NO Delivery Alarm Thresholds for Automatic Dose Changes

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing NO delivery systems face challenges in accurately setting and recalculating alarm thresholds for NO content fluctuations, particularly for low doses below 10 ppmv, leading to potential safety risks and untimely alarms that distract healthcare personnel.

Innovation Solution

An NO delivery apparatus with a microprocessor that automatically calculates and adjusts upper and lower NO alarm thresholds based on the set dose, ensuring a tolerance of ±20% for doses between 1 and 80 ppmv, and ±2 ppmv for doses below 10 ppmv, minimizing false alarms and improving patient safety.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Adaptability or versatility

If manual setting of alarm thresholds is used, then flexibility in threshold selection is improved, but risk of human error and misplaced thresholds increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveflexibility in threshold selectionVSAvoidaccuracy of threshold setting

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The system automatically calculates and sets alarm thresholds based on the prescribed NO dose without requiring manual intervention. The microprocessor computes the upper and lower thresholds by applying a predetermined percentage (e.g., 20%) to the prescribed dose, eliminating human error while maintaining adaptability to different dose levels

Inventive Principle:

Principle #25Self-service

Solution Approach 2:

The system provides automatic feedback by calculating and displaying the alarm thresholds to the user based on the prescribed dose. This feedback mechanism ensures that the thresholds are always appropriately set relative to the current dose, preventing both alarm fatigue and safety compromises

Inventive Principle:

Principle #23Feedback

2Device complexity

If fixed alarm thresholds are used, then alarm system simplicity is improved, but applicability across different NO doses deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvealarm system simplicityVSAvoidapplicability across different doses

Core Design Contradiction:

Device complexityVSAdaptability or versatility

Solution Approach 1:

The alarm thresholds are made dynamic rather than fixed. The system automatically adjusts the upper and lower thresholds based on the prescribed NO dose, allowing the alarm system to adapt to different clinical scenarios while maintaining a simple user interface. The thresholds move proportionally with dose changes

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

3Ease of operation

If manual recalculation of thresholds is required upon dose change, then user control is improved, but time consumption and risk of error increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveuser controlVSAvoidtime for threshold recalculation

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The system performs preliminary action by automatically recalculating the alarm thresholds immediately when the dose is changed, before the user needs to use the device. This eliminates the time-consuming manual recalculation step while preserving user control over the dose prescription

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The system serves itself by automatically updating the alarm thresholds in response to dose changes without requiring user intervention. The microprocessor detects the dose change and independently computes the new thresholds, reducing both time loss and error risk

Inventive Principle:

Principle #25Self-service

4Measurement precision

If alarm thresholds are set too close to the prescribed dose, then measurement precision is improved, but false alarms increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvethreshold proximity to doseVSAvoidfalse alarms

Core Design Contradiction:

Measurement precisionVSObject-generated harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The system changes the threshold parameters by applying a predetermined percentage offset (e.g., 20%) to the prescribed dose to establish the upper and lower alarm thresholds. This parameter adjustment creates an appropriate buffer zone that prevents false alarms while maintaining clinically relevant monitoring precision

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

Data Source

PatentUS20250312545A1NO supply apparatus with automatic modification of alarms upon changes in dose

Publication Date: 2025.10.09 INOSYSTEMS GMBH

AI summary

The invention relates to an apparatus (1) for delivering NO-containing gas, comprising means for setting a dose of NO (50, 51) to make it possible to set a first dose of NO, and operating means (210) with a microprocessor (211), for determining on the basis of the first dose of NO set, first upper and lower alarm thresholds corresponding to first maximum and minimum NO contents. Means for modifying a dose of NO (50, 51) making it possible to modify or adjust the first dose of NO so as to obtain or fix a second dose of NO that is different to the first dose of NO. The operating means (210) are configured to automatically determine, on the basis of the second dose of NO, second upper and lower NO alarm thresholds that are different to the first upper and lower NO alarm thresholds. Installation (100) for supplying NO-containing gas, comprising such an NO delivery apparatus (1).