Patent ID: 6839762

Claim:
A computer program product for use in a plurality of ultrasound devices, the plurality of ultrasound devices being coupled to an ultrasound information bus for allowing communications therebetween according to a high-speed packetized serial bus protocol, each ultrasound device having a lower protocol layer for receiving and sending packets using said high-speed packetized serial bus protocol, each ultrasound device having an application layer for performing an ultrasound application function, said computer program product comprising: computer code for receiving a request from the application layer to communicate with another ultrasound device; computer code for establishing a connection-oriented communication session with the other ultrasound device through the lower protocol layer across the ultrasound information bus; and computer code for transferring ultrasound information between the application layer and the other ultrasound device during said communication session, said ultrasound information comprising bulk image data requiring real-time transfer, said ultrasound information further comprising command data, wherein said bulk image data is transferred over an isochronous channel of said connection-oriented communication session and said command data is transferred over an asynchronous channel of said connection-oriented communication session; whereby any of a variety of different ultrasound devices having application layers compatible with said computer program product are capable of communications therebetween when coupled to the ultrasound information bus.