Generalized Benders Decomposition

An ultrasonic diagnostic probe scanner for an ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus. The scanner includes a scanner system having six joints, each of which can be rotated within a predetermined plane. The scanner system is supported on a scanner base at one end and has an ultrasonic probe attached thereto at the other end. Each of the six joints is provided with an angle detector to detect the angle of the joint. As a result, the ultrasonic probe can be arbitrarily positioned with an arbitrary beam direction. The positional information obtained from the angle detectors is used to provide the ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus with additional functions.