JP2010142399A - Ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus with improved operability, capable of achieving the cost reduction, miniaturization, waterproofness and expandability. <P>SOLUTION: The ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus includes: an ultrasonic probe 51 for transmitting/receiving ultrasonic waves; a monitor 50 in which an ultrasonic image based on the ultrasonic waves is displayed; a touch panel 1 which senses the pressed position on the surface to output specified position information; a touch panel display control part 41 for displaying a plurality of operation content images 30a and 30b for controlling the operation in the touch panel 1; and a control signal creating part 42 for creating a control signal corresponding to the operation content image 30a or 30b selected from the plurality of operation content images 30a and 30b based on the specified position information from the touch panel 1. The ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus displays an ultrasonic image in the monitor 50 or controls an ultrasonic probe 44 based on the control signal. Recesses and projections 11 and 12 are formed on the surface of the touch panel 1 for discriminating the display positions of the plurality of operation content images 30a and 30b. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2010,JPO&INPIT

Description

The present invention relates to an ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus used for medical diagnosis, and more particularly to an ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus including a touch panel for controlling operations in order to obtain an ultrasonic image.

The ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus transmits an ultrasonic wave to a patient by an ultrasonic probe and receives an ultrasonic reflection echo reflected from the patient, thereby generating an ultrasonic wave based on the intensity of the received ultrasonic reflection echo. The image is displayed on the monitor.
By the way, at the time of examination of a patient who collects the intensity of ultrasonic reflected echo with such an ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus, it is very convenient for an operator to control the operation of the ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus using a keyboard or a mouse. Therefore, the operation of the ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus is controlled using a dedicated apparatus operation panel.

However, since the device operation panel is dedicated to the ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus, it causes an increase in cost and a large number of buttons, knobs (dials), and so on in accordance with various functions in the ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus. Since it is necessary to provide a slide volume or the like, there is a problem that the size is increased.
Moreover, since the groove | channel (opening part) for moving a button, a knob, a slide volume, etc. is formed in the outer surface of an apparatus operation panel, waterproofness falls by such a groove, It was difficult to clean and disinfect the groove, and as a result, the usage environment was limited.
Furthermore, since the functions for buttons, knobs, slide volumes, etc. have been determined, the expandability has been reduced.

Thus, an ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus is disclosed in which an operator can control the operation using a touch panel having a touch surface (see, for example, Patent Document 1).
FIG. 4 is a perspective view of an example of a touch panel that can control the operation of the ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus, and FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view taken along line BB shown in FIG. The touch panel 2 includes a housing 20, a liquid crystal display plate 21 that displays a button image (operation content image) 30 a and a knob image (operation content image) 30 b, and transparent electrodes 31 and 32 formed on the liquid crystal display plate 21. And a transparent protective layer 15 formed on the pressure detection layer 30.
Such a touch panel 2 achieves cost reduction, downsizing, waterproofness, and expandability.
JP-A-11-318906

However, since the touch surface of the touch panel 2 is smooth, it is difficult to input by so-called blind touch, so that the display positions of the plurality of button images 30a and knob images 30b displayed on the touch surface are visually checked. Therefore, there is a problem that it is difficult to concentrate on the ultrasonic image displayed on the monitor or to communicate with the patient during the examination of the patient.
Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide an ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus that can achieve cost reduction, downsizing, waterproofness, and expandability, and further improved operability.

An ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus of the present invention made to solve the above problems includes an ultrasonic probe that transmits and receives ultrasonic waves, a monitor that displays an ultrasonic image based on the ultrasonic waves, and a pressurized surface Based on the touch panel that outputs the specified position information, the touch panel display control unit that displays a plurality of operation content images for controlling the operation on the touch panel, and the specified position information from the touch panel, A control signal creation unit that creates a control signal corresponding to the operation content image selected from the plurality of operation content images, and displays an ultrasound image on the monitor based on the control signal, or An ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus for controlling an ultrasonic probe, wherein an uneven portion for distinguishing display positions of the plurality of operation content images is formed on a surface of the touch panel. So that is.

According to the ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus of the present invention, the uneven portion for distinguishing the display positions of the plurality of operation content images is formed on the surface of the touch panel. Thus, the operator can display the operation content image to be selected from the plurality of operation content images while touching the uneven portion with a finger without visually confirming the display position of the plurality of operation content images displayed on the touch panel. You can find the location.

As described above, according to the ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus of the present invention, it is possible to input by blind touch. Therefore, it is possible to concentrate on the ultrasonic image displayed on the monitor or to communicate with the patient even during the examination of the patient.

(Means and effects for solving other problems)
In the above invention, the concavo-convex portion may include at least an annular protrusion and a cylindrical protrusion.

Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. Note that the present invention is not limited to the embodiments described below, and it goes without saying that various aspects are included without departing from the spirit of the present invention.

FIG. 1 is a schematic configuration diagram of an example of an ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus according to an embodiment. FIG. 2 is a perspective view of an example of the touch panel, and FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view taken along line AA shown in FIG. In addition, the same code | symbol is attached | subjected about the thing similar to the touchscreen 2.
The ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus includes a monitor 50 for displaying an ultrasonic image, an ultrasonic probe 51 that transmits and receives ultrasonic waves, the touch panel 1, and a control unit (computer) 40 that controls the entire ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus. Consists of.
The function processed by the control unit 40 will be described as a block. A touch panel display control unit 41 that displays a button image (operation content image) or the like on the touch panel 1 and a control signal corresponding to the selected button image or the like are created. A control signal generating unit 42 that performs monitoring, a monitor display control unit 43 that displays an ultrasonic image on the monitor 50, and an ultrasonic probe control unit 44 that controls the ultrasonic probe 51.

The ultrasonic probe 51 includes an ultrasonic transducer (transducer) that transmits and receives an ultrasonic wave, and the ultrasonic transducer is inserted into a body cavity of a patient so that a spiral scan of the ultrasonic transducer can be performed. .
The touch panel display control unit 41 performs control to display a button image and a knob image on the touch panel 1 by outputting a display signal to the touch panel 1.
For example, a display signal for displaying a circular knob image is output to the left part of the surface of the touch panel 1 and a display signal for displaying nine circular button images is output to the right part of the surface of the touch panel 1. To do.

The control signal creation unit 42 creates a control signal corresponding to the selected button image or knob image when the position of the surface of the touch panel 1 is pressurized, and the monitor display control unit 43 or the ultrasonic probe control unit Control to output a control signal to 44 is performed.
For example, a control signal for rotating the ultrasonic image displayed on the monitor 50 is output to the monitor display control unit 43 by rotating right or left while the operator touches the circumference of the knob image with a finger. .
Further, when the operator touches one button image selected from the nine button images with a finger, a control signal for stopping the ultrasonic image is output to the monitor display control unit 43, or the operator has nine By touching another button image selected from these button images with a finger, a control signal for printing an ultrasonic image displayed on the monitor 50 is output to a printer (not shown).

The monitor display control unit 43 performs control to display an ultrasonic image on the monitor 50 based on the control signal from the control signal creation unit 42.
The ultrasonic probe control unit 44 controls the ultrasonic probe 51 based on the control signal from the control signal creation unit 42.

The touch panel 1 includes a housing 20, a liquid crystal display plate 21 formed on the housing 20, a pressure detection layer 30 including transparent electrodes 31 and 32 formed on the liquid crystal display plate 21, and a pressure detection layer 30. And a transparent protective layer 10 formed on the substrate.
The liquid crystal display panel 21 displays, for example, a knob image and nine button images based on a display signal from the touch panel display control unit 41.
The pressure detection layer 30 is formed by laminating a plurality of strip-shaped transparent electrodes 32 arranged in the vertical direction and a plurality of strip-shaped transparent electrodes 31 arranged in the horizontal direction. Intersections with one transparent electrode 32 are switches. In other words, when the position of the surface of the transparent protective layer 10 is pressed, the pressed position can be sensed. Then, the pressure detection layer 30 outputs designated position information, which is a pressurized position, to the control signal creation unit 42.

The transparent layer 10 is made of a transparent film. On the surface of the transparent layer 10, an annular convex part 11 and nine cylindrical convex parts 12 are formed.
The height of the annular convex portion 11 is, for example, 0.1 mm to several mm, and the convex portion 11 is formed so as to surround the circular knob image displayed on the touch panel 1 on the inner surface. Yes. Thus, the operator can easily touch the circumferential portion of the knob image by touching the inner peripheral surface of the convex portion 11 with a finger. That is, it is possible to input by blind touch without visually confirming the display position of the knob image.
The height of the columnar convex portion 12 is, for example, 0.1 mm to several mm, and one convex portion 12 is formed at the center of one circular button image displayed on the touch panel 1. Is formed. Thereby, the operator can touch the peripheral part of a button image easily by touching the convex part 12 with a finger | toe. That is, it is possible to input by blind touch without visually confirming the display position of the button image. If the operation is mastered, it is possible to input by blind touch without visually confirming the display position of the button image to be selected from the plurality of button images.

As described above, according to the ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus of the present invention, it is possible to input by blind touch. Therefore, it is possible to concentrate on the ultrasonic image displayed on the monitor 50 and to communicate with the patient even during the examination of the patient.

(Other embodiments)
In the above-described ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus, the configuration in which the annular convex portion 11 and the nine cylindrical convex portions 12 are formed is shown. However, the quadrangular convex portion or the grid-shaped convex portion is not provided. It is good also as the structure currently formed.

INDUSTRIAL APPLICABILITY The present invention can be used for an ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus including a touch panel for controlling operations in order to obtain an ultrasonic image.

1 is a schematic configuration diagram of an example of an ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus according to an embodiment. It is a perspective view of an example of a touch panel. It is sectional drawing of the AA line shown in FIG. It is a perspective view of an example of the conventional touch panel. It is sectional drawing of the BB line shown in FIG.

Explanation of symbols

1, 2, Touch panel 11, 12 Convex part 41 Touch panel display control part 42 Control signal creation part 30a Button image (operation content image)
30b Knob image (Operation content image)
50 Monitor 51 Ultrasonic probe

Claims (2)

An ultrasonic probe for transmitting and receiving ultrasonic waves;
A monitor on which an ultrasound image based on the ultrasound is displayed;
A touch panel that senses the position of the pressurized surface and outputs specified position information;
A touch panel display control unit that displays a plurality of operation content images for controlling operations on the touch panel;
A control signal creating unit that creates a control signal corresponding to the operation content image selected from the plurality of operation content images based on the designated position information from the touch panel;
Based on the control signal, display an ultrasonic image on the monitor, or an ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus for controlling the ultrasonic probe,
An ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus, wherein an uneven portion for distinguishing display positions of the plurality of operation content images is formed on a surface of the touch panel. The ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the uneven portion includes at least an annular protrusion and a cylindrical protrusion.

Images