User interface for handheld imaging devices

Abstract

A Graphical User Interface (GUI) for an ultrasound system. The ultrasound system has operational modes, and the GUI has corresponding icons, tabs, and menu items Image and information fields. The User Interface (UI) provides several types of graphical elements with intelligent behavior, such as being context sensitive and adaptive, called active objects, for example, tabs, menus, icons, windows of user interaction and data display, and an alphanumeric keyboard. In addition the UI may also be voice activated. The UI further provides for a touchscreen for direct selection of displayed active objects. In an embodiment, the UI is for a medical ultrasound handheld imaging instrument. The UI provides a limited set of hard and soft keys with adaptive functionality that can be used with only one hand and potentially with only one thumb.

What is claimed:  
     
         1 . A system comprising: 
 an ultrasound system having 
 a graphical user interface that presents to a user a choice of display modes, one of the display modes displays an anatomically correct image that represents flow as motion of a speckled pattern.  
   
     
     
         2 . A system comprising: 
 a handheld ultrasound system having a graphical user interface that displays windows that can be retiled by the user.    
     
     
         3 . The system of  claim 2  wherein the windows can be dragged to different positions on a display.  
     
     
         4 . A system comprising: 
 an ultrasound imaging device having a plurality of operation modes, at least two of the operation modes are selected from a group of operation modes consisting of: 
 an image mode selection mode,  
 an image acquisition mode,  
 a system configuration mode,  
 a measure and annotate mode,  
 an archiving mode, and  
 a system services mode.  
   
     
     
         5 . The system of  claim 3  wherein the image mode selection mode includes a choice of image viewing modes that a user can select from, the choice including at least two modes selected from the group of image viewing modes consisting of: 
 a B-mode,  
 an M-mode,  
 a power Doppler mode,  
 a continuous wave Doppler mode, and  
 a pulsed wave Doppler mode.  
 
     
     
         6 . The system of  claim 5  wherein the operation modes include at least all of the operation modes of the group of operation modes.  
     
     
         7 . The system of  claim 6  wherein the image viewing modes include at least all of the image viewing modes of the group of image viewing modes.  
     
     
         8 . An ultrasound system comprising: 
 a display and control unit having 
 a graphical user interface, 
 the graphical user interface having active elements that respond to the state of the system and to historical choices made by a user, and  
 
 a screen for displaying the graphical user interface; and  
   a transducer unit for receiving and transmitting ultrasonic signals, communicatively coupled to the display and control unit.    
     
     
         9 . The system of  claim 8  further comprising a docking unit for recharging the system.  
     
     
         10 . The system of  claim 8  wherein the display and control unit further comprises a handle having buttons thereon.  
     
     
         11 . The system of  claim 10  wherein the buttons are arranged in an elliptical pattern.  
     
     
         12 . The system of  claim 10  wherein the buttons are sized in sizes and arranged in a pattern specially designed for operation with a thumb of a hand holding the display and control unit.  
     
     
         13 . The system of  claim 10  wherein the buttons include a direction button for navigating within the graphical user interface.  
     
     
         14 . The system of  claim 12  wherein the graphical user interface includes a virtual keyboard.  
     
     
         15 . The system of  claim 8  wherein the graphical user interface includes a mode for checking a battery that powers the system.  
     
     
         16 . The system of  claim 8  wherein the display and control unit and the transducer unit are specially adapted for a user to hold the transducer unit in one hand and the display and control unit in the other hand while operating system.  
     
     
         17 . The system of  claim 8  wherein the display and control unit and the transducer unit are each of a size and shape that is specially adapted for a user to hold the transducer unit in one hand and the display and control unit in the other hand while operating system.  
     
     
         18 . The system of  claim 8  wherein a response time to an input is controlled and actively changed according to the state of the system to give a user a perception of a tactile response.  
     
     
         19 . An ultrasound system comprising: 
 a display and control unit including 
 a graphical user interface that presents to a user a choice of display modes having 
 an image acquisition mode,  
 a system configuration mode,  
 a measure and annotate mode,  
 an archiving mode,  
 a system services mode,  
 an image mode selection mode that allows a user to choose an image mode from a choice of image modes that has 
 a mode for displaying an anatomically correct image that represents flow as motion of a speckled pattern,  
 a B-mode,  
 an M-mode,  
 a power Doppler mode,  
 a continuous wave Doppler mode, and  
 a pulsed wave Doppler mode,  
 
 
  the graphical user interface also having 
 elements that respond to the state of the system and to historical choices made by the user, and  
 a virtual keyboard,  
 
 a handle having buttons thereon that include a direction button for navigating within the graphical user interface, and  
 a screen for displaying the graphical user interface;  
   a transducer unit for receiving and transmitting ultrasonic signals, communicatively coupled to the display and control unit; and    a docking unit.    
     
     
         20 . A method comprising: 
 holding a handheld ultrasound device in one hand; and    using a thumb of the hand to actuate buttons on a handle of the handheld ultrasound device to 
 navigate a selection on a screen of the ultrasound device,  
 change views of a graphical user interface, and  
 enter text.