Medical Imaging Cable With PCB Authentication And Direct Data Paths
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing medical imaging systems lack a reliable method to authenticate and ensure the use of compatible and high-quality cables connecting camera heads to camera control units, leading to potential performance issues and incorrect tracking of device information.
Innovation Solution
A cable with an integrated printed circuit board that stores authentication and identification information, allowing secure communication with the camera control unit to verify the authenticity and quality of the cable, while bypassing the communication bus for direct data transmission.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a cable is used to connect camera head to camera control unit without authentication mechanism, then the system structure remains simple, but the reliability of cable authenticity and compatibility deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The cable is divided into functional segments: authentication circuitry (with constant current source and capacitor), communication bus for data transmission, and connector components. This segmentation allows the authentication function to be isolated and verified independently while maintaining overall system simplicity.
Solution Approach 2:
The cable includes self-contained authentication circuitry with a constant current source and capacitor that can autonomously verify its authenticity without requiring external authentication devices. The cable essentially authenticates itself by generating and responding to test signals.
2Reliability
If authentication circuitry is added to the cable, then the reliability of cable verification improves, but the complexity of the cable and communication system increases
Solution Approach 1:
The authentication circuitry in the cable serves multiple functions: it verifies cable authenticity, provides identification information about the cable and connected devices, and enables secure communication. This multi-functionality reduces the need for separate dedicated authentication components elsewhere in the system.
Solution Approach 2:
The authentication process uses feedback mechanisms where the camera control unit sends test signals through the cable, the authentication circuitry processes these signals and generates responses, and the system verifies compatibility based on these feedback signals. This iterative feedback loop ensures reliable verification.
3Measurement precision
If cable authentication is implemented, then the accuracy of device information tracking improves, but the time required for authentication and system initialization increases
Solution Approach 1:
Authentication information, identification data, and calibration parameters are pre-stored in the cable's memory components during manufacturing. This preliminary preparation allows the authentication process to proceed quickly by retrieving pre-computed data rather than performing complex real-time calculations.
Solution Approach 2:
The authentication process uses changes in electrical parameters (current, voltage, resistance) to verify cable authenticity. By measuring these parameter changes in response to test signals, the system can quickly verify authentication without requiring time-consuming complex verification procedures.
Data Source
Figure 1A
Figure 1B
Figure 2A
AI summary
A cable for connecting a medical imaging device to a medical imaging controller includes a first connector located at a distal end of the cable for connecting to the imaging device, a second connector located at a proximal end for connecting to the medical imaging controller, a circuit board comprising at least one memory that stores at least authentication information associated with the cable. The circuit board is communicatively connected via a communication bus on the circuit board to the second connector for enabling access to the authentication information by the medical imaging controller. One or more imaging communication lines extend between the first connector and the second connector for communicating imaging data from the medical imaging device to the medical imaging controller. The one or more imaging communication lines bypass the communication bus on the circuit board.