Method and system for determining hardware configuration of medical equipment using RF tags

• US 7,304,573 B2
• Filed: 11/26/2003
• Issued: 12/04/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 11/26/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: GE Medical Systems (General Electric Company)
• Original Assignee: GE Medical Systems (General Electric Company)
• Inventors: Postma, Steve
• Primary Examiner(s): Lieu; Julie Bichngoc
• Application Number:
  US10/723,717
• Publication Number:
  US 20050109829A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,469 Days
• Field of Search: 340/572.1, 700/115
• US Class Current: 340/572.1
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/087 Inventory or stock management, e.g. order filling, procurement or balancing against orders
• 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

Abstract

According to one embodiment, the present technique provides a medical device component having an RF tag that is configured to provide information regarding the medical device component. Particularly, the RF tag may contain and provide information regarding maintenance, installation, and manufacture of the medical device component. Indeed, the exemplary embodiment of the present technique may facilitate the development of an “as built” or hardware configuration of the medical device through the use of RF tags. Advantageously, the medical device may be surveyed by activating the RF tags, which contain and transmit information regarding the various components in the medical device.

Claims

1. An apparatus, comprising:

a field replaceable unit configured for operation with a medical device;

a radio frequency (RF) transmission device coupleable to the field replaceable unit and configured to transmit information regarding the field replaceable unit, wherein the field replaceable unit is configured to provide power to the RF transmission device; and

a plurality of components, including the field replaceable unit, configured to cooperate with one another as part of the medical device, wherein each of the components comprises a RF transmission device.

2. The apparatus as recited in claim 1, wherein the radio frequency transmission device is configured to transmit the information regarding the field replaceable unit in response to a command from the medical device.

3. The apparatus as recited in claim 1, comprising a RF interrogator, wherein the RF transmission device transmits information about the field replaceable unit in response to a signal from the RF interrogator.

4. The apparatus as recited in claim 1, wherein the RF transmission device comprises a power source.

5. The apparatus as recited in claim 1, wherein the RF transmission device is configured to transmit the information regarding the field replaceable unit in response to a signal from an RF interrogator.

36. The apparatus as recited in claim 1, wherein the field replaceable unit comprises a part of a medical imaging device.

37. The apparatus as recited in claim 1, wherein the RF transmission device is configured to not broadcast during operation of the medical device.

6. An imaging device system, comprising:

an imaging device;

a component located in the imaging device and configured for operation with the imaging device; and

a radio frequency (RF) transmitter configured to broadcast information regarding at least one of manufacture, maintenance, and installation of the component, wherein the RF transmitter is further configured to not broadcast during operation of the imaging device.

7. The imaging device system as recited in claim 6, wherein the imaging device comprises a magnetic resonance imaging device.

8. The imaging device system as recited in claim 6, wherein the imaging device comprises a computed tomography device.

9. The imaging device system as recited in claim 6, comprising an RF reader configured to receive the information regarding the component from the RF transmitter.

10. The imaging device system as recited in claim 6, comprising an RF interrogator, wherein the RF transmitter is configured to transmit the information regarding the component in response to a signal from the RF interrogator.

11. The imaging device system as recited in claim 6, wherein the RF transmitter is located in the imaging device.

12. The imaging device system as recited in claim 6, wherein the RF transmitter is coupled to the component.

13. A system for maintaining a medical device, comprising:

a medical device component for use within a medical device;

a radio frequency (RF) transmitter coupled to the medical device component and maintaining information related to the medical device component; and

a RF receiver configured to receive the information related to the medical device component from the RF transmitter,

wherein the medical device, the medical device component, or a combination thereof is configured to communicate with the RF transmitter,

wherein the RF transmitter is configured to not broadcast during operation of the medical device.

14. The system as recited in claim 13, wherein the RF transmitter maintains information related to installation of the medical device component in the medical device.

15. The system as recited in claim 13, wherein the RF transmitter maintains information related to the manufacture of the medical device component.

16. The system as recited in claim 13, wherein the RF transmitter maintains information related to the maintenance of the medical device component.

35. The system as recited in claim 13, wherein the medical device, the medical device component, or a combination thereof, is configured to power the RF transmitter.

17. A method for maintaining a medical device, comprising:

storing information regarding a component of the medical device in a radio frequency (RF) device coupled to the component;

activating the radio frequency (RF) device;

communicating between the component of the medical device and the radio frequency (RF) device;

receiving the information regarding the component via a transmission from the RF device;

determining a component list of the medical device via the information received from the RF device; and

remotely communicating with the RF device over a network.

18. The method as recited in claim 17, wherein activating comprises providing power to the RF device.

19. The method as recited in claim 17, wherein activating comprises interrogating the RF device via an RF interrogator.

20. The method as recited in claim 17, comprising determining whether service is warranted on the component of the medical device based upon the information received from the RF device.

21. The method as recited in claim 17, comprising servicing the component of the medical device in response to the information received from the RF device.

22. The method as recited in claim 17, comprising scheduling maintenance for the component of the medical device based upon the information received from the RF device.

26. The method as recited in claim 17, wherein activating comprises powering the radio frequency (RF) device from the component of the medical device.

27. The method as recited in claim 17, wherein communicating comprises instructing the radio frequency (RF) device not to broadcast during operation of the medical device.

23. A method, comprising:

activating an active radio frequency (RF) device having information regarding at least one of maintenance, installation, and manufacture of a field replaceable unit of a medical imaging device, wherein activating comprises powering the active RF device from the field replaceable unit of the medical imaging device; and

receiving the information regarding the field replaceable unit via a transmission from the RF device, wherein the medical imaging device comprises a plurality of components, including the field replaceable unit, configured to cooperate with one another as part of the medical imaging device, wherein each of the components comprises a RF device.

38. The method as recited in claim 23, wherein the active RF device is configured to not broadcast during operation of the medical imaging device.

24. A system for maintenance of a medical device, the system, comprising:

one or more tangible media comprising a computer program encoded thereon, wherein the computer program comprises;

code for activating a radio frequency (RF) device having information regarding at least one of maintenance, installation, and manufacture of a component of the medical device;

code for receiving the information regarding the component via a transmission from the RF device;

code for remotely communicating with the RF device over a network; and

code for preventing the RF device from transmitting during operation of the medical device.

25. The system as recited in claim 24, comprising code for scheduling maintenance of the medical device based upon the information regarding the component received from the RF device.

28. A method, comprising:

storing information regarding a field replaceable unit of an imaging device in a radio frequency (RF) device coupled to the field replaceable unit, wherein the imaging device comprises a plurality of components, including the field replaceable unit, configured to cooperate with one another as part of the imaging device, wherein each of the components comprises a respective RF device; and

powering the radio frequency (RF) device from the field replaceable unit of the imaging device.

29. The method as recited in claim 28, comprising communicating between the field replaceable unit of the imaging device and the radio frequency (RF) device.

30. The method as recited in claim 29, comprising remotely communicating with the RF device over a network.

39. The method as recited in claim 28, wherein the RF device is configured to not broadcast during operation of the imaging device.

31. A method for maintaining a medical device, comprising:

storing information regarding a component of the medical device in a radio frequency (RF) device coupled to the component, wherein the medical device comprises a plurality of components, including the component, configured to cooperate with one another as part of the medical device, wherein each of the components comprises a respective RF device; and

instructing the radio frequency (RF) device not to broadcast during operation of the medical device.

32. The method as recited in claim 31, comprising communicating between the component of the medical device and the radio frequency (RF) device.

33. The method as recited in claim 32, comprising:

activating the radio frequency (RF) device; and

receiving the information regarding the component via a transmission from the RF device.

34. The method as recited in claim 33, comprising remotely communicating with the RF device over a network.

40. An apparatus, comprising:

a field replaceable unit configured for operation with a medical device; and

a radio frequency (RF) transmission device coupleable to the field replaceable unit and configured to transmit information regarding the field replaceable unit, wherein the field replaceable unit is configured to provide power to the RF transmission device, and the field replaceable unit comprises a part of a medical imaging device.