Ultrasound adaptive power management systems and methods

A method for adaptively managing power consumption in an ultrasound device having a transducer, the method comprising:

• generating, by a motion sensor coupled to the transducer, a motion sense signal indicating a motion of the transducer;
• transmitting the motion sense signal to a power management controller;
• determining by the power management controller, based on the motion sense signal, whether the motion of the transducer exceeds a predetermined threshold level of motion;
• and
• automatically reducing a level of power consumption by the ultrasound device if the motion of the transducer exceeds the predetermined threshold level of motion.

A handheld ultrasound transducer, comprising:

• one or more first transducer elements configured to transmit an ultrasound signal toward a target structure in a region of interest;
• one or more second transducer elements configured to receive echo signals returning from the target structure in response to transmission of the ultrasound signal;
• a motion sensor configured to sense a motion of the ultrasound transducer;
• and
• a power management controller configured to automatically reduce an amount of power consumption by the handheld ultrasound transducer based on a sensed motion of the ultrasound transducer.

An ultrasound device, comprising:

• a handheld ultrasound transducer including:
• one or more first transducer elements arranged along an imaging surface of the ultrasound transducer and configured to transmit an ultrasound signal toward a target structure in a region of interest,
• one or more second transducer elements arranged along the imaging surface of the ultrasound transducer and configured to receive echo signals returning from the target structure in response to transmission of the ultrasound signal, and
• a motion sensor configured to sense a motion of the ultrasound transducer;
• processing circuitry that controls transmission of the ultrasound signal from the one or more first transducer elements;
• driving circuitry operatively coupled to the one or more first transducer elements and the processing circuitry, wherein the driving circuitry drives the transmission of the ultrasound signal by the one or more first transducer elements in response to a control signal received from the processing circuitry;
• a display configured to display ultrasound images acquired by the ultrasound device;
• and
• a power management controller coupled to the motion sensor, the power management controller being configured to automatically reduce an amount of power consumption by the ultrasound device based on the sensed motion of the ultrasound transducer.