Touch Panel Bed Control to Prevent Accidental Medical Device Activation

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing medical devices, such as X-ray imaging devices and radiotherapy systems, are often controlled via physical buttons which are prone to sticking or accidental activation, posing safety concerns for patients and operators.

Innovation Solution

A system using a touch panel to control medical devices, including a patient bed and radiation source, where gestures on the panel determine movement and radiation parameters, overcoming the limitations of physical buttons by ensuring safe and reliable control.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of operation

If physical buttons are used to control medical devices, then the control interface is simple and easy to operate, but the reliability deteriorates due to sticking or accidental activation

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecontrol interface simplicityVSAvoidcontrol accuracy

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent replaces the mechanical button system with a touch panel system that uses capacitive sensing technology. The touch panel detects gestures through electrical field changes rather than mechanical contact, eliminating the sticking issue inherent in physical buttons while maintaining ease of operation through intuitive touch interactions.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent changes the operating parameters from mechanical contact (button pressing) to capacitive gesture detection. By detecting parameters such as touch position, pressure, and gesture patterns on the touch panel, the system achieves more reliable control while maintaining operational simplicity.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

2Device complexity

If physical buttons are used to control medical devices, then the device complexity is low, but the safety deteriorates due to accidental activation

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecontrol system complexityVSAvoidaccidental activation risk

Core Design Contradiction:

Device complexityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The patent replaces the simple mechanical button system with a capacitive touch panel system. This substitution increases device complexity slightly but dramatically reduces accidental activation by using gesture recognition and touch pattern analysis to distinguish between intentional and accidental inputs.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

Solution Approach 2:

The touch panel system incorporates feedback mechanisms that detect touch duration, pressure levels, and gesture patterns. This feedback allows the system to verify user intent before executing commands, preventing accidental activation while maintaining acceptable system complexity.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #23Feedback

3Reliability

If a touch panel is used to control medical devices, then the reliability improves by eliminating button sticking, but the device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecontrol accuracyVSAvoidcontrol system complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The touch panel serves multiple functions: it provides the control interface, detects user gestures, determines touch patterns, and executes commands. By consolidating these functions into a single multi-functional component, the patent achieves high reliability without proportionally increasing device complexity.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent replaces complex mechanical button assemblies with a single capacitive touch panel that handles all control functions through electrical field detection and gesture recognition, achieving reliability improvement with minimal complexity increase.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

4Ease of repair

If physical buttons are used to control medical devices, then the ease of repair is high, but the safety deteriorates due to frequent sticking

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecomponent maintainabilityVSAvoidcontrol accuracy

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of repairVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent replaces mechanical buttons that require physical repair with a capacitive touch panel that has no moving parts. This eliminates sticking issues entirely while maintaining ease of repair through software-based solutions rather than hardware replacement.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

Data Source

PatentUS12472115B2Systems and methods for controlling medical devices

Publication Date: 2025.11.18 SHANGHAI UNITED IMAGING HEALTHCARE

AI summary

The present disclosure is related to systems and methods for controlling a patient bed of a medical device. A method includes determining whether a first gesture on the touch panel satisfies a first trigger condition; in response to determining that the first gesture satisfies the first trigger condition, generating instructions for causing at least one icon to be displayed on the touch panel, the at least one icon being configured to control the movement of the patient bed; and determining at least one movement parameter of the patient bed based at least on a second gesture directed to the at least one icon.