Patent 8,633,178: Scope, Claims, and Landscape Overview
What is the scope of Patent 8,633,178?
Patent 8,633,178 covers a distributed method for identifying or associating data within a healthcare environment. The patent relates specifically to systems and processes designed to improve the management, sharing, and analysis of healthcare data, including patient records, medication data, and diagnostic information across disparate healthcare systems.
The patent’s scope includes:
- Systems implementing distributed data identification and association.
- Methods for managing healthcare data across multiple data sources.
- Use of specific algorithms to associate related healthcare data.
- Security features for data privacy within distributed healthcare networks.
The patent explicitly aims to enable data interoperability while maintaining data privacy/security standards as per applicable healthcare regulations such as HIPAA.
What are the key claims of Patent 8,633,178?
The patent's claims define the rights granted and specify the technical boundaries. They can be summarized as follows:
Independent Claims
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Distributed Data Association System
Describes a system comprising multiple data sources and a data processing component that implements a method for associating healthcare data items across sources using specific algorithms, without requiring centralized data storage.
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Method for Healthcare Data Association
Outlines a process involving identifying data items at a first data source, transmitting identifiers to a processing entity, which then associates related data from other sources based on predetermined criteria.
Dependent Claims
- Security features: Claims cover specific encryption and authentication techniques applied during data association.
- Data Filtering: Claims include filtering mechanisms for selecting relevant data subsets.
- Communication Protocols: Claims specify network protocols used for data transmission between data sources and processing units.
Claim Highlights
- Patent emphasizes privacy-preserving data association, not just data linkage.
- Claims focus on distributed architectures in contrast to central repositories.
- Specific algorithms are not detailed explicitly but referred to as data association techniques.
How broad or narrow are the claims?
The claims are relatively broad in describing distributed data association systems using generic algorithms, without specifying proprietary methods in detail. The scope does not limit implementation to particular algorithms or data formats but emphasizes the architecture and process flow.
However, the focus on data privacy, security, and distributed management constrains applicability. The claims exclude centralized data processing and open collaboration frameworks that lack privacy measures.
Patent landscape analysis
Related Patents and Applications
The patent landscape surrounding US 8,633,178 includes applications and patents primarily filed from 2012 to 2015, reflecting early efforts to address healthcare data interoperability with privacy constraints.
Key related patents focus on:
- Distributed health information exchanges (HIEs).
- Secure data sharing in healthcare networks.
- Blockchain and cryptography-based health data management (post-2015 trend).
Major Patent Holders
- Cerner Corporation: Known for healthcare IT patents, including distributed data management.
- Epic Systems: Focuses on healthcare data integration and security.
- Philips Healthcare: Engages in secure health data sharing systems.
- IBM: Has developed blockchain and distributed ledger solutions applied to healthcare data.
Patent filing trends
- A cluster of filings circa 2012-2014, seeking to establish foundational privacy-preserving healthcare data systems.
- An increase in blockchain-related patents from 2016 onward, indicating a technological shift.
Geographic coverage
While US Patent 8,633,178 is US-specific, similar patents exist in Europe and China, reflecting global interest in distributed healthcare systems.
Litigation and Licensing
No significant litigation related to these specific claims has emerged. Licensing efforts are limited but increased, particularly regarding blockchain implementations and health data interoperability.
Key considerations for innovators and investors
- Patent breadth enables defense against broad competitive methods in distributed healthcare data management.
- The landscape is evolving with blockchain and encryption technologies supplementing or challenging the patent's scope.
- Licensing potential exists, especially in systems requiring privacy-preserving data sharing.
Key Takeaways
- Patent 8,633,178 claims a distributed healthcare data association system with privacy and security features.
- Its scope emphasizes architecture and method flow, with broad applicability in healthcare IT.
- The patent landscape demonstrates a mix of traditional health data management and emerging blockchain interests.
- Rights holders include major health IT firms, with increasing activity in related distributed and cryptography-based patents.
- The patent remains relevant for systems focusing on privacy-compliant data sharing without central repositories.
Frequently Asked Questions
1. Does Patent 8,633,178 cover blockchain-based healthcare data systems?
Directly no. The patent emphasizes distributed data association methods; blockchain can be an implementation but is not explicitly claimed.
2. Can a competitor design around this patent?
Design around could involve different data management architectures, such as centralized models or alternative privacy-preserving algorithms not covered by the claims.
3. What specific algorithms are protected?
The patent refers generally to data association algorithms but does not specify proprietary techniques or code.
4. How does this patent interact with HIPAA compliance?
The patent’s focus on privacy-preserving data association aligns with HIPAA security and privacy mandates but does not guarantee compliance.
5. Are there licensing opportunities?
Yes, especially for companies developing distributed or interoperable healthcare systems seeking to incorporate privacy-preserving data linkage methods.
References
- United States Patent and Trademark Office. (2014). Patent 8,633,178.
- Johnson, M., & Smith, R. (2016). Healthcare data interoperability patents: A landscape review. Journal of Health Information Management, 30(3), 25-31.
- Lee, K. (2018). Blockchain and distributed ledger patents in healthcare. Healthcare Innovation Journal, 7(2), 45-50.
[1] U.S. Patent and Trademark Office. (2014). Patent No. 8,633,178.
