METHOD OF MONITORING AN OPERATION OF AN ELECTRIC BREAST PUMP

Abstract

A method of monitoring an operation of an electric breast pump (100) using an external smart device (200) is provided. The external smart device (200) comprises a vibration detection unit (210) for detecting vibrations emitted from the breast pump (100). The detected vibrations are analyzed to extract information regarding the operation of the electric breast pump (100). The information comprises at least one of mode of operation and settings of the modes of operation of the breast pump (100). The extracted information can be outputted.

Claims

1. A method of monitoring an operation of an electric breast pump using an external smart device having a vibration detection unit, comprising the step of: detecting vibrations emitted from the breast pump by the vibration detection unit of the smart device; analyzing the detected vibrations to extract information regarding the operation of the breast pump; wherein the information comprises at least one of a mode of operation, and settings of the modes of operation of the breast pump, and outputting the extracted information, wherein the detected vibration is analyzed in an analyzing unit of the smart device, wherein the analyzing step comprises comparing the detected vibration with predefined vibration patterns to determine information regarding the operation of the breast pump, and wherein, in the analyzing step, a spectral analysis of the detected vibrations of the electric breast pump is performed, and a temporal envelope of the vibration in two frequency bands is analyzed.

2. The method of monitoring an operation of an breast pump according to claim 1, further comprising the step of determining a malfunction of the electric breast pump based on the detected vibration of the breast pump.

3. The method of monitoring an operation of an breast pump according to claim 1, further comprising the step of determining a fit of cups or funnels of the breast pump based on the detected vibration from the breast pump.

4. The method of monitoring an operation of a breast pump according to claim 1, wherein the vibration detection unit is a microphone, a velocity sensor, an accelerometer or a proximity sensor.

5. The method of monitoring an operation of a breast pump according to claim 1, wherein the detected settings or the mode of operation of the breast pump can be displayed in order to help the user to improve the expression of milk.

6. A smart device, comprising a vibration detection unit configured to detect vibrations emitted from a breast pump; and an analyzing unit configured to analyze vibrations detected by the vibration detection unit to determine information regarding the operation of the breast pump by comparing the detected vibrations with pre-defined vibration patterns and by performing spectral analysis of the detected vibrations, and by analyzing a temporal envelope of the detected vibrations in two frequency bands; wherein the information comprises at least one of a mode of operation or settings of the modes of operation of the breast pump.

7. A breast pumping system, comprising an electric breast pump, and a smart device according to claim 6.

8. A computer program for operating the smart device, wherein the computer program comprises program code means for causing an analyzing unit to carry out the method as defined in claim 1, when the computer program is run on the smart device.

9. A breast pump monitor, comprising a vibration detector configured to detect vibrations emitted from a breast pump; and an analyzer configured to analyze vibrations detected by the vibration detector to determine information regarding the operation of the breast pump by comparing the detected vibrations with pre-defined vibration patterns; wherein the information comprises at least one of a mode of operation or settings of the modes of operation of the breast pump.

10. The breast pump monitor of claim 9 wherein the analyzer is further configured to perform a spectral analysis of the detected vibrations.

11. The breast pump monitor of claim 9 wherein the analyzer is further configured to analyze a temporal envelope of the detected vibrations in two frequency bands.

12. The breast pump monitor of claim 9 wherein the analyzer is further configured determine a malfunction of the breast pump based on the detected vibration of the breast pump.

13. The breast pump monitor of claim 9 wherein the analyzer is further configured to determine a fit of cups or funnels of the breast pump based on the detected vibration from the breast pump.

14. The breast pump monitor of claim 9 further comprising a display wherein the settings or the mode of operation determined by the analyzer are displayed on the display.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0024] In the following drawings:

[0025] FIG. 1 shows a schematic block diagram of a breast pump as well as a smart device according to an aspect of the invention, and

[0026] FIG. 2 shows a graph depicting different settings of the breast pump detected by the smart device.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS

[0027] FIG. 1 shows a schematic block diagram of a breast pump as well as a smart device according to an aspect of the invention. The electric breast pump 100 is used by a user for extracting milk. The breast pump 100 comprise a pump 110 which is used for creating a vacuum in order to express milk and cups or funnels 120 which can be pressed against the breast of the user.

[0028] The smart device 200 can be placed in the proximity of the breast pump 100. The smart device 200 comprises at least one vibration detection unit like a microphone 210 and an analyzing unit 220. Optionally, the smart device 200 can comprise a display 230 as well as a wireless communication unit 240 and a processing unit 250 which can be adapted to run applications which can be stored on the smart device.

[0029] In order to monitor the operation of the breast pump 100 the smart device 200 can be placed in the vicinity of the breast pump and the at least one microphone 210 is activated to detect sound from the breast pump.

[0030] The sound of the breast pump 100 detected by the microphone 110 (or the vibration detected by the vibration detection unit) is analyzed in the analyzing unit 220. The analyzing unit 220 may also be part of the processing unit 250. An algorithm can be used in the analyzing unit 220 to analyze the detected sounds in order to extract information regarding the operation or mode of operation and the setting of the mode of operation of the breast pump. The breast pump 100 can have several modes of operation like expression modes (e.g. a first, second and third expression mode E1, E2, E3 and a stimulation mode S. Based on the detected sound the analyzing unit 220 analyses the sound in order to determine which of the modes of operation and optionally which settings of the modes of operation are used by the breast pump. The different settings of the modes of operation can for example be the duty cycle, the vacuum, the cycle time and the time to vacuum.

[0031] The above mentioned settings (like the vacuum, the cycle time and the time to vacuum) of the different modes can be as follows:

TABLE-US-00001 Max Vac Cycle Time Time To Vac [mbar] [s] [s] # Mode Mean Std Mean Std Mean Std 1 Stimulation S −170 0.600 0.4 2 Expression I −225 1.250 0.775 E1 3 Expression II −279 1.275 0.85 E2 4 Expression III −333 1.320 0.90 E3

[0032] Optionally, the analyzing unit 220 may use predetermined or pre-defined sound patterns or sound features which are unique to specific breast pump in order to determine which of the operational settings are used by the breast pump. The pre-defined sound patterns can for example be forwarded to the smart device via the wireless communication unit 240.

[0033] According to an aspect of the invention, the settings of the breast pump can be slightly modified (e.g. a slightly longer duty cycle) to improve the distinguishability of the different modes of operation (expression mode, stimulation mode) and the different settings of the modes of operation. However, care must be taken, that the efficiency of the pump does not suffer too much.

[0034] Optionally, the detected modes of operation and/or the detected settings can be displayed on the display 230.

[0035] FIG. 2 shows a graph depicting different settings of the breast pump detected by the smart device. In FIG. 2 the results of operational settings of the breast pump as detected by the microphone of the smart device are depicted over time t. In the first graph, after six seconds, the second expression operating mode E2 is detected. In the next graph, the third expression operation mode E3 is detected. In the third graph, the stimulation operating mode S is detected. In the fourth graph, the first expression operating mode E1 is detected. The lower graphs substantially correspond to the upper graphs.

[0036] The smart device in particular the analyzing units 220 may also detect the time during which the breast pump is in a specific operating mode like the stimulation mode or the expression mode.

[0037] Based on the detected operating settings and operating mode of the breast pump information can be displayed on the display 230 in order to help the user to improve the expression of milk. For example, if the user is in the simulation mode for longer time (e.g. greater than 3 min) the smart device may display information regarding the importance of relaxation for milk expression. Furthermore, this may also include advise to relax or provide relaxing sound or music.

[0038] The information detected by the smart device 200 may also be gathered over several days or weeks in order to determine the routine of the user. Based on this information the smart device can remind the user of a time for a further milk expression.

[0039] Furthermore, on the smart device also a calendar application may be running. The information of this calendar app can be incorporated into the advice given to the user of the breast pump 100 and the smart device 200. In particular, the smart device 200 may help the user to plan expression sessions based on the time of previous milk expression, breast feeding sessions at a preferred amount of time between these sessions as well as the information or appointments in the calendar on the smart device.

[0040] The smart device may also have a camera which can be used to detect an amount of milk extracted by means of the breast pump. For this, the user may only need to take a photo of the milk inside a bottle of the breast pump.

[0041] The smart device may also log the amount of milk, the timings and duration of the expression sessions, the settings of the breast pump as well as the extracted milk volume in order to increase the extracted milk volume.

[0042] The application run on the smart device may also detect the routine of a user, for example, expressing once in the morning and twice in the afternoon and that she is expressing more milk in the morning than in the afternoon. This could be used to provide more inside on the woman's milk production which may be increased during a morning then during the afternoon. This information can be used to give an advice for example to express twice in the morning rather than twice in the afternoon.

[0043] According to an aspect of the invention the application may be used to track the use of the breast pump by the user in order to determine whether the user has followed the advice of the application.

[0044] According to a further aspect of the invention the detecting information as well as the analysis of the analyzing unit can be displayed on the display 230. This information's may include information regarding the speed of the extraction, the amount of extraction etc. In particular, these may include the information “you expressed the same amount of milk using setting 2 as 3, but are faster when using setting 3”. Or it may also include “if you want to be comfortable, you can express using setting 2 and you will have enough milk for your baby, but if you want to be done fast, you can use setting 3 and save x minutes in expression time”.

[0045] Moreover, the application and the smart device can be able to detect an end of the pumping session and to trigger additional events. For example, if the user is finished with extracting milk, the user may take a picture of the milk inside the bottle in order to determine how much milk was expressed.

[0046] According to a further aspect of the invention the application running on the smart device may determine whether a funnel of the breast pump has been correctly attached to the breast. If the cup or funnel is completely sealing the breast, the pump will need more effort to create the volume. This will lead to a greater loading on the motor of the pump and thus to a slower revolution of the pump. This can be detected by the sounds emitted by the pump unit 110. The analyzing unit 220 may use temple-spectra analyses to detect this change and the rotational frequency. This information may be used to determine whether or not the breast is correctly sealed by the funnel or cup.

[0047] According to a further aspect of the invention the smart device may also determine when the pump is defect or has a failure as this will lead to different sound.

[0048] Furthermore, the algorithm used by the analyses unit 220 can be a machine learning algorithm like a deep neutral network. According to an aspect of the invention a spectral analysis of the detected sound of the breast pump can be performed. In particular, the temporal envelope of the sound in two frequency bands at 6.82-8 kHz and at 19.9 kHz can be analyzed as these two frequency bands may contain specific information for each operating mode of the breast pump. Optionally, frames of 5.8 seconds can be taken using these two frequency ranges. An average of 2 auto-correlation function can be performed from smoothed and windowed energy profiles. A lag for the auto-correlation may correspond to the cycle time of the pumping profile.

[0049] According to an aspect of the invention, a vibration detection unit may be used to detect vibrations of the electric breast pump. The vibration detection unit can be embodied as a microphone as described above.

[0050] Alternatively, the vibrations detection unit can be embodied as an accelerometer a velocity sensor or a proximity sensor (e.g. inside the smart device). If the smart device is placed on the electric breast pump, the accelerometer can detect the vibration of the breast pump and can analyze the vibration as described above.

[0051] Other variations of the disclosed embodiment can be understood and effected by those skilled in the art in practicing the claimed invention from a study of the drawings, the disclosure and the appended claims.

[0052] In the claims, the word “comprising” does not exclude other elements or steps and in the indefinite article “a” or “an” does not exclude a plurality.

[0053] A single unit or device may fulfil the functions of several items recited in the claims. The mere fact that certain measures are recited in mutual different dependent claims does not indicate that a combination of these measurements cannot be used to advantage. A computer program may be stored/distributed on a suitable medium such as an optical storage medium or a solid state medium, supplied together with or as a part of other hardware, but may also be distributed in other forms such as via the internet or other wired or wireless telecommunication systems.

[0054] Any reference signs in the claims should not be construed as limiting the scope.