Methods and systems for implementing hot keys for operating a medical device

1. A method for using a medical instrument, comprising:

receiving a user input selecting a function from a menu;

tracking a frequency with which each function is selected from the menu, wherein the frequency is used for defining hot keys;

associating the hot keys with functions according to the frequency with which each function is selected from the menu, by:

determining a frequency value for each function in the menu by evaluating the expression X=F*N, where X is the frequency value for a function, F is the frequency that the function is selected, and N is a preset coefficient, wherein N is determined based on an importance of the respective function and a difficulty in selecting the respective function from the menu, wherein the importance of the respective function is independent of the frequency that the function is selected or other user input; and

selecting the functions with the highest frequency values in the menu to associate with the hot keys; and

displaying the hot keys in the hot key display area on a display device of the medical instrument.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein associating the hot keys with functions according to the frequency with which each function is selected from the menu further comprises:

storing a threshold frequency value; and

adding a function as a hot key in response to the frequency value exceeding the threshold frequency value.

3. The method of claim 2 , wherein the threshold frequency value is based on a preset value, a number of hot keys available, or the frequency that the current hot keys are selected.

4. The method of claim 1 further comprising, determining a state in which to display the hot keys in the hot key display area, wherein the state defines a size of the hot key display area.

5. The method of claim 4 , wherein determining the state is based on an operation performed by a user.

6. The method of claim 4 , wherein determining the state is based on important information to be displayed on the display device of the medical instrument.

7. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

storing a hot key list, wherein the defined hot keys are stored in a defined sequence in the hot key list;

displaying a first portion of the hot key list in the hot key display area on the display device of the medical instrument in response to a first condition; and

displaying a second portion of the hot key list in the hot key display area in response to a second condition.

8. A method for determining hot keys for display on a medical instrument, the method comprising:

displaying a function menu on a display device of the medical instrument;

receiving user input selecting functions from the function menu;

storing frequency statistics to track a frequency with which each function is selected;

determining a plurality of hot keys based on the frequency statistics, by:

determining a frequency value for each function in the function menu by calculating a product of the frequency statistics for a function and a preset coefficient, wherein the preset coefficient for each function is determined based on an importance of the respective function and a difficulty in selecting the respective function from the function menu, wherein the importance of the respective function is independent of the frequency statistics or other user input;

determining the plurality of hot keys by selecting the functions in the function menu with the highest frequency values; and

displaying the hot keys in a hot key display area on the display device of the medical instrument.

9. The method of claim 8 , wherein determining the plurality of hot keys further comprises:

storing a threshold frequency value, wherein the threshold frequency value is based on a preset value, the number of hot key spaces available, or the frequency statistics; and

adding a function as a hot key in response to the determined frequency value exceeding the threshold frequency value.

10. A medical instrument comprising:

an input device configured to receive user input for operating the medical instrument;

a processing device configured to perform functions selected by a user via the input device; and

a display device configured to display results from the processing device, a menu for selecting a function to operate the medical instrument, and a plurality of hot keys in a hot key display area;

wherein the processing device, to determine functions to associate with the plurality of hot keys in the hot key area, is further configured to:

store frequency statistics to track a frequency that each function is selected;

determine a frequency value for each function in the menu by evaluating an expression based on the frequency statistics and a preset coefficient, wherein the preset coefficient is based on an importance of the respective function and a difficulty in selecting the respective function from the menu, wherein the importance of the respective function is independent of the frequency statistics or other user input; and

select the functions with the highest frequency values as the plurality of hot keys.

11. The medical instrument of claim 10 , wherein the processing device is configured to determine a state in which to display the hot keys in the hot key display area of the display device, wherein the state defines a size of the hot key display area.

12. The medical instrument of claim 10 , wherein the processing device is further configured to:

store a hot key list, wherein the plurality of hot keys are stored in a defined sequence in the hot key list;

display a first portion of the hot key list in the hot key display area on the display device in response to a first condition; and

display a second portion of the hot key list in the hot key display area on the display device in response to a second condition.