Diagnostic delivery service

• US 20100191107A1
• 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: Ishikawa, Muriel Y., Wood, Lowell L. JR., Rivet, Dennis J., Hyde, Roderick A., Bowers, Jeffrey A., Kare, Jordin T., Sweeney, Elizabeth A., Leuthardt, Eric C.
• Granted Patent: US 8,041,008 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 600/436
• 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 controlling an ionizing radiation locally in response to one or more local user actions; and

second means for configuring the first means in response to a remote signal.

2. A system comprising:

an ionizing radiation control module operable locally in response to one or more local user actions; and

circuitry for configuring the ionizing radiation control module locally in response to a remote signal.

3. The system of claim 2, in which the one or more local user actions are performed by a less-skilled device user and in which the remote signal is generated by a more-skilled device user.

4. The system of claim 2, further comprising:

a display configured to present video data locally in a vicinity of the ionizing radiation control module.

5. The system of claim 2, further comprising:

a display configured to present a facial image locally in a vicinity of the ionizing radiation control module.

6. The system of claim 2, further comprising:

a speaker configured to present audio data in a vicinity of the ionizing radiation control module.

7. The system of claim 2, further comprising:

a local interface; and

a common structure supporting the ionizing radiation control module, the circuitry for configuring the ionizing radiation control module, and the local interface.

8. The system of claim 2, further comprising:

a local interface configured to present data in response to the remote signal.

10. The system of claim 2, further comprising:

circuitry for transmitting an image indicating a position of a body part relative to a portion of the ionizing radiation control module.

11. The system of claim 2, further comprising:

circuitry for sensing a position of the ionizing radiation control module operable locally in response to one or more local user actions.

12. The system of claim 2, further comprising:

circuitry for triggering an emission of visible light in response to one or more other user actions.

13. The system of claim 2, further comprising:

circuitry for triggering an energy emission in response to one or more other user actions.

14. The system of claim 2, further comprising:

circuitry for sensing a type of the ionizing radiation control module.

15. The system of claim 2 in which the circuitry for configuring the ionizing radiation control module locally in response to a remote signal comprises:

circuitry for resetting the ionizing radiation control module responsive to the remote signal.

16. The system of claim 2, further comprising:

circuitry for detecting an effect of energy from the ionizing radiation control module irradiating a part of a subject'"'"'s body.

17. The system of claim 2, further comprising:

an emitter controlled by the ionizing radiation control module; and

one or more sensing elements operable for detecting energy from the emitter.

18. The system of claim 2 in which the ionizing radiation control module comprises:

a single-use component.

19. The system of claim 2 in which the ionizing radiation control module comprises:

an activation-history-dependent feature.

20. The system of claim 2 in which the ionizing radiation control module comprises:

an emitter; and

an activation-history-dependent feature preventing at least an unspecified user from being able to release more than 100 kilojoules of ionizing radiation energy via the emitter.

23. The system of claim 2, further comprising:

an emitter controlled by the ionizing radiation control module.

24. The system of claim 2, further comprising:

an emitter controlled by the ionizing radiation control module; and

a kiosk configured to support at least the emitter.

25. The system of claim 2, further comprising:

one or more sensors configured to detect the one or more local user actions; and

a kiosk configured to support the one or more sensors.

26. The system of claim 2, further comprising:

an emitter controlled by the ionizing radiation control module; and

a handheld device configured to support at least the emitter.

27. The system of claim 2, further comprising:

an emitter controlled by the ionizing radiation control module; and

a handheld article including at least circuitry for detecting energy from the emitter.

28. The system of claim 2, in which the circuitry for configuring the ionizing radiation control module locally in response to a remote signal comprises:

circuitry for controlling a duration of an emission pulse in response to a parameter of the remote signal.

29. The system of claim 2, in which the circuitry for configuring the ionizing radiation control module locally in response to a remote signal comprises:

circuitry for controlling an emission profile in response to a parameter of the remote signal.

30. The system of claim 2, further comprising:

a sensing element operable for detecting energy from the ionizing radiation control module; and

a wearable article supporting the sensing element.

32. The system of claim 2, further comprising:

a common emitter configured to emit gamma radiation and x-ray radiation responsive to the ionizing radiation control module.

33. The system of claim 2, further comprising:

an infrared radiation emitter responsive to the ionizing radiation control module.

34. The system of claim 2, further comprising:

a gamma radiation emitter responsive to the ionizing radiation control module.

35. The system of claim 2, further comprising:

an x-ray emitter responsive to the ionizing radiation control module.

38. The system of claim 2, further comprising:

one or more emitters configured for scanning; and

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

39. The system of claim 2, further comprising:

a local interface;

a common structure supporting the ionizing radiation control module, the circuitry for configuring the ionizing radiation control module, and the local interface;

circuitry for detecting an effect of energy from the ionizing radiation control module irradiating a part of a subject'"'"'s body; and

a handheld article including at least circuitry for detecting energy from the emitter.

40. The system of claim 39, further comprising:

a display configured to present video data locally in a vicinity of the ionizing radiation control module; and

an infrared radiation emitter responsive to the ionizing radiation control module.

41. The system of claim 2, further comprising:

a local interface;

a common structure supporting the ionizing radiation control module, the circuitry for configuring the ionizing radiation control module, and the local interface;

an emitter controlled by the ionizing radiation control module;

a kiosk configured to support at least the emitter; and

circuitry for triggering an energy emission in response to one or more other user actions.

42. The system of claim 41, further comprising:

a handheld device configured to support at least the emitter; and

one or more sensing elements operable for detecting energy from the emitter.

43. The system of claim 2, further comprising:

a sensing element operable for detecting energy from the ionizing radiation control module;

a wearable article supporting the sensing element;

circuitry for triggering an emission of visible light in response to one or more other user actions;

circuitry for transmitting an image indicating a position of a body part relative to a portion of the ionizing radiation control module; and

circuitry for sensing a position of the ionizing radiation control module operable locally in response to one or more local user actions.

44. The system of claim 43, further comprising:

a display configured to present video data locally in a vicinity of the ionizing radiation control module.

an emitter controlled by the ionizing radiation control module; and

one or more sensing elements operable for detecting energy from the emitter.

45. The system of claim 43, further comprising:

one or more emitters configured for scanning and controlled by the ionizing radiation control module; and

circuitry for triggering an energy emission in response to one or more other user actions.

46. The system of claim 2, further comprising:

a sensing element operable for detecting energy from the ionizing radiation control module;

a wearable article supporting the sensing element;

an x-ray emitter controlled by the ionizing radiation control module; and

a kiosk configured to support at least the emitter.

47. The system of claim 46, further comprising:

a handheld article including at least circuitry for detecting energy from the emitter; and

one or more sensing elements operable for detecting energy from the emitter.

48. The system of claim 46 in which the x-ray emitter is a common emitter configured to emit gamma radiation and x-ray radiation responsive to the ionizing radiation control module

49. The system of claim 2, further comprising:

one or more sensors configured to detect the one or more local user actions;

an emitter controlled by the ionizing radiation control module;

one or more sensing elements operable for detecting energy from the emitter; and

circuitry for transmitting an image indicating a position of a body part relative to a portion of the ionizing radiation control module.

50. The system of claim 49, further comprising:

a kiosk configured to support at least the emitter; and

a handheld article including at least circuitry for detecting energy from the emitter.

51. The system of claim 49, further comprising:

a local interface configured to present data in response to the remote signal.

52. The system of claim 2, further comprising:

a local interface;

a common structure supporting the ionizing radiation control module, the circuitry for configuring the ionizing radiation control module, and the local interface;

circuitry for sensing a position of the ionizing radiation control module operable locally in response to one or more local user actions; and

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

53. The system of claim 52, further comprising:

circuitry for transmitting an image indicating a position of a body part relative to a portion of the ionizing radiation control module;

a speaker configured to present audio data in a vicinity of the ionizing radiation control module; and

a display configured to present a facial image locally in a vicinity of the ionizing radiation control module.

9. (canceled)

21-22. -22. (canceled)

31. (canceled)

36. (canceled)

37. (canceled)