Handheld Uroflow Monitoring for Complete Home Void Tracking
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Solution Overview
Problem
Traditional uroflowmeters are bulky, inconvenient, and unable to accurately capture a complete record of patient voids due to their non-portable nature, leading to incomplete and erroneous data, which hampers patient care.
Innovation Solution
A handheld voiding device with flow and validation sensors that communicates with electronic devices to detect and validate urine flow events, generating accurate urine flow rate and volume data, and integrates user input to create a comprehensive urinary diary.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If traditional in-office uroflowmeters are used, then measurement precision can be maintained, but device portability and ease of operation deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces traditional mechanical float-based flow measurement systems with electronic sensors including flow sensors, pressure sensors, and temperature sensors. This substitution enables the development of a handheld electronic uroflowmeter that maintains measurement precision while achieving portability, directly resolving the contradiction between accurate measurement and device portability.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent divides the traditional single bulky uroflowmeter into modular components: a handheld measurement device, a separate data processing system, and wireless communication modules. This segmentation allows the core measurement function to be portable while distributing other functions across multiple components, resolving the portability versus functionality trade-off.
2Reliability
If patients use traditional in-office uroflowmeters, then data can be captured during office visits, but completeness of void record deteriorates due to patient absence and behavior modification
Solution Approach 1:
The handheld uroflowmeter enables patients to independently conduct urination measurements at home without requiring office staff or equipment setup. Patients simply use the portable device during their normal urination routine, eliminating the need for special office procedures and ensuring complete capture of all voids including nighttime and work-related urination events.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements a dynamic data collection system that adapts to patients' varying schedules and environments. The device can be used anywhere, capturing data during morning, afternoon, and nighttime voids regardless of location, thereby achieving complete and reliable void records that reflect real-world urinary patterns.
3Loss of information
If manual paper void diaries are used, then patient can track void information, but data accuracy and timeliness deteriorate due to delay and potential loss
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces manual paper diary recording with automated electronic data capture using sensors that directly measure flow rate, volume, and temperature. The electronic system immediately records and stores data in memory, eliminating the time delay and potential errors associated with manual transcription, and preventing any loss of information through physical diary loss or illegibility.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The system provides accurate and complete urinary data, improving diagnostic accuracy and treatment effectiveness by allowing continuous monitoring and reducing errors in patient data recording.
Implementation Method 1
receiving by a processing element a plurality of outputs from a fluid level sensor corresponding to a plurality of levels of fluid flowing through a voiding device
Data Source
AI summary
The present disclosure generally relates to methods and systems for generating a void profile for user void events. The method includes receiving by a processing element a plurality of outputs from a fluid level sensor corresponding to a plurality of levels of fluid flowing through a voiding device during a flow event; determining by the processing element a beginning and an end time of the fluid flow into the voiding device during the flow event; analyzing the plurality of outputs of the fluid level sensor over a time interval defined by the beginning and end time of the fluid flow to determine at least one of a fluid flow rate data and an accumulated volume data for the fluid flowing through the voiding device; and storing the fluid flow rate data and the accumulated flow volume data in a memory.