X-ray or gamma ray systems or devices – Auxiliary data acquisition or recording
Reexamination Certificate
1999-03-08
2001-01-23
Bruce, David V. (Department: 2876)
X-ray or gamma ray systems or devices
Auxiliary data acquisition or recording
C378S008000, C378S062000, C345S001300, C345S156000, C345S215000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06178228
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention is directed to an apparatus having a number of operating parameters that can be set by an attendant via a control unit, of the type wherein the control unit has a display on which a mark, that indicates and influences the value of the appertaining operating parameter, can be displaced on a scale with an input means.
2. Description of the Prior Art
In an ideal apparatus, all operating parameters can be selected independently of one another. The entire range of adjustment thus always can be selected for each operating parameter. In reality, however, certain operating parameter values are often dependent on other values of other operating parameters that have already been determined in advance or that are conditioned by the status of the apparatus. The goal of the attendant is to find a combination of operating parameters for a desired operating condition that comes as close to possible as the ideal set of operating parameters.
Although it would be possible to present the operating parameters in table format on the display. A table, however, does not show how far the attendant is away from the targeted idea. The dynamic reaction of the apparatus to changes of operating parameters also cannot be satisfactorily recognized in a table format. The apparatus can either output a message, for example via a display, that the selected combination of operating parameters is not allowed, or the apparatus can automatically modify other operating parameters that may also already have been set by the attendant. In the former instance, the attendant must find an allowable combination of operating parameters based only on the table, this being time-consuming and uncomfortable. In the latter instance, the unpleasant situation for the attendant arises, namely that the apparatus ultimately prescribes the sequence in which the operating parameters must be set for the attendant.
There would also be the possibility of fashioning the control unit such that an automatic optimization of the operating parameters ensues following the input of a desired but inadmissible combination of operating parameters. The apparatus can then find the extremes of a function in n operating parameters and set them. However, the situation is often such that an operating parameter is extremely important to the attendant and should therefore not be modified insofar as possible. In the case of an automatic optimization, the attendant must be able to input (identify) what operating parameters must not be modified into the apparatus. The selection of the value of the operating parameter which is not to be modified is ultimately only possible on the basis of trial and error, since the apparatus can only determine, based on the setting of this value, whether an optimization of the other operating parameters is possible at all. Moreover, it is questionable whether the values determined by optimization will agree with the attendant's preferences.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
An object of the present invention is to provide an apparatus of the type initially described wherein the setting of impermissible combinations of operating parameters is prevented, but the attendant is assisted in the setting of operating parameters that are allowed and approach closely to the actual operating parameters desired by the attendant.
This object is inventively achieved in an apparatus having a number of operating parameters adjustable by an attendant via a control unit, whereby the control unit having a display on which a mark indicating and influencing the value of the appertaining operating parameter can be displaced on a scale for at least two operating parameters with an input means, wherein the scales are divided into ranges indicating the admissibility and the inadmissibility of the corresponding values of the respective operating parameter, and the displacement of the mark representing an operating parameter on one scale can effect a modification on at least one other scale, as required, of the subdivision into the ranges indicating the admissibility and inadmissibility of values of the operating parameter represented on the other scale.
In the invention, thus, the setting of unallowed combinations of operating parameters is opposed, but those combinations of operating parameters that are allowed are shown to the attendant at the same time in a graphic and therefore easily comprehended way, namely without losing the target ideas of the attendant from sight. It is thus simple and easily possible for an attendant to optimally set the operating parameters of the inventive apparatus corresponding to the attendant's ideas, because two points of view are simultaneously presented: what the attendant would like to set and what the apparatus can offer.
In the invention, the attendant always sees how far he or she is removed from an allowable combination of operating parameters. An automatic modification of operating parameters by the apparatus is not required in the invention since the attendant can immediately see whether his or her targeted idea is possible or not. Moreover, the selection of the value of an especially critical operating parameter is facilitated for the attendant in an elegant way since the attendant can immediately see what operating parameters must be modified least.
A scale can be constructed such that the upper and/or lower limit value of the respective operating parameter displayed by it's dependence on the position of the appertaining mark. The scale then illustrates a value range of the respective operating parameter that lies between the apparatus-dependent, absolute upper and absolute lower limit values of the respective operating parameter. The limit values belonging to a specific position of the mark thus must be respectively re-calculated when the mark is displaced. Since such a structure of the scales can be confusing for an attendant, it is normally advantageous when the upper and lower limit value of a scale is independent of the position of the corresponding mark, and thus corresponds to the absolute upper and absolute lower limit value of the corresponding operating parameter.
In this case, the m
th
scale that represents the operating parameter p
m
is calculated according to
min(p
m
)≦scale
m
≦max(p
m
).
The upper and lower limit values f
nj,max
and f
nj,min
that limit the colored areas CB
nj
within the scales are dependent on the other, currently set operating parameters p
i
. Valid for the j
th
color of the m
th
(of n, n>2) scales is:
f
nj,min
(
p
1
, p
2
, p
m−1
, p
m+1
, . . . , p
n
)≦
CB
nj
≦f
nj,max
(
p
1
, p
2
, p
m−1
, p
m+1
, . . . , p
n
)
The p
i
values are determined by the mark belonging to the respective scale.
All colors are recalculated when a p
i
value is modified. The positions of the other, black marks (except the one that was displaced by the attendant) are not modified.
In instances wherein the admissibility or inadmissibility of the value of an operating parameter is not dependent on unambiguously defined, physical boundary conditions, the corresponding scale, in an embodiment of the invention, can contain a range identifying the apparatus-dependent admissibility of a value of the operating parameter.
In another embodiment of the invention the apparatus has an operating element which is actuated to set the values of the operating parameters which are preselected with the marks, insofar as none of the preselected values lies in an inadmissible range. Thus only a pre-selection of the values of the operating parameters initially ensues with the marks, and the actual setting of the values of the operating parameters and thus the operation of the apparatus with these operating parameters only becomes possible when a further operating element is actuated. It is assured in this way that the apparatus cannot be mistakenly operated with inadmissible values of the operating parameters.
The scales can be fashioned bar-like, the admissible, inadmissible and potentially conditi
Bruce David V.
Hobden Pamela R.
Schiff & Hardin & Waite
Siemens Aktiengesellschaft
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