Dose measurement system and method

• US 10,258,743 B2
• Filed: 04/03/2017
• Issued: 04/16/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 05/21/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Bigfoot Biomedical, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Common Sensing, Inc.
• Inventors: Whalley, Richard, White, James
• Primary Examiner(s): Stafira, Michael P
• Application Number:
  US15/477,444
• Publication Number:
  US 20180050157A1
• Time in Patent Office: 743 Days
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2005/3126 Specific display means related to dosing
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/14 Detection of the presence or absence of a tube, a connector or a container in an apparatus
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/3306 Optical measuring means
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/3375 Acoustical, e.g. ultrasonic, measuring means
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/3379 Masses, volumes, levels of fluids in reservoirs, flow rates
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/3389 Continuous level detection A61M2205/3393 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/3553 remote, e.g. between patient's home and doctor's office
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/3561 local, e.g. within room or hospital
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/3584 using modem, internet or bluetooth
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/3592 using telemetric means, e.g. radio or optical transmission
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/50 with microprocessors or computers
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/505 Touch-screens; Virtual keyboard or keypads; Virtual buttons; Soft keys; Mouse touches
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/52 with memories providing a history of measured variating parameters of apparatus or patient
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/581 by audible feedback
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/582 by tactile feedback
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/583 by visual feedback
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/702 automatically during use
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/16804 Flow controllers
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/16886 for measuring fluid flow rate, i.e. flowmeters
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/1689 Drip counters
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/24 : Ampoule syringes, i.e. syringes with needle for use in combination with replaceable ampoules or carpules, e.g. automatic ampoules or carpules A61J1/06
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/31 : Details
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/3129 : Syringe barrels A61M5/3205 and A61M5/50 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/31525 : Dosing burettes, pipettes B01L3/02
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/3202 : Devices for protection of the needle before use, e.g. caps A61M5/50 takes precedence; for infusion spikes A61M5/1626; protectors for sharps A61B50/3001
• CPC Class Codes: F04C 2270/041 : Controlled or regulated
• CPC Class Codes: G01F 11/021 : of the piston type G01F11/04 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01F 13/00 : Apparatus for measuring by volume and delivering fluids or fluent solid materials, not provided for in the preceding groups
• CPC Class Codes: G01F 17/00 : Methods or apparatus for determining the capacity of containers or cavities, or the volume of solid bodies measuring linear dimensions to determine volume G01B
• CPC Class Codes: G01F 22/00 : Methods or apparatus for measuring volume of fluids or fluent solid material, not otherwise provided for
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 21/1702 : with opto-acoustic detection, e.g. for gases or analysing solids
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 20/17 : delivered via infusion or injection
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 20/30 : relating to physical therapies or activities, e.g. physiotherapy, acupressure or exercising
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 20/40 : relating to mechanical, radiation or invasive therapies, e.g. surgery, laser therapy, dialysis or acupuncture

Abstract

Embodiments described herein generally relate to devices, systems and methods for measuring the dose remaining in a drug delivery device that is used for delivering a dose to a patient. In some embodiments, a dose measurement system for measuring the liquid volume in a container includes a plurality of light sources which are disposed and configured to emit electromagnetic radiation toward the container. A plurality of sensors are located in the apparatus that are optically coupleable to the plurality of light sources and are disposed and configured to detect the electromagnetic radiation emitted by at least a portion of the light sources. The apparatus also includes a processing unit configured to receive data representing the portion of the detected electromagnetic radiation from each of the plurality of sensors. The processing unit is further operable to convert the received data into a signature representative of the electromagnetic radiation detected by the plurality of sensors.

Claims

1. An apparatus for measuring a volume of liquid remaining in or dispensed from a drug delivery device, comprising:

a light source configured to emit electromagnetic radiation toward a portion of the drug delivery device, the electromagnetic radiation including a plurality of light rays;

a plurality of sensors optically coupleable to the light source, each sensor from the plurality of sensors configured to detect a portion of the plurality of light rays emitted by the light source; and

a processing unit configured to generate a signal signature representative of at least one of a transmitted portion, a refracted portion, and a reflected portion of the detected portion of the plurality of light rays.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the light source is in a first medium having a first refractive index and the first medium is adjacent to a second medium having a second refractive index.

3. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the first medium is air and the second medium is liquid.

4. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the first medium adjoins the second medium on a first side of the second medium and on a second side of the second medium, the second side being opposite to the first side.

5. The apparatus of claim 4, wherein:

a first light ray in the plurality of light rays incident on an interface of the first medium and the first side of the second medium penetrates through the second medium and transmits to the first medium adjoining the second side of the second medium;

a second light ray in the plurality of light rays incident on the interface of the first medium and the first side of the second medium refracts as it penetrates the second medium and reenters the first medium adjoining the second side of the second medium; and

a third light ray in the plurality of light rays incident on the interface of the first medium and the first side of the second medium reflects back into the first medium adjoining the first side of the second medium.

6. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein the signal signature is representative of the transmitted portion of the first light ray, the refracted portion of the second light ray, and the reflected portion of the third light ray.

7. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein a fourth ray in the plurality of light rays incident on the interface of the first medium and the first side of the second medium refracts in the second medium and reflects from a surface in the second medium back into the second medium and reenters the first medium adjoining the second side of the second medium.

9. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the light source includes at least one wide angle light source.

10. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the at least one wide angle light source includes a plurality of adjacent wide angle light sources wherein at least a first portion of the electromagnetic radiation emitted by a first wide angle light source in the plurality of adjacent wide angle light sources overlaps with at least a second portion of the electromagnetic radiation emitted by a second wide angle light source in the plurality of adjacent wide angle light sources.

11. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the drug delivery device is an injection pen.

8. The apparatus of 50, wherein the signal signature is representative of the transmitted portion of the first light ray, the refracted portion of the second light ray, the reflected portion of the third light ray, and the reentered portion of the fourth light ray into the signal signature.

12. An apparatus for measuring a volume of liquid remaining in or dispensed from a drug delivery device, comprising:

a light source configured to emit electromagnetic radiation toward a portion of the drug delivery device, the electromagnetic radiation including a plurality of light rays;

a plurality of sensors optically coupleable to the light source and configured to detect a transmitted portion, a refracted portion, and a reflected portion of the plurality of light rays emitted by the light source; and

a processing unit configured to generate a signal signature representative of the transmitted portion, the refracted portion, and the reflected portion of the plurality of light rays detected by the plurality of sensors.

13. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein the light source is in a first medium having a first refractive index and the first medium is adjacent to a second medium having a second refractive index.

14. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein the first medium is air and the second medium is liquid.

15. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein the first medium adjoins the second medium on a first side of the second medium and on a second side of the second medium, the second side being opposite to the first side.

16. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein:

a first light ray in the plurality of light rays incident on an interface of the first medium and the first side of the second medium penetrates through the second medium and transmits to the first medium adjoining the second side of the second medium;

a second light ray in the plurality of light rays incident on the interface of the first medium and the first side of the second medium refracts as it penetrates the second medium and reenters the first medium adjoining the second side of the second medium; and

a third light ray in the plurality of light rays incident on the interface of the first medium and the first side of the second medium reflects back into the first medium adjoining the first side of the second medium.

17. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein the signal signature is representative of the transmitted portion of the first light ray, the refracted portion of the second light ray, and the reflected portion of the third light ray.

18. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein a fourth ray in the plurality of light rays incident on the interface of the first medium and the first side of the second medium refracts in the second medium and reflects from a surface in the second medium back into the second medium and reenters the first medium adjoining the second side of the second medium.

20. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein the drug delivery device is an injection pen.

19. The apparatus of 71, wherein the signal signature is representative of the transmitted portion of the first light ray, the refracted portion of the second light ray, the reflected portion of the third light ray, and the reentered portion of the fourth light ray into the signal signature.