Data access component providing transparent access to a plurality of medical imaging databases

• US 6,807,543 B2
• Filed: 08/09/2001
• Issued: 10/19/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 08/09/2001
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: GE Medical Technology Services, Inc. (General Electric Company)
• Original Assignee: GE Medical Technology Services, Inc. (General Electric Company)
• Inventors: Muthya, Srikantha
• Primary Examiner(s): Coby, Frantz
• Application Number:
  US09/682,244
• Publication Number:
  US 20030033268A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,167 Days
• Field of Search: 707/1, 707/102, 707/10, 707/103.R, 707/2, 714/4, 219/216, 345/783, 709/219, 379/221.08
• US Class Current: 707/781
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/2094 Redundant storage or storage space G06F11/2056 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99932 Access augmentation or optimizing
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99943 Generating database or data structure, e.g. via user interface
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99944 Object-oriented database structure

Abstract

A technique is provided for accessing data stored in separate databases. A communication system having a first and second computer system is used to retrieve data from a primary or a secondary database. The primary and secondary databases are coupled to the first computer system. A data access controller is used in the system to automatically shift the first computer system from retrieving data from the primary database to retrieving data from the secondary database. The data access controller shifts when a communication error between the primary database and the first computer system is detected by the system.

Claims

1. A communication system, comprising:

a first computer system;

a primary database coupled to the first computer system;

a secondary database coupled to the first computer system; and

a data access controller to automatically shift the first computer system from retrieving data from the primary database to retrieving data from the secondary database when a communication error between the primary database and the first computer system is detected by the system.

2. The system as recited in claim 1, wherein the data access controller is a computer program stored in the first computer system.

3. The system as recited in claim 1, wherein the system transparently shifts from retrieving data from the primary database to retrieving data from the secondary database.

4. The system as recited in claim 1, wherein the primary database is stored on a second computer system coupled to the first computer system.

5. The system as recited in claim 3, wherein the system periodically verifies communication between the first computer system and the primary database.

6. The system as recited in claim 1, further comprising a third computer system coupled to the first computer system, wherein the system enables the third computer system to retrieve data via the data access controller.

7. The system as recited in claim 6, wherein the third computer system comprises an application stored on the third computer system that utilizes data accessed via the data access controller.

8. The system as recited in claim 7, wherein the application comprises a remote tool for an electronic device coupled to the communication system.

9. The system as recited in claim 8, wherein the primary database comprises data to enable the remote tool to identify a problem associated with the electronic device.

15. The system as recited in claim 1, wherein the system enables the primary database to change data format without affecting operation of the system.

16. The system as recited in claim 15, wherein the primary database and data access controller are coupled via an interface repository.

10. A communication system, comprising:

a first computer system;

a primary database coupled to the first computer system;

a secondary database coupled to the first computer system, wherein data in the primary database is stored in a first format and data stored in the secondary database is stored in a second format; and

a data access controller to automatically shift the first computer system from retrieving data from the primary database to retrieving data from the secondary database when a communication error between the primary database and the first computer system is detected by the system.

11. The system as recited in claim 10, wherein the system automatically changes its mode of data transfer to couple data from the primary database using the first format and from the secondary database using the second format.

12. A communication system, comprising:

a first computer system;

a medical imaging system coupled to the first computer systems;

a primary database coupled to the first computer system;

a secondary database coupled to the first computer system; and

a data access controller to automatically shift the first computer system from retrieving data from the primary database to retrieving data from the secondary database when a communication error between the primary database and the first computer system is detected by the system.

13. The system as recited in claim 12, wherein the primary database comprises medical images stored in a digital format.

14. The system as recited in claim 13, wherein the secondary database comprises a flat file database of medical imaging system data.

17. A data access controller, comprising

a computer program stored in a tangible medium, the computer program being operable when stored in a first computer system to direct the first computer system to verify communication with a primary source of data accessible via a second computer system and to direct the first computer system to access data from a secondary source of data when communication between the primary source of data and the first computer system is not verified.

18. The data access controller as recited in claim 17, wherein the computer program directs the first computer system to periodically verify communication with the primary source of data.

19. The data access controller as recited in claim 17, wherein a portion of the computer program is stored in the second computer system to direct the second computer system to periodically communicate with the first computer system to verify communication between the primary database and the first computer system.

20. The data access controller as recited in claim 17, wherein the computer program is operable to couple data from the primary source of data in a first data format and to couple data from the secondary source of data in a second data format.

21. A method of operating a communication system, comprising the acts of:

storing a first set of data in a primary database stored in a first computer system and storing a second set of data in a secondary database;

coupling an application to one of the primary database and the secondary database via a data access controller stored in a second computer system, the data access controller being configured to normally couple the application to the primary database;

verifying communication between the second computer system and the primary database; and

automatically operating the data access controller to couple the application to the secondary database when communication between the second computer system and the primary database is not verified.

22. The method as recited in claim 21, wherein the second set of data is stored in the second computer system.

23. The method as recited in claim 21, further comprising the act of assembling a subset of the first set of data to store in the secondary database as the second set of data.

24. The method as recited in claim 21, wherein coupling an application comprises coupling a third computer system having the application stored within to the second computer system.

25. The method as recited in claim 21, wherein verifying communication comprises periodically establishing communication between the first computer system and the primary database.

27. The method as recited in claim 21, wherein the system comprises a plurality of second computer systems coupled to the first computer system, each second computer system having a data access controller.

26. A method of operating a communication system, comprising:

storing a first set of data in a primary database stored in a first computer system and storing a second set of data in a secondary database, wherein the first set of data is stored in a first data format and the second set of data is stored in a second format, further wherein automatically operating the data access controller comprises changing the mode of operation of the data access controller from transferring data in the first format to transferring data in the second format;

coupling an application to one of the primary database and the secondary database via a data access controller stored in a second computer system, the data access controller being configured to normally couple the application to the primary database;

verifying communication between the second computer system and the primary database; and

automatically operating the data access controller to couple the application to the secondary database when communication between the second computer system and the primary database is not verified.

28. A method of retrieving data comprising:

storing a first database in a first computer system;

coupling a second computer system to the first computer system via a data access controller and a network;

retrieving data from the first computer system via the data access controller and thenetwork; and

retrieving data from a second databases via the data access controller when communication via the network is lost.

29. The method as recited in claim 28, further comprising the act of storing a subset of data from the first database as a flat file in the second database.

30. The method as recited in claim 29, further comprising the act of automatically operating the data access controller to change its mode of operation to transfer data from the flat file in the second database.

31. The method as recited in claim 28, wherein retrieving data comprises retrieving data from the second database when there is a communication error between the second communication system and the first database.

32. The method as recited in claim 31, further comprising the act of providing a system user with an error message when there is a communication error between the first database and the second computer system.

33. The method as recited in claim 28, wherein coupling comprises utilizing interface repositories to couple data.

34. The method as recited in claim 28, further comprising the act of periodically verifying communication between the first computer system and the primary database.