diff --git a/Modules/US/Testing/mitkUSDeviceTest.cpp b/Modules/US/Testing/mitkUSDeviceTest.cpp
index 65408f5b8b..bf3f64ba41 100644
--- a/Modules/US/Testing/mitkUSDeviceTest.cpp
+++ b/Modules/US/Testing/mitkUSDeviceTest.cpp
@@ -1,108 +1,112 @@
 /*=========================================================================
 
 Program:   Medical Imaging & Interaction Toolkit
 Language:  C++
 Date:      $Date: 2008-02-25 17:27:17 +0100 (Mo, 25 Feb 2008) $
 Version:   $Revision: 7837 $
 
 Copyright (c) German Cancer Research Center, Division of Medical and
 Biological Informatics. All rights reserved.
 See MITKCopyright.txt or http://www.mitk.org/copyright.html for details.
 
 This software is distributed WITHOUT ANY WARRANTY; without even
 the implied warranty of MERCHANTABILITY or FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR
 PURPOSE.  See the above copyright notices for more information.
 
 =========================================================================*/
 
 #include "mitkUSDevice.h"
 #include "mitkUSProbe.h"
 #include "mitkTestingMacros.h"
+#include <string>
 
 
 class mitkUSDeviceTestClass
 {
 public:
 
   // Anm: Implementierung der einzelnen Testmethoden
 
   static void TestInstantiation()
   {
     // let's create an object of our class
-    mitk::USDevice::Pointer device = mitk::USDevice::New();
+    mitk::USDevice::Pointer device = mitk::USDevice::New("Manufacturer", "Model", true);
     MITK_TEST_CONDITION_REQUIRED(device.IsNotNull(), "USDevice should not be null after instantiation");
+    MITK_TEST_CONDITION_REQUIRED((device->GetDeviceManufacturer().compare("Manufacturer") == 0), "Manufacturer should be set correctly");
+    MITK_TEST_CONDITION_REQUIRED((device->GetDeviceModel().compare("Model") == 0), "Model should be set correctly");
+    MITK_TEST_CONDITION_REQUIRED((device->GetIsVideoOnly() == true), "Device should be VideoOnly");
   }
 
    static void TestAddProbe()
   {
-    mitk::USDevice::Pointer device = mitk::USDevice::New();
+    mitk::USDevice::Pointer device = mitk::USDevice::New("Manufacturer", "Model", true);
     // create probes
     mitk::USProbe::Pointer usSource = mitk::USProbe::New();
     mitk::USProbe::Pointer probeA = mitk::USProbe::New();
     mitk::USProbe::Pointer probeB = mitk::USProbe::New();
     mitk::USProbe::Pointer identicalProbe = mitk::USProbe::New(); // only this one should be identical
 
     // give my babys some names
     probeA->SetName("ProbeA");
     probeB->SetName("ProbeB");
     identicalProbe->SetName("ProbeA");
     // I'm gonna be a bad father...
 
     //right now, list of devices should be empty
     MITK_TEST_CONDITION_REQUIRED(device->GetConnectedProbes().size() == 0, "Newly created device should have no probes connected");
     
     // Connect Probe A
     device->AddProbe(probeA);
     MITK_TEST_CONDITION_REQUIRED(device->GetConnectedProbes().size() == 1, "Device should add one new probe");
 
     // Connect Probe B
     device->AddProbe(probeB);
     MITK_TEST_CONDITION_REQUIRED(device->GetConnectedProbes().size() == 2, "Device should add another probe");
 
     // Connect identical Probe
     device->AddProbe(identicalProbe);
     MITK_TEST_CONDITION_REQUIRED(device->GetConnectedProbes().size() == 2, "Device should not have added identical probe");
   }
 
 
   static void TestActivateProbe()
   {
-     mitk::USDevice::Pointer device = mitk::USDevice::New();
+    mitk::USDevice::Pointer device = mitk::USDevice::New("Manufacturer", "Model", true);
     // create probes
     mitk::USProbe::Pointer usSource = mitk::USProbe::New();
     mitk::USProbe::Pointer probeA = mitk::USProbe::New();
     mitk::USProbe::Pointer probeB = mitk::USProbe::New();
     mitk::USProbe::Pointer identicalProbe = mitk::USProbe::New(); // only this one should be identical
 
     // names
     probeA->SetName("ProbeA");
     probeB->SetName("ProbeB");
     identicalProbe->SetName("ProbeA");
     device->AddProbe(probeA);
     device->AddProbe(probeB);
 
     // We after activation, we expect the device to activate probeA, which is the first-connected identical version.
     device->ActivateProbe(identicalProbe);
     MITK_TEST_CONDITION_REQUIRED(device->GetActiveProbe() == probeA, "probe A should be active");
    
     // And we deactivate it again...
     device->DeactivateProbe();
     MITK_TEST_CONDITION_REQUIRED(device->GetActiveProbe().IsNull(), "After deactivation, no probe should be active");
   }
  
 
 };
 
 /**
 * This function is testing methods of the class USDevice.
 */
 int mitkUSDeviceTest(int /* argc */, char* /*argv*/[])
 {
   MITK_TEST_BEGIN("mitkUSDeviceTest");
 
     mitkUSDeviceTestClass::TestInstantiation();
     mitkUSDeviceTestClass::TestAddProbe();
     mitkUSDeviceTestClass::TestActivateProbe();
 
   MITK_TEST_END();
 }
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/Modules/US/USFilters/mitkUSDevice.H b/Modules/US/USFilters/mitkUSDevice.H
index df17fd7601..81d94e968f 100644
--- a/Modules/US/USFilters/mitkUSDevice.H
+++ b/Modules/US/USFilters/mitkUSDevice.H
@@ -1,81 +1,94 @@
 /*=========================================================================
 
 Program:   Medical Imaging & Interaction Toolkit
 Language:  C++
 Date:      $Date$
 Version:   $Revision$
 
 Copyright (c) German Cancer Research Center, Division of Medical and
 Biological Informatics. All rights reserved.
 See MITKCopyright.txt or http://www.mitk.org/copyright.html for details.
 
 This software is distributed WITHOUT ANY WARRANTY; without even
 the implied warranty of MERCHANTABILITY or FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR
 PURPOSE.  See the above copyright notices for more information.
 
 =========================================================================*/
 
 
 #ifndef MITKUSDevice_H_HEADER_INCLUDED_
 #define MITKUSDevice_H_HEADER_INCLUDED_
 
 #include <vector>
 #include "mitkUSProbe.h"
+#include "mitkUSImageMetadata.h"
 #include <MitkUSExports.h>
 #include <mitkCommon.h>
 #include <mitkImageSource.h>
 #include <itkObjectFactory.h>
 
+
 namespace mitk {
 
     /**Documentation
-    * \brief A device holds information about it's model, make and the connected probes.
+    * \brief A device holds information about it's model, make and the connected probes. It is the
+    * common superclass for all Devices and acts as an image source for mitk Images as well as openCV Images.
+    * if one of these functionalities is not supported by a subclass, it will throw an unsupported Operation Exception.
     * \ingroup US
     */
   class MitkUS_EXPORT USDevice : public itk::Object
     {
     public:
-      mitkClassMacro(USDevice,mitk::ImageSource);
-      itkNewMacro(Self);
+      mitkClassMacro(USDevice, mitk::ImageSource);
+      mitkNewMacro3Param(Self, std::string, std::string, bool);
 
       /**
       * \brief Add a probe to the device without connecting to it.
       *  This should usually be done before connecting to the probe
       */
       virtual void AddProbe(mitk::USProbe::Pointer probe);
 
       /**
       * \brief Connect to a probe and activate it. The probe should be added first.
       *  Usually, a VideoDevice will just add a probe it want's to connect to,
       *  but an SDK Device might require adding a probe first.
       */
       virtual void ActivateProbe(mitk::USProbe::Pointer probe);
 
       /**
       * \brief Deactivates the currently active probe.
       */
       virtual void DeactivateProbe();
 
       /**
       * \brief Removes a probe from the ist of currently added probes.
       */
       //virtual void removeProbe(mitk::USProbe::Pointer probe);
     
       std::vector<mitk::USProbe::Pointer> GetConnectedProbes();
 
+      //########### GETTER & SETTER ##################//
+
       itkGetMacro(ActiveProbe, mitk::USProbe::Pointer);
+      std::string GetDeviceManufacturer();
+      std::string GetDeviceModel();
+      std::string GetDeviceComment();
+      bool GetIsVideoOnly();
 
     protected:
-      USDevice();
-      virtual ~USDevice();
-
       mitk::USProbe::Pointer m_ActiveProbe;
-      std::vector<mitk::USProbe::Pointer> m_ConnectedProbes;
-      
+      std::vector<mitk::USProbe::Pointer> m_ConnectedProbes; 
+      mitk::USImageMetadata::Pointer m_Metadata;
 
+      
+      /**
+      * \brief Enforces minimal Metadata to be set. The isVideoOnly flag indicates that this class 
+      *        only handles a videostream and does not recieve Metadata from the physical device itself.
+      */
+      USDevice(std::string manufacturer, std::string model, bool isVideoOnly);
+      virtual ~USDevice();
 
-    
 
     };
 } // namespace mitk
 #endif
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/Modules/US/USFilters/mitkUSDevice.cpp b/Modules/US/USFilters/mitkUSDevice.cpp
index cb7ca893c1..821f6293f7 100644
--- a/Modules/US/USFilters/mitkUSDevice.cpp
+++ b/Modules/US/USFilters/mitkUSDevice.cpp
@@ -1,59 +1,81 @@
 /*=========================================================================
 
 Program:   Medical Imaging & Interaction Toolkit
 Language:  C++
 Date:      $Date$
 Version:   $Revision$
 
 Copyright (c) German Cancer Research Center, Division of Medical and
 Biological Informatics. All rights reserved.
 See MITKCopyright.txt or http://www.mitk.org/copyright.html for details.
 
 This software is distributed WITHOUT ANY WARRANTY; without even
 the implied warranty of MERCHANTABILITY or FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR
 PURPOSE.  See the above copyright notices for more information.
 
 =========================================================================*/
 
 #include "mitkUSDevice.h"
+#include "mitkUSImageMetadata.h"
 
 
-mitk::USDevice::USDevice() : itk::Object()
+mitk::USDevice::USDevice(std::string manufacturer, std::string model, bool isVideoOnly) : itk::Object()
 {
-
+  m_Metadata = mitk::USImageMetadata::New();
+  m_Metadata->SetDeviceManufacturer(manufacturer);
+  m_Metadata->SetDeviceModel(model);
+  m_Metadata->SetIsVideoOnly(isVideoOnly);
 }
 
 mitk::USDevice::~USDevice()
 {
 
 }
 
 void mitk::USDevice::AddProbe(mitk::USProbe::Pointer probe)
 {
   for(int i = 0; i < m_ConnectedProbes.size(); i++)
   {
     if (m_ConnectedProbes[i]->IsEqualToProbe(probe)) return;
   }
   this->m_ConnectedProbes.push_back(probe);
 }
 
 void mitk::USDevice::ActivateProbe(mitk::USProbe::Pointer probe){
-  // currently, we can just add the probe. This behaviour must be changed, should more complicated SDK applications emerge 
+  // currently, we may just add the probe. This behaviour must be changed, should more complicated SDK applications emerge 
   AddProbe(probe);
   int index = -1;
   for(int i = 0; i < m_ConnectedProbes.size(); i++)
   {
     if (m_ConnectedProbes[i]->IsEqualToProbe(probe)) index = i;
   }
   // index now contains the position of the original instance of this probe
   m_ActiveProbe = m_ConnectedProbes[index];
 }
 
 void mitk::USDevice::DeactivateProbe(){
   m_ActiveProbe = 0;
 }
 
+ //########### GETTER & SETTER ##################//
+
+std::string mitk::USDevice::GetDeviceManufacturer(){
+  return this->m_Metadata->GetDeviceManufacturer();
+}
+
+std::string mitk::USDevice::GetDeviceModel(){
+  return this->m_Metadata->GetDeviceModel();
+}
+
+std::string mitk::USDevice::GetDeviceComment(){
+  return this->m_Metadata->GetDeviceComment();
+}
+
+bool mitk::USDevice::GetIsVideoOnly(){
+  return this->m_Metadata->GetIsVideoOnly();
+}
+
 std::vector<mitk::USProbe::Pointer> mitk::USDevice::GetConnectedProbes()
 {
   return m_ConnectedProbes;
-}
\ No newline at end of file
+}
diff --git a/Modules/US/USFilters/mitkUSImageMetadata.h b/Modules/US/USFilters/mitkUSImageMetadata.h
index 4b5e2174c1..87f3920aba 100644
--- a/Modules/US/USFilters/mitkUSImageMetadata.h
+++ b/Modules/US/USFilters/mitkUSImageMetadata.h
@@ -1,58 +1,71 @@
 /*=========================================================================
 
 Program:   Medical Imaging & Interaction Toolkit
 Language:  C++
 Date:      $Date$
 Version:   $Revision$
 
 Copyright (c) German Cancer Research Center, Division of Medical and
 Biological Informatics. All rights reserved.
 See MITKCopyright.txt or http://www.mitk.org/copyright.html for details.
 
 This software is distributed WITHOUT ANY WARRANTY; without even
 the implied warranty of MERCHANTABILITY or FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR
 PURPOSE.  See the above copyright notices for more information.
 
 =========================================================================*/
 
 
 #ifndef MITKUSIMAGEMETADATA_H_HEADER_INCLUDED_
 #define MITKUSIMAGEMETADATA_H_HEADER_INCLUDED_
 
 #include <MitkUSExports.h>
 #include <mitkCommon.h>
 #include <itkObject.h>
-#include "mitkUSDevice.h"
-#include "mitkUSProbe.h"
 #include <itkObjectFactory.h>
 
 namespace mitk {
 
     /**Documentation
     * \brief TODO
     * \ingroup US
     */
   class MitkUS_EXPORT USImageMetadata : public itk::Object
     {
     public:
       mitkClassMacro(USImageMetadata, itk::Object);
       itkNewMacro(Self);
     
       //## getter and setter ##
-      itkGetMacro(Device, mitk::USDevice::Pointer);
-      itkSetMacro(Device, mitk::USDevice::Pointer);
-      itkGetMacro(Probe,  mitk::USProbe::Pointer);
-      itkSetMacro(Probe,  mitk::USProbe::Pointer);
+      itkGetMacro(DeviceManufacturer, std::string);
+      itkSetMacro(DeviceManufacturer, std::string);
+      itkGetMacro(DeviceModel, std::string);
+      itkSetMacro(DeviceModel, std::string);
+      itkGetMacro(DeviceComment, std::string);
+      itkSetMacro(DeviceComment, std::string);
+      itkGetMacro(ProbeName,  std::string);
+      itkSetMacro(ProbeName,  std::string);
+      itkGetMacro(ProbeFrequency,  std::string);
+      itkSetMacro(ProbeFrequency,  std::string);
+      itkGetMacro(Zoom,  std::string);
+      itkSetMacro(Zoom,  std::string);
+      itkGetMacro(IsVideoOnly, bool);
+      itkSetMacro(IsVideoOnly, bool);
 
     protected:
       USImageMetadata();
       virtual ~USImageMetadata();
 
-      USDevice::Pointer m_Device;
-      USProbe::Pointer  m_Probe;
+      std::string m_DeviceManufacturer;
+      std::string m_DeviceModel;
+      std::string m_DeviceComment;
+      std::string m_ProbeName;
+      std::string m_ProbeFrequency;
+      std::string m_Zoom;
+      bool m_IsVideoOnly;
 
     
 
     };
 } // namespace mitk
 #endif
\ No newline at end of file