Twin-monitor electronic display system

• US 8,659,507 B2
• Filed: 03/03/2009
• Issued: 02/25/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 03/04/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: SuperSonic Imagine SA (Hologic Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Super Sonic Imagine
• Inventors: Roncalez, Pascal, Laneyrie, Pierre-Lin
• Primary Examiner(s): Abdulselam, Abbas
• Assistant Examiner(s): OLIVER, GERALD L
• Application Number:
  US12/920,070
• Publication Number:
  US 20110043434A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,820 Days
• Field of Search: 345/3.1, 345173-178, 600/407, 600/424, 600/437, 600/440, 600/441, 600/443, 600/444
• US Class Current: 345/3.1
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/7445 Display arrangements, e.g. multiple display units
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/464 involving a plurality of displays
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/467 characterised by special input means
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/468 allowing annotation or message recording
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/469 for selection of a region of interest
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04812 Interaction techniques based on cursor appearance or behaviour, e.g. being affected by the presence of displayed objects
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04842 Selection of displayed objects or displayed text elements G06F3/0482 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04847 Interaction techniques to control parameter settings, e.g. interaction with sliders or dials
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0488 using a touch-screen or digitiser, e.g. input of commands through traced gestures
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04883 for inputting data by handwriting, e.g. gesture or text
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/1423 controlling a plurality of local displays, e.g. CRT and flat panel display
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2200/24 involving graphical user interfaces [GUIs]
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2207/10132 Ultrasound image
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2207/30004 Biomedical image processing
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 7/0012 Biomedical image inspection
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2340/12 Overlay of images, i.e. displayed pixel being the result of switching between the corresponding input pixels

Abstract

The invention concerns an electronic display system, intended to be coupled with ultrasound imaging equipment capable of capturing an image of a medium, said system comprising a first monitor to display an ultrasound image such as captured by the ultrasound imaging equipment and image processing means. According to the invention, the system further comprises a second touch-screen monitor, means to duplicate the ultrasound image, means to send this duplicate to the second monitor on which at least part therefore is displayed, means to display at least one graphical element which, by means of the tactility of the screen, is used to perform at least one processing operation on the ultrasound image, means for instant application of all processing operations performed using the second monitor to the duplicate ultrasound image displayed on the second monitor, and means for instant or deferred application to the ultrasound image displayed on the first monitor of all or part of the processing operations performed on the duplicate ultrasound image by means of the second monitor.

Claims

1. An electronic display system for coupling with an ultrasound imaging equipment capable of capturing an image of a medium by means of an ultrasound probe, the system comprising:

a first monitor to display an ultrasound image captured via the ultrasound imaging equipment;

a second monitor, separate from the first monitor, the second monitor comprising a touch-screen monitor;

means for duplicating the ultrasound image displayed on the first monitor to obtain a duplicate ultrasound image and for conveying the duplicate ultrasound image to the touch-screen monitor upon which at least part of the duplicate ultrasound image is then displayed;

means for displaying at least one graphical element on the touch-screen monitor, wherein the at least one graphical element is displayed in a superimposed manner over the duplicate ultrasound image and wherein the at least one graphical element relates to a processing operation to be performed on an ultrasound image when the at least one graphical element is selected by a user in a tactile manner via the touch screen;

means for processing tactile screen inputs on the at least one graphical element;

means for instantly implementing the at least one processing operation, on the duplicate ultrasound image displayed on the touch-screen monitor, after the at least one processing operation has been selected by a user in a tactile manner of the at least one graphical element via the touch-screen monitor; and

means for deferred implementing the at least one processing operation, on the ultrasound image displayed on the first monitor, after the at least one processing operation has been selected by a user in a tactile manner of the at least one graphical element via the touch-screen monitor.

2. The electronic display system according to claim 1, wherein the system allows a choice of at least one processing operation to be applied to the ultrasound image from among processing operations implemented on the duplicate ultrasound image using the touch-screen monitor.

3. The electronic system according to claim 1, wherein the at least one graphical element comprises a set of cursors representing potentiometers to adjust gain compensation.

4. The electronic system according to claim 3, wherein the cursors of the potentiometers can be positioned by detecting an intersection between a pathway of a finger of a user on the touch-screen monitor and lines along which each cursor is moved.

5. The electronic display system according to claim 1, wherein the display of the at least one graphical element on the duplicate ultrasound image is adapted to needs of processing of the ultrasound image in relation to data on image acquisition conditions.

6. The electronic system according to claim 1, wherein the touch-screen monitor, through touch action on the duplicate ultrasound image, allows at least one function to be performed chosen from among the functions of zoom, region selection, size measurement.

7. The electronic system according to claim 1, wherein the application means is such that the at least one processing operation applied to the ultrasound image displayed on the first monitor is only applied to at least one region selected through touch action on the duplicate ultrasound image using the touch-screen monitor in the duplicate ultrasound image.

8. The electronic system according to claim 1, wherein the touch-screen monitor is able to be used as write insertion means in the ultrasound image or in a text field displayed on the first monitor, the touch-screen monitor then displaying a keyboard and a write display window, and wherein the application means is able to apply the writing to the ultrasound image or in a text field displayed on the first monitor.

9. The electronic system according to claim 1, wherein the system further comprises body location means, the body location means allowing the display, on the touch-screen monitor, to include a body mark symbolizing a structure as imaged on the ultrasound image, and allowing positioning of a probe body location marker relative to the body mark by touching two points on the touch-screen monitor or by a sliding movement thereupon between two points.

10. The electronic system according to claim 1, wherein the touch-screen monitor is able to display a plurality of miniature images and wherein the application means is such that an image chosen from among several on the touch-screen monitor is automatically displayed on the first monitor.

11. The electronic system according to claim 1, wherein the touch-screen monitor is able to display three-dimensional volumes obtained from at least one ultrasound image displayed on the first monitor, and wherein the touch-screen monitor further comprises three-dimensional movement means allowing manipulation of the three-dimensional volumes by means of the tactility of the touch-screen monitor.

12. The electronic system according to claim 1, wherein the at least one graphical element comprises means for adjusting time-gain compensation.

13. The electronic system according to claim 1, wherein the at least one graphical element comprises potentiometers for cardiology.

14. A method for processing an ultrasound image displayed on a first monitor of an electronic display system coupled with an ultrasound imaging apparatus capable of capturing the image, the method comprising:

duplicating the ultrasound image displayed on the first monitor to obtain a duplicate ultrasound image and sending the duplicate ultrasonic image to a touch-screen monitor of a second monitor independent of the first monitor;

displaying at least part of the duplicated ultrasonic image on the touch-screen monitor;

displaying on the touch-screen at least one graphical element in a superimposed manner over the duplicate ultrasound image, wherein the at least one graphical element relates to a processing operation to be performed on an ultrasound image when the at least one graphical element is selected in a tactile manner on the touch screen by a user;

instantly implementing the at least one processing operation on the duplicate ultrasound image displayed on the touch-screen monitor after the at least one processing operation has been selected by a user in a tactile manner of the at least one graphical element displayed on the touch-screen monitor; and

deferred implementing the at least one processing operation on the ultrasound image displayed on the first monitor after the at least one processing operation has been selected by a user in a tactile manner of the at least one graphical element displayed on the touch-screen monitor.