Blood Pump Control Circuit for Simulated Data Alert Filtering

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Solution Overview

Problem

Implantable blood pumps require reliable monitoring and control systems to detect operational and physiological anomalies, but existing systems may generate false alerts due to simulated data, which can lead to unnecessary clinician intervention and corrupt data analysis.

Innovation Solution

A control circuit capable of distinguishing between actual and simulated data from an implantable blood pump, allowing it to log and respond appropriately, including overriding alerts for simulated conditions, and a testing device that generates simulated data to test the circuit's functionality while indicating its simulated nature.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If the control circuit monitors all incoming data without distinguishing source, then comprehensive monitoring coverage is achieved, but false alerts are generated from simulated data

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvealert accuracyVSAvoiddata source identification system
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent introduces an intermediary mechanism (source identification flag or metadata) that tags data with its origin information. This intermediary element allows the control circuit to distinguish between simulated and actual data without fundamentally changing the monitoring architecture, thereby improving alert accuracy while adding minimal complexity.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent segments the data stream by introducing source identification information that categorizes data into different types (simulated vs. actual). This segmentation allows the control circuit to process and respond to different data types differently, preventing false alerts from simulated data while maintaining comprehensive monitoring of actual data.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

2Quantity of substance

If simulated data is logged together with actual operating data, then data storage efficiency is improved, but data analysis accuracy is degraded

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvedata storage capacityVSAvoidclinical data analysis accuracy
Core Design Contradiction:
Quantity of substanceVSMeasurement precision

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies segmentation by creating separate data storage pathways or categories within the logging system. Actual operating data and simulated data are stored separately or clearly distinguished through metadata tags, allowing efficient storage of both data types while ensuring that clinical analysis only processes actual patient data, thereby maintaining analysis accuracy.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

3Reliability

If the control circuit responds to all detected conditions with alerts, then comprehensive safety monitoring is achieved, but unnecessary clinician intervention is caused by simulated conditions

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvesafety monitoring effectivenessVSAvoidclinician time
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The patent segments the alert generation process by introducing a decision branch that checks data source before triggering alerts. This segmentation ensures that alerts are only generated for actual patient conditions rather than simulated test conditions, preventing unnecessary clinician intervention while maintaining comprehensive safety monitoring for real issues.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The patent implements preliminary action by checking the source of incoming data before processing it through the alert generation logic. This preliminary verification step prevents simulated data from triggering unnecessary alerts, saving clinician time while ensuring that actual safety issues are still promptly detected and communicated.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Data Source

PatentEP3397299B1Vad controller tester
Publication Date: 2023.02.22 HEARTWARE INC
  • EP3397299B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3397299B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP3397299B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

A control circuit for monitoring operation of an implantable blood pump, the control circuit operatively couplable to a testing apparatus for simulating blood pump operating conditions and testing the control circuit based on the simulated blood pump operating conditions. The control circuit includes an input module for receiving at least one of one of actual operating data from an implantable blood pump and simulated operating data from the testing apparatus. A processor for processing the received operating data is included, the processor configured to determine a source of the received operating data, and to determine whether the received operating data is actual operating data or simulated operating data based on the determined source.