# US 11,998,396 B2 · Ultrasound diagnostic apparatus and operation method of ultrasound diagnostic apparatus > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 11,998,396 B2 - Document ID: US11998396B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 17/902,557 - Filed: 2022-09-02 - Published: 2023-01-05 - Granted: 2024-06-04 - Earliest claimed: 2018-06-29 - Assignees: FUJIFILM Corporation - Applicants: FUJIFILM Corporation - Inventors: Katsuya Yamamoto; Yasuhiko Morimoto; Satoru Okada - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11998396B2 ## CPC - A61B 8/546: {involving monitoring or regulation of device temperature} - B06B 1/0223: {for generating signals continuous in time} - A61B 8/12: in body cavities or body tracts, e.g. by using catheters - A61B 8/4444: {related to the probe} - A61B 8/445: {Details of catheter construction} - A61B 8/4483: {characterised by features of the ultrasound transducer} - A61B 8/463: {characterised by displaying multiple images or images and diagnostic data on one display} - A61B 8/5261: {combining images from different diagnostic modalities, e.g. ultrasound and X-ray} - B06B 1/0215: {for generating pulses, e.g. bursts of oscillations, envelopes} - B06B 1/0607: {using multiple elements (B06B1/064 and B06B1/0688 take precedence)} - B06B 1/0625: {Annular array} - B06B 2201/55: Piezoelectric transducer - B06B 2201/76: Medical, dental - A61B: DIAGNOSIS; SURGERY; IDENTIFICATION (usefulness limited to only animals A61D) - B06B: METHODS OR APPARATUS FOR GENERATING OR TRANSMITTING MECHANICAL VIBRATIONS OF INFRASONIC, SONIC, OR ULTRASONIC FREQUENCY, {e.g.} FOR PERFORMING MECHANICAL WORK IN GENERAL (for particular applications, see the relevant subclasses, e.g. B07B1/40, B23Q17/12, B24B31/06; measurement of mechanical vibrations G01H; in direction finding, locating, distance or velocity measuring G01S; {generating seismic energy G01V1/02}; control of mechanical vibrations in general G05D; sound-producing devices, e.g. bells, sirens, whistles G10K, {e.g. methods or devices for transmitting, conducting, or directing sound in general G10K11/00}; generation of electrical oscillations H03B; electromechanical resonators in general H03H; electromechanical transducers {for communication techniques, e.g. microphones, speakers} H04R) ## Abstract An operation method of an ultrasound diagnostic apparatus includes executing one or more imaging series of steps with an ultrasound transducer; and applying a polarization processing to the ultrasound transducer one or more of before, after, and interleaved between the one or more imaging series of steps, where the polarization processing is separate from the one or more imaging series of steps. ## Claims ### Claim 1 An operation method of an ultrasound diagnostic apparatus, comprising: executing one or more imaging series of steps with a plurality of ultrasound transducers to acquire an ultrasound image to perform an ultrasound diagnosis; and applying a polarization processing to the plurality of ultrasound transducers in a non-diagnostic period within each frame time during an execution period of the ultrasound diagnosis by executing the one or more imaging series of steps, wherein the non-diagnostic period is a period other than a period for acquiring an image of each frame and during which transmission of ultrasound waves and reception of reflected waves for performing the ultrasound diagnosis are not performed, within the each frame time in which an image of each frame of the ultrasound image is acquired during the execution period of the ultrasound diagnosis, wherein, within one frame time in which an image of one frame is acquired by a plurality of scanning lines scanned by electronic sector scanning for performing the ultrasonic diagnosis using the plurality of ultrasonic transducers, the non-diagnostic period is a period from an end of scanning of a last scanning line of the plurality of scanning lines to a start of scanning of a first scanning line within a next one frame time, and wherein the polarization processing is separate from the one or more imaging series of steps. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The operation method of the ultrasound diagnostic apparatus according to claim 1, wherein executing the one or more imaging series of steps is executing one or more ultrasound image generation mode and includes sending an input signal adapted for imaging to the plurality of ultrasound transducers. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The operation method of the ultrasound diagnostic apparatus according to claim 2, wherein applying the polarization processing includes sending one or more polarization voltages adapted for repolarization of the plurality of ultrasound transducers to the plurality of ultrasound transducers, and wherein the polarization voltages are different than and separate from the input signal adapted for imaging. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The operation method of the ultrasound diagnostic apparatus according to claim 1, wherein applying the polarization processing is responsive to a received user's operation and occurs in the non-diagnostic period within the each frame time during the execution period of the ultrasound diagnosis by executing the one or more imaging series of steps. ### Claim 5 (depends on 2) The operation method of the ultrasound diagnostic apparatus according to claim 2, wherein applying the polarization processing is responsive to a received user's operation and occurs in the non-diagnostic period within the each frame time during the execution period of the ultrasound diagnosis by executing the one or more imaging series of steps. ### Claim 6 (depends on 3) The operation method of the ultrasound diagnostic apparatus according to claim 3, wherein applying the polarization processing is responsive to a received user's operation and occurs in the non-diagnostic period within the each frame time during the execution period of the ultrasound diagnosis by executing the one or more imaging series of steps. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The operation method of the ultrasound diagnostic apparatus according to claim 1, wherein applying the polarization processing occurs after a trigger generated in a case where it is recognized based on the ultrasound image that the user is performing treatment while viewing the ultrasound image is given while displaying the ultrasound image generated from echo signals received from executing the one or more imaging series of steps. ### Claim 8 (depends on 2) The operation method of the ultrasound diagnostic apparatus according to claim 2, wherein applying the polarization processing occurs after a trigger generated in a case where it is recognized based on the ultrasound image that the user is performing treatment while viewing the ultrasound image is given while displaying the ultrasound image generated from echo signals received from executing the one or more imaging series of steps. ### Claim 9 (depends on 3) The operation method of the ultrasound diagnostic apparatus according to claim 3, wherein applying the polarization processing occurs after a trigger generated in a case where it is recognized based on the ultrasound image that the user is performing treatment while viewing the ultrasound image is given while displaying the ultrasound image generated from echo signals received from executing the one or more imaging series of steps. ### Claim 10 (depends on 4) The operation method of the ultrasound diagnostic apparatus according to claim 4, wherein applying the polarization processing occurs after a trigger generated in a case where it is recognized based on the ultrasound image that the user is performing treatment while viewing the ultrasound image is given while displaying the ultrasound image generated from echo signals received from executing the one or more imaging series of steps. ### Claim 11 (depends on 5) The operation method of the ultrasound diagnostic apparatus according to claim 5, wherein applying the polarization processing occurs after a trigger generated in a case where it is recognized based on the ultrasound image that the user is performing treatment while viewing the ultrasound image is given while displaying the ultrasound image generated from echo signals received from executing the one or more imaging series of steps. ### Claim 12 (depends on 6) The operation method of the ultrasound diagnostic apparatus according to claim 6, wherein applying the polarization processing occurs after a trigger generated in a case where it is recognized based on the ultrasound image that the user is performing treatment while viewing the ultrasound image is given while displaying the ultrasound image generated from echo signals received from executing the one or more imaging series of steps. ### Claim 13 (depends on 1) The operation method of the ultrasound diagnostic apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the non-diagnostic period is generated within the each frame time during the execution period of ultrasound diagnosis, by reducing at least one of a line density, a number of lines, or a line interval of the plurality of scanning lines scanned by the electronic sector scanning. ### Claim 14 An operation method of an ultrasound diagnostic apparatus, comprising: executing one or more imaging series of steps with a plurality of ultrasound transducers to acquire an ultrasound image to perform an ultrasound diagnosis; and applying a polarization processing to the plurality of ultrasound transducers in a non-diagnostic period within each frame time during an execution period of the ultrasound diagnosis by executing the one or more imaging series of steps, wherein the non-diagnostic period is a period other than a period for acquiring an image of each frame and during which transmission of ultrasound waves and reception of reflected waves for performing the ultrasound diagnosis are not performed, within each frame time in which an image of each frame of the ultrasound image is acquired during the execution period of the ultrasound diagnosis, wherein, within one frame time in which an image of one frame is acquired by a plurality of scanning lines scanned by electronic sector scanning for performing the ultrasonic diagnosis using the plurality of ultrasonic transducers, the non-diagnostic period is a period from an end of scanning of a last scanning line of the plurality of scanning lines scanned within the one frame time to an end of the one frame time, and wherein the polarization processing is separate from the one or more imaging series of steps. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The operation method of the ultrasound diagnostic apparatus according to claim 14, wherein the non-diagnostic period is generated within the each frame time during the execution period of ultrasound diagnosis, by reducing at least one of a line density, a number of lines, or a line interval of the plurality of scanning lines scanned by the electronic sector scanning.