Control apparatus operatively coupled with medical imaging apparatus and medical imaging apparatus having the same

Abstract

The medical imaging apparatus includes a scanner configured to scan the object to image the internal area of the object; a patient table configured to convey the object to the scanner; an imager which is mounted on the scanner and configured to capture an image of the object on the patient table; and a mobile display device configured to display the image of the object captured by the imager.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A medical imaging apparatus to image an internal area of an object, the apparatus comprising:
 a scanner configured to scan the object to image the internal area of the object;   a patient table configured to convey the object to the scanner;   an imager which is mounted on the scanner and configured to capture an image of the object on the patient table; and   a mobile display device configured to display the image of the object captured by the imager.   
     
     
         2 . The medical imaging apparatus according to  claim 1 , further comprising an input device coupled with the mobile display device by wire or wirelessly. 
     
     
         3 . The medical imaging apparatus according to  claim 2 , further comprising a controller to control the patient table, the controller being operatively coupled with the mobile display device. 
     
     
         4 . The medical imaging apparatus according to  claim 3 , wherein, when a control command signal for a movement of the patient table is transferred from the input device, the mobile display device transmits the transferred control command signal to the controller. 
     
     
         5 . The medical imaging apparatus according to  claim 4 , wherein the controller controls the patient table so that the patient table is moved in response to the control command signal. 
     
     
         6 . The medical imaging apparatus according to  claim 5 , wherein the input device comprises a jog shuttle moved forward or backward by an external force and then returning to an original position thereof. 
     
     
         7 . The medical imaging apparatus according to  claim 6 , wherein the jog shuttle inputs a control command for the movement of the patient table,
 wherein the controller controls the patient table so that a movement direction of the patient table coincides with a movement direction of the jog shuttle.   
     
     
         8 . The medical imaging apparatus according to  claim 7 , wherein the controller controls the patient table so that the patient table is moved to a preset scan position at once, when the jog shuttle is moved forward to the end. 
     
     
         9 . The medical imaging apparatus according to  claim 8 , wherein the controller controls the patient table so that the patient table is moved to a preset home position at once, when the jog shuttle is moved backward to the end. 
     
     
         10 . The medical imaging apparatus according to  claim 9 , wherein the controller controls the patient table so that the patient table is laterally set to align a center of the object with a center of the scanner, when the jog shuttle is pressed down. 
     
     
         11 . The medical imaging apparatus according to  claim 10 , wherein the controller sets and stores the scan position by scan regions of the object. 
     
     
         12 . The medical imaging apparatus according to  claim 5 , wherein the input device comprises a touch panel. 
     
     
         13 . The medical imaging apparatus according to  claim 12 , wherein, when a drag signal from one point of a predefined area of the touch panel to another point of the predefined area is input, the controller controls the patient table so that the patient table is moved in a direction corresponding to a direction from the one point to the another point. 
     
     
         14 . The medical imaging apparatus according to  claim 13 , wherein the controller controls the patient table so that the patient table is moved by an amount corresponding to a distance between the one point and the another point. 
     
     
         15 . The medical imaging apparatus according to  claim 12 , wherein the touch panel comprises at least one input unit to input a control command, the input unit being settable and changeable by a user. 
     
     
         16 . The medical imaging apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the imager comprises a wide-angle camera or a face-tracking camera. 
     
     
         17 . The medical imaging apparatus according to  claim 2 , wherein the mobile display device comprises:
 a display configured to recognize a touch signal; and   a mobile controller configured to control the display or the imager.   
     
     
         18 . The medical imaging apparatus according to  claim 17 , wherein, when a user selection for a region of interest (ROI) of the object is input through the display, the mobile controller controls the imager to zoom in the ROI. 
     
     
         19 . The medical imaging apparatus according to  claim 18 , wherein, when a drag signal corresponding to a predefined shape is input through the display, the mobile controller controls the imager to zoom in on a center of an area corresponding to the drag signal by a preset magnification. 
     
     
         20 . The medical imaging apparatus according to  claim 18 , wherein, when a touch signal on one point is input through the display, the mobile controller controls the imager to zoom in centering on the one point by a preset magnification. 
     
     
         21 . The medical imaging apparatus according to  claim 17 , wherein the mobile controller controls the display to display a language selection menu for providing of a breathing guide to the object, and
 provides the breathing guide in a language selected through the display.   
     
     
         22 . The medical imaging apparatus according to  claim 17 , wherein the mobile controller recognizes a motion of the object from the image of the object captured by the imager. 
     
     
         23 . The medical imaging apparatus according to  claim 22 , wherein the mobile controller outputs a warning visually or audibly upon recognizing the motion of the object. 
     
     
         24 . The medical imaging apparatus according to  claim 17 , wherein the mobile controller controls the display to display a blind control menu for control of blinds disposed between a scan room in which the scanner is located and a control room in which the mobile display device is located, and
 controls the blinds to move down or up in response to a control command for the blinds input through the display or the input device docked with the mobile display device.   
     
     
         25 . The medical imaging apparatus according to  claim 3 , wherein the controller controls a scan operation performed by the scanner. 
     
     
         26 . The medical imaging apparatus according to  claim 25 , wherein the input device comprises:
 a scan start key configured to input a command for start of the scan operation of the scanner; and   a scan stop key configured to input a command for stop of the scan operation of the scanner.   
     
     
         27 . The medical imaging apparatus according to  claim 26 , wherein the mobile display device transmits a control command signal corresponding to the start of the scan operation to the controller when the command for the start of the scan operation is input from the input device. 
     
     
         28 . The medical imaging apparatus according to  claim 27 , wherein the mobile display device transmits a control command signal corresponding to the stop of the scan operation to the controller when the command for the stop of the scan operation is input from the input device. 
     
     
         29 . The medical imaging apparatus according to  claim 2 , wherein the mobile display device comprises:
 a display configured to display the image of the object; and   a mobile controller configured to control the display.   
     
     
         30 . The medical imaging apparatus according to  claim 29 , wherein the mobile controller controls the display to display the image of the object or a breathing guide image to be provided to the object in a state in which the mobile display device and the input device are undocked from each other. 
     
     
         31 . The medical imaging apparatus according to  claim 30 , wherein the mobile controller controls the display to display a mode selection menu when the mobile display device and the input device are docked with each other. 
     
     
         32 . The medical imaging apparatus according to  claim 30 , wherein the mobile controller makes a change to a table control mode when the mobile display device and the input device are docked with each other in a state in which the image of the object is displayed on the display. 
     
     
         33 . The medical imaging apparatus according to  claim 30 , wherein the mobile controller controls the display to display the image of the object when the mobile display device and the input device are docked with each other in a state in which the breathing guide image is displayed on the display. 
     
     
         34 . A medical imaging apparatus to image an internal area of an object, the apparatus comprising:
 a scanner which is located in a scan room and configured to scan the object to image the internal area of the object;   a patient table configured to convey the object to the scanner;   an imager which installed in the scan room and configured to capture an image of the object; and   a mobile display device configured to display the image of the object captured by the imager.   
     
     
         35 . The medical imaging apparatus according to  claim 34 , further comprising an input device coupled with the mobile display device by wire or wirelessly. 
     
     
         36 . The medical imaging apparatus according to  claim 34 , wherein the mobile display device comprises:
 a display configured to display the image of the object; and   a mobile controller configured to control the display.   
     
     
         37 . The medical imaging apparatus according to  claim 36 , wherein the mobile controller controls the display to display a mode selection menu on one side of the display. 
     
     
         38 . The medical imaging apparatus according to  claim 37 , wherein the mobile controller makes a change to a mode in the displayed mode selection menu when a user selection for the mode is input. 
     
     
         39 . A control apparatus operatively coupled with a medical imaging apparatus which includes a patient table to convey an object, and an imager to capture an image of the object, the control apparatus comprising:
 a mobile display device configured to display the image of the object captured by the imager; and   an input device coupled with the mobile display device by wire or wirelessly.   
     
     
         40 . The control apparatus according to  claim 39 , wherein the mobile display device outputs a control command signal for a movement of the patient table transferred from the input device to the medical imaging apparatus. 
     
     
         41 . The control apparatus according to  claim 40 , wherein the mobile display device converts a format of the control command signal into a format transmittable to the medical imaging apparatus and outputs a format-converted control command signal to the medical imaging apparatus. 
     
     
         42 . The control apparatus according to  claim 40 , wherein the input device comprises a jog shuttle moved forward or backward by an external force and then returning to an original position thereof. 
     
     
         43 . The control apparatus according to  claim 42 , wherein the jog shuttle inputs a control command for the movement of the patient table,
 wherein the mobile display device outputs the control command signal to move the patient table based on a movement direction of the jog shuttle.   
     
     
         44 . The control apparatus according to  claim 40 , wherein the input device comprises a touch panel. 
     
     
         45 . The control apparatus according to  claim 44 , wherein, when a drag signal from one point of a predefined area of the touch panel to another point of the predefined area is input, the mobile display device outputs the control command signal to move the patient table in a direction corresponding to a direction from the one point to the another point. 
     
     
         46 . The control apparatus according to  claim 44 , wherein the touch panel comprises at least one input unit to input a control command, the input unit being settable and changeable by a user. 
     
     
         47 . The control apparatus according to  claim 39 , wherein the mobile display device comprises:
 a display configured to recognize a touch signal; and   a mobile controller configured to control the display.   
     
     
         48 . The control apparatus according to  claim 47 , wherein, when a user selection for a region of interest (ROI) of the object is input through the display, the mobile controller controls the imager to zoom in the ROI. 
     
     
         49 . The control apparatus according to  claim 47 , wherein, when a drag signal corresponding to a predefined shape is input through the display, the mobile controller controls the imager to zoom in on a center of an area corresponding to the drag signal by a preset magnification. 
     
     
         50 . The control apparatus according to  claim 47 , wherein, when a touch signal on one point is input through the display, the mobile controller controls the imager to zoom in centering on the one point by a preset magnification. 
     
     
         51 . The control apparatus according to  claim 47 , wherein the mobile controller controls the display to display a language selection menu for providing of a breathing guide to the object, and provides the breathing guide in a language selected through the display. 
     
     
         52 . The control apparatus according to  claim 47 , wherein the mobile controller recognizes a motion of the object from the image of the object captured by the imager. 
     
     
         53 . The control apparatus according to  claim 52 , wherein the mobile controller outputs a warning visually or audibly upon recognizing the motion of the object. 
     
     
         54 . The control apparatus according to  claim 47 , wherein the mobile controller controls the display to display a blind control menu for control of blinds disposed between a scan room in which a scanner is located and a control room in which the mobile display device is located, and
 controls the blinds to move down or up in response to a control command for the blinds input through the display or the input device docked with the mobile display device.