Methods for controlling an ultrasound imaging procedure and providing ultrasound images to an external non-ultrasound application via a network

A method for providing streaming video in using a hand-held portable ultrasonic imaging system comprising:

• using an ultrasonic application server having at least one ultrasonic operation and corresponding ultrasonic data stored in a shared memory, the ultrasonic application server being associated with the hand-held portable ultrasonic imaging system, the imaging system comprising a transducer probe connected with a cable to a hand-held processor housing in communication with the ultrasonic application server, the hand-held processor housing including the shared memory, a shared memory controller, a display, a beamformer integrated circuit, a system controller, an image processor, a beamformer control memory, a communication circuit operable to connect to a network and a power supply;
• receiving at the hand-held portable ultrasonic imaging system from an external non-ultrasound application via a network, a request for at least one ultrasonic operation including an imaging procedure with scan parameters selected in response to the request;
• and
• executing, in the ultrasonic application server, a result corresponding to the request such that ultrasound video images of an ultrasound imaging procedure being performed on a patient with the hand-held portable ultrasonic imaging system in response to the request are provided to the external non-ultrasound application with an interface program operative to receive a request to perform at least one of a plurality of selectable ultrasonic operations during the imaging procedure and wherein both the ultrasonic application server and the external non-ultrasound application are communicating with the shared memory controller, the shared memory controller being configured to control transmission of ultrasound images from the shared memory to the external non-ultrasound application during the ultrasound imaging procedure.