Diagnostic delivery service

• US 8,130,904 B2
• Filed: 01/29/2009
• Issued: 03/06/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 01/29/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Gearbox LLC (Intellectual Ventures LLC)
• Original Assignee: The Invention Science Fund I, L.L.C. (Intellectual Ventures LLC)
• Inventors: Bowers, Jeffrey A., Hyde, Roderick A., Ishikawa, Muriel Y., Kare, Jordin T., Leuthardt, Eric C., Rivet, Dennis J., Sweeney, Elizabeth A., Wood, Lowell L. Jr.
• Primary Examiner(s): Glick, Edward
• Assistant Examiner(s): Artman, Thomas R
• Application Number:
  US12/322,327
• Publication Number:
  US 20100191094A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,132 Days
• Field of Search: 378/182, 378/184, 378189-192, 378/102, 378/62, 378/63
• US Class Current: 378/62
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0013 Medical image data A61B1/00011, A61B6/56, A61B8/56 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0059 using light, e.g. diagnosis by transillumination, diascopy, fluorescence A61B5/0093, A61B5/1455, A61B5/02416 and A61B5/0261 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 6/03 Computed tomography [CT] echo-tomography A61B8/14
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 6/4021 involving movement of the focal spot
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 6/4405 the apparatus being movable or portable, e.g. handheld or mounted on a trolley
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 6/4417 related to combined acquisition of different diagnostic modalities
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 6/4423 related to hygiene or sterilisation
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 6/5247 combining images from an ionising-radiation diagnostic technique and a non-ionising radiation diagnostic technique, e.g. X-ray and ultrasound
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 6/563 involving image data transmission via a network
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/13 Tomography A61B8/10, A61B8/12 take precedence; tomography for radiation diagnosis A61B6/02
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/4472 Wireless probes
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/565 involving data transmission via a network

Abstract

Systems, methods, and other modalities are described for (a) obtaining an indication relating to an emission module (which may be dangerous, e.g.) or its user (who may be untrained, e.g.) and for (b) configuring the module or causing an irradiation (for imaging, e.g.) in response to the indication.

Claims

1. A system comprising:

an emission device suitable for biological imaging; and

means for receiving a remote signal, wherein the remote signal is a signal received by the means for receiving via at least one of a wireless linkage, the Internet, a cellular network, a public or private telecommunication service or a wide area network;

means for resetting the emission device in response to the remote signal, wherein the means for resetting is configured to receive communications from the means for receiving;

means for receiving a second signal indicating a failure to recognize one or more physiological features in an image resulting from the emission device; and

means for providing user guidance in response to the second signal.

2. A system comprising:

circuitry for detecting one or more actions by one or more users and emitting a detection signal based on a detection of one of the one or more actions by the one or more users;

an emission device suitable for biological imaging and operable in response to the detection signal;

circuitry for receiving a remote signal, wherein the remote signal is a signal received by the circuitry for receiving via at least one of a wireless linkage, the Internet, a cellular network, a public or private telecommunication service or a wide area network;

circuitry for resetting the emission device in response to the remote signal, wherein the circuitry for resetting is configured to receive communications from the circuitry for receiving;

circuitry for receiving a second signal indicating a failure to recognize one or more physiological features in an image resulting from the emission device; and

circuitry for providing user guidance in response to the second signal.

3. The system of claim 2, further comprising:

a display configured to present video data in a vicinity of the emission device.

4. The system of claim 2, further comprising:

a display configured to present a facial image in a vicinity of the emission device.

5. The system of claim 2, further comprising:

a speaker configured to present audio data in a vicinity of the emission device.

6. The system of claim 2, further comprising:

a local interface in a vicinity of the emission device configured to present input data from an individual in real time, wherein the local interface is configured to communicate with the circuitry for resetting without communications being routed through the Internet, a wide area network or a cellular network.

7. The system of claim 2, further comprising:

circuitry for transmitting an image indicating a position of a body part relative to the emission device.

8. The system of claim 2, further comprising:

circuitry for sensing a position of the emission device suitable for biological imaging and operable locally in response to the detection signal.

9. The system of claim 2, further comprising:

circuitry for triggering an emission of electromagnetic radiation.

10. The system of claim 2, further comprising:

circuitry for triggering an emission of visible light suitable for biological imaging and operable in response to the detection signal.

11. The system of claim 2 in which the emission device suitable for biological imaging and operable in response to the detection signal comprises:

an ionizing radiation device.

12. The system of claim 2, further comprising:

circuitry for sensing a type of the emission device.

13. The system of claim 2, further comprising:

circuitry for sensing a type of energy from the emission device.

14. The system of claim 2 in which the circuitry for receiving a remote signal, wherein the remote signal is a signal received by the circuitry for receiving via at least one of a wireless linkage, the Internet, a cellular network, a public or private telecommunication service or a wide area network, comprises:

circuitry for receiving the remote signal, wherein the remote signal is a signal received by the circuitry for receiving via at least one of a wireless linkage, the Internet, a cellular network, a public or private telecommunication service or a wide area network and wherein the circuitry for receiving receives as the remote signal, the detection signal.

15. The system of claim 2, further comprising:

circuitry for detecting an effect of energy from the emission device irradiating a part of a subject'"'"'s body.

16. The system of claim 2, further comprising:

a handheld article including at least circuitry for detecting energy from the emission device.

17. The system of claim 2, further comprising:

one or more sensing elements operable for detecting energy from the emission device.

18. The system of claim 2, further comprising:

a sensing element operable for detecting energy from the emission device; and

a wearable article supporting the sensing element.

19. The system of claim 2, further comprising:

a speaker configured to present audio data; and

a kiosk configured to support the emission device, the speaker, and the circuitry.

20. The system of claim 2, further comprising:

one or more sensory elements for capturing data from output from the emission device; and

second circuitry for extracting one or more pathology indicators from the captured data.

21. The system of claim 2, further comprising:

an imaging module configured to obtain an image resulting from output from the emission device.

22. The system of claim 2, further comprising:

an ultrasound emitter suitable for other biological imaging and operable in response to the detection signal.

23. The system of claim 2 in which the emission device comprises:

a radio frequency emitter suitable for magnetic resonance imaging.

24. The system of claim 2 in which the emission device comprises:

an ionizing radiation emitter;

circuitry for determining or measuring cumulative ionizing radiation emissions from the ionizing radiation emitter; and

circuitry for responding to the determined or measured cumulative ionizing radiation emissions by preventing an emission if the emission would allow at least an unspecified user to release more than a threshold of ionizing radiation energy via the ionizing radiation emitter.

25. The system of claim 2, further comprising:

circuitry for activating the emission device at least in response to the detection signal.

26. The system of claim 2 in which the emission device comprises:

one or more emitters configured for scanning;

one or more sensing elements for capturing data from output from at least one of the one or more emitters; and

circuitry for computing an image from the captured data.

27. The system of claim 2, further comprising:

circuitry for authenticating an identity for at least a first user and a second user of the one or more users;

the circuitry for detecting one or more actions by one or more users, the circuitry for detecting being configured to determine if an action of the one or more actions is by the first user or by the second user;

circuitry for sensing a position of the emission device suitable for biological imaging and operable in response to the detection signal, the detection signal being based on a detection of a first action of the one or more actions by the first user;

circuitry for activating the emission device at least in response to a second detection signal, the second detection signal being based on a detection by the circuitry for detecting of a second action of the one or more actions by the second user;

a sensing element operable for detecting energy from the emission device and for capturing data from the detected energy;

a wearable article supporting the sensing element; and

circuitry for extracting one or more pathology indicators from the data captured by the sensing element.

28. The system of claim 2, further comprising:

circuitry for authenticating an identity for at least a first user and a second user of the one or more users;

the circuitry for detecting one or more actions by one or more users, the circuitry for detecting being configured to determine if a detected action of the one or more actions is by the first user or by the second user;

circuitry for sensing a position of the emission device suitable for biological imaging and operable in response to the detection signal, the detection signal being based on a detection of a first action of the one or more actions by the first user;

circuitry for activating the emission device at least in response to a second detection signal, the second detection signal being based on a detection by the circuitry for detecting of a second action of the one or more actions by the second user;

circuitry for detecting energy from the emission device that has passed through a part of a subject'"'"'s body;

one or more sensing elements for capturing data from the detected energy from the emission device; and

circuitry for extracting one or more pathology indicators from data captured by the one or more sensing elements.

29. The system of claim 28, further comprising:

circuitry for transmitting a first image indicating a position of the body part relative to the emission device.

30. The system of claim 2, further comprising:

circuitry for accepting input data from an individual;

a local interface configured to receive and to present the input data from the individual in real time, wherein the local interface is configured to communicate with the circuitry for resetting without communications being routed through the Internet, a wide area network or a cellular network;

circuitry for transmitting an image indicating a position of a body part relative to the emission device;

circuitry for triggering an emission of electromagnetic radiation;

circuitry for activating the emission device at least in response to the detection signal;

one or more sensing elements for capturing data from output of the emission device; and

circuitry for extracting one or more pathology indicators from the captured data.

31. The system of claim 30, further comprising:

a kiosk configured to support the emission device.

32. The system of claim 2, further comprising:

circuitry for accepting input data from an individual;

a local interface configured to receive and to present the input data from the individual in real time, wherein the local interface is configured to communicate with the circuitry for resetting without communications being routed through a wireless linkage, the Internet, a wide area network or a cellular network;

circuitry for transmitting an image indicating a position of a body part relative to the emission device;

circuitry for sensing a position of the emission device suitable for biological imaging and operable in response to the detection signal;

a sensing element operable for detecting energy from the emission device and for capturing data from the detected energy; and

a wearable article supporting the sensing element.

33. The system of claim 32, further comprising:

circuitry for extracting one or more pathology indicators from the data captured by the sensing element.

34. The system of claim 33, further comprising:

circuitry for triggering an emission of visible light suitable for biological imaging and operable in response to the detection signal; and

circuitry for sensing a type of energy from the emission device.

35. The system of claim 33, further comprising:

a handheld article including at least circuitry for detecting energy from the emission device.

36. The system of claim 2, further comprising:

circuitry for triggering an emission of visible light suitable for biological imaging and operable in response to the detection signal;

circuitry for sensing a position of the emission device suitable for biological imaging and operable in response to the detection signal based on the detection on a first action of the one or more actions by a first user of the one or more users;

circuitry for sensing a type of energy from the emission device;

one or more sensing elements for capturing data from output of the emission device; and

circuitry for extracting one or more pathology indicators from the captured data.

37. The system of claim 36, further comprising:

circuitry for authenticating an identity for at least the first user and a second user of the one or more users;

the circuitry for detecting one or more actions by one or more users, the circuitry for detecting being configured to determine if a detected action of the one or more actions is by the first user or by the second user;

and

circuitry for activating the emission device at least in response to a second detection signal based on a detection of a second action of the one or more actions by the second user.

38. The system of claim 36, further comprising:

a handheld article including at least circuitry for detecting energy from the emission device; and

a display configured to present a facial image in a vicinity of the emission device.

39. The system of claim 2, further comprising:

circuitry for sensing a position of the emission device suitable for biological imaging and operable in response to the detection signal;

a sensing element operable for detecting energy from the emission device and for capturing data from the detected energy;

a wearable article supporting the sensing element; and

an imaging device configured to obtain an image resulting from the captured data.

40. The system of claim 39, further comprising:

circuitry for extracting one or more pathology indicators from the captured data; and

circuitry for transmitting an image indicating a position of a body part relative to the emission device.

41. The system of claim 40, further comprising:

a display configured to present video data in a vicinity of the emission device; and

a kiosk configured to support the emission device.

42. A system comprising:

a sensor configured to detect one or more actions by a user and to generate a detection signal based on a detection of the one or more actions by the user;

an authentication unit configured to receive user input and, at least partly based on the input, to authenticate the user and to generate authentication output based on the authentication of the user, wherein the authentication unit authenticates the user by authenticating an identity of the user;

circuitry for transmitting that is configured, in response to the detection signal and the authentication output, to generate a signal and to transmit the signal via at least one of a wireless linkage, the Internet, a cellular network or a wide area network;

an emission device;

circuitry for receiving that is configured to receive the signal via the at least one of the wireless linkage, the Internet, the cellular network or the wide area network;

circuitry for resetting the emission device responsive to the received signal, the circuitry for resetting being configured to communicate with the circuitry for receiving;

circuitry for receiving a second signal indicating a failure to recognize one or more physiological features in an image resulting from the emission device; and

circuitry for providing user guidance in response to the second signal.