General-Purpose Computer Programming Implantable Medical Devices
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Solution Overview
Problem
Medical devices require dedicated programming instruments, leading to increased costs, complexity, and limited flexibility, as well as safety concerns due to incompatibility with general-purpose computers, necessitating separate hardware and software development.
Innovation Solution
A medical device programming operating system is provided on a general-purpose computer, allowing it to act as a programmer for implantable medical devices, with a virtual or separate operating system that can boot from internal or external memory, reducing the need for dedicated hardware and enhancing safety by isolating critical resources from the general-purpose environment.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a dedicated programming instrument with device-specific hardware and operating system is used, then patient safety and device compatibility are ensured, but device complexity, cost, and lack of flexibility increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent makes the general-purpose computer universal by enabling it to perform both general computing tasks and medical device programming functions. The system allows a single computer to act as both a standard PC and a programming instrument through selective execution of different operating systems, eliminating the need for separate dedicated programming devices while maintaining patient safety through controlled execution environments.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces an intermediary layer in the form of a programming operating system that mediates between the general-purpose computer and the medical device. This intermediary OS provides the necessary device-specific interfaces and controlled environment, allowing the general computer to safely interact with medical devices without requiring full dedication of hardware resources.
2Reliability
If a dedicated programming instrument with custom operating system is used, then device-specific control is achieved, but adaptability and software flexibility are reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The patent makes the system dynamic by allowing the computer to selectively execute different operating systems based on the task at hand. The general-purpose OS provides flexibility for updates and adaptations, while the programming OS provides stable device-specific control when needed. This dynamic switching capability combines the benefits of both dedicated control and adaptive flexibility.
Solution Approach 2:
The programming operating system is designed to be universal across different medical devices while maintaining device-specific control capabilities. It provides standardized interfaces that can adapt to various device types, combining the specificity needed for reliable device control with the versatility to handle different programming requirements.
3Reliability
If device-specific hardware and operating systems are developed, then medical device programming capability is achieved, but development time and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of developing entirely new hardware and operating systems for each medical device, the patent copies and adapts the programming functionality within the general-purpose computer's existing infrastructure. The programming operating system is implemented as software that leverages the computer's existing processing capabilities, dramatically reducing development time and costs while maintaining programming capability.
4Device complexity
If a general-purpose computer runs both general operating system and medical device programming operating system, then hardware requirements are reduced, but resource corruption risk increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the operating system functions into distinct, selectively executable components. The general-purpose OS and programming OS are separated such that only the necessary programming OS functions are executed during medical device programming tasks. This segmentation isolates critical resources from potential corruption by the general-purpose OS while still allowing both systems to coexist on the same hardware platform.
Data Source
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AI summary
An apparatus including a processor configured to selectively load a first operating system that controls general purpose computer functionality of the apparatus; and a second operating system different from the first operating system. The second operating system controls medical device programming functionality of the apparatus, enabling the apparatus to program a medical device including at least one implantable component.