Koninklijke Philips Corporation N.V.

Grace M Saccardo

Rachel M Kinicki

Daniel Gerard Maier

Donald W Lewallen

Brian Collamore

Peter Koester Rhoads

Michael Hoar

Janice M Blackwell-Jones

An ultrasound imaging device including a display which displays an ultrasound image of an object (such as a portion of a body of a patient) and a soft keyboard displayed on the display, which enables entering of identification information relating to the ultrasound image. The soft keyboard replaces the ultrasound image during an identification entry mode, to easily enable the entry of the identification information. The identification information may be patient identification information or date/time information, for example. The ultrasound imaging device may include software which enables the soft keyboard to be displayed in a plurality of different languages.

Ultrasound imaging device having a soft keyboard for entering data

In accordance with the present invention, a compact flash technology is utilized in an ultrasound device for storing digital images. The digital images preferably are stored in a standard format, such as, for example, the JPEG format, so that no specialized software is required to access and view the images. Compact flash technology is readily available to consumers and generally is relatively inexpensive. Also, relatively low cost interfaces are available for PCs and some printers to enable the digital images stored on a compact flash disk to be easily downloaded to a PC or printer. Additionally, standard PCs typically are equipped with software that can read JPEG files. Therefore, personal users of the ultrasound device can easily download images to their PCs and access and view the images without the need for special equipment, training, or personnel. When stored in such a standard format, no additional software is needed to view the images and thus the user can use his or her PC to access and view the images at no additional expense, provided the PC is equipped with hardware and/or software associated with the format. Although the images preferably are stored in the JPEG format on the compact flash disk, the images may be stored in other formats, such as, for example, the TIFF format, which is also a standard image format. Specialized software, such as DICOM or DSR, may also be utilized with the present invention if desired.

Method and apparatus for storing image information in an ultrasound device

An ultrasound diagnostic device includes a console portion and a display portion. The console portion includes a control panel, which includes a plurality of input keys. A user may input commands on the control panel by actuating one or more keys on the control panel. The console portion comprises control circuitry, which controls the operations of the ultrasound diagnostic device. The control circuitry receives input signals from the control panel. The input signals correspond to commands entered by the user on the control panel. The control circuitry processes the electrical signals and performs operations on an ultrasound image being displayed on a display monitor. The ultrasound images being displayed on the display may be modified by the control circuitry in response to one or more keys of the control panel being actuated by the user. A transducer assembly connected to the console portion is used by the user to acquire ultrasound image information from a subject. Each of the keys on the console portion represent a particular function to be performed by the control circuitry on image information acquired by the transducer assembly. This &ldquo;one button per function&rdquo; feature of the invention utilizes icons, which inform the user of the function of each key. This feature of the invention renders the control panel suitable for use all over the world since the icons are capable of being understood by people of different nationalities. The overall size and weight of the ultrasound diagnostic device is reduced because the number of keys needed to operate the ultrasound diagnostic device is minimized. In another aspect of the invention, the ultrasound diagnostic device includes logic configured to allow the device to be localized by the user based on a number of different parameters, including, but not limited to, language, date appearance convention and decimal point convention.

Intuitive user interface and control circuitry including linear distance measurement and user localization in a portable ultrasound diagnostic device

Growing community of inventors

Bolton, MA, United States of America

Grace M Saccardo