Wireless MBAN Master Device Selection for Reliable Patient Monitoring
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current wireless medical body area networks (MBANs) face challenges in ensuring reliable connection, managing power, and optimizing communication, especially for mobile patients, due to limitations in short-range communication and potential disconnection from the hub, which can compromise patient monitoring and alarm reliability.
Innovation Solution
A method is introduced to configure wireless MBAN devices for both short-range and long-range communication, with a master device selection based on battery status and communication performance, allowing for adaptive data routing and backup transfer capabilities, ensuring robust and efficient communication within the network and to external infrastructure.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Use of energy by moving object
If wireless MBAN uses short-range communication only, then energy consumption is low and device simplicity is maintained, but communication reliability deteriorates when patient moves out of range
Solution Approach 1:
The system dynamically switches between short-range and long-range communication modes based on connection status. When the patient moves out of short-range coverage, the system automatically activates long-range communication to maintain connectivity, making the communication system adaptive rather than static
Solution Approach 2:
The wireless MBAN system incorporates multiple communication capabilities (short-range and long-range) within the same device architecture. Each wireless device can function in both communication modes, providing multi-functionality that ensures reliability across different spatial scenarios
2Ease of operation
If wireless MBAN allows mobile patients, then ease of operation improves, but connection reliability deteriorates due to potential disconnection from hub
Solution Approach 1:
The system changes communication parameters (range, power) based on operational needs. When mobility is required, the system adjusts by activating long-range communication capabilities, effectively changing the operational parameters to maintain reliability while preserving ease of operation
3Device complexity
If single master device is used in wireless MBAN, then device complexity is reduced and ease of operation improves, but reliability deteriorates when master device battery status declines
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary evaluation of candidate devices for master role based on battery status and communication performance. This advance assessment ensures that when master device replacement is needed, a suitable candidate is already identified and ready to take over, maintaining reliability without complex real-time decision-making
Solution Approach 2:
The system continuously monitors battery status and communication performance of all wireless devices. This feedback mechanism enables the system to detect when the current master device is deteriorating and automatically initiate master device replacement, ensuring reliability while keeping the system relatively simple
Data Source
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AI summary
A method for managing wireless devices in a wireless medical body area network, MBAN, comprises configuring the wireless MBAN based on all wireless devices of the MBAN comprising at least one sensor and at least one hub, by sharing identification data, battery status, and communication performance between wireless devices of the wireless MBAN; providing a plurality of the wireless devices with at least short range communication and long range communication; and configuring a first wireless device of the wireless MBAN as a master depending on battery status and communication performance. Thereafter, the method comprises configuring a second wireless device of the wireless MBAN as a new master if the battery status and communication performance of the master drops below that of the second wireless device; and routing data transfer within the wireless MBAN depending on the battery status and communication performance of the wireless devices of the wireless MBAN.