Systems and methods for controlling delivery of breast milk supplementation

• US 9,925,122 B2
• Filed: 03/30/2015
• Issued: 03/27/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 03/30/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Elwha LLC (Intellectual Ventures LLC)
• Original Assignee: Elwha LLC (Intellectual Ventures LLC)
• Inventors: Chin, Hon Wah, Hyde, Roderick A., Sweeney, Elizabeth A., Wood, Jr., Lowell L.
• Primary Examiner(s): Lee, Thomas
• Assistant Examiner(s): Wang, Zhipeng
• Application Number:
  US14/673,498
• Publication Number:
  US 20160291603A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,093 Days
• CPC Class Codes: A61J 11/0005 having additional ports, e.g. for connecting syringes or straws devices for administering medicines orally A61J7/00
• CPC Class Codes: A61J 13/00 Breast-nipple shields breast-pumps A61M1/06
• CPC Class Codes: A61J 15/0011 Feeding-tubes for delivery of nourishment to the mouth; Mouth pieces therefor breast-nipple shields A61J13/00; mouth pieces for drinking straws A47G21/185; straws to take medicine A61J7/0038, mouthpieces for tracheal tubes A61M16/0488
• CPC Class Codes: A61J 2200/30 Compliance analysis for taking medication
• CPC Class Codes: A61J 2200/42 Heating means
• CPC Class Codes: A61J 2200/60 biodegradable
• CPC Class Codes: A61J 2200/70 Device provided with specific sensor or indicating means
• CPC Class Codes: A61J 2200/74 for weight
• CPC Class Codes: A61J 7/0015 Devices specially adapted for taking medicines
• CPC Class Codes: A61J 7/0053 Syringes, pipettes or oral dispensers
• CPC Class Codes: A61J 7/0076 Medicament distribution means with pill counting devices A61J7/02; with time indication A61J7/04; containers or packages with special means for dispensing contents B65D83/00

Abstract

Systems and methods for controlling delivery of breast milk supplementation are described which include receiving information associated with a breast milk supplement regimen with a breast milk supplement delivery device, the breast milk supplement delivery device including a substrate sized for placement on a surface of a breast region of a lactating female, at least one supplement reservoir associated with the substrate and adapted to contain one or more breast milk supplements, the at least one supplement reservoir including a port with a controllable valve, a data storage component configured to store the breast milk supplement regimen, and a control unit operably coupled to the data storage component and the controllable valve and including a microprocessor and circuitry; and actuating the controllable valve of the at least one supplement reservoir to modulate release of the one or more breast milk supplements based on the received breast milk supplement regimen.

Claims

1. A method for controlling delivery of breast milk supplementation to a nursing infant comprising:

measuring at least one analyte of the nursing infant during a breastfeeding event with at least one analyte sensor associated with a breast milk supplement delivery device, the breast milk supplement delivery device including a substrate sized for placement on a surface of a breast region of a lactating female, the at least one analyte sensor attached to the substrate, at least one supplement reservoir associated with the substrate and adapted to contain one or more breast milk supplements, the at least one supplement reservoir including a port with a controllable valve, and a control unit including a microprocessor and circuitry, the control unit operably coupled to the at least one analyte sensor and to the controllable valve of the at least one supplement reservoir;

receiving information associated with the measured at least one analyte of the nursing infant during the breastfeeding event from the at least one analyte sensor associated with the breast milk supplement delivery device; and

actuating the controllable valve of the at least one supplement reservoir to modulate release of the one or more breast milk supplements to the nursing infant during the breastfeeding event based on the received information associated with the measured at least one analyte of the nursing infant.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving information associated with a breast milk supplement regimen;

modifying the received information associated with the breast milk supplement regimen in response to the received information associated with the measured at least one analyte of the nursing infant during the breastfeeding event and

actuating the controllable valve of at least one of the one or more supplement reservoirs associated with the breast milk supplement delivery device to modulate release of the one or more breast milk supplements based on the modified breast milk supplement regimen;

wherein receiving the information associated with the breast milk supplement regimen includes at least one of wirelessly receiving the information associated with the breast milk supplement regimen, receiving the information associated with the breast milk supplement regimen from a removable data storage component, or receiving the information associated with the breast milk supplement regimen through a user interface associated with the breast milk supplement delivery device.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein actuating the controllable valve includes actuating the controllable valve to at least one of open the controllable valve, close the controllable valve, change a pressure threshold of the controllable valve, increase an opening size of the controllable valve, decrease an opening size of the controllable valve, or alter a permeability or porosity of the controllable valve.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein actuating the controllable valve of the at least one supplement reservoir to modulate release of the one or more breast milk supplements to the nursing infant during the breastfeeding event based on the received information associated with the measured at least one analyte of the nursing infant comprises actuating the controllable valve to modulate release of a specified amount of the one or more breast milk supplements during the breastfeeding event.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein actuating the controllable valve of the at least one supplement reservoir to modulate release of the one or more breast milk supplements to the nursing infant during the breastfeeding event based on the received information associated with the measured at least one analyte of the nursing infant comprises actuating the controllable valve to modulate release of a specified cumulative amount of the one or more breast milk supplements over a plurality of breastfeeding events.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein actuating the controllable valve of the at least one supplement reservoir to modulate release of the one or more breast milk supplements to the nursing infant during the breastfeeding event based on the received information associated with the measured at least one analyte of the nursing infant comprises actuating the controllable valve to modulate release of a specified cumulative amount of the one or more breast milk supplements over a plurality of breastfeeding events within a specified time period.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein actuating the controllable valve of the at least one supplement reservoir to modulate release of the one or more breast milk supplements to the nursing infant during the breastfeeding event based on the received information associated with the measured at least one analyte of the nursing infant comprises actuating the controllable valve to cease release of the one or more breast milk supplements once a specified amount of the one or more breast milk supplements has been delivered.

8. The method of claim 2, further comprising:

adjusting the breast milk supplement regimen based on attributes of an infant.

9. The method of claim 2, further comprising:

adjusting the breast milk supplement regimen based on a quality of breast milk of the lactating female.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

recording a delivery event with at least one delivery event sensor associated with the breast milk supplement delivery device.

11. The method of claim 1, further comprising

reporting a delivery event to at least one of a personal electronic device, a computing device, or a user interface associated with the breast milk supplement delivery device.

12. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving information associated with a proximity of the nursing infant to the breast milk supplement delivery device with an infant presence detector and actuating the controllable valve of the at least one supplement reservoir in response to the received information associated with the proximity of the nursing infant.

13. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

vibrating at least a portion of the breast milk supplement delivery device.

14. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

at least one of heating and cooling at least a portion of the breast milk supplement delivery device.

31. The method of claim 1, wherein measuring the at least one analyte of the nursing infant during the breastfeeding event with the at least one analyte sensor associated with the breast milk supplement delivery device comprises measuring at least one saliva analyte of the nursing infant during the breastfeeding event with at least one saliva analyte sensor associated with the breast milk supplement delivery device.

32. The method of claim 1, wherein measuring the at least one analyte of the nursing infant during the breastfeeding event with the at least one analyte sensor associated with the breast milk supplement delivery device comprises measuring at least one exhaled breath analyte of the nursing infant during the breastfeeding event with at least one exhaled breath analyte sensor associated with the breast milk supplement delivery device.

15. A method for controlling delivery of breast milk supplementation to a nursing infant comprising:

measuring at least one saliva analyte in saliva of the nursing infant during a breastfeeding event with a saliva analyte sensor incorporated into a breast milk supplement delivery device, the breast milk supplement delivery device including, a substrate sized for placement on a surface of a breast region of a lactating female, the at least one analyte sensor associated with the substrate, at least one supplement reservoir associated with the substrate and adapted to contain one or more breast milk supplements, the at least one supplement reservoir including a port with a controllable valve, and a control unit including a microprocessor and circuitry, the control unit operably coupled to the saliva analyte sensor and the controllable valve of the at least one supplement reservoir;

receiving information associated with the measured at least one saliva analyte in the saliva of the nursing infant from the saliva analyte sensor associated with the breast milk supplement delivery device; and

actuating the controllable valve of the at least one supplement reservoir to modulate release of the one or more breast milk supplements to the nursing infant during the breastfeeding event in response to the received information associated with the measured at least one saliva analyte in the saliva of the nursing infant.

16. The method of claim 15, further comprising:

receiving information associated with a breast milk supplement regimen.

17. The method of claim 16, further comprising:

modifying the breast milk supplement regimen in response to the received information associated with the measured at least one saliva analyte in the saliva of the nursing infant; and

actuating the controllable valve of the at least one supplement reservoir to modulate release of the one or more breast milk supplements in response to the modified breast milk supplement regimen.

18. The method of claim 15, further comprising:

recording a delivery event with at least one delivery event sensor.

19. The method of claim 15, further comprising:

reporting a delivery event to at least one of a personal electronic device, a computing device, or a user interface associated with the breast milk supplement delivery device.

20. The method of claim 15, further comprising:

receiving information associated with a proximity of the nursing infant to the breast milk supplement delivery device with an infant presence detector and actuating the controllable valve of the at least one supplement reservoir in response to the received information associated with the proximity of the nursing infant.

21. The method of claim 15, further comprising:

vibrating at least a portion of the breast milk supplement delivery device.

22. The method of claim 15, further comprising:

at least one of heating and cooling at least a portion of the breast milk supplement delivery device.

33. The method of claim 16, wherein receiving the information associated with the breast milk supplement regimen includes receiving information associated with a breast milk supplement regimen personalized for attributes of at least one infant.

34. The method of claim 16, wherein receiving the information associated with the breast milk supplement regimen includes receiving information associated with a breast milk regimen personalized for a quality of breast milk of the lactating female.

23. A system for controlling delivery of breast milk supplementation to a nursing infant during a breastfeeding event comprising:

a breast milk supplement delivery device including

one or more supplement reservoirs adapted to contain and controllably release one or more breast milk supplements to the nursing infant during the breastfeeding event, each of the one or more supplement reservoirs including a controllable valve; and

at least one analyte sensor positioned to measure at least one analyte of the nursing infant during the breastfeeding event;

a computing component; and

circuitry including

circuitry for receiving information associated with the measured at least one analyte of the nursing infant during the breastfeeding event; and

circuitry for actuating a controllable valve of at least one of one or more supplement reservoirs associated with the breast milk supplement delivery device to modulate release of the one or more breast milk supplements to the nursing infant during the breastfeeding event from at least one of the one or more supplement reservoirs based on the received information associated with the measured at least one analyte of the nursing infant.

24. The system of claim 23, wherein the computing component comprises a special use computing component.

25. The system of claim 23, further comprising:

circuitry for receiving information from a delivery event sensor; and

circuitry for reporting a delivery event to at least one of a personal electronic device, a computing device, or a user interface.

26. The system of claim 23, further comprising:

circuitry for receiving information associated with a breast milk supplement regimen;

circuitry for modifying the breast milk supplement regimen in response to the received information associated with the measured at least one analyte of the nursing infant during the breastfeeding event; and

circuitry for actuating the controllable valve of at least one of the one or more supplement reservoirs associated with the breast milk supplement delivery device to modulate release of the one or more breast milk supplements based on the modified breast milk supplement regimen.

35. The system of claim 23, wherein the breast milk supplement delivery device including that at least one analyte sensor is sized for placement on a surface of a breast region of a lactating female.

36. The system of claim 23, wherein the at least one analyte sensor positioned to measure the at least one analyte of the nursing infant during the breastfeeding event comprises at least one saliva analyte sensor positioned to measure at least one saliva analyte of the nursing infant during the breastfeeding event.

37. The system of claim 23, wherein the at least one analyte sensor positioned to measure the at least one analyte of the nursing infant during the breastfeeding event comprises at least one exhaled breath analyte sensor positioned to measure at least one exhaled breath analyte of the nursing infant during the breastfeeding event.

27. A system for controlling delivery of breast milk supplementation to a nursing infant during a breastfeeding event comprising:

a breast milk supplement delivery device including

one or more supplement reservoirs adapted to contain and controllably release one or more breast milk supplements to the nursing infant during the breastfeeding event, each of the one or more supplement reservoirs including a controllable valve; and

at least one saliva analyte sensor positioned to measure at least one saliva analyte of the nursing infant during the breastfeeding event;

a computing component; and

circuitry including

circuitry for receiving information associated with the measured at least one saliva analyte from the at least one saliva analyte sensor incorporated into the breast milk supplement delivery device; and

circuitry for actuating the controllable valve of at least one of the one or more supplement reservoirs associated with the breast milk supplement delivery device to modulate release of the one or more breast milk supplements to the nursing infant during the breastfeeding event in response to the received information associated with the measured at least one saliva analyte.

28. The system of claim 27, wherein the computing component comprises a special use computing component.

29. The system of claim 27, further comprising:

circuitry for receiving information from a delivery event sensor; and

circuitry for reporting a delivery event to at least one of a personal electronic device, a computing device, or a user interface.

30. The system of claim 27, further comprising:

circuitry for receiving information associated with a breast milk supplement regimen;

circuitry for modifying the received information associated with the breast milk supplement regimen in response to the received information associated with the measured at least one saliva analyte; and

circuitry for actuating the controllable valve of at least one of the one or more supplement reservoirs associated with the breast milk supplement delivery device to modulate release of the one or more breast milk supplements based on the modified breast milk supplement regimen.

38. The system of claim 27, further comprising:

circuitry for recording a delivery event with a delivery event sensor, wherein the delivery event includes at least one of a breast milk supplement type, a dosage, an infant identified, a time, and a date; and

circuitry for reporting the delivery event to at least one of a personal electronic device, a computing device, and a user interface.