Patent ID: 8522208

Claim:
A computer system with a framework for creating and running a software application for a medical imaging system, comprising: a framework on a computer system that defines hierarchical layered structures for a plurality of components of the software application for a medical imaging system, wherein the plurality of components are configured hierarchically among themselves in a component hierarchy wherein an increasing degree of abstraction defines a higher ranking in a component's hierarchical order and wherein dependencies between the plurality of components are configured so that any component can only be accessed from a superordinate component and can only have access to a subordinate component, and wherein the framework comprises: (a) a first hierarchical layered structure that encapsulates individual layers of the software application, wherein the first hierarchical layered structure comprises: a service layer comprising a first plurality of components; and a toolkit layer superordinate in hierarchy to the service layer, wherein the toolkit layer comprises an application programming interface comprising a second plurality of components, wherein the first plurality of components of the service layer and the second plurality of components of the toolkit layer are configured to be arranged strictly hierarchically between layers and in accordance with the component hierarchy; and (b) a second hierarchical layered structure that encapsulates individual layers of the software application with respect to versioning requirements, wherein the second hierarchical layered structure comprises: a stability layer requiring components designated in that layer to remain functionally compatible with previous functionality upon versioning; and a development layer, superordinate in hierarchy to the stability layer, which does not require components designated in that layer to be compatible with previous functionality upon versioning, wherein each component of the service layer and the toolkit layer is assigned to either the stability layer or to the development layer and in accordance with the component hierarchy and wherein a boundary between the stability layer and the development layer is irrespective of a boundary between layers of the first hierarchical layered structure.