Systems and devices for controlling delivery of breast milk supplementation

• US 10,290,372 B2
• Filed: 03/30/2015
• Issued: 05/14/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 03/30/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Elwha LLC (Intellectual Ventures LLC)
• Original Assignee: Elwha LLC (Intellectual Ventures LLC)
• Inventors: Chin, Hon Wah, Hyde, Roderick A., Sweeney, Elizabeth A., Wood, Jr., Lowell L.
• Primary Examiner(s): Farrar, Lauren P
• Application Number:
  US14/673,437
• Publication Number:
  US 20160288983A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,506 Days
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 10/0051 for taking saliva or sputum samples devices for receiving spittle A61J9/00
• CPC Class Codes: A61J 11/0005 having additional ports, e.g. for connecting syringes or straws devices for administering medicines orally A61J7/00
• CPC Class Codes: A61J 13/00 Breast-nipple shields breast-pumps A61M1/06
• CPC Class Codes: A61J 15/0011 Feeding-tubes for delivery of nourishment to the mouth; Mouth pieces therefor breast-nipple shields A61J13/00; mouth pieces for drinking straws A47G21/185; straws to take medicine A61J7/0038, mouthpieces for tracheal tubes A61M16/0488
• CPC Class Codes: A61J 2200/30 Compliance analysis for taking medication
• CPC Class Codes: A61J 2200/42 Heating means
• CPC Class Codes: A61J 2200/60 biodegradable
• CPC Class Codes: A61J 2200/70 Device provided with specific sensor or indicating means
• CPC Class Codes: A61J 2200/74 for weight
• CPC Class Codes: A61J 7/0015 Devices specially adapted for taking medicines
• CPC Class Codes: A61J 7/0053 Syringes, pipettes or oral dispensers
• CPC Class Codes: A61J 7/0076 Medicament distribution means with pill counting devices A61J7/02; with time indication A61J7/04; containers or packages with special means for dispensing contents B65D83/00
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 20/10 relating to drugs or medications, e.g. for ensuring correct administration to patients
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 20/13 delivered from dispensers
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 40/63 for local operation
• CPC Class Codes: Y02A 90/10 Information and communication technologies [ICT] supporting adaptation to climate change, e.g. for weather forecasting or climate simulation

Abstract

Devices for controlling delivery of a breast milk supplement are described which include a housing sized for placement on a surface near a breast region of a lactating female, the housing including one or more supplement reservoirs, at least one of the supplement reservoirs including a port with a controllable valve, a data storage component including a breast milk supplement regimen, and a control unit including a microprocessor and circuitry, the control unit operably coupled to the data storage component and to the controllable valve, the circuitry including actuation circuitry configured to actuate the controllable valve based on the breast milk supplement regimen; and at least one delivery tube having a first end and a second end, the first end of the at least one delivery tube in fluid communication with the port, the second end of the at least one delivery tube configured for placement in proximity to a nipple of the lactating female.

Claims

1. A breast milk supplement delivery device comprising:

a housing including

one or more supplement reservoirs adapted to contain one or more breast milk supplements, at least one of the one or more supplement reservoirs including a port with a controllable valve; and

a control unit including a microprocessor and circuitry, the control unit operably coupled to the controllable valve of the at least one of the one or more supplement reservoirs, the circuitry including actuation circuitry configured to actuate the controllable valve of the at least one of the one or more supplement reservoirs;

a flexible delivery tube including a first end and a second end, the first end of the flexible delivery tube in fluid communication with the port, the second end of the flexible delivery tube configured for placement in proximity to a nipple of a lactating female; and

at least one analyte sensor associated with the second end of the flexible delivery tube configured for placement in proximity to the nipple of the lactating female and operably coupled to the control unit, wherein the at least one analyte sensor is configured to measure at least one analyte during a breastfeeding event, and wherein the control unit includes circuitry configured to receive measured analyte information from the at least one analyte sensor;

wherein the actuation circuitry includes circuitry configured to actuate the controllable valve of the at least one of the one or more supplement reservoirs in response to the received measured analyte information.

2. The device of claim 1, wherein the housing is sized for at least one of placement in an article of clothing or placement on an article of clothing.

3. The device of claim 1, wherein the housing includes an adhesive on at least one surface conforming to a surface near a breast region of the lactating female.

4. The device of claim 1, wherein the controllable valve includes an actuator, the actuator operably coupled to the actuation circuitry.

5. The device of claim 4, wherein the actuator includes at least one of a pneumatic actuator, a hydraulic actuator, a magnetic actuator, or an electric actuator.

6. The device of claim 1, wherein the at least one analyte sensor associated with the second end of the flexible delivery tube includes a saliva analyte sensor.

7. The device of claim 1, wherein the at least one analyte sensor associated with the second end of the flexible delivery tube includes a breast milk analyte sensor.

8. The device of claim 1, wherein the at least one analyte sensor associated with the second end of the flexible delivery tube includes an exhaled breath analyte sensor configured to sense at least one exhaled breath analyte.

9. The device of claim 1, wherein the at least one analyte sensor is configured to sense at least one of a lipid, a protein, an oligosaccharide, a fatty acid, a carbohydrate, a nutrient, a micronutrient, a vitamin, an amino acid, a mineral, or a nucleotide.

10. The device of claim 1, wherein the at least one analyte sensor is configured to sense a microorganism.

11. The device of claim 1, further comprising:

a data storage component including a stored breast milk supplement regimen.

12. The device of claim 11, wherein the stored breast milk supplement regimen is adjustable in response to the sensed analyte information.

13. The device of claim 11, wherein the actuation circuitry includes circuitry configured to actuate the controllable valve of at least one of the one or more supplement reservoirs based on the stored breast milk supplement regimen.

14. The device of claim 1, further comprising:

at least one delivery event sensor.

15. The device of claim 1, wherein the control unit includes delivery event circuitry configured to receive information associated with a delivery event from at least one delivery event sensor, and reporting circuitry configured to report the delivery event.

16. The device of claim 15, wherein the reporting circuitry includes circuitry configured to report the delivery event to at least one of a computing device, a personal electronic device, or a user interface.

17. The device of claim 1, further comprising:

a transmission unit including circuitry and at least one antenna, wherein the transmission unit is operably coupled to the control unit.

18. The device of claim 17, wherein the transmission unit is configured to transmit one or more signals having information associated with a delivery event.

19. The device of claim 1, further comprising an infant presence detector, wherein the infant presence detector is configured to detect the presence or absence of an infant in proximity to the breast milk supplement delivery device and to provide an infant presence signal to the control unit;

and wherein the actuation circuitry of the control unit is configured to actuate the controllable valve of the at least one of the one or more supplement reservoirs based on the infant presence signal.

20. A breast milk supplement delivery device comprising:

a housing sized for placement on a surface near a breast region of a lactating female, the housing including

one or more supplement reservoirs adapted to contain one or more breast milk supplements, at least one of the one or more supplement reservoirs including a port with a controllable valve;

a control unit including a microprocessor and circuitry, the control unit operably coupled to the controllable valve of the at least one of the one or more supplement reservoirs, the circuitry including actuation circuitry configured to actuate the controllable valve of the at least one of the one or more supplement reservoirs;

a data storage component operably coupled to the control unit; and

a breast milk supplement regimen stored in the data storage component the breast milk supplement regimen personalized based on a nutritional need of a nursing infant and including dosage, timing, and composition of the one or more breast milk supplements;

a flexible delivery tube including a first end and a second end, the first end of the flexible delivery tube in fluid communication with the port of the at least one of the one or more supplement reservoirs, the second end of the flexible delivery tube configured for placement in proximity to a nipple of a lactating female; and

at least one exhaled breath analyte sensor associated with the second end of the flexible delivery tube configured for placement in proximity to the nipple of the lactating female and operably coupled to the control unit, wherein the at least one exhaled breath analyte sensor is configured to measure at least one exhaled breath analyte of the nursing infant during a breastfeeding event,

wherein the control unit includes circuitry configured to receive measured exhaled breath analyte information from the at least one exhaled breath analyte sensor,

wherein the breast milk supplement regimen is adjustable in response to the received measured exhaled breath analyte information, and

wherein the actuation circuitry includes circuitry configured to actuate the controllable valve of the at least one of the one or more supplement reservoirs in response to the adjusted personalized breast milk supplement regimen and the received measured exhaled breath analyte information.

21. A breast milk supplement delivery device comprising:

a housing including

one or more supplement reservoirs adapted to contain one or more breast milk supplements;

at least one of the one or more supplement reservoirs including a port with a controllable valve;

a control unit including a microprocessor and circuitry, the control unit operably coupled to the controllable valve of the at least one of the one or more supplement reservoirs, the circuitry including actuation circuitry configured to actuate the controllable valve of the at least one of the one or more supplement reservoirs;

a data storage component operably coupled to the control unit;

a breast milk supplement regimen stored in the data storage component, the breast milk supplement regimen personalized based on a nutritional need of an infant and including dosage, timing, and composition of the one or more breast milk supplements;

a flexible delivery tube including a first end and a second end, the first end of the flexible delivery tube in fluid communication with the port, the second end of the flexible delivery tube configured for placement in proximity to a nipple of a lactating female; and

at least one analyte sensor associated with the second end of the flexible delivery tube configured for placement in proximity to the nipple of the lactating female and operably coupled to the control unit, wherein the at least one analyte sensor is configured to measure at least one analyte of the infant during a breastfeeding event;

wherein the control unit includes circuitry configured to receive measured analyte information of the infant during the breast feeding event from the at least one analyte sensor;

wherein the control unit includes circuitry configured to modify at least one of the dosage, timing, and composition of the personalized breast milk supplement regimen in response to the received measured analyte information of the infant during the breast feeding event; and

wherein the actuation circuitry includes circuitry configured to actuate the controllable valve of the at least one of the one or more supplement reservoirs in response to the modified personalized breast milk supplement regimen.