System and method for remotely maintaining devices

• US 8,554,902 B2
• Filed: 09/16/2005
• Issued: 10/08/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 09/21/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Siemens Healthineers AG (Siemens AG)
• Original Assignee: Siemens AG
• Inventors: Ebert, Rudiger, Fischer, Axel
• Primary Examiner(s): Moore, Ian N
• Assistant Examiner(s): Huynh, Dung B
• Application Number:
  US11/228,147
• Publication Number:
  US 20060064491A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,944 Days
• Field of Search: 709217-219, 709223-226, 700108-110, 700/174
• US Class Current: 709/224
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 40/40 for the management of medical equipment or devices, e.g. scheduling maintenance or upgrades
• CPC Class Codes: G16Z 99/00 Subject matter not provided for in other main groups of this subclass

Abstract

A method for maintaining a device via a remote service computer initiates a transmission of maintenance data via the device or the service computer, transmits maintenance data from the device to the service computer, and evaluates the maintenance data received from the device using the service computer. The method further transmits at least one monitoring parameter request from the service computer to the device as a function of the evaluation of the maintenance data, and at least one parameter value of the at least one requested monitoring parameter from the device to the service computer, then evaluates the at least one monitoring parameter value; and displays the evaluation of the at least one monitoring parameter value via a display device of the service computer.

Claims

1. A method for maintaining a device via a remote service computer, the method comprising the acts of:

transmitting maintenance data from the device to the service computer;

automatically selecting a check routine based on the maintenance data, the check routine being used to troubleshoot or determine a cause of a problem in the device;

evaluating the maintenance data received from the device within a framework of the check routine and arriving at a point in the check routine in which a monitoring parameter is needed;

transmitting a request for the monitoring parameter needed in the check routine to the device as a function of the evaluation of the maintenance data;

transmitting a parameter value of the monitoring parameter from the device to the service computer;

evaluating the monitoring parameter value to determine whether another monitoring parameter is needed in the check routine from the device or the check routine is completed; and

;

transmitting a request for a subsequent monitoring parameter value from the service computer to the device based on the evaluation of the monitoring parameter value.

2. The method in accordance with claim 1, further comprising:

initiating a transmission of the maintenance data with the device or the service computer; and

displaying a result of the evaluation of the monitoring parameter value on the service computer.

3. The method in accordance with claim 1, wherein the transmission of the maintenance data from the device is initiated based on an input into the service computer by an operator.

4. The method in accordance with claim 1, wherein the device is configured to transmit the maintenance data at regular time intervals, on the basis of the monitoring parameter value reaching a predetermined threshold value and a combination thereof.

5. The method in accordance with claim 4, wherein the predetermined monitoring parameter value is detected by a sensor unit at the device and relates to one of a coolant temperature, an aging of an X-ray tube, a coolant level or a central processing unit (CPU) temperature.

6. The method in accordance with claim 4, wherein the predetermined monitoring parameter represents a report stored in a protocol data set of the device, the report being one of software or hardware error, an available memory location, or a status of peripheral output devices.

7. The method in accordance with claim 1, wherein the maintenance data transmitted from the device includes a device identification.

8. The method in accordance with claim 1, wherein the maintenance data includes an operational status of the device.

9. The method in accordance with claim 1, wherein the request for the monitoring parameter relates to a coolant temperature, an aging of an X-ray tube, a coolant level, a CPU temperature, a report stored in the protocol data set, or combinations thereof.

10. The method in accordance with claim 1, further comprising:

outputting with an acoustic indicator device as a function of the evaluation.

11. The method in accordance with claim 10, wherein outputting comprises generating a sound as a function of a maintenance act pending in connection with the device.

12. The method in accordance with claim 11, wherein generating the sound comprises indicating an urgency of the maintenance act pending in connection with the device.

13. The method in accordance with claim 11, wherein outputting comprises outputting information regarding tools or consumable materials for the maintenance act pending in connection with the device, outputting information regarding work acts and device settings of the maintenance act pending in connection with the device, or combinations thereof.

14. The method in accordance with claim 1, further comprising:

outputting with an optical indicator device as a function of the evaluation.

15. The method in accordance with claim 14, wherein outputting comprises outputting information regarding a maintenance act pending in connection with the device.

16. The method in accordance with claim 15, wherein outputting the information comprises generating an optical indication related to an urgency of the maintenance act pending in connection with the device.

17. The method in accordance with claim 14, wherein outputting comprises outputting information regarding a position of the device.

18. The method in accordance with claim 15, wherein outputting comprises outputting information regarding tools or consumable materials for the maintenance act pending in connection with the device, outputting information regarding work acts and device settings of the maintenance act pending in connection with the device, or combinations thereof.

19. The method in accordance with claim 10, wherein outputting comprises outputting information regarding a position of the device.

20. The method in accordance with claim 1, wherein automatically selecting a check routine comprises automatically selecting a check routine starting point.

21. The method in accordance with claim 1, wherein transmitting the maintenance data comprises transmitting data identifying the device to be maintained and transmitting data including an operational status of the device to be maintained.

22. A system for maintaining a device via a remote service computer, the system comprising:

at least two sensor units operable to detect values of at least two monitoring parameters of the device;

a first maintenance module connected with the at least two sensor units;

a second maintenance module operable with the service computer; and

an indicator device operable with the service computer to display information from the service computer,

wherein the first maintenance module upon receiving data from the second maintenance module is configured to determine a monitoring parameter in response to a monitoring parameter request, to determine which one of the at least two sensor units is assigned to the monitoring parameter, to receive a monitoring parameter value from the assigned sensor, and to provide the monitoring parameter value to the second maintenance module,

wherein the monitoring parameter is needed in a check routine used to troubleshoot or determine a cause of a problem in the device and is stored in the service computer, and

wherein the second maintenance module is configured to automatically evaluate the monitoring parameter value to determine whether another monitoring parameter is needed in the check routine from the device and is configured to transmit a request for a subsequent monitoring parameter value to the first maintenance module based on the evaluation of the monitoring parameter value.

23. The system in accordance with claim 22 further comprising:

a first transmission module connected with the first maintenance module, the first transmission module operable to transmit maintenance data, the monitoring parameter value, or the maintenance data and the monitoring parameter value from the first maintenance module; and

a second transmission module connected with the second maintenance module, the second transmission module operable to receive data from the first transmission module.

24. The system in accordance with claim 22, wherein the first maintenance module is configured to transmit at regular time intervals, on the basis of the monitoring parameter values reaching corresponding predetermined threshold values, and combinations thereof.

25. The system in accordance with claim 22, wherein one of the at least two sensor units detects a coolant temperature, an aging of an X-ray tube, a coolant level, or a CPU temperature.

26. The system in accordance with claim 22, further comprising:

a protocol unit for recording reports regarding the operation of the device, the recorded reports being a software or hardware failure, an available memory location, status of peripheral output devices or combinations thereof.

27. The system in accordance with claim 22, wherein the second maintenance module is operable to evaluate automatically the monitoring parameter value received from the first maintenance module and to display an indication as a function of the evaluation of the received monitoring parameter value on or with the indicator device.

28. The system in accordance with claim 22, wherein the indicator device is an optical device.

29. The system in accordance with claim 22, wherein the indicator device is an acoustic device.

30. A method for maintaining a device via a remote service computer, the method comprising the acts of:

automatically selecting a check routine based on maintenance data received from a device, the check routine being used to troubleshoot or determine a cause of a problem in the device;

evaluating, by the remote service computer, the maintenance data within a framework of the check routine having a point in which a monitoring parameter is needed;

requesting, by the remote service computer, the monitoring parameter from the device as a function of the evaluation;

evaluating, by the remote service computer, a response, by the device, to the request for the monitoring parameter to determine whether another monitoring parameter is needed in the check routine or the check routine is completed;

requesting by the remote service computer,the another monitoring parameter from the device as a function of the evaluation of the response; and

indicating a result of the evaluation of the response.

31. The method in accordance with claim 30, wherein the acts of evaluating comprise processing an error-search tree structure.