Monitor Grouping via Blinking Pattern Detection

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing systems face challenges in accurately identifying and grouping medical monitors located at the same physical location, as they may share the same network segment, leading to incorrect grouping based on ambient light changes.

Innovation Solution

A management device transmits a blinking pattern signal to monitors, and upon detection by illuminance sensors, groups monitors that receive the pattern, while those not detecting the pattern remain ungrouped, ensuring accurate location-based grouping.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of operation

If monitors are grouped based on network segment and ambient light changes, then monitoring management is simplified, but location identification accuracy deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvemonitor managementVSAvoidlocation identification accuracy

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSMeasurement precision

Solution Approach 1:

The management device transmits a blinking pattern signal in advance to the first monitor, which then emits this pattern as ambient light changes. This preliminary action allows other monitors to detect and identify the source location before actual grouping is needed, enabling accurate location-based grouping without relying on imprecise network segment or general ambient light detection

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The system uses feedback from illuminance sensors detecting the blinking pattern to confirm and verify location grouping. When a monitor detects the blinking pattern from another monitor, this feedback confirms they are at the same location, allowing the management device to accurately group them while filtering out false positives from network segment alone

Inventive Principle:

Principle #23Feedback

2Device complexity

If monitors sharing the same network segment are grouped together, then system complexity is reduced, but location accuracy deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvegrouping system complexityVSAvoidphysical location accuracy

Core Design Contradiction:

Device complexityVSMeasurement precision

Solution Approach 1:

The invention segments the grouping criteria into two independent parts: network segment (for broad organization) and blinking pattern detection (for precise location). This segmentation allows the system to maintain simple network-based organization while adding precise location identification through the blinking pattern mechanism, resolving the contradiction between simplicity and accuracy

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

3Extent of automation

If ambient light changes are used for grouping monitors, then automatic grouping is achieved, but false grouping occurs in different rooms

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveautomatic groupingVSAvoidgrouping accuracy

Core Design Contradiction:

Extent of automationVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The blinking pattern creates a localized light signal at the specific position where the first monitor is located. When other monitors detect this localized pattern, they can identify the specific source location. This local quality of the signal enables automatic grouping while preventing false grouping in different rooms, as only monitors at the same location will detect the pattern

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

Applied Scientific Principles

This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.

Function Achieved in This Case

This method allows for high-accuracy grouping of monitors at the same location, preventing incorrect grouping due to shared network segments or ambient light changes, and can be efficiently implemented in hospital settings.

Implementation Method 1

transmitting a signal for causing a screen of a first monitor to blink with a predetermined blinking pattern and setting the first monitor and a second monitor in the same group in a case where a signal indicating that an illuminance sensor corresponding to the second monitor detects the blinking pattern emitted from the screen of the first monitor is received

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectLight detection: Photoelectric Effect

Data Source

PatentUS11783683B2Management device, management system, management method, and non-transitory computer readable medium

Publication Date: 2023.10.10 JVC KENWOOD CORP

AI summary

A management device is a management device to which a plurality of monitors are connected and which manages information regarding the plurality of monitors, the management device transmitting a signal for causing a screen of a first monitor to blink with a predetermined blinking pattern and setting the first monitor and a second monitor in the same group in a case where a signal indicating that an illuminance sensor corresponding to the second monitor detects the blinking pattern emitted from the screen of the first monitor is received, and the management device transmitting a signal for causing a screen of a third monitor to blink with the predetermined blinking pattern in a case where a signal indicating that an illuminance sensor corresponding to the third monitor detects the blinking pattern emitted from the screen of the first monitor is not received.