# US 2021/0330277 A1 · Software synchronization for bedside dynamic imaging

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- Number: US 2021/0330277 A1
- Document ID: US20210330277A1
- Status: Published application
- Kind: A1
- Application number: 16/606,372
- Filed: 2018-05-10
- Published: 2021-10-28
- Earliest claimed: 2017-05-11
- Applicants: Carestream Health, Inc.
- Inventors: Richard T. SCOTT; Scott A. ROGERSON
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20210330277A1

## CPC

- A61B 6/54: {Control of apparatus or devices for radiation diagnosis}
- A61B 6/56: {Details of data transmission or power supply, e.g. use of slip rings}
- A61B 6/4233: {using matrix detectors}
- A61B 6/542: {involving control of exposure}
- A61B 6/548: {Remote control of the apparatus or devices}
- A61B 2034/104: {Modelling the effect of the tool, e.g. the effect of an implanted prosthesis or for predicting the effect of ablation or burring}
- A61B 2034/105: {Modelling of the patient, e.g. for ligaments or bones}
- A61M 37/0092: {using ultrasonic, sonic or infrasonic vibrations, e.g. phonophoresis}
- A61N 7/00: Ultrasound therapy (lithotripsy A61B17/22, A61B17/225; massage using supersonic vibration A61H23/00 {; using ultrasound for introducing media into the body A61M37/0092})
- A61B: DIAGNOSIS; SURGERY; IDENTIFICATION (usefulness limited to only animals A61D)
- A61M: DEVICES FOR INTRODUCING MEDIA INTO, OR ONTO, THE BODY (introducing media into or onto the bodies of animals A61D7/00; means for inserting tampons A61F13/26; devices for administering food or medicines orally A61J; containers for collecting, storing or administering blood or medical fluids A61J1/05); DEVICES FOR TRANSDUCING BODY MEDIA OR FOR TAKING MEDIA FROM THE BODY (surgery A61B; chemical aspects of surgical articles A61L); DEVICES FOR PRODUCING OR ENDING SLEEP OR STUPOR {(Electrotherapy, e.g. producing anaesthesia by the use of alternating or intermittent currents A61N1/36021)}
- A61N: ELECTROTHERAPY; MAGNETOTHERAPY; RADIATION THERAPY; ULTRASOUND THERAPY (measurement of bioelectric currents A61B; surgical instruments, devices or methods for transferring non-mechanical forms of energy to or from the body A61B18/00; anaesthetic apparatus in general A61M; incandescent lamps H01K; infrared radiators for heating H05B)

## Abstract

A method of capturing radiographic images by wirelessly synchronizing steps performed by first and second components of a radiographic imaging system. Digital messages are sent between the first and second components and the send and receive times are recorded so that a transmission delay time and clock drift rate may be determined. A schedule of first component steps and a schedule of second component steps are generated based on the send and receive times, the transmission delay time and the clock drift rate.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A method of capturing radiographic images of a subject using a radiographic imaging system, the radiographic imaging system including a first component and a second component, the method comprising:
generating a schedule of first component steps to be performed by the first component, the schedule of first component steps each corresponding to a first component clock referenced by the first component to start or stop each of the first component steps; and
generating a schedule of second component steps to be performed by the second component, the schedule of second component steps each corresponding to a second component clock referenced by the second component to start or stop each of the second component steps,
wherein the steps of generating the schedule of first component steps and generating the schedule of second component steps comprise:
sending a first digital message over a digital network from the first component to the second component and sending a second digital message over the digital network from the second component to the first component;
determining a time tA1 of the first component clock when the first digital message was sent by the first component;
determining a time tB1 of the second component clock when the first digital message was received at the second component;
determining a time tA2 of the first component clock when the second digital message was received by the first component; and
generating the schedule of first component steps and generating the schedule of second component steps based on one or more of the determined times tA1, tB1, and tA2, such that the first component steps and the second component steps are performed in synchrony.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, further comprising statistically determining a communication delay as between the first component clock and the second component clock based on repeating the steps of sending the first digital message and sending the second digital message and determining a plurality of the times tA1i→n, tB1i→n, and tA2i→n.

### Claim 3 (depends on 2)

The method of claim 2, further comprising statistically determining a relative clock difference as between the first component clock and the second component clock based on repeating the steps of sending the first digital message and sending the second digital message and determining the plurality of the times tA1i→n, tB1i→n, and tA2i→n.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, further comprising repeating the steps of sending the first digital message and sending the second digital message and determining a plurality of times tB2i→n of the second component clock when the second digital messages were sent by the second component.

### Claim 5 (depends on 4)

The method of claim 4, wherein the step of generating the schedule of first component steps, tA(events 1 . . . n), and generating the schedule of second component steps, tB(events 1 . . . n), includes using the formula tB(events 1 . . . n)=tA(events 1 . . . n)−tA1+tB1−((tA2−tA1)/2)−(tB2−(tA1+tA2)/2).

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, further comprising connecting the first component and the second component to a common monitoring system, wherein the common monitoring system performs the steps of:
determining a time tC1 of the first component clock when the first digital message was sent by the first component;
determining a time tC2 of the second component clock when the second digital message was sent by the second component; and
determining a time tC3 of the first component clock when the second digital message was received by the first component,
wherein the step of generating the schedule of first component steps, tA(events 1 . . . n), and generating the schedule of second component steps, tB(events 1 . . . n), includes using the formula tB(events 1 . . . n)=tA(events 1 . . . n)−tA1+tB1−((tA2−tA1)/2)−(tC2−(tC1+tC3)/2).

### Claim 7 (depends on 4)

The method of claim 4, further comprising determining a drift rate (DR) using the formula DR=(tB1i−tB1i-1)/(tA1i−tA1i-1)

### Claim 8 (depends on 7)

The method of claim 7, wherein the step of generating the schedule of first component steps, tA(events 1 . . . n), and generating the schedule of second component steps, tB(events 1 . . . n), includes using the formula tB(events 1 . . . n)=[tA(events 1 . . . n)−tA1+tB1−((tA2−tA1)/2)−(tB2−(tA1+tA2)/2)]×DR.

### Claim 9 (depends on 6)

The method of claim 6, further comprising determining a drift rate (DR) using the formula DR=(tB1i−tB1i-1)/(tA1i−tA1i-1)

### Claim 10 (depends on 9)

The method of claim 9, wherein the step of generating the schedule of first component steps, tA(events 1 . . . n), and generating the schedule of second component steps, tB(events 1 . . . n), includes using the formula tB(events 1 . . . n)=[tA(events 1 . . . n)−tA1+tB1−((tA2−tA1)/2)−(tC2−(tC1+tC3)/2)]×DR.

### Claim 11 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, further comprising scheduling an integration start time and end time for a DR detector in the schedule of first component steps.

### Claim 12 (depends on 11)

The method of claim 11, further comprising scheduling an exposure start time and end time for an x-ray source in the schedule of second component steps.

### Claim 13 (depends on 12)

The method of claim 12, further comprising:
the radiographic imaging system performing the schedule of steps;
pausing performance of the schedule of steps;
resuming performance of the schedule of steps;
determining an elapsed time between the steps of pausing and resuming; and
rescheduling unperformed steps in the paused performance of the schedule of steps,
wherein the step of rescheduling is based on a drift rate between the first component clock and the second component clock, the drift rate is used to update the times in the rescheduled unperformed steps, and wherein the rescheduled unperformed steps are used in the step of resuming performance of the schedule of steps.

### Claim 14 (depends on 12)

The method of claim 12, further comprising:
the radiographic imaging system performing the schedule of steps;
stopping performance of the schedule of steps;
restarting performance of the schedule of steps;
determining an elapsed time between the steps of stopping and restarting; and
rescheduling the steps in the schedule of steps,
wherein the step of rescheduling is based on a drift rate between the first component clock and the second component clock, the drift rate is used to reschedule the steps in the schedule of steps, and wherein the rescheduled steps are used in the step of restarting