Pulse Oximeter Data Encryption and Hashing for Secure Cellular Transmission
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing systems lack robust security measures for transmitting blood oxygen saturation data, which is critical for early detection of hypoxemia and managing chronic respiratory conditions, posing risks of data breaches and unauthorized access.
Innovation Solution
A system comprising a pulse oximeter, a wireless network, a private network via a fully redundant IPsec VPN tunnel, and computer processors that encrypt data with a shared secret, generate hashes, and verify the integrity of the data before transmission to ensure secure communication.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If multiple layers of security (encryption, hashing, IPsec VPN tunnel) are implemented for data transmission, then data security and integrity are improved, but device complexity and processing overhead increase
Solution Approach 1:
The security system is divided into distinct functional layers: encryption layer (shared secret key encryption), integrity verification layer (hashing with signing algorithm), and transmission security layer (IPsec VPN tunnel). Each layer operates independently with specific security functions, allowing the system to achieve comprehensive security while maintaining modularity and manageable complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements nested security mechanisms where encrypted data is placed within an IPsec VPN tunnel, which itself is protected by additional authentication and encryption protocols. The hashing mechanism is nested within the encryption process, creating multiple nested protective layers that enhance security without requiring complete redesign of each individual layer.
2Reliability
If multiple layers of security (encryption, hashing, IPsec VPN tunnel) are implemented for data transmission, then data security and integrity are improved, but processing time and computational resources increase
Solution Approach 1:
The encryption process is performed on data before it enters the transmission pipeline, and hashing is pre-computed alongside encryption. The IPsec VPN tunnel is established in advance to create a secure transmission channel. These preliminary actions prevent security processing from becoming a bottleneck during actual data transmission, as the heavy computational work is completed before data needs to be sent.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements hashing mechanisms that create compact digital fingerprints of the data. Instead of transmitting or processing the entire data set multiple times for verification, the system uses these compact hash copies to rapidly verify data integrity, significantly reducing the time required for security checks compared to re-processing the original data.
3Reliability
If encryption and hashing mechanisms are applied to blood oxygen saturation data, then data confidentiality and integrity are improved, but ease of operation and system setup become more difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The system automatically manages key generation, encryption, hashing, and verification processes without requiring manual intervention. The pulse oximeter device self-configures the security parameters and performs all cryptographic operations autonomously, reducing the operational burden on users while maintaining strong security protections.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces security management intermediaries that handle the complexity of cryptographic key management and protocol configuration. These intermediary components abstract the complex security setup processes, allowing end users to benefit from enterprise-grade security without needing to understand or configure the underlying cryptographic mechanisms.
Data Source
AI summary
A system for improving blood oxygen saturation data transmission security comprising: a pulse oximeter; a wireless network connected to the pulse oximeter; a private network connected to the wireless network via an IPsec VPN tunnel; one or more computer processors; and a memory storing machine executable instructions, that when executed, cause the system to: collect, blood oxygen saturation data from a patient; encrypt, the blood oxygen saturation data with a shared secret, creating encrypted blood oxygen saturation data; generate, a first hash using a signing algorithm; transmit, the encrypted blood oxygen saturation data from the pulse oximeter to the private network; generate, a second hash; compare, the first hash to the second hash; decrypt, the encrypted blood oxygen saturation data upon a match of the first and second hash, creating verified blood oxygen saturation data; and transmit, the verified blood oxygen saturation data to a target recipient.