Wireless Patient Identification Device for Automatic Medical Network Association

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Solution Overview

Problem

Wireless patient point-of-care networks face challenges in identifying and associating medical devices with patients, particularly in high-stress environments like emergency rooms, due to the complexity of establishing and modifying these networks, and the risk of human error in manual identification methods.

Innovation Solution

A wireless patient point-of-care network is established using a patient identification device with a wireless communication interface that associates medical devices with patients, automating the setup and management of medical services, and providing a secure link between device data and patient records.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If manual identification methods are used to associate wireless medical devices with patients, then device association can be established, but human error increases and setup delays occur

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvedevice association accuracyVSAvoidnetwork setup time

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The system enables automatic device association through self-service mechanisms where medical devices automatically connect to the wireless network and associate with patient records without requiring manual intervention. The device autonomously performs network discovery, authentication, and data binding operations, eliminating human error while reducing setup time.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #25Self-service

Solution Approach 2:

The system performs preliminary actions by pre-configuring network parameters, authentication credentials, and association protocols in the medical devices before they are deployed at the patient bedside. This preliminary setup enables rapid automatic association when the device is activated, eliminating the need for manual configuration during time-critical patient care situations.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

2Productivity

If wireless patient point-of-care networks are established rapidly in high-stress environments, then patient care response time improves, but network setup complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvepatient care response speedVSAvoidnetwork setup complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The system extracts and separates the complex network setup procedures from the rapid device deployment process. Network configuration, authentication, and association protocols are extracted as pre-configured automated functions, allowing medical staff to simply activate devices without dealing with network complexity during patient care situations.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

The system implements universal network protocols and standardized association procedures that work across all medical devices in the network. This multi-functionality allows a single automated association mechanism to handle diverse device types (monitors, pumps, sensors) uniformly, reducing setup complexity while maintaining rapid deployment capability.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

3Ease of operation

If wireless communication is used to eliminate wires and improve patient mobility, then patient accessibility improves, but device identification and network establishment become more difficult

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvepatient accessibilityVSAvoiddevice identification difficulty

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSDifficulty of detecting and measuring

Solution Approach 1:

The system introduces an intermediary wireless communication layer with standardized protocols that mediates between physical device presence and logical network association. The intermediary protocol handles wireless signal detection, device identification, and network binding automatically, making the invisible wireless connections as manageable as traditional wired connections while preserving patient mobility benefits.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Data Source

PatentUS8058986B2Method for automatic association devices to a patient and concurrent creation of a patient record

Publication Date: 2011.11.15 KONINKLIJKE PHILIPS NV

AI summary

A wireless patient point-of-care network (20) includes a plurality of medical devices (22, 24, 26) each with a wireless communication interface (46). Each medical device is configured to provide at least one medical service to a patient. A patient identification device (28) is associated with the patient. The patient identification device includes a wireless communication interface (46′, 70) in communication with the wireless communication interfaces (46) of the medical devices. The patient identification device (28) performs a patient identification service that wirelessly associates the medical devices (22, 24, 26) with the patient.