Bidirectional Medical Signal Interface for Heart Monitoring
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing medical signal interface devices are unidirectional, leading to signal quality degradation and increased cabling complexity, which complicates medical treatments and poses safety risks, especially during procedures involving heart monitoring and treatment.
Innovation Solution
A bidirectional medical signal interface device that concurrently transfers patient signals and treatment signals, providing signal isolation and conditioning to ensure accurate and reliable monitoring while minimizing cabling complexity, using a bidirectional electrical signal processor and control processor to manage signal processing and transmission.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If unidirectional signal interface devices are used, then signal isolation is maintained, but signal quality degrades and cabling complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines bidirectional signal transmission capabilities within a single interface device, merging patient monitoring signal reception and treatment signal transmission functions into one integrated system. This eliminates the need for separate unidirectional interfaces and reduces overall cabling complexity while maintaining signal isolation through dedicated isolation circuits for each direction.
Solution Approach 2:
The interface device performs multiple functions concurrently: it receives patient parameter monitoring signals, transmits treatment related signals to the patient, and provides signal isolation and conditioning. This multi-functionality replaces what would otherwise require multiple separate devices and cable connections, reducing system complexity while maintaining reliability.
2Adaptability or versatility
If additional cables and data connections are used for concurrent signal transfer, then both patient and treatment signals can be transmitted, but system complexity and electrical noise increase
Solution Approach 1:
The interface device acts as an intermediary between patient monitoring devices and treatment devices, providing a controlled signal path with isolation circuits. This intermediary structure allows concurrent transmission of patient signals and treatment signals without direct electrical connection between the two systems, thereby reducing electrical noise and artifacts while maintaining full signal transmission capability.
Solution Approach 2:
The device segments signal paths into distinct isolated channels for patient signal reception and treatment signal transmission. By separating these paths with isolation circuits, the system can handle multiple signal types concurrently without cross-interference or noise contamination, reducing harmful electrical artifacts.
3Ease of operation
If additional cables and leads are attached to patient anatomy, then treatment signals can be delivered, but patient safety risks increase
Solution Approach 1:
The interface device serves as a safety intermediary between treatment devices and the patient, providing isolation and signal conditioning. This intermediary protects the patient by preventing direct electrical connection between treatment devices and patient anatomy, reducing safety risks while maintaining full treatment delivery capability through controlled signal paths.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The solution enables reliable bidirectional signal transfer, reducing noise and artifacts, improving patient safety and treatment efficiency by eliminating the need for additional catheters and simplifying clinical procedures.
Implementation Method 1
A bidirectional electrical signal processor operates in response to commands received from a control processor and is coupled to the electrical signal interface, for processing received patient parameter monitoring signals using filtering and amplification
Implementation Method 2
A bidirectional electrical signal processor operates in response to commands received from a control processor and is coupled to the electrical signal interface, for processing received patient parameter monitoring signals using filtering and amplification
Data Source
AI summary
A medical signal interface device bidirectionally conveys signals between a patient and patient monitoring devices. The device comprises a bidirectional electrical signal interface that receives and buffers patient parameter monitoring signals received from a patient via patient attached leads and outputs treatment related signals used in applying invasive or non-invasive treatment to a patient. A bidirectional electrical signal processor operates in response to commands received from a control processor and is coupled to the electrical signal interface, for processing received patient parameter monitoring signals using filtering and amplification to provide processed patient monitoring signals for output to at least one patient monitoring device. The bidirectional electrical signal processor processes the treatment related signals for output by buffering the treatment related signals for output to a patient. A control processor provides data representing the commands in response to at least one of, (a) predetermined configuration data and (b) deriving data representing the commands from data entered by a user via a displayed user interface image.