Patient Controller Gateways for Secure Remote Implantable Device Programming
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing implantable medical devices require in-person programming due to the need for close contact, limiting remote patient care capabilities and increasing healthcare delivery costs.
Innovation Solution
A cloud-centric digital health network architecture enabling secure, remote programming of implantable medical devices through clinician and patient devices, utilizing AI and ML for real-time kinematic and auditory analysis, and secure data transfer.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If in-person programming is used to ensure security and prevent unauthorized access, then device security is improved, but patient access to care is limited and healthcare costs increase
Solution Approach 1:
A patient controller device serves as an intermediary between the implantable medical device and external programming devices. This intermediary establishes a trusted relationship with the IMD through secure pairing, allowing remote communication while preventing unauthorized access. The patient controller acts as a gatekeeper that verifies the identity of clinician devices before permitting programming sessions, thus maintaining security while enabling remote access.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces the mechanical requirement of physical proximity (in-person programming) with wireless communication systems. Short-range wireless communication protocols substitute for the physical presence requirement, while maintaining security through cryptographic authentication and encrypted data transmission. This substitution enables remote programming without compromising device security.
2Object-affected harmful factors
If in-person programming is required to prevent third-party unauthorized access, then unauthorized access is prevented, but healthcare delivery costs increase and scalability is limited
Solution Approach 1:
The patient controller device establishes a trusted relationship with the implantable medical device in advance through a secure pairing process. This preliminary action creates pre-shared cryptographic credentials that enable future secure communications without requiring physical presence. The trusted relationship is established once during device activation or initial setup, then enables multiple subsequent remote programming sessions without repeated authentication overhead.
Solution Approach 2:
The system implements continuous authentication and authorization verification during remote programming sessions. The patient controller device monitors communication sessions, verifies clinician credentials, and can terminate unauthorized attempts. This feedback mechanism ensures that only authenticated clinicians can program the IMD, preventing unauthorized access while enabling efficient remote care delivery.
3Reliability
If short-range communication links are used for programming, then security against third-party access is improved, but remote patient care capabilities are limited
Solution Approach 1:
The patent adds a new dimension to the communication architecture by introducing the patient controller device as an intermediate layer between the IMD and external devices. This additional dimension enables secure remote communication by creating a trusted relationship that can be maintained over distance. The patient controller acts as a secure gateway that extends the short-range security model to remote contexts through wireless communication protocols.
Data Source
AI summary
The present disclosure is directed to providing digital health services. In some embodiments, systems and methods for conducting virtual or remote sessions between patients and clinicians are disclosed. During the sessions, media content (e.g., images, video content, audio content, etc.) may be captured as the patient performs one or more tasks. The media content may be presented to the clinician and used to evaluate a condition of the patient or a state of the condition, adjust treatment parameters, provide therapy, or other operations to treat the patient. The analysis of the media content may be aided by one or more machine learning/artificial intelligence models that analyze various aspects of the media content, augment the media content, or other functionality to aid in the treatment of the patient.