Peritoneal Dialysis Machine USB Interface Data Management

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Solution Overview

Problem

Current peritoneal dialysis machines lack efficient data communication capabilities, making it difficult for patients and healthcare providers to manage and monitor treatment data, patient profiles, and prescription changes, which hinders the convenience and effectiveness of home-based dialysis therapy.

Innovation Solution

A peritoneal dialysis machine equipped with a USB data communications interface, including a USB port and a USB interface control system, allows for the uploading and downloading of treatment data, patient profiles, and the playback of training videos using a USB flash drive and built-in media player.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of operation

If a peritoneal dialysis machine is equipped with data communication capabilities, then data management and monitoring convenience is improved, but device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvedata management convenienceVSAvoidcommunication interface complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The USB interface control system serves multiple functions: transferring patient profile data, treatment prescription data, treatment delivery data, and training video data. This multi-functional approach improves data management convenience while avoiding the need for separate communication interfaces for each data type, thereby limiting the increase in device complexity.

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

Solution Approach 2:

A USB flash drive acts as an intermediary storage device between the peritoneal dialysis machine and external systems. The machine communicates data to and from the flash drive, which then serves as a portable repository that can be easily transferred to other systems for further processing or storage, simplifying the machine's communication requirements.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Loss of information

If treatment data is stored locally in the machine, then data availability is improved, but loss of information risk increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvedata availabilityVSAvoiddata storage reliability
Core Design Contradiction:
Loss of informationVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The system creates copies of treatment data, patient profiles, and prescriptions by transferring them to a USB flash drive. This copying mechanism ensures that data exists in multiple locations (both in the machine and on the portable drive), preventing information loss if one storage medium fails, while maintaining data availability through easy access to copies.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #26Copying

Solution Approach 2:

The system performs preliminary data backup by transferring treatment data to the USB flash drive during or after treatment cycles. This preliminary action of creating external copies before potential data loss scenarios ensures data preservation and maintains reliability while keeping data readily accessible.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Data Source

PatentEP2059277B1Data communication system for peritoneal dialysis machine
Publication Date: 2015.08.19 FRESENIUS MEDICAL CARE HOLDINGS INC
  • EP2059277B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP2059277B1 patent drawingFigure 2

AI summary

A portable peritoneal dialysis apparatus (10) having a USB interface for uploading and downloading patient files and records using a USB flash drive, and for playing a training video for the PD machine on the machine's own display, transferred via a USB flash drive.