Optimization of a low-cost truly preemptive multitasking PC diagnostic workstation.

The Windows 95/NT operating systems (Microsoft Corp, Redmond, WA) currently provide the only low-cost truly preemptive multitasking environment and as such become an attractive diagnostic workstation platform. The purpose of this project is to test and optimize display station graphical user interface (GUI) actions previously designed on the pseudomultitasking Macintosh (Apple Computer, Cupertino, CA) platform, and image data transmission using time slicing/ dynamic prioritization assignment capabilities of the new Windows platform. A diagnostic workstation in the clinical environment must process two categories of events: user interaction with the GUI through keyboard/mouse input, and transmission of incoming data files. These processes contend for central processing units (CPU) time resulting in GUI "lockout" during image transmission or delay in transmission until GUI "quiet time." WinSockets and the Transmission Control Protocol/Internet Protocal (TCP/IP) communication protocol software (Microsoft) are implemented using dynamic priority timeslicing to ensure that GUI delays at the time of Digital Imaging and Communications in Medicine (DICOM) file transfer do not exceed 1/10 second. Assignment of thread priority does not translate into an absolute fixed percentage of CPU time. Therefore, the relationship between dynamic priority assignment by the processor, and the GUI and communication application threads will be more fully investigated to optimize CPU resource allocation. These issues will be tested using 10 MB/sec Ethernet and 100 MB/sec fast and wide Ethernet transmission. Preliminary results of typical clinical files (10 to 30 MB) over Ethernet show no visually perceptible interruption of the GUI, suggesting that the new Windows PC platform may be a viable diagnostic workstation option.