Ultrasound imaging apparatus and method of controlling ultrasound imaging apparatus

A method of controlling an ultrasound imaging apparatus coupled to a probe, the method comprising steps of:

• (i) comparing, by the ultrasound imaging apparatus, a signal value acquired through an input unit disposed on one side of the probe with first and second threshold values;
• (ii) determining, by the ultrasound imaging apparatus, a state of the input unit as one of a first state, a second state, and a third state classified by the first threshold value and second threshold value, based on a result of the comparison;
• (iii) determining, by the ultrasound imaging apparatus, an ultrasound image processing operation corresponding to a change in the state of the input unit, wherein the change in the state of the input unit includes a change from one state of the first, second, and third states to another state of the first, second, and third states;
• and
• (iv) performing, by the ultrasound imaging apparatus, the determined ultrasound image processing operation,
• wherein the first threshold value is less than the second threshold value, and
• wherein the determining of the ultrasound image processing operation comprises:
• determining, by the ultrasound imaging apparatus, corresponding to determining the state of the input unit as the first state, the ultrasound image processing operation as acquiring an ultrasound image of an object by transmitting an ultrasound signal to the object by using the probe, and displaying the acquired ultrasound image,
• determining, by the ultrasound imaging apparatus, corresponding to determining the state of the input unit is changed from the first state to the third state, the ultrasound image processing operation as stopping transmission of the ultrasound signal to the object by using the probe, and displaying an ultrasound image being displayed before the state changes from the first state to the second state as a still image,
• determining, by the ultrasound imaging apparatus, corresponding to determining the state of the input unit is changed from the first state to the third state, the ultrasound image processing operation as storing an ultrasound image acquired through the probe as a moving image, and
• determining, by the ultrasound imaging apparatus, corresponding to determining the state of the input unit is changed from the second state to the third state, the ultrasound image processing operation as storing the displayed still image,
• wherein the ultrasound imaging apparatus includes:
• a probe configured to acquire the signal value and
• a controller configured to perform the steps (i) through (iv).