Synchronous execution in a medical imaging system

• US 6,707,469 B1
• Filed: 08/13/1996
• Issued: 03/16/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 08/13/1996
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: General Electric Company
• Original Assignee: General Electric Company
• Inventors: Kelly, Geoffrey Oliver
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen, Cao (Kevin)
• Application Number:
  US08/696,627
• Time in Patent Office: 2,772 Days
• Field of Search: 345/326, 345/329, 345/334, 345/335, 345/356, 345/357, 345/969, 345/960, 345/700, 345/733, 345/762, 345/754, 345/705, 345/853, 345/854, 345/333, 395/793, 707/531
• US Class Current: 715/744
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/38 for implementing user interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/45512 Command shells
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 30/20 for handling medical images, e.g. DICOM, HL7 or PACS
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 40/40 for the management of medical equipment or devices, e.g. scheduling maintenance or upgrades
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 345/96 Iterative display of preconfigured images

Abstract

A programmable, medical imaging system which incorporates algorithms for enhancing the usability of the system for clinicians is described. With respect to programmability, and in one aspect, the present invention relates to a programmable system which includes a learn mode usable for script generation. In the learn mode, a user can rehearse a sequence of actions and save those actions to be replayed later. In another aspect, the present invention is directed to an algorithm which provides a non-blocking, synchronous interface to an underlying asynchronous architecture. Generally, the algorithm decouples the client-server portion of the application from the synchronous development environment. Using this algorithm, a programmer can develop a non-blocking, highly interactive, client-server application without having to resort to asynchronous programming techniques. In yet another aspect, the present invention is directed to an overlap detection and correction algorithm which, in one form is integrated into a review template editor for creating review templates. The overlap detection and correction algorithm, in one embodiment, is a one or two boundary rectangular cell overlap detection and correction algorithm.

Claims

1. A method for executing commands in a client-server based medical imaging system, the medical imaging system including at least one client unit and at least one server unit, the client unit having a graphical user interface and an interpreter for executing a plurality of scripts, each script including script commands, said method comprising the steps of:

operating the interpreter to execute the scripts; and

upon executing a script command requiring a server transaction,

transmitting the server request from the client unit to the server unit;

suspending the script containing the server request until a reply is received to the server request; and

maintaining the graphical user interface interactive while awaiting the reply.

2. A method in accordance with claim 1 further wherein upon receipt of a server reply to the request, said method further comprises the steps of:

processing the server reply to the request; and

resuming operation of the script containing the server request.

3. A method in accordance with claim 1 wherein maintaining the graphical user interface interactive comprises the steps of processing graphical user interface events.

4. A computer for a programmable medical imaging system, said computer comprising an interpreter and a graphical user interface, said interpreter configured to:

execute scripts, each script comprising script commands; and

suspend execution of a script containing a server request upon execution of the server request until a reply to the server request is received,

wherein said computer maintains said graphical user interface interactive while said script containing the server request is suspended, and said interpreter resumes operation of said script containing the server request upon receipt of a reply to the server request.

5. A computer in accordance with claim 4 wherein to maintain said graphical user interface interactive while said script containing the server request is suspended, said computer is configured to process graphical user interface events while said script containing the server request is suspended.

6. A computer in accordance with claim 5 further configured to execute remaining said scripts while said script containing the server request is suspended.

7. A computer for a programmable medical imaging system, comprising:

a graphical user interface,

means for executing script commands;

means for transmitting a server request to a server unit;

means for suspending said executing means upon executing a script command requiring that a server request be transmitted until a reply to the server request is received; and

means for maintaining said graphical user interface interactive while said executing means is suspended.

8. A computer in accordance with claim 7 wherein said means for maintaining said graphical user interface interactive while said executing means is suspended comprises means for processing graphical user interface events while said executing means is suspended.

9. A method for executing commands in a client-server based system, the system including a client unit and at least one server unit, the client unit having an interpreter for executing scripts having script commands and a graphical user interface, said method comprising the steps of operating the interpreter to execute script commands, and upon executing a script command containing a server request, transmitting the server request from the client unit to the server unit, suspending the script command containing the server request until a reply is received to the server request, and maintaining the graphical user interface interactive while the script command containing the server request is suspended.

10. A method in accordance with claim 9 wherein maintaining the graphical user interface interactive while the script command containing the server request is suspended comprises the steps of processing graphical user interface events.