Medical device notification system

• US 10,300,224 B2
• Filed: 03/27/2018
• Issued: 05/28/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 06/03/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: MicroDose Therapeutx, Inc. (Teva Pharmaceutical Industries Limited)
• Original Assignee: MicroDose Therapeutx, Inc. (Teva Pharmaceutical Industries Limited)
• Inventors: Morrison, Mark Steven
• Primary Examiner(s): Zimmerman, Brian A
• Assistant Examiner(s): Dorsey, Renee
• Application Number:
  US15/937,015
• Publication Number:
  US 20180207373A1
• Time in Patent Office: 427 Days
• Field of Search: None
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 15/0001 Details of inhalators; Constructional features thereof
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/18 with alarm
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/583 by visual feedback
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2230/42 Rate
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 5/36 using visible light sources
• 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: G16H 40/67 for remote operation

Abstract

A system and method for communicating data from a medical device to a lighting device is provided. The system may include the medical device, the lighting device, and/or one or more interface devices. The medical device may be configured to transmit data to the lighting device, which for example, may include information relating to the medical device, dosage information, diagnostic data, medical device training feedback, health monitoring information, and/or air quality information. The lighting device may be configured to receive data from the medical device and control one or more lighting characteristics based on the received data. A characteristic of the light may include one or more of color, color temperature, intensity, flashing or steady-state, on or off, and/or the like. The system may provide for a home based adherence and/or compliance monitoring system, in which a patient'"'"'s interaction with a medical device may be monitored and an alert/indication provided.

Claims

1. A system comprising:

a lighting device comprising a processor and a receiver;

an inhaler comprising a processor, a pressure sensor, and a communication circuit, the communication circuit being configured to wirelessly transmit data to the lighting device; and

an interface device comprising a processor and a communication circuit;

wherein the processor of the inhaler is configured to receive patient inhalation data from the pressure sensor, and send the patient inhalation data to the interface device; and

wherein the processor of the interface device is configured to;

compare the patient inhalation data to target inhalation data, wherein the target inhalation data is representative of a target use of the inhaler by a user; and

send data configured to control a characteristic of light emitted by the lighting device based on the comparison of the patient inhalation data to the target inhalation data.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the interface device comprises one or more of a smartphone, a smart television, a high-definition multimedia interface (HDMI) dongle, a wearable device, a wireless router, a set-top box, or a bridge device.

3. The system of claim 1, further comprising a plurality of lighting devices, wherein the processor of the interface device is configured to:

determine one or more lighting devices of the plurality of lighting devices that are in proximity of a user of the inhaler based on a signal received from at least one of the inhaler or the interface device; and

control a characteristic of light emitted by the one or more lighting devices based on the data received from the interface device.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the processor of the interface device is further configured to:

send, to the lighting device, first data configured to control the light to a first color in response to a determination that a result of the comparison is within a threshold indicative of the target use of the inhaler; and

send, to the lighting device, second data configured to control the light to a second color or to flash the light in response to a determination that the result of the comparison is not within the threshold indicative of the target use of the inhaler.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the characteristic of the light comprises a color of the light, the patient inhalation data comprises an inhalation flow rate of the user of the inhaler, and the target inhalation data comprises a flow rate threshold, and wherein the processor of the interface device is further configured to:

send, to the lighting device, first data configured to control the light to a first color in response to a determination that the inhalation flow rate is equal or greater than the flow rate threshold; and

send, to the lighting device, second data configured to control the light to a second color in response to a determination that the inhalation flow rate is less than the flow rate threshold.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the characteristic of the light comprises a color of the light, the patient inhalation data comprises an inhalation flow rate of the user of the inhaler, and the target inhalation data comprises a flow rate window, and wherein the processor of the interface device is further configured to:

send, to the lighting device, first data configured to control the light to a first color in response to a determination that the inhalation flow rate is within the flow rate window;

send, to the lighting device, second data configured to control the light to a second color in response to a determination that the inhalation flow rate is greater than the flow rate window; and

send, to the lighting device, third data configured to control the light to a third color in response to a determination that the inhalation flow rate is below the flow rate window.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the characteristic of the light comprises an intensity of the light, and the patient inhalation data comprises an inhalation flow rate of the user of the inhaler, and wherein the processor of the interface device is further configured to:

send, to the lighting device, first data configured to control the light to a first intensity of the light in response to a first inhalation flow rate of the user of the inhaler; and

send, to the lighting device, second data configured to control the light to a second intensity of the light in response to a second inhalation flow rate of the user of the inhaler, wherein the first inhalation flow rate is greater than the second inhalation flow rate, and the first intensity of the light is greater than the second intensity of the light.

8. The system of claim 1, further comprising a memory;

wherein the processor of the interface device is further configured to;

store the patient inhalation data in the memory;

analyze the patient inhalation data periodically to determine whether a lung function of the user of the inhaler has deteriorated over time; and

send, to the lighting device, data configured to control the light to flash in response to a determination that the lung function of the user of the inhaler has deteriorated over time.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein the characteristic of the light is at least one of a color of the light, a color temperature of the light, an intensity of the light, whether the light is flashing or in a steady-state, or whether the light is on or off.

10. The system of claim 1, wherein the lighting device is used to provide ambient light.

11. An interface device for communicating with an inhaler and a lighting device, the interface device comprising:

a communication circuit configured to wirelessly transmit data to the lighting device; and

a processor configured to;

receive patient inhalation data from the inhaler;

compare the patient inhalation data to target inhalation data, wherein the target inhalation data is representative of a target use of the inhaler by a user;

send data configured to control a characteristic of light emitted by the lighting device based on the comparison of the patient inhalation data to the target inhalation data.

12. The interface device of claim 11, wherein the interface device comprises one or more of a smartphone, a smart television, a high-definition multimedia interface (HDMI) dongle, a wearable device, a wireless router, a set-top box, or a bridge device.

13. The interface device of claim 11, wherein the processor is further configured to:

send first data configured to control the light to a first color in response to a determination that a result of the comparison is within a threshold indicative of the target use of the inhaler; and

send second data configured to control the light to a second color or to flash the light in response to a determination that the result of the comparison is not within the threshold indicative of the target use of the inhaler.

14. The interface device of claim 11, wherein the characteristic of the light comprises a color of the light, the patient inhalation data comprises an inhalation flow rate of the user of the inhaler, and the target inhalation data comprises a flow rate threshold, and wherein the processor is further configured to:

send first data configured to control the light to a first color in response to a determination that the inhalation flow rate is equal or greater than the flow rate threshold; and

send second data configured to control the light to a second color in response to a determination that the inhalation flow rate is less than the flow rate threshold.

15. The interface device of claim 11, wherein the characteristic of the light comprises a color of the light, the patient inhalation data comprises an inhalation flow rate of the user of the inhaler, and the target inhalation data comprises a flow rate window, and wherein the processor is further configured to:

send first data configured to control the light to a first color in response to a determination that the inhalation flow rate is within the flow rate window;

send second data configured to control the light to a second color in response to a determination that the inhalation flow rate is greater than the flow rate window; and

send third data configured to control the light to a third color in response to a determination that the inhalation flow rate is below the flow rate window.

16. The interface device of claim 11, wherein the characteristic of the light comprises an intensity of the light, and the patient inhalation data comprises an inhalation flow rate of the user of the inhaler, and wherein the processor is further configured to:

send first data configured to control the light to a first intensity of the light in response to a first inhalation flow rate of the user of the inhaler; and

send second data configured to control the light to a second intensity of the light in response to a second inhalation flow rate of the user of the inhaler, wherein the first inhalation flow rate is greater than the second inhalation flow rate, and the first intensity of the light is greater than the second intensity of the light.

17. The interface device of claim 11, further comprising a memory;

wherein the processor is further configured to;

store the patient inhalation data in the memory;

analyze the patient inhalation data periodically to determine whether a lung function of the user of the inhaler has deteriorated over time; and

send data configured to control the light to flash in response to a determination that the lung function of the user of the inhaler has deteriorated over time.

18. The interface device of claim 11, wherein the characteristic of the light is at least one of a color of the light, a color temperature of the light, an intensity of the light, whether the light is flashing or in a steady-state, or whether the light is on or off.

19. A method performed by an interface device that comprises a processor and a communication circuit, the method comprising:

receiving, with the processor of the interface device, patient inhalation data derived via a pressure sensor of an inhaler;

comparing, by the processor of the interface device, the patient inhalation data to target inhalation data, wherein the target inhalation data is representative of a target use of the inhaler by a user; and

sending, via the communication circuit of the interface device to a receiver of a lighting device, data configured to control a characteristic of light emitted by the lighting device based on the comparison of the patient inhalation data to the target inhalation data.

20. The method of claim 19, further comprising:

determining one or more lighting devices that are in proximity of the user of the inhaler based on a signal received from at least one of the inhaler or the interface device; and

controlling the characteristic of light emitted by the one or more lighting devices based on the proximity of the user of the inhaler and based on the data configured to control the characteristic of emitted light.