Ultrasound scanning apparatus, breathing machine, medical system and related method

A ventilator, comprising:

• a pneumatic unit configured to generate respiration air flow;
• a communication interface configured to receive, from an ultrasound scanning device, a first enable signal configured to instruct the ventilator to operate in a ventilating mode and a second enable signal configured to instruct the ventilator to operate in the non-ventilating mode, wherein the first enable signal corresponds to a non-scanning operational state of the ultrasound scanning device and the second enable signal corresponds to a scanning operational state of the ultrasound scanning device;
• and
• a breathing controller configured to trigger the pneumatic unit to operate in the ventilating mode responsive to the first enable signal, and in the non-ventilating mode responsive to the second enable signal.

An ultrasound scanning device, comprising:

• an ultrasound scanning unit configured to operate in a scanning mode and a non-scanning mode;
• a communication interface configured to receive a ventilation periodic signal from a ventilator, the ventilation periodic signal including data corresponding to a pressure curve indicating a pressure profile of the ventilator;
• an ultrasound controller configured to analyze the ventilation periodic signal and generate a scanning schedule of time intervals of the ventilation periodic signal during which the ultrasound scanning unit is scheduled to operate in the scanning mode and the non-scanning mode;
• wherein the ultrasound scanning unit is configured to operate in the scanning mode and the non-scanning mode during the time intervals scheduled in the scanning schedule.

A ventilator, comprising:

• a pneumatic unit configured to generate a respiration air flow;
• and
• a communication interface configured to transmit a ventilation periodic signal corresponding to the pneumatic unit to an ultrasound scanning device to enable the ultrasound scanning device to coordinate scanning periods of the ultrasound scanning device with specific portions of the ventilation periodic signal;
• wherein the ventilation periodic signal includes data corresponding to a pressure profile of the respiration air flow generated by the pneumatic unit.