Implantable Device Data Deduplication Using Unique Block IDs
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Solution Overview
Problem
Data duplication on servers due to reading data from both clinician programmer (CP) and patient remote (PR) devices without proper deduplication methods, leading to incorrect therapy settings in implantable pulse generators (IPGs), as timestamps alone are not unique enough to prevent inadvertent data deletion.
Innovation Solution
Assigning unique identifiers, generated from random number generators or counters, to each data block in the IPG's non-volatile memory to enable deduplication by deleting duplicate data blocks.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Device complexity
If timestamps alone are used to identify data blocks, then the system is simple to implement, but data deduplication is inaccurate because timestamps lack sufficient granularity
Solution Approach 1:
The unique identifier is segmented into multiple components: timestamp (date and time) and sequence number. This segmentation allows the system to maintain simplicity while achieving precise data identification, as each component contributes to the overall uniqueness without requiring complex data structures.
Solution Approach 2:
The system adds another dimension to the identification process by incorporating a sequence number alongside the timestamp. This dimensional addition transforms the identification from time-based only to time-and-order-based, enabling accurate deduplication without significantly increasing system complexity.
2Quantity of substance
If data is read from both CP and PR devices, then comprehensive data collection is achieved, but data duplication occurs on the server
Solution Approach 1:
The unique identifier is assigned to each data block before it is transmitted to the server. This preliminary action enables the server to recognize and filter out duplicate data blocks based on their identifiers, allowing comprehensive data collection from multiple devices while preventing duplication in the stored data.
Solution Approach 2:
The server uses the unique identifiers to provide feedback about which data blocks have already been received. When duplicate data is detected through identifier comparison, the server can ignore subsequent identical data blocks, effectively managing data duplication while maintaining complete data collection.
3Productivity
If duplicate data blocks are deleted based on timestamps alone, then deduplication process is simple, but valid data may be inadvertently deleted
Solution Approach 1:
The identification system is segmented into timestamp and sequence number components. This segmentation ensures that only truly duplicate data blocks (with identical timestamps and sequence numbers) are deleted, while valid data with the same timestamp but different sequence numbers is preserved, thus maintaining data integrity during rapid processing.
Solution Approach 2:
The system replaces simple timestamp-based mechanical comparison with a more precise identifier-based comparison that includes both timestamp and sequence number. This substitution maintains processing efficiency while significantly improving the accuracy of deduplication, preventing accidental deletion of valid data.
Data Source
AI summary
An implantable medical device and a method of deduplicating data collected by the implantable medical device are provided. The method includes storing data, captured by the implantable medical device, in a non-volatile memory device of the implantable medical device, assigning a unique number, generated from a random number generator or counter, to each data block of the data, and deduplicating the data by deleting at least one of two or more data blocks that are associated with the same unique number.