Personalized Blood Flow Modeling With Real-Time Sensor Updates

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing personalized anatomical and physiological models for coronary artery disease do not adequately account for user-specific activity data, leading to inaccuracies as user characteristics change over time, and lack real-time input, resulting in diagnostic results that may become irrelevant.

Innovation Solution

A system and method for capturing and analyzing user-specific activity data using sensors to inform and monitor blood flow calculations, updating simulations based on real-world activities, and predicting future health conditions.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Measurement precision

If personalized anatomical and physiological models are used for blood flow calculations, then diagnostic accuracy is improved, but the models become outdated as user characteristics change over time

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvediagnostic accuracyVSAvoidmodel relevance over time
Core Design Contradiction:
Measurement precisionVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent implements dynamic updating of physiological characteristics in personalized models by continuously integrating sensor data (accelerometer, gyroscope, barometer, heart rate) to reflect real-time changes in user activity and physical state. This transforms static models into dynamic systems that adapt as user characteristics change, resolving the contradiction between initial diagnostic accuracy and long-term model relevance.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The system establishes a feedback loop where sensor data from wearable devices continuously monitors user activity and physiological state, feeds this information back to update the personalized anatomical and physiological models, and recalculates blood flow metrics. This closed-loop feedback mechanism ensures models remain current and relevant over time while maintaining diagnostic accuracy.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #23Feedback

2Device complexity

If static physiological assumptions are made in model simulations, then computational simplicity is maintained, but diagnostic results lose applicability as user activities change

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvemodel complexityVSAvoidapplicability to changing user conditions
Core Design Contradiction:
Device complexityVSAdaptability or versatility

Solution Approach 1:

The patent dynamically changes physiological parameters (heart rate, blood pressure, metabolic rate, vascular resistance) based on real-time sensor data reflecting user activity levels and physiological state. Instead of using fixed static assumptions, the system adjusts these parameters continuously to match actual user conditions, improving applicability while managing complexity through automated sensor-based updates.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

3Measurement precision

If real-time sensor data integration is implemented, then diagnostic accuracy and personalization are improved, but system complexity and data processing requirements increase

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveblood flow calculation accuracyVSAvoidsystem complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Measurement precisionVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent leverages multi-functional wearable sensor devices that already capture various physiological and activity parameters for other health monitoring purposes. By utilizing these existing sensors (accelerometer, gyroscope, barometer, heart rate monitor) for blood flow calculation enhancement, the system achieves improved diagnostic accuracy without adding dedicated complex hardware, thus managing system complexity through multi-use of existing components.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

Data Source

PatentEP3516559B1Systems and methods for monitoring and updating blood flow calculations with user-specific anatomic and physiologic sensor data
Publication Date: 2026.02.18 HEARTFLOW INC
  • EP3516559B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3516559B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP3516559B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

Systems and methods are disclosed for informing and monitoring blood flow calculations with user-specific activity data, including sensor data. One method includes receiving or accessing a user-specific anatomical model and a first set of physiological characteristics of a user; calculating a first value of a blood flow metric of the user based on the user-specific anatomical model and the first set of physiological characteristics; receiving or calculating a second set of physiological characteristics of the user by accessing or receiving sensor data of the user's blood flow and/or sensor data of the user's physiological characteristics; and calculating second value of the blood flow metric of the user based on the user-specific anatomical model and the second set of physiological characteristics of the user.