Medical apparatus and method

• US 20080058967A1
• Filed: 08/30/2007
• Published: 03/06/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 08/31/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Siemens Healthineers AG (Siemens AG)
• Original Assignee: Siemens AG
• Inventors: Kagermeier, Robert, Staab, Reiner, Danzer, Uwe, Sierk, Dietmar, Regn, Judith
• Granted Patent: US 7,664,557 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 700/60
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 6/0487 Motor-assisted positioning
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 6/548 Remote control of the apparatus or devices

Abstract

To facilitate an intuitive operation of an adjustable device of a medical apparatus, a system for the automatic setting of an operating configuration of the portable control module controlling the adjustable device is provided, wherein different operating configurations in respect of the control of the movement of the movable device differ as far as the relative spatial position of the adjustable device to the control module is concerned. In particular, the system has at least one signal sender unit for sending a signal, said signal sender unit being arranged on the control module, at least two signal converter units for converting and retransmitting or for converting and reflecting the signal, said signal converter units being arranged on different positions on the device, and a signal receiver unit for receiving the converted signal, said signal receiver unit being arranged on the control module.

Claims

1-19. -19. (canceled)

20. A medical apparatus, comprising:

an adjustable device;

a portable control device that controls a movement of the adjustable device;

a signal sender unit arranged on the control device that sends a signal;

a plurality of signal converter units arranged on different positions of the adjustable device that convert and retransmit the signal; and

a signal receiver unit arranged on the control device that receives the converted signal for setting an operating configuration of the control device.

21. The medical apparatus as claimed in claim 20, wherein the operating configuration of the control device is set based the converted sign in respect of the movement of the adjustable device with a relative spatial position of the adjustable device to the control device.

22. The medical apparatus as claimed in claim 20, wherein the signal sender unit and the signal receiver unit comprise an RFID reader.

23. The medical apparatus as claimed in claim 22, wherein the signal converter units comprise RFID transponders.

24. The medical apparatus as claimed in claim 20, wherein the signal sender unit comprises an optical sender unit and the signal receiver unit comprises an optical sensor.

25. The medical apparatus as claimed in claim 24, wherein the signal converter units comprise markings selected from the group consisting of:

optically reflecting, optically refracting, and optically absorbing.

26. The medical apparatus as claimed in claim 25, wherein the markings are adhesive strips.

27. The medical apparatus as claimed in claim 25, wherein the markings are arranged on different sides of the adjustable device.

28. The medical apparatus as claimed in claim 20, wherein the signal converter units are detachable.

29. The medical apparatus as claimed in claim 20, wherein the adjustable device is a patient table.

30. The medical apparatus as claimed in claim 29, wherein the patient table comprises an at least two-dimensionally adjustable tabletop.

31. The medical apparatus as claimed in claim 20, wherein the adjustable device is an adjustable C-arm of an x-ray device.

32. The medical apparatus as claimed in claim 20, wherein the portable control device is a joystick or a remote operating unit.

33. A method for automatically setting an operating configuration of a portable control device controlling an adjustable device of a medical apparatus, comprising:

sending a signal from the portable control device to the adjustable device;

converting the signal into a response signal by a plurality of signal converter units arranged on the adjustable device;

receiving the response signal by the portable control device; and

setting the operating configuration of the portable control device based on the response signal.

34. The method as claimed in claim 33, wherein the operating configuration of the control device is set in respect of the movement of the adjustable device with a relative spatial position of the adjustable device to the control device.

35. The method as claimed in claim 33, wherein the signal converter units are arranged on different positions of the adjustable device.

36. The method as claimed in claim 33, wherein the setting is carried out automatically when the medical apparatus or the control device is in operation.

37. The method as claimed in claim 33, wherein the setting is carried out automatically at a regular period of time.

38. The method as claimed in claim 33, wherein the signal is a radio signal or an optical signal.

39. The method as claimed in claim 38, wherein the optical signal is converted and reflected by markings arranged on different sides of the adjustable device that are selected from the group consisting of:

reflecting, refracting, and absorbing.