System and method for activating a replacement component in a medical device
AssigneeSummit Imaging, Inc.
InventorsLawrence R. Nguyen, James B. Taylor
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A computer-implemented tool for use with an medical device having a computer system, the tool including an unsecured software-implemented suite of diagnostic tools and utilities configured to read logs, read system configuration provide a Telnet function, eject USB, and deactivate itself, and a secured software-implemented suite of diagnostic tools and utilities configured to interpret a key file received from an external source, upload the tool into the computer system of the medical device, run the tool upon booting up of the computer system to enable a replacement component in the medical device to be activated after installation in the medical device.
Claims17
A system, comprising:
- a medical device that includes:
- a controller having a control circuit and a memory in communication with the control circuit;
- and
- a plurality of components in communication with the controller, the plurality of components including a hardware component to be replaced by at least one replacement component;
- and
- a remote device capable of being in communication with the memory of the medical device and configured to communicate with the memory to enable the medical device to activate the at least one replacement component, the remote device including:
- a memory having stored thereon:
- a plurality of unsecured diagnostic and utility programs and a plurality of secured diagnostic and utility programs that are configured to be activated upon receipt of one or more key files;
- and
- a software program that, when executed by the remote device, is configured to receive the one or more key files to enable the use of secured functions of the secured diagnostic and utility programs to provide an enabling code to the memory of the medical device to be used to activate the at least one replacement component,
- wherein:
- prior to replacing the hardware component, a program of the plurality of unsecured diagnostic and utility programs evaluates a log of the medical device to identify that the hardware component is associated with a fault, and
- the secured functions of the secured diagnostic and utility programs enable clearing the log.
A method of a recognizing and activating one or more hardware replacement components in a medical device, the method comprising:
- prior to replacing a hardware component, evaluating a log of the medical device to identify that the hardware component is associated with a fault;
- replacing the hardware component;
- receiving a key file from an external source;
- uploading a software program to a memory of the medical device;
- running the software program as enabled by the key file to enable activation of a hardware replacement component;
- clearing the log;
- and
- removing the software program from the memory of the medical device after the hardware replacement component is activated.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.