Medical Device Data Acquisition Assistance Program

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Solution Overview

Problem

Medical device operators face complex workflows in data acquisition and processing, requiring extensive knowledge and manual searches for assistance, leading to difficulties in accessing standardized operating instructions and ensuring high-quality image data acquisition.

Innovation Solution

A program that tracks and analyzes operators' work steps, providing interactive assistance by simulating or automatically completing tasks, comparing data with reference databases, and offering video recordings of experienced operators' workflows to aid in data acquisition and processing.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Loss of information

If standardized operating instructions are provided at each workspace, then operators have access to required information, but the instructions are difficult to store and access for all operators

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveaccessibility of operating instructionsVSAvoidstorage and distribution of instructions

Core Design Contradiction:

Loss of informationVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The server provides a centralized repository that serves all workstations, allowing a single storage location to fulfill the information needs of multiple operators simultaneously. This eliminates the need for separate local copies at each workstation while ensuring universal access to standardized operating instructions.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

Solution Approach 2:

The server acts as an intermediary between the standardized operating instructions and the operators at various workstations. Instead of directly distributing instructions to each operator, the system uses the server as a mediator that handles storage, management, and distribution requests, simplifying the overall system architecture.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Manufacturing precision

If operators have comprehensive knowledge for complex workflows, then data acquisition and processing quality is high, but operators require extensive training and manual information retrieval

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvequality of data acquisitionVSAvoidoperator complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

Manufacturing precisionVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The system monitors the current workflow state and provides context-relevant information from standardized operating instructions based on what the operator is currently doing. This feedback mechanism ensures operators receive precise guidance at the right moment, improving data acquisition quality without requiring comprehensive prior knowledge.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #23Feedback

Solution Approach 2:

The system pre-loads and prepares relevant information from standardized operating instructions based on the anticipated workflow steps. By preparing information in advance based on the current workflow context, the system eliminates the need for operators to manually search for information during critical data acquisition phases.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

3Loss of information

If manual information retrieval is used, then operators can access help information, but significant time is lost searching through help databases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveaccess to help informationVSAvoidtime for information retrieval

Core Design Contradiction:

Loss of informationVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The system replaces the mechanical process of manual keyword searching through help databases with an automated information retrieval system. The server automatically queries the standardized operating instructions based on workflow context and returns relevant information, eliminating the manual searching process entirely.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

Solution Approach 2:

The system changes the search parameter from generic keywords to context-specific workflow states. Instead of operators typing keywords and hoping to find relevant information, the system uses the current workflow state as the search parameter, automatically retrieving precisely the information needed for the current task.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

4Ease of operation

If work steps are tracked and analyzed by a program, then operators receive automated assistance, but the system complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveoperator assistanceVSAvoidprogram complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The program automatically monitors workflow steps and retrieves relevant information without requiring operator intervention to initiate the assistance. The system serves itself by automatically detecting when help is needed based on workflow context and autonomously retrieving and presenting the appropriate information from standardized operating instructions.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #25Self-service

Data Source

PatentUS8355549B2Method and medical device for controlling data acquisition or data processing therein

Publication Date: 2013.01.15 SIEMENS HEALTHINEERS AG

AI summary

In a method to control the data acquisition and/or the data processing in at least one medical device, in particular to control the image data acquisition and/or the image data processing in a medical image data acquisition device, at least one work step already effected and/or still to be effected by an operator at a computer in the framework of controlling the data acquisition and/or the data processing is determined and/or analyzed by at least one program, and the operator is assisted dependent on the determination and/or analysis result.