Usage Monitoring Attachment for Medicament Dispenser

• US 20160256639A1
• Filed: 05/21/2014
• Published: 09/08/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 05/21/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Reciprocal Labs Corporation (ResMed Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Reciprocal Labs Corporation (ResMed Incorporated)
• Inventors: Gehring, Mark, Hallberg, Chris, Van Sickle, John David, Tracy, Greg, Hoffman, Eric, Houlihan, Kevin
• Granted Patent: US 10,220,166 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 15/00 Inhalators drug delivery in endotracheal tubes A61M16/04
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 15/0021 Mouthpieces therefor
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 15/0048 the dosages being arranged in a plane, e.g. on diskettes
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 15/008 Electronic counters
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 15/009 using medicine packages with incorporated spraying means, e.g. aerosol cans pocket atomiser of the injector type A61M11/08
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2202/064 Powder
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/3303 Using a biosensor
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/332 Force measuring means
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/3375 Acoustical, e.g. ultrasonic, measuring means
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/3553 remote, e.g. between patient's home and doctor's office
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/3592 using telemetric means, e.g. radio or optical transmission
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/50 with microprocessors or computers
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/52 with memories providing a history of measured variating parameters of apparatus or patient
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/581 by audible feedback
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/583 by visual feedback
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/8206 battery-operated
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 20/13 delivered from dispensers
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 40/67 for remote operation

Abstract

Systems and methods are described for monitoring usage of a medicament dispenser—particularly an inhaled medicament dispenser. While operating in a low-power mode, a first sensor is monitored for a signal indicative of handling of the medicament dispenser by a user. In response to detecting such handling, the device exits the low-power mode and begins to monitor a second sensor for a signal indicative of dispensing of the medicament. The usage monitoring device can be embodied as an attachment configured to be selectively coupled to one of a variety of different inhalers including, for example, a Diskus-type inhaler and a Respimat-type inhaler.

Claims

1. A method of monitoring usage of a medicament dispenser, the method comprising:

monitoring a first sensor for a signal indicative of handling of the medicament dispenser while in a low-power mode;

applying power to a second sensor upon detecting the signal indicative of handling of the medicament dispenser, wherein power is not applied to the second sensor while in the low-power mode; and

monitoring the second sensor for a signal indicative of a dispensing of medicament from the medicament dispenser while power is applied to the second sensor.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising coupling a monitoring attachment to the medicament dispenser, the monitoring attachment including the first sensor and the second sensor, wherein coupling the monitoring attachment to the medicament dispenser does not affect operation of the medicament dispenser.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the first sensor includes an acceleration sensor and wherein the act of monitoring the first sensor for the signal indicative of handling of the medicament dispenser while in the low-power mode includes

receiving a signal from the acceleration sensor indicative of an acceleration of the medicament dispenser, and

comparing the signal indicative of the acceleration to an acceleration threshold;

and

further comprising the act of detecting the signal indicative of handling of the medicament dispenser when the signal indicative of the acceleration exceeds the acceleration threshold.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the first sensor includes a galvanic skin response sensor, and wherein monitoring the first sensor for the signal indicative of handling of the medicament dispenser while in the low-power mode includes monitoring the galvanic skin response sensor for a signal indicative of contact between the galvanic skin response sensor and a skin surface of a user.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising exiting the low-power mode in response to detecting the signal indicative of handling of the medicament dispenser, wherein the act of exiting the low-power mode includes the act of applying power to the second sensor.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising transmitting a wireless signal through a wireless transmitter indicative of a detected dispensing of medicament from the medicament dispenser.

7. The method of claim 6, further comprising determining a time and a date of the dispensing of the medicament, and wherein the wireless signal includes the time and the date of the dispensing.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the second sensor includes an IR sensor positioned to detect movement of a movable part of the medicament dispenser, wherein movement of the movable part is necessary to the dispensing of the medicament.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the movable part includes a dispensing lever.

10. The method of claim 9, further comprising the act of coupling a monitoring attachment to the medicament dispenser, the monitoring attachment including the first sensor and the IR sensor, wherein coupling the monitoring attachment to the medicament dispenser does not affect the movement of the dispensing lever.

11. The method of claim 8, wherein the movable part includes a dispenser body that is rotatable relative to an exterior cover of the medicament dispenser.

12. The method of claim 11, further comprising coupling a monitoring attachment to the exterior cover of the dispenser, the monitoring attachment including the first sensor and the IR sensor, wherein, when coupled, the IR sensor is positioned to detect rotation of the dispenser body relative to the exterior cover of the medicament dispenser.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein the second sensor includes a microphone.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the act of monitoring the second sensor for a signal indicative of dispensing of medicament includes monitoring an output of the microphone for a signal corresponding to a sound of a user inhaling a medicament dispensed from the medicament dispenser.

15. The method of claim 13, further comprising:

recording the output of the microphone; and

transmitting the recording through a wireless transmitter to a remote computer system for analysis.

16. The method of claim 13, further comprising:

analyzing the output of the microphone; and

transmitting information indicative of the analysis of the output of the microphone through a wireless transmitter to a remote computer system.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the act of analyzing the output of the microphone includes comparing the output of the microphone to an anticipated sound profile corresponding to a medication prescription.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the act of transmitting information indicative of the analysis includes transmitting an indication of whether the dispensing of the medicament matches the medication prescription based on the sound analysis.

19. The method of claim 13, wherein the act of monitoring the second sensor for a signal indicative of a dispensing of the medicament from the medicament dispenser includes monitoring the output of the microphone for a signal indicative of a priming action of the medicament dispenser.

20. The method of claim 13, further comprising the act of coupling a monitoring attachment to the medicament dispenser, the monitoring attachment including the first sensor and the microphone.

21. A method of monitoring usage of a medicament dispenser, the method comprising:

coupling a monitoring attachment to a medicament dispenser such that the monitoring attachment does not interfere with dispensing of medicament from the medicament dispenser;

operating the monitoring attachment in a low-power mode, wherein power is applied to an acceleration sensor positioned within the monitoring attachment when in the low-power mode and power is not applied to a second sensor positioned within the monitoring attachment when in the low-power mode;

monitoring the acceleration sensor for a signal indicative of movement of the monitoring attachment;

comparing the signal from the acceleration sensor to an acceleration threshold;

determining that the monitoring attachment is being handled by a user when the signal from the acceleration sensor exceeds the acceleration threshold;

exiting the low-power mode in response to determining that the monitoring attachment is being handled by a user, wherein power is applied to the second sensor upon exiting the low-power mode;

monitoring the second sensor for a signal indicative of dispensing of a medicament from the medicament dispenser in response to determining that the monitoring attachment is being handled by the user; and

transmitting a signal through a wireless transmitter of the monitoring attachment in response to detecting the signal indicative of the dispensing of the medicament.

22. The attachment of claim 21, wherein the first sensor includes an acceleration sensor, and wherein the instructions, when executed by the processor, cause the attachment to

monitor the first sensor for the signal indicative of handling of the medicament dispenser by comparing an output of the acceleration sensor to an acceleration threshold, and

exit the low-power mode in response to detecting the signal indicative of handling of the medicament dispenser by exiting the low-power mode when the output of the acceleration sensor exceeds the acceleration threshold.

23. The attachment of claim 21, wherein the second sensor includes a microphone, and

wherein the instructions, when executed by the processor, cause the attachment to monitor the second sensor for the signal indicative of dispensing of the medicament from the medicament dispenser by monitoring the output of the microphone for an audio signal indicative of at least one selected from the group consisting of a priming action of the medicament dispenser and an inhaling action of the medicament by a user.

24. The attachment of claim 21, wherein the housing is configured to be coupleable to a medicament dispenser that includes a substantially disc-shaped body coupled to an external cover at the center of the substantially disc-shaped body, the substantially disc-shaped body being rotatable relative to the external cover and further including a priming lever and a mouthpiece, wherein rotating the substantially disc-shaped body to a closed position causes the priming lever and the mouthpiece to be covered by the external cover, and wherein rotating the substantially disc-shaped body to an open position causes the priming lever and the mouthpiece to be exposed.

25. The attachment of claim 24, wherein the housing includes:

an upper body portion enclosing the processor, the memory, and the wireless transmitter and at least partially supporting the first sensor and the second sensor,

a substantially circular lower body portion positioned parallel to the upper body portion, and

one or more side support structures coupling the upper body portion and the lower body portion, wherein the one or more side support structures are sized to receive the medicament dispenser between the upper body portion and the lower body portion such that the upper body portion is positioned on a top surface of the substantially disc-shaped dispenser body and the lower body portion is positioned on a bottom surface of the substantially disc-shaped dispenser body.

21-1. An attachment for monitoring usage of a medicament dispenser, the attachment comprising:

a housing selectively coupleable to the medicament dispenser, wherein the attachment does not affect operation of the medicament dispenser;

a first sensor fixedly coupled to the housing;

a second sensor fixedly coupled to the housing;

a wireless transmitter;

a processor; and

a non-transitory computer-readable memory storing instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the attachment to

operate in a low-power mode where power is applied to the first sensor and power is not applied to the second sensor,

monitor the first sensor for a signal indicative of handling of the medicament dispenser while operating in the low-power mode,

exit the low-power mode in response to detecting the signal indicative of handling of the medicament dispenser, wherein power is applied to the second sensor upon exiting the low-power mode,

monitor the second sensor for a signal indicative of dispensing of a medicament from the medicament dispenser in response to determining that the monitoring attachment is being handled by the user, and

transmit a signal through the wireless transmitter in response to detecting the signal indicative of dispensing of the medicament.