David R Hendrickson

US Patent:

6865512, Mar 8, 2005

Filed:

Nov 12, 2002

Appl. No.:

10/293430

Inventors:

David Hendrickson - Snohomish WA, US

Assignee:

Koninklijke Philips Electronics N.V. - Eindhoven

International Classification:

G06F011/30

US Classification:

702183, 382141

Abstract:

A medical imaging system diagnostics package includes the ability to analyze operator usage data to detect aspects of the manner in which the system is used which may be a source of operating problems. Detecting problems arising from the manner in which the system is used can reduce the number of “no trouble found” repair calls and can often be permanently resolved by additional operator training in the use of the system. The diagnostic package includes the ability to assess the effects of software aging by analyzing the status of components of the medical system which are used by software such as registers, memory and disk drives. The results of this analysis can be used to improve software performance which is degraded but not failing completely such as system slowdowns and lengthened response times.

US Patent:

6882271, Apr 19, 2005

Filed:

Nov 12, 2002

Appl. No.:

10/293428

Inventors:

David Hendrickson - Snohomish WA, US

Assignee:

Koninklijke Philips Electronics N.V. - Eindhoven

International Classification:

G08B023/00

US Classification:

340504, 340502, 34028607, 600436, 600437

Abstract:

The need for service repair calls for a medical imaging system is reduced by enabling the operator to diagnose and, at times, to repair system problems without calling a repair service. A system diagnostics package includes an interactive diagnostic procedure which interacts with the system operator to receive input and information concerning a system problem. The diagnostics package uses this qualitative operator input, augmented if necessary by quantitative system data, to logically arrive at a system diagnosis. In a preferred embodiment the ultrasound system is able to learn about and discover new problem sources and their solutions. This information can be retained by the imaging system and used to repair similar problems in the system in the future. The information can be communicated to the system manufacturer so that the knowledge learned by one system can be disseminated to other systems to expedite their diagnosis and repair.