Clinical Guidance Reinforcement Learning Framework

Resolve Bottlenecks,
Find Innovative Solutions
Generate Solutions

Solution Overview

Problem

Current software systems for clinical guidance face challenges in incorporating prior medical knowledge and accurately measuring the accuracy of decisions, particularly in diagnosing and treating patients, due to opaque reasoning processes and the lack of integration with longitudinal data analysis, leading to inaccuracies in clinical decision support.

Innovation Solution

A reinforcement learning framework that combines experiential case file data sets with an index case file data set to generate a master data set, using a learning identifier calculator to quantify similarity and guide user-defined actions, providing feedback on expected outcomes and proposed interventions.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Adaptability or versatility

If software systems use machine learning to identify patterns in large medical data sets, then the system can generalize clinical concepts, but the reasoning process becomes opaque and accuracy cannot be quantitatively measured

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveability to generalize clinical conceptsVSAvoidaccuracy measurement of decisions
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSMeasurement precision

Solution Approach 1:

The patent introduces a hybrid system that acts as an intermediary between opaque machine learning models and clinical decision-making. The system combines neural network pattern recognition with symbolic AI reasoning engines and knowledge graphs, allowing the transparent reasoning component to mediate and explain the decisions made by the black-box machine learning models, thereby enabling quantitative accuracy measurement while maintaining adaptability.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent creates a composite software architecture that integrates multiple approaches: machine learning models for pattern recognition, symbolic AI for explicit reasoning, knowledge graphs for structured medical knowledge, and reinforcement learning for sequential decision-making. This composite system combines the strengths of each approach while mitigating their individual weaknesses, particularly the opacity of pure machine learning.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #40Composite materials

2Reliability

If software systems rely on neural networks for decision-making, then pattern matching capability is enhanced, but the system lacks integration with longitudinal data analysis and prior medical knowledge

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvepattern matching capabilityVSAvoidintegration of longitudinal data and prior knowledge
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSLoss of information

Solution Approach 1:

The patent merges multiple data sources and processing approaches into a unified system. It combines neural network pattern matching with longitudinal electronic health record analysis, integrates prior medical knowledge from knowledge graphs, and incorporates reinforcement learning policies. This merging ensures that pattern recognition is enhanced while simultaneously maintaining access to and integration of longitudinal data and prior knowledge, preventing information loss.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent creates a universal clinical decision support system that performs multiple functions: pattern recognition in real-time data, longitudinal trend analysis, retrieval of prior medical knowledge, and sequential decision-making. This multi-functional system ensures that no single data type or knowledge source is lost, as each component serves multiple purposes within the integrated architecture.

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

3Speed

If software systems use traditional machine learning approaches, then computational speed is maintained, but the system cannot provide explainable reasoning for clinical decisions

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecomputational processing speedVSAvoidexplainability of decision reasoning
Core Design Contradiction:
SpeedVSLoss of information

Solution Approach 1:

The patent segments the decision-making process into distinct components: a fast neural network component for initial pattern recognition and data processing, and a symbolic AI reasoning engine for generate explainable justifications. This segmentation allows the system to maintain computational speed through the efficient neural network while simultaneously providing explainable reasoning through the symbolic component, preventing the loss of interpretability.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Data Source

PatentUS11468998B2Methods and systems for software clinical guidance
Publication Date: 2022.10.11 RADECT INC
  • US11468998B2 patent drawing
  • US11468998B2 patent drawing
  • US11468998B2 patent drawing

AI summary

Disclosed are methods and systems to aid medical practitioners with clinical decisions, in which recommendations and other information are derived utilizing a software reinforcement learning framework relating patient information to medical experiential case-files. The decision guidance systems and methods are applicable to medical and other applications.