Remote maintenance of medical imaging devices
AssigneeConsensys Imaging Service, Inc.
InventorsMichael J. Mercer, G. Wayne Moore, James Gessert
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Abstract
A medical imaging device that uses electromagnetic or acoustic information to generate a patient image is remotely maintained. A set of operational characteristics for the device is maintained by a maintenance system disposed remotely from the device. Data from sensors disposed local to the device are received over a network at the maintenance system. A set of parameter measures is derived from the received data and analyzed in comparison with the set of operational characteristics to identify a predicted malfunction of a component of the device. The maintenance system is thus able to initiate a repair of the medical imaging device by generating an alert in response to identification of the predicted malfunction.
Claims22
A method for remotely maintaining a medical imaging device adapted to use electromagnetic or acoustic information to generate an image of at least a portion of a body of a patient, the method comprising:
- determining, at a maintenance system disposed remotely from the medical imaging device, a set of operational characteristics for the medical imaging device;
- receiving, over a network at the maintenance system, data relating to current operating conditions from a plurality of sensors disposed local to the medical imaging device;
- deriving, with the maintenance system, a set of parameter measures from the received data relating to current operating conditions;
- analyzing, with the maintenance system, the derived parameter measures by comparing each of the derived parameter measures with a respective normal operating range maintained as part of the set of operational characteristics;
- in response to determining that each of the derived parameter measures is within the respective normal operating range, applying predictive modeling to the derived parameters to identify a predicted malfunction of a component of the medical imaging device;
- and
- initiating, with the maintenance system, a repair of the medical imaging device by generating an alert in response to identification of the predicted malfunction,
- wherein the medical imaging device comprises a first medical imaging device manufactured by a first manufacturer, the method further comprising:
- maintaining, at the maintenance system, a second set of operational characteristics for a second medical image device adapted to use electromagnetic or acoustic information to generate an image of at least a portion of a body of a second patient, the second medical imaging device being manufactured by a second manufacturer distinct from the first manufacturer and having, at least in part, a design different from a design of the first medical imaging device;
- receiving, over the network at the maintenance system, second data from a second plurality of sensors disposed local to the second medical device;
- deriving, with the maintenance system, a second set of parameter measures from the received second data;
- analyzing, with the maintenance system, the derived second parameter measures in comparison with the second set of operational characteristics to identify a second predicted malfunction of a component of the second medical imaging device;
- and
- initiating, with the maintenance system, a repair of the second medical imaging malfunction.
A maintenance system for interfacing with a plurality of sensors disposed to monitor a medical imaging device adapted to use electromagnetic or acoustic information to generate an image of at least a portion of a body of a patient, the maintenance system comprising:
- a storage device configured to maintain a set of operational characteristics for the medical imaging device;
- a communications device configured to permit exchange of data with the plurality of sensors and with the medical imaging device;
- and
- a processor connected with the storage device and with the communications device, wherein the processor comprises:
- instructions to receive, through the communications device, data from the plurality of sensors;
- instructions to derive a set of parameter measures from the received data;
- instructions to analyze the derived parameters in comparison with the set of operational characteristics to identify a predicted malfunction of a component of the medical imaging device, wherein the instructions to analyze comprise instructions to compare each of the derived parameter measures with a respective normal operating range as part of the set of operational characteristics and instructions to apply predictive modeling, in response to each of the derived parameter measures being within its respective normal operating range;
- and
- instructions to initiate a repair of the medical imaging device by generating an alert in response to identification of the predicted malfunction,
- wherein the medical imaging device comprises a first medical imaging device manufactured by a first manufacturer;
- the storage device is further configured to maintain a second set of operational characteristics for a second medical imaging device adapted to use electromagnetic or acoustic information to generate an image of at least a portion of a body of a second patient, the second medical imaging device being manufactured by a second manufacturer distinct from the first manufacturer and having, at least in part, a design different from a design of the first medical imaging device;
- the communications device is further configured to permit exchange of data with a second plurality of sensors disposed local to the second medical imaging device;
- and
- the processor further comprises;
- instructions to receive second data from the second plurality of sensors;
- instructions to derive a second set of parameter measures from the received second data;
- instructions to analyze the derived second parameter measures in comparison with the second set of operational characteristics to identify a second predicted malfunction of a component of the second medical imaging device;
- and
- instructions to initiate a repair of the second medical imaging device by malfunction,
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.