Patent ID: 7995570

Claim:
A communication device for use in a system comprising a medical modality comprising an operating console having a control module associated therewith and a medical examination unit having an examination module associated therewith, and an administration module having an administration module associated with an administration entity that is remote from said medical modality, said device comprising: a first communication unit associated with said control module, a second communication unit associated with said examination module, and a third communication unit associated with said administration module, said first, second and third communication units being in communication with each other to allow exchange of data, represented by signals, among said control module, said examination module and said administration module; said third communication unit at said remote administration entity comprising an input unit that allows control of the medical modality via the third control unit from the remote administration entity, and a display system; each of said communication units comprising at least one microphone and at least one speaker allowing vocal communication among operators respectively located at said medical modality and said administration entity; each communication unit also comprising at least one camera with a field of view at least encompassing an operator of that communication unit allowing visual communication between operations respectively located at said medical modality and said administration entity, and wherein each of said first and second communication units also comprises a display system said display system of said third communication unit displaying an indicator that indicates a presence of an operator at the medical modality and said input unit allowing control of said medical modality from said remote administration entity dependent on said indicator; and a detector that identifies a presence of said operator at said medical modality and that transmits an indicator signal to said third communication unit, other than said vocal communication and said visual communication, that causes said indicator to be displayed at said display system of said third communication unit.