Ventilator Display Segmentation for Usability

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Solution Overview

Problem

Medical ventilators with small displays face challenges in setup, configuration, and viewing current status due to limited display capabilities, making them difficult to use effectively.

Innovation Solution

A medical ventilator system with a touch-sensitive display and a controller that enables a larger remote display via a unitary display coupler, providing power, video, and control signals, and generating different graphical user interfaces for local and remote displays based on coupling status.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Weight of stationary object

If a small display is used in the medical ventilator, then the size and weight of the ventilator are reduced, but the display capability and ease of operation deteriorate

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveweight of ventilatorVSAvoidease of setup and configuration
Core Design Contradiction:
Weight of stationary objectVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The display system is segmented into two independent parts: a small local display integrated into the ventilator for portability, and a separate remote display device that can be connected when needed. This allows the ventilator to maintain its lightweight design while providing access to a larger display interface for setup and monitoring operations.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

A display interface with a unitary display coupler acts as an intermediary between the ventilator controller and the remote display device. This intermediary component enables communication and data transfer between the two displays, allowing the small local display to function as a remote display when the larger remote display is not available.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Weight of stationary object

If a small display is used in the medical ventilator, then the size and weight of the ventilator are reduced, but the ability to view current status deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveweight of ventilatorVSAvoidvisibility of ventilator status
Core Design Contradiction:
Weight of stationary objectVSLoss of information

Solution Approach 1:

The display system is segmented into two independent parts: a small local display integrated into the ventilator for portability, and a separate remote display device that can be connected when needed. This allows the ventilator to maintain its lightweight design while providing access to a larger display interface for setup and monitoring operations.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

3Device complexity

If a small display is used in the medical ventilator, then the device complexity is reduced, but the productivity deteriorates due to time consumption

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecomplexity of display systemVSAvoidspeed of setup and configuration
Core Design Contradiction:
Device complexityVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The display system is segmented into two independent parts: a small local display integrated into the ventilator for portability, and a separate remote display device that can be connected when needed. This allows the ventilator to maintain its lightweight design while providing access to a larger display interface for setup and monitoring operations.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The controller is pre-configured with the capability to detect and communicate with remote display devices, and the display interface is pre-established with a unitary coupler. When a remote display becomes available, the system can quickly switch to using it without requiring complex reconfiguration, thus improving setup speed.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

4Ease of manufacture

If a small display is used in the medical ventilator, then the manufacturing cost is reduced, but the adaptability deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvemanufacturing simplicityVSAvoidadaptability to different display configurations
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of manufactureVSAdaptability or versatility

Solution Approach 1:

The display interface is designed with universal functionality to work with both the integrated local display and external remote display devices. The controller can detect the presence of a remote display and automatically adapt its output, and the unitary display coupler provides a universal connection interface that accepts various display devices, making the system versatile without requiring complex manufacturing.

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

Data Source

PatentUS10950342B2Portable medical support system with ancillary viewing mode and method of operation thereof
Publication Date: 2021.03.16 KONINKLIJKE PHILIPS NV
  • US10950342B2 patent drawing
  • US10950342B2 patent drawing
  • US10950342B2 patent drawing

AI summary

A medical ventilator (100, 200) including a first user interface (114) having a touch-sensitive display having a display area; and at least one controller (104) which determines whether a second user interface (122, 222) having a touch-sensitive display is coupled to the medical ventilator, enables the first user interface when it is determined that the second user interface is not coupled to the medical ventilator, and enables the second user interface when it is determined that the second user interface is coupled to the medical ventilator.