Systems and methods for particle detection
First Claim
1. An inhaler system, comprising:
- an inhaler housing;
a conduit disposed within the inhaler housing configured to support particle flux therethrough;
an inhaler control system disposed within the inhaler housing;
a medicament supply system communicatively coupled to the inhaler control system, wherein the medicament supply system includes a medicament ejector; and
a detection system positioned to allow detection of particles in the conduit, wherein the detection system is adapted to differentiate between particles being inhaled by a patient and particles being exhaled by the patient.
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Accused Products
Abstract
An inhalation system is disclosed that, in an exemplary embodiment, includes an ejector that ejects medicated droplets during an activation event, a conduit fluidically coupled to the ejector and configured to transport the droplets to a patient during an in-breath, and a particle detection system configured to determine whether the droplets have properly passed through the conduit and to the patient during an activation event. Also disclosed are methods for detecting particles in an inhaler system, with an exemplary method including generating a dose of medicament particles from an inhaler system; detecting particles emitted in the inhaler system; and determining if a desired particle flux has been achieved for inhalation by a patient.
50 Citations
27 Claims
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1. An inhaler system, comprising:
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an inhaler housing; a conduit disposed within the inhaler housing configured to support particle flux therethrough; an inhaler control system disposed within the inhaler housing; a medicament supply system communicatively coupled to the inhaler control system, wherein the medicament supply system includes a medicament ejector; and a detection system positioned to allow detection of particles in the conduit, wherein the detection system is adapted to differentiate between particles being inhaled by a patient and particles being exhaled by the patient. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
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10. An inhalation system comprising:
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an ejector that ejects medicated droplets during an activation event; a conduit fluidically coupled to the ejector and configured to transport the droplets to a patient during an in-breath; a particle detection system configured to determine whether the droplets have properly passed through the conduit and to the patient during an activation event; an information storage device storing calibration information indicative of a correlation estimation between medication absorbed by a patient versus a number of drops ejected from the ejector; and control electronics coupled to the ejector and the detection system, wherein the control electronics utilize the calibration information to select a number of drops to be ejected, and the control electronics updates the calibration information based on information received from the particle detection system.
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11. An inhalation system comprising:
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an ejector that elects medicated droplets during an activation event; a conduit fluidically coupled to the ejector and configured to transport the droplets to a patient during an in-breath; a particle detection system configured to determine whether the droplets have properly passed through the conduit and to the patient during an activation event; and an inhaler control system communicatively coupled to the particle detection system and adapted to adjust at least one delivery parameter of the inhalation system, whereby the difference between desired dose and estimated delivered dose is reduced. - View Dependent Claims (12)
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13. A method, comprising the steps of:
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generating a dose of medicament particles from an inhaler system; detecting particles emitted in the inhaler system; determining if a desired particle flux has been achieved for inhalation by a patient detecting particles exhaled into the inhaler system by the patient; and determining if a desired amount of dose of medicament has been delivered to a patient. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19)
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20. A method, comprising the steps of:
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generating a dose of medicament particles from an inhaler system; detecting particles emitted in the inhaler system; determining if a desired particle flux has been achieved for inhalation by a patient; and adjusting at least one delivery parameter of the inhaler, whereby the difference between desired dose and estimated delivered dose is reduced.
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21. A method , comprising the steps of:
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generating a dose of medicament particles from an inhaler system; detecting particles emitted in the inhaler system; determining if a desired particle flux has been achieved for inhalation by a patient; and adjusting at least one delivery parameter of the inhaler, whereby variance between estimated delivered doses to the patient is reduced.
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22. A method, comprising the steps of:
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generating a dose of medicament particles from an inhaler system; detecting particles emitted in the inhaler system; and determining if a desired particle flux has been achieved for inhalation by a patient; wherein the method is a feedback to an inhaler system controller that makes adjustments to delivery parameters based on the estimated delivered dose.
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23. An inhaler system, comprising:
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means for generating a dose of medicament particles from an inhaler system; means for detecting particles emitted in the inhaler system; means for determining if a desired particle flux has been achieved for inhalation by a patient; means for indicating to patient that another dose of medicament particles may be taken; means for detecting particles exhaled into the inhaler system by the patient; and means for determining if a desired amount of dose of medicament has been delivered to a patient. - View Dependent Claims (24, 25, 26)
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27. An inhaler system, comprising:
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means for generating a dose of medicament particles from an inhaler system; means for detecting particles emitted in the inhaler system; means for determining if a desired particle flux has been achieved for inhalation by a patient; means for indicating a fault to the patient if a desired amount of dose has not been achieved; means for calibrating the inhaler system to compensate for any shortfall in the amount of dose delivered to the patient; and means for generating a subsequent dose of medicament particles from an inhaler system.
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Specification