Peak Data Retention in Implantable Medical Device Buffers
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Solution Overview
Problem
Implanted medical devices face memory and battery capacity limitations, leading to the loss of important physiologic data due to limited memory allocation, making it challenging to effectively store and report relevant data associated with neurological events.
Innovation Solution
A circular data storage method where signal data is stored in a set of buffers, with local peak values compared to a global peak value, and data is transferred to subsequent buffers until the local peak no longer exceeds the global peak, ensuring that older data is overwritten last, and data is archived for later analysis.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Quantity of substance
If signal data is continuously stored in limited memory buffers, then the memory capacity is fully utilized, but important physiologic data is lost due to overflow
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by creating different buffer zones with different retention priorities within the memory system. Critical data identified by peak detection algorithms is assigned to protected buffer zones that prevent overwriting, while non-critical data is placed in overwriteable zones. This spatial differentiation of data importance resolves the contradiction by ensuring that memory is fully utilized while preserving the most important physiologic information from loss.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces an intermediary mechanism in the form of a priority management system that mediates between data storage demands and memory capacity constraints. This intermediary evaluates incoming signal data, assigns priority levels based on physiologic significance, and directs data to appropriate storage zones. The intermediary prevents direct overwriting of critical data while maintaining high memory utilization through efficient space allocation.
2Loss of information
If all signal data is stored for later analysis, then complete data availability is achieved, but memory resources are depleted
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts and stores only the most relevant signal data characteristics rather than complete raw data. Peak detection algorithms identify and extract critical physiologic events, storing only these extracted features in protected memory zones. This extraction approach maintains data availability for important events while dramatically reducing memory consumption compared to storing all raw signal data continuously.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements partial action by selectively storing data based on priority thresholds rather than storing all data equally. The system performs excessive action on critical data by ensuring its preservation through multiple protective mechanisms, while applying minimal or no storage action to non-critical data. This differential approach optimizes the balance between data availability and memory resource consumption.
3Productivity
If older data is overwritten first in circular buffers, then memory turnover is maximized, but critical historical data is lost
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the circular buffer into multiple priority-based zones rather than treating it as a single uniform structure. Critical data is placed in protected segments that are exempt from the standard overwrite protocol, while non-critical data occupies overwriteable segments. This segmentation allows the system to maintain high memory turnover efficiency in overwriteable zones while preserving historical integrity in protected zones through differential overwrite policies.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies preliminary action by pre-assigning data to protected buffer zones based on priority evaluation before the overwrite process begins. Peak detection and priority assignment occur in advance, identifying critical data that requires protection from overwriting. This preliminary classification ensures that when memory turnover occurs, the system can efficiently overwrite only appropriate non-critical data while automatically preserving critical historical information.
Data Source
AI summary
Storing data records associated with an extreme value are disclosed. Signal data is stored in a first buffer of a set of buffers. If a local extreme value for the first buffer exceeds a global extreme value, signal data is stored in a second buffer of the set of buffers. This process is repeated, wrapping around and overwriting buffers until the signal data in a current buffer does not have a local extreme value that exceeds the global extreme value. When this happens, signal data may be stored in a subsequent buffer and if a local extreme value of the subsequent buffer does not exceed the global extreme value, further signal data may be stored in the subsequent buffer in a circular manner until either an instantaneous extreme value exceeds the global extreme value or the recording period ends. In an embodiment, the extreme value may be a peak value.