Nested Encryption for Secure Remote Medical Device Programming
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current medical devices, particularly implantable neuromodulation systems, require frequent clinic visits for programming and adjustments, which are labor-intensive and inefficient, and there is a need for secure, remote communication methods to modify therapy settings without data packet sniffing or modification.
Innovation Solution
A system utilizing cloud servers, user devices, and clinician programmers to establish encrypted communication channels, employing security protocols like TLS for secure wireless communication between clinician programmers, user devices, and implantable medical devices, ensuring that only authorized entities can decipher messages, preventing middleman interference.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If encrypted communication channels are established between clinician programmer and implantable device, then security and data integrity are improved, but device complexity and communication protocol requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements nested encryption where an outer encrypted communication channel (first security protocol) contains an inner encrypted communication channel (second security protocol). The clinician programmer establishes an outer encrypted channel with the user device, which in turn establishes an inner encrypted channel with the implantable device. This nested structure allows multiple layers of security without requiring complete protocol redesign at each layer.
Solution Approach 2:
The user device acts as an intermediary between the clinician programmer and the implantable device. It receives encrypted messages from the clinician programmer, decrypts them using the first secret key, then re-encrypts them with the second secret key for transmission to the implantable device. This mediator approach allows complex multi-layer encryption to be managed through sequential processing at intermediate nodes.
2Loss of time
If remote programming is enabled, then clinic visit frequency is reduced, but communication security requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The nested encrypted communication channels enable secure remote programming by allowing the clinician programmer to communicate with the implantable device through the user device without physical presence. The outer encryption channel secures communication between clinician and user device, while the inner channel secures communication between user device and implantable device, enabling remote access with hospital-grade security.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces the mechanical/physical system of in-person clinic visits with a wireless electronic communication system. Instead of requiring physical presence for programming adjustments, the system uses encrypted wireless messages transmitted through cloud servers and relayed via user devices, substituting physical interaction with secure digital communication.
3Reliability
If multiple encrypted communication channels are used, then message security is improved, but processing complexity at intermediate nodes increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the encryption processing into distinct stages: the first security protocol handles authentication and establishes the outer encrypted channel between clinician programmer and user device, while the second security protocol handles the inner encrypted channel between user device and implantable device. Each segment operates independently with its own secret keys and protocols, reducing the processing burden at any single node compared to implementing all encryption in one complex system.
Solution Approach 2:
The user device as intermediary performs sequential decryption and re-encryption operations. It receives doubly-encrypted messages from the clinician programmer, first decrypts the outer layer using the first secret key, then decrypts the inner layer using the second secret key, and finally transmits the decrypted message to the implantable device. This mediator approach distributes the processing complexity across multiple nodes rather than concentrating it in one device.
Data Source
AI summary
A system may include a user device, a clinician programmer and an implantable medical device. A first security protocol may be used to establish a first encrypted communication channel between the clinician programmer and the user device through cloud server(s). The first security protocol may authenticate entities and establish a first key set for encrypting and decrypting messages transmitted within the first encrypted communication channel. The user device and the implantable medical device may be configured to wirelessly communicate with each other through a secure wireless connection. A second security protocol may be used to establish a second encrypted communication channel, by establishing at least a first secret key, at least partially within the first encrypted communication channel. The second encrypted communication channel may extend between the implantable medical device and the clinician programmer. The first encrypted messages wrap the second encrypted messages.