Diagnostic system and apparatus

• US 6,599,241 B1
• Filed: 05/11/2000
• Issued: 07/29/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 05/11/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Remote Diagnostic Technologies Ltd. (Koninklijke Philips N.V.)
• Original Assignee: Remote Diagnostic Technologies Ltd. (Koninklijke Philips N.V.)
• Inventors: Murphy, Graham Francis
• Primary Examiner(s): Hindenburg, Max F.
• Assistant Examiner(s): ASTORINO, MICHAEL C
• Application Number:
  US09/568,708
• Time in Patent Office: 1,174 Days
• Field of Search: 345/716, 345/719, 345/733, 345/1.1, 725/105, 600/300-301, 600/549, 600/500-516, 600/529, 600/532, 600/481, 600/322-324, 128/903, 128/904, 128/920-925, 705/2-4, 702/19, 434/262, 709/200
• US Class Current: 600/300
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0013 Medical image data A61B1/00011, A61B6/56, A61B8/56 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/7232 involving compression of the physiological signal, e.g. to extend the signal recording period
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/7445 Display arrangements, e.g. multiple display units
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 30/40 for processing medical images, e.g. editing
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 40/60 for the operation of medical equipment or devices
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 40/63 for local operation
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 50/20 for computer-aided diagnosis, e.g. based on medical expert systems
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 80/00 ICT specially adapted for facilitating communication between medical practitioners or patients, e.g. for collaborative diagnosis, therapy or health monitoring
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 128/903 Radio telemetry
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 128/904 Telephone telemetry

Abstract

Medical sensors (1 to 4) are connected to a processor (6) comprising a PC and modems (14 and 16). The modems are connected to respective low power transmitter/receivers (18 and 20). The transmitter/receivers (18, 20) communicate with corresponding receiver/transmitters (18′, 20′) connected to a long range transmitter/receiver such as a satellite communications link (26). The communications links have a narrow bandwidth. An operator of the apparatus has a hands free headset comprising a microphone (7) and earpieces (8), and has a head-up display (10). An electronic camera (9) is provided. Medical data from the sensors (1-4) and images from the camera (9) and voice signals from the microphone (7) are processed by the processor (6), and transmitted to a remote location (B), for use by a medical practitioner having a corresponding processor and display to diagnose the condition of a patient. The medical practitioner can talk to the operator to advise on the condition and treatment of the patient.

The diagnostic apparatus and the response center (24) store respective identical libraries of context sensitive help-screens including, for example, graphical images illustrating the operation of the apparatus. Images produced by the camera (9) are stored at both the apparatus (6) and the response center (24). The response center (24) can select help screens and/or images (once stored) and cause them to be displayed on the diagnostic apparatus. The response center (24) can send annotations of help screens and/or images to the diagnostic apparatus.

Claims

1. A diagnostic system comprising:

a diagnostic apparatus having at least one diagnostic sensor and a display for displaying an image;

a complementary apparatus having a display for displaying an image;

a communication system by which the diagnostic apparatus and the complementary apparatus communicate;

the diagnostic apparatus and the complementary apparatus being arranged to display the same image;

the complementary apparatus having means for annotating the said displayed image and for transmitting to the diagnostic apparatus data representing the annotation, the diagnostic apparatus being arranged to display the annotation on the said same image displayed thereat.

2. A system according to claim 1, wherein the diagnostic apparatus and the complementary apparatus each have stores for storing images, the diagnostic apparatus storing a set of a plurality of images and the complementary apparatus storing an identical set.

3. A system according to claim 2, wherein said images have identifiers, and the identifier of an image to be displayed at one of the diagnostic apparatus and the complementary apparatus is transmitted to an other one of the complementary apparatus and the diagnostic apparatus to cause the other one of the complementary apparatus and the diagnostic apparatus to display the same image stored in the store thereof.

4. A system according to claim 2, wherein the said set of images comprises help images illustrating the use of the diagnostic apparatus.

5. A system according to claim 2, comprising a further set of images stored in the stores of the diagnostic apparatus and the complementary apparatus, the images of the further set being displayable at the diagnostic apparatus only in response to a command produced at the complementary apparatus.

6. A system according to claim 5, wherein the images of the further set illustrate medical procedures.

7. A system according to claim 2, wherein the diagnostic apparatus has a camera for creating images, images created by the camera being transmitted to the complementary apparatus by the communication system and stored in the said stores of the diagnostic apparatus and the complementary apparatus.

8. A system according to claim 1, wherein the said data representing an annotation comprises a file containing information representing the annotation, the diagnostic apparatus being arranged to display the annotation represented in the file.

9. A system according to claim 1, wherein the said data representing an annotation comprises commands and variables defining the annotation, the diagnostic apparatus being arranged to recreate the annotation therefrom.

10. A diagnostic apparatus for use with a complementary apparatus having a display for displaying an image,

the diagnostic apparatus having:

at least one diagnostic sensor and a display for displaying an image;

a communication system by which the diagnostic apparatus and the complementary apparatus communicate;

the diagnostic apparatus and the complementary apparatus being arranged to display the same image;

the diagnostic apparatus being arranged to receive, from the complementary apparatus, via the communication system, data representing an annotation of the image and to display the annotation on the image displayed thereat.

11. Apparatus according to claim 10, further comprising a camera for creating images, the apparatus being arranged to store images created by the camera and to transmit the created images to the complementary apparatus via the communication system for storage in the store of the complementary apparatus.

12. Apparatus according to claim 10, wherein the data representing an annotation comprises a file containing information representing the annotation, the diagnostic apparatus being arranged to display the annotation represented in the file.

13. Apparatus according to claim 10, wherein the said data representing an annotation comprises commands and variables defining the annotation, the diagnostic apparatus being arranged to recreate the annotation therefrom.

14. A diagnostic system comprising:

a diagnostic apparatus having at least one diagnostic sensor and a display for displaying an image;

a complementary apparatus having a display for displaying an image;

a communication system by which the diagnostic apparatus and the complementary apparatus communicate;

the diagnostic apparatus and the complementary apparatus being arranged to display the same image;

wherein the diagnostic apparatus and the complementary apparatus each have stores for storing images, the diagnostic apparatus storing a set of a plurality of images and the complementary apparatus storing an identical set and wherein the said images have identifiers, and the identifier of an image to be displayed at one of the diagnostic apparatus and the complementary apparatus is transmitted to an other one of the complementary apparatus and the diagnostic apparatus to cause the other one of the complementary apparatus and the diagnostic apparatus to display the same image stored in the store thereof.

15. A system according to claim 14, wherein the said set of images comprises help images illustrating the use of the apparatus.

16. A system according to claim 14, comprising a further set of images stored in the stores of the diagnostic apparatus and the complementary apparatus, the images of the further set being displayable at the diagnostic apparatus only in response to a command produced at the complementary apparatus.

17. A system according to claim 16, wherein the images of the further set illustrate medical procedures.

18. A system according to claim 14, wherein the diagnostic apparatus has a camera for creating images, images created by the camera being transmitted to the complementary apparatus by the communication system and stored in the said stores of the diagnostic apparatus and the complementary apparatus.

19. A diagnostic apparatus for use with a complementary apparatus having a display for displaying an image and a store for storing images to be displayed,

the diagnostic apparatus having:

at least one diagnostic sensor;

a display for displaying an image;

a communication system by which the diagnostic apparatus and the complementary apparatus communicate; and

a store for storing images, the diagnostic apparatus storing a set of a plurality of images, which images are identical to images stored at the complementary apparatus;

the diagnostic apparatus being arranged to receive from the complementary apparatus and/or to transmit to the complementary apparatus, via the communication system an identifier of an image to be displayed at one of the diagnostic apparatus and the complementary apparatus to cause it to display the identified image stored in the store thereof.

20. An apparatus according to claim 19, wherein the said set of images comprises help images illustrating the use of the diagnostic apparatus.

21. An apparatus according to claim 19, comprising a further set of images stored in the stores of the diagnostic apparatus and the complementary apparatus, the images of the further set being displayable at the diagnostic apparatus only in response to a command produced at the complementary apparatus.

22. An apparatus according to claim 21, wherein the images of the further set illustrate medical procedures.

23. An apparatus according to claim 19, wherein the diagnostic apparatus has a camera for creating images, images created by the camera being transmitted to the complementary apparatus by the communication system and stored in the said stores of the diagnostic apparatus and the complementary apparatus.

24. Diagnostic apparatus comprising:

means for sensing diagnostic data;

communication means for transmitting the sensed data to a remote location and for receiving control data from the remote location;

display means;

processing means to which the sensing means, communication means and display means are connected to form an integrated system, the processing means being arranged to;

a) control the sensing means;

b) process the sensed data; and

c) control the communication means;

the processing means storing a set of images each image having a unique identifier, the processing means being responsive to a command from the remote location to select and display a stored image identified by the command.

25. Apparatus according to claim 24, comprising a camera for producing still images, the said stored images including images produced by the camera.

26. Apparatus according to claim 25, wherein the processing means causes each still image produced by the camera to be transmitted by the communication means to the remote location.

27. Apparatus according to claim 24, wherein the stored images include images representing context sensitive instructions.

28. Apparatus according to claim 24, wherein the processing means is responsive to an image annotation, together with the identifier of the image to be annotated, received from the remote location to combine the annotation with the identified image stored by the processing means and to display the annotated image.

29. Apparatus according to claim 24, wherein the stored images include images selectable and displayable only in response to a command received from the remote location.

30. A diagnostic system comprising:

diagnostic apparatus according to claim 24; and

a complementary apparatus at the remote location comprising communication means for receiving sensed data from the diagnostic apparatus, a display and a processor, the processor of the device storing a set of images identical to the said set of images stored by the said processing means.

31. A system according to claim 30, wherein the complementary apparatus is arranged to:

select an image for annotation;

annotate the image; and

transmit the annotation, but not the image, to the diagnostic apparatus together with the identifier of the selected image.

32. A system according to claim 30, wherein the complementary apparatus is arranged to select a stored image and to transmit to the diagnostic apparatus the identifier of the image and a command causing the diagnostic apparatus to display the identified image stored in the diagnostic apparatus.

33. A system according to claim 30, wherein the said complementary apparatus is arranged to display images identical to those displayed by the diagnostic apparatus.

34. A diagnostic system comprising:

a diagnostic apparatus having at least one diagnostic sensor and a display for displaying an image;

a complementary apparatus having a display for displaying an image;

a communication system by which the diagnostic apparatus and the complementary apparatus communicate;

the diagnostic apparatus being arranged to perform a predetermined plurality of actions;

the diagnostic apparatus and the complementary apparatus being arranged so that the complementary apparatus replicates the said actions.

35. A diagnostic system comprising:

a diagnostic apparatus having at least one diagnostic sensor and a display for displaying an image;

a complementary apparatus having a display for displaying an image;

a communication system by which the diagnostic apparatus and this complementary apparatus communicate;

the diagnostic apparatus and the complementary apparatus being arranged to display the same image;

the complementary apparatus having an annotator operable to annotate the said displayed image and to transmit to the diagnostic apparatus data representing the annotation without the image, the diagnostic apparatus having a combiner operable to combine the said annotation with the said same image displayed thereat.

36. A complementary apparatus for use with a diagnostic apparatus having at least one diagnostic sensor, the diagnostic apparatus having a display for displaying an image, the complementary apparatus having a display for displaying an image, the diagnostic and complementary apparatus being arranged to display the same image including data from the at least one diagnostic sensor when the data is displayed by the diagnostic apparatus, the complementary apparatus further having a communication interface via which the diagnostic apparatus and the complementary apparatus communicate;

the complementary apparatus being operable to annotate an image displayed on the complementary apparatus and to transmit, via the communication device, data representing the annotation of the image without the image, to the diagnostic apparatus for display of the annotation on the same image displayed at the diagnostic apparatus.