Optical Fiber Maintenance via Luminous Intensity Trend Analysis
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing medical systems lack a reliable and precise method to determine the maintenance requirement of light guidance components, such as light sources, lighting cables, camera heads, and endoscopes, leading to potential suboptimal functionality or premature maintenance.
Innovation Solution
A medical system that includes a data processing unit and lighting components, which collects historical data on light intensity parameters, lighting component configurations, and external intervention parameters during medical procedures. This data is used to calculate trends and generate maintenance requirement reports if specified limits are exceeded.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If maintenance is scheduled based on usage count or reprocessing cycles, then maintenance timing can be determined, but the actual maintenance requirement cannot be reliably determined leading to premature or unnecessary maintenance
Solution Approach 1:
The system continuously monitors light intensity parameters during medical procedures and compares them against historical data and predetermined limits. This feedback mechanism allows the system to detect actual degradation of optical fibers and trigger maintenance only when necessary, replacing the conventional usage-count-based scheduling approach.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces the mechanical/administrative tracking method (counting usage cycles) with an optical measurement-based system that directly monitors the functional state of the optical fibers through light intensity parameter monitoring, enabling condition-based maintenance decisions.
2Reliability
If light intensity parameter monitoring is implemented, then maintenance requirements can be determined more accurately, but system complexity increases due to additional data collection and processing requirements
Solution Approach 1:
The data processing unit performs multiple functions: it collects light intensity parameters, stores historical data, compares current values against limits, identifies degradation trends, and triggers maintenance alerts. This multi-functionality consolidates what would otherwise require separate systems into a single integrated unit.
Solution Approach 2:
The system automatically monitors its own components, stores historical data, performs comparative analysis, and generates maintenance recommendations without requiring external intervention. The data processing unit serves itself by continuously self-diagnosing the optical fiber condition.
3Ease of operation
If conventional usage-based maintenance scheduling is used, then maintenance can be planned, but the actual functionality of the endoscope cannot be reliably assessed
Solution Approach 1:
The system provides real-time feedback on the actual functional state of the optical fibers through continuous light intensity monitoring, enabling precise assessment of functionality independent of usage history. This feedback loop allows operators to know the true condition of the endoscope components.
Solution Approach 2:
The system monitors changes in light intensity parameters over time and uses these parameter changes to assess the degradation state of optical fibers. By tracking parameter trends rather than relying on fixed usage thresholds, the system achieves more precise functionality assessment.
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
The system provides a reliable and precise method to determine maintenance needs of light guidance components, ensuring optimal functionality and reducing unnecessary maintenance by identifying damage to light guide fibers.
Implementation Method 1
a bundle of optical fibers is guided through each of the optical fiber components
Implementation Method 2
a luminous intensity parameter value of the light source that correlates with a luminous intensity emitted by the light source
Data Source
Figure 1~2
AI summary
The invention relates to a medical system (2) and a method for determining the maintenance requirement of an optical fiber component of the medical system (2). The medical system (2) comprises a data processing unit (4) and optical fiber components (14), namely a light source (6), an optical fiber cable (8), a camera head (10), and an endoscope (12), each through which a bundle of optical fibers (15) is guided. The data processing unit (2) is configured to determine the maintenance requirement of the optical fiber components (14) by acquiring the following data during a medical procedure and storing it as historical data: a luminous intensity parameter value, an optical fiber component parameter set, and an external procedure parameter.The data processing unit (4) is further equipped to determine a trend (16) of the luminous intensity parameter from the historical data of at least two medical interventions and to generate a maintenance requirement notification (18) if a deviation exceeding a predefinable limit value can be detected in the trend (16), and to output the maintenance requirement notification (18).