Method and apparatus for controlling ultrasound systems

• US 20050054920A1
• Filed: 09/10/2003
• Published: 03/10/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 09/10/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: GE Medical Systems Global Technology Company LLC (GE Healthcare Technologies, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: GE Medical Systems Global Technology Company LLC (GE Healthcare Technologies, Inc.)
• Inventors: Prichard, Scot David, Hawley, Brooks Matthew, Washburn, Michael Joseph
• Granted Patent: US 7,052,459 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 600/437
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/13 Tomography A61B8/10, A61B8/12 take precedence; tomography for radiation diagnosis A61B6/02
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/465 adapted to display user selection data, e.g. icons or menus
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/466 adapted to display 3D data 3D imaging and stereoscopic displays in devices for short-range imaging with acoustic waves G01S15/8993 and G01S7/52068, respectively; 3D image rendering G06T15/00; manipulating 3D models for computer graphics G06T19/00
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/467 characterised by special input means
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 7/52025 for pulse systems G01S7/52034 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 7/52084 related to particular user interfaces special user input means for ultrasonic medical diagnostic devices A61B8/467
• CPC Class Codes: G10L 15/26 Speech to text systems G10L15/08 takes precedence

Abstract

A method and system providing control of an ultrasound system with a user interface is provided. The user interface for controlling the ultrasound system includes a plurality of selectable elements for controlling operation of the ultrasound system and a plurality of identifiers. Each identifier corresponds to one of the plurality of selectable elements and associates control commands with the selectable elements.

Claims

1. A user interface for controlling an ultrasound system, comprising:

a plurality of selectable elements for controlling operation of the ultrasound system; and

a plurality of identifiers, each identifier corresponding to one of the plurality of selectable elements and associating control commands with the selectable elements.

2. A user interface in accordance with claim 1, wherein the plurality of selectable elements are configured for manual selection.

3. A user interface in accordance with claim 1, wherein the plurality of selectable elements are configured for selection using voice commands.

4. A user interface in accordance with claim 3, wherein the plurality of identifiers are voice control identifiers associating the voice commands with the plurality of selectable elements.

5. A user interface in accordance with claim 1, wherein the plurality of selectable elements comprise icons.

6. A user interface in accordance with claim 1, wherein the plurality of selectable elements are configured in a matrix arrangement.

7. A user interface in accordance with claim 1, wherein the plurality of selectable elements comprises a first set of selectable elements and a second set of selectable elements, and wherein the first set of selectable elements is fixed and the second set of selectable elements is configured to change based upon a mode of operation of the ultrasound system.

8. A user interface in accordance with claim 1, wherein the plurality of selectable elements comprise one or more mode selection elements.

9. A user interface in accordance with claim 1, further comprising a voice control input for receiving voice control commands, the identifiers associating the voice control commands with the plurality of selectable elements.

10. A user interface in accordance with claim 9, wherein the voice control commands comprise command words corresponding to one or more of the plurality of selectable elements.

11. A user interface in accordance with claim 1, further comprising a database having stored therein the control commands and a lookup table with addresses associating the selectable elements corresponding to the identifiers with the control commands stored within the database.

12. A voice controlled ultrasound system, comprising:

a user input providing selection of one or more of a plurality of control commands for controlling the ultrasound system; and

a voice control input for receiving voice commands corresponding to control commands for controlling the ultrasound system.

13. A voice controlled ultrasound system in accordance with claim 12, wherein the user input is configured to display voice command identifiers corresponding to each of the plurality of control commands and associating the voice commands with the control commands.

14. A voice controlled ultrasound system in accordance with claim 12, wherein the user input comprises a display for displaying a voice command matrix defining voice command identifiers corresponding to each of the control commands.

15. A voice controlled ultrasound system in accordance with claim 12, wherein the voice control input comprises one of a wired or wireless microphone.

16. A voice controlled ultrasound system in accordance with claim 12, wherein the user input is configured for manual selection of the plurality of control commands.

17. A voice controlled ultrasound system in accordance with claim 12, further comprising a database having stored therein the control commands and a lookup table with addresses associating the voice commands with the control commands stored within the database.

18. A method for controlling an ultrasound system, the method comprising:

receiving an audio input;

determining voice commands within the audio input; and

associating the voice command with a control command to control the operation of the ultrasound system.

19. A method in accordance with claim 18, wherein the voice commands comprise one or more identifiers, and further comprising associating the one or more identifiers with operations for controlling the ultrasound system.

20. A method in accordance with claim 18, further comprising receiving manual user inputs for controlling the ultrasound system.

21. A method in accordance with claim 18, wherein the voice commands comprise word commands corresponding to one or more operations.

22. A method in accordance with claim 18, wherein the associated control commands change based upon a mode of operation of the ultrasound system.

23. A method in accordance with claim 18, wherein the associating comprises accessing a database having stored therein the control commands and a lookup table with addresses for associating the voice commands with the control commands stored within the database.