Body Area Network Gateway for Rapid Sensor Pairing and Study Data Capture
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Solution Overview
Problem
Scientific studies face challenges in efficiently and conveniently collecting physiologic data from a large number of subjects, particularly during activities like sports or a normal workday, due to logistical difficulties with sensor fitting, wired connections, and time-consuming registration processes, which can skew results.
Innovation Solution
A gateway device with sensor interconnects and a processing unit that facilitates quick pairing and data collection from a body area network, using long-range and short-range wireless connections, and includes features for data buffering, compression, and encryption, enabling real-time data collection outside a clinical setting.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If wired connections are used to connect sensors to measuring equipment, then data collection reliability is improved, but subject mobility and ease of operation deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces wired mechanical connections with wireless communication technology. Sensors worn by subjects transmit physiological data wirelessly to the central system, eliminating physical cables while maintaining data collection reliability. This substitution enables subjects to move freely during activities like sports and daily work without being constrained by wires.
2Measurement precision
If each subject is individually registered and synchronized with the study system, then data accuracy is improved, but time consumption and productivity deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements automatic registration functionality where the system automatically registers subjects and synchronizes their sensors when they approach the study area. This preliminary automated setup eliminates the need for manual, time-consuming individual registration processes while ensuring accurate data collection. The system pre-configures subjects based on their identification, maintaining data accuracy without sacrificing registration speed.
3Measurement precision
If a large sample size is used to improve study accuracy, then measurement precision is improved, but logistical complexity and device complexity worsen
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs a universal gateway device that can simultaneously manage multiple subjects and their various sensors. The gateway serves multiple functions including wireless communication coordination, data aggregation from multiple sources, and synchronization management. This multi-functional design allows the system to handle large sample sizes efficiently without proportionally increasing logistical complexity, as a single gateway can manage many subjects concurrently.
Data Source
AI summary
A gateway device comprises a processing device, network interface, and sensor device interconnect. The processing device is configured to pair sensor devices associated with a subject with the gateway device utilizing the sensor device interconnect, wherein pairing the sensor devices comprises identifying sensing capabilities of the sensor devices. The processing device is also configured to provide, to a study coordinating system over a first network connection established utilizing the network interface, a gateway identifier and information characterizing the identified sensing capabilities of the sensor devices paired with the gateway device. The processing device is further configured to receive, from the study coordinating system, parameters for a study identifying data to be collected from sensor devices paired with the gateway device, to collect the identified data from the sensor devices over a second network connection established utilizing the network interface, and to provide the collected data to the study coordinating system.