Touchscreen Interface for Medical Imaging Data Routing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current medical imaging systems in surgical suites are complex and require detailed command inputs, making it difficult for users to easily select and control sources and destinations of medical imaging data, and preview or alter images being communicated.
Innovation Solution
A touchscreen interface system that displays source and destination icons, allowing users to select and control medical imaging data sources and destinations without preliminary activity, with a display window for previewing images and controls for manipulating the selected source, facilitating easier and quicker routing and management of medical imaging data.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If traditional control systems with detailed command inputs and hierarchical menus are used, then comprehensive control capability is achieved, but ease of operation deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses graphical icons that visually represent the actual medical imaging devices and their functions. These icons serve as simplified copies or representations of the complex devices, allowing users to interact with visual symbols rather than navigating through hierarchical text menus and detailed command structures, thereby improving ease of operation while maintaining comprehensive control capability
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces traditional mechanical or manual control interfaces (physical buttons, switches, and hierarchical menu navigation) with a graphical user interface displayed on a touchscreen monitor. This substitution allows users to select and control devices by touching visual icons, eliminating the need to navigate through multiple menu levels and enter detailed commands, thus significantly improving ease of operation
2Productivity
If traditional control systems requiring preliminary activities are used, then comprehensive control capability is achieved, but productivity deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The system displays all available medical imaging devices and their current states in advance through visual icons on the touchscreen monitor. Users can see the complete system status before making selections, eliminating the need to navigate through hierarchical menus to discover available devices. This preliminary visualization of all options allows for immediate device selection and routing decisions, significantly improving productivity by eliminating preliminary navigation activities
Solution Approach 2:
The patent extracts the essential information about device availability and status from complex hierarchical menu structures and presents it directly as visual icons on the touchscreen. By taking out only the critical selection information and presenting it in an immediately accessible visual format, the system eliminates the time-consuming navigation through multiple menu levels, allowing users to quickly select devices and route imaging data, thereby improving productivity
3Adaptability or versatility
If comprehensive device control capabilities are provided, then functionality is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The touchscreen graphical interface serves as a universal control mechanism that can access and control multiple different types of medical imaging devices (endoscopes, cameras, lighting systems, recording devices) through a single unified interface. Rather than requiring separate control systems for each device type, the graphical icon system provides universal access to all devices and functions, maintaining comprehensive functionality while presenting a simplified single-point control interface that reduces perceived complexity
Solution Approach 2:
The graphical user interface acts as an intermediary layer between the user and the complex array of medical imaging devices. The icons and visual representations serve as mediators that translate user intentions into device control commands, hiding the underlying complexity of device communication protocols and control hierarchies. This intermediary interface maintains comprehensive control capability while shielding users from system complexity
Data Source
AI summary
A system for controlling the communication of medical imaging data is disclosed generally comprising a computer, a plurality of sources of medical imaging data and a plurality of destinations of medical imaging data in communication with the computer, and a touchscreen for simultaneously displaying a plurality of source icons and a plurality of destination icons controlled by the computer. The source icons correspond to the plurality of sources to allow a user to select a particular source of imaging data, and the destination icons correspond to the plurality of destinations to allow the user to select at least one particular destination for the imaging data. In certain embodiments, the touchscreen includes a display window for displaying medical images generated from the imaging data supplied by the presently selected source. In some embodiments, the touchscreen includes a set of controls associated with the presently selected source.