Medical Device Maintenance Support Tool for Automated Downtime Reduction
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Solution Overview
Problem
The maintenance of network-connected medical devices is cumbersome and time-consuming, often requiring devices to be taken out of service for extended periods, leading to unnecessary component replacements and inefficient scheduling.
Innovation Solution
A method and system that automatically detect maintenance needs, restrict affected functions of medical devices without fully removing them from service, allowing on-site maintenance by transmitting maintenance requirements to a server system and receiving instructions for technicians, thus optimizing maintenance schedules and reducing downtime.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of repair
If medical devices are taken out of service for maintenance, then maintenance can be performed, but device availability and productivity decrease
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary detection of maintenance needs through sensors and processors before devices are taken out of service. Maintenance requirements are identified and communicated to technicians in advance, allowing maintenance to be performed quickly when devices are removed, rather than discovering issues during maintenance inspections.
Solution Approach 2:
The medical device autonomously monitors its own components through integrated sensors and processors, detecting maintenance needs without external inspection. The device self-identifies maintenance requirements and communicates them to the server system, eliminating the need for manual inspections and enabling targeted maintenance only when necessary.
2Reliability
If comprehensive maintenance is performed on medical devices, then reliability is improved, but time consumption and loss of service time increase
Solution Approach 1:
The medical device autonomously monitors its own components through integrated sensors and processors, detecting maintenance needs without external inspection. The device self-identifies maintenance requirements and communicates them to the server system, eliminating the need for manual inspections and enabling targeted maintenance only when necessary.
Solution Approach 2:
The system continuously monitors device components through sensors and provides feedback to the processor, which analyzes data to determine maintenance needs. This closed-loop feedback system ensures maintenance is performed only when actually needed based on real-time device condition, rather than on fixed schedules, reducing unnecessary maintenance time while maintaining reliability.
3Ease of operation
If manual tracking and maintenance scheduling is used, then asset management can be performed, but complexity and time consumption increase
Solution Approach 1:
The system replaces manual mechanical tracking methods with automated electronic monitoring. Sensors, processors, and server systems automatically track device status, component conditions, and maintenance histories, eliminating manual paperwork and spreadsheets. This substitution reduces operational complexity while improving ease of asset management through centralized digital tracking.
Solution Approach 2:
The medical device autonomously monitors its own components through integrated sensors and processors, detecting maintenance needs without external inspection. The device self-identifies maintenance requirements and communicates them to the server system, eliminating the need for manual inspections and enabling targeted maintenance only when necessary.
4Ease of repair
If devices are removed from service for maintenance, then maintenance can be performed, but unnecessary component replacements occur
Solution Approach 1:
The medical device autonomously monitors its own components through integrated sensors and processors, detecting maintenance needs without external inspection. The device self-identifies maintenance requirements and communicates them to the server system, eliminating the need for manual inspections and enabling targeted maintenance only when necessary.
Solution Approach 2:
The system continuously monitors device components through sensors and provides feedback to the processor, which analyzes data to determine maintenance needs. This closed-loop feedback system ensures maintenance is performed only when actually needed based on real-time device condition, rather than on fixed schedules, reducing unnecessary maintenance time while maintaining reliability.
Data Source
AI summary
A medical device is configured to detect, based on a reading from the sensor, a state of a first component of the plurality of electronic components, identify a maintenance requirement of the medical device based on the detected state of the first component, restrict a first function of the medical device based on the identified maintenance requirement, transmit the identified maintenance requirement to a server system, receive from the server system an instruction addressing the identified maintenance requirement, receiving a first access request, determine that the first access request is a maintenance access request, and in response to the maintenance access request, display the instruction on a user interface of the medical device.