Medical Instrument Data Communication via Master-Slave Clock Synchronization
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing medical instruments, such as catheters and guide-wires, face challenges in high-speed data communication due to limited space and power constraints, requiring efficient data transfer without accurate clock references at the slave side.
Innovation Solution
A data communication system comprising a slave component with a controllable clock and transmitter, and a master component with a clock controller, allowing for synchronization of the slave clock with the master clock using a two-signal wire link, enabling high-speed data transfer with minimal space and power consumption.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Speed
If high-speed data communication is implemented in medical instruments, then data transfer speed is improved, but space requirements and power consumption increase
Solution Approach 1:
The system divides the clock functionality into two segments: a master clock in the external equipment and a slave clock in the medical instrument. The slave clock is a simplified, low-power component that synchronizes to the master clock signals received through the data communication channel, eliminating the need for a power-hungry local crystal oscillator while maintaining high-speed data transfer capability.
Solution Approach 2:
The master clock signals act as an intermediary mechanism to transfer timing information from the external equipment to the medical instrument. These signals serve dual purposes: carrying data information and providing clock synchronization, thereby eliminating the need for separate clock wiring and reducing power consumption in the slave device.
2Speed
If high-speed data communication is implemented in medical instruments, then data transfer speed is improved, but the space available for components is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The clock synchronization function is segmented from the data communication function. The slave clock is implemented as a separate, minimal component that only needs to receive and synchronize to master clock signals, significantly reducing the space required compared to implementing a full high-speed clock generator and data transmitter in the same component package.
Solution Approach 2:
The communication channel serves multiple functions: it transports data signals and simultaneously carries clock synchronization signals. This multi-functionality eliminates the need for separate clock wiring and reduces the overall component count and space requirements in the medical instrument.
3Reliability
If accurate clock references are provided at the slave side, then data communication reliability is improved, but power consumption and device complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of providing accurate clock references from the slave side (medical instrument) to the master side (external equipment), the system inverts the approach by having the master side generate and transmit clock synchronization signals to the slave side. This inversion simplifies the slave device complexity while maintaining communication reliability through centralized clock control.
Solution Approach 2:
The system implements a feedback mechanism where the slave device monitors the received master clock signals and adjusts its local slave clock accordingly. This feedback loop ensures accurate synchronization and reliable data communication while keeping the slave device complexity low, as it only needs to perform simple phase/frequency adjustment based on received signals.
Data Source
Figure 1~2
Figure 3
Figure 4
AI summary
The invention relates to a data communication system (100) and a method that can particularly be applied for communicating data from a medical instrument like a catheter or a guide-wire via a high-speedlink (101). The system (100) comprises (in-vivo) a slave component (150) with a controllable slave clock (153) and a transmitter (151) for transmitting a data signal (ds) that is clocked by the slave clock signal (clk). Moreover, it comprises (ex-vivo) a master component (110) with a clock controller (114,115,116) that receives a master clock signal (ref_clk) and the data signal (ds) and that generates a clock control signal (ccs) for adjusting the slave clock (153) to the master clock (113). The slave clock (153) may thus be realized with low space and energy requirements, e.g. by a voltage controlled oscillator (VCO). Moreover, the link (101) via which the data signal (ds) and the clock control signal (ccs) are exchanged may be realized by just two signal wires.