Method and apparatus for sending ultrasound image data to remotely located device

A method for sending image frame data from an imaging system to a remote printer, comprising the steps of:

• interacting with a graphical user interface to configure said imaging system to transfer successive groups of acquired images to said remote printer in a format compatible with said remote printer while maintaining an open association with said remote printer throughout a series of image acquisitions;
• acquiring first through N-th frames of image data;
• after each frame acquisition, manipulating a first operator input device;
• in response to the first (N−1) manipulations of said first operator input device, constructing first through (N−1)-th data objects incorporating the first through (N−1)-th frames in said format and queuing said first through (N−1)-th data objects;
• and
• in response to the N-th manipulation of said first operator input device, constructing an N-th data object incorporating the N-th frame in said format, opening an association with said remote printer, and sending said first through N-th data objects to said remote printer via said network while said association is open.

An imaging system capable of sending image frame data to a remote device via a network, comprising:

• a networking port for communicating with a network;
• a graphical user interface for configuring said imaging system to transfer successive acquired images to a remote device on said network in a format compatible with said remote device while maintaining an open association with said remote device via said network throughout a series of image acquisitions;
• an operator interface comprising first and second operator input devices;
• means for acquiring first and second frames of image data;
• an object constructing task for constructing first and second data objects respectively incorporating said first and second frames of image data in said format;
• and
• means for transferring said first and second data objects to said networking port for transmission to said remote device,
• wherein in response to a first manipulation of said first operator input device, said object constructing task constructs said first data object, opens an association with said remote device via said network, and sends said first data object to said remote device via a network while said association with said remote device is open, and in response to a second manipulation of said first operator input device, said object constructing task constructs said second data object and sends said second data object to said remote device via said network while said association with said remote device is still open.

An imaging system capable of sending image frame data to remote devices via a network, comprising:

• a networking port for communicating with a network;
• a graphical user interface comprising a first menu for configuring said imaging system to transfer successive acquired images to a first remote device on said network in a first format compatible with said first remote device while maintaining an open association with said first remote device via said network throughout a series of image acquisitions, and a second menu for configuring said imaging system to transfer successive acquired images to a second remote device on said network in a second format compatible with said second remote device while maintaining an open association with said second remote device via said network throughout a series of image acquisitions;
• an operator interface comprising first, second and third operator input devices;
• means for acquiring first through fourth frames of image data;
• a first object constructing task for constructing first and second data objects respectively incorporating said first and second frames of image data in said first format;
• a second object constructing task for constructing third and fourth data objects respectively incorporating said third and fourth frames of image data in said second format;
• and
• means for transferring said first through fourth data objects to said networking port,
• wherein in response to a first manipulation of said first operator input device, said first object constructing task constructs said first data object, opens an association with said first remote device via said network, and sends said first data object to said first remote device via a network while said association with said first remote device is open, and in response to a second manipulation of said first operator input device, said first object constructing task constructs said second data object and sends said second data object to said first remote device via said network while said association with said first remote device is still open, and in response to a first manipulation of said second operator input device, said second object constructing task constructs said third data object, opens an association with said second remote device via said network, and sends said third data object to said second remote device via a network while said association with said second remote device is open, and in response to a second manipulation of said second operator input device, said second object constructing task constructs said fourth data object and sends said fourth data object to said second remote device via said network while said association with said second remote device is still open.

An imaging system capable of sending image frame data to a remote printer via a network, comprising:

• a networking port for communicating with a network;
• a graphical user interface for configuring said imaging system to transfer acquired images to a remote printer on said network in a format compatible with said remote printer while maintaining an open association with said remote printer via said network;
• an operator interface comprising first and second operator input devices;
• means for acquiring first through N-th frames of image data;
• an object constructing task for constructing first through N-th data objects respectively incorporating said first through N-th frames of image data in said format;
• and
• means for transferring said first through N-th data objects to said networking port for transmission to said remote printer,
• wherein in response to first through (N−1)-th manipulations of said first operator input device, said object constructing task constructs first through (N−1)-th data objects incorporating the first through (N−1)-th frames in said format and queues said first through (N−1)-th data objects, and in response to the N-th manipulation of said first operator input device, said object constructing task constructs an N-th data object incorporating the N-th frame in said format, opens an association with said remote printer via said network, and sends said first through N-th data objects to said remote printer via said network while said association is open.