Metadata Tagging for Diabetes Device Data Consistency

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Solution Overview

Problem

The management of diabetes requires efficient aggregation, manipulation, and communication of diagnostic and prescriptive data from various medical devices, personal healthcare devices, and patient-recorded information, while maintaining data consistency across a complex system, which is challenging due to the complexity of data records and manual entry by patients.

Innovation Solution

A diabetes management system that includes devices with metadata generators to create unique metadata tags for data records, including device identifiers and source indicators, ensuring data consistency and preventing confusion by propagating these tags across the system, allowing the diabetes management device to manage and resolve inconsistencies.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Quantity of substance

If manual data entry and aggregation from multiple devices is implemented, then comprehensive diagnostic and prescriptive data can be collected, but data consistency and reliability deteriorate due to manual errors and system complexity

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvedata volumeVSAvoiddata consistency
Core Design Contradiction:
Quantity of substanceVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The system assigns unique metadata tags to data records at the source device before transmission, including device identifiers and source indicators. This preliminary tagging action ensures data can be automatically tracked and verified throughout the system, preventing consistency issues before they occur.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The diabetes management device receives and processes metadata tags from multiple sources, using the embedded device identifiers and source indicators to automatically verify data provenance and consistency. This feedback mechanism ensures data reliability without manual intervention.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #23Feedback

2Adaptability or versatility

If multiple devices generate and communicate data records, then comprehensive diabetes management information is available, but data confusion and inconsistency increase

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvedata source diversityVSAvoiddata clarity
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSLoss of information

Solution Approach 1:

The system segments data identification into distinct metadata components: device identifier, source identifier, and record-specific tags. This segmentation allows each device's contribution to be clearly distinguished while maintaining overall system integration and data clarity.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The metadata tag acts as an intermediary element between diverse data sources and the central management device. It carries essential identification information through the communication channel, ensuring data clarity is maintained despite multiple sources.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

3Reliability

If unique metadata tags are generated and propagated across devices, then data consistency is maintained, but system complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvedata consistencyVSAvoidsystem structure
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The metadata tag structure serves multiple functions simultaneously: it identifies the source device, indicates data origin type, and provides tracking information. This multi-functionality reduces the need for separate mechanisms, actually simplifying the overall system while maintaining reliability.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

Data Source

PatentEP2628110B1Metadata tagging system for a diabetes management system of devices
Publication Date: 2018.11.14 F HOFFMANN LA ROCHE & CO AG
  • EP2628110B1 patent drawingFigure 1~2
  • EP2628110B1 patent drawingFigure 3
  • EP2628110B1 patent drawingFigure 4

AI summary

A diabetes management system having a reliable data management scheme is disclosed. The system comprises a plurality of devices, each device performing a different function relating to treatment of diabetes. Each device has a device identifier and each device generates data records relating to the function of the device. Each device includes a metadata generator configured to generate a metadata tag for a data record generated by the device. A metadata tag includes the device identifier of the corresponding device, a record identifier, and a source identifier indicating whether the record was originated by a human or the device. The system further includes a diabetes management device in communication with the plurality of devices and configured to manage records received from the plurality of devices. When a first device of the plurality of devices generates a new record to be communicated to the diabetes management device, the metadata generator of the first device generates a new unique record identifier and a new metadata tag based on the new unique record identifier and the device identifier of the first device, and the first device propagates the new record and the new metadata tag to the second device.