Method and system for determining information related to a drug reservoir

• US 9,870,492 B2
• Filed: 01/21/2011
• Issued: 01/16/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 01/22/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sanofi-Aventis Deutschland GmbH (Sanofi )
• Original Assignee: Sanofi-Aventis Deutschland GmbH (Sanofi )
• Inventors: Day, Shane Alistair, Yates, Barry, Avery, Richard James Vincent
• Primary Examiner(s): Stigell, Theodore
• Assistant Examiner(s): Koo, Benjamin
• Application Number:
  US13/522,489
• Publication Number:
  US 20130072897A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,552 Days
• Field of Search: 604500, 235375
• 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 15/0068 Indicating or counting the number of dispensed doses or of remaining doses
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 15/008 Electronic counters
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 15/0081 Locking means
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 15/0083 Timers
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2005/2407 from the rear
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2005/2496 via pivot
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2005/3125 specific display means, e.g. to indicate dose setting
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/12 with interchangeable cassettes forming partially or totally the fluid circuit
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/18 with alarm
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/27 preventing use
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/276 preventing unwanted use
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/43 making noise when used correctly
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/44 making noise when used incorrectly
• 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 2205/6009 for matching patient with his treatment, e.g. to improve transfusion security
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/6063 Optical identification systems
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/6081 Colour codes
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/00 Devices for bringing media into the body in a subcutaneous, intra-vascular or intramuscular way; Accessories therefor, e.g. filling or cleaning devices, arm-rests vaccination appliances for veterinary use A61D1/025 ; tube connectors, tube couplings, valves or branch units specially adapted for medical use A61M39/00; containers specially adapted for medical or pharmaceutical purposes A61J1/00; combinations of vial and syringe for mixing or transferring their contents A61J1/20; holders for containers for collecting, storing or administering blood or medical fluids A61J1/16
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/1452 : pressurised by means of pistons
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/20 : Automatic syringes, e.g. with automatically actuated piston rod, with automatic needle injection, filling automatically A61M5/142 , A61M5/46 take precedence; hypodermic projectiles F42B12/54
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/24 : Ampoule syringes, i.e. syringes with needle for use in combination with replaceable ampoules or carpules, e.g. automatic ampoules or carpules A61J1/06
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/2425 : by compression of deformable ampoule or carpule wall
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/31525 : Dosing burettes, pipettes B01L3/02
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/31546 : Electrically operated dose setting, e.g. input via touch screen or plus/minus buttons
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/31583 : based on rotational translation, i.e. movement of piston rod is caused by relative rotation between the user activated actuator and the piston rod
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/482 : Varying injection pressure, e.g. by varying speed of injection
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/06037 : multi-dimensional coding
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/10 : by electromagnetic radiation, e.g. optical sensing; by corpuscular radiation
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/12 : using a selected wavelength, e.g. to sense red marks and ignore blue marks
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 20/17 : delivered via infusion or injection

Abstract

A method and system for detecting information related to a drug reservoir. The method includes transmitting energy at a coded material disposed on a drug reservoir, where the energy has at least one predefined characteristic. The coded material identifies information related to the drug reservoir. The coded material modifies the energy and emits the modified energy to a receiver. The method further includes receiving at the receiver the modified energy. The method further includes determining information related to the drug reservoir based on the modified energy as the drug reservoir is loaded into a drug delivery device.

Claims

1. A method of determining information related to a drug reservoir, the method comprising:

providing a drug reservoir comprising a coded material, wherein the coded material identifies information related to the drug reservoir;

providing electronic means for determining the information, wherein the electronic means comprise a receiver;

partially inserting the drug reservoir into a drug reservoir holder of a drug delivery device such that the coded material is positioned within the drug reservoir holder so that electromagnetic radiation emitted from the coded material is received by the receiver;

receiving by the receiver electromagnetic radiation emitted from the coded material;

based on the received electromagnetic radiation, determining the information identified by the coded material;

based on the determined information, determining whether the drug reservoir is intended for use with the drug delivery device;

if the determination is that the drug reservoir is not intended for use with the drug delivery device, then preventing complete insertion of the drug reservoir into the drug reservoir holder by activating an electronically-controlled latch and displaying an indication to a user of the drug delivery device that the drug reservoir is incorrect by means of a display operable to provide an indication to a user of the drug delivery device whether the drug reservoir is intended for use with the drug delivery device; and

if the determination is that the drug reservoir is intended for use with the drug delivery device, then (i) controlling dose selection based on the identified drug reservoir, and (ii) controlling a dispensing operation of the drug based on the identified drug reservoir,

wherein the step of determining information related to the drug reservoir is performed while the drug reservoir is positioned at least partially within the drug reservoir holder of the drug delivery device.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the electronic means comprise a transmitter for transmitting electromagnetic radiation, the method further comprising:

transmitting electromagnetic radiation by the transmitter to the coded material,

wherein the radiation has at least one predefined characteristic and wherein the coded material modifies the characteristic of the radiation and emits the modified radiation to the receiver,

wherein the information determined is based on the received modified radiation.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the coded material modifies the electromagnetic radiation by at least one of shifting the frequency of the transmitted radiation, filtering the radiation, absorbing the transmitted radiation followed by gradually releasing the radiation, absorbing the transmitted radiation followed by releasing the radiation after a given delay, and shifting the phase of the transmitted radiation.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein controlling dose selection based on the identified drug reservoir comprises at least one of the following steps:

a) setting a maximum dose of drug for a dispensing operation of the drug delivery device;

b) setting a minimum dose of drug for a dispensing operation of the drug delivery device;

c) controlling the dosing frequency for a dispensing operation of the drug delivery device.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein controlling a dispensing operation of the drug based on the identified drug reservoir comprises at least one of the following steps:

a) controlling a dispense speed for dispensing a drug retained in the drug reservoir;

b) controlling a required dispense force for dispensing a drug retained in the drug reservoir.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the coded material comprises material having at least one color and wherein the method further comprises:

receiving by the receiver light from the coded material, determining by the electronic means the color of the received light and based on the color of the received light determining information related to the drug reservoir.

9. The drug delivery device of claim 7, wherein the processor is configured to execute or trigger executing at least one of the method steps of claim 1.

7. A drug delivery device comprising:

a drug reservoir holder operable to receive a drug reservoir;

an electronically controlled latch, which, when activated, is configured to prevent complete insertion of the drug reservoir into the drug reservoir holder;

electronic means for detecting information related to the drug reservoir, the electronic means comprising;

a receiver configured to receive electromagnetic radiation emitted from a coded material disposed on the drug reservoir, where the receiver is positioned relative to the drug reservoir holder so that the emitted electromagnetic radiation is received when the drug reservoir is being inserted into the drug reservoir holder;

a display operable to provide an indication to a user of the drug delivery device whether the drug reservoir is intended for use with the drug delivery device;

a processor; and

data storage comprising instructions executable by the processor to;

based upon the electromagnetic radiation received by the receiver during insertion of the drug reservoir into drug reservoir holder, determine the information identified by the coded material; and

based on the determined information, determining whether the drug reservoir is intended for use with the drug delivery device;

if the determination is that the drug reservoir is not intended for use with the drug delivery device, then activating the electronically controlled latch to thereby prevent complete insertion of the drug reservoir into the drug reservoir holder and displaying an indication to the user of the drug delivery device that the drug reservoir is incorrect; and

if the determination is that the drug reservoir is intended for use with the drug delivery device, then (i) controlling dose selection based on the identified drug reservoir, and (ii) controlling a dispensing operation of the drug based on the identified drug reservoir.

8. The drug delivery device of claim 7, further comprising:

a transmitter configured to transmit electromagnetic radiation to be directed at the coded material,

wherein the electronic means are configured to be used with a coded material which modifies the transmitted radiation, wherein the receiver is configured to receive the modified radiation and wherein the processor is configured to determine information based upon the modified radiation.

10. The drug delivery device of claim 7, configured to be used with the coded material comprising at least one of a volatile chemical, a particle to be identified microscopically, a magnetic particle, a fluorescent material, and a phosphorescent material.

11. The drug delivery device of claim 7, configured to be used with the coded material comprising multiple coded materials emitting electromagnetic radiation, wherein the electromagnetic radiation from the multiple coded materials differ in at least one predefined characteristic and wherein the determined information comprises information based on the differing predefined characteristics.

12. The drug delivery device of claim 7, configured to be used with a non-visible coded material.

13. The drug delivery device of claim 7 having at least one of the following designs:

a) The transmitter is an LED;

b) The receiver comprises at least one photosensor.

14. A method of determining information related to a drug reservoir, the method comprising:

providing a drug reservoir comprising a coded material, wherein the coded material identifies information related to the drug reservoir;

providing electronic means for determining the information, wherein the electronic means comprise a receiver that is positioned relative to a drug reservoir holder of a drug delivery device such that the receiver can receive electromagnetic radiation emitted from the coded material;

partially inserting the drug reservoir into the drug reservoir holder such that the coded material is positioned within the drug reservoir holder so that the electromagnetic radiation emitted from the coded material is received by the receiver;

receiving by the receiver the electromagnetic radiation emitted from the coded material; and

based on the received electromagnetic radiation, determining the information identified by the coded material, and

based on the determined information, determining whether the drug reservoir is intended for use with a drug delivery device and, if it is not, informing a user of the drug delivery device that the drug reservoir is incorrect and preventing the user for a predetermined time period from setting a dose on the drug delivery device and preventing complete insertion of the drug reservoir into the drug reservoir holder by triggering an electronically-controlled latch,

wherein the step of determining information related to the drug reservoir is performed while the drug reservoir is positioned at least partially within the drug reservoir holder.