Medical apparatus supporting system

A medical apparatus supporting system comprising:

• a plurality of pieces of medical equipment having a communication facility;
• a first reprogrammable storage device, included in each of said plurality of pieces of medical equipment, in which a program used to drive and control each piece of medical equipment is stored;
• a second reprogrammable storage device, included in each of said plurality of pieces of medical equipment, in which a program used to drive and control each piece of medical equipment is stored;
• a reprogramming control unit for reprogramming said first and second storage devices;
• and
• a computer having a communication facility for communicating data over an information transmission line, and transmitting a rewriting/updating program with which the program stored in said first or second storage device is rewritten or updated,
• wherein:
• said rewriting/updating program with which the program stored in the storage device included in at least one piece of medical equipment is rewritten or updated is transmitted to said at least one piece of medical equipment over said information transmission line under control of said computer;
• and
• said reprogramming control unit rewrites or updates the program stored in said first or second storage device using said received rewriting/updating program.

A medical apparatus supporting system comprising:

• a plurality of pieces of medical equipment having a communication facility;
• a first storage device, included in each of said plurality of pieces of medical equipment, in which a first program used to drive and control each piece of medical equipment is stored;
• a second storage device in which a second program used to drive and control each of said plurality of pieces of medical equipment is stored;
• a reprogramming control unit for reprogramming said first storage device;
• and
• a computer having a communication facility for communicating data over an information transmission line, and transmitting a rewriting/updating program with which the first program stored in said first storage device is rewritten or updated,
• wherein:
• said rewriting/updating program with which the first program stored in said first storage device included in at least one piece of medical equipment is rewritten or updated is transmitted to said at least one piece of medical equipment over said information transmission line;
• and
• said reprogramming control unit rewrites or updates the first program stored in said first storage device using said received rewriting/updating program.

A medical apparatus supporting system comprising:

• medical equipment having a communication facility;
• an electrically reprogrammable storage device in which a program used to drive and control said medical equipment is stored;
• a remote unit having a communication facility for transmitting a rewriting/updating program to said medical equipment over at least a communication line;
• and
• a reprogramming control unit for receiving said rewriting/updating program from said remote unit, and reprogramming said storage device.

A medical apparatus supporting system comprising:

• a plurality of pieces of medical equipment;
• printed-circuit boards included in each of said plurality of pieces of medical equipment and used to drive and control apparatuses constituting each piece of medical equipment;
• a display device for displaying the state of each piece of medical equipment that acts while being driven and controlled using said printed-circuit boards;
• and
• a local assessment unit for judging whether the state of each piece of medical equipment driven and controlled using said printed-circuit boards is normal, and producing error information when the driven and controlled state is judged to be abnormal,
• wherein when said local assessment unit assesses that the state of each piece of medical equipment driven and controlled using said printed-circuit boards is abnormal, the error information is displayed on said display device.

A medical apparatus supporting system comprising:

• a medical equipment driving information acquisition unit installed in a maintenance service provider for providing a maintenance service for a plurality of pieces of medical equipment;
• printed-circuit boards included in each of said plurality of pieces of medical equipment and used to drive and control apparatuses constituting each piece of medical equipment;
• a local assessment unit for judging whether the state of each piece medical equipment driven and controlled using said printed-circuit boards is normal, and producing error information when the driven and controlled state is judged to be abnormal;
• and
• a communication unit for linking said pieces of medical equipment and said medical equipment driving information acquisition unit,
• wherein when the results of judgment made by said local assessment unit reveal that the state of medical equipment driven and controlled using said printed-circuit boards is abnormal, if the error information is produced, said communication unit transmits the error information to said medical equipment driving information acquisition unit.