Single Microprocessor Therapy Control with Combinatorial Logic

Resolve Bottlenecks,
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions

Solution Overview

Problem

The redundancy benefits of using multiple microprocessors in medical devices are mitigated by increased part count, energy consumption, and potential failure modes, which can lead to unsafe therapy conditions.

Innovation Solution

Executing multiple software processes on a single microprocessor, with each process producing separate therapy control output components that are combined using combinatorial logic to prevent single-point failures and ensure safe medication delivery.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If multiple microprocessors are used to provide redundancy and eliminate single-point failure modes, then reliability is improved, but device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:

ImprovereliabilityVSAvoiddevice complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent merges multiple microprocessors into a single microprocessor by executing multiple independent software processes on one hardware unit. This consolidation maintains the functional redundancy and safety benefits of multiple processors while eliminating the hardware complexity, reduced part count, and integration challenges associated with using physically separate microprocessors.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

2Reliability

If multiple microprocessors are used to provide redundancy, then reliability is improved, but the number of potential failure modes increases

Engineering Contradiction:

ImprovereliabilityVSAvoidpotential failure modes

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSObject-generated harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The patent consolidates multiple microprocessor units into a single microprocessor running multiple software processes, thereby reducing the total number of hardware components and associated failure modes while maintaining functional redundancy through independent software execution.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

3Reliability

If multiple microprocessors are used to provide redundancy, then reliability is improved, but energy consumption increases

Engineering Contradiction:

ImprovereliabilityVSAvoidenergy consumption

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSUse of energy by moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The patent merges multiple microprocessor functions into a single microprocessor unit, reducing the total power consumption while maintaining the reliability benefits of redundant processing through independent software process execution on the shared hardware platform.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Data Source

PatentUS7758567B2Medical device including processor running independent processes to cooperatively control therapy

Publication Date: 2010.07.20 MEDTRONIC MINIMED INC

AI summary

A medical system comprising an implantable medical device and an external controller. The medical device includes a therapy administration subsystem, a telemetry subsystem, and a control subsystem which includes a microprocessor operable in response to data and/or code provided via said telemetry subsystem for producing an output signal for controlling said therapy administration subsystem. The controller includes a user input means and a telemetry subsystem responsive to said user input means for communicating data and/or code to said medical device telemetry subsystem. The medical device control subsystem includes program means for causing said microprocessor to separately execute at least two software processes to respectively produce separate therapy control output components. Combinatorial logic means responds to the separate output components to produce the output signal for controlling the therapy administration subsystem.