Secure Patient Data Delivery via Mobile Asymmetric Encryption

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing systems for documenting informed patient consent and delivering medical images require significant infrastructure and time, are prone to physical media loss or damage, and pose security risks due to unsecure web-based distribution.

Innovation Solution

A method using a patient's mobile device with asymmetric encryption, where the private key is stored locally, enables secure and efficient communication of medical data through QR-code navigation and nearfield data transmission, replacing physical media with a cloud-based solution.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If paper consent forms and physical media are used for patient consent and image delivery, then data security and tamper-proof documentation are improved, but infrastructure costs and staff time requirements increase significantly

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvedata securityVSAvoidinfrastructure cost

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent replaces physical paper-based systems with a digital mobile application system. The mobile app provides electronic consent forms with digital signatures and delivers medical images digitally, eliminating the need for physical paper handling, storage infrastructure, and manual distribution while maintaining security through encryption and authentication mechanisms

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent creates digital copies of consent forms and medical images that can be stored and transmitted electronically. The system generates electronic versions of these documents that are tamper-evident and can be securely distributed to patients and referring physicians without requiring physical media

Inventive Principle:

Principle #26Copying

2Reliability

If paper consent forms are used, then tamper-proof documentation is achieved, but patient filling time and staff processing time increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvetamper-proof documentationVSAvoidpatient filling time

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The patent replaces manual paper form filling with an electronic form system in the mobile application. Patients can complete consent forms digitally on their mobile devices, and the system automatically captures timestamps, device identifiers, and cryptographic signatures to ensure tamper-proof documentation without requiring manual processing

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

Solution Approach 2:

The mobile application enables patients to independently complete and submit consent forms without staff assistance. The system automatically manages form generation, patient signature capture, timestamping, and cryptographic sealing, eliminating the need for staff to prepare, distribute, collect, and process physical forms

Inventive Principle:

Principle #25Self-service

3Reliability

If physical media are used for image delivery, then data security is maintained, but media loss, damage, and incompatibility risks increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvedata securityVSAvoidmedia loss and damage

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The patent replaces physical media delivery with digital transmission through the mobile application. Medical images are transmitted electronically as encrypted data packets that can be securely stored and accessed on the patient's mobile device, eliminating risks of physical loss, damage, or incompatibility with reading equipment

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

Solution Approach 2:

The system creates digital copies of medical images that can be stored in multiple locations (patient's mobile device, hospital server, referring physician's system) without degrading the original. These digital copies can be universally accessed across different platforms and devices without physical media compatibility issues

Inventive Principle:

Principle #26Copying

4Ease of operation

If web-based patient portals are used, then data distribution is simplified, but security risks due to unsecure credential distribution increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvedata distributionVSAvoidsecurity

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent replaces web-based portal access with a native mobile application that uses device-specific authentication. The app leverages the mobile device's built-in security features (biometric authentication, secure enclave) and establishes direct encrypted connections to the hospital server, eliminating the need for vulnerable username/password distribution through email or text messages

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

Data Source

PatentEP3451342B1Secure delivery of patient's image and consent data

Publication Date: 2025.07.30 SIEMENS HEALTHINEERS AG

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AI summary

The present invention refers to methods and systems for communicating medical image data which have been generated for a patient between computing entities of a hospital network (HNW), a cloud-based data store (DS) and a patient's mobile device (PD). A QR code serves to code a data package comprising a user identification (UID) and a public key (Pu), which has been generated on the patient's mobile device (PD) to a hospital server(HS) in order to process personal data so that the personal data may be downloaded from the data store (DS) directly to the patient's mobile device (PD) in an encrypted form and may be visualized there in clear text by means of applying a private key (Pr) stored locally on the patient's mobile device (PD). The method is web based and needs no special requirements on the side of the patient's mobile device (PD).