Communication system for use in diagnosis of an apparatus

• US 5,912,941 A
• Filed: 09/12/1997
• Issued: 06/15/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 09/12/1996
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Siemens Healthcare GMBH (Siemens AG)
• Original Assignee: Siemens AG
• Inventors: Schmitt, Thomas
• Primary Examiner(s): Porta, David P.
• Application Number:
  US08/928,458
• Time in Patent Office: 641 Days
• Field of Search: 378/91, 378/117, 378/207, 378/114, 378/118, 378/204, 340/635, 340/653, 340/679, 340/825.16, 340/870.28
• US Class Current: 378/91
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 6/00 Apparatus or devices for radiation diagnosis; Apparatus or devices for radiation diagnosis combined with radiation therapy equipment instruments measuring radiation intensity for application in the field of nuclear medicine, e.g. in vivo counting, G01T1/161; apparatus for taking X-ray photographs G03B42/02
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 6/467 characterised by special input means
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 6/581 Remote testing

Abstract

Conducting a diagnostic procedure is enabled at the location of an apparatus by providing a transmitter that is fashioned in the form of a hand-held telephone is provided in the apparatus. The transmitter wirelessly communicates with a central station. As a result, the diagnosis system can be remotely activated, and the information thereby obtained can be wirelessly transmitted.

Claims

1. A communication system for fault diagnosis of an apparatus, comprising:

a stand-alone apparatus which executes an apparatus operation at an apparatus location;

activatable diagnostic means in said stand-alone apparatus for conducting a diagnostic procedure in said stand-alone apparatus to generate a diagnostic result identifying any faults in said apparatus operation;

an apparatus transmitter/receiver in said stand-alone apparatus for wirelessly transmitting said diagnostic result and for wirelessly receiving signals from a location remote from said apparatus location; and

a remote transmitter/receiver disposed at said remote location for wirelessly transmitting a signal to said apparatus transmitter/receiver to activate said diagnostic means to conduct said diagnostic procedure, and for wirelessly receiving said diagnostic result transmitted by said apparatus transmitter/receiver.

2. A system as claimed in claim 1 wherein the apparatus comprises a medical apparatus.

3. A system as claimed in claim 2 wherein the medical apparatus comprises an X-ray apparatus.