Systems and methods for securing operation of an ultrasound scanner

Abstract

The present embodiments relate generally to systems and methods for securing operation of an ultrasound scanner for use with a multi-use electronic display device. In some embodiments, the multi-use electronic display device can control whether the ultrasound scanner is permitted to generate ultrasound image data for display based on an institution affiliation status of the ultrasound scanner retrieved from a server. In some embodiments, the multi-use electronic display device can control whether the ultrasound scanner is permitted to generate ultrasound image data for display based on whether a digital certificate provided by a server is successfully validated.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method of controlling operation of an ultrasound scanner by a multi-use electronic display device, the method comprising the multi-use electronic display device performing the steps of:
 determining availability of the ultrasound scanner for connecting to the multi-use electronic display device;   retrieving a scanner identifier from the ultrasound scanner;   sending the scanner identifier to a server for determining a digital certificate associated with the ultrasound scanner;   receiving the digital certificate from the server;   determining whether the digital certificate is valid; and   controlling whether the ultrasound scanner is permitted to transmit and receive ultrasound energy to generate ultrasound image data for display on the multi-use electronic display device, the controlling being based on whether the multi-use electronic display device successfully validates the digital certificate.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the multi-use electronic display device is provided with a public key, and the determining whether the digital certificate is valid comprises determining whether the digital certificate was digitally signed with a private key corresponding to the public key. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the digital certificate comprises an approved scanner identifier, and the method further comprises:
 determining whether the approved scanner identifier matches the scanner identifier retrieved from the ultrasound scanner; and   wherein the controlling whether the ultrasound scanner is permitted to transmit and receive ultrasound energy to generate ultrasound image data for display on the multi-use electronic display device is further based on whether the approved scanner identifier matches the scanner identifier retrieved from the ultrasound scanner.   
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the digital certificate encodes permission data, the permission data indicating an operation that the ultrasound scanner or the multi- use electronic display device performs, and wherein the method further comprises:
 based on the permission data, restricting the operation from being performed.   
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 4 , wherein the operation that the ultrasound scanner or the multi-use electronic display device performs comprises an enhanced ultrasound imaging mode performed by the ultrasound scanner. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 5 , wherein the enhanced ultrasound imaging mode comprises Color Doppler. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 4 , wherein the operation that is performed by the ultrasound scanner or the multi-use electronic display device comprises an enhanced imaging processing algorithm performed by the multi-use electronic display device. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein the enhanced imaging processing algorithms comprises calculation of heart rate or bladder volume. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 4 , wherein when received from the server, the permissions data encoded in the digital certificate is encrypted, and a remaining portion of the digital certificate is unencrypted, and wherein the permissions data is decrypted prior to restricting the operation from being performed. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the digital certificate received from the server is encrypted, and the digital certificate is decrypted prior to determining whether the digital certificate is valid. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein upon successfully determining that the digital certificate is valid, the method further comprises:
 encrypting communications between the ultrasound scanner and the multi-use electronic display device.   
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein after a predetermined period of time, the method further comprises re-determining whether the digital certificate is valid, and wherein the re-determining comprising checking a status of the digital certificate. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein when the multi-use display device fails to successfully revalidate the digital certificate, the method further comprises disabling the ultrasound scanner from transmitting and receiving ultrasound energy to generate ultrasound image data for display on the multi-use electronic display device. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein the digital certificate encodes permission data, the permission data indicating an operation that the ultrasound scanner or the multi- use electronic display device performs, and wherein when the multi-use display device fails to successfully revalidate the digital certificate, the method further comprises disabling the operation indicated in the permissions data. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein the checking the status of the digital certificate comprises sending a communication using an Online Certificate Status Protocol (OCSP). 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein the checking the status of the digital certificate comprises determining whether the digital certificate is expired, and wherein if the digital certificate is determined to be expired, the method further comprises disabling the ultrasound scanner from transmitting and receiving ultrasound energy to generate ultrasound image data for display on the multi-use electronic display device. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein the digital certificate expiry period is set according to a loan or trial period of the ultrasound scanner. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein the checking the status of the digital certificate comprises determining whether the digital certificate is expired, and wherein prior to an expiry date of the digital certificate, the method further comprises renewing the digital certificate or receiving a new certificate from the server issued with a new expiry date. 
     
     
         19 . A multi-use electronic display device comprising one or more processors and a memory storing instructions for execution by the processor, wherein when the instructions are executed by the one or more processors, the multi-use electronic display device is configured to:
 determine availability of the ultrasound scanner for connecting to the multi-use electronic display device;   retrieve a scanner identifier from the ultrasound scanner;   send the scanner identifier to a server for determining a digital certificate associated with the ultrasound scanner;   receive the digital certificate from the server;   determine whether the digital certificate is valid; and   control whether the ultrasound scanner is permitted to transmit and receive ultrasound energy to generate ultrasound image data for display on the multi-use electronic display device, the controlling being based on whether the multi-use electronic display device successfully validates the digital certificate.   
     
     
         20 . The multi-use electronic display device of  claim 19 , wherein the digital certificate encodes permission data, the permission data indicating an operation that the ultrasound scanner or the multi-use electronic display device is capable of performing, and wherein the processor is further configured to:
 based on the permission data, restrict the operation from being performed.