Infusion Pump Systems and Methods

• US 20150343143A1
• Filed: 08/06/2015
• Published: 12/03/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 03/16/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Insulet Corporation
• Original Assignee: Bigfoot Biomedical, Inc.
• Inventors: Estes, Mark C., QI, Wenkang, Hopper, Phillip
• Granted Patent: US 9,801,997 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/35 Communication
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/3569 sublocal, e.g. between console and disposable
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/3592 using telemetric means, e.g. radio or optical transmission
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2230/201 Glucose concentration
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/1413 Modular systems comprising interconnecting elements
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/14244 adapted to be carried by the patient, e.g. portable on the body
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/168 Means for controlling media flow to the body or for metering media to the body, e.g. drip meters, counters ; Monitoring media flow to the body flow control in general G05D7/00
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/172 electrical or electronic A61M5/16804, A61M5/16831 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/1723 using feedback of body parameters, e.g. blood-sugar, pressure measurement of body parameters A61B5/00
• CPC Class Codes: F04B 17/03 driven by electric motors
• CPC Class Codes: F04B 19/22 of reciprocating-piston type
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 20/17 delivered via infusion or injection
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 40/63 for local operation

Abstract

Some embodiments of an infusion pump system can include a controller in which one or more features sets to be provided by the controller are enabled or disabled based upon the particular pump device that is connected to the controller. For example, in some embodiments, one or more advanced features of the controller are available to the user only when a first type of pump device (e.g., having predefined settings stored therein) is connected to the controller, and those advanced features of the controller are disabled when a second type of pump device is connected to the controller.

Claims

1. (canceled)

2. A method of using a portable infusion pump system, the method comprising:

detecting, by a controller device, a communication connection with an insulin pump device that houses a drive system configured to dispense insulin, wherein the controller device is programmed transmit control signals over the communication connection to the insulin pump, the control signals controlling operation of the insulin pump;

determining, by the controller device, that the insulin pump is in communication with the controller device over the communication connection;

receiving, at the controller device, one or more parameter settings transmitted by the insulin pump over the communication connection;

determining, by the controller device, whether to operate the insulin pump using one or more advanced features based on (i) the determination that the insulin pump is in communication with the controller device and (ii) the one or more parameter settings; and

automatically switching, in response to determining that the insulin pump is to be operated using the one or more advanced features, to using the one or more advanced features for operating the insulin pump.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the one or more advanced features include, at least, a continuous monitoring mode of operation.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the continuous monitoring mode of operation comprises:

continuously monitoring glucose levels for a user of the portable infusion pump system; and

instructing, by the controller device, the insulin pump to dispense particular amounts of insulin determined based on the monitored glucose levels.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the continuously monitoring glucose levels comprises:

continuously receiving, at the controller device, information transmitted by a glucose sensor device that is configured to detect the user'"'"'s glucose levels, wherein the information identifies the detected glucose levels for the user; and

processing, by the controller device, the glucose levels for the user received from the glucose sensor device.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the processing comprises displaying, by a display device that is part of the controller device, the glucose levels in a user interface.

7. The method of claim 5, wherein the information is transmitted wirelessly by the glucose sensor device and received by a wireless communication device that is part of the controller device.

8. The method of claim 2, wherein the one or more advance features include, at least, enabling wireless communication by the controller device.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the wireless communication is between, at least, a glucose sensor device and the controller device.

10. The method of claim 8, wherein the wireless communication is between, at least, a blood glucose meter and the controller device.

11. The method of claim 2, further comprising:

outputting, by the controller device, information indicating that the insulin pump device is being switched to operate using the one or more advanced features.

12. The method of claim 2, wherein the controller device is contained within a housing that is physically separate from the insulin pump device.

13. The method of claim 2, wherein the communication connection comprises an electrical connection between the controller device and the insulin pump device.

14. A portable infusion pump system comprising:

an insulin pump device comprising (i) a fluid cartridge containing insulin, (ii) a drive system configured to dispense the insulin, (iii) circuitry configured to store one or more parameter settings for the insulin pump device, and (iv) a communication interface configured to (a) transmit the one or more parameter settings for the insulin pump device and (b) receive control signals; and

a controller device comprising (i) a communication interface configured to (a) detect a communication connection with the insulin pump device, (b) receive information transmitted by the insulin pump device, including the one or more parameter settings, and (c) transmit the control signals over the communication connection to the insulin pump, and (ii) control circuitry that is programmed to;

determine that the insulin pump is in communication with the controller device over the communication connection,

determine whether to operate the insulin pump using one or more advanced features based on (a) the determination that the insulin pump is in communication with the controller device and (b) the one or more parameter settings, and

automatically switch, in response to determining that the insulin pump is to be operated using the one or more advanced features, to using the one or more advanced features for operating the insulin pump.

15. The system of claim 14, wherein the one or more advanced features include, at least, a continuous monitoring mode of operation.

16. The system of claim 15, wherein, under the continuous monitoring mode of operation, the control circuitry is further programmed to:

continuously monitor glucose levels for a user of the portable infusion pump system; and

direct the communication interface to transmit control signals to the insulin pump to dispense particular amounts of insulin determined based on the monitored glucose levels.

17. The system of claim 16, further comprising:

a glucose sensor device configured to (i) detect the user'"'"'s glucose levels and (ii) transmit information that identified the detected glucose levels;

wherein, under the continuous monitoring mode of operation;

the communication interface of the controller device is further configured to continuously receive the information transmitted by the glucose sensor device, and

the control circuitry of the controller device is further programmed to process the glucose levels for the user received from the glucose sensor device.

18. The system of claim 16, wherein:

the controller device further comprises a display device, and

the processing comprises displaying the glucose levels in a user interface on the display device.

19. The system of claim 14, wherein the one or more advance features include, at least, enabling wireless communication by the controller device.

20. The system of claim 19, further comprising:

a glucose sensor device configured to (i) detect the user'"'"'s glucose levels and (ii) transmit information that identified the detected glucose levels, wherein the glucose sensor device includes a wireless communication device configured to wirelessly transmit the information,

wherein the wireless communication is between, at least, the wireless communication device of the glucose sensor device and the communication interface of the controller device.

21. The system of claim 19, further comprising:

a blood glucose meter configured to (i) analyze blood test strips and (ii) transmit glucose information detected from the blood glucose strips, wherein the blood glucose meter includes a wireless communication device configured to wirelessly transmit the glucose information,

wherein the wireless communication is between, at least, the wireless communication device of the blood glucose meter and the communication interface of the controller device.