ULTRASOUND DIAGNOSTIC APPARATUS AND CONTROL METHOD THEREOF

1 . An ultrasound diagnostic apparatus comprising:

an ultrasound probe used for ultrasound transmission/reception; and

circuitry configured to:

detect a probe operating state;

determine whether the probe operating state matches a predetermined condition; and

accept an operation information input by at least one of gesture and speech by an operator of the ultrasound probe based on a determination result obtained by the determination.

2 . The ultrasound diagnostic apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the circuitry is configured to further detect contact/non-contact of the ultrasound probe with respect to an object as the probe operating state.

3 . The ultrasound diagnostic apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the circuitry is configured to:

detect a position of the operator of the ultrasound probe as the probe operating state; and

determine whether the position of the operator falls within a preset range.

4 . The ultrasound diagnostic apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the circuitry is configured to cause a display to display a guidance message or an icon which indicates that acceptance by at least one of gesture and speech is ready.

5 . The ultrasound diagnostic apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the circuitry is configured to:

detect a direction of the face of the operator based on image data obtained by imaging the operator as the probe operating state; and

determine whether the direction of the face of the operator is a direction of the display.

6 . The ultrasound diagnostic apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the circuitry is configured to:

detect a body axis angle of the operator with respect to a vertical direction based on the image data obtained by imaging the operator as the probe operating state; and

determine whether a body axis angle of the operator relative to a vertical direction falls within a preset range.

7 . The ultrasound diagnostic apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the circuitry is configured to further detect the probe operating state including a use state of the ultrasound probe, the position of the operator of the ultrasound probe, and a contact state of the ultrasound probe with respect to the object.

8 . The ultrasound diagnostic apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the circuitry is configured to further detect the probe operating state including a use state of the ultrasound probe, a body axis angle of the operator of the ultrasound probe with respect to a vertical direction, and a contact state of the ultrasound probe with respect to the object.

9 . The ultrasound diagnostic apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the circuitry is configured to further detect the probe operating state including a use state of the ultrasound probe, a direction of the face of the operator, and a position of a hand of the operator.

10 . The ultrasound diagnostic apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the circuitry is configured to accept an operation information input by at least one of gesture and speech from a person other than the operator upon detecting predetermined input information by at least one of gesture and speech from a person other than the operator.

11 . An ultrasound diagnostic apparatus control method comprising:

detecting a probe operating state of an ultrasound probe used for ultrasound transmission/reception,

determining whether the probe operating state matches a predetermined condition, and

accepting an operation information input by at least one of gesture and speech by an operator of the ultrasound probe based on a determination result obtained by the determination.

12 . The ultrasound diagnostic apparatus control method of claim 11 , further comprising detecting contact/non-contact of the ultrasound probe with respect to an object as the probe operating state.

13 . The ultrasound diagnostic apparatus control method of claim 11 , further comprising:

detecting a position of the operator of the ultrasound probe as the probe operating state; and

determining whether the position of the operator falls within a preset range.

14 . The ultrasound diagnostic apparatus control method of claim 11 , further comprising causing a display to display a guidance message or an icon which indicates that acceptance by at least one of gesture and speech is ready.

15 . The ultrasound diagnostic apparatus control method of claim 11 , further comprising:

detecting a direction of the face of the operator based on image data obtained by imaging the operator as the probe operating state; and

determining whether the direction of the face of the operator is a direction of the display.

16 . The ultrasound diagnostic apparatus control method of claim 11 , further comprising:

detecting a body axis angle of the operator with respect to a vertical direction based on the image data obtained by imaging the operator as the probe operating state; and

determining whether a body axis angle of the operator relative to a vertical direction falls within a preset range.

17 . The ultrasound diagnostic apparatus control method of claim 11 , further comprising detecting the probe operating state including a use state of the ultrasound probe, the position of the operator of the ultrasound probe, and a contact state of the ultrasound probe with respect to the object.

18 . The ultrasound diagnostic apparatus control method of claim 11 , further comprising detecting the probe operating state including a use state of the ultrasound probe, a body axis angle of the operator of the ultrasound probe with respect to a vertical direction, and a contact state of the ultrasound probe with respect to the object.

19 . The ultrasound diagnostic apparatus control method of claim 11 , further comprising detecting the probe operating state including a use state of the ultrasound probe, a direction of the face of the operator, and a position of a hand of the operator.

20 . The ultrasound diagnostic apparatus control method of claim 11 , further comprising accepting an operation information input by at least one of gesture and speech from a person other than the operator upon detecting predetermined input information by at least one of gesture and speech from a person other than the operator.