US 12,121,402 B2
Ultrasound diagnostic apparatus and operation method of ultrasound diagnostic apparatus
Katsuya Yamamoto, Ashigarakami-gun (JP); Yasuhiko Morimoto, Ashigarakami-gun (JP); and Satoru Okada, Ashigarakami-gun (JP)
Assigned to FUJIFILM Corporation, Tokyo (JP)
Filed by FUJIFILM Corporation, Tokyo (JP)
Filed on Jan. 18, 2023, as Appl. No. 18/156,129.
Application 18/156,129 is a division of application No. 16/428,687, filed on May 31, 2019, granted, now 11,583,257.
Claims priority of application No. 2018-124170 (JP), filed on Jun. 29, 2018.
Prior Publication US 2023/0148999 A1, May 18, 2023
Int. Cl. A61B 8/00 (2006.01); A61B 8/08 (2006.01); A61B 8/12 (2006.01); G01S 7/53 (2006.01); G01S 7/56 (2006.01); G01S 15/86 (2020.01); G01S 15/89 (2006.01)
CPC A61B 8/54 (2013.01) [A61B 8/12 (2013.01); A61B 8/4488 (2013.01); A61B 8/463 (2013.01); A61B 8/465 (2013.01); A61B 8/5207 (2013.01); A61B 8/5261 (2013.01); A61B 8/5292 (2013.01); G01S 7/53 (2013.01); G01S 7/56 (2013.01); G01S 15/86 (2020.01); G01S 15/89 (2013.01)] 17 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. An ultrasound diagnostic apparatus acquiring an ultrasound image and an endoscope image, comprising:
an ultrasound endoscope comprising an ultrasound observation portion that transmits ultrasound waves using an ultrasound transducer array in which a plurality of ultrasound transducers are arranged, receives reflected waves of the ultrasound waves, and outputs a reception signal; and
an ultrasound processor apparatus that generates the ultrasound image by converting the reception signal into an image,
wherein the ultrasound processor apparatus comprises:
a control circuit that performs polarization processing on a plurality of depolarized ultrasound transducers in a non-diagnosis period, during which transmission of the ultrasound waves and reception of the reflected waves for performing ultrasound diagnosis are not performed, in a case where a cumulative driving time of the plurality of ultrasound transducers for performing the ultrasound diagnosis becomes equal to or longer than a specified time; and
a transmission circuit that generates a transmission signal for driving the plurality of ultrasound transducers to generate the ultrasound waves using a pulse generation circuit and supplies the transmission signal to the plurality of ultrasound transducers under control of the control circuit,
the transmission circuit generates, as the transmission signal, a diagnostic driving pulse having a driving voltage for performing the ultrasound diagnosis using the pulse generation circuit in a case of performing the ultrasound diagnosis, and generates, as the transmission signal, a polarization driving pulse having a polarization voltage for performing the polarization processing using the same pulse generation circuit as in the case of generating the diagnostic driving pulse in a case of performing the polarization processing.