Medical Imaging Software Failover via Copying Principle
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing medical imaging systems lack effective failover mechanisms for software components, which can lead to system failures during critical operations, potentially causing injuries or property damage, especially in mission-critical environments like medical treatment and invasive procedures.
Innovation Solution
A medical imaging apparatus with a control unit that monitors the state of a first software component and activates a second identical software component to ensure continuous image capture when the first component fails, utilizing existing hardware without the need for additional redundancy, thus replicating software components to maintain continuity and stability.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If hardware redundancy or replication is used to prevent system failure, then system reliability is improved, but device complexity and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent creates a software copy of the failed software component and activates it as a replacement. The control unit monitors the first software component, detects failures, and switches to a second software component that is identical in function but separate in execution. This software-based copying approach provides redundancy without duplicating hardware, thereby improving reliability while avoiding the complexity and cost of hardware replication.
2Reliability
If hardware redundancy is implemented to ensure service continuity, then system stability is improved, but loss of substance and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of duplicating physical hardware resources, the patent creates a software copy that can be activated when the original software component fails. The second software component serves as a virtual duplicate that consumes minimal additional resources compared to full hardware redundancy, thus ensuring service continuity while minimizing the loss of substance.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces the mechanical/hardware-based redundancy system with a software-based failover mechanism. The control unit implements monitoring and switching logic in software, eliminating the need for duplicate hardware components. This substitution reduces resource consumption while maintaining the ability to ensure service continuity through software component replication and activation.
Data Source
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AI summary
According to one or more exemplary embodiments, a medical imaging apparatus includes a first control unit. The first control unit controls capturing of an image of an object based on a first software component when the first software component is in an active state, periodically monitors a state of the first software component included in a software application, and sets any one of at least one second software component, which is the same as the first software component, to be in an active state when the first software component is in a failure state so as to continue to capture images of the object.