Diagnostic medical ultrasound system with wireless communication device

• US 6,241,673 B1
• Filed: 01/26/1999
• Issued: 06/05/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 01/26/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Siemens Medical Solutions USA Incorporated (Siemens AG)
• Original Assignee: Acuson Corporation (Siemens AG)
• Inventors: Williams, John A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Lateef, Marvin M.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Imam, Ali M.
• Application Number:
  US09/237,548
• Time in Patent Office: 861 Days
• Field of Search: 600/437, 600/407, 128/904, 128/903, 382/128, 382/130, 382/131, 382/132, 341/65, 705/3, 395/705
• US Class Current: 600/437
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/00 Diagnosis using ultrasonic, sonic or infrasonic waves imaging of objects using sonar G01S15/00
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/4405 Device being mounted on a trolley
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/4427 Device being portable or laptop-like
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 30/20 for handling medical images, e.g. DICOM, HL7 or PACS
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 40/67 for remote operation
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 128/903 Radio telemetry

Abstract

A diagnostic medical ultrasound system with wireless communication device is provided. With these preferred embodiments, an ultrasound system can be made more portable by offloading ultrasound peripherals into a host network without the disadvantages concomitant with a wire connection to a network or modem jack. By using a wireless connection, the location of the ultrasound system is not limited to areas near a network jack, thereby increasing portability. The wireless connection also avoids the inconvenience of interrupting an ultrasound examination to plug the ultrasound system into the network jack. Further, by eliminating wire connections to a network jack, injury caused by an electrical short from a network line is also eliminated. Lastly, wireless communication between the ultrasound imaging system and the host network eliminates the need to retrofit old or existing buildings with cabling to connect the ultrasound imaging system with the host network.

Claims

1. A diagnostic medical ultrasound system comprising:

a first wireless communication device operative to wirelessly communicate with a second wireless communication device coupled with an ultrasound peripheral; and

a processor coupled with the first wireless communication device and operative to transmit ultrasound data to the ultrasound peripheral via the first wireless communication device.

2. The diagnostic medical ultrasound system of claim 1, wherein the processor is further operative to receive ultrasound data from the ultrasound peripheral via the first wireless communication device.

3. The diagnostic medical ultrasound system of claim 1 further comprising a network controller coupled with the processor and the first wireless communication device and operative to control transmission of ultrasound data to the ultrasound peripheral.

4. The diagnostic medical ultrasound system of claim 3, wherein the network controller comprises an Ethernet controller.

5. The diagnostic medical ultrasound system of claim 1, wherein the second wireless communication device is coupled with a plurality of ultrasound peripherals through a network hub.

6. The diagnostic medical ultrasound system of claim 5, wherein the plurality of ultrasound peripherals are shared with at least one other diagnostic medical ultrasound system.

7. A diagnostic medical ultrasound imaging network comprising:

an ultrasound imaging system comprising a first wireless communication device;

a second wireless communication device in wireless communication with the ultrasound imaging system via the first wireless communication device; and

an ultrasound peripheral coupled with the second wireless communication device;

the ultrasound imaging system operative to transmit ultrasound data to the ultrasound peripheral via the first and second wireless communication devices.

8. The diagnostic medical ultrasound imaging network of claim 7, wherein the ultrasound imaging system is further operative to receive ultrasound data from the ultrasound peripheral via the first and second wireless communication devices.

9. The diagnostic medical ultrasound imaging network of claim 7, wherein the ultrasound peripheral comprises an RGB video imager.

10. The diagnostic medical ultrasound imaging network of claim 7, wherein the ultrasound peripheral comprises a digital ultrasound workstation.

11. The diagnostic medical ultrasound imaging network of claim 7, wherein the ultrasound peripheral comprises a digital mass storage device.

12. The diagnostic medical ultrasound imaging network of claim 7, wherein the ultrasound peripheral comprises a video recording device.

13. The diagnostic medical ultrasound imaging network of claim 7, wherein the ultrasound peripheral comprises a printer.

14. The diagnostic medical ultrasound imaging network of claim 7, wherein the ultrasound peripheral is coupled with the second wireless communication device via the Internet.

15. The diagnostic medical ultrasound imaging network of claim 7 further comprising a network hub, and wherein the ultrasound peripheral is coupled with the second wireless communication device via a network hub.

16. The diagnostic medical ultrasound imaging network of claim 15 further comprising at least one additional ultrasound peripheral coupled with the network hub.

17. The diagnostic medical ultrasound imaging network of claim 15, wherein the network hub comprises an Ethernet hub.

18. The diagnostic medical ultrasound imaging network of claim 15 further comprising at least one other diagnostic medical ultrasound system coupled with the network hub.

19. A method for transmitting ultrasound data between a diagnostic medical ultrasound system and an ultrasound peripheral, the method comprising:

(a) wirelessly transmitting ultrasound data from a first wireless communication device of a diagnostic medical ultrasound system; and

(b) receiving the ultrasound data wirelessly transmitted in (a) with a second wireless communication device coupled with an ultrasound peripheral.

20. The method of claim 19 further comprising:

(c) wirelessly transmitting ultrasound data from the ultrasound peripheral via the second wireless communication device; and

(d) receiving, with the first wireless communication device, the ultrasound data wirelessly transmitted in (c).

21. The method of claim 19, wherein (b) comprises receiving the ultrasound data wirelessly transmitted in (a) with a second wireless communication device coupled with a RGB video imager.

22. The method of claim 19, wherein (b) comprises receiving the ultrasound data wirelessly transmitted in (a) with a second wireless communication device coupled with a digital ultrasound workstation.

23. The method of claim 19, wherein (b) comprises receiving the ultrasound data wirelessly transmitted in (a) with a second wireless communication device coupled with a digital mass storage device.

24. The method of claim 19, wherein (b) comprises receiving the ultrasound data wirelessly transmitted in (a) with a second wireless communication device coupled with a video recording device.

25. The method of claim 19, wherein (b) comprises receiving the ultrasound data wirelessly transmitted in (a) with a second wireless communication device coupled with a printer.

26. The method of claim 19, wherein (b) comprises receiving the ultrasound data wirelessly transmitted in (a) with a second wireless communication device coupled with an ultrasound peripheral via the Internet.

27. The method of claim 19, wherein (b) comprises receiving the ultrasound data wirelessly transmitted in (a) with a second wireless communication device coupled with an ultrasound peripheral via a network hub.

28. A diagnostic medical ultrasound system comprising:

an ultrasound system cart;

a wireless communication device carried by the ultrasound system cart; and

a processor carried by the ultrasound system cart and coupled with the wireless communication device, the processor operative to transmit ultrasound data via the wireless communication device to an ultrasound peripheral not carried by the ultrasound system cart.

29. The invention of claim 28, wherein the processor is further operative to receive ultrasound data via the wireless communication device from an ultrasound peripheral located external to the ultrasound system cart.

30. The invention of claim 28, wherein the wireless communication device is an original component of the ultrasound imaging system.

31. The invention of claim 28, wherein the wireless communication device is an accessory to an existing ultrasound imaging system.

32. The invention of claim 28, wherein the ultrasound peripheral is coupled with a second wireless communication device.

33. The invention of claim 28, wherein the ultrasound peripheral is coupled with a network hub and wherein the network hub is coupled with a second wireless communication device.