DOSAGE SENSING UNIT WITH TACTILE FEEDBACK

• US 20100114026A1
• Filed: 11/03/2008
• Published: 05/06/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 11/03/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Calibra Medical, Inc. (CeQur SA)
• Original Assignee: Calibra Medical, Inc. (CeQur SA)
• Inventors: Karratt, Joseph M., Cross, Brett
• Granted Patent: US 8,613,719 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 604/151
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/3317 Electromagnetic, inductive or dielectric measuring means
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/3331 Pressure; Flow
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/502 User interfaces, e.g. screens or keyboards
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/52 with memories providing a history of measured variating parameters of apparatus or patient
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/582 by tactile feedback
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/583 by visual feedback
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/1424 Manually operated pumps
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/14248 of the skin patch type
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/16831 Monitoring, detecting, signalling or eliminating infusion flow anomalies low-level float-valves causing cut-off A61M5/40; indicating or recording presence, absence or direction of flow in general G01P13/0066
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/16881 Regulating valves on-off valves, e.g. clamps A61M39/28
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 6/00 Tactile signalling systems, e.g. personal calling systems

Abstract

A drug infusion assembly comprises a drug delivery device arranged to adhere to a patient'"'"'s skin and includes a reservoir that holds the drug, a cannula that delivers the drug to the patient, and a pump that causes the drug to flow to the cannula. The assembly further includes a monitor device for providing information about the operation of a drug delivery device. The monitor device includes a housing arranged to be attached to and detached from the drug delivery device, a sensor that senses the operation of the drug delivery device and generates an activation signal, a clock mechanism that generates a time signal, a memory that receives and stores the activation signal and the time signal and creates an information packet coordinating the time signal and the activation signal, an interrogator that interrogates the memory such that the memory generates a memory signal in response thereto, and a responder that receives the memory signal and generates a response.

Claims

1. A device for providing information about the operation of a drug delivery device, the device comprising:

a housing arranged to attach to the drug delivery device;

a sensor that senses the operation of the drug delivery device and provides operational data indicative of the operation of the drug delivery device;

a memory that stores the operational data; and

an indication generator that generates a perceptible indication of the operational data.

2. The device of claim 1, wherein the indication generator is arranged to provide a tactile response to provide the perceptible indication.

3. The device of claim 2, wherein the tactile response is a vibratory response.

4. The device of claim 3, wherein the indication generator is a motor.

5. The device of claim 4, wherein the motor is an electric motor.

6. The device of claim 1, wherein the sensor comprises an optical sensor.

7. The device of claim 1, wherein the sensor comprises a magnetic sensor.

8. The device of claim 1, wherein the drug delivery device includes a pump that delivers the drug to a patient.

9. The device of claim 8, wherein the pump is a mechanical stroke pump and wherein the sensor senses the strokes of the pump.

10. The device of claim 9, further comprising a timer that times a dosing session of the device.

11. The device of claim 10, wherein the sensor includes a magnetic sensor that senses operation of the device.

12. The device of claim 11, wherein the drug delivery device includes at least one valve, wherein operation of the drug delivery device initiates with operation of the at least one valve, and wherein the magnetic sensor senses the operation of the at least one valve.

13. The device of claim 12, wherein the sensor further comprises an optical sensor that senses strokes of the pump.

14. The device of claim 13, wherein the memory stores each pump stroke occurring during a dosing session.

15. The device of claim 14, wherein the indication generator generates a perceptible indication of the number of pump strokes occurring during a last dosing session.

16. The device of claim 15, wherein the memory stores operational data for a number of dosing sessions in a history file.

17. The device of claim 16, further including an interface arranged to provide the history file to an external reader.

18. The device of claim 17, wherein the interface comprises a USB interface.

19. The device of claim 1, wherein the memory stores operational data for a dosing session and wherein the indication generator generates a perceptible indication of the operational data generated during a last dosing session.

20. The device of claim 19, wherein the memory stores operational data for a number of dosing sessions in a history file.

21. The device of claim 20, further including an interface arranged to provide the history file to an external reader.

22. The device of claim 21, wherein the interface comprises a USB interface.

23. The device of claim 6, wherein the drug delivery device includes a pump that delivers the drug to the patient and wherein the optical sensor senses operation of the pump.

24. The device of claim 7, wherein the drug delivery device includes at least one valve, wherein operation of the drug delivery device initiates with operation of the at least one valve, and wherein the magnetic sensor senses the operation of the at least one valve.

25. A device for providing information about the operation of a drug delivery device, the device comprising:

a sensor that senses the operation of the drug delivery device and generates an activation signal;

a clock mechanism that generates a time signal;

a memory that receives and stores the activation signal and the time signal and creates an information packet coordinating the time signal and the activation signal;

an interrogator that interrogates the memory such that the memory generates a memory signal in response thereto; and

a responder that receives the memory signal and generates a tactile response.

26. The device of claim 25, wherein the tactile response is a vibratory response.

27. The device of claim 26, wherein the responder is a motor.

28. The device of claim 26, wherein the motor is an electric motor.

29. The device of claim 25, wherein the sensor comprises an optical sensor.

30. The device of claim 25, wherein the sensor comprises a magnetic sensor.

31. The device of claim 25, wherein the drug delivery device includes a pump that delivers the drug to a patient.

32. The device of claim 31, wherein the pump is a mechanical stroke pump and wherein the sensor senses the strokes of the pump.

33. The device of claim 32, further comprising a timer that times a dosing session of the device.

34. The device of claim 33, wherein the sensor includes a magnetic sensor that senses operation of the device.

35. The device of claim 34, wherein the drug delivery device includes at least one valve, wherein operation of the device initiates with operation of the at least one valve, and wherein the magnetic sensor senses the operation of the at least one valve.

36. The device of claim 35, wherein the sensor further comprises an optical sensor that senses strokes of the pump.

37. The device of claim 36, wherein the memory stores each pump stroke occurring during a dosing session.

38. The device of claim 37, wherein the indication generator generates a perceptible indication of the number of pump strokes occurring during a last dosing session.

39. The device of claim 38, wherein the memory stores operational data for a number of dosing sessions in a history file.

40. The device of claim 39, further including an interface arranged to provide the history file to an external reader.

41. The device of claim 40, wherein the interface comprises a USB interface.

42. The device of claim 25, wherein the memory stores operational data for a dosing session and wherein the indication generator generates a perceptible indication of the operational data generated during a last dosing session.

43. The device of claim 42, wherein the memory stores operational data for a number of dosing sessions in a history file.

44. The device of claim 43, further including an interface arranged to provide the history file to an external reader.

45. The device of claim 44, wherein the interface comprises a USB interface.

46. The device of claim 29, wherein the drug delivery device includes a pump that delivers the drug to the patient and wherein the optical sensor senses operation of the pump.

47. The device of claim 30, wherein the drug delivery device includes at least one valve, wherein operation of the device initiates with operation of the at least one valve, and wherein the magnetic sensor senses the operation of the at least one valve.

48. A device for providing information about the operation of a drug delivery device, the drug delivery device including a mechanical stroke pump that delivers the drug to a patient and at least one valve, the operation of which initiates operation of the drug delivery device, the device comprising:

a housing arranged to attach to the drug delivery device;

a timer that times a dosing session;

a magnetic sensor that senses the operation of the at least one valve;

an optical sensor that senses operation of the pump to provide operational data;

a memory that stores the operational data provided by the optical sensor during a last dosing session;

an interrogator that interrogates the memory such that the memory generates a memory signal in response thereto representing operation of the drug delivery device during a last dosing session; and

a responder that receives the memory signal and generates a tactile response.

49. A drug infusion assembly comprising:

a drug delivery device arranged to adhere to a patient'"'"'s skin and including a reservoir that holds the drug, a cannula that delivers the drug to the patient, and a pump that causes the drug to flow to the cannula; and

a monitor device that that provides information about the operation of the drug delivery device, the monitor device comprising a housing arranged to be attached to and detached from the drug delivery device, a sensor that senses the operation of the drug delivery device and provides operational data indicative of the operation of the drug delivery device, a memory that stores the operational data, and an indication generator that generates a perceptible indication of the operational data.

50. The assembly of claim 49, wherein the indication generator is arranged to provide a tactile response to provide the perceptible indication.

51. The assembly of claim 50, wherein the tactile response is a vibratory response.

52. The assembly of claim 49, wherein the sensor comprises an optical sensor.

53. The assembly of claim 49, wherein the sensor comprises a magnetic sensor.

54. The assembly of claim 49, wherein the pump is a mechanical stroke pump and wherein the sensor senses the strokes of the pump.

55. The assembly of claim 49, wherein the monitor device further comprises a timer that times a dosing session of the device.

56. The assembly of claim 49, wherein the drug delivery device includes at least one valve, wherein operation of the drug delivery device initiates with operation of the at least one valve, and wherein the sensor senses the operation of the at least one valve.

57. The assembly of claim 56, wherein the sensor includes a magnetic sensor that senses operation of the at least one valve.

58. The assembly of claim 49, wherein the pump is a mechanical stroke pump and wherein the sensor further comprises an optical sensor that senses strokes of the pump.

59. The assembly of claim 58, wherein the memory stores each pump stroke occurring during a dosing session.

60. The assembly of claim 59, wherein the monitor device further includes a timer that times the dosing session.

61. The assembly of claim 60, wherein the indication generator generates a perceptible indication of the number of pump strokes occurring during a last dosing session.

62. The assembly of claim 61, wherein the memory stores operational data for a number of dosing sessions in a history file.

63. The assembly of claim 62, wherein the monitor device further includes an interface arranged to provide the history file to an external reader.

64. The assembly of claim 63, wherein the interface comprises a USB interface.

65. The assembly of claim 49, wherein the memory stores operational data for a dosing session and wherein the indication generator generates a perceptible indication of the operational data generated during a last dosing session.

66. The assembly of claim 65, wherein the memory stores operational data for a number of dosing sessions in a history file.

67. The assembly of claim 66, further including an interface arranged to provide the history file to an external reader.

68. The assembly of claim 67, wherein the interface comprises a USB interface.

70. The assembly of claim 49, wherein the responder is arranged to provide a tactile response to provide the perceptible indication.

71. The assembly of claim 70, wherein the tactile response is a vibratory response.

69. A drug infusion assembly comprising:

a drug delivery device arranged to adhere to a patient'"'"'s skin and including a reservoir that holds the drug, a cannula that delivers the drug to the patient, and a pump that causes the drug to flow to the cannula; and

a monitor device for providing information about the operation of a drug delivery device, the monitor device including a housing arranged to be attached to and detached from the drug delivery device, a sensor that senses the operation of the drug delivery device and generates an activation signal, a clock mechanism that generates a time signal, a memory that receives and stores the activation signal and the time signal and creates an information packet coordinating the time signal and the activation signal, an interrogator that interrogates the memory such that the memory generates a memory signal in response thereto, and a responder that receives the memory signal and generates a response.

72. The assembly of claim 69, wherein the sensor comprises an optical sensor.

73. The assembly of claim 69, wherein the sensor comprises a magnetic sensor.

74. The assembly of claim 69, wherein the pump is a mechanical stroke pump and wherein the sensor senses the strokes of the pump.

75. The assembly of claim 69, wherein the clock times a dosing session of the device.

76. The assembly of claim 69, wherein the drug delivery device includes at least one valve, wherein operation of the drug delivery device initiates with operation of the at least one valve, and wherein the sensor senses the operation of the at least one valve.

77. The assembly of claim 76, wherein the sensor includes a magnetic sensor that senses operation of the at least one valve.

78. The assembly of claim 69, wherein the pump is a mechanical stroke pump and wherein the sensor further comprises an optical sensor that senses strokes of the pump.

79. The assembly of claim 78, wherein the memory stores each pump stroke occurring during a dosing session.

80. The assembly of claim 79, wherein the monitor device further includes a timer that times the dosing session.

81. The assembly of claim 80, wherein the responder generates a perceptible indication of the number of pump strokes occurring during a last dosing session.

82. The assembly of claim 81, wherein the memory stores operational data for a number of dosing sessions in a history file.

83. The assembly of claim 82, wherein the monitor device further includes an interface arranged to provide the history file to an external reader.

84. The assembly of claim 83, wherein the interface comprises a USB interface.

85. The assembly of claim 69, wherein the memory stores operational data for a dosing session and wherein the indication generator generates a perceptible indication of the operational data generated during a last dosing session.

86. The assembly of claim 85, wherein the memory stores operational data for a number of dosing sessions in a history file.

87. The assembly of claim 86, further including an interface arranged to provide the history file to an external reader.

88. The assembly of claim 87, wherein the interface comprises a USB interface.