METHOD AND DEVICE FOR DISPLAYING INFORMATION ON A MEDICAL DEVICE AND MEDICAL DEVICE

Description

[0001] The invention relates to a method and a device for displaying information on a medical device in the sense of outputting the information on a display of the medical device.

[0002] Furthermore, the invention relates to a medical device comprising a corresponding device for displaying information.

[0003] Medical devices, such as ventilators, are used not only in conventional operation in medical practices, hospitals or in mobile emergency medicine, but also for medical care in military operations and similar, possibly covert, operations.

[0004] Such deployments in military or similar operations can take place day and night. Often, it is necessary for the user and the device to be as inconspicuous as possible to others in their environment. To achieve this, it is known to minimize the emissions of such medical devices, for example, in the form of acoustic or visual outputs.

[0005] Night vision devices are frequently used during night operations in these application areas, enabling the user to see even in the darkness of night by amplifying residual light.

[0006] When providing medical care to individuals using a medical device, the caregiver typically needs to read information about recorded vital signs and / or the device's settings and operating modes from its display. This allows the caregiver to assess the individual's health and the device's status and settings. Based on this information, the caregiver may need to adjust the device settings or operating mode, or initiate other necessary medical care measures.

[0007] The display of information on a corresponding medical device typically uses a night mode at night, in which the display brightness is significantly reduced. However, the readability of the information on the display is optimized for the human eye in all available display modes.

[0008] The residual light amplification of night vision devices leads to technical limitations in the display of light wavelengths and colors. These devices are particularly sensitive in the infrared spectrum, resulting in strong amplification that can dazzle the user. Therefore, when using night vision devices, it is not always possible to read the relevant information from the display with standard medical equipment without removing, deactivating, or at least adjusting the settings of the night vision device. This results in an insufficient perception of the surroundings.

[0009] Medical imaging devices with a display readable with night vision equipment are already known from US patent 2016 / 010807 A1. This is achieved in particular by avoiding wavelengths in the emitted light that lie within the gain bandwidth of the night vision device and by using a low spectral radiance of the display.

[0010] US 2005 / 190117 A1 discloses an LCD readable with a night vision device, whereby the night vision mode is achieved by the image output only in green and blue, a low backlight brightness of the display and spectral filters.

[0011] From DE 10 2008 054606 A1 a display system and an associated drive method are known, wherein the brightness of the output red image signals is reduced to enable the display to be readable with a night vision device.

[0012] US patent 2010 / 301758 A1 discloses a display readable with a night vision device in which the brightness of the red component in the emitted light is reduced.

[0013] From the publication "12.3: Ruggedized Color AMLCD and LED Backlight Illumination for Night Vision Applications", by Benjamin Phipps et al. AI, SID Symposium Digest of Technical Papers, Vol. 42, No. 1, June 1, 2011, pages 139-142, displays readable with a night vision device that use NVIS filters are known.

[0014] It is therefore an object of the invention to provide a device for displaying information on a medical device that enables the display to be readable with an activated night vision device.

[0015] This problem is solved according to the invention by a device according to claim 1.

[0016] Another object of the invention is to provide a medical device whose display can be read with an activated night vision device.

[0017] This problem is solved according to the invention by a medical device according to claim 5.

[0018] Furthermore, it is an object of the invention to provide a method for displaying information on a medical device that enables the display of the medical device to be readable with an activated night vision device.

[0019] This problem is solved according to the invention by a method according to claim 6.

[0020] The dependent patent claims describe advantageous embodiments of the invention.

[0021] The features of a device and a method for displaying information on a medical device and of a medical device disclosed below are part of the invention in all executable combinations.

[0022] A device according to the invention for displaying information on a medical device is designed to control a display of the medical device in such a way that the absolute brightness, the contrast ratio and / or the wavelengths of the light emitted by the display of the medical device when displaying information are set so that the information displayed accordingly can be read with a night vision device.

[0023] According to the invention, this is achieved, among other things, by using the device for displaying information on a medical device during operation to create a background of the display that is as dark as possible, ideally completely dark.

[0024] The absolute brightness of the image areas used to display information is set in the invention to a range of approximately 0.05 to 0.1 lux, with the lower limit of approximately 0.05 lux corresponding to the dark background of the display. This is because many displays cannot produce a darker display for technical reasons.

[0025] In a preferred embodiment, the wavelengths of the light emitted by the display of the medical device when displaying information are set with no or almost no infrared components by means of the device for displaying information on a medical device.

[0026] Displaying information on a dark background with areas that are lighter than the background requires additional technical measures to ensure readability of the display with a night vision device, for example to avoid glare or irritation of the user.

[0027] According to the invention, the contrast ratio between individual bright areas on the display for displaying information and the dark background is set in a range of 1.9:1 to 14:1 using the device for displaying information on a medical device.

[0028] To ensure comparability of contrast ratios, the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) were used as a guide. These guidelines define the requirements for on-screen contrast. Contrast is specified as the contrast ratio of the colors being compared. The relative luminance (brightness) L of the respective colors is compared. This can be expressed by the relative luminance value Y (CIE-Y).

[0029] According to WCAG specifications, color representation is assumed to be in the sRGB color space. To determine the contrast ratio of two monitor colors, the colors must first be converted from the sRGB color space to the CIE XYZ color space.

[0030] Accordingly, the contrast ratio K is calculated as the quotient of (Y1 + 0.05) / (Y2 + 0.05), where Y1 corresponds to the relative luminance of the lighter color and Y2 to the relative luminance of the darker color. The contrast ratio can generally range between 1 and 21 and is usually expressed relative to 1 (21:1).

[0031] For more complex displays with various outputs of measured values, a menu structure, user selection within this menu, and symbols, it is neither possible nor sufficient for user-friendly readability, especially in print situations, to use only a single contrast ratio between the bright display areas and the dark background on the display.

[0032] In preferred embodiments of the invention, the information to be displayed on the screen of the medical device is divided into different groups by means of the device for displaying information on a medical device. These groups are characterized by different value ranges of the respective associated contrast ratios. It is always necessary to maintain a contrast range suitable for the readability of the information with a night vision device.

[0033] Due to the different contrast ratios for various information groups, the user can reliably operate the device according to the invention and read the graphical user interface even when using a night vision device. Instead of prioritizing and differentiating values ​​using different colors, as is usually the case, the weighting of the displayed information is achieved according to the invention using corresponding contrast ratios. Such prioritization of the displayed information is particularly important for the user of a medical device, enabling them to quickly perceive the most important information and act accordingly, even under pressure.

[0034] In particularly preferred embodiments of the invention, the elements of the information to be displayed are divided into at least two different groups, with each of the groups being assigned an individual range of values ​​for the contrast ratio.

[0035] In embodiments of the invention, a first group is the primary output group. This is a group to which the highest-priority output information is assigned. For example, in the case of a ventilator, this is preferably the measured value for the ventilation pressure; in the case of a defibrillator and / or ECG monitor, for example, the pulse rate. According to the invention, the contrast ratio for elements of this primary output group relative to the background is selected to be between 13:1 and 14:1. This is also the highest contrast ratio used according to the invention for displaying information, so that the primary output group is displayed at the highest absolute brightness.

[0036] In embodiments of the invention, a second group is the secondary output group, which serves to display further medical or medical-technical functionality of the medical device, for example, through symbols representing medical or medical-technical functionalities of the device. This can include secondary measured values, such as the oxygen content and the volume flow rate of the supplied air, as well as the ventilation rate for a ventilator, or parameters set for the medical functionality of the medical device, such as the maximum ventilation pressure or the minimum ventilation rate for a ventilator. Furthermore, information about the selected operating mode can, for example, be assigned to this output group. According to the invention, the contrast ratio for elements of this secondary output group relative to the background is selected to be between 7.4:1 and 7.8:1.

[0037] In embodiments of the invention, another group serves to display a user selection. This functionality is necessary for selecting fields or menu items in order to show the user which field or menu item is currently selected (cursor). According to the invention, the contrast ratio of elements in the selection output group relative to the background is chosen to be between 1.9:1 and 4.7:1.

[0038] In advantageous embodiments of the invention, the display of a user selection is additionally supplemented with an element from a delimitation output group, which in corresponding embodiments can preferably be implemented by a selection frame around the selection field. According to the invention, the contrast ratio of elements of the delimitation output group relative to the background is selected to be in a range between 7.4:1 and 8.9:1.

[0039] In embodiments of the invention, another group serves as a device-specific output group. This output group displays information about the device status, such as the battery charge level, connectivity, or additional information like the time. According to the invention, the contrast ratio of elements of the device-specific output group relative to the background is selected to be between 4.7:1 and 5.3:1.

[0040] In embodiments of the invention, a further group serves as a support output group. This output group contains information that supports the human perception of displayed values. Using the example of a ventilator, a pressure gauge can be displayed as such an element of the support output group, in addition to the numerical value of the pressure measurement being displayed as an element of the primary output group. According to the invention, the contrast ratio of elements of the support output group relative to the background is selected to be between 2.4:1 and 2.8:1.

[0041] In embodiments of the invention, a further group serves as a marker output group. These elements of the output group serve to mark output values ​​in order to distinguish these output values ​​from other types of output values. For example, hatching can be an element of the marker output group and assigned to the output of measured values ​​of the secondary output group in order to make them quickly distinguishable from set values. According to the invention, the contrast ratio of elements of the marker output group relative to the background is chosen to be 1.9:1, whereby the elements of the marker output group need not be uniform but can be composed of areas with different brightness levels.

[0042] The aforementioned groups can be fully implemented in embodiments or in any subcombinations using a method according to the invention for displaying information on a medical device.

[0043] A medical device according to the invention comprises at least one display and a device according to the invention for displaying information on a medical device, which controls the display or at least one of the displays.

[0044] An inventive method for displaying information on a medical device has the following features: Information is displayed on at least one display of a medical device, wherein the absolute brightness, the contrast ratio and / or the wavelengths of the light emitted by the display of the medical device when displaying information are set so that the displayed information can be read by a user using a night vision device.

[0045] When displaying information on the screen of a medical device during operation, a background of the display is preferably as dark as possible, ideally completely dark, so that information is usually displayed through areas of the screen that are bright compared to the background.

[0046] In preferred embodiments of the method according to the invention, the absolute brightness of the areas of the display used to present information is set in a range of about 0.05 to 0.1 lux, wherein the lower limit of about 0.05 lux corresponds to a representation of the dark background.

[0047] In advantageous embodiments of the invention, a contrast ratio between 1.9:1 and 14:1 is maintained between the bright areas of the display and the dark background.

[0048] Preferably, the relevant information is displayed in assigned fields on the screen according to a predefined menu structure or arrangement of information elements. Each of these fields has a background on which the respective information is displayed.

[0049] In particularly preferred embodiments of the invention, the elements of the information to be displayed are divided into at least two different groups, with each of the groups being assigned an individual range of values ​​for the contrast ratio.

[0050] In embodiments of the invention, a first group is the primary output group. This is a group to which the highest-priority output information is assigned. For example, in the case of a ventilator, this is preferably the measured value for the ventilation pressure; in the case of a defibrillator and / or ECG monitor, for example, the pulse rate. According to the invention, the contrast ratio for elements of this primary output group relative to the background is selected to be between 13:1 and 14:1. This is also the highest contrast ratio used according to the invention for displaying information, so that the primary output group is displayed at the highest absolute brightness.

[0051] In embodiments of the invention, a second group is the secondary output group, which serves to display further medical or medical-technical functionality of the medical device, for example, through symbols representing medical or medical-technical functionalities of the device. This can include secondary measured values, such as the oxygen content and the volume flow rate of the supplied air, as well as the ventilation rate for a ventilator, or parameters set for the medical functionality of the medical device, such as the maximum ventilation pressure or the minimum ventilation rate for a ventilator. Furthermore, information about the selected operating mode can, for example, be assigned to this output group. According to the invention, the contrast ratio for elements of this secondary output group relative to the background is selected to be between 7.4:1 and 7.8:1.

[0052] In embodiments of the invention, another group serves to display a user selection. This functionality is necessary for selecting fields or menu items in order to show the user which field or menu item is currently selected (cursor). According to the invention, the contrast ratio of elements in the selection output group relative to the background is chosen to be between 1.9:1 and 4.7:1.

[0053] In advantageous embodiments of the invention, the display of a user selection is additionally supplemented with an element from a delimitation output group, which in corresponding embodiments can preferably be implemented by a selection frame around the selection field. According to the invention, the contrast ratio of elements of the delimitation output group relative to the background is selected to be in a range between 7.4:1 and 8.9:1.

[0054] In embodiments of the invention, another group serves as a device-specific output group. This output group displays information about the device status, such as the battery charge level, connectivity, or additional information like the time. According to the invention, the contrast ratio of elements of the device-specific output group relative to the background is selected to be between 4.7:1 and 5.3:1.

[0055] In embodiments of the invention, a further group serves as a support output group. This output group contains information that supports the human perception of displayed values. Using the example of a ventilator, a pressure gauge can be displayed as such an element of the support output group, in addition to the numerical value of the pressure measurement being displayed as an element of the primary output group. According to the invention, the contrast ratio of elements of the support output group relative to the background is selected to be between 2.4:1 and 2.8:1.

[0056] In embodiments of the invention, a further group serves as a marker output group. These elements of the output group serve to mark output values ​​in order to distinguish these output values ​​from other types of output values. For example, hatching can be an element of the marker output group and assigned to the output of measured values ​​of the secondary output group in order to make them quickly distinguishable from set values. According to the invention, the contrast ratio of elements of the marker output group relative to the background is chosen to be 1.9:1, whereby the elements of the marker output group need not be uniform but can be composed of areas with different brightness levels.

[0057] The aforementioned groups can be fully implemented in embodiments or in any subcombinations using a method according to the invention for displaying information on a medical device.

[0058] The corresponding grouping of information to be displayed in different contrast ranges according to the invention also enables a user who reads the respective information from the display of a medical device using a night vision device to quickly prioritize and categorize the displayed information.

[0059] In a preferred embodiment of the method according to the invention, a device according to the invention for displaying information on a medical device and / or a medical device according to the invention is used.

[0060] In embodiments of the invention, the device according to the invention for displaying information on a medical device is activated or deactivated by selecting a corresponding option (e.g., NVG mode) on the medical device. Thus, depending on the selected operating mode (day, night, or NVG), the user has the option of choosing to emit neither acoustic nor optical emissions to the environment, or to reduce emissions accordingly. The operator can adjust the visual and acoustic outputs to the desired states at any time.

[0061] In particularly advantageous embodiments, the user is prompted to confirm the change in operating mode for safety reasons.

[0062] Particularly under stress, a device according to the invention, in preferred embodiments, ensures that it always starts with a defined behavior to prevent unwanted acoustic or optical emissions. For example, with a corresponding configuration, a device according to the invention always starts in NVG mode to prevent any unwanted emissions during startup. However, the user is permitted to change the mode during operation.

[0063] The figure described below illustrates an exemplary embodiment of the invention. It shows: Fig. 1: A display of a medical device according to the invention.

[0064] In Figure 1An example of a display for a medical device according to the invention is shown. In this example, the medical device is configured as a ventilator, so that relevant information related to the ventilation of a patient is displayed. The displayed information is divided into seven different output groups, each with different contrast values.

[0065] For the printable representation of the elements of the individual output groups, these are depicted in the drawing with different hatching patterns, each corresponding to a specific contrast ratio. The stronger or darker the respective elements are depicted, the lower the contrast ratio to the dark background. In the inventors' actual application, the display elements, with the exception of the elements of the identification output group, are generally not depicted with hatching but are output with a uniform brightness. However, in embodiments of the invention, it is also possible to represent the elements of the individual output groups with areas of varying brightness, for example, in the form of hatching or a checkerboard pattern.

[0066] The pressure reading is displayed as an element of the primary output group (1). In the displayed indicator, this reading has the highest contrast ratio against the dark background and is therefore visually highlighted as particularly important for the user of the medical device.

[0067] Elements of the secondary output group (2) include measured values ​​of the oxygen content and the volume flow rate of the air supplied to the patient, the ventilation rate, and the user-set values ​​for maximum ventilation pressure, minimum ventilation rate, tidal volume, trigger level, differential pressure, and PEEP. The selected medical operating mode, in this case "PRVC+PS" for pressure-controlled and volume-controlled ventilation with pressure monitoring as the ventilation mode for a ventilator, is also assigned to the secondary output group.

[0068] The cursor, which in this case marks the "PEEP" field as selected, is shown as an element of the selection output group (3). When a field or menu item is selected, the display no longer follows the output group originally assigned to that information, but rather the contrast ratio of the selection output group. In this case, the background assigned to the selected field becomes light according to the respective contrast ratio, and the output of any additional information displayed in the field is dark.

[0069] In the illustrated embodiment, the delimitation output group (4) is assigned a selection frame surrounding the selection field.

[0070] The device-specific output group (5) includes elements such as information about the fill level of the connected oxygen source, the presence of a SIM or memory card, the activation of communication interfaces such as Bluetooth and WLAN, an airplane mode with deactivated communication modules, network reception, the time and the charge level of a storage device for electrical energy, here the device battery.

[0071] The support output group (6) includes a bar as a display element for the visual representation of the pressure measurement. The corresponding pressure scale is assigned to the secondary output group. In other embodiments of the invention, a corresponding display of other measured values ​​with a corresponding scale is also possible.

[0072] The backgrounds of the fields of the measured values ​​assigned to the secondary output group are assigned to the labeling output group (7). These are each distinguished from the other values ​​of the secondary output group by a hatched or striped element.

Claims

1. A device for displaying information on a medical device, wherein the device for displaying information is connected to at least one display of the medical device for controlling it, and wherein it is configured to adjust the absolute brightness, the contrast ratio, and / or the wavelengths of the light emitted by the display of the medical device when displaying the corresponding information, such that the information displayed on the display can be read with a night vision device, characterized in that the absolute brightness of the image areas used to display information is set within a range of approximately 0.05 to 0.1 lux, and that the contrast ratio between individual bright areas on the display used to display information and the dark background is set within a range of 1.9:1 to 14:1 using the device for displaying information on a medical device.

2. Device for displaying information according to claim 1, characterized in that, when displaying information on the display of a medical device during operation, a background of the display that is as dark as possible, ideally completely dark, is achieved3. Device for displaying information according to any one of claims 1 and 2, characterized in that the wavelengths of the light emitted by the display of the medical device when displaying information are set to have no or virtually no infrared components.

4. Device for displaying information according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the information to be displayed on the display of the medical device is divided, with the aid of the device for displaying information on a medical device, into different groups for prioritizing the displayed information, which are characterized by different ranges of contrast ratios.

5. Medical device comprising at least one display, characterized in that it comprises a device according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the device for displaying information is connected to at least one display of the medical device for controlling it.

6. Method for displaying information on a medical device, wherein the information is displayed on at least one display of the medical device and wherein the absolute brightness, the contrast ratio, and / or the wavelengths of the light emitted by the display of the medical device when displaying information are set such that the information is readable by a user using a night vision device, characterized in that the absolute brightness of the image areas used to display information on the display is set within a range of approximately 0.05 to 0.1 lux, and that the contrast ratio between individual bright areas on the display used to display information and the dark background is set within a range of 1.9:1 to 14:1.

7. Method for displaying information on a medical device according to claim 6, characterized in that, for the display of the information on the medical device during operation, a background of the display that is as dark as possible, ideally completely dark, is achieved.

8. Method for displaying information on a medical device according to one of claims 6 and 7, characterized in that the wavelengths of the light emitted by the display of the medical device when displaying information are set to have no or virtually no infrared components.

9. Method for displaying information on a medical device according to any one of claims 6 to 8, characterized in that the information to be displayed on the display of the medical device is divided into different groups for prioritization, which are characterized by different ranges of contrast ratios, such that information from a prioritization group is displayed with a contrast ratio from the respective assigned range.

10. Method according to any one of claims 6 to 9, characterized in that a device according to any one of claims 1 to 4 and / or a medical device according to claim 5 is used.