Surgery – Diagnostic testing – Detecting nuclear – electromagnetic – or ultrasonic radiation
Reexamination Certificate
2000-03-30
2001-05-29
Lateef, Marvin M. (Department: 3737)
Surgery
Diagnostic testing
Detecting nuclear, electromagnetic, or ultrasonic radiation
C128S903000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06238344
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND
Many medical diagnostic ultrasound imaging applications use a peripheral device in conjunction with an ultrasound system. For example, a videocassette recorder (“VCR”) is often used to store a generated image for later analysis. Typically, each peripheral that is used with an ultrasound system has a wired or hard-wired command port to allow the ultrasound system to send commands to the peripheral. For example, specialized VCRs (such as SONY® SVO9500MD or PANASONIC® AG-MD830) contain a wired or hard-wired command port in addition to a data port (e.g., a video/audio I/O port). A command cable connects the command ports (e.g., RS-232 ports), and a data cable connects the data ports of the ultrasound system and peripheral. To record a generated image on videotape, the ultrasound system sends video data to the VCR via the data cable and sends a “record” command to the VCR via the command cable. When the VCR receives the “record” command from the ultrasound system, it performs a record operation to record the incoming video data on videotape.
There are several disadvantages associated with the current system-peripheral configuration. Ultrasound systems typically require a single command port for each peripheral used with the system. Because there is a limited number of command ports on an ultrasound system, this requirement can limit the number of peripherals that can be used with the ultrasound system. In addition to this physical-resource limitation, the use of multiple command ports increases the cost of the ultrasound system. The current configuration also results in increased costs for peripherals because of the need for a separate command port to receive commands from the ultrasound system. For example, consumer-grade VCRs can be much less expensive than VCRs with a wired or hard-wired command port.
There is, therefore, a need for a medical diagnostic ultrasound imaging system and peripheral that will overcome the disadvantages described above.
SUMMARY
The present invention is defined by the following claims, and nothing in this section should be taken as a limitation on those claims.
By way of introduction, the preferred embodiments described below provide a medical diagnostic ultrasound imaging system with a wirelessly-controlled peripheral. In one preferred embodiment, an ultrasound imaging system transmits a peripheral command to an ultrasound peripheral via a first wireless communication device, and the peripheral receives the command via a second wireless communication device. The peripheral performs an operation in response to the receipt of the command. Data is communicated between the ultrasound system and the peripheral via a data transmission medium that physically couples the ultrasound system and peripheral. With this preferred embodiment, an ultrasound system can control a peripheral without the disadvantages associated with current ultrasound system-peripheral configurations.
The preferred embodiments will now be described with reference to the attached drawings.
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Gamelsky Jeff N.
Hutchison James B.
McCartan Dermot P.
Acuson Corporation
Brinks Hofer Gilson & Lione
Lateef Marvin M.
Patel Maulin
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