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Publication Number
US-10854325-B2
Publication Date
2020-12-01
Expiration Date
Abstract
A system and method for processing instructions sent wirelessly between a control master unit and a slave device comprising a slave device memory is disclosed. The control master unit transmits an instruction to the slave device. The slave device writes the received instruction to the slave device memory; reads a stored instruction, corresponding to the instruction written to the memory, from the memory; and transmits the stored instruction to the control master unit. The control master unit compares the stored instruction to the instruction and, if the stored instruction is the same as the instruction, enables a process instruction to be sent to the slave device. In response to receiving the process instruction, the slave device processes the stored instruction.
Core Innovation
A wireless control scheme is provided between a control master unit and a slave therapy delivery device. The control master unit transmits a wireless command signal containing a command instruction to the slave device, and the slave device stores the command in its memory as a stored instruction. The slave device stores only a single instruction in the slave device memory at any one time, with later command instructions overwriting earlier stored instructions.
After the command instruction is written to the slave device memory, the slave device reads the stored instruction and transmits a wireless response signal back to the control master unit containing the stored instruction. The control master unit compares the stored instruction to the command instruction that was originally transmitted. A process instruction is sent to the slave device only if the stored instruction is the same as the command instruction, thereby preventing corrupted or incorrect commands from being executed.
The described scheme emphasizes low-complexity operation for the slave device by using single-instruction memory storage and an echoed stored instruction for comparison, rather than handshaking. Optional user-confirmation gating is described, where user input is requested and an affirmative user input is used as part of controlling whether the process instruction is sent. Optional near-field radio-frequency communication is also described for the wireless communication between the control master unit and the slave device, including examples such as BLUETOOTH.
Claims Coverage
The patent includes two independent claims, a system claim and a method claim, that both center on a wireless master/slave command echo-and-compare scheme using single-instruction storage and conditional process instruction sending.
Wireless master/slave command echo-and-compare with conditional processing
Transmit a wireless command signal containing a command instruction from a control master unit to a slave device; write the command instruction to slave device memory to create a stored instruction while storing only a single instruction at any one time with overwrite; read the stored instruction; transmit a wireless response signal containing the stored instruction back to the control master unit; compare the stored instruction to the command instruction; and send a process instruction only if the stored instruction is the same as the command instruction.
Wireless method using single-instruction slave memory and conditional process instruction
Transmit, from a control master unit to a slave device, a wireless command signal containing a command instruction; at the slave device, write the command instruction to the slave device memory to create a stored instruction while storing only a single instruction at any one time with overwrite; read the stored instruction; transmit a wireless response signal containing the stored instruction to the control master unit; at the control master unit, compare the stored instruction to the command instruction; and only if the stored instruction is the same as the command instruction, send a process instruction to the slave device.
Across both independent claims, the core inventive concept is that the slave device stores only one command instruction at a time in its memory, echoes the stored instruction back to the master, and the master conditionally sends a process instruction only when the echoed stored instruction matches the originally transmitted command instruction.
Stated Advantages
Only sends a process instruction if the stored instruction is the same as the command instruction, preventing corrupted or incorrect commands from being executed.
Low-complexity operation for the slave device by using single-instruction memory storage and an echoed stored instruction for comparison, rather than handshaking.
Documented Applications
Wireless control of a wearable insulin infusion pump as a slave therapy delivery device controlled by a control master unit.
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