SECONDARY METHODS OF COMMUNICATING WITH A DRUG DELIVERY DEVICE
20230015740 · 2023-01-19
Inventors
Cpc classification
G06F1/1694
PHYSICS
G06F2200/1637
PHYSICS
G06F2203/0384
PHYSICS
A61M5/14244
HUMAN NECESSITIES
G06F3/016
PHYSICS
International classification
Abstract
The disclosed embodiments are directed to secondary methods of communicating with a drug delivery device when the primary method is unavailable. Secondary methods include the use of a pattern of taps on the housing of the drug delivery device to convey authentication information and commands to the drug delivery device. Feedback confirming the interpretation of the pattern of taps may be provided to the user via a vibration, sound, or blinking lights.
Claims
1. A drug delivery device comprising: a housing; a processor, disposed in the housing a vibration sensor, disposed in the housing; and software, which, when executed by the processor, performs the functions of: receiving signals from the vibration sensor indicating a pattern of taps on the housing of the device; interpreting the pattern of taps as a command; and executing the command indicated by the pattern of taps.
2. The device of claim 1 wherein the software performs the further function of: providing feedback regarding the analysis of the pattern of taps.
3. The device of claim 2 wherein the feedback is provided using one or more of a vibration transducer, an audio transducer or one or more visible indicators.
4. The device of claim 1 wherein entry of an authentication phrase indicated by a particular pattern of taps is required before any commands may be entered.
5. The device of claim 4 wherein the authentication phrase comprises one or more patterns indicating digits of a PIN number separated by short pauses.
6. The device of claim 4 wherein the pattern of taps indicating the authentication phrase may be specified using an application installed on a personal computing device and communicated to the drug delivery device via a wireless interface.
7. The device of claim 1 wherein the pattern of taps may include patterns indicating one or more characters in accordance with a predetermined table of characters, and characters are expressed by patterns of taps indicating a row number and a column number of the table separated by a short pause, the row and column number indicating a character positioned at the specified row and column of the table.
8. The device of claim 1, the device further comprising: one or more reservoirs containing one or more liquid drugs; and one or more pumps associated with the one or more respective reservoirs; wherein the software is further configured to: analyze patterns of taps representing commands indicating a particular delivery of the one or more liquid drugs stored in the one or more reservoirs.
9. The device of claim 8 wherein at least one of the one or more liquid drugs is insulin and wherein the software performs the further function of: recognizing a pattern of taps representing a command indicating that the device should administer a bolus dose of the insulin.
10. The device of claim 9, the software performing the further function of: recognizing a pattern of taps representing a number of whole or fractional units that should be administered as a bolus dose.
11. The device of claim 8 wherein at least one of the one or more liquid drugs is insulin and wherein the software performs the further function of: recognizing a pattern of taps representing at least one of a command indicating a temporary change in a basal dose of the insulin, or a number of units that should be administered as a basal dose.
12. The device of claim 11 wherein the device returns to a default setting for the delivery of basal doses of insulin after a predetermined period of time.
13. The device of claim 1 wherein the vibration sensor is maintained in a low-power state and further wherein the vibration center is woken up by a single tap the housing of the device and is moved to a high-power state.
14. The device of claim 13, the software performing the further function of: recognizing a pattern of taps indicating that the device is to enter a mode in which commands may be accepted.
15. The device of claim 1, the software performing the further function of: recognizing a command indicating that the device should connect to a new personal computing device and should thereafter receive commands from the new personal computing device, wherein the device connects to the new personal computing device via one of a Bluetooth interface, a Wi-Fi interface and a near-field interface.
16. The device of claim 15 wherein the new personal computing device issues commands to the device using at least one of a web browser or an installed application.
17. A display device comprising: a display; a power supply; and a communication interface; wherein the display device displays selected parameters from a drug delivery device when brought in close proximity to the drug delivery device.
18. The display device of claim 17 wherein the communication interface is selected from a group comprising a Bluetooth interface, a Wi-Fi interface, a near-field interface and an RFID interface.
19. The display device of claim 17 wherein the display device is configured to physically connect to a housing of the drug delivery device.
20. The display device of claim 17 further comprising: a fingerprint sensor wherein fingerprints captured using the fingerprint sensor are sent to the drug delivery device as a means of authenticating a user to the drug delivery device.
Description
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0014] To easily identify the discussion of any particular element, the most significant digit or digits in a reference number refer to the figure number in which that element is first introduced.
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DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0022] Devices and methods in accordance with the present disclosure will now be described more fully with reference to the accompanying drawings, where one or more embodiments or various aspects of the invention are shown. The methods may be embodied in many different forms and are not to be construed as being limited to the embodiments set forth herein. Instead, these embodiments are provided so the disclosure will be thorough and complete, and will fully convey the scope of the systems and methods to those skilled in the art. Each of the methods disclosed herein provides one or more advantages over conventional systems and methods.
[0023]
[0024] In a primary embodiment of the invention, the dosing application 106 may be implemented as software executing on a processor in drug delivery device 105 as part of ADD system 100. Drug delivery device 105 may be, for example, a wearable drug delivery device which is discreetly disposed on the body of the user and held in place on the user's skin by an adhesive. Alternatively, drug delivery device 105 may be, for example, a drug delivery device carried by a user (e.g., on a belt or in a pocket) and having an infusion set with tubing connecting the drug delivery device 105 to a cannula that penetrates the skin of the user.
[0025] Drug delivery device 105 may include a processor 102 in communication with memory 104 containing dosing application 106 which is executed by processor 102. In accordance with dosing application 106, processor 102 may control one or more reservoirs/pumps 108 suitable for delivering the liquid drug to the user via delivery interface 110 which may be, for example, a subcutaneous cannula extending from one or more housings of drug delivery device 105 and into the body of the user.
[0026] Drug delivery device 105 may further include a wireless communication interface 114. Wireless communication interface 114 may comprise, for example, one or more of a Bluetooth interface, a WiFi interface, a near-field interface, an RFID interface or any other wireless interface now known or later developed. Drug delivery device 105 may further include a vibration sensor 116, which may be used to sense tapping patterns on a housing of drug delivery device 105. Vibration sensor 116 may be, for example, a 3-axis accelerometer which can operate in low-power and high-power modes. Drug delivery device 105 may further include a vibration transducer 118 which may be used to send tactile vibrational feedback to the user. Vibration transducer 118 could be of a type that is commonly used in cellular phones, for example, an eccentrically mounted electric motor or a vibrating motor coin. Alternatively (or additionally), feedback to the user may be provided via an audio transducer (not shown) or one or more lights (e.g., LEDs, not shown) which may be visible through a housing of the device 105. The overall drug delivery device 105 may be powered by power source 112, which may be, for example, a battery or a power harvesting apparatus.
[0027] ADD system 100 may further include a sensor 180 which comprising a sensing/measuring device 182 which may be, for example, a continuous glucose monitor (CGM). Like drug delivery device 105, sensor 180 may also be a wearable device disposed on the body of the user. Sensor 180 may include power source 186 and a wireless communication interface 184.
[0028] Drug delivery device 105 and sensor 180 may communicate with each other via wireless communication link 146. Sensor 180 may provide periodic readings of the blood glucose level of the user to drug delivery device 105 for use by the dosing application 106 via wireless communication link 146. For example, sensor 180, in one embodiment, may provide blood glucose level readings to drug delivery device 105 every 5 minutes. Other intervals for reporting the blood glucose levels of the user are within the scope of the invention. In some embodiments of the present invention, the periodic readings of the blood glucose level of the user may be used, as described below, to modify delivery of the liquid drug.
[0029] In alternate embodiments, dosing application 106 may execute on a personal computing device 150 instead of on drug delivery device 105 and may communicate the dosing requirements of the liquid drug to drug delivery device 105 via wireless communication link 140. Personal computing device 150 may be configured with a processor 152 and a memory 154 containing software embodying the dosing application 106 for execution on processor 152. Personal computing device 150 may be further configured with a user interface 158 which may be used by the dosing application 106 to enable interaction with a user.
[0030] In some embodiments, personal computing device 150 may comprise, for example, a smartphone, a tablet device, a smartwatch, a dedicated personal diabetes manager, or any other personal mobile computing device capable of executing dosing application 106 and communicating with drug delivery device 105, cloud-based services 160 and sensor 180 via any well-known wireless communication protocol.
[0031] Dosing application 106 may have a user interface 158 which may be used, for example, to initialize operation of drug delivery device 105, to initiate administration of bolus doses of the liquid drug or to alter the parameters of the administration of basal doses of the liquid drug. Additionally, user interface 158 may be used to provide feedback to the user regarding the delivery of the liquid drug and the sensed readings from sensor 180. In some embodiments, the sensed readings may be received from sensor 180 directly via communication link 144 or indirectly via drug delivery device 105 via wireless communication link 140.
[0032] In alternative embodiments wherein no sensor 180 is used, the user may manually take readings and enter the readings directly to dosing application 106 via user interface 158. The readings may thereafter be transmitted to drug delivery device 105 via wireless communication link 140 for use by dosing application 106.
[0033] In some embodiments, the functionality of dosing application 106 may be split between personal computing device 150 and drug delivery device 105 in any convenient manner and separate portions of dosing application 106 executing on personal computing device 150 and on drug delivery device 105 may communicate via wireless link 140.
[0034] Dosing application 106 may further communicate with cloud-based services 160 via communication link 142. In alternative embodiments of the invention, the dosing application 106 may be implemented in a cloud-based service 160 and accessed via wireless communication link 142 with the user's personal computing device 150. Further, cloud-based services 160 may provide a data store for storage of the user's past use of the liquid drug for use by dosing application 106.
[0035] In one embodiment, dosing algorithm 106 may control the delivery of basal doses of insulin to the user at periodic intervals based on a specified basal rate. Dosing application 106 may comprise an algorithm which periodically cycles. For example, a cycle may comprise a 5-minute period during which a new blood glucose level reading may be received from sensor 180. The dosing application 106 may determine, in response to each additional blood glucose level reading, if additional insulin is required above and beyond the insulin that is indicated by a baseline basal rate and may control the delivery of the additional insulin during the current cycle. This additional insulin may be delivered as micro-boluses, which are insulin amounts above the baseline basal rate. Accordingly, the basal rate may not change, but additional insulin may be delivered as micro-boluses to address excursions in the user's blood glucose levels.
[0036] In a first aspect of the invention, as illustrated in
[0037] Once vibration sensor 116 has been moved to the high-power state, tap code processor 206 may listen for specific patterns of taps indicating entry of an authentication phrase or a command. For example, once vibration sensor 116 is awoken by a single purposeful tap, the user may tap a specific pattern (e.g., three purposeful taps in quick succession) to place the tap code processor 206 in listening mode, in which tap code processor 206 is listening for specific commands to be entered via other tapping patterns.
[0038] Drug delivery device 105 may also be provided with a vibration transducer 118 which may be used to provide feedback to the user. Alternatively, drug delivery device 105 may be provided with an audio transducer (not shown) or a series of lights (not shown) which may be visible through a housing of the device to provide feedback to the user. Feedback to the user may be provided after each step of the communication process, for example, as a simple pattern of vibrations, audible chirps or blinking lights. In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the vibration transducer 118 will be used to provide feedback to the user as tactile feedback is preferred over audio or visual feedback. As an example, the user may have trouble hearing or seeing, or the drug delivery device 105 may be positioned on the user's body in a place that makes it inconvenient to see visual feedback. In other embodiments wherein the drug delivery device is not wearable, the preferred method of feedback may be via an audible signal. In other embodiments, user feedback may be provided by two or more of tactile feedback, audio feedback, or visual feedback. As an example, after each step of the communication process, the user may be provided with a pattern of vibrations, chirps and/or blinking lights, but, as would be realized, any combination of vibrations, chirps or blinks may be used to acknowledge command inputs from the user.
[0039] In preferred embodiments of the invention, once the vibration sensor 116 has been placed in a high-power state and tap code processor 206 is ready to receive commands, the user must first provide authentication information to drug delivery device 105 before any other commands can be accepted. In one embodiment, a Roman alphabet, shown in
[0040] As an example, if the user has set their authentication code as “PSWD”, this could be encoded as (3, 5), (4, 3), (5, 2), (1, 4). This could be tapped as a series of purposeful taps as: three taps, a short pause, five taps, a long pause, four taps, a short pause, three taps, a long pause, five taps, a short pause, two taps, a long pause, one tap, a short pause, four taps. The user may be assisted in entering the string of characters by feedback provided by drug delivery device 105, for example, after a short pause the vibration transducer 118 could provide one vibration and, after, a long pause, the vibration sensor 118 could provide two vibrations. In lieu of a long pause, tap code processor 206 may automatically recognize that a complete character or a complete command has been entered (see example below with respect to
[0041] The user may initially indicate the authentication phrase via user interface 158 for dosing application 106, which is executed on personal computing device 150. The user may enter the authentication phrase one time and, each time a new drug delivery device 105 is used, the information regarding the authentication phrase is transferred via wireless communication link 140 to the new drug delivery device 105 during initialization of each new drug delivery device 105.
[0042] Once the authentication information has been provided by the user and verified by a portion of dosing application 106 executing on processor 102 of drug delivery device 105, the device may be ready to accept commands. In preferred embodiments of the invention, the user will be able to provide a command indicating to drug delivery device 105 that a bolus dose of the liquid drug should be administered. In addition, the volume of the bolus dose may also be communicated to the drug delivery device. Additionally, in preferred embodiments, the user may wish to deliver a temporary basal dose of the liquid drug and provide a temporary basal volume. Other commands may also be made available, depending on the liquid drug being administered and the particular mode that dosing application 106 is executing.
[0043] Examples will now be provided wherein commands for administration of bolus and basal doses of the liquid drug are illustrated. As would be realized, the actual set of commands that may be recognized by drug delivery device 105 may include commands other than those specifically discussed herein.
[0044] If the user wishes the drug delivery device 105 to administer a bolus dose of the liquid drug, this can be communicated with a chosen two letter code. For example, if the command is “give bolus” the user may enter the two-character command “GB”. Using the Roman alphabet of
[0045] In another example, the user may wish to request that the drug delivery device 105 provide a temporary basal delivery. This could be encoded as a two-character command “TB” which is encoded as (4, 4), (1, 2) and tapped out as four taps, short pause [one vibration provided], four taps [character automatically detected and two vibrations provided], one tap, short pause [one vibration provided], two taps [character and commend automatically detected and three vibrations provided]. As previously, feedback may be provided after each digit is entered, after each character is recognized and/or after the entire command is recognized. The temporary basal volume can be a fractional number. This may be tapped as two numbers, with the first number being the numerator of the fraction and the second number being the denominator of the fraction. For example, 0.5 units can be encoded as (1, 2) and tapped as one tap, short pause [one vibration provided], two taps [character and command recognized, three vibrations provided]. In a similar manner, 1.0 units could be encoded as (1, 1), 1.5 units could be coded as (3, 2), etc. As previously, feedback may provide after each digit is centered or after the entire dose volume has been entered.
[0046]
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[0048] In another aspect of the invention, the user may be provided a portable display 400, shown in various embodiments in
[0049] In preferred embodiments, display 400 may display any requested parameters of drug delivery device 105 or dosing application 106. For example, as shown in
[0050] In an alternative embodiment, shown in
[0051] In yet another aspect of the invention, the user may instruct the drug delivery device 105 to pair with a new portable computing device to enter commands. In an example scenario, the user is out with friends at a dinner and needs to request the drug delivery device 105 to administer a post-prandial bolus dose of the liquid drug. However, the user's personal computing device 150, which is paired with drug delivery device 105, has run out of power, and the user has no way to inform the drug delivery device that is time to administer the bolus dose. In such a case, the user may borrow the personal computing device of a friend and may use that device as a “rescue device” to communicate the required command to drug delivery device 105.
[0052] The rescue device may communicate with drug delivery device 105 using any one of several different methods. For example, in one embodiment, the user may place drug delivery device 105 in command mode as previously discussed by waking up vibration sensor 116 and indicating to tap code processor 206 that a command is forthcoming. The user may then enter the authentication phrase as previously discussed. Thereafter, the user may enter a command indicating that the new device is to be paired with the drug delivery device 105. In certain embodiments the user can enter a two letter command, for example, “NP” (i.e. new personal computing device) which may be coded as (3, 3), (3, 5). This command may open the Bluetooth connection on the drug delivery device 105 and allow the rescue device to connect to the drug delivery device 105 via the Bluetooth interface. The user can then use the rescue device to control the drug delivery device 105. If information from the previous personal computing device 150 is stored in the cloud, it can be migrated to the rescue device. In certain embodiments, it may be necessary to install dosing application 106 on the rescue device such as to enable communication with drug delivery device 105.
[0053] In an alternative embodiment, and, in particular, if the drug delivery device 105 is provided with a Wi-Fi interface, the user may instruct the drug delivery device 105, via a series of taps, as previously discussed, to establish a Wi-Fi connection with the rescue device or to broadcast a Wi-Fi signal which will allow the user to connect by specifying a particular IP address in a web browser on the rescue device. This will cause a rescue device to have access to a simple webpage broadcast by the drug delivery device 105 which may be used for entry of one or more simple commands to be communicated to drug delivery device 105. For example, the user could enter the command “WF” to indicate that the rescue device wishes to connect via Wi-Fi. In alternative embodiments, should the user be successful in accessing a webpage generated by drug delivery device 105 using a browser in the rescue device, the user may enter the authentication phrase using the rescue device in lieu of using the combination of taps as described above.
[0054] This embodiment has the advantage that the rescue device does not need to download and install a specific application to communicate with drug delivery device 105, but, instead, may communicate via a standard web browser. This is especially useful in areas where a connection to the Internet, which may be required to download an application, may not be available. It may also be possible for drug delivery device 105 to serve a webpage using communication interfaces other than Wi-Fi. For example, the browser may connect to the webpage generated by drug delivery device 105 via a Bluetooth or near-field connection.
[0055] The foregoing has been presented for the purposes of illustration and description. It is not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the present disclosure to the exemplary embodiments disclosed herein. Many modifications and variations are possible in light of this disclosure. It is intended that the scope of the present disclosure be limited not by this detailed description, but rather by the claims appended hereto. Future filed applications claiming priority to this application may claim the disclosed subject matter in a different manner and may generally include any set of one or more limitations as variously disclosed or otherwise demonstrated herein.