Patent ID: 12245889

The same numeral references are used to denote identical or similar elements in the various figures. On various figures, axis X, Y, Z are represented for locating the directions.

MORE DETAILED DESCRIPTION

TheFIG.1presents an ultrasound imaging system10comprising:a probe20,a processing unit30for processing an image on the bases of signals received by the probe,a control panel40connected to the processing unit, said control panel at least comprising buttons41and a touch pad42, anda display50for visualizing the image.

The probe20connected to the processing unit30via a cable21or via a wireless connection, and it is able to emit ultrasound waves W into a medium M and to receive ultrasound waves W from the medium M, said received ultrasound waves being consequent or resulting from reflections of said emitted ultrasound waves on diffusing particles inside said medium. The probe20may be a transducer array comprising a plurality of transducers, each one converting an electric signal into a vibration and reciprocally. A transducer is for example a piezoelectric element. The transducer array may comprise hundred transducers or more. The transducer array is a linear or curved and is disposed on an outer surface of the medium M so as to be coupled to the medium and to vibrate and to emit or receive ultrasound waves W.

The processing unit30may comprise receiving devices for amplifying and/or filtering signals received from the probe20, and converters (analog to digital converters and digital to analog converters) for transforming the signals into data representing the signal. The data may be stored into a memory in the processing unit or directly processed for calculating intermediate processed data (beamformed data). The processing unit30may use any known processing method to process the image on the bases of the signals received from the probe, such as beamforming. The image processed may be:a simple medium image (B-mode image) usually in grey scale for visualizing organs inside the medium, oran image showing velocity or flow in the medium (colour image) for example useful for visualizing blood vessels in the medium, oran image showing a mechanical characteristic of the medium (elasticity) for example useful for identifying tumours inside the medium.

The display screen50is a screen for visualizing the image processed by the processing unit30. The display50may also visualize other information such as scales used in the image, or configuration information for the processing or any information such as help information or contextual gesture help for the touch pad42.

The display screen may by articulated on a support arm51for better positioning for the user. The display screen is usually a screen of a great size (at least 20 inches) for better image visualization to the user.

The control panel40is for example a portion of the system casing31, said portion comprising a panel casing48having a substantially flat surface40ainclined towards the user for manipulation by one hand of said user. The control panel40may be moved by a hanger upwards and downward for being adapted to the user size, and may be optionally moved frontward and rearward for being adapted to the user position. As seen onFIG.1, the control panel40may include a control panel display screen49for visualizing several configuration information. This control panel display screen49can also be hinged to the control panel casing48for being inclined into a different inclination than the control panel surface40a.

A first embodiment of a control panel40is represented onFIG.2and comprises several input control elements that are adapted to input values or adapted to input choices for the processing unit configuration or adapted to control the displayed image or adapted to cause actions.

For example, the input control elements41may be chosen in a list comprising:a key, touch key, or push button, said key or push button being naturally upwardly urged and having or not a light or sound or tactile feedback when the finger is pressing downwardly said key, said key being adapted to cause an action,a switch button, said switch button having two positions (up and down) for providing a state or choice,a slider cursor, said cursor being movable between two ends for providing a value,a rotary knob, said knob being rotatable for providing a value.

All these input control elements41permit to configure and/or to control the processing unit and/or to control the image on the display screen50. These input control elements41provide only one information (one state, one action, one value) for controlling one function of the system/processing unit (one configuration parameter or one action). Examples of such functions are:a choice of a processing method for the calculation of the image (B-mode, color mode, elastography mode, . . . ),a freeze function to freeze the real time imaging process,a save image or save film (succession of images) function,a measure function,a cursor function,a zoom function,a depth function,a focus function.

These are some of the most usual function for the user to configure and control the processing unit and the image on the display screen.

The control panel40further comprises a touch pad42. Touch pads are well-known devices that detect position of a user finger touch on their flat surface. The touch pad is usually a rectangular shape, but can be a circular shape. This touch pad is preferably positioned near the centre of the control panel surface40a. The touch pad is a pointing device sensing the position of the user finger on its surface and providing at least a two-dimension cursor position in the display screen50, therefore providing at least two information: x and y coordinates in the touch pad42that can be converted into coordinates in the display screen50.

Additionally, the touch pad42can provide the information characterizing that the finger is in contact with the touch pad surface42aor is not in contact with the touch pad surface42a, and the length of time of the contact.

Therefore, the touch pad42provides information for deducing actions or action gestures like: a simple tap action, a double tap action or a drag action.

A simple tap action is a gesture in which a user finger touch on the touch pad surface42ais detected for a tap length of time, i.e. a length of time that is short, for example lower than 0.2 seconds. A double tap action is a gesture in which a user finger touch is detected twice, in a sequence comprising a first touch during a tap length of time (as above), a non-detected touch during a undetected length of time, and a second during a tap length of time. The undetected length of time can be equivalent to the tap length of time. A single or double tap will be generally denoted as a tap action, in the following description.

A drag action is gesture in which a user finger is detected on the touch pad surface42a, and the position of this finger is moving on the touch pad surface42aduring this uninterrupted touch of said finger. The touch pad42records the information of positions of the finger during the drag of the finger on the touch pad surface (until it is lifted and then not detected).

Such touch pad can be used for deducing a simple action at the cursor position, i.e. an action on an element displayed at the determined x-y position on said display screen50.

Then, on the contrary to the above described input control elements41that are devices only providing one information (one state, one action, one value) for controlling one function (one configuration parameter or one action), the touch pad42provides a plurality of information. An input control element41does not provide any pointing information related a position (x and y) of a user finger on a two dimension surface.

The touch pad42has preferably a rectangular shape with a first lower edge421, a second upper edge422, a third left edge423and a fourth right edge424. The length of the first and second edges are the touch pad width Wtpand the third and fourth edges are the touch pad height Htp. Usually, the touch pad width is greater than the touch pad height.

According to the invention, the touch pad42is a multi-touch device that provides a multi-touch information to the processing unit30for determining multiple finger gestures on the touch pad surface42a, and the system determines a gesture and an associated system function based on said multi-touch information.

Thanks to the above features, the system can detect a great number of gestures

The multi-touch touch pad42can detect zero, one or two fingers on the touch surface42a. The multi-touch touch pad42is a device that can detect at least two or more fingers on the touch pad surface42a. For example, such touch pad42can detect up to four or five fingers on the touch surface. Such multi-touch touch pad42detects the positions of detected fingers and the duration of these detections, and then provides these multi-touch information to the system (a connected device).

Eventually, the touch pad42detects or determines some predetermined gestures as single or double taps. The multi-touch touch pad42provides in real time many information so as the receiving device can use the pre-detected gestures or recognize its own defined gestures.

Preferably, the system determines:a tap action when a finger of the user touches the touch pad42for a predetermined tap length of time, ora click action when a user pushes the touch pad42downwardly, and
the system then combines said tap action or click action with the multi-touch information for determining the gesture and associated system function.

Thanks to the above features, the system can detect a great number of gestures of the user fingers above the touch pad surface42a. The gesture is a combination of the number of detected fingers, and the movement of these fingers on the touch pad surface42(the tap or double tap action, or the fingers slide movement) and the physical click action on the touch pad42that moves it downwardly. In case of a slide movement, the system also determines the direction of said slide movement. Therefore, the number of possible combinations, i.e. the number of different gestures that can be determined by the system is quite high, and for example greater than 20.

Each gesture can be associated to a system function of the ultrasound imaging system. Thanks to the above great number, the most of the system functions can be directly done by these gestures on the touch pad42, without the need for the user to move his hand away from the touch pad42for manipulating an input control elements41. Therefore, the use of the ultrasound imaging system10is more efficient and the user can be more easily focused on the probe20manipulation above the medium M (a patient) rather than being focused on the control panel40manipulation.

The associated system function can be any function that is associated to a physical button of physical input control elements41as for example above listed, or any other function not associated to a physical input control element41.

The physical click action combined to multi-touch information provides a plurality of multi-touch click actions that are very interesting actions for associating them to most important, most used system functions. The physical click gives to the user a feedback that confirms the system function execution. The user can use the system without looking at the touch pad, and then system is then more comfortable and more efficient (faster) for use.

Then, the multi-touch touch pad can be used for complex gesture functions, such as three dimensional (3D) object manipulations, e.g. in case of 3D ultrasound imaging. It can also facilitate four dimensional (4D) manipulations which is 3D with one additional dimension of time.

In fact, multi-touch touch pad42gives ability to a huge number of various gestures via all possible sliding parallel or non-parallel displacements of fingers on the touch pad surface42a.

In fact, for having a huge number of distinct gestures and for having a huge number of associated system functions, the touch pad42is preferably able to detect four or five simultaneous fingers on the touch pad surface42a. Moreover, it is preferable that it detects the slide movement of these fingers on the surface in the four coordinate directions: positive x, negative x, positive y and negative y.

The touch pad may have a width, the touch pad width Wtp, greater than 10 centimeters so as the system is able to detect at least four fingers of a user. The number of gestures is therefore high. Advantageously the touch pad width Wtp, greater than 12 centimeters for more comfort to the user.

If necessary, the touch pad42width Wtpmay be greater than 12 centimeters, or even greater than 14 centimeters, therefore increasing the comfort in the use of multiple gestures on this touch pad.

The touch pad42may have a height, the touch pad height Htp, greater than 5.6 centimeters.

The touch pad aspect ratio ARtpis the ratio of the touch pad width Wtpover the touch pad height Htp, i.e. ARtp=Wtp/Htp. The display screen aspect ratio ARdsis the width over the height of said display screen. If the touch pad aspect ratio ARtpis similar to the display screen aspect ratio ARdsat plus or minus ten percent, then a finger position over the touch pad42more easily corresponds to a cursor position on the display screen50.

According to a variant as represented onFIG.3, the touch pad42is mounted or fixed above a touch pad button43, said touch pad button43being naturally upwardly urged. Such arrangement provides to the touch pad42the click action ability: when a user pushes the touch pad42downwardly, the click action is generated by the touch pad button43and the system can combine it with the multi-touch information for determining a gesture and an associated system function.

The touch pad button43preferably generates a sound and/or a tactile feedback to the user when it is downwardly activated. The touch pad button is not visible to the user as it is under the touch pad. The user can then use the touch pad42as a specific touch button (key).

The activation of the touch pad button43is a click action that can be used by the processing unit for example as a validation action. Said click action can differs from a simple tap or double tap gesture on the touch pad42. Thanks to this click action, the touch pad42can be more easily used and can be more efficiently used in terms of time spent for controlling or configuring the system.

The gesture is then a combination of the number of detected fingers, the movement of these fingers on the touch pad surface (tap, double tap, slide), and the click action. The number of possible gestures is increased, and most of system functions can be directly associated to them, and the system is more easily used.

More specifically, the gestures can include a combination of number of detected fingers and a click action: It can detect a click action with one finger and a click action with two fingers. It can also detect a click action with any number of fingers from one to five fingers. Each one of these gestures can be associated to a different system function.

Therefore, the click action from the touch pad button43is advantageously combined with the multi-touch information from the touch pad42for providing gestures that allow more direct control of the system10. This physical multi-touch click functionality for an ultrasound imaging system helps the user to be more focused on the probe20manipulation over the medium (patient). Such functionality improves user comfort.

More specifically, the gestures can include a combination of number of detected fingers and a movement of these fingers. It can detect a simultaneous movement of one, two or any number of fingers on the touch pad surface42a. Each one of these gestures can also be associated to a different system function. The fingers movements can be parallel to each other or not parallel to each other. For example, a convergent movement of two fingers can be associated to a zoom out system function, while a divergent movement of two fingers can be associated to a zoom in system function.

Additionally, each gesture can be associated to a plurality of system functions. The processing unit30then determines the system function to be associated and executed on the bases of the determined gesture and also on the bases of a contextual configuration: a status of the system or a focused object on the control panel display screen49or the display screen50. A system status may be a functioning mode of the system10that is determined by previous actions by the user on the input control elements41and/or touch pad42.

TheFIG.7shows an example of tables associating a gesture to a system function. In these tables, there are 30 gestures. The gesture image shows a hand:with circles at the end of fingers that are touching the touch pad surface42aand activating for a click action (for e.g. via the touch pad button43activation), orwith arrows for a slide action.
The number inside the hand remembers the number of fingers touching the touch pad surface42a.

Some gestures are represented twice: for two system functions. In that case, the system chooses one of them on the bases of a memorized contextual configuration as explained above.

The touch pad button43can be positioned in the center of the touch pad surface42aso that the user feels the touch pad42as only a single touch button.

The control panel40comprises below the first lower edge421of the touch pad42an area AR that does not comprise any input control element41. The user can then put down on this area AR the palm of his hand when manipulating the touch pad42: This will not interfere with any input control element41.

Additionally, the input control elements41that are closest to the third left edge423and the fourth right edge424are only input control elements41with a low profile (low height above the control panel surface40a). For example, these closest input control elements41are only push or switch buttons. The user hand is then less limited in its lateral movements. Optionally, the input control elements41that are closest to the second upper edge422and third left edge423and the fourth right edge424are only input control elements41with a low profile to free the depth (Y) and lateral (X) hand movements above the touch pad42.

Then, the input control elements41that more distant than said close input control elements comprises at least one rotary knob.

According to a variant as represented onFIG.4, the touch pad42is mounted or fixed above a plurality of touch pad buttons, said touch pad buttons being naturally upwardly urged. Such arrangement provides to the touch pad42the click action ability: when a user pushes the touch pad42downwardly, the click action is generated by at least one of the touch pad buttons43and the system can combine it with the multi-touch information for determining a gesture and an associated system function.

As in the previous variant, at least one of the touch pad buttons preferably generates a sound and/or a tactile feedback to the user when it is downwardly activated. The touch pad buttons are not visible to the user as they are under the touch pad42. The user can then use the touch pad42as a specific touch button (key).

The activation of the touch pad button43is a click action that can be used by the processing unit as a validation action in a gesture, as explained in the first variant.

The gesture is a combination of the number of detected fingers, the movement of these fingers on the touch pad surface (tap, double tap, slide), and the click action. As explained above, this combination provides a great number of gestures that can be directly associated to system functions.

Advantageously, there are four touch pad buttons431,432,433,434, positioned at the corners of the touch pad42, so as to improve stability of the touch pad activation when pressing it down.

According to a variant as represented onFIGS.5aand5b, the touch pad42is mounted or fixed above a support member44. The support member comprises a first portion44ahaving a flat shape adapted to receive the touch pad42: The first portion44ahas substantially the same shape and same size of said touch pad42. This first portion44aextends downward into one or two arms44bdown to respectively one or two hinges44c. The hinge44chas a rotation axis45relative to the panel casing48for allowing rotation of the support member and touch pad assembly relative to said panel casing48. The support member44is further mounted or fixed above a touch pad button43. The touch pad button43is for example situated near the second upper edge422of said touch pad42.

Such arrangement provides to the touch pad42the click action ability: when a user pushes the touch pad42downwardly, the click action is generated by the touch pad button43and the system can combine it with the multi-touch information for determining a gesture and an associated system function.

Then, the touch pad42is naturally upwardly urged. The touch pad button43preferably generates a sound and/or a tactile feedback to the user when it is downwardly activated. The touch pad button is not visible to the user as it is under the touch pad. The user can then use the touch pad42as a specific touch button (key).

The activation of the touch pad button43is a click action that can be used by the processing unit as a validation action, as explained in the first and second variants.

The activation of the touch pad button43is a click action that can be used by the processing unit for example as a validation action in a gesture, as explained in the first variant.

The gesture is a combination of the number of detected fingers, the movement of these fingers on the touch pad surface (tap, double tap, slide), and the click action. As explained above, this combination provides a great number of gestures that can be directly associated to system functions.

Thanks to this variant, the touch pad42is suspended in a rotating mechanism that is as simple as in the first variant and having more stability as in the second variant.

In case of one hinge, the hinge44cpreferably has a length substantially equal to the touch pad width Wtpso as to have good mechanism stability.

In case of two hinges (left and right), these hinges have same common rotation axis45. The hinges can be distant from each other of a distance substantially equal to the touch pad width Wtpas represented on the figure. This structure improves the mechanism stability.

The distance between the touch pad button43and the rotation axis45is higher than the touch pad height Htp, and preferably greater than 1.5 times the touch pad height Htp. The angle of rotation of said assembly is small and the user substantially feels only a translation in a direction perpendicular to the touch pad surface42a.

The arms44band hinges44cof the support member44are located inside the panel casing at the area AR under the first lower edge421of the touch pad42. As this area AR does not comprises any input control element41this mechanism can be integrated inside the panel casing48.

Then according to all the above variants, the touch pad42is mounted over a touch pad button43. This means that the touch pad is suspended directly or indirectly above one or a plurality of touch pad buttons.

Thanks to this particular feature, the activation of the touch pad button43is a click action that can be used by the processing unit as a validation action. The tap and the double tap gestures done on the touch pad42differ from the click action on the touch pad button43. In fact, the click action is a sort of tap gesture produced with an higher force on the touch pad42(and eventually a longer time duration) so that the touch pad button43on which the touch pad42is suspended, is actuated for generating the click action. The consequence of the click action is a small vertical (Z) displacement of whole touch pad42in direction of touch pad button43(perpendicular to the touch pad surface), and a sound and/or a tactile feedback to the user to feel said click action (without any doubt).

A second embodiment of a control panel is represented onFIG.6: this control panel40comprises two touch pads, a first touch pad42and a second touch pad42′.

Such feature can also be used independently from the others, and more precisely independently from the click action feature. Thanks to this features, the system can increase the number of system functions that can be controlled by the touch pads. These system functions are more rapidly selected and controlled by the user, and the use of the system is more comfortable and more efficient. The two touch pads helps to reduce the number of physical buttons on the control panel, and to provide a simpler and cheaper system without reducing the comfort of use.

However, the first and second touch pads42,42′ may also be multi-touch devices that each one provides multi-touch information to the processing unit. Each touch pad42,42′ also generates a click action when a user pushes each touch pad downwardly, and each click action can be combined with the corresponding multi-touch information (from the concerned touch pad) for determining a gesture and an associated system function. Such arrangement is then of comfortable and more efficient for the user.

The control panel40comprises below the first lower edge of the first touch pad42an area AR, and below the first lower edge of the second touch pad42′ an area AR′. Preferably, the areas AR and AR′ do not comprise any input control element41on them. The user can then put down on these areas AR, AR′ the palm of his hand when manipulating the touch pads42,42′: This will not interfere with any input control element41.

In case of the variant ofFIGS.5a,5b, the mechanisms including the arms and hinges of support members of each touch pad42,42′ can be located and integrated inside the panel casing48at the areas AR, AR′.

The first and second touch pads42,42′ may have the same size.

The first touch pad42is for example adapted for controlling the image on the display50and the second touch pad42′ is for controlling the processing unit configuration.