Methods and systems for creation of hanging protocols using eye tracking and voice command and control

• US 8,036,917 B2
• Filed: 05/16/2007
• Issued: 10/11/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 11/22/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: General Electric Company
• Original Assignee: General Electric Company
• Inventors: Roehm, Stephen P., Mahesh, Prakash, Morita, Mark, Kariathungal, Murali Kumaran
• Primary Examiner(s): O'Connor; Gerald J.
• Assistant Examiner(s): PHONGSVIRAJATI, POONSIN
• Application Number:
  US11/749,625
• Publication Number:
  US 20080120141A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,609 Days
• Field of Search: 705 2- 3, 715/700, 600/300
• US Class Current: 705/3
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/013 Eye tracking input arrangements G06F3/015 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/167 Audio in a user interface, e.g. using voice commands for navigating, audio feedback
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 19/00 Manipulating 3D models or images for computer graphics
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2219/028 Multiple view windows (top-side-front-sagittal-orthogonal)
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 30/20 for handling medical images, e.g. DICOM, HL7 or PACS
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 40/63 for local operation

Abstract

Certain embodiments of the present invention provide methods and systems for hanging protocol generation using eye tracking and/or voice command and control. Certain embodiments provide a method for creating a hanging protocol based on at least one of eye tracking and voice command and control input in a clinical environment. The method includes specifying a hanging protocol specification using input including at least one of eye tracking and voice command and control. The method also includes translating the input into a hanging protocol. The method further includes facilitating display of clinical information based on the hanging protocol.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method for creating a hanging protocol based on at least one of eye tracking and voice command and control input in a clinical environment, said method comprising:

specifying creation of a hanging protocol specification to format, organize, and present clinical images on a display using user input including a combination of eye tracking and voice command and control to configure and control behavior of the hanging protocol, said specifying comprising;

specifying one or more of a modality, a body part, and a procedure for said hanging protocol using said user input;

specifying at least one monitor characteristic for use in said hanging protocol using said user input, said at least one monitor characteristic comprising at least one of a number of monitors, a monitor color and a monitor resolution; and

specifying at least one image box characteristic for one or more regions in a monitor using said hanging protocol using said user input, said at least one image box characteristic comprising a number of image boxes for a monitor region, a type of image box, a number of tiled images in an image box, and at least one image box parameter;

translating, using a processor, said input into a hanging protocol; and

facilitating, using a processor, display of clinical information based on said hanging protocol.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising saving said hanging protocol.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising using eye tracking to move a cursor in said hanging protocol and using voice command to control behavior of said hanging protocol.

4. A computer-implemented method for hanging protocol creation and management using eye tracking and voice command and control input in a clinical environment, said method comprising:

initiating, using a processor, hanging protocol creation, the hanging protocol creation using a combination of eye tracking and voice command input;

accepting user input to create a hanging protocol to format, organize, and present clinical images on a display using input including a combination of eye tracking and voice command and control to configure and control behavior of the hanging protocol, said creation comprising;

specifying a body part for said hanging protocol using at least one of eye tracking and voice command input;

specifying a clinical procedure for said hanging protocol using at least one of eye tracking and voice command input;

identifying a number of monitors for use in said hanging protocol using at least one of eye tracking and voice command input;

defining at least one of a monitor color and monitor resolution for one or more monitors in said hanging protocol using at least one of eye tracking and voice command input;

specifying a number and type of image box for a viewing region in said one or more monitors in said hanging protocol using at least one of eye tracking and voice command input;

specifying a number of images to be tiled in an image box in said hanging protocol using at least one of eye tracking and voice command input;

translating, using a processor, said input into a hanging protocol; and

saving said hanging protocol to facilitate, using a processor, display of clinical information based on said hanging protocol.

5. The method of claim 4, further comprising defining one or more parameters for an image series to be loaded in one or more image boxes in said hanging protocol using at least one of eye tracking and voice command input.

6. The method of claim 4, further comprising displaying clinical image data using said hanging protocol.

7. A tangible computer-readable storage medium having a set of instructions for execution on a computer, said set of instructions comprising:

an input routine receiving user input to configure a hanging protocol for clinical information viewing, said user input including

     1) eye tracking and

     2) voice command and control to configure and control behavior of the hanging protocol to format, organize, and present clinical information on a display; and

a hanging protocol configuration routine translating said user input into a hanging protocol for facilitating display of clinical information,

wherein said hanging protocol configuration routine configures one or more of a modality, a body part, and a procedure for said hanging protocol based on said user input,

wherein said hanging protocol configuration routine configures at least one monitor characteristic for use in said hanging protocol based on said user input, said at least one monitor characteristic comprising at least one of a number of monitors, a monitor color and a monitor resolution,

wherein said hanging protocol configuration routine configures at least one image box characteristic for one or more regions in a monitor in said hanging protocol based on user input, said at least one image box characteristic comprising a number of image boxes for a monitor region, a type of image box, a number of tiled images in an image box, and at least one image box parameter.

8. The computer-readable medium of claim 7, wherein said hanging protocol configuration routine saves said hanging protocol for later use.

9. The computer-readable medium of claim 7, wherein said input routine receives user input include eye tracking information used to move a cursor in said hanging protocol and voice command information used to control behavior of said hanging protocol.