Patent ID: 8601116

Claim:
A tiered communications system for a therapy device, the tiered communications system comprising: in a first tier, a first functional component for communicating with a second tier having a first plurality of hardware subsystems of the therapy device, the first functional component comprising a first agent for routing communications to and from the second tier having the first plurality of hardware subsystems, the first plurality of hardware subsystems is configured to function together to accomplish a proton therapy function of the first functional component; in the first tier, a second functional component for communicating with the second tier having a second plurality of hardware subsystems of the therapy device, the second functional component comprising a second agent for routing communications to and from the second tier having the second plurality of hardware subsystems, the second plurality of hardware subsystems is configured to function together to accomplish a proton therapy function of the second functional component; and a brain controller for coordinating activities of the first and second functional components.