Patient-Specific RFID Gateway for Remote Cardiac Reprogramming
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Solution Overview
Problem
Remote programming of implantable medical devices poses security risks due to unauthorized access, which can lead to patient harm or privacy violations, and consumes significant power from the device's limited power supply.
Innovation Solution
Implement a patient-specific RFID communication protocol using separate configurable memory portions in an RFID circuit to provide an initialization key and receive an authorization sequence, enabling secure remote programming without activating the communication circuit, and utilizing a passive or semi-passive RFID circuit powered by the remote device.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If remote programming of implantable medical devices is enabled, then physician burden is reduced and device utility is improved, but security risks increase due to unauthorized access
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the authentication process into two distinct phases: initialization key provision (stored in RFID circuit memory) and authorization sequence verification (performed during remote programming). This segmentation allows security functions to be separated from the main communication circuit, enabling secure remote programming without compromising device security.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces an RFID circuit as an intermediary component between the remote device and the implantable medical device. This intermediary handles authentication independently using separate memory portions, acting as a security gateway that mediates access without requiring the main communication circuit to be active, thus reducing power consumption while maintaining security.
2Reliability
If communication circuit is activated for remote programming, then secure authentication can be performed, but power consumption increases significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the authentication function from the main communication circuit and places it in a separate RFID circuit with its own memory portions. This extraction allows authentication to be performed independently without activating the power-consuming communication circuit, significantly reducing power consumption while maintaining security.
Solution Approach 2:
The RFID circuit provides self-service authentication capabilities using its own configurable memory portions to store and process authentication credentials. The circuit can independently verify authorization sequences without requiring power from the implantable device's main power supply, enabling passive or semi-passive operation that minimizes power consumption.
3Reliability
If RFID circuit uses configurable memory for authentication, then patient-specific security is achieved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by dividing the RFID circuit's configurable memory into distinct portions with specific functions: first portion for initialization keys and second portion for authorization sequences. This localized organization of memory functions enables patient-specific authentication while maintaining clear separation of security functions, reducing overall system complexity through functional modularity.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This approach reduces power consumption and ensures secure, patient-authorized remote programming by authenticating devices through multi-factor authentication, integrating seamlessly with existing patient care models.
Implementation Method 1
Radio-Frequency Identification (RFID) technology
Data Source
AI summary
Systems and methods to enable secure remote programming of an implantable medical device are disclosed, including implementing a patient-specific RFID communication protocol using first and second portions of configurable memory of an RFID circuit, separate from a communication circuit of the implantable medical device, to provide an initialization key using the first portion of configurable memory of the RFID circuit and receive an authorization sequence from the remote device using the second portion of configurable memory of the RFID circuit, wherein the implantable medical device or the RFID circuit is configured transition a state of the implantable medical device or the communication circuit of the implantable medical device based on the received authorization sequence stored in the second portion of configurable memory of the RFID circuit.