AUTOMATIC CONTROL OF A MEDICAL DEVICE

• US 20110060423A1
• Filed: 10/08/2010
• Published: 03/10/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 02/18/2005
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Barco NV
• Original Assignee: Koninklijke Philips Electronics N.V. (Koninklijke Philips N.V.)
• Inventors: BONFIGLIO, Silvio, KRAMER, Joost, MARTEGANI, Franco, FERNANDEZ, Manuel
• Application Number:
  US12/900,808
• Publication Number:
  US 20110060423A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 700/11
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00216 with eye tracking or head position tracking control
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 6/00 Apparatus or devices for radiation diagnosis; Apparatus or devices for radiation diagnosis combined with radiation therapy equipment instruments measuring radiation intensity for application in the field of nuclear medicine, e.g. in vivo counting, G01T1/161; apparatus for taking X-ray photographs G03B42/02
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 6/467 characterised by special input means
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 6/469 for selecting a region of interest [ROI]
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 90/30 Devices for illuminating a surgical field, the devices having an interrelation with other surgical devices or with a surgical procedure
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 40/63 for local operation
• CPC Class Codes: G16Z 99/00 Subject matter not provided for in other main groups of this subclass

Abstract

System and method for automatic control of processes or application, such as the activation or deactivation of a radiation source for medical purposes. The system comprises an operator tracking system arranged to determine the gesture/posture of a user, an evaluation device arranged to evaluate the determined gesture/posture, and an enabling device arranged to enable and disable the radiation source in response to an output of the evaluation device. The operator tracking system may use a gazing direction analysis that may be based on the output of an eye tracking system, or an emitter-receiver arrangement for a directed signal.

Claims

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24. System for automatic control by gazing, of processes or applications which require visual attention or monitoring, the said processes or applications being of the type which require activation or control of certain elements or stages by means of an electric control unit, only when monitoring is being carried out;

characterised in that it comprises an emitter for a directed signal of a suitable nature which is designed to be picked up by a suitable receiver, when the head of the observer of the system is positioned such that his eyes face a point of reference, the receiver of the said signal being associated with control electronics which form part of the electric control unit which controls the activation or deactivation of the application or process.

30. System according to claim 24, characterised in that, in a variant embodiment of the invention, the emitter is fastened to the head of the observer, and the receiver is situated in a fixed location.

31. System according to claim 24, characterised in that, in a variant embodiment of the invention, the receiver is fastened to the head of the observer, whereas the emitter is situated in a fixed location.

32. System according to claim 24, characterised in that, in a variant embodiment of the invention, both the emitter and the receiver are fastened to the head of the observer, whereas an element which reflects the signal is situated in a fixed location.

33. System according to claim 24, characterised in that, in an embodiment of the invention, both the emitter and the receiver are situated in fixed locations, whereas at least one element which reflects the signal is fastened to the head of the observer.

34. System according to claim 30, characterised in that the emitter, receiver or reflective element is secured to the head of the observer by being integrated in goggles.

35. System according to claim 30, characterised in that the emitter, receiver or reflective element is secured to the head of the observer by being integrated in an adjustable band to be fastened to the face or forehead of the observer.

36. System according to claim 24, characterised in that the signal can optionally be provided with coding in order to distinguish it in an environment where there are signals of a similar nature, corresponding to implementation in the receiver and/or control electronics of the possibility of identifying the said coded signal.

37. System according to claim 24, characterised in that the receiver can optionally be provided with a filter in order to distinguish other signals with a different wave length from that of the signal emitted by the emitter.

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38. Method for automatic control by gazing of processes or applications which require visual attention or monitoring, only when monitoring is being carried out;

the method characterised in that it comprises the steps;

Emitting a directed signal of a suitable nature from an emitter;

Picking up the directed signal by a suitable receiver;

Determining the orientation of the head of the observer of the system;

Determining, whether the observer'"'"'s eyes face a point of reference;

Driving control electronics which form part of an electric control unit which is associated with the receiver and which controls the activation or deactivation of the application or process.

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51. A system for controlling one or more functions of one or more medical devices, the system comprising a control device arranged to control the function of the medical device, the control device comprising a first element attached to the head of the operator that emits a directed signal based on the position of the head of the operator and a second element positioned in a fixed location that is capable of receiving the directed signal when the head of the operator is positioned to emit the directed signal in the direction of the second element.

52. The system of claim 51, wherein the first element is reflective material secured to the head of the operator.

53. The system of claim 51, wherein the first element is in goggles on the head of the operator.

54. The system of claim 51, further comprising a filter on the second element that permits passage of only the signal of the first element.

55. The system of claim 51, further comprising the directed signal being coded to identify the operator and to permit signals by more than one operator jointly and simultaneously, without interference between the signals.

56. The system of claim 51, wherein the directed signal is an infrared or ultrasonic signal.

57. The system of claim 51, wherein the medical device is a diagnostic or therapeutic device.