Defibrillator Power Management via Clinical Activity Detection

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Solution Overview

Problem

Current defibrillators and monitors require manual power management, leading to increased startup times and potential battery depletion due to user error, as they rely solely on user inactivity to enter power-saving modes, which is not suitable for continuous clinical monitoring needs.

Innovation Solution

Implementing an automatic power management system that detects both user and clinical activities to alter the power status of subsystems, ensuring instant readiness and reducing power consumption by employing clinical activity thresholds for powering on and off, and using low-power mechanisms for activity detection.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of operation

If manual power control is used, then user has direct control over device power, but startup time increases and battery depletion risk increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvepower controlVSAvoidstartup time
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The device automatically manages its own power state by detecting clinical activities (ECG signals, arrhythmia detection) and user activities (button presses, pad attachment) through activity detection modules, eliminating the need for manual power control while reducing startup time to near-instantaneous activation

Inventive Principle:
Principle #25Self-service

2Ease of operation

If manual power control is used, then user controls when device is on, but battery depletion risk increases due to user error

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvepower controlVSAvoidbattery life
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSDuration of action of moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The control module automatically monitors clinical and user activities to determine optimal power states, preventing user error-induced battery depletion while extending battery life through intelligent power management that keeps the device ready only when clinically necessary

Inventive Principle:
Principle #25Self-service

Solution Approach 2:

The system continuously monitors activity detection module inputs (clinical signals and user interactions) and uses this feedback to dynamically adjust power states of subsystems, ensuring the device remains powered only when needed for clinical monitoring or user interaction

Inventive Principle:
Principle #23Feedback

3Loss of energy

If activity detection is used to manage power, then power consumption is reduced, but device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvepower consumptionVSAvoidpower management system
Core Design Contradiction:
Loss of energyVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The power management system is divided into separate activity detection modules that independently monitor specific clinical parameters (ECG, arrhythmia) and user interactions, allowing selective activation of subsystems based on detected activity types without requiring a monolithic complex control system

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Data Source

PatentEP3003478B1Automatic power management for external defibrillators
Publication Date: 2018.11.21 KONINKLIJKE PHILIPS NV
  • EP3003478B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3003478B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP3003478B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

An emergency medical device includes a power source (12) configured to power one or more subsystems of the device. A user activity detection module (56) is configured to sense user activity in the one or more subsystems, and a clinical activity detection module (54) is configured to sense clinical activity in the one or more subsystems. A control module (30) is coupled to the one or more subsystems and configured to alter a power status of the one or more subsystems in accordance with an activity sensed in at least one of the user activity detection module and the clinical activity detection module.