User interface for medical imaging including improved pan-zoom control

• US 20060111634A1
• Filed: 09/08/2005
• Published: 05/25/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 10/30/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sonowise, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Sonowise, Inc.
• Inventors: Wu, Tony
• Granted Patent: US 8,016,758 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 600/443
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/00 Diagnosis using ultrasonic, sonic or infrasonic waves imaging of objects using sonar G01S15/00
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/463 characterised by displaying multiple images or images and diagnostic data on one display composite display in devices for short-range imaging with acoustic waves G01S7/52074
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/467 characterised by special input means

Abstract

An ultrasonic image scanning system for scanning an organic object that includes a display system for displaying a scanned image of the organic object in a plurality of display modes wherein the display system further includes a user input device sensor for sensing a motion of a user input device in at least one of display modes to automatically switch from one display mode to a different display mode. Furthermore, the display system further counts a length of time the user input device staying idle in at least one of the display modes for switching the display mode back to a last display mode at a predefined idle time limit.

Claims

1. An ultrasonic image scanning system for scanning an organic object comprising:

a display system for displaying a scanned image of said organic object in a plurality of display modes wherein said display system further comprising a user input device sensor for sensing a motion of a user input device in at least one of display modes to automatically switch from one active display mode to a different active display mode; and

said display system further counts a length of time said user input device staying idle in at least one of said active display modes for switching said active display mode back to a last active display mode at a predefined idle time limit.

2. The ultrasonic image scanning system of claim 1 wherein:

said display system further simultaneously displays at least two images with a first image showing an external view of said organic object and a second image showing a cross sectional view of said organic object cut off at a scrolling line across said first image wherein said second image is further activated to show a cross sectional view corresponding to a cross section as said scrolling line move to different positions over said first image.

3. The ultrasonic image scanning system of claim 1 wherein:

said display system further simultaneously displays a zoomed-in and a zoomed-out images with different screen layouts.

4. The ultrasonic image scanning system of claim 1 wherein:

said display system further switching automatically from a said first display mode to a second display mode wherein said second display mode is for displaying an image that is graphically unrelated and independent from an image displayed in said first display mode.

5. The ultrasonic image scanning system of claim 1 wherein:

said display system further enabling an operator to set said predefined idle time limit for automatically switching from one of said display modes to another one of said display modes when said user input device staying idle.

6. The ultrasonic image scanning system of claim 1 further comprising:

a three dimensional (3-D) image as first scan mode and B or B/color as the second scan mode.

7. The ultrasonic image scanning system of claim 1 further comprising:

A Spectral Doppler as first scan mode and B or B/color as the second scan mode.

8. The ultrasonic image scanning system of claim 1 further comprising:

a M-mode as first scan mode and B or B/color as the second scan mode.

9. The ultrasonic image scanning system of claim 1 further comprising:

a Zoom-out as first scan mode and Zoom-in as the second scan mode.

11. The ultrasonic image scanning system of claim 1 further comprising:

an image source for interfacing and obtaining a display image from different image scanning systems.

12. The ultrasonic image scanning system of claim 1 wherein:

said display system further includes an image color management function to manage a display of images in different colors.

13. The ultrasonic image scanning system of claim 1 wherein:

said display system further includes a display management software package to manage a display of images in different angles, amplified proportions and different user interfaces.

10. The ultrasonic image scanning system of wherein:

said display system further includes an automatic pan zoom function for application to an ultrasound B mode and a simultaneous B/color flow mode.

14. An image display system for displaying an image in different display modes comprising:

a user input device sensor for sensing a motion of a user input device in at least one of display modes to automatically switch from one display mode to a different display mode; and

said display system further counts a length of time said user input device staying idle in at least one of said display modes for switching said display mode back to a last display mode at a predefined idle time limit.

15. The ultrasonic image scanning system of claim 14 wherein:

said display system further enabling an operator to set said predefined idle time limit for automatically switching from said display mode to said last display mode when said user input device staying idle.

16. The image display system of claim 14 wherein:

said user input device sensor sensing a motion of a user input device in a zoomed view display mode to automatically switch from said zoomed view display mode to a global view display mode.

17. The ultrasonic image scanning system of claim 14 wherein:

said display system further counts a length of time said user input device staying idle in a global view display mode for switching back to a zoomed view display mode as a last display mode at a predefined idle time limit.

18. A method for displaying an image in different display modes comprising:

sensing a motion of a user input device in at least one of display modes to automatically switch from one display mode to a different display mode; and

counting a length of time said user input device staying idle in at least one of said display modes for switching said display mode back to a last display mode at a predefined idle time limit.

19. The method of claim 18 further comprising:

enabling an operator to set said predefined idle time limit for automatically switching from said display mode to said last display mode when said user input device staying idle.

20. The method of claim 18 wherein:

said step of sensing a motion of a user input device is a step of sensing said motion of said user input device in a zoomed view display mode to automatically switch from said zoomed view display mode to a global view display mode.

21. The method of claim 18 wherein:

said step of counting said length of time said user input device staying idle is a step of counting said length of time when said user input device staying idle in a global view display mode for switching back to a zoomed view display mode as a last display mode at a predefined idle time limit.

22. The method of claim 18 further comprising:

implementing a display control software package to manage a display of images in different angles, amplified proportions and different user interfaces.