Syncing Physiological Data From Implantable Devices
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional implantable medical devices discard or aggregate high-resolution physiological data due to memory and processing limitations, preventing comprehensive analysis and synchronization with external sensors.
Innovation Solution
A system that generates a sync signal to synchronize physiological parameter measurements from implantable medical devices with external sensors, allowing for time-alignment and synchronization of data streams from devices with different sampling rates.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If implantable medical devices take frequent high-resolution physiological measurements, then measurement precision is improved, but memory requirements and processing bandwidth increase beyond device capabilities
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts only the synchronization information from the full physiological data stream. Instead of storing all high-resolution measurements, the system extracts sync signals that indicate timing information, separates this timing data from the full physiological data, and uses it to synchronize external sensor data. This extraction approach preserves measurement precision for analysis while reducing the quantity of data that must be stored and processed within the implantable device.
Solution Approach 2:
The sync signal acts as an intermediary between the implantable medical device and external sensors. Rather than directly storing and processing all physiological data within the device, the system uses the sync signal as a mediator to coordinate timing information with external devices. This intermediary approach allows high-resolution measurements to be taken and analyzed without requiring the implantable device to retain all data in its limited memory.
2Measurement precision
If implantable medical devices perform comprehensive diagnostic analysis, then measurement precision is improved, but processing bandwidth and power consumption increase beyond device capabilities
Solution Approach 1:
The system extracts only the essential synchronization timing information from the physiological data stream for analysis purposes. By separating the sync signal from the full physiological data, the implantable device performs minimal processing locally while preserving the timing information needed for coordinated analysis with external devices. This extraction reduces power consumption by avoiding comprehensive diagnostic analysis within the device's power-constrained environment.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent segments the physiological data processing function between the implantable medical device and external analysis systems. The implantable device captures and transmits data with embedded sync signals, while comprehensive diagnostic analysis is performed externally where greater processing power and memory are available. This segmentation allows high-precision diagnostic analysis without overloading the power-constrained implantable device.
3Adaptability or versatility
If data from multiple sources with different sampling rates are combined, then analysis comprehensiveness is improved, but time alignment precision deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The sync signal serves as a common temporal reference frame that mediates between data streams from multiple sources with different sampling rates. By embedding synchronization information in the physiological data and using this sync signal for coordination with external sensors, the system establishes a shared time reference that enables accurate alignment across heterogeneous data sources. This intermediary timing signal resolves the time alignment precision problem while maintaining multi-source data integration.
Solution Approach 2:
The system changes the temporal parameter representation by embedding synchronization signals within the physiological data streams. This parameter transformation allows different data streams with varying sampling rates to be related through a common sync signal framework. By transforming the timing information into a standardized sync signal format, the system achieves precise time alignment across multiple sources with different original sampling rates.
Data Source
AI summary
A system includes an implantable medical device configured to sense a sync signal and sense physiological parameters to obtain a physiological signal. In response to sensing the sync signal, the implantable medical device is configured to generate a sync-stamped physiological signal. In certain embodiments, a method includes receiving a first physiological signal coupled with a sync signal; receiving a second physiological signal coupled with the sync signal; and, using the sync signal, synchronizing in time the first and second physiological signals.