Ultrasonic imaging system and display device

Abstract

To make it possible to lower the luminance of an LCD to a level suitable for a dark place, either first image data based on which a predetermined image is displayed or second image data based on which the same image is displayed with lower luminance than the predetermined image based on the first image data is transferred to an LCD via a selecting means.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION[0001] The present invention relates to an ultrasonic imaging system and a display device. More particularly, the present invention is concerned with an ultrasonic imaging system including a main display device that displays ultrasonic images and an auxiliary display device that displays information that helps a user operate the ultrasonic imaging system, and a display device to be used in combination with the ultrasonic imaging system.RELATED ART[0002] For ultrasonic imaging, echoes of ultrasonic waves transmitted to the interior of an object are used to produce tomographic images that are displayed as B-mode images. Moreover, Doppler shifts occurring in the echoes of the ultrasonic waves are utilized to produce dynamic images of a blood flow or the like that are displayed as color Doppler images.[0003] An ultrasonic imaging system includes an operator console, with which a user can freely operate the ultrasonic imaging system. The operator control includ...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

[0009] An object of the present invention is to realize an ultrasonic imaging system in which the luminance of an LCD in an operator console can be lowered to a level suitable for a dark place, and a display device in which the luminance of an LCD can be lowered to a level suitable for a dark place.

[0013] (3) According to another aspect of the present invention for accomplishing the aforesaid object, there is provided an ultrasonic imaging system including imaging means for transmitting ultrasonic waves and producing images according to the received echoes of the ultrasonic waves; main display means for displaying the images; and auxiliary display means for displaying information that helps a user operate the imaging system, wherein the auxiliary display means includes an LCD for radiating light, which is emitted from behind, forwards though a liquid crystal matrix that permits control of the hue of each pixel, and thus displaying images; first memory means in which first image data based on which a predetermined image is displayed on the LCD is stored; second memory means in which second image data based on which the same image as the predetermined image is displayed on the LCD at darker hue than the predetermined image based on the first image data is stored; and image data providing means for providing the LCD with either the first image data or the second image data that is selected.

[0016] (5) According to another aspect of the present invention for accomplishing the aforesaid object, there is provided an ultrasonic imaging system including imaging means for transmitting ultrasonic waves and producing images according to the received echoes of the ultrasonic waves; main display means for displaying the images; and auxiliary display means for displaying information that helps a user operate the imaging system, wherein the auxiliary display means includes an LCD for radiating light, which is emitted from behind, forwards through a liquid crystal matrix that permits control of the hue of each pixel, and thus displaying images; first memory means in which first image data based on which a predetermined image is displayed on the LCD is stored; second memory means in which second image data based on which the same image as the predetermined image is displayed on the LCD at darker hue than the predetermined image based on the first image data is stored; third memory means in which third image data based on which the same image as the predetermined image is displayed on the LCD in a darker achromatic color than the image based on the second image data is stored; and image data providing means for providing the LCD with any of the first image data, the second image data, and the third image data which is selected.

Problems solved by technology

The screen of the LCD tends to be too bright for ultrasonic imaging systems that are often used in dark environments.

However, there is a limit in reduction of illumination light due to the properties of a light source, and even if the amount of illumination light is decreased to the lowest limit, the LCD may still be too bright.

Images