Operating Table Remote GUI for Faster Medical Control

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing medical systems with operating tables and remote controls operate as independent systems, requiring both to include all interaction capabilities in their software, leading to inefficiencies and limitations in user experience and functionality.

Innovation Solution

Integrate a computer system within the medical device to provide a graphical user interface to the remote control, allowing the computer system to control the display and user input, reducing the remote control's processing burden and enhancing user interaction through image data and instructions.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If the remote control and operating table operate as independent systems with full software capabilities, then each system can function autonomously, but the device complexity and software requirements increase for both systems

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveautonomous functionalityVSAvoidsoftware complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent extracts the GUI rendering and data interpretation functions from the remote control system and relocates them to the operating table's computer system. The remote control now only handles basic input transmission and display rendering, while the operating table's computer system generates and manages all graphical interface elements, interprets user input, and controls device operations. This extraction reduces remote control software complexity while maintaining autonomous functionality through the table's enhanced computer system.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent introduces a communication interface as an intermediary between the remote control and operating table computer system. This intermediary handles all data transmission, GUI element delivery, and command relay, allowing the remote control to function with minimal local processing while maintaining reliable autonomous operation through the mediating communication layer.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Adaptability or versatility

If the remote control includes all interaction capabilities in its software, then it can provide complete user interface functionality, but the ease of operation and user experience are reduced

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveinterface functionalityVSAvoiduser experience
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The patent replaces the remote control's mechanical/software-based data interpretation and GUI generation mechanisms with a display system that renders graphical elements provided by the operating table's computer system. This substitution allows the remote control to focus solely on presenting visual information and capturing user input, improving ease of operation while maintaining complete interface functionality through the table's computer system.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

3Productivity

If the remote control interprets received data and user input, then it can process information locally, but the reaction time and processing speed are reduced

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveprocessing capabilityVSAvoidreaction time
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The patent extracts the data interpretation and input processing functions from the remote control and relocates them to the operating table's computer system. The remote control now only transmits raw input data and receives pre-processed commands, eliminating local interpretation overhead and reducing reaction time while maintaining full processing capability through the table's computer system.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Data Source

PatentEP4123663B1A medical system with an operating table and a remote control, and a method of operating a medical system with an operating table
Publication Date: 2025.12.17 MAQUET GMBH
  • EP4123663B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP4123663B1 patent drawingFigure 2a~2c
  • EP4123663B1 patent drawingFigure 2d~2f

AI summary

A medical system comprises: an operating table (13) having a computer system (15); a remote control (17) for remotely controlling operation of the table (13), the remote control (17) comprising a screen (19); the computer system (15) and the remote control (17) being configured to communicate with each other via a communication interface (21); and the computer system (15) being configured to provide via the communication interface (21) a graphical user interface to the remote control (21), and the remote control (17) being configured to execute the graphical user interface.