Networked magnetic resonance imaging system and method incorporating same
First Claim
1. A communications system for a medical imaging system, comprising:
- a slave node for each of a plurality of components of the medical imaging system;
a master node coupled to each slave node via a network;
a uniform communications protocol for communications between the master node and each slave node.
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Accused Products
Abstract
The present technique provides a system and method for controlling, communicating with, and generally managing imaging subsystems and peripheral devices. The technique is applicable to a wide range of imaging systems, but is particularly well suited to complex imaging systems used in the medical diagnostics field. In the field of medical diagnostic imaging systems, the technique has particular promise for controlling, communicating with, and generally managing subsystems and devices in MRI systems, CT systems, x-ray systems, PET systems, and so forth. In a general sense, the technique facilitates more efficient and reliable communication with the subsystems and peripheral devices of the medical imaging system. For example, the present technique may use a CAN or CAN OPEN network architecture to provide uniform communication with the subsystems and peripheral devices and to provide a variety of operational checks to ensure the operational reliability of the imaging system.
47 Citations
84 Claims
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1. A communications system for a medical imaging system, comprising:
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a slave node for each of a plurality of components of the medical imaging system;
a master node coupled to each slave node via a network;
a uniform communications protocol for communications between the master node and each slave node. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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21. A medical imaging system, comprising:
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a plurality of medical imaging components having network slave nodes;
control circuitry having a network master node for the network slave nodes; and
a uniform communications protocol for network communications between the network master node and the network slave nodes. - View Dependent Claims (22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35)
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36. A method for communicating between components of a medical imaging system, comprising the acts of:
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managing the medical imaging system at a master node of a network having a slave node for each of a plurality of medical imaging components; and
communicating between the master and slave nodes using a uniform communications protocol. - View Dependent Claims (37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50, 51, 52)
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53. A medical diagnostic system, comprising:
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uniform communications means for communicating between components of the medical diagnostic system; and
message means for safely operating the medical diagnostic system. - View Dependent Claims (54, 55)
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56. A method for generating a medical diagnostic image, comprising the acts of:
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operating the medical imaging system at a master node of a network having a slave node for each of a plurality of medical imaging components;
communicating between the master and slave nodes using a uniform communications protocol; and
generating the medical diagnostic image. - View Dependent Claims (57, 58, 59, 60, 61, 62, 63, 64, 65, 66, 67, 68, 69, 70, 71)
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72. A computer program for a medical diagnostic system, comprising:
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a tangible medium configured to support machine-readable code; and
machine-readable code supported on the medium and comprising a network-based operational-management system for the medical diagnostic system, the network-based operational-management system comprising;
operational-management code adapted to manage the medical imaging system at a master node of a network having a slave node for each of a plurality of medical imaging components; and
communications code adapted to facilitate communications between the master and slave nodes using a uniform communications protocol. - View Dependent Claims (73, 74, 75, 76, 77, 78, 79, 80, 81, 82, 83, 84)
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Specification