations of the beamformer when the ultrasound probe detected as being selected is switched from the wired ultrasound probe activated among the at least one wired ultrasound probe to one of the at least one wireless ultrasound probe. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The ultrasound diagnosis apparatus of claim 4, wherein the controller is further configured to resume, when the ultrasound probe detected as being selected is switched from the wireless ultrasound probe to the wired ultrasound probe, the operations of the beamformer and the probe switching assembly, control the probe switching assembly to activate the wired ultrasound probe, and control the beamformer to transmit the beamforming signal to the wired ultrasound probe. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The ultrasound diagnosis apparatus of claim 1, wherein the controller is further configured to control the wireless communicator to transmit, when the ultrasound probe detected as being selected is a wireless ultrasound probe, a beamforming control signal for controlling a beamformer included in the wireless ultrasound probe to the wireless ultrasound probe. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The ultrasound diagnosis apparatus of claim 1, wherein the controller is further configured to control the wireless communicator to receive, from the at least one wireless ultrasound probe, status information including at least one of identification information, a wireless communication frequency, a connection type, an executable application, a wireless communication method, battery charging information, a remaining battery capacity, a remaining usability time, and a communication status with respect to each of the at least one wireless ultrasound probe. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The ultrasound diagnosis apparatus of claim 1, wherein the controller is further configured to control the wireless communicator to connect with the at least one wireless ultrasound probe by using at least one of wireless communication methods comprising a Wireless Local Area Network (WLAN), wireless fidelity (Wi-Fi), Bluetooth, Zigbee, Wi-Fi Direct (WFD), Infrared Data Association (IrDA), Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE), Near Field Communication (NFC), Wireless Broadband Internet (WiBro), World Interoperability for Microwave Access (WiMAX), Shared Wireless Access Protocol (SWAP), Wireless Gigabit Alliance (WiGig), and radio frequency (RF) communication. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The ultrasound diagnosis apparatus of claim 1, wherein the controller is further configured to control the wireless communicator to perform pairing simultaneously with the at least one wireless ultrasound probe. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The ultrasound diagnosis apparatus of claim 1, wherein the controller is further configured to check a status of wireless connection between the ultrasound diagnosis apparatus and the at least one wireless ultrasound probe at preset time intervals. ### Claim 11 An ultrasound diagnosis apparatus comprising: a wireless communicator; and a controller configured to: control the wireless communicator to connect with each of a plurality of different wireless ultrasound probes by using a wireless communication method, detect a wireless ultrasound probe being selected by a user, from among the plurality of wireless ultrasound probes, and control the wireless communicator to transmit, to the detected wireless ultrasound probe, an activation signal and a beamforming control signal for controlling a beamformer included in the detected wireless ultrasound probe. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The ultrasound diagnosis apparatus of claim 11, wherein the controller is further configured to control the wireless communicator to transmit and receive a pairing signal to and from each of the plurality of wireless ultrasound probes by using a wireless communication method. ### Claim 13 (depends on 11) The ultrasound diagnosis apparatus of claim 11, wherein the controller is further configured to control the wireless communicator to receive, from the plurality of wireless ultrasound probes, status information including at least one of identification information, a wireless communication frequency, a connection type, an executable application, a wireless communication method, battery charging information, a remaining battery capacity, a remaining usability time, and a communication status with respect to each of the plurality of wireless ultrasound probes. ### Claim 14 (depends on 11) The ultrasound diagnosis apparatus of claim 11, wherein the controller is further configured to control the wireless communicator to perform pairing simultaneously with the plurality of wireless ultrasound probes. ### Claim 15 A method of operating an ultrasound diagnosis apparatus comprising at least one wired ultrasound probe and at least one wireless ultrasound probe, the method comprising: connecting the ultrasound diagnosis apparatus with the at least one wireless ultrasound probe by using a wireless communication method; detecting an ultrasound probe being selected by a user to examine an object, from among the at least one wired ultrasound probe and the at least one wireless ultrasound probe; and activating the detected ultrasound probe, wherein the activating of the detected ultrasound probe comprises: detecting a first wired ultrasound probe being selected, from among the at least one wired ultrasound probe; and controlling a probe switching assembly included in the ultrasound diagnosis apparatus to activate the first wired ultrasound probe, wherein the activating of the detected ultrasound probe comprises deactivating an operating of the probe switching assembly when the ultrasound probe detected as being selected by the user is a wireless ultrasound probe from among the at least one wireless ultrasound probe. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The method of claim 15, wherein the activating of the detected ultrasound probe further comprises transmitting a beamforming signal to the first wired ultrasound probe. ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) The method of claim 16, further comprising stopping transmission of the beamforming signal when the ultrasound probe detected as being selected is switched from the first wired ultrasound probe to one of the at least one wireless ultrasound probe. ### Claim 18 (depends on 17) The method of claim 17, further comprising: resuming, when the ultrasound probe detected as being selected is switched from the wireless ultrasound probe to a second wired ultrasound probe, the operation of the probe switching assembly to activate the second wired ultrasound probe; and transmitting the beamforming signal to the second wired ultrasound probe. ### Claim 19 (depends on 15) The method of claim 15, wherein the activating of the detected ultrasound probe comprises: detecting a first wireless ultrasound probe being selected, from among the at least one wireless ultrasound probe; and transmitting a beamforming control signal for controlling a beamformer included in the first wireless ultrasound probe to the first wireless ultrasound probe. ### Claim 20 (depends on 15) The method of claim 15, further comprising, after the connecting of the at least one wireless ultrasound probe with the ultrasound diagnosis apparatus, receiving, from the at least one wireless ultrasound probe, status information including at least one of identification information, a wireless communication frequency, a connection type, an executable application, a wireless communication method, battery charging information, a remaining battery capacity, a remaining usability time, and a communication status with respect to each of the at least one wireless ultrasound probe. ### Claim 21 (depends on 15) The method of claim 15, wherein the connecting of the at least one wireless ultrasound probe with the ultrasound diagnosis apparatus comprises connecting with the at least one wireless ultrasound probe by using at least one of wireless communication methods comprising a Wireless Local Area Network (WLAN), wireless fidelity (Wi-Fi), Bluetooth, Zigbee, Wi-Fi Direct (WFD), Infrared Data Association (IrDA), Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE), Near Field Communication (NFC), Wireless Broadband Internet (WiBro), World Interoperability for Microwave Access (WiMAX), Shared Wireless Access Protocol (SWAP), Wireless Gigabit Alliance (WiGig), and radio frequency (RF) communication. ### Claim 22 (depends on 15) The method of claim 15, wherein the connecting of the at least one wireless ultrasound probe with the ultrasound diagnosis apparatus comprises simultaneously pairing the ultrasound diagnosis apparatus with the at least one wireless ultrasound probe. ### Claim 23 (depends on 15) The method of claim 15, wherein the connecting of the at least one wireless ultrasound probe with the ultrasound diagnosis apparatus further comprises checking a status of wireless connection between the ultrasound diagnosis apparatus and the at least one wireless ultrasound probe at preset time intervals. ### Claim 24 A method of operating an ultrasound diagnosis apparatus comprising a plurality of wireless ultrasound probes, the method comprising: connecting the ultrasound diagnosis apparatus with each of the plurality of wireless ultrasound probes by using a wireless communication method; detecting a wireless ultrasound probe being selected by a user, from among the plurality of wireless ultrasound probes; transmitting an activation signal to the detected wireless ultrasound probe; and transmitting, to the detected wireless ultrasound probe, a beamforming control signal for controlling a beamformer included in the wireless ultrasound probe detected as being selected. ### Claim 25 (depends on 24) The method of claim 24, wherein the connecting of the plurality of wireless ultrasound probes with the ultrasound diagnosis apparatus comprises transmitting and receiving a pairing signal to and from each of the plurality of wireless ultrasound probes by using a wireless communication method. ### Claim 26 (depends on 24) The method of claim 24, further comprising, after the connecting of the plurality of wireless ultrasound probes with the ultrasound diagnosis apparatus, receiving, from the plurality of wireless ultrasound probes, status information including at least one of identification information, a wireless communication frequency, a connection type, an executable application, a wireless communication method, battery charging information, a remaining battery capacity, a remaining usability time, and a communication status with respect to each of the plurality of wireless ultrasound probes. ### Claim 27 (depends on 24) The method of claim 24, wherein the connecting of the plurality of wireless ultrasound probes with the ultrasound diagnosis apparatus comprises simultaneously pairing the ultrasound diagnosis apparatus with the at least one wireless ultrasound probe. ### Claim 28 (depends on 15) A computer-readable recording medium having recorded thereon a program for executing the method of claim 15 on a computer.