Converter for converting communication method and/or communication protocol

• US 7,840,694 B2
• Filed: 10/30/2007
• Issued: 11/23/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 10/30/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Olympus Corporation
• Original Assignee: Olympus Medical Systems Corporation (Olympus Corporation)
• Inventors: Yamaki, Masahide
• Primary Examiner(s): Coulter; Kenneth R
• Application Number:
  US11/927,832
• Publication Number:
  US 20090113064A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,120 Days
• Field of Search: 709/230, 709/232, 709/246
• US Class Current: 709/232
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/08 Protocols for interworking; Protocol conversion

Abstract

This is a converter which converts communication methods and/or protocols in order to enable communications between at least one medical equipment (ME) and a medical support control device (MSCD), comprising: a first communication interface corresponding to a communication interface of the MSCD; a plurality of second communication interfaces corresponding to a communication interface of each piece of ME in order to connect the MSCD and a plurality of pieces of ME whose communication methods and/or protocols are different; a determination unit for determining whether a communication connection can be established between each of the plurality of pieces of ME connected through the second communication interface and the converter; and a communication control unit for obtaining a difference between the communication program corresponding to the ME and the connection program and converting the communication protocols of the ME and the MSCD with each other.

Claims

1. A converter which converts communication methods and/or communication protocols in order to enable communications between medical equipment and a medical support control device for controlling the medical equipment, comprising:

a first communication interface corresponding to a communication interface of the medical support control device;

a plurality of second communication interfaces corresponding to a respective communication interface of each piece of medical equipment in order to connect the medical support control device and a plurality of pieces of medical equipment whose communication methods and/or communication protocols are different;

a storage unit for storing at least a connection program from among plural communication programs about the medical equipment;

a determination unit for determining whether a communication connection can be established between each of the plurality of pieces of medical equipment connected through the second communication interface and the converter on a basis of the connection program;

a communication control unit for obtaining a difference between the communication program corresponding to the medical equipment identified by the determination unit and the connection program from the medical support control device, and converting the communication protocols of the medical equipment and the medical support control device with each other by means of a communication program composed of the difference and the connection program; and

a selection unit capable of selecting a category of prescribed medical equipment of the plurality of pieces of medical equipment, wherein

the first communication interface obtains a connection program corresponding to medical equipment in the selected category of all the connection programs obtained by the medical support control device.

2. The converter according to claim 1, wherein

by executing the connection program, the determination unit sequentially transmits signals corresponding to the plurality of communication methods to the medical equipment connected through the second communication interface and identifies a communication method of the medical equipment.

3. The converter according to claim 2, wherein

after identifying a communication method of the medical equipment, the determination unit further identifies a communication protocol of the medical equipment.

4. The converter according to claim 1, wherein

when the medical support control device and the first communication interface are connected, the connection program is obtained from the medical support control device and is stored in the storage unit.

5. The converter according to claim 1, wherein

the storage unit is a storage device built into the converter or a portable storage medium that can be attached to the converter and be detached from the converter.

6. A medical support control system, comprising:

medical equipment;

a medical support control device for controlling the medical equipment;

a converter for converting communication methods and/or communication protocols between the medical equipment and the medical support control device in order to enable communications between them, wherein

the converter comprises

a first communication interface corresponding to a respective communication interface of the medical support control device;

a plurality of second communication interfaces corresponding to a communication interface of each piece of medical equipment in order to connect the medical support control device and a plurality of pieces of medical equipment whose communication methods and/or communication protocols are different;

a storage unit for storing at least a connection program from among plural communication program about the medical equipment;

a determination unit for determining whether a communication connection can be established between each of the plurality of pieces of medical equipment connected through the second communication interface and the converter on the basis of the connection program;

a communication control unit for obtaining a difference between the communication program corresponding to the medical equipment identified by the determination unit and the connection program from the medical support control device and converting the communication protocols of the medical equipment and the medical support control device with each other by means of a communication program composed of the difference and the connection program; and

a selection unit capable of selecting a category of prescribed medical equipment of the plurality of pieces of medical equipment, wherein

the first communication interface obtains a connection program corresponding to medical equipment in the selected category of all the connection programs obtained by the medical support control device.

7. The medical support control system according to claim 6, wherein by executing the connection program, the determination unit sequentially transmits signals corresponding to the plurality of communication methods to the medical equipment connected through the second communication interface and identifies a communication method of the medical equipment.

8. The medical support control system according to claim 7, wherein after identifying a communication method of the medical equipment, the determination unit further identifies a communication protocol of the medical equipment.

9. The medical support control system according to claim 6, wherein when the medical support control device and the first communication interface are connected, the connection program is obtained from the medical support control device and is stored in the storage unit.

10. The medical support control system according to claim 6, wherein the storage unit is a storage device built in the converter or a portable storage medium that can be attached to the converter and be detached from the converter.

11. A communication method/protocol converting method by a converter installed between medical equipment and a medical support control device for controlling the medical equipment, wherein

when being connected to the medical support control device by a first communication interface corresponding to a communication interface of the medical support control device and being connected to the medical equipment by one of the plurality of second communication interfaces corresponding to a communication interface of each piece of the medical equipment in order to connect the medical support control device and a plurality of pieces of medical equipment whose communication methods and/or communication protocols are different, the converter reads at least a connection program from among plural communication program about the medical equipment stored in a storage unit and determines whether a communication connection can be established between the medical equipment connected through the second communication interface and the converter on a basis of the connection program;

obtains a difference between the communication program corresponding to the identified medical equipment and the connection program from the medical support control device and converts the communication protocols of the medical equipment and the medical support control device with each other by means of a communication program composed of the difference and the connection program;

wherein

selecting a category of prescribed medical equipment of the plurality of pieces of medical equipment; and

,

obtaining a connection program corresponding to medical equipment in the selected category from among all the connection programs obtained by the medical support control device.

12. The communication method/protocol converting method according to claim 11, wherein

when the connection program is executed, signals corresponding to the plurality of communication methods are sequentially transmitted to the medical equipment connected to the second communication interface and a communication method of the medical equipment is identified.

13. The communication method/protocol converting method according to claim 12, wherein

after a communication method of the medical equipment is identified, a communication protocol of the medical equipment is further identified.

14. The communication method/protocol converting method according to claim 11, wherein

when the medical support control device and the first communication interface are connected, the connection program is obtained from the medical support control device and is stored in the storage unit.

15. The communication method/protocol converting method according to claim 11, wherein

the storage unit is a storage device built in the converter and a portable storage medium that can be attached to the converter and be detached from the converter.