Ultrasound probe

Abstract

An ultrasound probe includes a receiving section to receive ultrasound waves from an object and to acquire a receiving signal of each of multiple channels; a beam forming section to adjust a phase of the receiving signal of each of multiple channels and to sum the receiving signals; an image producing section to produce image data to display an ultrasound diagnostic image based on the receiving signals summed by the beam forming section; a transmission target selecting section to select one from at least two of the receiving signal for each of multiple channels, the receiving signals summed by the beam forming section, and the image data as a transmission target; and a transmitting section to transmit the transmission target selected by the transmission target selecting section.

1 . An ultrasound probe comprising:
 a receiving section to receive ultrasound waves from an object and to acquire a receiving signal of each of multiple channels;   a beam forming section to adjust a phase of the receiving signal of each of multiple channels and to sum the receiving signals;   an image producing section to produce image data to display an ultrasound diagnostic image based on the receiving signals summed by the beam forming section;   a transmission target selecting section to select one from at least two of the receiving signal for each of multiple channels, the receiving signals summed by the beam forming section, and the image data as a transmission target; and   a transmitting section to transmit the transmission target selected by the transmission target selecting section.   
     
     
         2 . The ultrasound probe according to  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a changeover switch to allow an operator to perform changeover operations,   wherein the transmission target selecting section selects the transmission target in accordance with an operation via the changeover switch.   
     
     
         3 . The ultrasound probe according to  claim 1 , further comprising
 a battery as a power source to make respective sections of the ultrasound probe to act,   wherein the transmission target selecting section selects the transmission target in accordance with a remaining quantity of electricity in the battery.   
     
     
         4 . The ultrasound probe according to  claim 1 , wherein the transmission target selecting section selects the transmission target in accordance with a transmitting condition between the transmitting section and an ultrasound image diagnostic apparatus main body which is a transmission destination of the transmission target. 
     
     
         5 . The ultrasound probe according to  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a transmission signal receiving section to receive a transmission signal from an ultrasound image diagnostic apparatus main body which is a transmission destination of the transmission target,   wherein when the transmission signal receiving section receives a transmission target designating signal to designate a transmission target from the ultrasound image diagnostic apparatus main body, the transmission target selecting section selects the transmission target corresponding to the received transmission target designating signal.   
     
     
         6 . The ultrasound probe according to  claim 5 ,
 wherein when the transmission signal receiving section receives specification information of the ultrasound image diagnostic apparatus main body, the transmission target selecting section selects the transmission target corresponding to the received specification.   
     
     
         7 . The ultrasound probe according to  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a power control section to select a limiting target, to which supply of power is limited, from the beam forming section and the image producing section based on the transmission target selected by the transmission target selecting section, and to limit supply of power for the selected limiting target.   
     
     
         8 . The ultrasound probe according to  claim 1 , further comprising:
 an operation clock control section to select a lowering target, to which a frequency of an operation clock is lowered, from the beam forming section and the image producing section based on the transmission target selected by the transmission target selecting section, and to change a frequency of an operation clock supplied to the selected lowering target from a prescribed driving frequency to a prescribed standby frequency being a lower frequency than the driving frequency.   
     
     
         9 . The ultrasound probe according to  claim 1 ,
 wherein the receiving signal for each of multiple channels, the receiving signals summed by the beam forming section, and the image data are different in data format and data size from each other.   
     
     
         10 . The ultrasound probe according to  claim 1 ,
 Wherein the receiving signals summed by the beam forming section are sound ray data.