Abstract:
A flat touchscreen monitor that uses touchscreen-effectuating components from a cathode ray tube (CRT) monitor to allow users to upgrade to a flat touchscreen monitor without having to purchase a new flat touchscreen monitor. The flat touchscreen monitor includes first, second, third, and fourth curved-array connectors that were previously configured to electrically attach to a pair of curved-array of IR transmitters and a pair of curved-array of IR receivers, respectively. The monitor further includes first and second straight-array of IR transmitters electrically coupled to the first and second curved-array of connectors, respectively. Additionally, the monitor includes first and second straight-array of IR receivers electrically coupled to the third and fourth curved-array of connectors, respectively. The third and fourth curved-array of connectors are electrically coupled to a touchscreen controller. The straight-array of IR transmitters and receivers may be positioned on all sides of a flatscreen to effectuate the touchscreen operation.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION 
       [0001]    This application claims the benefit of the filing date of U.S. Provisional Application, Ser. No. 62/352,060, filed on Jun. 20, 2016, which is incorporated herein by reference. 
     
    
     FIELD 
       [0002]    Aspects of the present disclosure relate generally to medical imaging systems, and more particularly, to a system, apparatus, and method for converting a cathode ray tube (CRT) touchscreen monitor used for medical imaging purposes to a flat touchscreen monitor for the same use. 
       BACKGROUND 
       [0003]    In the past, medical imaging monitors were configured as cathode ray tube (CRT) type monitors. For medical imaging applications, the CRT monitors were further configured to include a touchscreen to allow medical personnel, such as doctors, nurses, and others, to more easily interact with the touchscreen monitor while performing medical procedure on patients. 
         [0004]    However, due to CRT monitors generally becoming obsolete and making way for flatscreen monitors, some medical facilities are discarding the old CRT touchscreen monitors for the new flatscreen touchscreen monitors. But this upgrade may be very expensive for medical facilities as they may have to replace many CRT touchscreen monitors with a corresponding number of flatscreen touchscreen monitors. For some medical facilities, the cost itself is an obstacle for achieving the desired upgrade. 
       SUMMARY 
       [0005]    The following presents a simplified summary of one or more embodiments in order to provide a basic understanding of such embodiments. This summary is not an extensive overview of all contemplated embodiments, and is intended to neither identify key or critical elements of all embodiments nor delineate the scope of any or all embodiments. Its sole purpose is to present some concepts of one or more embodiments in a simplified form as a prelude to the more detailed description that is presented later. 
         [0006]    An aspect of the disclosure relates to a touchscreen monitor, comprising a touchscreen controller; a source for generating a drive voltage; a first curved-array of connectors each configured to receive the drive voltage; a first straight-array of infrared (IR) transmitters configured to: receive the drive voltage via the first curved-array of connectors, respectively, and generate IR signals in response to receiving the drive voltage; a second straight-array of IR receivers configured to generate electrical signals based on receiving the IR signals, respectively; and a second curved-array of connectors configured to receive the electrical signals for routing to the touchscreen controller, respectively. 
         [0007]    To the accomplishment of the foregoing and related ends, the one or more embodiments include the features hereinafter fully described and particularly pointed out in the claims. The following description and the annexed drawings set forth in detail certain illustrative aspects of the one or more embodiments. These aspects are indicative, however, of but a few of the various ways in which the principles of various embodiments may be employed and the description embodiments are intended to include all such aspects and their equivalents. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0008]      FIG. 1A  illustrates a front view of an exemplary medical imaging cathode ray tube (CRT) touchscreen monitor in accordance with an aspect of the disclosure. 
           [0009]      FIG. 1B  illustrates a block diagram of the exemplary medical imaging CRT touchscreen monitor in accordance with another aspect of the disclosure. 
           [0010]      FIG. 2A  illustrates a front view of an exemplary medical imaging converted-flat touchscreen monitor in accordance with another aspect of the disclosure. 
           [0011]      FIG. 2B  illustrates a block diagram of the exemplary medical imaging converted-flat touchscreen monitor in accordance with another aspect of the disclosure. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0012]    The detailed description set forth below, in connection with the appended drawings, is intended as a description of various configurations and is not intended to represent the only configurations in which the concepts described herein may be practiced. The detailed description includes specific details for the purpose of providing a thorough understanding of the various concepts. However, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that these concepts may be practiced without these specific details. In some instances, well-known structures and components are shown in block diagram form in order to avoid obscuring such concepts. 
         [0013]      FIG. 1A  illustrates a front view of an exemplary medical imaging cathode ray tube 
         [0014]    (CRT) touchscreen monitor  100  in accordance with an aspect of the disclosure. As illustrated, the CRT touchscreen monitor  100  includes a touchscreen having an aspect ratio of substantially 1:1, as that is typical of CRT monitors. 
         [0015]    The CRT touchscreen monitor  100  further includes components to effectuate the touchscreen operation of the monitor. For instance, the monitor  100  includes a first curved-array of infrared (IR) transmitters  110 , a first curved-array of IR receivers  120 , a second curved-array of IR transmitters  130 , and a second curved-array of IR receivers  140 . 
         [0016]    The first curved-array of IR transmitters  110  is positioned along and substantially-aligned with the left-side of the touchscreen of the monitor  100 , and oriented in a substantially-vertical manner with a symmetrical curved portion being concaved leftward and having an apex being substantially positioned at mid-height of the touchscreen. The first curved-array of IR transmitters  110  are configured to generate an array of horizontally-propagating IR signals extending substantially from the top to the bottom of the touchscreen, as indicated by the horizontal arrowed-lines. 
         [0017]    The first curved-array of IR receivers  120  is positioned along and substantially-aligned with the right-side of the touchscreen of the monitor  100 , and oriented in a substantially-vertical manner with a symmetrical curved portion being concaved rightward and having an apex being substantially positioned at mid-height of the touchscreen. If not occluded by a user&#39;s finger, the first curved-array of IR receivers  120  are configured to receive the array of horizontally-propagating IR signals generated by the first curved-array of IR transmitters  110 , respectively. 
         [0018]    Similarly, the second curved-array of IR transmitters  130  is positioned along and substantially-aligned with the bottom-side of the touchscreen of the monitor  100 , and oriented in a substantially-horizontal manner with a symmetrical curved portion being concaved downward and having an apex being substantially positioned at mid-width of the touchscreen. The second curved-array of IR transmitters  130  are configured to generate an array of vertically-propagating IR signals extending substantially from the left-side to the right-side of the touchscreen, as indicated by the vertical arrowed-lines. 
         [0019]    The second curved-array of IR receivers  140  is positioned along and substantially aligned with the top-side of the touchscreen of the monitor  100 , and oriented in a substantially-horizontal manner with a symmetrical curved portion being concaved upward and having an apex being substantially positioned at mid-width of the touchscreen. If not occluded by a user&#39;s finger, the second curved-array of IR receivers  140  are configured to receive the array of vertically-propagating IR signals generated by the second curved-array of IR transmitters  130 , respectively. 
         [0020]    In operation, when a user&#39;s finger is placed on the touchscreen of the monitor  100 , the finger blocks one or more of the horizontally- and vertically-propagating IR signals generated by the first and second curved-array of IR transmitters  110  and  130 , respectively. As a consequence, a corresponding one or more IR receivers of the first and second curved-array of IR receivers  120  and  140  do not receive the IR signals blocked by the user&#39;s finger. A touchscreen controller (not shown in  FIG. 1A ) determines the position of the user&#39;s finger based on the IR receivers that do not receive the IR signals. 
         [0021]      FIG. 1B  illustrates a block diagram of the exemplary medical imaging CRT touchscreen monitor  100  in accordance with another aspect of the disclosure. As illustrated, the first curved-array of IR transmitters  110  includes a printed circuit board (PCB)  112  having thereon the individual IR transmitters  114  electrically attached to corresponding connectors  116  collectively oriented as a curved array as discussed. The IR transmitters  114  each receive a drive voltage V D  via metal traces disposed on the PCB  112  in order to generate the corresponding horizontally-propagating IR signal. 
         [0022]    The first curved-array of IR receivers  120  includes a PCB  122  having thereon the individual IR receivers  124  electrically attached to corresponding connectors  126  collectively oriented as a curved array as discussed. The IR receivers  124  are coupled to a touchscreen controller  150  via a corresponding set of interconnects  152 , respectively. The IR receivers  124  convert the received IR signals into electrical signals, which are sent to the touchscreen controller  150  via the set of interconnects  152 , respectively. 
         [0023]    Similarly, the second curved-array of IR transmitters  130  includes a PCB  132  having thereon the individual IR transmitters  134  electrically attached to corresponding connectors  136  collectively oriented as a curved array as discussed. The IR transmitters  134  each receive a drive voltage V D  via metal traces disposed on the PCB  132  in order to generate the corresponding vertically-propagating IR signal. 
         [0024]    The second curved-array of IR receivers  140  includes a PCB  142  having thereon the individual IR receivers  144  electrically attached to corresponding connectors  146  collectively oriented as a curved array as discussed. The IR receivers  144  are coupled to the touchscreen controller  150  via a corresponding set of interconnects  154 , respectively. The IR receivers  144  convert the received IR signals into electrical signals, which are sent to the touchscreen controller  150  via the set of interconnects  154 , respectively. 
         [0025]    As discussed, when a user&#39;s finger is placed on the touchscreen of the monitor  100 , the finger blocks one or more of the horizontally- and vertically-propagating IR signals generated by the first and second curved-array of IR transmitters  110  and  130 , respectively. As a consequence, a corresponding one or more IR receivers of the first and second curved-array of IR receivers  120  and  140  do not receive the IR signals blocked by the user&#39;s finger; and thus, the corresponding electrical signals are not sent to the touchscreen controller  150 . Thus, the touchscreen controller  150  determines the position of the user&#39;s finger based on the IR receivers from which electrical signals are not received by the controller. 
         [0026]    As CRT monitors are effectively obsolete and flatscreen monitors are more preferred, many medical personnel would rather use a flatscreen monitor than a CRT monitor. However, as there exists many CRT monitors for medical imaging purposes, the cost to medical facilities to replace the CRT monitors with flatscreen monitors could be very substantial. Accordingly, an alternative lower cost solution is needed to effectively replace the medical imaging CRT touchscreen monitor  100  with a medical imaging flat touchscreen monitor. 
         [0027]      FIG. 2A  illustrates a front view of an exemplary medical imaging converted-flat touchscreen monitor  200  in accordance with another aspect of the disclosure. As illustrated, the converted-flat touchscreen monitor  200  includes a touchscreen having an aspect ratio of substantially 4:3. However, it shall be understood that the converted-flat touchscreen monitor  200  may be configured to have any aspect ratio as desired. 
         [0028]    The converted-flat touchscreen monitor  200  further includes components to effectuate the touchscreen operation of the monitor. For instance, the monitor  200  includes a first straight-array of IR transmitters  260 , a first straight-array of IR receivers  270 , a second straight-array of IR transmitters  280 , and a second straight-array of IR receivers  290 . 
         [0029]    The first straight-array of IR transmitters  260  is positioned along and substantially aligned with the left-side of the touchscreen of the monitor  200 , and oriented in a substantially-vertical manner The first straight-array of IR transmitters  260  are configured to generate an array of horizontally-propagating IR signals extending substantially from the top to the bottom of the touchscreen, as indicated by the horizontal arrowed-lines. 
         [0030]    The first straight-array of IR receivers  270  is positioned along and substantially aligned with the right-side of the touchscreen of the monitor  200 , and oriented in a substantially-vertical manner If not occluded by a user&#39;s finger, the first straight-array of IR receivers  270  are configured to receive the array of horizontally-propagating IR signals generated by the first straight-array of IR transmitters  260 , respectively. 
         [0031]    Similarly, the second straight-array of IR transmitters  280  is positioned along and substantially aligned with the bottom-side of the touchscreen of the monitor  200 , and oriented in a substantially-horizontal manner The second straight-array of IR transmitters  280  are configured to generate an array of vertically-propagating IR signals extending substantially from the left-side to the right-side of the touchscreen, as indicated by the vertical arrowed-lines. 
         [0032]    The second straight-array of IR receivers  290  is positioned along and substantially aligned with the top-side of the touchscreen of the monitor  200 , and oriented in a substantially-horizontal manner If not occluded by a user&#39;s finger, the second straight-array of IR receivers  290  are configured to receive the array of vertically-propagating IR signals generated by the second straight-array of IR transmitters  280 , respectively. 
         [0033]    In operation, when a user&#39;s finger is placed on the touchscreen of the monitor  200 , the finger blocks one or more of the horizontally- and vertically-propagating IR signals generated by the first and second straight-array of IR transmitters  260  and  280 , respectively. As a consequence, a corresponding one or more IR receivers of the first and second curved-array of IR receivers  270  and  290  do not receive the IR signals blocked by the user&#39;s finger. A touchscreen controller (not shown in  FIG. 2A ) determines the position of the user&#39;s finger based on the IR receivers that do not receive the IR signals. 
         [0034]      FIG. 2B  illustrates a block diagram of the exemplary medical imaging converted-flat touchscreen monitor  200  in accordance with another aspect of the disclosure. In this example, the monitor  200  has been converted into a flat touchscreen monitor using some components from the CRT touchscreen monitor  100  previously discussed. For instance, the converted-flat touchscreen monitor  200  includes the same touchscreen controller  150  of the CRT touchscreen monitor  100 . The converted-flat touchscreen monitor  200  includes modified components of the curved-array of transmitters  110 / 130  and receivers  120 / 140  of the CRT touchscreen monitor  100 . 
         [0035]    In particular, the converted-flat touchscreen monitor  200  includes a first drive voltage V D  source interconnect  210 . The first drive voltage V D  source interconnect  210  is a modification to the first curved-array of IR transmitters  110  of CRT touchscreen monitor  100 . That is, the drive voltage V D  source interconnect  210  includes the same PCB  112  and connectors  116  of the first curved-array of IR transmitters  110 , but with the individual IR transmitters  114  removed from the connectors  116  and replaced with first ends of a set of interconnects  252 , respectively. 
         [0036]    The converted-flat touchscreen monitor  200  further comprises the first straight-array of IR transmitters  260  including a PCB  262  having thereon the individual IR transmitters  264  electrically attached to corresponding connectors  266  collectively oriented as a straight array as discussed. The IR transmitters  264  are coupled to second ends of the set of interconnects  252 , respectively. Although, in this example, the set of interconnects  252  include an interconnect for each IR transmitter  264 , it shall be understood that the PCB  262  may include a multiplexer, matrix, or other circuit to reduce the number of interconnects  252  to less than one interconnect per IR transmitter  264 . 
         [0037]    Accordingly, the IR transmitters  264  receive the drive voltage V D  from the drive voltage V D  source interconnect  210  via the set of interconnects  252 , respectively. As in the previous embodiment, in response to the drive voltage V D , the IR transmitters  264  generate the corresponding horizontally-propagating IR signals. Also, as the height of the monitor  200  may be different than the height of the monitor  100 , the substantially uniform spacing between adjacent IR transmitters  264  may be different than the substantially uniform spacing between adjacent connectors  116  of the first drive voltage V D  source interconnect  210 . 
         [0038]    The converted-flat touchscreen monitor  200  also includes a first receiver interconnect  220 . The first receiver interconnect  220  is a modification to the first curved-array of IR receivers  120  of CRT touchscreen monitor  100 . That is, the first receiver interconnect  220  includes the same PCB  122  and connectors  126  as the first curved-array of IR receivers  120 , but with the individual IR receivers  124  removed and replaced with first ends of a set of interconnects  254 , respectively. 
         [0039]    The converted-flat touchscreen monitor  200  further comprises the first straight-array of 
         [0040]    IR receivers  270  including a PCB  272  having thereon the individual IR receivers  274  electrically attached to corresponding connectors  276  collectively oriented as a straight array as discussed. The IR receivers  274  are coupled to second ends of the set of interconnects  254 , respectively. Although, in this example, the set of interconnects  254  include an interconnect for each IR receiver  274 , it shall be understood that the PCB  272  may include a multiplexer, matrix, or other circuit to reduce the number of interconnects  254  to less than one interconnect per IR receiver  274 . Also, as the height of the monitor  200  may be different than the height of the monitor  100 , the substantially uniform spacing between adjacent IR receivers  274  may be different than the substantially uniform spacing between adjacent connectors  126  of the receiver interconnect  220 . 
         [0041]    If not occluded by a user&#39;s finger, the IR receivers  274  receive the horizontally-propagating IR signals generated by the first straight-array of IR transmitters  260 , respectively. Accordingly, the IR receivers  274  convert the received IR signals into electrical signals, which are then sent to the touchscreen controller  150  via the set of interconnects  254 , the first receiver interconnect  220 , and the set of interconnects  152 . The set of interconnects  152  are the same set of interconnects that couple the first curved-array of IR receivers  120  to the touchscreen controller  150 . 
         [0042]    Similarly, the converted-flat touchscreen monitor  200  includes a second drive voltage V D  source interconnect  230 . The second drive voltage V D  source interconnect  230  is a modification to the second curved-array of IR transmitters  130  of CRT touchscreen monitor  100 . That is, the second drive voltage V D  source interconnect  230  includes the same PCB  132  and connectors  136  as the second curved-array of IR transmitters  130 , but with the individual IR transmitters  134  removed and replaced with first ends of a set of interconnects  256 , respectively. 
         [0043]    The converted-flat touchscreen monitor  200  further comprises the second straight-array of IR transmitters  280  including a PCB  282  having thereon the individual IR transmitters  284  electrically attached to corresponding connectors  286  collectively oriented as a straight array as discussed. The IR transmitters  284  are coupled to second ends of the set of interconnects  256 , respectively. Although, in this example, the set of interconnects  256  include an interconnect for each IR transmitter  284 , it shall be understood that the PCB  282  may include a multiplexer, matrix, or other circuit to reduce the number of interconnects  256  to less than one interconnect per IR transmitter  284 . 
         [0044]    Accordingly, the IR transmitters  284  receive the drive voltage V D  from the second drive voltage V D  source interconnect  230  via the set of interconnects  256 , respectively. As in the previous embodiment, in response to the drive voltage V D , the IR transmitters  284  generate the corresponding vertically-propagating IR signals. Also, as the width of the monitor  200  may be different than the width of the monitor  100 , the substantially uniform spacing between adjacent IR transmitters  284  may be different than the substantially uniform spacing between adjacent connectors  136  of the second drive voltage V D  source interconnect  230 . 
         [0045]    The converted-flat touchscreen monitor  200  also includes a second receiver interconnect  240 . The second receiver interconnect  240  is a modification of the second curved-array of IR receivers  140  of CRT touchscreen monitor  100 . That is, the second receiver interconnect  240  includes the same PCB  142  and connectors  146  as the second curved-array of IR receivers  140 , but with the individual IR receivers  144  removed and replaced with first ends of a set of interconnects  258 , respectively. 
         [0046]    The converted-flat touchscreen monitor  200  further comprises the second straight-array of IR receivers  290  including a PCB  292  having thereon the individual IR receivers  294  electrically attached to corresponding connectors  296  collectively oriented as a straight array as discussed. The IR receivers  294  are coupled to second ends of the set of interconnects  258 , respectively. Although, in this example, the set of interconnects  258  include an interconnect for each IR receiver  294 , it shall be understood that the PCB  292  may include a multiplexer, matrix, or other circuit to reduce the number of interconnects  258  to less than one interconnect per IR receiver  294 . Also, as the width of the monitor  200  may be different than the width of the monitor  100 , the substantially uniform spacing between adjacent IR receivers  294  may be different than the spacing between adjacent connectors  146  of the receiver interconnect  240 . 
         [0047]    If not occluded by a user&#39;s finger, the IR receivers  294  receive the vertically-propagating IR signals generated by the second straight-array of IR transmitters  280 , respectively. Accordingly, the IR receivers  294  convert the received IR signals into electrical signals, which are sent to the touchscreen controller  150  via the set of interconnects  258 , the second receiver interconnect  240 , and the set of interconnects  154 . The set of interconnects  154  are the same set of interconnects that couple the second curved-array of IR receivers  140  to the touchscreen controller  150 . 
         [0048]    As discussed, when a user&#39;s fingers is placed on the touchscreen of the monitor  200 , the finger blocks one or more of the horizontally- and vertically-propagating IR signals generated by the first and second straight-array of IR transmitters  260  and  280 , respectively. As a consequence, a corresponding one or more IR receivers of the first and second straight-array of IR receivers  270  and  290  do not receive the IR signals blocked by the user&#39;s finger; and thus, the corresponding electrical signals are not sent to the touchscreen controller  150 . Accordingly, the touchscreen controller  150  does not receive the corresponding electrical signals from the IR receivers associated with the blocked IR signals. Therefore, the touchscreen controller  150  determines the position of the user&#39;s finger based on the IR receivers from which electrical signals are not received by the controller. 
         [0049]    The previous description of the disclosure is provided to enable any person skilled in the art to make or use the disclosure. Various modifications to the disclosure will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art, and the generic principles defined herein may be applied to other variations without departing from the spirit or scope of the disclosure. Thus, the disclosure is not intended to be limited to the examples described herein but is to be accorded the widest scope consistent with the principles and novel features disclosed herein.