Patent ID: 8838506

Claim:
A method to configure an imaging device comprising: in an electronic database, storing a plurality of different variants of respective protocols for operating medical image data acquisition devices in order to acquire medical image data from a patient, each stored protocol variant containing parameter values for parameters to implement image data acquisition from the patient according to the respective variant; also in said electronic database, storing a plurality of different types of medical image data acquisition devices by, for each of said types of medical image data acquisition devices, storing attributes that describe predetermined properties of the respective types of medical image data acquisition devices; in said electronic database, for each of said protocol variants, storing an association for each type of medical image data acquisition device for which the respective protocol variant was developed; from a computer, accessing said database and, in said computer, executing a training phase of a learning procedure using said protocol variants, said types of medical image data acquisition devices, and said associations stored in said database and, in said training phase, determining respective relationships between respective parameters of the protocol variants and respective associated types of medical image data acquisition devices, and storing said relationships as a pattern in a knowledge base for said learning procedure; and providing an input to said computer that designates, as a designated medical image data acquisition device, a medical image data acquisition device that is not one of said types of medical image data acquisition devices and, in said computer, implementing an application phase of said learning procedure and, in said application phase, automatically generating a protocol plan for operating said designated medical image data acquisition device using the pattern stored in said knowledge base, said protocol plan being selected from the group consisting of a protocol plan containing a plan variant with parameter values for operating said designated medical image data acquisition device, and a protocol plan containing rules according to which parameter values are selected for operating said designated medical image data acquisition device, and making said protocol plan available at an output of the computer.