SYSTEMS AND DEVICES FOR ENCRYPTING, CONVERTING AND INTERACTING WITH MEDICAL IMAGES

• US 20150100787A1
• Filed: 12/15/2014
• Published: 04/09/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 10/14/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Trice Imaging, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Trice Imaging, Inc.
• Inventors: Westin, Martin, Melin, Johanna Wollert, Nordgren, Asa Sjoblom
• Granted Patent: US 9,712,498 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 713/168
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/602 Providing cryptographic facilities or services
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 30/20 for handling medical images, e.g. DICOM, HL7 or PACS
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 30/40 for processing medical images, e.g. editing
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0414 during transmission, i.e. party's identity is protected against eavesdropping, e.g. by using temporary identifiers, but is known to the other party or parties involved in the communication
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0428 wherein the data content is protected, e.g. by encrypting or encapsulating the payload

Abstract

A network device and a peripheral device for attachment with a medical imaging device provides for the encryption and conversion of a medical image into a secure and standardized image file format as well as the communication of the encrypted and/or converted image to a secure server on a remote network. The devices may monitor all medical image files generated on the medical imaging device and encrypt and convert selected medical image files for transmission to a remotely connected device on another network, such as a server or a mobile device. An encryption and conversion unit may be incorporated within the hardware and software of a medical imaging device or another network device in order to provide the capability for encrypting a medical image for transmission to a remote network and for converting the medical image to a format that is compatible with a destination device or network.

Claims

1. A peripheral conversion and encryption device, comprising:

a communication interface which receives a medical image file, the medical image file comprising medical data and meta data, the medical data having a medical data format;

a conversion unit which converts the medical data format associated with the medical data based on standardized format specifications that correlate with an output destination type to create a converted medical image file;

an encryption unit which encrypts the converted medical image file to create an encrypted medical image file; and

a transmission unit which transmits the encrypted medical image file to at least one destination via the communication interface.

2. The device of claim 1, wherein the medical data format complies with a Digital Imaging and Communications in Medicine (DICOM) format.

3. The device of claim 1, wherein the conversion unit converts the medical data format into a format that complies with the Digital Imaging and Communications in Medicine (DICOM) format.

4. The device of claim 1, wherein the device is connected with a medical imaging device.

5. The device of claim 4, wherein the device is connected with a communication port of the medical imaging device.

6. The device of claim 1, wherein the transmission unit transmits the encrypted medical image file to a hosted server over a network.

7. The device of claim 6, wherein the transmission unit transmits the encrypted medical image file to the hosted server over a secure connection on the network.

13. The device of claim 1, wherein the transmission unit transmits the encrypted medical image file to a hosted server over a remote network.

14. The device of claim 13, wherein the transmission unit transmits the encrypted medical image file to the hosted server over a secure connection to the remote network.

8. A network conversion and encryption device, comprising:

a communication interface which receives a medical image file from at least one medical imaging device, the medical image file comprising medical data and meta data, the medical data having a medical data format;

a conversion unit which converts the medical data format associated with the medical data based on standardized format specifications that correlate with an output destination type to create a converted medical image file;

an encryption unit which encrypts the converted medical image file to create an encrypted medical image file; and

a transmission unit which transmits the encrypted medical image file to at least one destination via the communication interface.

9. The network device of claim 8, wherein the medical data format complies with a Digital Imaging and Communications in Medicine (DICOM) format.

10. The network device of claim 8, wherein the conversion unit converts the medical data format into a format that complies with the Digital Imaging and Communications in Medicine (DICOM) format.

11. The network device of claim 8, wherein the device is connected with a local network including the at least one medical imaging device.

12. The network device of claim 11, wherein the device is connected with a communication port of the medical imaging device.

15. A system for encryption and conversion of a medical image, comprising:

a medical imaging device which captures at least one medical image file;

the medical imaging device comprising;

a communication interface which receives the medical image file from the medical imaging device, the medical image file comprising medical data and meta data, the medical data having a medical data format;

a conversion unit which converts the medical data format associated with the medical data based on standardized format specifications that correlate with an output destination type to create a converted medical image file;

an encryption unit which encrypts the converted medical image file to create an encrypted medical image file; and

a transmission unit which transmits the encrypted medical image file to at least one destination via the communication interface.

16. The system of claim 15, wherein the medical data format complies with a Digital Imaging and Communications in Medicine (DICOM) format.

17. The system of claim 15, wherein the conversion unit converts the medical data format into a format that complies with the Digital Imaging and Communications in Medicine (DICOM) format.

18. The system of claim 15, wherein the medical imaging device is connected with a local network including the at least one medical imaging device.