Patent ID: 8896439
Filing Date: 2014-11-25
Classification: A61B,G08B,G16H

Abstract:
1. A method for remotely maintaining a medical imaging device adapted to use electromagnetic or acoustic information to generate an image of at least a portion of a body of a patient, the method comprising: determining, at a maintenance system disposed remotely from the medical imaging device, a set of operational characteristics for the medical imaging device; receiving, over a network at the maintenance system, data relating to current operating conditions from a plurality of sensors disposed local to the medical imaging device; deriving, with the maintenance system, a set of parameter measures from the received data relating to current operating conditions; analyzing, with the maintenance system, the derived parameter measures by comparing each of the derived parameter measures with a respective normal operating range maintained as part of the set of operational characteristics; in response to determining that each of the derived parameter measures is within the respective normal operating range, applying predictive modeling to the derived parameters to identify a predicted malfunction of a component of the medical imaging device; and initiating, with the maintenance system, a repair of the medical imaging device by generating an alert in response to identification of the predicted malfunction, wherein the medical imaging device comprises a first medical imaging device manufactured by a first manufacturer, the method further comprising: maintaining, at the maintenance system, a second set of operational characteristics for a second medical image device adapted to use electromagnetic or acoustic information to generate an image of at least a portion of a body of a second patient, the second medical imaging device being manufactured by a second manufacturer distinct from the first manufacturer and having, at least in part, a design different from a design of the first medical imaging device; receiving, over the network at the maintenance system, second data from a second plurality of sensors disposed local to the second medical device; deriving, with the maintenance system, a second set of parameter measures from the received second data; analyzing, with the maintenance system, the derived second parameter measures in comparison with the second set of operational characteristics to identify a second predicted malfunction of a component of the second medical imaging device; and initiating, with the maintenance system, a repair of the second medical imaging malfunction.