Medical diagnostic system remote service method and apparatus

• US 7,080,095 B2
• Filed: 12/31/1998
• Issued: 07/18/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 12/31/1998
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: General Electric Company
• Original Assignee: General Electric Company
• Inventors: Jay, Kevin James, Miesbauer, Diane Marie, Accardi, Kenneth Lawrence
• Primary Examiner(s): Le, Uyen
• Assistant Examiner(s): CHEN, TE Y
• Application Number:
  US09/224,262
• Publication Number:
  US 20030014425A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,756 Days
• Field of Search: 600/300, 600483-485, 600/437, 324/309, 705 2- 3, 378/118, 707/104.1
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 15/00 ICT specially adapted for medical reports, e.g. generation or transmission thereof
• 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: G16H 40/67 for remote operation
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99945 Object-oriented database structure processing
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99948 Application of database or data structure, e.g. distributed, multimedia, or image

Abstract

A system for providing remote service to medical diagnostic systems is described that includes a field service unit connectable to an automated service facility via a network link. The field service unit is configured to compose service requests based upon a series or menu of predefined service modules or functions. The service request includes identification of a diagnostic system or facility of interest. The request is communicated to the automated service facility which verifies the request and executes the requested function. Data may be gathered from the diagnostic system or institution as well as from service databases. Results of the service operation are automatically transmitted to the requesting service unit.

Claims

1. A system for providing field service to medical diagnostic equipment, the system comprising:

a medical diagnostic station configured to store medical image data;

a field service unit configured to generate service requests for operational servicing of the medical diagnostic station, identifying a standard service function from a plurality of service functions and a unique identifier for the medical diagnostic station; and

a service facility configured to be coupled to the medical diagnostic station and to the field service unit via network links, the service facility including a service request management device for receiving the service requests from the field service unit, accessing data stored at the medical diagnostic station as defined by the standard service function, and transmitting data to the field service unit in response to the service request.

2. The system of claim 1, comprising a plurality of medical diagnostic stations of different modalities, and wherein the standard service functions of the service requests include modality-specific functions.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the field service unit is configured to transmit the service request via an electronic message to the service facility, and the service facility is configured to transmit the data to the field service unit via an electronic response message.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the service facility is configured to verify consistency between components of the service requests received from the field service unit prior to accessing the data from the medical diagnostic system.

5. The system of claim 1, further comprising at least one database for storing historical service data for the diagnostic station, and wherein the service facility is configured to access the historical service data for response to the service request from the field service unit.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the service facility is configured to receive the service request, access the data from the diagnostic system and transmit the data to the field service unit automatically and without operator intervention.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the plurality of service functions are defined by a list on the field service unit.

8. A system for accessing operational data from a medical diagnostic station, the system comprising:

an automated service facility including a server configured to recognize and execute a plurality of predefined service functions, the service functions each including accessing operational data for a medical diagnostic station; and

a field service unit configured to be coupled to the automated service facility via a network link, to generate service requests, and to transmit the service requests to the automated service facility for operational servicing of the medical diagnostic station, each service request including identification of a predefined service function and an identification of at least one medical diagnostic station.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein the automated service facility is configured to establish a network link with a medical diagnostic station identified in a service request received from the field service unit, and to access operational data from the medical diagnostic station in accordance with a service function identified in the service request.

10. The system of claim 8, wherein the automated service facility is coupled to at least one database and access the operational data at least partially from the at least one database.

11. The system of claim 8, wherein the server is configured to transmit service data to the field service unit in response to the service request after executing the service function identified in the service request.

12. The system of claim 8, wherein the predefined service functions include modality-specific functions.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein the predefined service functions include functions specific to magnetic resonance imaging systems.

14. The system of claim 12, wherein the predefined service functions include functions specific to x-ray imaging systems.

15. The system of claim 12, wherein the predefined service functions include functions specific to x-ray imaging systems.

16. A method for remotely obtaining operational data from a medical diagnostic station, the method comprising the steps of:

composing a service request on a field service unit, the service request including identification of a service function from a plurality of predefined service functions and a medical diagnostic system of interest, the service request relating to operational servicing of the medical diagnostic system;

transmitting the service request to an automated service facility;

accessing operational data from the medical diagnostic system of interest via the automated service facility as defined by the at least one service function; and

transmitting data based on the accessed data from the automated service facility to the field service unit.

17. The method of claim 16, comprising the further step of verifying the service request at the automated service facility prior to accessing the operational data.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the step of verifying includes verifying that the service function identified in the service request is valid for the medical diagnostic system of interest.

19. The method of claim 16, wherein the operational data is accessed from the medical diagnostic system of interest.

20. The method of claim 16, wherein the data is transmitted to the field service unit via an electronic message stored on an electronic message server.

21. The method of claim 16, wherein the step of composing a service request includes the step of selecting a service function from a menu of the plurality of predefined service functions.

22. The method of claim 16, wherein the plurality of predefined service functions includes at least one service function common to a plurality of medical diagnostic system modalities.

23. A method for providing remote service to a plurality of medical diagnostic systems, the method comprising the steps of:

establishing a menu of predefined service functions;

composing a service request on a field service unit for operational servicing of a medical diagnostic system of interest, the service request including identification of at least one of the predefined service functions and the medical diagnostic system of interest;

transmitting the service request to an automated service facility;

executing the service function for the medical diagnostic system of interest; and

transmitting a response message to the field service unit.

24. The method of claim 23, wherein the menu of predefined service functions includes functions specific to a desired medical diagnostic system modality.

25. The method of claim 23, comprising the further step of verifying validity of the service function identified in the service request for the medical diagnostic system of interest.

26. The method of claim 23, wherein the automated service facility is configured to receive the service request, execute the service function and transmit the response message without operator intervention.

27. The method of claim 23, wherein the step of executing the service function includes establishing a network link between the automated service facility and the medical diagnostic system of interest and transmitting operational data from the medical diagnostic system of interest to the automated service facility.

28. The method of claim 23, wherein the response message includes a report of results of the service function.