Control system and method for controlling equipment

Abstract

A control system for controlling equipment configured to receive user input control commands from one or more human interface devices. The control system receives a captured user-entered control command and then identifies a control action to be applied to the equipment in order to implement the user-entered control command. The control action is converted into a human interface device (HID) input command compatible with the one or more human interface devices, suitable for controlling the equipment. The HID input command is then sent to the equipment to simulate user input applied to the one or more human interface devices. In this manner, the control system may be applied to different types of equipment by converting an input control command (e.g., a voice command or gesture command) into an HID input command (typically manually input by a user) suitable for a particular equipment.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the control of equipment, and more particularly to the control of equipment distributed across multiple locations. A specific example is a medical system; part of the equipment interacts with the patient, while another part involves the control of the medical system but may be located remotely from the patient. Medical imaging is a particular example. Background Technology

[0002] Medical imaging is typically performed in an examination room (e.g., a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) or computed tomography (CT) room), where the patient and imaging system are located. However, the control console for the imaging system is usually located in a separate control room. Therefore, control of the imaging process is performed remotely from the patient.

[0003] The need to improve the efficiency of radiology workflows is growing, often contradicting the intention of operators to spend as much time as possible with patients. Furthermore, the general shortage of radiology staff means fewer personnel are available to operate imaging systems, necessitating the sequential execution of more operations that could otherwise be performed in parallel.

[0004] However, many functions of medical imaging systems can only be controlled from a console in the control room. Local operators must leave the examination room and the patient to perform these operations. The system under investigation allows local staff to receive support from remote experts or remotely control equipment. If remote experts are to supervise many different types of imaging systems from different vendors, they need to know how to perform the required operations in many different and inconsistent user interfaces. Therefore, the workload for remote operators remains high, especially when multiple very different systems need to be controlled simultaneously. This approach also incurs task switching overhead and consumes additional time.

[0005] US2010131280A1 describes a system for transmitting voice commands, the system being configured to recognize user authorization (i.e., decryption system).

[0006] US2019 / 0038236 discloses a system for controlling a medical device, wherein a voice command is received and converted into instructions that can be provided to the medical device so that the medical device can take action according to the converted instructions.

[0007] Therefore, a simplified method is needed to control devices such as medical systems. Summary of the Invention

[0008] This invention is defined by the independent claims. Dependent claims represent advantageous embodiments.

[0009] According to one aspect of the invention, a control system for controlling equipment is provided, the equipment being configured to receive control commands input by a user from one or more human interface devices, wherein the control system includes a processor for receiving and processing the control commands input by the user, wherein the processor is adapted to:

[0010] Identify the control actions to be applied to the equipment in order to implement the control commands input by the user;

[0011] The control actions are converted into HID input commands compatible with the one or more human interface devices and suitable for controlling the equipment; and

[0012] The HID input command is sent to the equipment to simulate user input applied to the one or more human interface devices.

[0013] This control system enables equipment operators to use input control commands independent of HID commands (e.g., user-input control commands in the form of voice or gesture commands). These control commands are interpreted by the control system and then translated into appropriate HID commands for the equipment, i.e., compatible with the equipment's human interface device. Therefore, the user does not use HID; instead, the control system generates HID signals as if the user were using HID. This is the meaning of "simulated user input." Thus, the control system acts as an intermediary between the user (e.g., who can use voice commands) and the human interface device of the controlled equipment.

[0014] For example, different components of the equipment may be located in different places; the human interface device might be in one location (in the control room), while the main functional components of the equipment might be located in another location (at the patient in a medical system, or at the workpiece in a non-medical system). The control system allows the user to be physically away from the human interface device, but still provides the equipment with commands that simulate the use of those devices.

[0015] A specific example is a medical system with a patient section and a control section. In the example of a medical scanner, the operator of the control system is positioned in the examination room along with the patient, while one or more HIDs of the medical system are positioned on a console, which is typically located in a different control room. The HIDs are typically USB input devices compatible with the USB HID protocol, such as a keyboard or mouse. Therefore, medical scanners typically include a USB port for communicating with the HID host of the medical scanner. Thus, a local operator can operate the imaging system console even from inside the examination room or from any other location. For example, the present invention is of interest for CT imaging.

[0016] For example, a processor may be adapted to use speech recognition to extract spoken commands from user-input control commands, or to use gesture recognition to extract gesture commands from user-input control commands.

[0017] Using voice commands allows the local operator to free their hands while operating the system. In a preferred embodiment, the medical system is a medical imaging system, such as computed tomography (CT), magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), positron emission tomography (PET), angiography systems, and other imaging systems.

[0018] Generally, the present invention can be applied to any type of distributed device, such as medical systems, medical or non-medical imaging systems, or other non-medical examples (e.g., cargo control equipment).

[0019] By translating control actions into HID input commands, operators can easily and consistently control the imaging system, independent of specific system types and user interfaces. Specifically, user-provided commands (which can be independent of HID commands, such as voice or gesture commands) are translated into user interface commands suitable for the specific medical system (and therefore modality- and vendor-specific). Thus, the control system is vendor-independent and can be retrofitted into any existing imaging system installation.

[0020] In remote assistance scenarios, as mentioned above, remote experts may not be fully familiar with all the different user interfaces of equipment from different vendors (such as medical scanners). In this case, an automated system that uses simulated keyboard or mouse (or other HID) signals to operate the user interface would be useful. The remote expert could then use consistent commands (such as voice commands) to have the system perform similar tasks on different user interfaces.

[0021] When the control system enables the use of voice commands, the sound is first captured by a microphone, which can be a dedicated microphone, such as one used in the examination room of a medical scanner, an existing intercom solution, or an earpiece worn by the operator. The captured sound is then subjected to speech recognition to interpret the sound and identify keywords and semantic structures. For example, the processor is configured to transmit HID input commands via a USB cable.

[0022] For example, sound collection and processing are performed locally in the inspection room, resulting in control of consoles in the control room via HID commands.

[0023] The result is that the control system generates HID commands as if they originated from the local user interface (such as the local keyboard or mouse). In this way, the control system simulates the user's actions.

[0024] HID input commands include one or more of the following: mouse commands, touchpad commands, keyboard commands, or gesture commands. Therefore, the control system simulates the use of a keyboard, mouse, or other HID devices.

[0025] The device includes, for example, a display screen, wherein the processor is further adapted to receive display output from the display screen and determine the current state of the equipment based on the display output, and wherein the HID input command takes into account the current state of the equipment.

[0026] To perform the required control actions (such as button presses or icon selection on the display), the necessary HID input commands may depend on the current state of the equipment in some cases. For example, in the case of a medical scanner, it may be necessary to change the viewing mode, or it may be necessary to close a modal dialog window before performing an operation. In some cases, the UI elements required to perform the operation (such as the display icon to be selected) may be located in different positions on the screen, depending on the current state of the medical scanner. By receiving the display output, the control system can identify the state of the equipment, such as recognizing the presence and display position of UI elements.

[0027] The processor can be configured to receive the display output of the screen as a captured video signal or data from screen capture software. Therefore, feedback for the device display can be implemented using hardware and / or software.

[0028] For the example of a medical scanner, the processor is configured, for instance, to select a control action from a predefined list of control actions, including one or more of the following:

[0029] Change the patient details in the patient record;

[0030] Move the patient station and position the patient;

[0031] Start or stop scan events;

[0032] Perform calibration measurements;

[0033] Change the lighting or fan settings.

[0034] Therefore, the user of the control system has a set of control actions that can be applied to any medical scanner. The control system then translates these actions into appropriate HID input commands. Thus, the user does not need to fully understand the different HID commands of the equipment.

[0035] The control system may also include a database that stores HID information for various types of equipment.

[0036] Therefore, a single user can control different types of equipment while reducing the overhead of learning different user interfaces for these systems. Data for the equipment is retrieved from the database to execute mappings to HID input commands.

[0037] For example, the processor is also configured to obtain user feedback before sending the corresponding HID input command. This user feedback, for instance, allows the user to approve the identified control action before the control system sends the corresponding HID input command.

[0038] For example, approval for a proposed action can be obtained through voice communication using a speaker and microphone, or through visual / tactile communication via a display, button, touchscreen, or gesture recognition device. Approval can be requested from the same operator who initially issued the voice command or from another local or remote operator with the required expertise.

[0039] For example, the processor is also configured to perform de-identification masking of audio and video data.

[0040] The present invention also provides a system comprising:

[0041] Equipment capable of receiving control commands input by a user from one or more human interface devices; and

[0042] The control system described above is used to control the equipment.

[0043] The present invention also provides a method for controlling equipment, the equipment being capable of receiving control commands input by a user from one or more human interface devices, wherein the method includes:

[0044] Identify the control actions to be applied to the equipment in order to execute the control commands input by the user;

[0045] The control actions are converted into HID input commands compatible with the one or more human interface devices and suitable for controlling the equipment; and

[0046] The HID input command is sent to the equipment to simulate user input applied to the one or more human interface devices (14).

[0047] This method enables operators to easily control equipment in a consistent manner, independent of specific system types and user interfaces.

[0048] The equipment includes, for example, a display screen, and the method further includes receiving display output from the display screen and determining the current state of the equipment based on the display output, wherein the generation of the HID input command takes into account the current state of the equipment.

[0049] HID input commands include one or more of the following: specific mouse commands, touchpad commands, keyboard commands, or gesture commands.

[0050] The equipment includes, for example, a medical scanner, and the method includes selecting a control action from a predefined list of control actions, including one or more of the following:

[0051] Change the patient details in the patient record;

[0052] Move the patient station and position the patient;

[0053] Start or stop scan events;

[0054] Perform calibration measurements;

[0055] Change the lighting or fan settings.

[0056] The method includes, for example, accessing a database to convert control actions into HID input commands, wherein the database stores user-input control commands supported by various types of equipment.

[0057] The present invention also provides a computer program comprising computer program code, wherein when the program is run on a computer, the computer program code is adapted to implement the above-described method.

[0058] These and other aspects of the invention will become apparent and will be explained with reference to the embodiments described below. Attached Figure Description

[0059] To better understand the invention and to more clearly illustrate how it can be practiced, reference will now be made to the accompanying drawings by way of example only, wherein,

[0060] Figure 1 The equipment is shown in the form of a medical system, specifically a radiation system, including a control system for generating HID commands;

[0061] Figure 2 The functionality of a first example of a control system is shown;

[0062] Figure 3 The functionality of a second example of a control system is shown; and

[0063] Figure 4 The method of controlling the equipment is shown. Detailed Implementation

[0064] The invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0065] It should be understood that while the detailed description and specific examples indicate exemplary embodiments of the devices, systems, and methods, they are intended for illustrative purposes only and are not intended to limit the scope of the invention. These and other features, aspects, and advantages of the devices, systems, and methods of the present invention will be better understood from the following description, the appended claims, and the accompanying drawings. It should be understood that the drawings are schematic only and are not drawn to scale. It should also be understood that the same reference numerals are used throughout the drawings to denote the same or similar parts.

[0066] This invention provides a control system for controlling equipment configured to receive user-inputted control commands from one or more human interface devices (HIDs). The control system receives the captured user-inputted control commands and then identifies a control action to be applied to the equipment to execute the user-inputted control commands. The control action is converted into a HID input command compatible with the one or more HIDs and suitable for controlling the equipment. The HID input command is then sent to the equipment to simulate user input applied to the one or more HIDs. In this way, by converting input control commands (e.g., verbal or gesture commands) into HID input commands suitable for a specific equipment (typically manually entered by the user), the control system can be applied to different types of equipment.

[0067] As described above, this invention can be applied to any device that uses a human interface device to input control commands. It allows the user to provide commands in different ways, and the control system generates simulated HID commands to implement the user commands.

[0068] This invention will be described with reference to medical equipment (and more specifically, medical scanners).

[0069] Figure 1 The device is shown in the form of a medical system, and more specifically a radiological system, having a console 10 and a scanner 20, such as a CT scanner. It should be understood that other systems, such as MRI systems, angiography systems, PET systems, or other medical or non-medical systems, can be contemplated within the context of this invention. Therefore, the following explanation with reference to medical systems can be applied more generally to other types of controlled equipment.

[0070] Console 10 is located, for example, in a control room, while scanner 20 is located, for example, in an examination room. Medical systems 10 and 20 are capable of receiving control commands input by the user from one or more human interface devices (HIDs), such as keyboard 11a and mouse 11b shown. Other examples include touchpads, touch panels, or gesture interfaces. HID commands are received at HID host 14 via a USB port, thus implementing the USB HID protocol. The HID host is part of the system controller 12 of console 10.

[0071] The console 10 also features a display 16. The display presents information about the scanning process, and it can also be used as an input device, such as touchscreen input to the display. Therefore, touchscreen input is one of several input modes defined in the HID-USB standard.

[0072] This invention relates to a control system 30 for generally controlling equipment, such as for controlling the illustrated medical system. Specifically, the control system 30 generates HID input signals.

[0073] The control system 30 receives control commands input by the user, and these commands are received independently of the HID. For example, the user-input control commands are verbal. In this case, the control system uses speech recognition to recognize the verbal commands and convert them into HID input commands suitable for controlling the medical system. These HID input commands are typically manually entered by the user using a keyboard 11a and a mouse 11b (and other HIDs not shown), and they are specific to a particular medical system. Therefore, the control system simulates manual control input. This means that the user providing input to the console 10 can be located away from the console, for example, with the patient in the examination room. More generally, the control system can receive commands from any local operator not currently working directly at the console or a remote assistant supervising the examination (and possibly several other examinations). These different options enable improvements in the efficiency of the radiology workflow.

[0074] Figure 2 The functionality of a first example of the control system 30 is shown.

[0075] The control system 30 receives sound picked up by a microphone. The microphone can be a dedicated microphone in the inspection room, an existing intercom solution, or a headset worn by the operator. The control system can be considered to have a set of modules, as described below, implemented by software running on a processor.

[0076] Module 13 uses speech recognition to extract spoken commands from the captured sound. Speech recognition identifies keywords and semantic structure.

[0077] These verbal commands are used to instruct the control actions applied to the medical system.

[0078] Control actions include any available user interface functions that can be used to control the operation of the medical system. Examples include:

[0079] Change the patient details in the patient record;

[0080] Move the patient station and position the patient;

[0081] Start or stop scan events;

[0082] Perform calibration measurements;

[0083] Change the lighting or fan settings.

[0084] These control actions are generally applicable to many different types of medical systems that can use this control system. However, different medical systems have different user interfaces, requiring different manual user input to implement these control actions. These control actions are, of course, just examples. Any other functions accessible via the user interface of a medical system can be considered.

[0085] In practice, the list of operations supported by the control system is limited because a predefined set of UI interaction steps is required for each of them.

[0086] In module 34, a database is used to identify control actions, allowing selection of action types corresponding to verbal commands from the user. Therefore, verbal commands are provided to the control system in a user-defined manner, and these verbal commands are translated into control actions for application to the medical system to implement the verbal commands.

[0087] In module 36, control actions are translated into appropriate HID input actions (such as specific mouse clicks and keyboard commands) that are part of the user interface of the specific medical system being used to implement the control actions. For example, using mouse positioning and clicking to select an icon displayed on monitor 16.

[0088] For this purpose, database 38 is accessed (it may be located outside the control system or it may be part of the control system). This database provides definitions of the user interface functions for a specific medical system, namely the set of HID inputs provided to the console and the corresponding control actions affected by these HID inputs. Therefore, user interface commands and corresponding HID inputs are modality- and vendor-specific.

[0089] The required HID commands are generated by module 42 and then transmitted to the USB port of the medical system controller 12, which in turn connects to the HID host 14. This is done, for example, via a USB cable. Thus, the HID commands simulate user input to the HID.

[0090] The system translates spoken commands corresponding to the desired control actions into HID input commands, enabling operators to easily control the imaging system in a consistent manner, regardless of specific system type or user interface. Therefore, the control system is vendor-independent and can be retrofitted into any existing imaging system installation. The control system can process gesture commands, rather than spoken commands.

[0091] The control actions available at any given time may depend on the information displayed on display 16. For example, different icons may be presented at different times depending on the current state of the imaging system. For instance, it may be necessary to change the viewing mode before instructing a specific operation, or to close the mode dialog window before performing the operation. The display icon that needs to be selected to perform a specific operation may also be located in different positions on the screen, depending on the current state of the medical system.

[0092] For example, the current state of a medical system depends on the progress of its functions, such as the progress of a medical scan. The current state also controls the information displayed to the user and the control options available to the user at a given time.

[0093] For example, a medical system might be in the process of performing a task to open a new patient case. In a given user interface, this could be achieved by sending the keyboard command Alt-P to open the "Patients" tab from the main menu and then sending N to create a new patient case. However, if a modal window is currently open (e.g., displaying a message), this window must be closed before accessing the menu. Therefore, the HID command depends on the system state. In the latter case, the system needs to first send a simulated mouse click "OK" or a keyboard command to close the modal window. Similarly, other system states might require other adapted UI interactions to achieve the same result.

[0094] In a preferred example, the control system receives the display output from the display screen and then determines the current state of the medical system based on the display output, thereby determining the available control actions and required HID commands. For this purpose, a screen capture module 40 is shown. It can identify the UI state (e.g., which user interface icons are displayed and their positions on the screen). Therefore, the generated HID input commands can take into account the configuration and current state of the medical system. In some cases, the screen capture device according to the invention can be screen capture software.

[0095] One straightforward method to implement screen capture functionality is to use a video splitter device to split the video signal from the console monitor and connect a second output to a video capture device (a standard USB device that converts video inputs (HDMI, DVI, etc.) into a video stream via the USB protocol). The image displayed on the console screen can then be processed by the control system to which the USB screen capture device is connected.

[0096] The system state can then be inferred by analyzing different parts of the captured screen to detect the current UI state, active UI elements, overlay windows, or scan progress information.

[0097] You can use video signals captured by (hardware) or data from screen capture software instead of screen capture software.

[0098] Figure 3 A modification is shown in which the confirmation module 35 is used to obtain approval for the identified control action before sending the corresponding HID input command. In the example shown, confirmation is sought before generating the HID command. For example, approval for the proposed action can be obtained through voice communication using a speaker and microphone, or through visual / tactile communication via a display, button, or touchscreen. Approval can be requested from the same operator who initially issued the voice command or from another local or remote operator with the required expertise.

[0099] Another optional module is used to implement methods for masking (removing personal data) audio and video data. This is important when information is processed in the cloud rather than locally, or when data is stored for training.

[0100] The example above uses a microphone to capture audio in order to recognize spoken commands. A camera can be used additionally or alternatively as an input device, for example, for gesture control as described above.

[0101] Another optional module is used to activate and deactivate audio capture (or video capture if video is used), for example, to prevent the acquisition of confidential or personal communications. This fulfills the need to analyze and record all information. Activation of analysis and recording can be combined with an adjustable timer, so that the system remains active for only a preset time after activation and then shuts itself off again.

[0102] Visual elements (such as LEDs) can indicate whether a system is active.

[0103] Another optional module is the analysis that identifies trigger words to activate audio (or video).

[0104] In another variant, mapping operations to device-specific USB HID commands can be used to implement a device-independent control interface for common operations such as adding new patients, interacting with Picture Archiving and Communication Systems (PACS) or Radiological Information Systems (RIS), and changing default protocols (examination cards). This is useful for automating the management of the entire scanner suite. In this case, the operator's voice input will be replaced by input from the hospital reception or ROCC, etc.

[0105] Figure 4 A method for controlling equipment is shown, the equipment being able to receive control commands input by a user via a simulated human interface device (HID).

[0106] The example of the method shown is based on speech recognition to control a medical system.

[0107] The method includes:

[0108] In step 50, the captured sound is received; and

[0109] In step 52, speech recognition is applied to extract spoken commands from the captured sound.

[0110] More generally, if the control system needs to interpret other types of user input (such as gestures), these two steps may differ. Therefore, more generally, these steps enable the user-inputted control commands to be understood.

[0111] In step 54, the method identifies control actions to be applied to the medical system in order to implement the spoken command.

[0112] The method then includes:

[0113] In step 56, the control action is converted into HID input commands suitable for controlling the equipment; and

[0114] In step 58, an HID input command is sent to the device, for example, via a USB port.

[0115] The example above is based on the HID-USB standard. However, the concept of this invention relates to simulating manual user input via a human interface device, which can be applied to other standards, and therefore to other protocols defining the communication interface between human interface devices and medical system control systems.

[0116] The described disclosure may be provided as a computer program or software, which may include a computer-readable storage medium having instructions stored thereon, the instructions being used to program a computer system (or other electronic device) to perform processes according to this disclosure. A computer-readable storage medium includes any mechanism that stores information in a computer-readable form (e.g., software, processing application). In various implementations, a processor may be associated with one or more storage media (e.g., volatile and non-volatile computer memory). For example, a computer-readable storage medium may include, but is not limited to, optical storage media (e.g., CD-ROM), magneto-optical storage media, read-only memory (ROM), random access memory (RAM), erasable programmable memory (e.g., EPROM and EEPROM), memory, or other types of media suitable for storing electronic instructions. RAM, PROM, EPROM, and EEPROM. The storage medium may be encoded with one or more programs that, when run on one or more processors and / or controllers, perform desired functions. Various storage media may be fixed within a processor or controller, or may be portable, such that one or more programs stored thereon can be loaded into the processor.

[0117] Those skilled in the art, through studying the accompanying drawings, the disclosure, and the claims, will be able to understand and implement variations of the disclosed embodiments when practicing the claimed invention. In the claims, the word "comprising" does not exclude other elements or steps, and the words "a" or "an" do not exclude a plurality.

[0118] The functions implemented by a processor can be achieved by a single processor or by multiple independent processing units, which can be collectively considered as constituting a "processor". In some cases, these processing units may be geographically separated and communicate with each other via wired or wireless means.

[0119] Although specific measures are described in different dependent claims, this does not imply that combinations of these measures cannot be used advantageously.

[0120] Computer programs can be stored / distributed on suitable media such as optical storage media or solid-state media that are provided together with or as part of other hardware, but they can also be distributed in other forms such as via the Internet or other wired or wireless telecommunications systems.

[0121] "Computer memory" or "memory" is an example of a computer-readable storage medium. Computer memory is any memory that can be directly accessed by a computing system. "Computer storage device" or "storage device" is another example of a computer-readable storage medium. A computer storage device is any non-volatile computer-readable storage medium. In some embodiments, a computer storage device may also be computer memory, or vice versa.

[0122] Machine-executable instructions or computer-executable code may include instructions or programs that cause a processor or other computing system to perform one aspect of the invention. Computer-executable code for performing operations targeting the aspects of the invention may be written in any combination of one or more programming languages, including object-oriented programming languages ​​such as Java, Smalltalk, C++, etc., and conventional procedural programming languages ​​such as "C" or similar programming languages, and compiled into machine-executable instructions. In some cases, the computer-executable code may be used in the form of a high-level language or in a pre-compiled form in conjunction with an interpreter that generates machine-executable instructions in flight. In other cases, the machine-executable instructions or computer-executable code may be in the form of programming against a programmable gate array.

[0123] The computer-executable code can run as a standalone software package entirely on the user's computer, partially on the user's computer, partially on the user's computer and partially on a remote computer, or entirely on the remote computer or server. In the latter scenario, the remote computer can be connected to the user's computer via any type of network (including a local area network (LAN) or a wide area network (WAN)) or via a connection to an external computer (e.g., via the Internet using an Internet service provider).

[0124] If the term “suitable” is used in the claims or description, it should be noted that the term “suitable” is intended to be equivalent to the term “configured as.” If the term “arrangement” is used in the claims or description, it should be noted that the word “arrangement” is intended to be equivalent to the term “system,” and vice versa.

[0125] Any reference numerals in the claims should not be construed as limiting the scope.

Claims

1. A control system (30) for controlling equipment, said equipment being configured to receive control commands input by a user from one or more human interface devices (14), wherein, The control system (30) includes a processor for receiving and processing control commands input by a user, wherein the processor is adapted to: Identify the control actions to be applied to the equipment in order to implement the control commands input by the user; The control actions are converted into HID input commands compatible with the one or more human interface devices (14) and suitable for controlling the equipment; and The HID input command is sent to the equipment to simulate user input applied to the one or more human interface devices (14).

2. The control system according to claim 1, wherein, The processor is adapted to use speech recognition to extract spoken commands from the user-input control commands, or to use gesture recognition to extract gesture commands from the user-input control commands.

3. The control system according to claim 1 or 2, wherein, The HID input commands include one or more of the following: mouse commands, touchpad commands, keyboard commands, and gesture commands.

4. The control system according to claim 1 or 2, wherein, The equipment includes a display screen, wherein the processor is further adapted to receive display output from the display screen and determine the current state of the equipment based on the display output, and wherein the HID input command takes into account the current state of the equipment.

5. The control system according to claim 4, wherein, The processor is configured to receive the display output of the display screen as a captured video signal or as data from screen capture software.

6. The control system according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein, The equipment includes a medical scanner, and wherein the processor is configured to select the control action from a predefined list of control actions, including one or more of the following: Change the patient details in the patient record; Move the patient station and position the patient; Start or stop scan events; Perform calibration measurements; Change the lighting or fan settings.

7. The control system according to any one of claims 1 to 6, comprising a database storing user-inputted control commands supported by a variety of different types of equipment.

8. The control system according to any one of claims 1 to 7, wherein, The processor is also configured to obtain user feedback before sending the corresponding HID input command.

9. A system comprising: Equipment capable of receiving control commands input by a user from one or more human interface devices; as well as A control system for controlling the equipment according to any one of claims 1 to 8.

10. A method for controlling equipment, said equipment being capable of receiving control commands input by a user from one or more human interface devices, wherein, The method includes: (50, 52) Identify the control actions to be applied to the equipment in order to implement the control commands input by the user; (56) Converting the control action into a human interface device (HID) input command compatible with the one or more human interface devices and suitable for controlling the equipment; and (58) Send the HID input command to the equipment to simulate user input applied to the one or more human interface devices (14).

11. The method according to claim 10, wherein, The equipment includes a display screen, wherein the method further includes receiving the display output of the display screen and determining the current state of the equipment based on the display output, and wherein the generation of the HID input command takes into account the current state of the equipment.

12. The method according to claim 10 or 11, wherein, The HID input commands include one or more of the following: mouse commands, touchpad commands, keyboard commands, or gesture commands.

13. The method according to any one of claims 10 to 12, wherein, The equipment includes a medical scanner, and the method includes selecting the control action from a predefined list of control actions, including one or more of the following: Change the patient details in the patient record; Move the patient station and position the patient; Start or stop scan events; Perform calibration measurements; Change the lighting or fan settings.

14. The method according to any one of claims 10 to 13, further comprising accessing a database to convert the control action into an HID input command, wherein, The database stores user-inputted control commands supported by various types of equipment.

15. A computer program comprising computer program code, said computer program code causing the computer to perform the method according to any one of claims 10 to 14 when the program is run on the computer.

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