Patent ID: 6094589
Filing Date: 2000-07-25
Classification: A61B

Abstract:
A medical diagnostic apparatus comprising:a plurality of components comprising means for conducting a medical procedure including at least one function-performing component;a manually actuatable actuation element which, when actuated, causes execution of a function by the function-performing component, said function comprising a part of said medical procedure;detector means for acquiring a physical feature of an operator who actuates said actuation element;memory means for storing data representing said physical feature for an operator who is authorized to implement said function;comparator means for comparing a signal from said detector means representing the physical feature of said operator with said data in said memory means and for emitting an enable signal given coincidence of said data represented by said signal from said detector and data stored in said memory means; andcontrol means for enabling execution of the function caused by actuation of said actuation element only upon receipt of said enable signal, and for otherwise automatically inhibiting execution of said function.