Handheld Diabetes Manager Power Management via Dual Processor Architecture

Resolve Bottlenecks,
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions

Solution Overview

Problem

Managing diabetes is complex and time-consuming due to the dynamic nature of blood glucose levels, requiring continuous diagnostic and prescriptive data from various sources, including continuous glucose monitoring devices, insulin pumps, and lifestyle factors, which can be challenging for patients to interpret and manage effectively.

Innovation Solution

A handheld diabetes manager device equipped with a port for test strips, a wireless transceiver, and two processors – a communications processor and a user interface processor – that collects and displays glucose measurement data from continuous glucose monitoring devices, detects error conditions, and operates in low power modes to conserve energy, allowing for efficient data management and user notifications.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of operation

If the user interface processor operates continuously to display glucose data and provide user notifications, then the user experience and data visibility are improved, but the power consumption increases significantly

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveuser interface responsivenessVSAvoidpower consumption

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSUse of energy by moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The user interface processor dynamically transitions between active and low-power states based on operational needs. The processor activates during user interactions, data updates, and error conditions, then enters low-power mode during idle periods, optimizing the balance between user experience and power consumption

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The system implements periodic polling of glucose data from the communications processor rather than continuous operation. The user interface processor wakes up at scheduled intervals to check for new data, errors, or user inputs, maintaining functionality while reducing overall power consumption

Inventive Principle:

Principle #19Periodic action

2Reliability

If the communications processor continuously collects glucose data from the continuous glucose monitoring device, then the data availability and monitoring accuracy are improved, but the power consumption increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveglucose data availabilityVSAvoidpower consumption

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSUse of energy by moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The communications processor maintains continuous data collection from the glucose monitoring device, ensuring data availability and reliability. This continuous action is sustained while the system operates, with the processor periodically syncing data to the user interface without requiring the user interface to remain continuously active

Inventive Principle:

Principle #20Continuity of useful action

Solution Approach 2:

The system dynamically manages the operational states of different processors. The communications processor remains active for continuous monitoring while the user interface processor enters low-power mode during idle periods, creating a dynamic power management strategy that maintains reliability while reducing overall power consumption

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

3Measurement precision

If the device operates with high power consumption to provide real-time data collection and display, then the monitoring accuracy and user feedback are improved, but the battery life decreases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveglucose monitoring accuracyVSAvoidbattery life

Core Design Contradiction:

Measurement precisionVSDuration of action of moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The system implements dynamic power management where processors transition between active and low-power states based on operational requirements. Critical functions like data collection continue with high precision, while non-critical functions reduce activity during idle periods, extending battery life without compromising monitoring accuracy

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The system uses periodic data synchronization and processing cycles. The communications processor collects data continuously at high precision, then synchronizes with the user interface processor at periodic intervals. This approach maintains measurement accuracy while reducing the cumulative power consumption of continuous high-precision operations

Inventive Principle:

Principle #19Periodic action

Data Source

PatentUS10568511B2Diabetes manager for glucose testing and continuous glucose monitoring

Publication Date: 2020.02.25 ROCHE DIABETES CARE INC

AI summary

A handheld diabetes management device for managing blood glucose test data and continuous glucose monitoring data includes a port configured to receive a test strip, a wireless transceiver, a communications processor, and a user interface processor. The communications processor communicates with the wireless transceiver to periodically collect glucose measurement data from a continuous glucose monitoring device and to store the glucose measurement data in a first data storage module. The communications processor is operable to consume electrical power at a first rate. The user interface processor communicates with the communication processor to receive the glucose measurement data and operable to display the glucose measurement data on the device. The communications processor operates asynchronously from operation of the user interface processor to collect the glucose measurement data and the user interface processor operates to consume electrical power at a second rate that is higher than the first rate.