Surgery – Diagnostic testing – Detecting nuclear – electromagnetic – or ultrasonic radiation
Reexamination Certificate
2001-03-19
2003-12-02
Jaworski, Francis J. (Department: 3737)
Surgery
Diagnostic testing
Detecting nuclear, electromagnetic, or ultrasonic radiation
Reexamination Certificate
active
06656119
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a medical imaging diagnostic apparatus such as ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus and a maintenance method of the same, and more particularly to a technique suitable to remote maintenance from a remote computer connected to a medical imaging diagnostic apparatus via a communication line.
2. Description of Related Art
Conventionally, it has been well known that an ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus is equipped with a general function concerning ultrasonic image diagnosis which is an object of such apparatus and a service/maintenance function for changing system settings, performing system diagnosis, and changing (upgrading or the like) computer software such as control programs incorporated in the apparatus to its latest version.
Such service/maintenance function is generally incorporated in a main frame of an ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus. Thus, the service/maintenance work is generally performed by operators such as service personnel directly operating the main frame of the ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus. In this case, it has been required for service personnel to visit hospital or the like in which the apparatus is installed when service/maintenance work is performed by using the ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus equipped with the service/maintenance function. Therefor, a work time required for service/maintenance work is completed by service personnel is increased by a time required for movement to facility. This time corresponds to a down time caused by a fault of an ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus from the viewpoint of an operator who operates the ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus. Thus, as this time is increased, a time in which the ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus cannot be used is increased as in the case of a fault. That is, there is a high possibility that an increased time of service/maintenance work causes a problem with medical activities such as medical diagnosis using the ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus.
In the case where the computer software incorporated in the apparatus is changed in the service/maintenance work for the ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus, it is required to do a work of distributing or managing a recording medium having such change recorded therein. However, the distribution or management of such recording medium is generally complicate and cumbersome, and is time consuming, thus causing incorrect operation of service personnel.
Further, there has been a problem that acquisition or management of information concerning contents of service/maintenance work for the ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus is generally complicate and cumbersome, and is time consuming as well.
Furthermore, in view of an aspect of maintenance of the ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus, data concerning the use state of each apparatus or maintenance is recorded and stored, and the data is referred to or analyzed whenever or wherever necessary, thereby making it possible to significantly improve efficiency of the service/maintenance work. In particular, if the data on the use state of each apparatus can be analyzed in association with operator or patient data, such analysis is expected to be very useful in hospital management as well as in efficient maintenance work. However, it is currently difficult to perform service maintenance capable of analyzing the use state of such each apparatus.
In recent years, other medical imaging diagnostic apparatuses as well as the above ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus are equipped with computer network related functions with the advancement of linkage with general-purpose computer technology.
As such computer network related functions, there are known: for example, a function for enabling remote service from a remote computer connected via a communication line; a function for providing access patient data on a database of a local network; or a function concerning remote diagnosis. Using these functions enables for example service works such as fault diagnosis, maintenance, and software version management for a medical imaging diagnostic apparatus from a remote computer, or remote diagnosis by remote doctors, or intensive management of patient image data. In this manner, it is expected that efficiency of image diagnosis which is an object of a medical imaging diagnostic apparatus is improved more remarkably.
However, in a medical imaging diagnostic apparatus, apart from convenience obtained by such computer network related functions, the following problems arise. That is, in this medical imaging diagnostic apparatus, a concept of security management is not adopted because the operator's privilege is limited. In other words, this diagnostic apparatus does not consider, in particular, a so called concept of “login” for recognizing the operator during apparatus startup. Thus, if such medical imaging diagnostic apparatus is equipped with computer network related functions, maloperation or malfunction caused by the operator's unintentional data change or the like or activities of interpolation caused by an malicious third person is likely to occur. In this manner, there is a concern for security problems such as occurrence of apparatus maloperation or malfunction or finding weak points of patient information security.
For example, in the above medical imaging diagnostic apparatus, there is a possibility that an apparatus environment setting file is erased or rewritten by the operator's incorrect operation; the apparatus cannot be restarted; or apparatus maloperation which is hardly judged to be abnormal clearly. In addition, in this medical imaging diagnostic apparatus, there is apprehension that diagnosis image data on patients in intensive care, patient name or private patient data, electrical medical chart information on patients are used in an malicious manner; a third person who spoofs an examination personnel, an apparatus service personnel, or a doctor makes illegal copy (steal), interpolation, and erasing.
In order to overcome the above described security problems, it is required to construct and manage a system for restricting privilege relevant to functions requiring security, and preventing spoofing for such privileged persons. However, such security management requires special knowledge. Thus, it is considered that educating and training detailed operation for all operators lose convenience of a medical imaging diagnostic apparatus, lowers efficiency of diagnostic activities on which doctors should be concentrated, or patient service is lowered. Because of this, it is expected that there occur problems such as an increased diagnostic cost or an increased cost of a medical system.
In the recent medical imaging diagnostic apparatus, available functions are prone to be diversified and complicated. Thus, a function for customizing operating environment for each operator is indispensable so that frequently used functions can be easily used. In addition to this, as described above, in recent years, a medical imaging diagnostic apparatus is connected to a network, image information or patient information and any other information required for diagnosis or apparatus setup are often acquired or provided via this network. Furthermore, there are increased opportunities that general operator who is not familiar with setup unlike service personnel performs high-level apparatus setup because of enhancement of peripheral devices and other reason.
However, in the case where a general operator operates all of the above described functions, the following problems occur. For example, operation under the operating environment set by another operator can be easily performed, and thus, such environment can be easily changed by an operator other than an operator using such operating environment. In addition, the use privilege given to an operator relevant to functions is insufficient merely by providing two levels for service personnel or general operators. For example, it is currently difficult to set an administrator level and a user level relevant to a general operator.
Goto Eiji
Hashimoto Shin'ichi
Kamiyama Naohisa
Miyajima Yasuo
Nakazato Toshiaki
Jaworski Francis J.
Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba
Oblon & Spivak, McClelland, Maier & Neustadt P.C.
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