Device Exchange for Medical Interoperability
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional medical device interconnections require complex scripting, protocol translations, and vendor-specific configurations, leading to proprietary control schemes that limit interoperability and encourage repeat purchases, as well as serial and point-to-point data exchanges that are rudimentary and not easily modifiable.
Innovation Solution
A device exchange system that publishes a common device specification for all connected autonomous devices, allowing them to interoperate without translation mechanisms, using a generic protocol for communication and data sharing, and updates are propagated through the exchange based on device specifications, enabling asynchronous and event-based messaging.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If conventional device interconnections use vendor-specific proprietary control schemes, then device compatibility within a vendor is improved, but interoperability between different vendors deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a universal communication protocol that enables devices from different vendors to interoperate. The protocol includes standardized message formats, common data types, and unified communication rules that can be used across all device types and vendors, eliminating the need for vendor-specific proprietary schemes while maintaining reliable device compatibility.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces a communication protocol as an intermediary layer between devices. This protocol acts as a mediator that translates and standardizes messages from different vendor-specific formats into a universal format, enabling interoperability without requiring changes to the original vendor-specific device interfaces.
2Device complexity
If point-to-point serial connections are used for device communication, then basic data exchange between two devices is simplified, but system complexity and configuration requirements increase when connecting multiple devices
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the communication system into independent message units with standardized formats. Each message is a self-contained segment that includes all necessary information (data, addressing, control), allowing devices to communicate through simple message passing without complex configuration. This segmentation enables easy expansion from point-to-point to multi-device connections.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses parameter changes in message formats to accommodate different device types and communication scenarios. By varying message parameters (such as data types, lengths, and control flags) within a standardized framework, the system can adapt to different device configurations without requiring changes to the fundamental communication protocol or increasing operational complexity.
3Manufacturing precision
If extensive scripting and protocol translations are used for device interconnection, then device-specific interface requirements are met, but the time and effort required for configuration and integration increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent defines preliminary standardized message formats and communication protocols before device integration. These pre-established standards include predetermined data types, message structures, and error handling procedures, allowing devices to be integrated without time-consuming configuration or scripting. Devices simply need to implement the standardized interfaces, significantly reducing integration time and effort.
4Ease of operation
If rudimentary scripted interfaces are used for device communication, then basic operations between specific devices are achieved, but adaptability to modify interfaces deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements dynamic message formats that can adapt to different operational requirements while maintaining a standardized base structure. The communication protocol includes mechanisms for dynamically selecting message types, data formats, and communication parameters based on the specific devices involved and the operation being performed. This dynamic capability allows basic operations to be achieved easily while maintaining high adaptability for modifications and extensions.
Data Source
AI summary
A device exchange transports messages between autonomous devices in a medical environment. The autonomous devices perform various tasks in the medical environment, such as surgical device control, drug infusion, video recordation, and user interfaces, for example. Each autonomous device has a device specification, published and stored by the device exchange and available to other autonomous devices. The device specification indicates, for each autonomous device, an identifier, a set of outputs and a set of inputs, or commands. Devices interoperate by messages including the device identifier and an output or command without translation or transformation mechanisms such as scripts, protocol translations, drivers or interface modules because each message is based on the published device specification available to all the devices connected to the exchange. Interconnected medical devices therefore interoperate without the need for reconfiguration because each device has internal logic for understanding the messages it sends and receives via the exchange.