# US 12,178,646 B2 · Multifunctional probe and detection method thereof > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 12,178,646 B2 - Document ID: US12178646B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 17/721,371 - Filed: 2022-04-15 - Published: 2023-07-27 - Granted: 2024-12-31 - Earliest claimed: 2022-01-26 - Assignees: Qisda Corporation - Applicants: Qisda Corporation - Inventors: Fu Sheng Jiang; Hsiang Wei Hsieh; Yi Hsiang Chan - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12178646B2 ## CPC - A61B 8/4444: {related to the probe} - A61B 8/4477: {using several separate ultrasound transducers or probes} - A61B 7/04: Electric stethoscopes - A61B 8/06: Measuring blood flow - A61B 8/14: Echotomography - A61B 8/4416: {related to combined acquisition of different diagnostic modalities, e.g. combination of ultrasound and X-ray acquisitions} - A61B 8/4488: {the transducer being a phased array} - A61B 8/488: {involving Doppler signals} - A61B 8/0883: {for diagnosis of the heart} - A61B 8/5223: {for extracting a diagnostic or physiological parameter from medical diagnostic data (for algorithms to analyse biomedical images G06T7/0012)} - A61B: DIAGNOSIS; SURGERY; IDENTIFICATION (usefulness limited to only animals A61D) ## Abstract A multifunctional probe includes a hand-held housing, a signal detector and an array probe. The signal detector is flexibly disposed on the hand-held housing or at its first end. The array probe is disposed at one end (e.g., second end) of the hand-held housing and electrically coupled to the signal detector. The first contact time of the signal detector in contact with the living body may at least partially overlap with the second contact time of the array probe in contact with the living body. The signal detector and the array probe generate the first electronic signal. The multifunctional probe includes a flexibly-connected signal detector and an array probe, which can contact and/or detect the living body at the same time. Thus, the detection efficiency and accuracy are effectively increased. A detection method applied to the multifunctional probe is also provided. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A multifunctional probe, comprising: a hand-held housing; a signal detector, flexibly disposed on the hand-held housing; an array probe, disposed at one end of the hand-held housing and electrically coupled to the signal detector, wherein a first contact time of the signal detector in contact with a target at least partially overlaps with a second contact time of the array probe in contact with the target, and the signal detector and the array probe are configured to generate a first electronic signal; a multiplexer, electrically coupled to the array probe and the signal detector, wherein the multiplexer is configured to at least receive and transmit the first electronic signal; a switching circuit, electrically coupled to the multiplexer, wherein the switching circuit is configured to switch the multifunctional probe to a transmitting mode or a receiving mode and at least transmit and receive a second electronic signal; and a transmitting circuit, electrically coupled to the switching circuit, wherein the switching circuit receives a transmitting signal generated by the transmitting circuit when the switching circuit is in the transmitting mode, so that the signal detector and the array probe generate an ultrasonic signal; wherein the signal detector is configured to transmit a signal to the target and the array probe is configured to receive a signal from the target at the same time by partially overlapping the first contact time with the second contact time. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The multifunctional probe according to claim 1, further comprising: a receiving circuit, electrically coupled to the switching circuit, wherein the receiving circuit is configured to receive the second electronic signal through the switching circuit when the switching circuit is in the receiving mode. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The multifunctional probe according to claim 1, further comprising: a processor, electrically coupled to the array probe and the signal detector, wherein the processor is configured to provides a detection result according to the first electronic signal. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The multifunctional probe according to claim 3, wherein the detection result comprises a distance between the signal detector and the target, a first sound signal is generated when the distance is less than a preset distance value, and a frequency of the first sound signal is negatively correlated with the distance between the signal detector and the target. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The multifunctional probe according to claim 1, wherein the signal detector is a biological sound monitor, and the first electronic signal is a second sound signal or an electronic sound signal. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The multifunctional probe according to claim 1, wherein the signal detector and the array probe are detachable. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The multifunctional probe according to claim 1, wherein the signal detector is a rheometer. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The multifunctional probe according to claim 7, wherein the rheometer is wrapped with a casing needle. ### Claim 9 (depends on 7) The multifunctional probe according to claim 7, wherein the rheometer is configured to generate an ultrasonic signal from the target, and the array probe is further configured to receive an ultrasonic echo signal from the target, and the ultrasonic echo signal is corresponding to the ultrasonic signal. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The multifunctional probe according to claim 1, wherein the first electronic signal comprises at least one of an A-mode signal, a B-mode image signal and a blood flow signal. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The multifunctional probe according to claim 1, further comprising a biological sound monitor disposed on the hand-held housing and electrically coupled to the signal detector and the array probe, wherein a third contact time of the biological sound monitor in contact with the target at least partially overlaps with the first contact time and the second contact time, and the signal detector, the array probe and the biological sound monitor generate the first electronic signal. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The multifunctional probe according to claim 11, wherein the signal detector, the array probe and the biological sound monitor are further configured to transmit and/or receive a signal to the target at the same time. ### Claim 13 (depends on 11) The multifunctional probe according to claim 11, wherein the signal detector is a rheometer, and the biological sound monitor is an electronic stethoscope or an electrocardiogram electrode patch. ### Claim 14 (depends on 1) The multifunctional probe according to claim 1, wherein the signal detector is flexibly disposed at a first end of the hand-held housing, the array probe is disposed at a second end of the hand-held housing, and the first end is opposite to the second end. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The multifunctional probe according to claim 14, wherein the signal detector is a rheometer or a biological sound monitor. ### Claim 16 A detection method applied to a signal detector, a multiplexer, a switching circuit, a transmitting circuit and an array probe of a multifunctional probe, a first contact time of the signal detector in contact with a target at least partially overlapping with a second contact time of the array probe in contact with the target, and the detection method comprising steps of: configuring the signal detector to transmit an ultrasonic signal to the target; and configuring the array probe to receive an ultrasonic echo signal reflected by the target; wherein the signal detector and the array probe generate a first electronic signal; wherein the multiplexer at least receives and transmits the first electronic signal; wherein the switching circuit switches the multifunctional probe to a transmitting mode or a receiving mode and at least transmits and receives a second electronic signal; wherein the switching circuit receives a transmitting signal generated by the transmitting circuit when the switching circuit is in the transmitting mode, so that the signal detector and the array probe generate the ultrasonic signal; wherein the signal detector is configured to transmit a signal to the target and the array probe is configured to receive a signal from the target at the same time by partially overlapping the first contact time with the second contact time.