Smartphone Relay for Medical Device Alarm Detection
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Solution Overview
Problem
Medical device alarms often go unnoticed by caregivers who are not physically present near the device, particularly at night when they are asleep in a separate room from the patient or medical device, necessitating a system to remotely alert caregivers to alarm conditions.
Innovation Solution
A system and method that utilizes a relay device, such as a smartphone application, to detect medical device alarms through sensors and transmit alerts to a remote caregiver device, allowing for wireless communication of alarm patterns and sequences without direct electrical interconnection with the medical device.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the caregiver is physically present near the medical device to monitor alarms, then alarm detection reliability is improved, but the caregiver cannot perform other activities such as sleeping in a separate room
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a relay device as an intermediary between the medical device and the caregiver. The relay device detects alarms from the medical device and transmits them wirelessly to the caregiver's mobile device, enabling remote monitoring without requiring the caregiver to be physically present at the medical device location.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces the mechanical presence requirement with a wireless communication system. Instead of requiring the caregiver to be physically near the medical device to hear alarms, the system uses wireless transmission (cellular, WiFi, Bluetooth) to deliver alarm notifications to the caregiver's mobile device, substituting physical proximity with electronic communication.
2Ease of operation
If the caregiver sleeps in a separate room from the medical device, then ease of operation is improved, but alarm detection capability deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The relay device serves as a mediator that bridges the physical separation between the caregiver and the medical device. It captures alarm signals from the medical device and relays them wirelessly to the caregiver's device, enabling the caregiver to monitor alarms while sleeping in a different location.
Solution Approach 2:
The system transitions from one-dimensional physical proximity monitoring to multi-dimensional remote monitoring. Instead of requiring the caregiver to be in the same physical space as the medical device, the system uses wireless communication to transmit alarm information across spatial dimensions, allowing the caregiver to be located in a completely different room or even building.
3Ease of operation
If a relay device is introduced to transmit alarms remotely, then ease of operation is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs a universal relay device that can function with multiple types of medical devices through different alarm detection methods (acoustic sensors for audible alarms, vibration sensors for tactile alarms, visual sensors for flashing lights). The same relay device can also communicate with various mobile devices through different wireless protocols (cellular, WiFi, Bluetooth), reducing the need for multiple specialized devices.
Solution Approach 2:
The relay device automatically detects alarm patterns, identifies the alarm source, and transmits notifications without requiring manual intervention. The system self-configures by learning alarm characteristics from the medical device and autonomously manages the alarm relay process, reducing the operational burden on the caregiver.
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
Enables effective remote notification of medical device alarms to caregivers, ensuring timely attention to patient conditions without requiring the caregiver to be physically near the medical device, thereby improving safety and responsiveness.
Implementation Method 1
The relay device can then detect one or more of an audible, visual or tactile alarm from the medical device through corresponding devices or sensors in the relay device
Implementation Method 2
The relay device can then detect one or more of an audible, visual or tactile alarm from the medical device through corresponding devices or sensors in the relay device
Implementation Method 3
The relay device can then detect one or more of an audible, visual or tactile alarm from the medical device through corresponding devices or sensors in the relay device
Data Source
AI summary
A system and method provide for relaying a medical device alarm to a remote location without having a device electrically interconnected with the medical device. The system includes a relay device having software that can store specific alarm patterns or sequences for one or more alarms for a medical device. The relay device can then detect one or more of an audible, visual or tactile alarm from the medical device through corresponding devices or sensors in the relay device. Upon detection of an alarm, the relay device can transmit information pertaining to the alarm to a remote device to notify a user of the remote device of the medical device alarm.