METHOD, APPARATUS AND COMPUTER PROGRAM PRODUCT FOR FACILITATING THE MANIPULATION OF MEDICAL IMAGES

• US 20130257729A1
• Filed: 03/30/2012
• Published: 10/03/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 03/30/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Change Healthcare Holdings, LLC (UnitedHealth Group Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Mckesson Financial Holdings Limited (McKesson Corp.)
• Inventors: Edwards, Cliff
• Granted Patent: US 9,292,197 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/163
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/04806 Zoom, i.e. interaction techniques or interactors for controlling the zooming operation
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/03543 Mice or pucks G06F3/03541 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/044 by capacitive means
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04845 for image manipulation, e.g. dragging, rotation, expansion or change of colour
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0485 Scrolling or panning
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04883 for inputting data by handwriting, e.g. gesture or text

Abstract

A method, apparatus and computer program product are provided to facilitate the manipulation of medical images. In the context of a method, the position of a user'"'"'s hand upon a touch sensitive input device may be determined. Determining the position may include detecting instances in which the user'"'"'s hand is in either a first or second positions upon the touch sensitive input device. In the first position, the method may also include enabling a first image manipulation mode in which a first image manipulation operation is enabled and interpreting a first type of input to be directing the first image manipulation operation. However, in the second position, the method may include enabling a second image manipulation mode in which a second image manipulation operation is enabled and interpreting the first type of input to be directing the second image manipulation operation instead of the first image manipulation operation.

Claims

1. A method of manipulating medical images, the method comprising:

determining a position of a user'"'"'s hand upon a touch sensitive input device, wherein determining the position comprises detecting an instance in which the user'"'"'s hand is in a first position upon the touch sensitive input device and detecting an instance in which the user'"'"'s hand is in a second position, different than the first position, upon the touch sensitive input device;

in an instance in which the user'"'"'s hand is determined to be in the first position, enabling a first image manipulation mode in which a first image manipulation operation is enabled and interpreting a first type of input to be directing the first image manipulation operation; and

in an instance in which the user'"'"'s hand is determined to be in the second position, enabling a second image manipulation mode in which a second image manipulation operation, different than the first image manipulation operation, is enabled and interpreting the first type of input to be directing the second image manipulation operation instead of the first image manipulation operation.

2. A method according to claim 1 wherein the first and second image manipulation operations comprise first and second multivariable image manipulation operations, respectively.

3. A method according to claim 2 wherein the first and second multivariable image manipulation operations comprise a move image to or from a viewport operation and a pan operation, respectively.

4. A method according to claim 1 wherein the first and second image manipulation operations comprise first and second single variable image manipulation operations, respectively.

5. A method according to claim 4 wherein the first and second single variable image manipulation operations comprise a scroll operation and a zoom operation, respectively.

6. A method according to claim 1 wherein enabling the first and second image manipulation modes comprises enabling both a respective multivariable image manipulation operation and a respective single variable image manipulation operation in each of the first and second image manipulation modes.

7. A method according to claim 1 wherein the touch sensitive input device comprises a touch sensitive mouse, and wherein determining the position of the user'"'"'s hand comprises determining a position of a thumb of the user upon the touch sensitive mouse.

8. A method according to claim 7 wherein the touch sensitive mouse comprises a first portion proximate an underlying support surface and a second portion spaced from the support surface, wherein detecting an instance in which the user'"'"'s hand is in the first position comprises detecting an instance in which the thumb of the user rests within the first portion of the touch sensitive mouse, and wherein detecting an instance in which the user'"'"'s hand is in the second position comprises detecting an instance in which the thumb of the user rests within the second portion of the touch sensitive mouse.

9. A method according to claim 1 wherein enabling the first and second image manipulation modes comprises identifying first and second modifier keys, respectively, to have been actuated.

10. An apparatus for manipulating medical images, the apparatus comprising a processing device configured to cause the apparatus to:

determine a position of a user'"'"'s hand upon a touch sensitive input device, wherein determining the position comprises detecting an instance in which the user'"'"'s hand is in a first position upon the touch sensitive input device and detecting an instance in which the user'"'"'s hand is in a second position, different than the first position, upon the touch sensitive input device;

in an instance in which the user'"'"'s hand is determined to be in the first position, enable a first image manipulation mode in which a first image manipulation operation is enabled and interpret a first type of input to be directing the first image manipulation operation; and

in an instance in which the user'"'"'s hand is determined to be in the second position, enable a second image manipulation mode in which a second image manipulation operation, different than the first image manipulation operation, is enabled and interpret the first type of input to be directing the second image manipulation operation instead of the first image manipulation operation.

11. An apparatus according to claim 10 wherein the first and second image manipulation operations comprise first and second multivariable image manipulation operations, respectively.

12. An apparatus according to claim 11 wherein the first and second multivariable image manipulation operations comprise a move image to or from a viewport operation and a pan operation, respectively.

13. An apparatus according to claim 10 wherein the first and second image manipulation operations comprise first and second single variable image manipulation operations, respectively.

14. An apparatus according to claim 13 wherein the first and second single variable image manipulation operations comprise a scroll operation and a zoom operation, respectively.

15. An apparatus according to claim 10 wherein the processing device is configured to cause the apparatus to enable the first and second image manipulation modes by enabling both a respective multivariable image manipulation operation and a respective single variable image manipulation operation in each of the first and second image manipulation modes.

16. An apparatus according to claim 10 wherein the touch sensitive input device comprises a touch sensitive mouse, and wherein the processing device is configured to cause the apparatus to determine the position of the user'"'"'s hand by determining a position of a thumb of the user upon the touch sensitive mouse.

17. An apparatus according to claim 16 wherein the touch sensitive mouse comprises a first portion proximate an underlying support surface and a second portion spaced from the support surface, wherein the processing device is configured to cause the apparatus to detect an instance in which the user'"'"'s hand is in the first position by detecting an instance in which the thumb of the user rests within the first portion of the touch sensitive mouse, and wherein the processing device is configured to cause the apparatus to detect an instance in which the user'"'"'s hand is in the second position by detecting an instance in which the thumb of the user rests within the second portion of the touch sensitive mouse.

18. An apparatus according to claim 10 wherein the processing device is configured to cause the apparatus to enable the first and second image manipulation modes by identifying first and second modifier keys, respectively, to have been actuated.

19. A computer program product for manipulating medical images, the method comprising:

determining a position of a user'"'"'s hand upon a touch sensitive input device, wherein determining the position comprises detecting an instance in which the user'"'"'s hand is in a first position upon the touch sensitive input device and detecting an instance in which the user'"'"'s hand is in a second position, different than the first position, upon the touch sensitive input device;

in an instance in which the user'"'"'s hand is determined to be in the first position, enabling a first image manipulation mode in which a first image manipulation operation is enabled and interpreting a first type of input to be directing the first image manipulation operation; and

in an instance in which the user'"'"'s hand is determined to be in the second position, enabling a second image manipulation mode in which a second image manipulation operation, different than the first image manipulation operation, is enabled and interpreting the first type of input to be directing the second image manipulation operation instead of the first image manipulation operation.

20. A computer program product according to claim 19 wherein enabling the first and second image manipulation modes comprises enabling both a respective multivariable image manipulation operation and a respective single variable image manipulation operation in each of the first and second image manipulation modes.