NEBULIZER OPTIMAL FOR PATIENT AT HOME CARE

• US 20080004540A1
• Filed: 09/11/2007
• Published: 01/03/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 11/27/2001
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Omron Corporation
• Original Assignee: Omron Corporation
• Inventors: Nakao, Osamu, Ishida, Tomoya, Takizawa, Koichi, Tanaka, Koichi
• Application Number:
  US11/853,607
• Publication Number:
  US 20080004540A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 600/529
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 15/00 Inhalators drug delivery in endotracheal tubes A61M16/04
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 15/008 Electronic counters
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 15/0081 Locking means
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 16/161 with means for measuring the humidity
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2016/0027 pressure meter
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2016/0042 in the expiratory circuit
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/3368 Temperature
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/3382 Upper level detectors
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/3386 Low level detectors
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/3553 remote, e.g. between patient's home and doctor's office
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/52 with memories providing a history of measured variating parameters of apparatus or patient
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/6063 Optical identification systems
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/6072 Bar codes
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 20/10 relating to drugs or medications, e.g. for ensuring correct administration to patients
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 40/67 for remote operation

Abstract

A nebulizer includes a peak flow meter measuring the respiratory function of a patient and a nebulizer as an inhaler of a liquid medicine. The patient blows in the breath from a peak flow meter blow-in section of the nebulizer into the peak flow meter to measure the respiratory function. Further, the patient inhales the liquid medicine in a liquid medicine bottle inserted into a liquid medicine bottle insert opening from a nebulizer inhale opening. Simultaneously, outer air measurement is performed with a temperature sensor and a humidity sensor of the nebulizer. Such measurement data and inhale recording data are transmitted to a server from an external connection. Thus, a health site of the patient based on the data is opened on a network. The patient can obtain appropriate advice from a doctor, and a liquid medicine supply from a service provider at appropriate timing.

Claims

1. A nebulizer, comprising:

a treatment section for turning a medicine into nebulized particles and for spraying the particles;

a measuring section for measuring respiratory function of a patient; and

a display section for displaying, in one window, treatment record data from said treatment section and measurement result data from said measuring section.

2. The nebulizer according to claim 1, further comprising

an outer air measuring section for measuring at least one of temperature, humidity and atmospheric pressure.

3. The nebulizer according to claim 2, further comprising

a memory section for storing at least one of treatment record data from said treatment section, measurement result data from said measuring section, and outer air measurement result data from said outer air measuring section.

4. The nebulizer according to claim 3, wherein said memory section appends a patient identifier identifying said patient to at least one of treatment record data from said treatment section, measurement result data from said measuring section, and outer air measurement result data from said outer air measuring section and stores the data.

5. The nebulizer according to claim 3, wherein said memory section stores data with a memory device detachable from said nebulizer.

6. The nebulizer according to claim 5, wherein said memory device is an IC card.

7. The nebulizer according to claim 2, further comprising

a transmitting section for transmitting at least one of treatment record data from said treatment section, measurement result data from said measuring section, and outer air measurement result data from said outer air measuring section.

8. The nebulizer according to claim 7, wherein said transmitting section appends a patient identifier identifying said patient to at least one of treatment record data from said treatment section, measurement result data from said measuring section, and outer air measurement result data from said outer air measuring section and transmits the data.

9. The nebulizer according to claim 7, wherein said transmitting section appends a nebulizer identifier identifying the nebulizer to at least one of treatment record data from said treatment section, measurement result data from said measuring section, and outer air measurement result data from said outer air measuring section and transmits the data.

10. The nebulizer according to claim 1, further comprising

a medicine identifying section for reading information of said medicine encoded and attached to a container of said medicine, using either one of optical means or magnetic means.

11. The nebulizer according to claim 10, wherein said information of said medicine encoded and attached to said medicine container is a bar code.

12. The nebulizer according to claim 1, further comprising

a medicine amount detecting section for detecting amount of said medicine in said medicine container.

13. The nebulizer according to claim 12, wherein said medicine amount detecting section detects amount of said medicine in said medicine container by optical means.

14. A server, comprising:

a receiving section for receiving information from a nebulizer; and

a storage section for storing said received information;

wherein

said nebulizer includes

a treatment section turning medicine into nebulized particles for spraying,

a measuring section measuring respiratory function of a patient, and

a transmitting section transmitting at least one of treatment record data from said treatment section, measurement result data from said measuring section, and outer air measurement result data from an outer air measuring section measuring at least one of temperature, humidity and atmospheric pressure,

said transmitting section of said nebulizer being configured to transmit said information to said receiving section of the server.

15. The server according to claim 14, further comprising:

an operating section for performing operating process on said stored information; and

a window creating section for creating window data corresponding to at least one of a patient identifier identifying said patient and a nebulizer identifier identifying said nebulizer based on said stored information and said information performed with operating process.

16. The server according to claim 15, further comprising:

a memory section for storing a password of a user allowed to browse said window;

an authenticating section for authenticating the password referring to said memory section;

an accepting section for accepting a browsing request of said window specifying at least one of said patient identifier and said nebulizer identifier as a condition, and the password of the user requesting browsing of said window, from a processing device with a transmission function; and

a display section for displaying window data corresponding to said specified condition on said processing device when said accepted password is authenticated at said authenticating section.

17. The server according to claim 16, further comprising:

a write accepting section for accepting, from processing device, writing of comment information by a user allowed to browse said display section addressed for a prescribed user;

wherein

said display section displays said comment information accepted at said write accepting section on said processing device, when a request for browsing said window of said prescribed user is accepted at said accepting section from processing section.

18. The server according to claim 14, further comprising:

a memory section for storing use period of said nebulizer for each nebulizer identifier; and

a charging section for charging usage fee to said patient using said nebulizer when the utilization period of said nebulizer reaches prescribed period.

19. A nebulizer system, comprising:

a server;

a first processing device connected to a nebulizer;

a second processing device used by a doctor; and

a third processing device used by a related service provider, connected with a network;

wherein

said nebulizer includes

a treatment section for turning a medicine into nebulized particles and for spraying the particles,

a measuring section for measuring respiratory function of a patient,

an outer air measuring section for measuring at least one of temperature, humidity and air pressure, and

a transmitting section for transmitting at least one of treatment record data from said treatment section, a measurement result data from said measuring section, and outer air measuring result data from said outer air measuring section;

said server includes

a receiving section for receiving information transmitted from said transmitting section of said nebulizer, and

a storage section for storing said received information; and

wherein

said second processing device includes

a transmitting section for transmitting a request for browsing said window specifying said patient identifier as a condition, and a password of said doctor requesting browsing of said window,

a display section displaying said window when said password is authenticated at authenticating section of said server, and

a transmitting section for transmitting a comment for said patient to said first processing device.

20. The nebulizer system according to claim 19, wherein said third processing device includes

a transmitting section for transmitting a request for browsing said window specifying said nebulizer identifier as a condition, and a password of said related service provider requesting browsing of said window, and

a display section displaying said window when said password is authenticated at authenticating section of said server.

21. The nebulizer system according to claim 19, wherein said first processing device includes

a transmitting section for transmitting a request for browsing said window of said patient using said nebulizer connecting to the first processing device, and a password of said patient,

a display section displaying said window when said password is authenticated at authenticating section of said server, and

a transmitting section for transmitting a comment for said doctor to said second processing device.

22. The nebulizer system according to claim 19, wherein

said server further includes a charging section for charging usage fee of said nebulizer to said first processing device,

said first processing device further includes a first settling section for settling said usage fee with said server, and

said server further includes a second settling section for settling costs including said usage fee with said third processing device.

23. A nebulizer system, comprising:

a server;

a first processing device connected to a nebulizer;

a second processing device used by a doctor; and

a third processing device used by a related service provider, connected with a network;

wherein

said nebulizer includes

a treatment section for turning a medicine into nebulized particles and for spraying the particles,

a measuring section for measuring respiratory function of a patient, and

a transmitting section for transmitting at least one of treatment record data from said treatment section and a measurement result data from said measuring section;

said server includes

a receiving section for receiving information transmitted from said transmitting section of said nebulizer, and

a storage section for storing said received information; and

wherein

said second processing device includes

a transmitting section for transmitting a request for browsing said window specifying said patient identifier as a condition, and a password of said doctor requesting browsing of said window,

a display section displaying said window when said password is authenticated at authenticating section of said server, and

a transmitting section for transmitting a comment for said patient to said first processing device.

24. The nebulizer system according to claim 23, wherein said third processing device includes

a transmitting section for transmitting a request for browsing said window specifying said nebulizer identifier as a condition, and a password of said related service provider requesting browsing of said window, and

a display section displaying said window when said password is authenticated at authenticating section of said server.

25. The nebulizer system according to claim 23, wherein said first processing device includes

a transmitting section for transmitting a request for browsing said window of said patient using said nebulizer connecting to the first processing device, and a password of said patient,

a display section displaying said window when said password is authenticated at authenticating section of said server, and

a transmitting section for transmitting a comment for said doctor to said second processing device.

26. The nebulizer system according to claim 23, wherein

said server further includes a charging section for charging usage fee of said nebulizer to said first processing device,

said first processing device further includes a first settling section for settling said usage fee with said server, and

said server further includes a second settling section for settling costs including said usage fee with said third processing device.