WIRELESS ULTRASOUND PROBE WITH ENERGY CONSERVATION

摘要

A wireless ultrasound probe has a probe case enclosing a transducer array, an acquisition circuit, a transceiver, a power circuit, and a rechargeable battery. Also located inside the case are a temperature sensor and a remaining battery life monitor. In response to the sensing of an excessive temperature condition inside the probe or at the transducer array, or a low battery condition, the probe switches to a low power mode of operation. The low power mode may include energy reduction measures such as reducing r.f. transmit power (acoustic or. communication), reducing digital clock rate, reducing transducer drive voltage, and/or reducing an image scanning parameter such as frame rate, line density, or active aperture size. The probe also includes a probe inactivity sensor which switches the probe to a hibernate or sleep mode upon detection of prolonged probe inactivity.