User input device for controlling medical imaging equipment motion
First Claim
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1. A medical imaging system, comprising:
- a source for transmitting signals towards a patient;
a detector for detecting signals that have been transmitted through the patient;
a movable member on which at least one of said source and said detector are mounted;
a user input device comprising a plurality of sensors, said user input device coupled to said movable member, wherein at least one of said plurality of sensors is responsive to at least one object within a sensory field of said at least one sensor, wherein the at least one object comprises selectively but not mutually exclusively an operator input representative of a desired movement of said movable member or an obstacle in proximity with said movable member, wherein the operator input does not involve physical contact with either the movable member or the user input device; and
a processor coupled to said user input device and configured to receive information from said plurality of sensors relating to the proximity of said object to said movable member for determining at least one of a direction and speed for causing the desired movement of said movable member.
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Abstract
A system including a user input device for controlling a position of medical equipment is described. In an example embodiment, the user input device is configured to be coupled to the medical equipment and is responsive to an operator input representation of a desired movement of the equipment. A processor determines a direction in which the operator desires the equipment to move based on a device output.
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Citations
7 Claims
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1. A medical imaging system, comprising:
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a source for transmitting signals towards a patient;
a detector for detecting signals that have been transmitted through the patient;
a movable member on which at least one of said source and said detector are mounted;
a user input device comprising a plurality of sensors, said user input device coupled to said movable member, wherein at least one of said plurality of sensors is responsive to at least one object within a sensory field of said at least one sensor, wherein the at least one object comprises selectively but not mutually exclusively an operator input representative of a desired movement of said movable member or an obstacle in proximity with said movable member, wherein the operator input does not involve physical contact with either the movable member or the user input device; and
a processor coupled to said user input device and configured to receive information from said plurality of sensors relating to the proximity of said object to said movable member for determining at least one of a direction and speed for causing the desired movement of said movable member. - View Dependent Claims (5, 6, 7)
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- 2. A system according to claim wherein said sensors comprise at least one of a capacitance sensor, an infrared sensor, and an ultrasonic sensor.
Specification