Diagnostic medical ultrasound system communication network architecture and method
First Claim
1. A method for communicating among a plurality of diagnostic medical imaging devices coupled with a network, said method comprising:
- identifying, automatically by a first device of said plurality of diagnostic medical imaging devices, a second device of said plurality of diagnostic medical imaging devices available for communication via said network;
configuring, automatically, said first device to communicate substantially directly with said second device via said network; and
facilitating substantially direct communication of data between said first and second devices.
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Abstract
A network architecture for facilitating communications among multiple diagnostic medical imaging devices coupled with a network, such as a local area or wide area network, is disclosed. The architecture features communications components included within each device which permit each device to identify itself to all other devices on the network and respond to the identification by another device. This automated identification and recognition process allows each device to effectively automatically discover all of the other devices on the network, as well as automatically self-adjust to accommodate devices as they are added or removed from the network. Once each device has identified other devices on the network that are available for communications, the architecture facilitates the exchange of data between any of the identified devices at the direction of the user.
100 Citations
16 Claims
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1. A method for communicating among a plurality of diagnostic medical imaging devices coupled with a network, said method comprising:
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identifying, automatically by a first device of said plurality of diagnostic medical imaging devices, a second device of said plurality of diagnostic medical imaging devices available for communication via said network;
configuring, automatically, said first device to communicate substantially directly with said second device via said network; and
facilitating substantially direct communication of data between said first and second devices. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6)
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7. A communications interface for a first diagnostic medical imaging device, said communications interface operative to couple said first diagnostic medical imaging device to a network, said communications interface comprising:
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identification logic operative to periodically identify, via said network, said first diagnostic medical imaging device to other diagnostic medical imaging devices coupled with said network and receive a response therefrom, said identification logic being further operative to recognize other diagnostic medical imaging devices which identify themselves to said first diagnostic medical imaging device;
configuration logic coupled with said identification logic and operative to automatically configure said first diagnostic medical imaging device to communicate with said other diagnostic medical imaging devices which at least one of respond and identify themselves; and
communication logic coupled with said identification logic and said configuration logic and operative to facilitate communication of data between said first diagnostic medical imaging device and said other diagnostic medical imaging devices which at least one of respond and identify themselves. - View Dependent Claims (8, 9, 10, 11)
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12. An communications architecture comprising:
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a network;
a plurality of diagnostic medical imaging devices, each of said plurality of diagnostic medical imaging devices being coupled with said network;
each of said plurality of diagnostic medical imaging devices being operative to automatically discover at least one other of said plurality of diagnostic medical imaging devices via said network and facilitate communications therebetween. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15)
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16. An communications architecture comprising:
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a plurality of diagnostic medical imaging devices;
networking means for interconnecting each of said plurality of diagnostic medical imaging devices; and
wherein each of said plurality of diagnostic medical imaging devices comprises means for automatically discovering at least one other of said plurality of diagnostic medical imaging devices via said network and facilitating communications therebetween.
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Specification