Patent US1257708A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
Patent US4593314A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
← Back to Patent Explorer
US4593314A Expired / Lapsed US ⏱️ 0.0 years remaining

Echocardiogram machine control

Assignee: KEMP-CARRAWAY HEART INSTITUTE
•
Filing: 1984-05-17
•
Granted: 1986-06-03
•
Expires: 2004-05-17
📄 Original PDF 🌐 Google Patents 🔄 Sync Now

Abstract

Abstract A manually adjusted echocardiogram machine for a display device is converted to automatic by providing servo adjustment in place of manual adjustment for regional and global brightness controls. A computer is programmed to make rapid sequential comparison of relative brightness of pixels within defined areas of the display controlled by each of the respective controls. The output for each of the areas is compared with a predetermined standard in a computer program to produce a correction signal, for example, incrementally moving toward correction of a particular region's brightness. The computer program controls sequence and distributes correction signals.

Inventors

  • 👤 William M. Siler

Bibliographic Details

Application Number —
Jurisdiction US
Data Source google_patents
Last Synchronized 2026-11-05 04:41
CPC Classifications
G; G01; G01S; G01S7/00; G01S7/52; G01S7/52017; G01S7/52053; G01S7/52057; G01S7/5206

Claims Analysis

Total Claims: 12
Claim 1
Independent Claim 110 words
Automatic display adjustment means for an echocardiogram machine having a display device and at least one control for controlling brightness of the display comprising: means for sensing a selected aspect of relative brightness of pixels within a defined area of the display device controlled by the control and generating an output representative thereof; computer means for receiving brightness sensing signals, comparing them to a predetermined standard and producing a correction signal; control means provided at said control and responsive to correction signals to increase or decrease the control effect within the selected area; and means enabling the correction signal from the computer means to be applied to the control means.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim 110 words
Automatic display adjustment means for an echocardiogram machine having a display device and at least one control for controlling brightness of the display comprising: means for sensing a selected aspect of relative brightness of pixels within a defined area of the display device controlled by the control and generating an output representative thereof; computer means for receiving brightness sensing signals, comparing them to a predetermined standard and producing a correction signal; control means provided at said control and responsive to correction signals to increase or decrease the control effect within the selected area; and means enabling the correction signal from the computer means to be applied to the control means.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim 90 words
The automatic display adjustment means of claim 1 in which the echocardiogram machine has a display device having separate control means for controlling brightness of the display in different specific regions thereof, the means sensing the brightness successively sensing the brightness in the respective regions of the computer means, comparing each of the limited regions to a standard and providing in sequence correction signals for each of the regions, and sequencing means is provided to sequence each of the correction signals to the proper one of the respective control means.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim 63 words
The automatic display adjustment means of claim 2 in which, in addition to the regional adjustment, an overall adjustment and sensing means is provided for sensing the brightness of the overall display which is compared by the computer with a standard and separate control means is provided for adjusting overall brightness up or down to be more in accordance with said predetermined standard.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim 57 words
The automatic display adjustment means of claim 2 in which means is provided whereby contrast within the display is sensed and a contrast control is provided having means responsive to a correction signal generated by the computer to correct deviation from predetermined comparison standards for adjustment of the relative limits of darkness and lightness in the picture.
Claim 6
Independent Claim 88 words
A method of adjustment of an echocardio-gram machine having a display device and at least one control for controlling brightness of the display region comprising: sensing a selected aspect of relative brightness of pixels within a defined area of the display device controlled by the brightness control; using a computer to compare the defined area with a selected standard for the maximum number of bright pixels in the display region and generating a correction signal; and adjusting the at least one control in accordance with the correction signal.
Claim 7
Independent Claim 88 words
A method of adjustment of an echocardio-gram machine having a display device and at least one control for controlling brightness of the display region comprising: sensing a selected aspect of relative brightness of pixels within a defined area of the display device controlled by the brightness control; using a computer to compare the defined area with a selected standard for the maximum number of bright pixels in the display region and generating a correction signal; and adjusting the at least one control in accordance with the correction signal.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim 54 words
The method of claim 5 employing the additional steps of examining a plurality of different defined areas of the display device and sequentially comparing those defined areas to the standard to generate a plurality of correction signals and adjusting separate controls for the respective defined areas as needed in accordance with the correction signals.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim 60 words
The method of claim 6 in which in addition to examining the different defined areas of the display device, the additional step of examining the brightness of the entire display device, comparing that brightness to the standard to generate an overally brightness correction signal and adjusting the control for overall brightness as needed in accordance with the brightness correction signal.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim 43 words
The method of claim 6 employing the additional steps of sensory contrast within the display, comparing the contrast to a standard to generate a contrast correction signal and making adjustment as needed to a contrast control in accordance with the contrast correction signal.
Claim 11
Independent Claim 25 words
The method of claims 6, 7 or 8 employing the error correction signals in a known sequence and sequencing control adjustment in the same sequence.
Claim 12
Independent Claim 22 words
The method of claims 5, 6, 7 or 8 requiring applying any correction signal to means for automatically adjusting its related control.

References Cited (Backward Citations)

US30397A Cited
US4274422A Cited
US4274422B1 Cited
USRE30397E Cited
US4167753A Cited
US4127034A Cited
US4271842A Cited
US4212072A Cited
US4359904A Cited
US4375671A Cited
US4518992A Cited

USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows

Annuity Stage Window Opens Payment Deadline Surcharge Period Until Estimated Fee Status
3.5 Years (Year 4) 1989-06-02 1989-12-02 1990-06-03 $2000.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8) 1993-06-02 1993-12-02 1994-06-03 $3760.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12) 1997-06-02 1997-12-02 1998-06-03 $7700.00 Window Closed / Lapsed

Assigned Categories & Tags

No categories assigned to this patent yet.

Assign Category Tag