Wireless Relay Module for Medical Device Data Transmission
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Solution Overview
Problem
Centralized monitoring systems for critical care and home care health service centers face challenges in establishing reliable communication between medical devices and remote monitoring locations, particularly due to limitations in traditional local area networks and the need for secure data transmission across wider areas, as per HIPAA regulations.
Innovation Solution
A wireless relay module that communicates between medical devices via local area networks or personal area networks and remote monitoring devices through internet-accessible wireless wide-area networks, using multiple transceivers and a controller to select the best transmission path based on network accessibility and routing criteria, ensuring secure data transmission via encryption.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If traditional local area networks (WiFi) are used for centralized monitoring, then communication coverage within the facility is sufficient, but network security access and reliability for remote monitoring are inadequate
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a relay module as an intermediary device that bridges the local facility network and remote monitoring locations. The relay module receives data from medical devices via local network, stores it locally, and transmits it to remote monitoring devices when connected to external networks, thereby resolving the contradiction between local network reliability and remote access flexibility
Solution Approach 2:
The system dynamically selects communication pathways based on network availability. The relay module can operate in different modes: direct local network communication when available, wireless transmission when connected to external networks, and local storage when neither is available. This dynamic adaptability resolves the contradiction between fixed network infrastructure and flexible remote access requirements
2Use of energy by moving object
If ZIGBEE networks are used for medical device communication, then power consumption is reduced and device integration is simplified, but transmission range is limited to several hundred feet
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the communication system into two parts: ZIGBEE networks for short-range, low-power communication between medical devices and relay modules within the facility, and external wireless networks (cellular, satellite) for long-range transmission to remote monitoring locations. This segmentation allows each subsystem to operate within its optimal range and power consumption characteristics
Solution Approach 2:
The relay module serves as an intermediary that collects data from low-power ZIGBEE devices and transmits it via higher-power external wireless networks. This intermediary approach allows medical devices to maintain low power consumption while achieving extended transmission range through the relay module's external network connections
3Productivity
If a single off-site centralized monitoring location is established, then monitoring efficiency for multiple geographically-dispersed centers is improved, but communication distance and network reliability requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the monitoring system into distributed relay modules at each facility and a centralized remote monitoring location. Each relay module independently manages local data collection and transmission, allowing the system to scale to multiple geographically-dispersed centers while maintaining reliable communication through standardized protocols and multiple transmission pathways
Solution Approach 2:
The system dynamically adapts to varying communication conditions by selecting appropriate transmission methods (wireless, wired, store-and-forward) based on network availability and reliability. This dynamic approach enables efficient centralized monitoring across multiple locations while maintaining communication reliability under varying conditions
Data Source
AI summary
A wireless relay module for networked communications between a series of medical devices and a remote monitoring device. The relay module communicates with the remote monitoring device over one or more internet-accessible wireless communication networks, and includes a receiver, transmitter for communicating over wireless relay networks, other transmitters for the one or more internet-accessible wireless communications networks; and a controller. The controller determines a status of the one or more internet-accessible wireless communications networks. When the status indicates that at least one of the interne-accessible wireless communications network is available, the appropriate transmitter is selected for the transmitting medical device data over the available internet-accessible wireless communications networks. When internet-accessible wireless communications networks are not accessible, the appropriate wireless relay network transmitter is selected for transmitting the data to another wireless relay module.