Infusion Pump Wireless Auto-Integration for Medical Facility Networks

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Solution Overview

Problem

Medical devices in facilities often lack integration, leading to safety risks, inefficiencies, and delays in emergency situations due to independent operation, proprietary data formats, and manual data transfer, which complicates patient care, especially in intensive care units.

Innovation Solution

Equipping medical devices with wireless communication capabilities to connect to a medical facility network, allowing for automatic initialization, data sharing, and control from a single terminal, reducing the need for manual data entry and enhancing interoperability between devices.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Productivity

If medical devices operate independently with proprietary formats and manual data transfer, then device functionality is maintained, but integration efficiency and data accuracy deteriorate

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveintegration efficiencyVSAvoiddata accuracy

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSLoss of information

Solution Approach 1:

The patent implements a universal communication interface that enables different medical devices from various vendors to exchange data through standardized protocols. The system provides multi-functional capabilities by supporting multiple communication methods (wireless, wired, near-field communication) and data formats, allowing the system to adapt to different device types while maintaining consistent integration standards.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

Solution Approach 2:

The system introduces a communication interface as an intermediary layer between medical devices and the processing system. This intermediary handles data translation, format conversion, and protocol adaptation, enabling seamless data exchange without requiring direct integration between each device pair. The interface mediates the communication process, ensuring accurate data transfer while maintaining device independence.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Reliability

If medical devices require boot-up and power-up time before operation, then device initialization is thorough, but response time in emergency situations deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvedevice initializationVSAvoidresponse time

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The system performs preliminary actions by pre-initializing communication interfaces and maintaining devices in a low-power standby state with essential functions ready. Data buffers are pre-configured and communication channels are established before emergencies occur, allowing devices to transition to full operation immediately when needed without complete boot-up sequences.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The system implements dynamic power management where devices can operate at different power levels based on situational requirements. During normal operation, devices maintain full functionality. During emergencies, the system dynamically adjusts power states to prioritize critical functions and reduce initialization time, allowing rapid response while maintaining reliability for non-critical operations.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

3Adaptability or versatility

If multiple medical devices are arranged around patient bed with individual control panels, then device functionality is complete, but space utilization and operational complexity deteriorate

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvedevice functionalityVSAvoidoperational complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent merges multiple individual device control interfaces into a single integrated system interface. The communication interface consolidates data from multiple devices and presents unified control capabilities, allowing healthcare providers to manage multiple devices through one interface rather than navigating separate control panels for each device.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The system provides universal control capabilities that can interface with various device types through standardized protocols. The single control interface adapts to different device functionalities, providing context-appropriate controls and displays based on which devices are connected, thereby maintaining full device functionality while presenting a simplified operational interface.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

Data Source

PatentUS11478148B2Method and apparatus for automatically integrating a medical device into a medical facility network

Publication Date: 2022.10.25 CAREFUSION 303 INC

AI summary

Infusion pumps having a fluid pump and a processor are disclosed. The processor is configured to transmit a signal to make a medical facility network aware that the infusion pump is within a wireless network range of a medical treatment area of a medical facility, receive a request for device identity information specific to the infusion pump, transmit the device identity information specific to the infusion pump, receive, if the infusion pump is authenticated by the medical facility network, an initialization signal from the medical facility network, wherein the initialization signal causes initialization of the infusion pump within the medical treatment area, receive, from a sensor via the medical facility network after receiving the initialization signal, a measurement, and control the adjustable rate of the fluid pump based at least in part on the measurement. Systems having infusion pumps are also disclosed.