On this page
Asset Type
Manufacturer
Model
What This Guide Helps With
Troubleshooting SkyPlate battery, detector connection, readiness, or image acquisition failures before determining that service evaluation is required.
Step-by-Step Troubleshooting
1. Ensure Patient Safety First
Remove the room from clinical use if the SkyPlate detector cannot reliably connect, indicate readiness, or acquire an image.
Do not continue patient imaging with an unreliable wireless detector. Notify Radiology staff and redirect examinations to another functioning radiographic system as clinically appropriate.
Expected outcome: No patient exam is attempted using a detector with unresolved connection, charging, or acquisition concerns.
2. Confirm the Exact Detector Complaint
With the system out of patient use, obtain the exact report and reproduce the condition without making an exposure.
Determine whether the problem is:
- SkyPlate not detected by the system.
- Detector appears connected but does not become ready.
- Battery will not charge or quickly loses charge.
- Detector disconnects intermittently.
- Exposure is prevented because the detector is not ready.
- Exposure occurs during controlled testing, but no image appears.
Review and document any message, detector icon, battery indication, readiness status, or workstation error.
Expected outcome: The problem is narrowed to power, charging, connection, readiness, or post-acquisition image transfer.
Why it matters: Philips describes the SkyPlate as communicating directly with the X-ray system in real time, with image data transferred to the Eleva workspot after acquisition.
3. Inspect the SkyPlate for External Damage or Contamination
Visually inspect the detector before further testing.
Check for:
- Cracked housing, damaged corners, swelling, or signs of impact.
- Fluid intrusion or contamination.
- Damaged battery compartment, battery contacts, or connector area.
- Bent, loose, or damaged accessories.
- Signs that the detector was dropped, crushed, or improperly handled.
Do not use a visibly damaged detector for patient imaging or continue charging a battery that is swollen, excessively hot, leaking, or damaged.
Expected outcome: The detector and battery are either externally intact for continued evaluation or removed from service due to physical damage.
4. Check the Detector Battery and Charging Equipment
Remove and reseat the approved SkyPlate battery, inspecting it for damage or abnormal heat. Place the battery in the dedicated charger and observe charging indications.
If another known-working, compatible SkyPlate battery is available, test the detector with that battery. Likewise, test the suspect battery in a known-working compatible charger when appropriate.
Philips documentation describes SkyPlate configurations with exchangeable batteries and a dedicated battery charger; charging failure may involve the battery, charger, charging contacts, or detector power path.
Expected outcome:
- A charged known-working battery powers the detector normally, identifying a likely battery or charger issue; or
- The detector remains unavailable with a known-working charged battery, indicating that troubleshooting should continue.
If replacing or properly charging the battery resolves the issue, verify detector readiness and controlled image acquisition, document the repair, and stop.
5. Confirm the Correct Detector Is Assigned or Attached to the C90 System
Verify that the SkyPlate being used is intended for and configured with the affected DigitalDiagnost C90 system.
If the department shares SkyPlates between compatible Philips rooms, confirm that the detector has been properly attached or associated with this specific room according to the site’s approved workflow. Philips states that shared SkyPlates must be attached to a specific system before use and that one SkyPlate at a time is recognized by each system.
Check for:
- Wrong detector selected or brought into the room.
- Detector recently moved from another compatible Philips system.
- System waiting for a different assigned detector.
- Detector identification mismatch or failure to recognize the installed SkyPlate.
Expected outcome: The correct detector is recognized by the C90 system and displays an available or ready state.
If correctly attaching the detector resolves the issue, complete a safe functional verification, document the action, and stop.
6. Evaluate Wireless Connection Conditions
Place the SkyPlate near the system in its normal operating area and observe whether the connection becomes stable.
Check for:
- Connection loss only when the detector is moved farther from the room system.
- Detector placed behind excessive shielding, inside a storage location, or in an unusual position during testing.
- Intermittent connection when moving or repositioning the detector.
- Recent room changes, added shielding, or equipment changes near the detector communication area.
The SkyPlate uses a dedicated point-to-point wireless connection with the Philips X-ray system that is separate from the hospital IT network; a general PACS or hospital Wi-Fi outage should not by itself explain failure of the detector to connect to the C90 acquisition system.
Expected outcome: The detector maintains a stable connection in its intended operating location, or an ongoing wireless/system communication issue is identified.
7. Check for Approved Wired Backup Operation, If Equipped
Determine whether the system has the Philips-approved SkyPlate backup cable available for this detector configuration.
Inspect the cable for damage, bent connectors, contamination, or loose connections. If allowed by facility procedure and supported by the installed configuration, connect the approved backup cable and determine whether the detector is recognized.
Philips documentation identifies backup cable support for SkyPlate operation and image readout when wireless communication is unavailable.
Expected outcome:
- Detector operation returns with the approved cable connected, supporting a wireless communication problem; or
- The detector remains unavailable, suggesting a detector, battery, system interface, or acquisition-chain failure.
If wired backup restores operation, do not assume the wireless issue is corrected. Label the wireless concern for follow-up evaluation unless the system’s approved workflow specifically permits continued wired use.
8. Review Workstation and Acquisition Readiness Status
At the Eleva workspot, verify that the system is properly started, the correct room configuration is active, and no detector-related, acquisition-related, or system fault message remains displayed.
Observe whether:
- The detector is shown as available.
- Battery status is recognized.
- The system reaches ready-for-exposure status.
- A detector fault or communication fault remains present.
- The workstation requires an approved restart after a transient communication interruption.
Perform only a normal operator-level system restart when safe, after documenting displayed messages and ensuring the system is not in clinical use.
Expected outcome: The workspot recognizes the SkyPlate and permits normal detector readiness, or the fault remains reproducible.
9. Perform a Controlled Functional Verification
Only after the detector is connected, charged, recognized, and ready, perform an authorized test exposure using the facility’s approved radiographic quality-control method or appropriate test object.
Do not use a patient for troubleshooting or verification.
Verify that:
- The detector reports ready before exposure.
- The exposure completes without detector fault.
- The image appears at the Eleva workspot.
- No repeat exposure is required due to missing image transfer.
- Image display appears normal for the test performed.
Philips states that acquired SkyPlate images are stored in detector memory until securely transferred to the Eleva workspot, and the system synchronizes detector readiness with X-ray generation.
Expected outcome: A complete test acquisition confirms normal detector connection, readiness, and image transfer.
If the detector successfully acquires and displays a test image without recurrence, return the system to service according to department procedure and document the result.
If the Problem Persists
If the SkyPlate still will not charge, connect, reach ready status, or acquire and transfer images after external checks, known-working battery testing, correct detector association, connection evaluation, and approved functional testing, common external causes have been ruled out.
The failure may involve the detector electronics, battery charger, wireless interface, system communication hardware, detector calibration/association, or acquisition system components.
The device should be:
- Removed from service.
- Labeled Out of Service.
- Sent for repair or bench evaluation by qualified service personnel or Philips support.
Do not continue repeated exposure attempts or pursue internal detector disassembly. Knowing when external troubleshooting is complete and escalation is necessary is proper Clinical Engineering troubleshooting.
Clinical Use Tip
Do not troubleshoot a detector connection or image acquisition failure during an active patient examination. Move the patient workflow to another functioning radiographic system before evaluating the affected C90 room.
Work Order Documentation (CCR Method)
CCR = Complaint, Cause, Resolution
Complaint
What was reported by the clinical staff.
Example:
"Radiology reported that the DigitalDiagnost C90 SkyPlate wireless detector would not connect and the room could not acquire images."
Cause
What was observed during troubleshooting.
Example:
"Verified that the SkyPlate remained unavailable with a charged known-working battery and could not establish normal detector readiness at the Eleva workspot."
Resolution
What action was taken.
Example:
"Removed the DigitalDiagnost C90 room from service, labeled it Out of Service, and escalated the detector communication failure for Philips/bench evaluation."
Helpful Details to Include (If Known)
- Exact detector or workstation message displayed.
- SkyPlate identification or asset number.
- Battery charge indication observed.
- Known-working battery tested.
- Dedicated charger operation verified.
- Detector housing and battery inspected for damage.
- Detector recently moved from another Philips room.
- Detector recognized or not recognized by the C90 system.
- Wireless connection stable or intermittent.
- Approved backup cable tested, if equipped.
- Test image acquired or failed.
- Final device status: returned to service or removed from service.
Final Thought
A wireless detector issue can interrupt imaging workflow and create risk if examinations are repeated or attempted with an unreliable detector. Start with patient safety, battery and external connection checks, confirm the correct SkyPlate is associated with the room, verify function using controlled testing, and escalate when the failure remains unresolved. Clear CCR documentation preserves what was tested and why the room was returned to service or removed from use.
That is successful troubleshooting.