JP2009207589A - Ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus capable of changing the image parameter of ultrasonic images displayed on a monitor intuitively with excellent operability. <P>SOLUTION: An image display monitor 10 has an ultrasonic diagnostic screen 100, an outer frame 101 of the monitor, a touch panel 11 superimposed on the monitor, touch panel areas 20(a-d) having the function of a touch pad along four sides of the outer frame 101 inside the touch panel 11, a soft key 12 arranged on the touch panel so as to select a menu, and soft keys 13(a-d, e) assigning the functions to the areas 20(a-d) and displaying the functions. A pressing position and speed to the length of the touch panel area 20 traced along the monitor frame 101 when performing input are calculated and reflected on the change of the image parameter allocated to the area at present. By being along the outer frame 101, the adjustment of an input speed and an input position is facilitated, and the input by many kinds of intuitive operation methods is made possible. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2009,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to an ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus capable of changing various image parameters of an ultrasonic diagnostic image displayed on a monitor by an input device.

A conventional ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus capable of changing various image parameters of an ultrasonic diagnostic image displayed on a monitor by an input device includes a monitor that displays a diagnostic image together with a setting parameter name and its parameter setting value, and an image parameter Has various input devices for changing. Hard keys such as trackballs, key switches, slide resistors, and encoder knobs are common as input devices, but in addition to this, a touch panel that can be used for multiple purposes is provided as a sub display (see Patent Document 1), Another example is a monitor equipped with a touch panel so that input and image display can be performed on the same plane (see Patent Documents 2 and 3).
Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 10-248843 (FIG. 1) JP 2002-336250 A (FIG. 3) JP 2006-26256 A (FIG. 2)

  However, in a conventional ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus having a touch panel as an input device, when an input is performed intuitively by sliding a finger or the like on an input region arranged in a vertical or horizontal direction, the input is performed linearly. There is a problem that it is difficult and the input area is a part of the screen, so it is small and difficult to operate. Further, in the conventional ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus having the hard key as described above in the input device, a desired speed is maintained especially when performing scrolling in the vertical or horizontal direction using a trackball having a high degree of freedom of operation. There are problems such as difficulty in controlling the position and position. Further, it is necessary to roll the ball many times in one operation, and there is a problem in inconvenience at the time of operation.

  The present invention has been made to solve the conventional problem, and allows an area adjacent to the monitor frame in the touch panel to be handled as a touch pad, and this area is used as an input means with a finger or a tool along the monitor frame. An object of the present invention is to provide an ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus that can improve the operability when adjusting various image parameters by tracing in the vertical or horizontal direction.

  An ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus according to the present invention includes an ultrasonic signal transmission / reception unit for transmitting / receiving an ultrasonic signal to / from a subject via an ultrasonic probe, an image processing unit for converting the received ultrasonic signal into an image, and an image A monitor to display, a touch panel installed on the monitor, and a control unit for determining and controlling an operation area in the touch panel, the monitor has an outer frame part on a display screen peripheral part, The touch panel has a configuration including an independent function area in which an adjacent part adjacent to the inside of the outer frame part can set an independent function for each side.

  With this configuration, the operator can easily improve the operability when adjusting various image parameters of the ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus by using each side of the outer frame portion of the monitor.

  The ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus according to the present invention further includes a control unit capable of detecting the coordinate position of the instruction point of the touch panel operator in the independent function area, the moving speed or acceleration of the instruction point, and outputting a signal. I have.

  With this configuration, when input is performed by tracing the touch panel area along the monitor frame with fingers or tools, input with various operation patterns can be stably performed, and operability can be improved.

  Furthermore, the ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus of the present invention includes a control unit that can change a parameter represented by a continuous value, a discrete value, or a binary value by operating the independent function region.

  With this configuration, image parameters having various properties can be changed in the independent function area.

  Furthermore, the ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus of the present invention detects a relative position or an absolute position of the designated point in the independent function area with respect to a length of the outer frame portion, or an absolute movement amount or a relative amount when the designated point is moved. The control part which can do is provided.

  With this configuration, it is possible to diversify the image parameter adjustment method in the independent function area, and to perform the adjustment by a method suitable for the property of each parameter.

  Furthermore, the ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus of the present invention includes a control unit that can change the function assigned to the independent function region individually or collectively for each side of the outer frame portion.

  With this configuration, it is possible to easily change the function assigned to the independent function area, and various parameter changing operations can be performed in this area.

  Furthermore, the ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus of the present invention can display information on the function assigned to each of the independent function areas adjacent to each side of the outer frame part in each of the independent function areas.

  With this configuration, the user can easily confirm the function assigned to the touch panel area along each monitor frame.

  The present invention makes it possible to treat the touch panel area adjacent to the outer frame part of the monitor as a touch pad capable of setting an independent function, and trace this area along the outer frame part of the monitor with fingers or tools as input means. Thus, it is possible to provide an ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus that has an effect that the input speed and the input position can be easily adjusted and the input can be performed intuitively by various operation methods.

  Hereinafter, an ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

  An ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus according to a first embodiment of the present invention is shown in FIGS.

  In FIG. 1, the ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus according to the present invention schematically transmits an ultrasonic signal to an object (not shown) using an ultrasonic probe (not shown) and receives a reflected signal from the object. An ultrasonic signal transmitting / receiving unit 1 for performing image processing from a received signal or an operation signal requesting image parameter change to generate an ultrasonic diagnostic image, and a display for displaying the generated ultrasonic diagnostic image A monitor 10, a touch panel 11 superimposed on the display monitor 10, and a control block 3 that performs data exchange between the processing units and display control of the display monitor 10. An outer frame 101 is attached to the display monitor 10, and the touch panel 11 can be used as a touch pad (independent function area) in which an adjacent part adjacent to the inner side of the outer frame 101 can be set for each side independently. It is. In addition, the control block 3 includes a touch pad function area use determination unit 4 that distinguishes between use in the area having the touch pad function and use in other areas.

  The touch panel 11 is not limited to the one superimposed on the display monitor 10, and may be any one that integrates the display function and the operation function. In addition, as shown in FIG. 2, a console 102 having hard keys (all not shown) such as a trackball, a key switch, a slide resistance, and an encoder knob may be used together as an input device.

  FIG. 3 shows an outline of the display screen of the display monitor 10, and is used as a touch pad along the four sides of the outer frame 101 in the touch panel 11 and the ultrasonic diagnostic screen 100, the outer frame 101 of the display monitor. Function assignments and functions to the area 20 (including 20a, 20b, 20c, 20d), the soft key 12 arranged on the touch panel for menu selection, and the touch panel area 20 along the display monitor frame And a soft key 13 (including 13a, 13b, 13c, 13d, and 13e). By pressing and selecting the operation mode of the ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus assigned to the soft key 13 with a finger or the like, the function as a touch pad assigned according to each mode is displayed on the soft key 13 through processing by the control block 3. In addition, an ultrasonic diagnostic screen 100 corresponding to each mode is displayed. In the soft key 13, soft keys 13a, 13b, 13c, and 13d that display operation names corresponding to the sides 20a, 20b, 20c, and 20d of the touch panel region 20 along the display monitor frame are arranged in a frame shape. An area 13e for displaying the current mode name and the like is provided. The operation name to be assigned can be displayed not only on the soft key 13 but also directly in the touch panel area 20. By pressing each of the soft keys 13a, 13b, 13c, and 13d, functions that can be changed in each mode are displayed one after another, and the functions can be changed accordingly. Also, by depressing 13e, all of 13a to 13d can be simultaneously changed to a combination registered in advance or a combination registered by the user. The positional relationship between the soft keys 12 and 13 and the ultrasonic diagnostic screen 100, the shape and arrangement of the soft keys 12 and 13, and the shape of the display monitor 10 are not limited to those shown in FIG. 3 may be different from those shown in FIG.

  According to the ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus of the first embodiment of the present invention, by providing the touch panel region 20 along the display monitor frame, the operator can easily adjust the input speed and the input position, Intuitive and various input methods are possible. In addition, by providing the soft key 13 that can select the function of the touch panel area 20, the functions assigned to the touch panel area 20 can be changed collectively or individually, and the functions currently assigned on the touch panel area 20 can be changed. By displaying, it is possible to prevent an erroneous operation by the operator. Further, by arranging the soft key 12 capable of mode switching on the same screen, it is possible to reduce the moving distance of fingers during the mode switching operation and to improve the entire operability of the ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus.

  Next, FIG. 4 shows an ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus according to the second embodiment of the present invention.

  FIG. 4 shows a screen in the CINE playback mode for playing back a video under diagnosis stored as an image series in the ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus. The soft key 12 selects the current mode, and the current mode name is also displayed on the soft key 13e. The ultrasound diagnostic screen 100 displays an ultrasound image 30, a CINE playback bar 31 indicating the length of the entire stored image series, a pointer 32 indicating the current display position in the CINE playback bar 31, a scale 33, and the like. Is done. Functions displayed on the soft keys 13a, 13b, 13c, and 13d are assigned to the touch panel areas 20a, 20b, 20c, and 20d along the display monitor frame, respectively. For example, when the image series is sent back and forth in time, the touch panel area 20a corresponding to the soft key 13a displaying “TIME” may be pressed or scrolled with a finger or the like. At this time, as one implementation method, there is a method in which the length of the touch panel region 20a is set to the length of the entire image series (N sheets). As shown in FIG. 5, the pressed position with the left end of the touch panel area as the origin is B, the length A of the touch panel area, the pointer 32 position b with the left end of the CINE playback bar 31 as the origin, and the length of the CINE playback bar 31 Is set to a: b = A: B, the position 32 of the pointer 32 is determined, and the N × (B / A) -th image is set as the current display image. Further, the scrolling speed or acceleration is detected, and these are directly reflected in the image feed speed or acceleration. With the above specifications, the operator can intuitively control the image display. Further, as another realization method, there is a method of expressing the image feeding speed on the touch panel area 20a. As shown in FIG. 6, the center of the touch panel area 20a is set to a speed of 0, the right and left of the speed are positive and negative, and the relative speed is expressed by the distance from the center. In addition, the image feeding speed can be controlled stably and stably. The above-described processing is all performed via the control block 3.

  The same applies to the case where the finger is traced on the touch panel area 20d. In this case, since the “Zoom” function is assigned to the corresponding soft key 13d, the scale is linked with the movement of the finger or the like via the control block 3. 33 and the ultrasonic image 30 can be continuously enlarged or reduced.

  Similarly, when the user touches the touch panel area 20b with a finger or the like, the “Contrast” function is assigned to the corresponding soft key 13b, and the contrast of the display monitor 10 can be changed. When the contrast can be set as a continuous value, it can be set by the same method as described above, but when taking a discrete value, the control block virtually divides the touch panel area 20b by the number of possible values, Each value can be set according to the pressed position.

  Note that no function is assigned to the touch panel area 20c in which no function is displayed on the corresponding soft key 13c, and in this case, the operation on the touch panel area 20c is invalid.

  An example in which the present embodiment is applied to other main functions of the ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus is shown in FIGS.

  FIG. 7 shows a Doppler mode screen for measuring the blood flow velocity at the position indicated by the sample volume (SV) in the image. The soft key 12 selects the current mode, and the current mode name is also displayed on 13e. In addition to the ultrasound image 40, the sample volume 40 is displayed on the left screen of the ultrasound diagnostic screen 100, and the blood flow intensity 41 (vertical axis) is displayed along the time axis (horizontal axis) on the right screen. . Functions displayed on the soft keys 13a, 13b, 13c, and 13d are assigned to the touch panel areas 20a, 20b, 20c, and 20d along the monitor frame, respectively. For example, when the user touches the touch panel area 20a or 20d with a finger or the like, since “SV (Vertical)” and “SV (Horizontal)” are assigned to the corresponding soft key 13a or 13d, the same processing steps as in FIG. Thus, the position of the sample volume 40 can be continuously moved in the horizontal direction or the vertical direction.

  FIG. 8 shows a color mode screen in which the direction of blood flow in the ROI (Region of Image) can be viewed in different colors. The soft key 12 selects the current mode, and the current mode name is also displayed on 13e. In addition to the ultrasound image 30, the ROI 50 is displayed on the ultrasound diagnostic screen 100. Functions displayed on the soft keys 13a, 13b, 13c, and 13d are assigned to the touch panel areas 20a, 20b, 20c, and 20d along the monitor frame, respectively. For example, when the user touches the touch panel area 20a or 20d with a finger or the like, since “ROI (Vertical)” and “ROI (Horizontal)” are assigned to the corresponding soft key 13a or 13d, the same processing steps as in FIG. The position of the ROI 50 can be continuously moved in the horizontal or vertical direction. When the user touches the touch panel area 20b or 20c with a finger or the like, “ROI Size Horizontal” and “ROI Size Vertical” are assigned to the corresponding soft keys 13b or 13c. Can be continuously increased or decreased. When continuously increasing or decreasing the size of the ROI 50, the touch panel area may be pressed by two points with fingers or the like to increase or decrease the relative distance between the two points and reflect this in the size of the ROI 50.

  According to such an ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus of the second embodiment of the present invention, when performing input using the touch panel region 20 along the monitor frame, the relative position or absolute position of the pressed point is detected, Further, when performing scrolling, by detecting the moving speed and acceleration, and the relative and absolute amounts of movement, it is possible to easily change the parameters that take discrete values or continuous values.

  As described above, the ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus according to the present invention allows a portion along the monitor frame of the touch panel region superimposed on the monitor to be handled as a touch pad, and this portion can be handled with a finger or a tool. By performing input along the monitor frame, it is easy to control the input speed and input position, and it is possible to input by intuitive and various operation methods, and the user can change the image parameter. It is useful as an ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus.

The block diagram which shows the whole structure of the ultrasound diagnosing device in the 1st Embodiment of this invention The other block diagram which shows the modification of the whole structure of the ultrasound diagnosing device in the 1st Embodiment of this invention The block diagram which shows typically the principal part of the ultrasonic diagnosing device in the 1st Embodiment of this invention Explanatory drawing of operation which implement | achieves 2nd Embodiment of this invention in CINE reproduction | regeneration mode, and performs parameter setting operation by the touchscreen area | region adjacent to a monitor frame FIG. 4 is an explanatory diagram of an example when performing CINE playback (when a position is expressed by a touch pad). FIG. 4 is an explanatory diagram of an example when performing CINE playback (when speed is expressed with a touch pad). Explanatory drawing of operation which implement | achieves the 2nd Embodiment of this invention in Doppler mode, and performs parameter setting operation by the touchscreen area | region adjacent to the monitor frame Explanatory drawing of operation which implement | achieves 2nd Embodiment of this invention in Color mode, and performs parameter setting operation by the touchscreen area | region adjacent to a monitor frame

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Ultrasonic signal transmission / reception part 2 Image processing part 3 Control block 4 Touch pad function area use determination part 10 Display monitor 11 Touch panel 12 Mode selection soft key 13 Touch pad function change / display soft key (13a, 13b, 13c, 13d Generic name)
13a Touch pad function display / change soft key corresponding to the touch panel 20a 13b Touch pad function display / change soft key corresponding to the touch panel 20b 13c Touch pad function display / change soft key corresponding to the touch panel 20c 13d Corresponding to the touch panel 20d Touchpad function display / change soft key 13e Mode name display or touchpad function batch change softkey 20 Monitor frame adjacent touch panel area (generic name for 20a, 20b, 20c, 20d)
20a Monitor frame adjacent touch panel area lower side 20b Monitor frame adjacent touch panel area right side 20c Monitor frame adjacent touch panel area upper side 20d Monitor frame adjacent touch panel area left side 30 Ultrasound image 31 CINE playback bar 32 Pointer 33 Scale 40 Sample volume 41 Blood flow Intensity display 42 ROI
100 Ultrasonic diagnosis screen 101 Monitor outer frame 102 Console

Claims (6)

An ultrasonic signal transmitting and receiving unit for transmitting and receiving an ultrasonic signal via an ultrasonic probe;
An image processing unit for converting the received ultrasonic signal into an image;
A monitor for displaying images;
A touch panel installed on the monitor;
A control unit for determining and controlling an operation area in the touch panel;
The monitor has an outer frame portion around the display screen,
The ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus, wherein the touch panel has an independent function region in which an adjacent part adjacent to the inside of the outer frame part can be set with an independent function for each side. The control unit is a control unit capable of detecting a coordinate position of an instruction point of an operator of the touch panel in the independent function area, a moving speed or acceleration of the instruction point, and outputting a signal. The ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus according to claim 1. 3. The control unit according to claim 1, wherein the control unit is a control unit capable of changing a parameter represented by a continuous value, a discrete value, or a binary value by operating the independent function area. The ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus as described. The control unit is capable of detecting a relative position or an absolute position of the indication point of the independent function area with respect to a length of the outer frame portion, or an absolute movement amount or a relative amount when the indication point is moved. The ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus according to claim 3, wherein: The ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the control unit can change a function assigned to the independent function region individually or collectively for each side of the outer frame portion. The ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus according to claim 5, wherein information on a function assigned to each of the independent function areas adjacent to each side of the outer frame portion can be displayed in each of the independent function areas.

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