Patient Bed Dual-Memory Software Updates Without Downtime

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Solution Overview

Problem

Patient support apparatuses like patient beds become inoperable during software upgrades, requiring patients to be moved and necessitating coordinated efforts among caregivers, with the upgrade process taking up to twenty minutes.

Innovation Solution

Implementing a patient bed with dual memory banks and a memory toggle to store both current and new software versions, allowing seamless switching between them, enabling continuous operation during upgrades and automatic fallback if errors occur.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Adaptability or versatility

If software is upgraded by overwriting the current version in a single memory bank, then the new software version can be installed, but the patient support apparatus becomes inoperable during the upgrade process requiring patient removal and caregiver coordination

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvesoftware version capabilityVSAvoidoperational availability

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The memory system is divided into two separate memory banks: a first memory bank storing the current software version and a second memory bank storing the new software version. This segmentation allows the apparatus to maintain operational capability in the first memory bank while simultaneously preparing the second memory bank for future use, thereby preventing complete operational failure during software transitions.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The second memory bank is prepared in advance to store the new software version before it becomes active. The system receives and stores the new software version in the second memory bank while the first memory bank continues to provide operational software, allowing the transition to be made without interrupting current operations.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

2Ease of manufacture

If the software upgrade process takes up to twenty minutes to complete, then thorough software replacement can occur, but patient care is disrupted and coordination among caregivers is required

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvesoftware update completenessVSAvoiddowntime duration

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of manufactureVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The system maintains continuous operational capability by keeping the first memory bank active during the software transition process. The new software version is prepared in the second memory bank in advance, and the toggle between versions can be executed instantly without interrupting patient support functions, thereby eliminating the twenty-minute downtime period.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #20Continuity of useful action

Solution Approach 2:

The new software version is downloaded and stored in the second memory bank before the upgrade is actually activated. This preliminary preparation allows the transition to occur instantly when needed, rather than requiring a lengthy in-place overwrite process that would interrupt operations.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

3Device complexity

If a single memory bank is used to store software, then the system structure is simple, but the apparatus cannot switch between software versions without complete reconfiguration

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvememory structureVSAvoidsoftware version switching capability

Core Design Contradiction:

Device complexityVSAdaptability or versatility

Solution Approach 1:

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The memory system is designed with dual memory banks that can each independently store and execute software versions. The system can function with either memory bank as the active one, providing universal operational capability regardless of which version is currently active, thereby enabling flexible version switching without requiring complete system reconfiguration.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

4Adaptability or versatility

If the current software version is overwritten with the new version, then the new functionality is implemented, but there is no fallback option if errors occur

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvesoftware functionalityVSAvoiderror recovery capability

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

Instead of overwriting the current software version and risking loss of the working version, the system stores the new software version in a separate second memory bank. The memory toggle can then switch between versions, allowing the system to revert to the proven working version in the first memory bank if the new version proves defective, thereby inverting the traditional risky overwrite approach.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #13The other way round (Inversion)

Data Source

PatentUS20250279198A1Apparatus and method for updating software in a patient support apparatus using a memory toggle

Publication Date: 2025.09.04 HILL ROM SERVICES INC

AI summary

An apparatus, system or method includes a patient bed for use with a network including a remote computer. The patient bed includes a bed frame to support a patient and bed circuitry carried by the bed frame. The bed circuitry is configured to receive a new version of bed operating software from the remote computer. The bed circuitry includes a first memory bank and a second memory bank. One of the first and second memory banks stores therein a current version of bed operating software. The other of the first and second memory banks stores therein the new version of bed operating software received from the remote computer. Thus, two versions of bed operating software are stored in the bed circuitry. A memory toggle is used to determine which version of the operating software in which of the two memory banks is used to operate the bed.