System for adding electronic signature to a report associated with an image file

• US 7,188,246 B2
• Filed: 03/20/2001
• Issued: 03/06/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 03/20/2001
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Agilent Technologies, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Koninklijke Philips Electronics N.V. (Koninklijke Philips N.V.)
• Inventors: Collamore, Brian, Arling, Robert S.
• Primary Examiner(s): Smithers; Matthew
• Application Number:
  US09/812,466
• Publication Number:
  US 20020138731A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,177 Days
• Field of Search: 713/176, 713/201, 713/177, 713/178
• US Class Current: 713/176
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/32128 attached to the image data, e.g. file header, transmitted message header, information on the same page or in the same computer file as the image for information embedded in the image H04N1/32144
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/3233 of authentication information, e.g. digital signature, watermark
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/3274 Storage or retrieval of prestored additional information

Abstract

A system for adding an electronic signature chosen from a plurality of available electronic signatures to a report associated with an image file associates an electronic signature with a user of the system. When the user wishes to apply the electronic signature to the image file, or to a report associated with the image file, the user instructs the system to apply the electronic signature. The system can query the user of the system to determine whether the user is the individual that is currently logged on to the system. If the user is currently logged on, the system will apply that individual'"'"'s electronic signature to the report associated with the image file. If the user is not the individual that is currently logged on, the system presents to the user a selection of electronic signatures, from which the user chooses the signature that identifies them as the user.

Claims

1. An image management system, comprising:

an image acquisition device, comprising an ultrasound diagnostic device;

a computer coupled to the image acquisition device, the computer including logic for receiving a diagnostic image from the image acquisition device; and

a memory element associated with the computer, where the memory element stores a plurality of electronic signature files;

wherein the computer includes logic for associating one of the plurality of electronic signature files with the diagnostic image and the electronic signature file is associated with the diagnostic image only after the entry of a password.

2. The image management system of claim 1, wherein each of the plurality of electronic signature files corresponds to a signature of a user of the image management system.

3. The image management system of claim 2, further comprising a client application associated with the computer, where the client application instructs the computer to associate one of the plurality of electronic signature files with the diagnostic image.

4. The image management system of claim 3, wherein the client application further comprises:

a user interface configured to present to the user of the image management system a plurality of choices from which the user identifies him or herself as the user of the image management system so that the electronic signature file associated with the diagnostic image corresponds to the user of the image management system.

5. The image management system of claim 1, further comprising:

a network configured to couple the image acquisition device to the computer; and

a network interface associated with the image acquisition device and the computer, the network interface configured to electronically transfer the diagnostic image over the network.

7. The method of claim 5, wherein each of the plurality of electronic signature files corresponds to a signature of a user of the computer.

6. A method for applying an electronic signature to a report associated with an image file, the method comprising the steps of:

acquiring an ultrasonic diagnostic image from an ultrasound diagnostic device;

forwarding the diagnostic image to a computer;

storing a plurality of electronic signature files in a memory associated with a computer;

associating one of the plurality of electronic signature files with the diagnostic image; and

requiring a password prior to associating one of the plurality of electronic signature files with the diagnostic image.

8. The method of claim 6, further comprising the step of using a client application to instruct the computer to associate one of the plurality of electronic signature files with the diagnostic image.

9. The method of claim 8, further comprising the step of presenting to a user of the image management system a plurality of choices from which the user identifies him or herself as the user of the image management system so that the electronic signature file associated with the diagnostic image corresponds to the user of the image management system.

10. The method of claim 6, further comprising the steps of:

coupling the image acquisition device to the computer system over a network; and

electronically transferring the diagnostic image over the network.

11. In an image management system, a computer readable medium having a program for applying an electronic signature to a report associated with an image file, the program comprising logic for performing the steps of:

receiving an ultrasonic diagnostic image from an ultrasonic image acquisition device;

forwarding the diagnostic image to a computer system;

storing a plurality of electronic signature files in a memory associated with a computer;

associating one of the plurality of electronic signature files with the diagnostic image; and

requiring a password prior to associating one of the plurality of electronic signature files with the diagnostic image.

12. The program of claim 11, wherein each of the plurality of electronic signature files corresponds to a signature of a user of the image management system.

13. The program of claim 12, further comprising logic for allowing a client application to instruct the computer to associate one of the plurality of electronic signature files with the diagnostic image.

14. The program of claim 13, further comprising logic for presenting to a user of the image management system a plurality of choices from which the user identifies him or herself as the user of the image management system so that the electronic signature file associated with the diagnostic image corresponds to the user of the image management system.

15. The program of claim 11, further comprising logic for:

coupling the image acquisition device to the computer system over a network; and

electronically transferring the diagnostic image over the network.