Selectively controllable heads-up display system
First Claim
1. A heads-up display system for use by a medical technician, the heads-up display system selectively controllable by the medical technician comprising:
- a) a transparent heads-up display screen including a plurality of icons including a vital signs icon, the transparent heads-up display screen worn on the head of the medical technician, the transparent heads-up display screen positioned in the normal field of view of the medical technician;
b) a command control computer coupled to the transparent heads-up display screen and including an electronic storage device;
c) a communication network coupled to the command control computer and further comprising;
i. a wide-area network for accessing medical data bases to be accessed by the medical technician and for communication and consulting with other medical technicians; and
, ii. signal transmitters and receivers for communication of information and images derived from the procedure for remote viewing, thus establishing a remote telepresence for consultation, education or other medical purposes;
d) an eye-tracking system integrated with the transparent heads-up display system, the eye-tracking system supported on the head of the medical technician and coupled to the command control computer and configured, (i) to detect and track movement of one of the medical technician'"'"'s eyes as the medical technician views the icons on the transparent heads-up display screen, and (ii) to communicate to the command control computer eye-tracking data corresponding to the movement of the medical technician'"'"'s eye to the icons on the transparent heads-up display; and
e) a user interface including;
(i) an icon control program stored in the electronic storage device and configured to cause the command control computer to generate and maintain on the display screen a plurality of selectable control icons, including a vital sign icon in a manner that is superimposed over the normal field of view;
(ii) a cursor control program stored in the electronic storage device and configured to cause the command control computer to;
(1) generate and maintain on the display screen a moveable cursor in a manner that is superimposed over the normal field of view;
(2) translate the eye-tracking data communicated from the eye-tracking system into cursor control data;
(3) apply the cursor control data to cause the cursor displayed on the display screen to move in a manner that tracks movement of the medical technician'"'"'s eye; and
(4) generate process control data when the cursor is tracked over and selects the vital sign icon; and
(iii) a process control program stored in the electronic storage device and configured to cause the command computer to initiate specific control actions corresponding to the process control data generated when the eye-tracking cursor is moved to the vital sign icon.
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Abstract
Systems and methods are disclosed for displaying data on a head'"'"'s-up display screen. Multiple forms of data can be selectively displayed on a semi-transparent screen mounted in the user'"'"'s normal field of view. The screen can either be mounted on the user'"'"'s head, or mounted on a moveable implement and positioned in front of the user. A user interface is displayed on the screen including a moveable cursor and a menu of computer control icons. An eye-tracking system is mounted proximate the user and is employed to control movement of the cursor. By moving and focusing his or her eyes on a specific icon, the user controls the cursor to move to select the icon. When an icon is selected, a command computer is controlled to acquire and display data on the screen. The data is typically superimposed over the user'"'"'s normal field of view.
816 Citations
14 Claims
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1. A heads-up display system for use by a medical technician, the heads-up display system selectively controllable by the medical technician comprising:
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a) a transparent heads-up display screen including a plurality of icons including a vital signs icon, the transparent heads-up display screen worn on the head of the medical technician, the transparent heads-up display screen positioned in the normal field of view of the medical technician;
b) a command control computer coupled to the transparent heads-up display screen and including an electronic storage device;
c) a communication network coupled to the command control computer and further comprising;
i. a wide-area network for accessing medical data bases to be accessed by the medical technician and for communication and consulting with other medical technicians; and
,ii. signal transmitters and receivers for communication of information and images derived from the procedure for remote viewing, thus establishing a remote telepresence for consultation, education or other medical purposes;
d) an eye-tracking system integrated with the transparent heads-up display system, the eye-tracking system supported on the head of the medical technician and coupled to the command control computer and configured, (i) to detect and track movement of one of the medical technician'"'"'s eyes as the medical technician views the icons on the transparent heads-up display screen, and (ii) to communicate to the command control computer eye-tracking data corresponding to the movement of the medical technician'"'"'s eye to the icons on the transparent heads-up display; and
e) a user interface including;
(i) an icon control program stored in the electronic storage device and configured to cause the command control computer to generate and maintain on the display screen a plurality of selectable control icons, including a vital sign icon in a manner that is superimposed over the normal field of view;
(ii) a cursor control program stored in the electronic storage device and configured to cause the command control computer to;
(1) generate and maintain on the display screen a moveable cursor in a manner that is superimposed over the normal field of view;
(2) translate the eye-tracking data communicated from the eye-tracking system into cursor control data;
(3) apply the cursor control data to cause the cursor displayed on the display screen to move in a manner that tracks movement of the medical technician'"'"'s eye; and
(4) generate process control data when the cursor is tracked over and selects the vital sign icon; and
(iii) a process control program stored in the electronic storage device and configured to cause the command computer to initiate specific control actions corresponding to the process control data generated when the eye-tracking cursor is moved to the vital sign icon. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6)
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7. A hands-free system for assisting medical practitioners in the performance of medical procedures on patients comprising:
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a. a computer subsystem coupled to a patient medical data base subsystem, a communication network subsystem, a patient monitoring sensor subsystem, and a heads-up display (HUD) subsystem worn on the head of the medical practitioner;
b. the computer subsystem further comprising;
i. one or more computers programmed to respond to patient sensor inputs and to external HUD commands from medical practitioners;
to retrieve and record medical data base information;
to manage information flow to and from the external communication network;
to transmit medical images and information to the HUD; and
, to perform analysis of information and present results of the analysis;
ii. signal processing circuitry coupled to the computer subsystem for processing command signals and sensor information signals for input to the computer, and to process signals from the computer for audio, visual or other presentation to the medical practitioners;
iii. a first communication link for communicating with the heads-up display subsystem;
c. the heads-up display (HUD) subsystem further comprising;
i. a second communication link for communicating with the computer subsystem first communication link and with;
(1) a HUD camera and light subsystem, (2) a HUD eye-tracking subsystem, (3) a HUD display subsystem, (4) a HUD audio input subsystem; and
, (5) a HUD speaker subsystem;
ii. the HUD camera and light subsystem coupled to the second communication link;
iii. the HUD eye-tracking subsystem coupled to the second communication link;
iv. the HUD display subsystem coupled to the second communication link;
v. the HUD audio input subsystem coupled to the second communication link;
vi. the HUD speaker subsystem coupled to the second communication link;
d. the medical data base subsystem coupled to the computer subsystem and further comprising;
i. patient data base information including medical history, medical images, allergic reactions, family history and related data;
ii. treatment information for various maladies and recommended procedures;
iii. medication alternatives; and
,iv. surgical recommendations for different patient conditions;
e. the communication network subsystem coupled to the computer subsystem and further comprising;
i. a wide-area network for accessing medical data bases to be queried by the medical practitioner and for communication and consulting with other medical practitioners; and
,ii. signal transmitters and receivers for communication of information and images derived from the procedure for remote viewing, thus establishing a remote telepresence for consultation, education or other medical purposes;
f. the patient monitoring sensor subsystem coupled to the computer subsystem and further comprising;
i. vital sign sensors comprising blood pressure, heart rate, respiration rate, body temperature, or other patient status indicators;
ii. signal generators coupled to the vital sign sensors for generating coded signals representative of the measured vital signs; and
iii. communication circuitry coupled to the signal generators and the computer subsystem for formatting and transmitting sensor information to the computer sub-system;
g. the computer subsystem being further programmed to operate the HUD to provide a user selectable display options comprising;
i. patient images derived from the camera and lighting subsystem or from the computer data base information, including composite and overlay images, ii. sensor icons displaying sensor measurements from the patient monitoring sensor subsystems;
iii. control icons or menus to control various subsystems including the camera and lighting subsystem panning, tilting, magnification or zooming and lighting;
the display subsystem; and
one or more computer subsystems;
iv. hierarchical icon or menu operation with layers of menus;
v. multiple simultaneously viewable display windows arranged in tiled format with selected images, patient information, text information, or other related information, the display windows being semitransparent or opaque under user or under program control, individual windows being further selectable for expanded viewing, resizing, hiding, or rearrangement, vi. selectable, programmable warning indicators to visually indicate warnings at desired levels, vii. the display options being user selectable and controllable using the HUD eye-tracking subsystem by tracking the medical practitioner'"'"'s eyes causing an eye tracking cursor to move over the display with user selection of the desired icon or menu by specific eye movements, a spoken command, or foot actuation of a system control to direct desired operations and displays. - View Dependent Claims (8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
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Specification