Wearable Cardioverter Defibrillator Event Logging and Remote Data Transmission
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Solution Overview
Problem
Wearable Cardioverter Defibrillator (WCD) systems face limitations in providing detailed status information to users due to limited storage and connectivity, making it difficult for patients, clinicians, and caregivers to access real-time data and diagnostic insights.
Innovation Solution
The WCD system stores time-stamped event data on local storage devices and communicates it via wired or wireless connections to remote devices, allowing for continuous or periodic logging and transmission of system status, patient rhythms, activity, and alert data, enabling remote monitoring and analysis.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of information
If the WCD system stores detailed time-stamped event data locally, then diagnostic information availability is improved, but device memory capacity is consumed
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts detailed event data from the WCD system's limited local memory and transfers it to an external computing device. The system logs events locally with timestamps and then communicates this data wirelessly to an external device for storage and analysis, effectively removing the storage burden from the wearable device while preserving diagnostic information.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces a wireless communication module as an intermediary between the WCD system and external computing devices. This intermediary enables the transfer of event data from the resource-constrained wearable device to external devices with unlimited storage capacity, resolving the contradiction between local information availability and memory constraints.
2Loss of time
If the WCD system communicates event data wirelessly to remote devices, then real-time monitoring capability is improved, but energy consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements periodic or event-triggered data transmission rather than continuous communication. The system logs events locally with timestamps and transmits data wirelessly only when events occur or at scheduled intervals, reducing energy consumption while still providing timely access to critical information when needed.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent performs preliminary local logging of events with timestamps before wireless transmission. This preliminary action ensures data is captured immediately with accurate timing information, then transmitted later when energy resources are available, balancing real-time monitoring needs with energy conservation.
3Adaptability or versatility
If the WCD system logs multiple types of events continuously, then diagnostic coverage is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a universal event logging mechanism that handles multiple types of events (arrhythmia detections, shocks, alerts, patient interactions) through a single standardized logging system. This multi-functional approach provides comprehensive diagnostic coverage without requiring separate complex systems for each event type, managing complexity while maintaining versatility.
Data Source
AI summary
Methods, apparatus, and systems relating to a Wearable Cardioverter Defibrillator (WCD) system capable of logging event data and/or broadcasting state changes and/or system status information to external clients are described. In an embodiment, a processor stores data corresponding to one or more event markers in memory in response to occurrence of an event. Occurrence of the event is detected based at least in part on detection of one or more parameters by one or more sensors or a signal to be generated by one or more of electrodes of the WCD system. A communication device transmits at least a portion of the stored data to a remote device. A patient condition or a WCD system condition can then be detected based at least in part on analysis of the stored data and/or the transmitted portion of the stored data. Other embodiments are also disclosed and/or claimed.