Diagnostic delivery service

• US 20100191091A1
• Filed: 01/29/2009
• Published: 07/29/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 01/29/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Gearbox LLC (Intellectual Ventures LLC)
• Original Assignee: Searete LLC (Intellectual Ventures LLC)
• Inventors: Bowers, Jeffrey A., Ishikawa, Muriel Y., Wood, Lowell L. JR., Rivet, Dennis J., Hyde, Roderick A., Kare, Jordin T., Sweeney, Elizabeth A., Leuthardt, Eric C.
• Granted Patent: US 8,047,714 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 600/407
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0002 Remote monitoring of patients using telemetry, e.g. transmission of vital signals via a communication network A61B5/07 takes precedence; transmission systems for measured values G08C; transmission H04B; transmission of digital information H04L; wireless communication networks H04W
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0059 using light, e.g. diagnosis by transillumination, diascopy, fluorescence A61B5/0093, A61B5/1455, A61B5/02416 and A61B5/0261 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0091 for mammography
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/4312 Breast evaluation or disorder diagnosis A61B5/0091 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/4528 Joints A61B5/4533, A61B5/4538 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 6/4021 involving movement of the focal spot
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 6/4405 the apparatus being movable or portable, e.g. handheld or mounted on a trolley
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 6/4417 related to combined acquisition of different diagnostic modalities
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 6/4423 related to hygiene or sterilisation
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 6/502 for diagnosis of breast, i.e. mammography
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 6/508 for non-human patients
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 6/5247 combining images from an ionising-radiation diagnostic technique and a non-ionising radiation diagnostic technique, e.g. X-ray and ultrasound
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 6/548 Remote control of the apparatus or devices
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/00 Diagnosis using ultrasonic, sonic or infrasonic waves imaging of objects using sonar G01S15/00
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/0825 for diagnosis of the breast, e.g. mammography
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/4416 related to combined acquisition of different diagnostic modalities, e.g. combination of ultrasound and X-ray acquisitions
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/4472 Wireless probes
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/565 involving data transmission via a network
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 2005/1074 Details of the control system, e.g. user interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 5/06 using light
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 5/10 : X-ray therapy; Gamma-ray therapy; Particle-irradiation therapy A61N5/01 takes precedence

Abstract

Systems, methods, and other modalities are described for (a) obtaining an indication relating to an emission module (which may be dangerous, e.g.) or its user (who may be untrained, e.g.) and for (b) configuring the module or causing an irradiation (for imaging, e.g.) in response to the indication.

Claims

1. A system comprising:

first means for emitting energy through a wireless medium;

second means for resetting the first means partly based on a certification of a user and partly based on an action by the user; and

third means for positioning one or more sensing elements to receive a portion of the energy from the emission module.

2. A system comprising:

an emission module operable for emitting energy through a wireless medium;

first circuitry for resetting the emission module partly based on a certification of a user and partly based on an action by the user; and

a wearable article configured to support (at least) one or more sensing elements to receive a portion of the energy through a body part from the emission module.

3. The system of claim 2, in which the user is a professional service provider.

4. The system of claim 2, further comprising:

a display configured to present video data locally in a vicinity of the emission module.

5. The system of claim 2, further comprising:

a display configured to present a facial image locally in a vicinity of the emission module.

6. The system of claim 2, further comprising:

a speaker configured to present audio data in a vicinity of the emission module.

7. The system of claim 2, further comprising:

a local interface; and

a common structure supporting the emission module and the local interface.

8. The system of claim 2, further comprising:

a local interface configured to present data in response to another action by the user.

9. The system of claim 2 in which the emission module comprises:

an activation-history-dependent feature preventing another user from being able to release more than 1 kilojoule of ionizing radiation energy via the emission module.

12. The system of claim 2 in which the emission module comprises:

an activation-history-dependent feature preventing another user from being able to release more than 30 joules of ionizing radiation energy via the emission module.

15. The system of claim 2, further comprising:

circuitry for transmitting an image indicating a position of the body part relative to the emission module.

16. The system of claim 2, further comprising:

circuitry for sensing a position of the emission module.

17. The system of claim 2, further comprising:

circuitry for triggering an emission of visible light.

18. The system of claim 2, further comprising:

circuitry for triggering an emission of visible light responsive to an action by another user.

19. The system of claim 2 in which the emission module comprises:

an ionizing radiation emission module.

20. The system of claim 2 in which the wearable article comprises:

second circuitry for receiving one or more results of the energy.

21. The system of claim 2, further comprising:

circuitry for sensing a type of the emission module or of the energy.

22. The system of claim 2 in which the first circuitry for resetting the emission module comprises:

circuitry for resetting the emission module responsive to a remote signal indicative of a remote detection of at least the action, the certification, and additional data from the user.

23. The system of claim 2 in which the wearable article comprises:

second circuitry for transmitting wireless data from at least one of the one or more sensing elements.

24. The system of claim 2, further comprising:

at least one of the one or more sensing elements operable for transmitting a digital image of the body part.

25. The system of claim 2, in which the wearable article comprises:

a vest or a shoe.

26. The system of claim 2, further comprising:

second circuitry for detecting other energy from the body part; and

another article configured to support the second circuitry.

27. The system of claim 2, further comprising:

at least one of the one or more sensing elements, including at least circuitry for detecting an instance of the energy

28. The system of claim 2, in which the emission module comprises:

a radio frequency emitter.

29. The system of claim 2, in which the emission module comprises:

an x-ray emitter.

30. The system of claim 2, in which the emission module comprises:

an ionizing radiation emitter;

one or more activation-history-dependent features configured to prevent another user from being able to release more than 100 kilojoules of ionizing radiation energy via the ionizing radiation emitter.

32. The system of claim 2, further comprising:

second circuitry for capturing a digital image at least in response to an action by another user; and

third circuitry for providing user guidance in response to a failure to recognize one or more physiological features in the digital image.

33. The system of claim 2, further comprising:

second circuitry for capturing a digital image in response to another action by the user and to an action by another user.

34. The system of claim 2 in which the emission module comprises:

one or more emitters configured for scanning; and

second circuitry for computing an image resulting from output from at least one of the one or more emitters.

35. The system of claim 2, further comprising:

at least one of the one or more sensing elements, including at least second circuitry for detecting an instance of the energy;

third circuitry for transmitting a first digital image indicating a position of the body part relative to the emission module; and

fourth circuitry for capturing a second digital image in response to another action by the user and to an action by another user.

36. The system of claim 35, further comprising:

a display configured to present a facial image locally in a vicinity of the emission module; and

a speaker configured to present audio data in the vicinity of the emission module.

37. The system of claim 2, further comprising:

at least one of the one or more sensing elements, including at least second circuitry for detecting an instance of the energy;

third circuitry for transmitting a first digital image indicating a position of the body part relative to the emission module;

fourth circuitry for capturing a second digital image at least in response to another action by the user; and

fifth circuitry for signaling whether one or more physiological features are apparently recognizable in the second digital image.

38. The system of claim 2, further comprising:

second circuitry for detecting other energy from the body part;

third circuitry for capturing a digital image at least in response to another action by the user;

fourth circuitry for signaling whether one or more physiological features are apparently recognizable in the digital image; and

another article configured to support the second circuitry.

39. The system of claim 38, further comprising:

fifth circuitry for triggering an emission of visible light responsive to an action by another user.

40. The system of claim 38, further comprising:

fifth circuitry for sensing a position of the emission module; and

sixth circuitry for sensing a type of the emission module or of the energy.

41. The system of claim 2, further comprising:

second circuitry for capturing a digital image at least in response to an action by another user;

third circuitry for providing user guidance in response to a failure to recognize one or more physiological features in the digital image;

fourth circuitry for detecting other energy from the body part; and

another article configured to support the fourth circuitry.

42. The system of claim 41, further comprising:

a local interface configured to present data in response to another action by the user.

43. The system of claim 41, further comprising:

a display configured to present a facial image locally in a vicinity of the emission module; and

a speaker configured to present audio data in a vicinity of the emission module.

44. The system of claim 2, further comprising:

a local interface configured to present data in response to another action by the user;

a common structure supporting the emission module and the local interface;

at least one of the one or more sensing elements operable for transmitting a digital image of the body part; and

a speaker configured to present audio data in a vicinity of the emission module.

45. The system of claim 44, further comprising:

second circuitry for capturing the digital image at least in response to an action by another user;

third circuitry for providing user guidance in response to a failure to recognize one or more physiological features in the digital image; and

a display configured to present a facial image locally in a vicinity of the emission module.

46. The system of claim 2, further comprising:

second circuitry for capturing the digital image in response to another action by the user and to an action by another user;

at least one of the one or more sensing elements operable for transmitting a digital image of the body part;

a local interface configured to present data in response to the other action by the user; and

a common structure supporting the emission module and the local interface.

47. The system of claim 46, further comprising:

a display configured to present video data locally in a vicinity of the emission module.

48. The system of claim 29, further comprising:

at least one of the one or more sensing elements operable for transmitting a first digital image of the body part, including at least second circuitry for detecting an instance of the energy;

third circuitry for triggering an emission of visible light responsive to an action by another user;

fourth circuitry for capturing a second digital image in response to another action by the user and to the action by the other user;

fifth circuitry for sensing a position of the emission module;

sixth circuitry for obtaining an evaluation of an apparent positional suitability of the emission module;

seventh circuitry for transmitting a third digital image indicating a position of the body part relative to the emission module;

eighth circuitry for sensing a type of the emission module or of the energy;

ninth circuitry for detecting other energy from the body part;

another article configured to support (at least) the ninth circuitry;

a display configured to present video data locally in a vicinity of the emission module; and

a speaker configured to present audio data in the vicinity of the emission module.

10-11. -11. (canceled)

13-14. -14. (canceled)

31. (canceled)