IP Library Granted Patent US 12,551,171
Granted Patent B2
US 12,551,171 · App. 18/518,215 · Granted Feb 17, 2026

Controlling an object transport unit of an examination system by means of a touch-sensitive screen

Inventors: Sven Helmecke (Nuremberg, DE); Bernd Kalnischkies (Erlangen, DE)
Assignee: Siemens Healthineers AG
A61B5/7475A61B5/055A61B5/7435G01R33/30
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,551,171
App. No.
18/518,215
Granted
Feb 17, 2026
Kind
B2
Abstract

An examination system is provided having an object transport unit for transporting an object to be examined into an examination region. A touch-sensitive screen is used that is configured to control a function and/or for visualizing a state of the examination unit, which may comprise a magnetic resonance tomography (MRT) system. The touch-sensitive screen has a virtual operating element, which is able to be brought into a movement, a deflection, or a target position. Dependent thereon, the object transport unit is moved toward or away from the examination region.

Claims (40)

1 . An examination system, comprising:

an examination unit including an examination region;

an object transport unit configured to transport an object to be examined into and/or out of the examination region; and

a touch-sensitive screen configured to control a function and/or to visualize a state of the examination unit,

wherein the touch-sensitive screen comprises a virtual operating element that is able to be manually displaced via a deflection of the virtual operating element in which the virtual operating element is physically moved from a starting position to a deflected position that is different than the starting position,

wherein the object transport unit is configured to be moved toward or away from the examination region in accordance with the displacement of the virtual operating element, and

wherein a velocity of the object transport unit depends upon a linear function of a degree of the deflection of the virtual operating element.

2 . The examination system as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the virtual operating element is configured to be manually displaced from the starting position exclusively via a linear deflection.

3 . The examination system as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the virtual operating element returns automatically to the starting position after being deflected upon the virtual operating element being no longer touched.

4 . The examination system as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the touch-sensitive screen is mounted directly on the examination unit.

5 . The examination system as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the examination system comprises a magnetic resonance tomography (MRT) system.

6 . The examination system as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the examination unit is configured to obtain an image from the object to be examined in the examination region.

7 . The examination system as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the manual displacement of the virtual operating element comprises a first deflection of the virtual operating element in a first direction and a second deflection of the virtual operating element in a second direction.

8 . The examination system as claimed in claim 7 , wherein the first direction and the second direction are 90 degrees with respect to one another.

9 . The examination system as claimed in claim 7 , wherein the first deflection and the second deflection of the virtual operating element causes the object transport unit to move upwardly to an entry position to the examination region and then subsequently horizontally into the examination region.

10 . The examination system as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the manual displacement of the virtual operating element comprises a deflection of the virtual operating element in single direction.

11 . The examination system as claimed in claim 10 , wherein the deflection of the virtual operating element causes the object transport unit to move upwardly to an entry position to the examination region and then subsequently horizontally into the examination region.

12 . The examination system as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the manual displacement of the virtual operating element comprises a first deflection of the virtual operating element in a first direction and a second deflection of the virtual operating element in a second direction that is opposite to the first direction.

13 . The examination system as claimed in claim 12 , wherein:

the manual displacement of the virtual operating element in the first direction causes the object transport unit to move horizontally into the examination region at a first velocity,

the manual displacement of the virtual operating element in the second direction causes the object transport unit to move horizontally into the examination region at a second velocity, and

the first velocity and the second are different than one another.

14 . A computer-implemented method for operating an examination system, comprising:

transporting, via an object transport unit, an object to be examined into and/or out of an examination region of an examination unit associated with the examination system;

controlling, via a touch-sensitive screen, a function of the examination unit and/or visualizing, via the touch-sensitive screen, a state of the examination unit,

wherein the touch-sensitive screen comprises a virtual operating element that is able to be manually displaced via a deflection of the virtual operating element in which the virtual operating element is physically moved from a starting position to a deflected position that is different than the starting position; and

moving the object transport unit toward or away from the examination region in accordance with the displacement of the virtual operating element,

wherein a velocity of the object transport unit depends upon a linear function of a degree of the deflection of the virtual operating element.

15 . The computer-implemented method as claimed in claim 14 , further comprising:

manually displacing the virtual operating element from the starting position exclusively via a linear deflection.

16 . The computer-implemented method as claimed in claim 14 , wherein a velocity of the object transport unit depends upon a degree of deflection of the virtual operating element.

17 . The computer-implemented method as claimed in claim 14 , further comprising:

automatically returning the virtual operating element to the starting position after being deflected upon the virtual operating element being no longer touched.

18 . An examination system, comprising:

an examination unit including an examination region;

an object transport unit configured to transport an object to be examined into and/or out of the examination region; and

a touch-sensitive screen configured to control a function and/or to visualize a state of the examination unit,

wherein the touch-sensitive screen comprises a virtual operating element that is able to be manually displaced via a deflection of the virtual operating element in which the virtual operating element is physically moved from a starting position to a deflected position that is different than the starting position,

wherein the object transport unit is configured to be moved toward or away from the examination region in accordance with the displacement of the virtual operating element, and

wherein a velocity of the object transport unit depends upon a quadratic or exponential function of a degree of the deflection of the virtual operating element.

Assignments (2)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Dec 10, 2025
From: HELMECKE, SVEN; KALNISCHKIES, BERND
To: SIEMENS HEALTHINEERS AG
Reel/Frame 073171/0017 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Dec 20, 2023
From: SIEMENS HEALTHCARE GMBH
To: SIEMENS HEALTHINEERS AG
Reel/Frame 066267/0346 →
Priority Claims (1)
EP 22209318 · Nov 24, 2022 · regional
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20240173002A1 · May 30, 2024
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