Detection system and method for aerosol delivery

• US 7,342,660 B2
• Filed: 09/30/2003
• Issued: 03/11/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 09/25/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Deka Products Limited Partnership
• Original Assignee: Deka Products Limited Partnership
• Inventors: Gray, Larry B., Altobelli, David E., Kane, Derek G.
• Primary Examiner(s): Punnoose; Roy M.
• Application Number:
  US10/675,278
• Publication Number:
  US 20050068528A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,624 Days
• Field of Search: 356/338, 356/342, 356/627
• US Class Current: 356/338
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/08 Detecting, measuring or recording devices for evaluating the respiratory organs A61B5/0205 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 15/0003 with means for dispensing more than one drug
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 15/0065 Inhalators with dosage or measuring devices A61M15/0028 takes precedence; dosage devices incorporated in aerosol cans B65D83/52
• 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 2016/0021 with a proportional output signal, e.g. from a thermistor
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2016/0039 in the inspiratory circuit
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/3306 Optical measuring means
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/3331 Pressure; Flow
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/3379 Masses, volumes, levels of fluids in reservoirs, flow rates
• CPC Class Codes: G01F 1/34 by measuring pressure or differential pressure
• CPC Class Codes: G01F 13/006 measuring volume in function of time
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 1/2202 involving separation of sample components during sampling
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 15/02 Investigating particle size or size distribution by measuring osmotic pressure G01N7/10; investigating sedimentation of particle suspensions G01N15/04; investigating individual particles G01N15/10
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 15/0205 by optical means
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 15/1456 without spatial resolution of the texture or inner structure of the particle, e.g. processing of pulse signals
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2001/2223 aerosol sampling devices
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2021/4707 Forward scatter; Low angle scatter
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 21/53 within a flowing fluid, e.g. smoke

Abstract

An apparatus comprises a detector, a pressure sensor and a processor. The detector is operable to detect light that is scattered by an aerosol that is associated with a pressure. The pressure sensor is operable to measure the pressure. The processor is coupled to the detector and to the pressure sensor, and is configured to receive at least a signal from the detector and the pressure sensor. The processor is further configured to use the received signals to calculate a volume of the first aerosol, and to output an output signal associated with the calculated volume. The various measurements can be repeated and compared, and the output signal can be a feedback signal for metering subsequent amounts of the aerosol, based on the comparison.

Claims

1. A method for metering a volume of aerosol to be delivered based on comparison with a pre-determined volume of the aerosol comprising:

receiving a signal associated with light scattering from a first aerosol that is associated with a first airflow;

receiving a signal representing the first airflow;

calculating a volume of the first aerosol, the calculation being based at least on the signal associated with light scattering from the first aerosol and the signal representing the airflow; and

metering subsequently delivered amounts of the aerosol, based on the calculated volume.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving a signal associated with light scattering from a second aerosol that is associated with a second airflow;

receiving a signal representing the second airflow;

calculating a volume of the second aerosol, the calculation being based on the signal associated with light scattering from the second aerosol and the signal representing the second airflow; and

outputting a signal associated with a comparison of the volume of the first aerosol and the volume of the second aerosol.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the output signal includes information for metering a third aerosol.

4. The method of claim 2 , wherein the first airflow is associated with inhalation, and the second airflow is associated with exhalation.

5. The method of claim 2, wherein the second aerosol includes a subset of the first aerosol.

6. A computer program product for use on a computer system for determining a delivered volume of aerosol for comparison with a pre-determined volume of aerosol, the computer program product comprising a computer readable storage medium having computer readable program code thereon, the computer readable program code causing a processor to

receive a signal associated with light scattering from a first aerosol that is associated with a first airflow;

receive a signal representing the first airflow;

calculate a volume of the first aerosol, the calculation being based at least on the signal associated with light scattering from the first aerosol and the signal representing the first airflow; and

output a signal for metering subsequently delivered amounts of aerosol.

7. The computer program product of claim 6, wherein the computer-readable program code further causes the processor to

receive a signal associated with light scattering from a second aerosol that is associated with a second airflow;

receive a signal representing the second airflow;

calculate a volume of the second aerosol, the calculation being based at least on the signal associated with light scattering from the second aerosol and the signal representing the second airflow; and

output a signal associated with a comparison of the volume of the first aerosol and the volume of the second aerosol.

8. The computer program product of claim 7, wherein the output signal includes information for metering a third aerosol.

9. The computer program product of claim 7, wherein the first airflow is associated with inhalation, and the second airflow is associated with exhalation.

10. The computer program product of claim 7, wherein the second aerosol includes a subset of the first aerosol.

11. An apparatus comprising:

a detector operable to detect light originating at a light source and scattered by an aerosol;

a sensor operable to determine a pressure of the aerosol and generate a signal representing a first airflow; and

a processor coupled to the detector and the sensor, the processor configured to

receive a signal associated with light scattering from a first aerosol that is associated with the first airflow;

receive the signal representing the first airflow from the sensor; and

calculate a volume of the first aerosol, the calculation being based on the signal associated with light scattering from the first aerosol and the signal representing the first airflow.

12. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the processor is further configured to

receive a signal associated with light scattering from a second aerosol that is associated with a second airflow;

receive a signal representing the second airflow;

calculate a volume of the second aerosol, the calculation being based on the signal associated with light scattering from the second aerosol and the signal representing the second airflow; and

output a signal associated with a comparison of the volume of the first aerosol and the volume of the second aerosol.

13. The apparatus of claim 12, further comprising dose-selection means coupled to the processor, and wherein the output signal can be received by the dose-selection means, and wherein the output signal includes information useful for metering a third aerosol.

14. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein the output signal includes information for metering a third aerosol.

15. The apparatus of claim 11, further comprising a light source.

16. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the first airflow is associated with inhalation, and the second airflow is associated with exhalation.

17. A method comprising:

receiving a first signal associated with light scattering from a first aerosol that is associated with a first airflow;

receiving a second signal associated with light scattering from a second aerosol that is associated with a second airflow; and

outputting an output signal associated with a comparison between the first signal and the second signal.

18. The method of claim 17, further comprising receiving a signal representing at least one of the first airflow and the second airflow, and wherein the output signal is further associated with at least one of the first airflow and the second airflow.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein the output signal includes information for metering a third aerosol.

20. The method of claim 18, wherein the first airflow is associated with inhalation, and wherein the second airflow is associated with exhalation.

21. The method of claim 17, wherein the second aerosol includes a subset of the first aerosol.

22. The method of claim 17, wherein the scattering is due to diffraction.

23. The method of claim 17, wherein at least one of the first signal and the second signal includes information about particle size.

24. A computer program product for use on a computer system, the computer program product comprising a computer readable storage medium having computer readable program code thereon, the computer readable program code causing a processor to

receive a first signal associated with light scattering from a first aerosol that is associated with a first airflow;

receive a second signal associated with light scattering from a second aerosol that is associated with a second airflow; and

output an output signal associated with a comparison between the first signal and the second signal.

25. The computer program product of claim 24, wherein the computer readable program code further causes the processor to receive a signal representing at least one of the first airflow and the second airflow, and wherein the output signal is further associated with at least one of the first airflow and the second airflow.

26. The computer program product of claim 25, wherein the output signal includes information for metering a third aerosol.

27. The computer program product of claim 25, wherein the first airflow is associated with inhalation, and wherein the second airflow is associated with exhalation.

28. The computer program product of claim 24, wherein the second aerosol includes a subset of the first aerosol.

29. The computer program product of claim 24, wherein the scattering is due to diffraction.

30. The computer program product of claim 24, wherein at least one of the first signal and the second signal includes information about particle size.

31. An apparatus comprising:

a detector operable to detect light originating at a light source and scattered by an aerosol; and

a processor coupled to the detector, the processor configured to

receive a first signal associated with light scattering from a first aerosol that is associated with a first airflow;

receive a second signal associated with light scattering from a second aerosol that is associated with a second airflow; and

output an output signal associated with a comparison between the first signal and the second signal.

32. The apparatus of claim 31, wherein the processor is further configured to receive a signal representing at least one of the first airflow and the second airflow, and wherein the output signal is further associated with at least one of the first airflow and the second airflow.

33. The apparatus of claim 32, further comprising dose-selection means coupled to the processor, and wherein the output signal is received by the dose-selection means, and wherein the output signal includes information for metering a third aerosol.

34. The apparatus of claim 33, further comprising the light source.

35. The apparatus of claim 31, wherein the second aerosol includes a subset of the first aerosol.

36. The apparatus of claim 31, wherein the scattering is due to diffraction.

37. The apparatus of claim 31, wherein the first airflow is associated with inhalation, and wherein the second airflow is associated with exhalation.

38. The apparatus of claim 31, wherein at least one of the first signal and the second signal includes information related to particle size.

39. A method for metering an amount of aerosol to be delivered based on comparison with a pre-determined amount of the aerosol comprising:

receiving a first input signal associated with a scattering event with a first aerosol;

receiving a second input signal associated with a scattering event with a second aerosol;

receiving a third input signal associated with a flow rate of at least one of the first aerosol and the second aerosol;

metering a net amount of aerosol transferred based on the first input signal and the second input signal and the third input signal.

40. The method of claim 39, further comprising outputting an output signal associated with the metered net amount of aerosol transferred, the output signal including information for metering a third aerosol.

41. The method of claim 40, further comprising receiving the output signal.

42. A computer program product for use on a computer system, the computer program product comprising a computer readable storage medium having computer readable program code thereon, the computer readable program code causing a processor to

receive a first signal associated with light scattering from a first fluid that is associated with a first airflow;

receive a second signal associated with light scattering from a second fluid that is associated with a second airflow;

receive a third signal associated with at least one of the first airflow and the second airflow; and

output an output signal associated with a difference between the first signal and the second signal.

43. The computer program product of claim 42, wherein the output signal includes information for metering a third fluid.