DE102022202367A1 - Computer-implemented method for central control of one or more work units - Google Patents

Abstract

The invention relates to a computer-implemented method for central control of one or more work units. The method includes a method step of receiving (REC-1) a work order from a work unit with a central control unit. The work unit is in particular a medical work unit. The method also includes a method step of creating (DET) a control command with the central control unit. The control command is designed to carry out the work order. The method also includes a method step of providing (PROV) the control command with the central control unit to the work unit.

Description

The invention relates to a method for central control of one or more work units and a system which is designed to carry out the method.

Work units for executing work orders are becoming increasingly complex. Special training for operating personnel to operate a work unit to carry out a work order is often necessary.

A work order can in particular be a medical work order. For example, a work order can be acquiring a medical image data set or carrying out a medical intervention with a medical robotic system or controlling a laboratory system, etc. The work unit in these cases is therefore a medical work unit or a medical system or a medical technology system. The work unit can then be, for example, a medical imaging system or a medical robotic system or a laboratory system, etc. The medical imaging system can be, for example, an X-ray system, a computer tomography system (acronym: CT system) or a magnetic resonance tomography system (acronym: MRT system).

It is known that there are often insufficiently trained operating personnel available to operate or control a work unit. Particularly in large hospitals or hospital groups with several work units, there are often insufficiently trained operating personnel available to operate or control all work units and to ensure maximum utilization of the available work units. For smaller units, such as smaller medical practices, which often only have one or a few work units available, it is often not worthwhile to train sufficient operating staff accordingly. In addition, particularly in emerging or developing countries, there are often no or too few trained operating personnel available to operate or control a work unit.

The available operating personnel are typically entrusted not only with operating the work unit, but also with routine tasks to carry out the work order. In a medical work order, the routine task may be, for example, preparing and/or positioning a patient. A routine task can typically be carried out by untrained personnel.

It is therefore the object of the present invention to optimally utilize the resources of available trained operating personnel in order to ensure that as many work units as possible are operated or controlled by the available trained operating personnel.

The object is achieved by a method for central control of one or more work units, by a central control unit for central control of one or more work units, by a computer program product and by a computer-readable storage medium according to the independent claims. Advantageous further developments are listed in the dependent claims and in the following description.

The solution to the problem according to the invention is described below both in relation to the claimed devices and in relation to the claimed method. Features, advantages or alternative embodiments mentioned here must also be transferred to the other claimed objects and vice versa. In other words, the present claims (which are directed, for example, to a device) can also be further developed with the features that are described or claimed in connection with a method. The corresponding functional features of the method are formed by corresponding objective modules.

The invention relates to a computer-implemented method for central control of one or more work units. The method includes a method step of receiving a work order from a work unit with a central control unit. The work unit is in particular a medical work unit. The method also includes creating a control command with the central control unit. The control command is designed to carry out the work order. The method also includes a method step of providing the control command to the central control unit.

If we talk about a work unit or the work unit below, the corresponding description can be transferred to all work units to be controlled, unless this is explicitly excluded.

The work unit can in particular be a medical work unit. A medical work unit can in particular be a medical imaging system, a medical robotic system for carrying out medical interventions ventions or a laboratory system. A medical imaging system can in particular be an X-ray system, a computer tomography system (acronym: CT system), a magnetic resonance tomography system (acronym: MRT system), a positron emission tomography system (acronym: PET system) or a single photon emission computed tomography system (English: single photon emission computed tomography system, acronym: SPECT System).

Alternatively, the work unit can also be from a different technical environment in which central control of several work units makes sense. For example, the work unit can be a system from a streaming provider.

If several work units are to be controlled, the work units that are to be controlled jointly or centrally can, in embodiments of the invention, be designed in such a way that an operating personnel requires the same training to control all work units. Alternatively, various training courses may be necessary to control the multiple work units. In particular, the compilation of work units can then be specific for an operating personnel. The work units to be controlled are “composed” or selected in such a way that the available trained operating personnel have all the necessary training for operating or controlling all work units. In other words, the trained operating personnel have all the necessary training to control or operate all of the several work units.

The operating personnel can in particular be medical personnel, for example a doctor or a radiologist or a surgeon or a laboratory technician if the work unit is a medical work unit.

If the work unit is used in another technical environment, the operating personnel can be, for example, a consumer or a technician, etc. In this case, “trained” can also mean that the operating staff has special access, for example to an offer from a streaming provider.

In the method step of receiving the work order, a work order provided by a work unit is received with a central control unit.

The work order is specific to the work unit providing it. In other words, the work order is designed in such a way that it can be carried out with the providing work unit. For example, if the providing work item is a CT system, the work order may be “Acquire a skull CT.” Any other work orders for different work units are conceivable. The work order of a medical imaging system can also include, for example, patient information or information about a positioning of a patient in the imaging system, etc.

In the method step of creating the control command, the control command is created with which the work order can be executed on the work unit. The control command can be created automatically or by trained operating personnel on the central control unit. Alternatively, a predefined control command can be created depending on the work order. The trained operating personnel can then individually adapt the predefined control command. For example, the trained operating personnel can adapt the predefined control command to a patient from whom, for example, a medical image data set is to be captured using the work unit. In particular, the predefined control command can be adapted depending on the patient information and/or the information about the positioning of the patient.

The control command is specific for each work unit. For example, if the working unit is a medical imaging system, the control command may be an imaging protocol for acquiring a medical image of a patient. If the work unit is a medical robotic system, the control command may be, for example, a movement of the medical robotic system to perform an intervention. For example, if the unit of work is a laboratory system, the control command may include a protocol for performing one or more tests on a sample to be analyzed.

In the method step of providing the control command, the central control unit provides the control command to the work unit. The work unit can carry out the work order by executing the control command.

The work unit and the central control unit can be arranged at a spatial distance from one another. In particular, the central control unit can be located in a different room, in a different building, in a different city, in a different country or on a different continent than the work unit. In other words, the central control unit is located “remotely” from the work unit.

In particular, the trained operating personnel can then be arranged at the central control unit. In particular, the trained operating personnel are then arranged away from the work unit.

The inventor has recognized that work orders from one or more work units can be collected centrally at a central control unit. The inventor has recognized that the trained operating personnel can then process the work orders of more than one work unit and can create or process control commands for work orders of more than one work unit. The inventor has recognized that a workforce of trained operating personnel can be pooled in this way. The inventor has recognized that in this way work units distributed over a larger area can be controlled centrally by the central control unit. In addition, the inventor has recognized that even when a plurality of work units are controlled by the central control, the work of the trained operating personnel can be concentrated on the control or operation of the work units and the trained operating personnel can be assigned to routine tasks that are also carried out by one to control the work units can be carried out by untrained personnel. In this way, the need for trained operating personnel is reduced, since trained operating personnel do not have to be on site for every work unit. In this way, “idle times” in which trained operating personnel cannot be optimally utilized can be reduced.

According to one aspect of the invention, the work order is prepared and/or followed up at the providing work unit.

In particular, the work order is prepared and/or post-processed in such a way that the work order can be carried out as quickly as possible when the control command for carrying out the work order is provided.

If the work unit is a medical imaging system or a medical robotic system, the preparation or post-processing can be, for example, preparing a patient and/or positioning a patient relative to the work unit and/or positioning the work unit relative to the patient. If the work unit is a laboratory system, the preparation or post-processing can, for example, be preparing a sample to be analyzed. For example, the sample can be transferred to a standardized container and/or pre-processed accordingly.

Alternatively or additionally, the preparation and/or follow-up of the work order can include creating the work order. Information that is needed to create the control command can be recorded to carry out the work order. For example, information about a reason or goal of the work order can be recorded.

In particular, the preparation and/or follow-up of the work order can include a routine task.

The preparation and/or follow-up of the work order can be carried out by staff on site. The on-site staff does not need to be trained operating personnel. In other words, the on-site personnel do not have to be trained to operate or control the work unit.

The inventor has recognized that routine tasks for the preparation and/or follow-up of the work order on the work unit can be carried out on site by untrained personnel. The inventor has recognized that in this way the trained operating personnel can be relieved of the burden. The inventor has recognized that in this way resources or capacities or manpower of trained operating personnel can be used more optimally. In this way, trained operating personnel can control several work units if they do not have to take on the preparation and/or follow-up, which can also be carried out by untrained personnel.

According to a further aspect of the invention, the method further comprises a method step of receiving information about a time at which the work order is to be carried out on the work unit. The method step of providing the control command includes a method step of connecting the central control unit to the work unit at the time at which the work order is to be carried out. This enables remote access from the central control unit to the work unit. The method step of providing the control command also includes a method step of carrying out the work order on the work unit through remote access using the central control unit.

In the method step of receiving the information about the time at which the work order is carried out on the work unit, the information is provided in particular by the work unit to the central control unit. In other words, the central control unit receives the information mation about the timing of the work unit. In particular, the information can be received together with the work order.

The time can in particular be a time. Alternatively, the time can be a period of time until the work order is carried out. The duration can then be continuously adjusted, i.e. reduced.

In the method step of connecting the central control unit to the work unit, remote access from the central control unit to the work unit is enabled. In other words, the working unit can be controlled with the central control unit via the connection. The connection is established at least at the time at which the work order is to be carried out.

In particular, the connection can be established during the preparation or follow-up of the work order.

In the method step of carrying out the work order, the work order is carried out on the work unit through remote access with the central control unit. The control command is therefore executed directly from the central control unit on the work unit. The control command is therefore a direct control of the work unit via remote access. In particular, the control command can also be created directly on the work unit from the central control unit.

The inventor has recognized that the work unit can be controlled directly via remote access. The inventor has recognized that in this way preparation and/or follow-up work for carrying out the work order on the work unit can be carried out on site by untrained personnel, while the work order itself can be carried out directly by the trained operating personnel through remote access.

According to a further aspect of the invention, the time corresponds to the time at which the preparation of the work order is completed.

In other words, the connection between the work unit and the central control unit is established at the latest when the preparation of the work order has been completed.

If the working unit is a medical imaging system, the preparation can be completed in particular when a patient, from whom a medically reliable image data set is to be captured, is positioned in the medical imaging system. Furthermore, in embodiments of the invention, preparation may be completed when the patient has been administered a contrast agent. In other words, the preparation can be completed when all routine work that must be carried out on site before acquiring the medical image data set has been completed.

If the work unit is a medical robotic system, the preparation can be completed when a patient on whom an operation or a medical intervention is to be carried out using the medical robotic system is prepared or ready for the intervention. In particular, the patient can be ready if he is appropriately positioned and/or if he is appropriately anesthetized. In other words, the preparation for the work order is completed when the patient is ready to perform the medical intervention with the medical robotic system.

If the work unit is a laboratory system, the preparation can be completed in particular when the sample to be analyzed is prepared or prepared. In other words, the preparation can be completed when the analysis of the sample can begin.

The inventor has recognized that the available time of trained operating personnel should be used as short as possible and, if possible, only for the length of time that is actually necessary. The connection is therefore only established when the trained operating personnel can start controlling the work unit to carry out the work step as quickly as possible. In this way, waiting times for trained operating personnel can be reduced and the available time or the resources or manpower of the trained operating personnel can be optimally used.

According to a further aspect of the invention, the work order comprises one or more individual work orders. In the process step of creating the control command, an individual control command is created for each of the individual orders. In the process step of providing the control command, the individual control commands of the work unit are provided. The work unit executes an individual control command when the individual work order is to be carried out.

A single work order can therefore be a single step of the work order. The work order can be completed or carried out in particular when all individual Work orders of the work order were carried out. The individual work orders of a work order can be arranged in a specific order. In other words, a fixed order in which the individual work orders should be carried out can be specified.

Each individual work order is carried out by executing a corresponding special individual control command on the work unit.

The individual control commands are created in the process step of creating the control command. The entirety of the individual control commands forms the control command. In other words, the control command includes the individual control commands.

In the method step of providing the control command, the entirety of the individual control commands of the work unit can then be provided.

The work unit can then execute the individual control commands whenever the corresponding individual work order is to be carried out. In other words, the work unit can arrange the individual control commands in a queue from which they are processed at the appropriate times. In particular, the individual control commands can be automated by the work unit or carried out on site by untrained personnel. With automated execution, untrained personnel on site can specify a time at which the work order or individual work orders should be carried out.

The inventor has recognized that the central control unit can also provide individual control commands in advance, before the individual control commands are actually to be executed. The inventor has recognized that the work unit or untrained personnel on site can execute the individual control commands when the individual work order is to be carried out. The inventor has recognized that in this way trained operating personnel at the central control unit can create the control command or the individual control commands when there is time for it. In other words, the trained operating personnel can decide for themselves when to create the control command or the individual control commands. The operating personnel only have to take into account that the control command or the individual control commands are created and can be made available when the work order or the individual work orders are to be carried out with the work unit. The inventor has recognized that in this way peak times, in which several work units want to carry out a work order at the same time, can be equalized by creating and providing the corresponding control commands or individual control commands in advance, outside of peak times. The execution of the control commands on the work units can then take place according to the schedule of the individual work units. The inventor has recognized that in this way an overload of the trained operating personnel and thus a time delay when executing the work orders or individual work orders on the work units can be prevented.

According to a further aspect of the invention, the individual work orders of a work order are provided by more than one work unit. The method includes a process step of prioritizing the individual work orders. In the process step of creating the control command, the individual control commands are created in an order according to the prioritization. In the method step of providing the control command, the individual control commands are provided to the work unit that has provided the corresponding individual work order as soon as the respective individual control commands have been created.

In other words, a work order can be provided through the cooperation of more than one work unit. In other words, multiple work units can collectively provide a work order. Each of the work units involved can provide at least one individual work order. The work order then includes the provided work orders.

For example, this case can occur if a patient is to be examined or treated by more than one work unit. For example, a CT image data set and an MRI image data set can be recorded from a patient, and a blood sample can be analyzed in the laboratory. Each of these examinations or analyzes or diagnoses represents an individual work order of a different work unit. It should be noted that some individual work orders can be carried out in parallel, for example the laboratory analysis of the blood sample to record the image data sets, while other individual work orders can be carried out in parallel. Work orders must be carried out sequentially. For example, the CT image data set and the MRI image data set cannot be acquired in parallel because the patient must be positioned in the corresponding medical imaging system.

In the prioritization process step, the individual work orders are prioritized by the central control unit. Prioritizing can do this manually by the trained operating personnel on the central control unit or automatically by the central control unit. In embodiments of the invention, the central control unit can pre-prioritize the individual work steps and the trained operating personnel can adapt or confirm the pre-prioritization.

When prioritizing, it can be taken into account in particular whether the individual work steps can be carried out in parallel or must be carried out sequentially.

In the method step of creating the control command, the individual control commands are created in an order according to the prioritization of the corresponding individual work orders. At least one individual control command is created for each individual work order. The order of the individual control commands created depends on the prioritization of the corresponding individual work steps. The higher an individual work step is prioritized, the sooner the corresponding individual control command is created.

In the method step of providing the control command, the individual control commands are provided to the work unit that has provided the corresponding individual work order. The individual control commands are provided when they have been created. In other words, in embodiments of the invention, higher priority individual control commands can be provided earlier than lower priority control commands.

The inventor has recognized that in some cases several work units carry out a work order together. Individual work orders are carried out on the individual work units. The inventor has recognized that the process of carrying out individual work orders can be optimized through central control. The inventor has recognized that the individual orders are advantageously collected and prioritized on a common central control unit. The individual control commands can be provided in such a way that an optimal process can be guaranteed when executing the entire work order. The inventor has recognized that this guarantees a more optimal process than with individual, independent processing of individual work orders at the individual work units. This is of particular interest to larger clinics or clinic groups that operate more than one work unit.

According to a further aspect of the invention, an interaction between different individual work orders is taken into account in the method step of prioritizing the individual work orders.

The interaction can in particular describe a possible parallel or sequential execution of the individual work orders as described above.

Alternatively or additionally, the interaction can describe a causal connection between the individual work orders. In the example above, a causal relationship can be that the MRI image data set is only acquired if the CT image data set delivers a specific result. Then the individual control command for acquiring the MRI image data set can only be provided if the CT image data set delivers the corresponding result. However, this requires further feedback from the corresponding work unit to the central control unit, for example to inform the central control unit about the result of the CT image data set.

The inventor has recognized that by taking into account the interaction between the individual work orders, the execution of the entire work order can be further optimized. In addition, by providing all information to the central control unit, all information is evaluated together and the execution of the work order is optimized. This is of particular interest to larger clinics or clinic groups that operate more than one work unit.

The invention also relates to a central control unit for central control of one or more work units. The central control unit includes an interface and a computing unit. The interface is designed to receive a work order from a work unit. The computing unit is designed to create a control command. The control command is designed to carry out the work order. The interface is also designed to provide the control command to the work unit.

Such a central control unit can in particular be designed to carry out the previously described method for central control of one or more work units and its aspects. The central control unit is designed to carry out this method and its aspects by the interface and the computing unit being designed to carry out the corresponding method steps.

The invention also relates to a computer program product with a computer program and a computer-readable medium. A largely software-based implementation has the advantage that central controls that have already been used previously units can be easily retrofitted with a software update to work in the manner described. In addition to the computer program, such a computer program product may optionally contain additional components such as: B. include documentation and/or additional components, as well as hardware components, such as hardware keys (dongles, etc.) for using the software.

In particular, the invention also relates to a computer program product with a computer program which can be loaded directly into a memory of a central control unit, with program sections in order to carry out all steps of the method described above for central control of one or more work units and its aspects, if the program sections are carried out by the central control unit.

In particular, the invention relates to a computer-readable storage medium on which program sections readable and executable by a central control unit are stored in order to carry out all steps of the method described above for central control of one or more work units and its aspects when the program sections are executed by the central control unit .

The characteristics, features and advantages of this invention described above will become clearer and more understandable in connection with the following figures and their descriptions. The figures and descriptions are not intended to limit the invention and its embodiments in any way.

In different figures, the same components are provided with corresponding reference numbers. The figures are usually not to scale.

• 1 ein erstes Ausführungsbeispiel eines Verfahrens für eine zentrale Steuerung einer oder mehrerer Arbeitseinheiten,
• 2 ein zweites Ausführungsbeispiel eines Verfahrens für eine zentrale Steuerung einer oder mehrerer Arbeitseinheiten,
• 3 ein drittes Ausführungsbeispiel eines Verfahrens für eine zentrale Steuerung einer oder mehrerer Arbeitseinheiten,
• 4 eine zentrale Steuereinheit für eine zentrale Steuerung einer oder mehrerer Arbeitseinheiten.

Show it

• 1 a first exemplary embodiment of a method for central control of one or more work units,
• 2 a second exemplary embodiment of a method for central control of one or more work units,
• 3 a third exemplary embodiment of a method for central control of one or more work units,
• 4 a central control unit for central control of one or more work units.

1 shows a first exemplary embodiment of a method for central control of one or more work units.

A work unit can in particular be a medical work unit. For example, the work unit may be a medical imaging system or a medical robotic system or a laboratory system.

Alternatively, the work unit can be from any other area in which several systems or units are to be controlled by a central unit. For example, the work units can be different streaming services or platforms from different streaming providers that are to be organized or controlled with a central control unit.

In a method step of receiving REC-1 of a work order, a central control unit receives the work order from a work unit. In other words, the work unit provides the work order to the central control unit. The work order specifies what task the work unit should perform. If the work unit is a medical imaging system, for example a CT system, the work order can, for example, specify that the work unit is to be used to acquire a CT image data set of a thorax. In embodiments of the invention, the work order can also specify information about the patient or patient data from which the CT image data set of the thorax is to be acquired.

In a method step of creating DET a control command, a control command is created with the central control unit, which is designed to carry out the work order. In other words, the work order can be carried out by executing the control command with the work unit. The control command can in particular be created automatically with the central control unit depending on the work order. Alternatively, the control command can be created by trained operating personnel on the central control unit. Alternatively, the control command can first be created automatically and then adjusted by trained operating personnel on the central control unit. The trained operating personnel are trained to operate or control the work unit. In a medical work unit, the trained operating personnel can in particular be a doctor, a radiologist, a surgeon or a laboratory technician.

In a method step of providing PROV of the control command, the control command is provided to the central control unit of the work unit. The control command is provided to the work unit in such a way that the work unit can execute the control command and thus carry out the work order.

The central control unit and the work unit can in particular be arranged at a distance from one another or spatially separated. For example, the central control unit may be located in a different room or in a different building or in a different city or in a different country or on a different continent than the work unit. In other words, the central control unit and the work unit can be arranged remotely from one another.

In particular, the plurality of work units can at least partially also be arranged spatially separated from one another as described.

The work order can be prepared and/or followed up by the providing work unit. In the case of a medical work unit, the preparation or follow-up can in particular include the preparation or follow-up of a patient or a sample. If the medical work unit is a medical imaging system, the preparation or post-processing can include preparing a patient, in particular positioning the patient in the work unit and/or administering a contrast medium, etc. If the medical work unit is a medical robotic system, the preparation or follow-up may include preparing a patient, in particular positioning the patient and/or anesthetizing the patient, etc. If the medical work unit is a laboratory system, the preparation or post-processing can include preparing a sample to be analyzed, taking the sample to be analyzed, preparing test reagents with which the sample is to be analyzed, transferring the sample into a container, in which the sample can be analyzed, etc. include.

2 shows a second exemplary embodiment of a method for central control of one or more work units.

The procedural steps of receiving REC-1 of a work order, creating DET of a control command and providing PROV of the control command are as per 1 described, trained.

The method includes a further method step of receiving REC-2 information about a time at which the work order is to be carried out on the work unit. In particular, the work unit provides the central control unit with information about the time at which the work order is to be carried out with the work unit.

The point in time can in particular be a time or a remaining period of time until the work order is carried out. The remaining time can be continuously adjusted.

The method step of providing PROV of the control command includes a method step of connecting CONN of the central control unit to the work unit and executing APP of the work order on the work unit. This enables remote access from the central control unit to the work unit.

In the method step of connecting CONN of the central control unit to the work unit, the central control unit is connected to the work unit at least at the time at which the work order is to be carried out on the work unit. In particular, the work unit can then be accessed via remote access from the central control unit. In particular, trained operating personnel can access the work unit.

In the process step of executing APP the work order, the work order is carried out on the work unit through remote access using the central control unit. In other words, the control command is executed by the central control unit on the work unit via remote access and the work order is thus carried out. In other words, the control command is executed through direct access from the central control system on the work unit.

In particular, trained operating personnel can execute the control command directly on the work unit via remote access. The trained operating personnel can at least approximately execute the control command as if they were directly on site at the work unit. In particular, the operating personnel can create the control command directly on the work unit and execute it there.

In embodiments of the invention, the control command can be created directly on the work unit by means of remote access from the central control unit. In particular, the trained operating personnel can also use the central control unit Access the work unit and create the control command there.

In embodiments of the invention, the time at which the work order is to be carried out can correspond to the time at which the preparation of the work order is completed. In relation to the above examples, the time at which the work order is to be carried out may correspond to the time at which the patient or sample is prepared.

3 shows a third exemplary embodiment of a method for central control of one or more work units.

The procedural steps of receiving REC-1 of a work order, creating DET of a control command and providing PROV of the control command are as per 1 described, trained.

A work order can include one or more individual work orders. In the method step of creating DET of the control command, at least one individual control command is then created for each individual work order. In the method step of providing PROV of the control command, the individual control commands are then provided to the work unit that has provided the corresponding individual work orders.

The individual control commands provided can then be executed by the work unit if the corresponding individual work orders are to be carried out with the work unit. The individual control commands can therefore remain in a queue on the work unit until the corresponding individual work order is to be carried out. The work unit can therefore organize the execution of the individual control commands independently, independently of the creation of the individual control commands and thus independently of the central control unit.

In one embodiment of the invention, work orders from different work units can be processed or handled separately. In particular, the process steps described so far are carried out by the work units independently of one another. Trained operating personnel can then decide at the central control unit which work unit or work order should be processed with priority. Editing a work order includes creating and providing a corresponding control command. The trained operating personnel can, for example, process the work orders according to the order in which they are received. Alternatively, the operating personnel can take into account when the work orders on the respective work units should actually be carried out.

In one embodiment of the invention, the individual work orders of a work order can be provided by more than one work unit. In other words, different work units can provide individual work orders that together form the work order.

For example, in a medical application, the individual work orders can include a plurality of examinations or analyzes that are to be carried out in relation to a patient. For example, image data sets of the patient can be acquired using various medical imaging systems, one or more samples of the patient can be analyzed using a laboratory system and a medical intervention can be carried out based on the results of the imaging and laboratory analyzes using a medical robotic system. Each of these steps can be described by an individual work order, which together form an overall work order related to the patient.

The method can then include a method step of prioritizing PRIO the individual work orders. Priorities are assigned to the individual work orders, which indicate how urgently the individual work order should be carried out. Based on the prioritization, an order in which the individual work orders should be carried out can be determined. In the process step of creating the control command, the individual control commands are created according to the order of the individual work orders. In the method step of providing the control command, the individual control commands are provided as soon as the individual control command has been created. In this way it can be ensured that the individual control command is provided in time to execute the individual work order. In addition, the individual control commands are provided in the order in which the individual work orders are to be executed. A work unit can also store an individual control command in a queue until the corresponding individual work order is actually to be executed. Prioritizing can therefore help trained operating personnel to create the individual control commands in the correct or optimal order so that the entire work order can be carried out as time-efficiently as possible.

In embodiments of the invention, an interaction can be used when prioritizing the individual work orders tion between the various individual work orders must be taken into account.

The interaction between two individual work orders can, for example, indicate whether the individual work orders can be carried out in parallel or only sequentially. For example, a sample can be analyzed using the laboratory system in parallel to imaging the patient. However, two different images of the patient cannot be carried out in parallel, i.e. at the same time.

The interaction can alternatively or additionally indicate causal relationships between individual work steps. For example, in the example above, performing the medical intervention with the medical robotic system depends on the results of the imaging and laboratory evaluations. This causal relationship can be taken into account when creating the prioritization and thus when creating the individual control commands. The prioritization can, for example, be determined in such a way that the individual control command for the medical robotic system for carrying out the medical intervention is only created when feedback from the imaging and the laboratory analysis is received.

In embodiments of the invention, the individual work orders from different work units can be analyzed together and the corresponding individual control commands can be created depending on this.

4 shows a central control unit SYS for central control of one or more work units.

The central control unit SYS shown for central control of one or more work units is designed to carry out a method according to the invention for central control of one or more work units. The central control unit SYS includes an interface SYS.IF, a computing unit SYS.CU and a storage unit SYS.MU.

The central control unit SYS can in particular be a computer, a microcontroller or an integrated circuit (IC). Alternatively, the central control unit SYS can be a real or virtual computer network (a technical name for a real computer network is “cluster”, a technical name for a virtual computer network is “cloud”). The central control unit SYS can be designed as a virtual system, which is executed on a computer or a real computer network or a virtual computer network (a technical term is “virtualization”).

The SYS.IF interface can be a hardware or software interface (e.g. a PCI bus, USB or Firewire). The computing unit SYS.CU can include hardware and/or software components, for example a microprocessor or a so-called FPGA (Field Programmable Gate Way). The storage unit SYS.MU can be designed as a non-permanent working memory (random access memory, RAM) or as a permanent mass storage device (hard drive, USB stick, SD card, solid state disk (SSD)).

The SYS.IF interface can in particular comprise a plurality of sub-interfaces that carry out different method steps of the respective method according to the invention. In other words, the SYS.IF interface can be designed as a plurality of SYS.IF interfaces. The computing unit SYS.CU can in particular comprise a plurality of sub-arithmetic units that carry out different method steps of the respective method according to the invention. In other words, the computing unit SYS.CU can be designed as a plurality of computing units SYS.CU.

Where this has not yet been done explicitly, but is sensible and in the spirit of the invention, individual exemplary embodiments, individual aspects or features of them can be combined or exchanged with one another without departing from the scope of the present invention. Advantages of the invention described with reference to one exemplary embodiment also apply to other exemplary embodiments without explicit mention, where transferable.

Claims (10)

Computer-implemented method for central control of one or more work units, comprising the following method steps: - Receiving (REC-1) a work order from a work unit with a central control unit, the work unit being in particular a medical work unit, - Creating (DET) a control command with the central control unit, the control command being designed to carry out the work order, - Providing (PROV) the control command with the central control unit to the work unit. Procedure according to Claim 1 , whereby the work order is prepared and/or followed up at the providing work unit. Method according to one of the preceding claims, further comprising the following method step: - receiving (REC-2) information about a time at which the work order is to be carried out on the work unit, the method step of providing (PROV) of the control command comprising the following method steps: - Connecting (CONN) the central control unit to the work unit at the time at which the work order is to be carried out, thereby enabling remote access from the central control unit to the work unit, - Performing (APP) the work order on the work unit through the remote access means the central control unit. Procedure according to Claim 3 in combination with Claim 2 , where the time corresponds to the time at which the preparation of the work order is completed. Procedure according to one of the Claims 1 or 2 , wherein the work order comprises one or more of individual work orders, wherein in the method step of creating (DET) of the control command, an individual control command is created for each of the individual work orders, wherein in the method step of providing (PROV) of the control command, the individual -Control commands are provided to the work unit, with the work unit executing an individual control command when the corresponding individual work order is to be carried out. Procedure according to Claim 5 , wherein the individual work orders of a work order are provided by more than one work unit, the method comprising the following step: - Prioritizing (PRIO) the individual work orders, wherein in the method step of creating the control command, the individual control commands are in an order according to Prioritization are created, wherein in the step of providing the control command, the individual control commands are provided to the work unit that has provided the corresponding individual work order as soon as the respective individual control commands have been created. Procedure according to Claim 6 , whereby in the method step of prioritizing the individual work orders, an interaction between different individual work orders is taken into account. Central control unit (SYS) for central control of one or more work units comprising an interface (SYS.IF) and a computing unit (SYS.CU), wherein the interface (SYS.IF) is designed to receive (REC-1) a work order from a work unit, wherein the computing unit (SYS.CU) is designed to create (DET) a control command, wherein the control command is designed to carry out the work order, wherein the interface (SYS.IF) is also designed to provide (PROV) the control command to the work unit. Computer program product with a computer program that can be loaded directly into a memory (SYS.CU) of a central control unit (SYS), with program sections to carry out all steps of the method according to one of the Claims 1 until 7 to be executed when the program sections are executed by the central control unit (SYS). Computer-readable storage medium on which program sections readable and executable by a central control unit (SYS) are stored in order to carry out all steps of the method according to one of the Claims 1 until 7 to be executed when the program sections are executed by the central control unit (SYS).

Images