Secure Inter-App Data Sharing for Continuous Glucose Monitoring

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing continuous glucose monitoring systems face challenges in securely and efficiently sharing medical data between multiple devices, such as glucose sensors and insulin delivery devices, while maintaining patient confidentiality and ensuring regulatory compliance, particularly when network connections are unreliable or subject to interception.

Innovation Solution

An inter-app communications architecture that utilizes a URL linking structure and a shared database system to facilitate secure data transitions and distribution between software applications on mobile devices, using public/private key pairs and symmetric encryption to control access and maintain privacy.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Productivity

If continuous glucose monitors transmit data wirelessly to multiple devices, then patient care is enhanced through real-time data access, but data security and patient confidentiality are compromised

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvereal-time data accessVSAvoiddata security
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent introduces an intermediary authentication system that mediates between the glucose monitor and receiving devices. The system uses token-based authentication where a secure token is generated and distributed to authorized devices, acting as a mediator that controls data flow without exposing raw patient data during transmission.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent implements preliminary authentication actions before data transmission occurs. Devices must pre-register and receive authentication credentials in advance, establishing security protocols before actual glucose data is shared, ensuring that only verified devices can access patient information.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

2Reliability

If data is encrypted using public/private key pairs, then patient confidentiality is maintained, but communication complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvepatient confidentialityVSAvoidcommunication complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent uses cryptographic key copying where authentication credentials are securely replicated to authorized devices. Instead of complex real-time key generation, the system pre-distributes encrypted key pairs to trusted devices, simplifying the communication process while maintaining strong encryption standards.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #26Copying

Solution Approach 2:

The patent dynamically changes encryption parameters based on the communication context. Different encryption strengths and protocols are applied depending on the device type, data sensitivity, and transmission medium, optimizing the balance between security and computational complexity for each specific scenario.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

3Adaptability or versatility

If multiple software applications share access to glucose data, then patient care coordination is improved, but data access control becomes more difficult

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvedata sharing capabilityVSAvoidaccess control complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent segments data access rights by creating distinct permission levels for different application types. Instead of uniform access control, the system divides authorization into categories (e.g., read-only for monitoring apps, read-write for treatment apps), simplifying the management of multiple applications while maintaining granular control over data access.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The patent implements a universal authentication framework that works across multiple application types and devices. A single token-based system provides multi-functional access control that can be applied to various healthcare applications without requiring separate authentication mechanisms for each app, reducing overall system complexity.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

4Ease of operation

If data is transmitted over unreliable networks, then device portability and patient mobility are enhanced, but data transmission reliability deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvepatient mobilityVSAvoiddata transmission reliability
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent implements beforehand cushioning by pre-establishing authentication credentials and security tokens on devices before network connectivity is needed. This allows devices to maintain secure data access and synchronization even when network connections are intermittent or unreliable, as the security framework is already in place and does not require continuous network verification.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #11Beforehand cushioning (Prior cushioning)

Data Source

PatentUS20250339616A1Methods for providing an alert or an alarm to a user of a mobile communications device
Publication Date: 2025.11.06 DEXCOM INC
  • US20250339616A1 patent drawing
  • US20250339616A1 patent drawing
  • US20250339616A1 patent drawing

AI summary

Methods, devices and systems are disclosed for inter-app communications between software applications on a mobile communications device. In one aspect, a computer-readable medium on a mobile computing device comprising an inter-application communication data structure to facilitate transitioning and distributing data between software applications in a shared app group for an operating system of the mobile computing device includes a scheme field of the data structure providing a scheme id associated with a target software app to transition to from a source software app, wherein the scheme id is listed on a scheme list stored with the source software app; and a payload field of the data structure providing data and/or an identification where to access data in a shared file system accessible to the software applications in the shared app group, wherein the payload field is encrypted.