Physiologic Event Detection and Memory Storage Optimization

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Solution Overview

Problem

Implantable medical devices (IMDs) face memory limitations when recording and storing physiologic data, particularly for events like atrial fibrillation, leading to inefficient memory usage and storage of non-characteristic data, which can confuse clinicians and waste space.

Innovation Solution

A system that detects a target physiologic event using a first portion of a physiologic signal and confirms it using a second portion, generating a data storage trigger signal to store relevant information in a memory, optimizing data storage by distinguishing between characteristic and non-characteristic data.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Loss of information

If the IMD continuously records and stores physiologic data, then the completeness of physiologic event information is improved, but the memory capacity is exhausted quickly

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecompleteness of physiologic event informationVSAvoidmemory capacity
Core Design Contradiction:
Loss of informationVSQuantity of substance

Solution Approach 1:

The system performs preliminary detection of physiologic events using a first portion of the physiologic signal before committing to full data storage. This allows the device to prepare for potential storage needs only when actual events are detected, rather than continuously storing all data

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The system extracts and stores only the specific portions of physiologic data that are characteristic of actual physiologic events, separating them from non-characteristic data. This extraction approach stores only the essential information needed for clinical review

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

2Loss of information

If the IMD stores all detected physiologic data, then the diagnostic information available to clinicians is improved, but non-characteristic data wastes memory space

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvediagnostic informationVSAvoidmemory waste
Core Design Contradiction:
Loss of informationVSLoss of substance

Solution Approach 1:

The system applies different quality standards to different portions of the physiologic signal. Characteristic data portions that contain diagnostic information are stored with high fidelity, while non-characteristic portions are either not stored or stored with reduced detail, optimizing memory usage based on local data quality

Inventive Principle:
Principle #3Local quality

Solution Approach 2:

The system extracts only the characteristic portions of physiologic data that contain diagnostic value, separating them from non-characteristic data. This ensures that stored data is both diagnostically useful and memory-efficient

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

3Measurement precision

If the IMD uses a confirmation process with multiple signal portions, then the accuracy of physiologic event detection is improved, but the device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveaccuracy of physiologic event detectionVSAvoiddevice complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Measurement precisionVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The physiologic signal is segmented into different portions for different processing purposes. The first portion is used for initial event detection, while the second portion is used for confirmation. This segmentation allows the complex confirmation process to be broken into manageable, modular steps that reduce overall system complexity

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Data Source

PatentEP3250287B1Physiologic event detection and data storage
Publication Date: 2021.08.18 CARDIAC PACEMAKERS INC
  • EP3250287B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3250287B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP3250287B1 patent drawingFigure 3~4

AI summary

Systems and methods for detecting a target physiologic event and storing physiologic information associated with the detected physiologic event are disclosed. A system can receive a physiologic signal obtained from a subject, and detect the target physiologic event using a first portion of the received physiologic signal. The system can confirm the target physiologic event using a second portion of the received physiologic signal. If the target physiologic event is confirmed, the system can store physiologic information associated with the confirmed target physiologic event in a memory.