Modular Touch Screen Control System for Medical Redundancy
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Solution Overview
Problem
Control room systems lack redundancy, as centralized computers cannot independently operate local control devices, leading to system failure if local devices become inoperative.
Innovation Solution
A modular control system with portable touch screen devices that include a display, touch input, computing device, and network connection, enabling automatic self-synchronization and remote control of medical systems via a communication grid, ensuring system redundancy and fault tolerance.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If a centralized control system is used, then control functions can be managed from a remote location, but the system lacks redundancy and becomes vulnerable to failure when local control devices malfunction
Solution Approach 1:
The control system is segmented into multiple independent portable control devices, each capable of autonomous operation. This segmentation eliminates the single point of failure in centralized systems while maintaining remote control capabilities, as each device can independently communicate with and control the medical system.
Solution Approach 2:
Each portable control device is designed with universal functionality to perform both centralized remote control operations and local control functions. This multi-functionality ensures that if one device fails, another can immediately take over all control functions, providing system redundancy without requiring separate control mechanisms.
2Ease of operation
If local control devices are permanently mounted near the system, then direct control is possible, but the system cannot operate if these devices become inoperative and lacks flexibility
Solution Approach 1:
The control devices transition from static permanently mounted units to dynamic portable devices that can be freely moved and repositioned. This dynamic characteristic allows operators to place control devices at optimal locations and enables the system to adapt to changing operational requirements while maintaining local control capability.
Solution Approach 2:
The system changes the operational parameter of control device location from fixed to variable. Each portable control device can be positioned at different locations and can dynamically assume different functional roles based on system needs, providing both local control and operational flexibility.
3Device complexity
If a single centralized computer is used, then system architecture is simplified, but control functions cannot be distributed and redundancy is lost
Solution Approach 1:
The centralized control architecture is segmented into multiple distributed portable control devices. Each device maintains simplified individual functionality while collectively providing comprehensive system control and redundancy, resolving the contradiction between architectural simplicity and reliability.
Solution Approach 2:
Multiple identical copies of the portable control device are deployed throughout the system. Each copy contains the necessary computing and communication capabilities to independently control the medical system, providing redundancy without significantly increasing individual device complexity.
Data Source
AI summary
A modular control system including a plurality of individual touch screen devices, each touch screen device including a display unit, a touch input, a computing device, a network connection, and a programming logic for controlling a remote system and displaying a status of the remote system on the touch screen device, the remote system having network connectivity to enable the remote system to exchange information with and respond to instructions from the touch screen devices, the touch screen devices configured for automatic self-synchronization based on a status of the remote system or a status of at least one of the touch screen devices.