Multimedia Player Integration in Dialysis Machine GUI

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Solution Overview

Problem

Current dialysis machines, particularly peritoneal dialysis (PD) and hemodialysis (HD) machines, require significant training and setup complexity for patients and caregivers, which can be time-consuming and error-prone, especially for home use.

Innovation Solution

Integration of a multimedia player and graphical user interface in dialysis machines that allows for video training and instructional content, enabling users to access training videos and multimedia files through a memory card or USB interface, providing interactive guidance for setup and operation.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of operation

If a multimedia player and graphical user interface are integrated into the dialysis machine, then ease of operation is improved through interactive video training, but device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveease of operationVSAvoiddevice complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent combines the multimedia player, graphical user interface, display, and instructional content into an integrated system within the dialysis machine. The multimedia player receives video signals from the graphical user interface and displays them on the screen, creating a unified instructional system that improves ease of operation while managing device complexity through functional integration.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The graphical user interface acts as an intermediary between the control system and the multimedia player. It processes user inputs, generates appropriate video outputs, and transmits them to the display, thereby bridging the gap between complex control functions and user-friendly instructional presentation.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Loss of information

If instructional video content is provided through the graphical user interface, then loss of information is reduced by providing visual training materials, but use of energy increases due to additional display and processing requirements

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveloss of informationVSAvoiduse of energy
Core Design Contradiction:
Loss of informationVSUse of energy by moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The graphical user interface serves multiple functions: it controls dialysis machine operations, displays operational parameters, and presents instructional video content. This multi-functionality reduces information loss by consolidating multiple information delivery channels into a single interface while managing energy consumption through shared hardware resources.

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

Solution Approach 2:

The system provides instructional video content before and during dialysis procedures, allowing users to learn proper operation in advance. This preliminary action reduces information loss by ensuring users understand machine functions before actual use, while energy consumption is optimized by using the same display and processing resources for both instruction and operation.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Data Source

PatentEP2096566B1Instructional media system for dialysis machine
Publication Date: 2018.04.04 FRESENIUS MEDICAL CARE HOLDINGS INC
  • EP2096566B1 patent drawingFigure 1A
  • EP2096566B1 patent drawingFigure 1B
  • EP2096566B1 patent drawingFigure 2

AI summary

A dialysis machine including a console connectable to a patient to perform dialysis, a control system configured to carry out a programmed dialysis therapy on the patient, a graphical user interface that includes a display and user data entry system, a multimedia player responsive to a signal from the user interface and adapted to reproduce a dialysis training video on the display, a memory port configured to receive a removable memory card storing the training video, and a selector video switch configured to alternatively supply the video output of the control system or the video output of the multimedia player to the display based on user input.