Medical ultrasound imaging system having a partitioned menu

Patent 5161535 Issued on November 10, 1992. Estimated Expiration Date:

June 24, 2011. Estimated Expiration Date is calculated based on simple USPTO term provisions. It does not account for terminal disclaimers, term adjustments, failure to pay maintenance fees, or other factors which might affect the term of a patent.

Abstract Claims Description Full Text

Patent References

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Inventors

Application

No. 720149 filed on 06/24/1991

US Classes:

600/437, Ultrasonic345/173, Touch panel715/702, Tactile based interaction715/810Menu or selectable iconic array (e.g., palette)

Examiners

Primary: Jaworski, Francis J.
Assistant: Manuel, George

International Class

A61B 008/00

Abstract

An ultrasound imaging system and method for controlling the system has a control panel which includes menu items divided into system mode menu items for selecting a system mode, and control set menu items for selecting functions corresponding to a selected system mode menu item. The system mode menu items are always available for selection independent of which control set is being displayed. An electro-luminescent touch panel displays the menu items and the user selects a menu item by touching the item on the panel. Rotatable controls are located on the control panel adjacent to the display and displayed menu items which define the functions of the controls. More then one system mode may be activated at the same time by selecting each desired system mode in sequence from the system mode menu items. The system modes include 2D, M mode, Color flow, and Doppler imaging. A second panel displays non-imaging related functions.