Meal detection devices and methods

• US 10,791,988 B2
• Filed: 03/28/2018
• Issued: 10/06/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 03/13/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Cilag Gmbh International (Johnson & Johnson)
• Original Assignee: Ethicon, LLC (Johnson & Johnson)
• Inventors: Dunki-Jacobs, Adam, Harris, Jason L., Lemay, Mathieu, Pfleiderer, Martin, Proenca, Martin, Utard, Thierry
• Primary Examiner(s): Hindenbrug, Max F
• Application Number:
  US15/938,132
• Publication Number:
  US 20180214077A1
• Time in Patent Office: 923 Days
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2505/07 Home care
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/01 Measuring temperature of body parts ; Diagnostic temperature sensing, e.g. for malignant or inflamed tissue clinical contact thermometers G01K13/20
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0537 Measuring body composition by impedance, e.g. tissue hydration or fat content
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/1107 Measuring contraction of parts of the body, e.g. organ, muscle apparatus for measuring work or force in general G01L
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/318 Heart-related electrical modalities, e.g. electrocardiography [ECG]
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/389 Electromyography [EMG]
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/392 Detecting gastrointestinal contractions
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/4238 stomach
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/4839 combined with drug delivery
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/4866 Evaluating metabolism A61B5/083 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 7/008 Detecting noise of gastric tract, e.g. caused by voiding
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2005/002 for sensing mechanical parameters
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 5/0013 Implantable devices or invasive measures
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 5/0059 with wireless means
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/1723 using feedback of body parameters, e.g. blood-sugar, pressure measurement of body parameters A61B5/00
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/36007 of urogenital or gastrointestinal organs, e.g. for incontinence control

Abstract

Devices and methods for detecting meal intake are disclosed herein. In some embodiments, one or more sensors can be used to detect or monitor physiological parameters of a user (e.g., heart rate, body movements, temperature, pH, impedance, gastric stretch, sound emissions, and the like). The outputs of the sensors can be received by a computer system configured to analyze the sensor data and make a determination as to whether meal intake has occurred or is presently occurring. The computer system'"'"'s determination can be used to trigger, modulate, or otherwise control one or more therapeutic devices. Other types of devices can also be controlled using this determination, such as monitoring or logging devices.

Claims

1. A meal detection method, comprising:

measuring impedance across one or more portions of a user using an impedance sensor;

sensing movement of one or more portions of a user using an accelerometer;

using a processor in communication with the impedance sensor and the accelerometer, analyzing outputs of the impedance sensor and the accelerometer to detect meal intake by the user; and

automatically triggering a controlled device to deliver a therapy to the user in response to meal intake detected by the processor.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising using the processor to calculate an impedance sensor index, an impedance sensor threshold value, an accelerometer index, and an accelerometer threshold value.

3. The method of claim 2, further comprising using the processor to determine that solid meal intake occurred when the impedance sensor index exceeds the impedance sensor threshold value.

4. The method of claim 2, further comprising using the processor to determine that liquid meal intake occurred when the impedance sensor index does not exceed the impedance sensor threshold value and the accelerometer index exceeds the accelerometer threshold value.

5. The method of claim 2, further comprising using the processor to determine that no meal intake occurred when the impedance sensor index does not exceed the impedance sensor threshold value and the accelerometer index does not exceed the accelerometer threshold value.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising using the processor to calculate an accelerometer index based on the total energy of the accelerometer output in a frequency band of interest.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising using the processor to calculate an impedance sensor index based on the median energy of the impedance sensor output in a frequency band of interest.