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.

1 . An ultrasonic imaging system comprising: 
 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 comprises:    an LCD for radiating light, which is emitted from behind, forwards through a liquid crystal matrix whose transmittance can be controlled at each pixel location, 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 with lower luminance 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.    
     
     
         2 . An ultrasonic imaging system according to  claim 1 , wherein the image data providing means can be manipulated by a user.  
     
     
         3 . An ultrasonic imaging system according to  claim 1  or  2 , wherein an amount of light to be emitted to the LCD from behind is variable.  
     
     
         4 . An ultrasonic imaging system according to any of  claims 1  to  3 , wherein the LCD enables color display.  
     
     
         5 . An ultrasonic imaging system comprising: 
 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 comprises:    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; and    image data providing means for providing the LCD with either the first image data or the second image data that is selected.    
     
     
         6 . An ultrasonic imaging system comprising: 
 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 comprises:    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.    
     
     
         7 . An ultrasonic imaging system comprising: 
 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,    wherein the auxiliary display means comprises:    an LCD for radiating light, which is emitted from behind, forwards through a liquid crystal matrix that permits control of the lightness and 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 lower lightness and 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.    
     
     
         8 . An ultrasonic imaging system comprising: 
 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,    wherein the auxiliary display means comprises:    an LCD for radiating light, which is emitted from behind, forwards through a liquid crystal matrix that permits control of the lightness and 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 lower lightness and 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.    
     
     
         9 . An ultrasonic imaging system according to any of  claims 5  to  8 , wherein the image data providing means can be manipulated by a user.  
     
     
         10 . An ultrasonic imaging system according to any of  claims 5  to  9 , wherein an amount of light to be emitted to the LCD from behind is variable.  
     
     
         11 . A display device comprising: 
 an LCD for radiating light, which is emitted from behind, forwards through a liquid crystal matrix whose transmittance can be controlled at each pixel location, 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 with lower luminance 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.    
     
     
         12 . A display device according to  claim 11 , wherein the image data providing means can be manipulated by a user.  
     
     
         13 . A display device according to  claim 11  or  12 , wherein an amount of light to be emitted to the LCD from behind is variable.  
     
     
         14 . A display device according to any of  claims 11  to  13 , wherein the LCD enables color display.  
     
     
         15 . A display device comprising: 
 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; and    image data providing means for providing the LCD with either the first image data or the second image data that is selected.    
     
     
         16 . A display device comprising: 
 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.    
     
     
         17 . A display device comprising: 
 an LCD for radiating light, which is emitted from behind, forwards through a liquid crystal matrix that permits control of the lightness and 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 lower lightness and 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.    
     
     
         18 . A display device comprising: 
 an LCD for radiating light, which is emitted from behind, forwards through a liquid crystal matrix that permits control of the lightness and 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 lower lightness and 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.    
     
     
         19 . A display device according to any of  claims 15  to  18 , wherein the image data providing means can be manipulated by a user.  
     
     
         20 . A display device according to any of  claims 15  to  19 , wherein an amount of light to be emitted to the LCD from behind is variable.