# US 12,191,019 B2 · Systems and methods for improving respiratory medicament device usage

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- Number: US 12,191,019 B2
- Document ID: US12191019B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 17/429,612
- Filed: 2020-02-13
- Published: 2022-04-14
- Granted: 2025-01-07
- Earliest claimed: 2019-02-14
- Assignees: Reciprocal Labs Corporation
- Applicants: Reciprocal Labs Corporation
- Inventors: Rahul Bhailal Gondalia; Leanne Kaye; David Stempel; Robert Baddeley; Amber Michelle Markey; Meredith A. Barrett; Melissa Williams
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12191019B2

## CPC

- A61M 15/008: {Electronic counters}
- G16H 20/30: relating to physical therapies or activities, e.g. physiotherapy, acupressure or exercising
- A61B 5/087: Measuring breath flow
- A61B 5/4833: {Assessment of subject's compliance to treatment}
- G16H 10/20: for electronic clinical trials or questionnaires
- G16H 10/60: for patient-specific data, e.g. for electronic patient records
- G16H 20/13: delivered from dispensers
- G16H 40/63: for local operation
- G16H 40/67: for remote operation
- G16H 80/00: ICT specially adapted for facilitating communication between medical practitioners or patients, e.g. for collaborative diagnosis, therapy or health monitoring
- A61B 5/067: {using accelerometers or gyroscopes}
- A61B 5/068: {using impedance sensors}
- A61B 2560/028: Arrangements to prevent overuse, e.g. by counting the number of uses
- A61B 2562/0219: Inertial sensors, e.g. accelerometers, gyroscopes, tilt switches
- A61J 7/0436: {resulting from removing a drug from, or opening, a container}
- A61J 7/0481: {working on a schedule basis}
- A61M 15/0051: {the dosages being arranged on a tape, e.g. strips}
- A61M 15/009: {using medicine packages with incorporated spraying means, e.g. aerosol cans (pocket atomiser of the injector type A61M11/08)}
- A61M 2016/0018: {electrical}
- A61M 2016/0027: {pressure meter}
- A61M 2202/0468: non-physiological
- A61M 2202/064: Powder
- A61M 2205/276: preventing unwanted use
- A61M 2205/3306: Optical measuring means
- A61M 2205/3317: Electromagnetic, inductive or dielectric measuring means
- A61M 2205/332: Force measuring means
- A61M 2205/3331: Pressure; Flow
- A61M 2205/3375: Acoustical, e.g. ultrasonic, measuring means
- A61M 2205/3553: remote, e.g. between patient's home and doctor's office
- A61M 2205/3561: local, e.g. within room or hospital
- A61M 2205/3592: using telemetric means, e.g. radio or optical transmission
- A61M 2205/505: Touch-screens; Virtual keyboard or keypads; Virtual buttons; Soft keys; Mouse touches
- A61M 2205/52: with memories providing a history of measured variating parameters of apparatus or patient
- A61M 2205/581: by audible feedback
- A61M 2205/583: by visual feedback
- A61M 2205/587: Lighting arrangements
- A61M: DEVICES FOR INTRODUCING MEDIA INTO, OR ONTO, THE BODY (introducing media into or onto the bodies of animals A61D7/00; means for inserting tampons A61F13/26; devices for administering food or medicines orally A61J; containers for collecting, storing or administering blood or medical fluids A61J1/05); DEVICES FOR TRANSDUCING BODY MEDIA OR FOR TAKING MEDIA FROM THE BODY (surgery A61B; chemical aspects of surgical articles A61L); DEVICES FOR PRODUCING OR ENDING SLEEP OR STUPOR {(Electrotherapy, e.g. producing anaesthesia by the use of alternating or intermittent currents A61N1/36021)}
- G16H: HEALTHCARE INFORMATICS, i.e. INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY [ICT] SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR THE HANDLING OR PROCESSING OF MEDICAL OR HEALTHCARE DATA
- A61B: DIAGNOSIS; SURGERY; IDENTIFICATION (usefulness limited to only animals A61D)
- A61J: CONTAINERS SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR MEDICAL OR PHARMACEUTICAL PURPOSES; DEVICES OR METHODS SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR BRINGING PHARMACEUTICAL PRODUCTS INTO PARTICULAR PHYSICAL OR ADMINISTERING FORMS; DEVICES FOR ADMINISTERING FOOD OR MEDICINES ORALLY; BABY COMFORTERS; DEVICES FOR RECEIVING SPITTLE

## Abstract

Systems and methods to determine and ensure proper usage technique of a respiratory medicament device for a respiratory ailment. Medication data relating to a medication plan for a patient is collected and used to determine the respiratory medicament device type in use. For respiratory medicament device types requiring multiple consecutive uses, use data is collected and used to determine proper or improper use technique based on the timing between consecutive uses of the respiratory medicament device. Notifications of proper or improper usage technique are provided based on the determined usage technique. Real-time monitoring of the use data is used to provide directions on the required timing of consecutive uses of the respiratory medicament device and thus ensure proper usage technique.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A method of ensuring proper usage technique of a respiratory medicament device for a respiratory ailment, the method comprising:
collecting, by at least one processor associated with the respiratory medicament device, medication data relating to a medication plan for a patient, the medication data including at least one of a type of the respiratory medicament device and a prescribed number of doses of a respiratory medicament associated with the respiratory medicament device;
based on the medication data, determining whether the respiratory medicament device requires a plurality of consecutive uses;
based on determining the respiratory medicament device requires a plurality of consecutive uses, determining a timing between consecutive uses of the respiratory medicament device;
based on determining a spacer is used with the respiratory medicament device, determining a modification to the timing between the consecutive uses;
detecting, by a medicament sensor associated with the respiratory medicament device, a first set of use data of the respiratory medicament device, the first set of use data including at least a first inhalation event associated with the patient;
identifying, from the first set of use data, a usage characteristic associated with the patient, the usage characteristic including an audio signal associated with an inhalation of the patient;
applying an adjustment to the medicament sensor in response to identifying the usage characteristic, the adjustment causing the medicament sensor to eliminate false positives in response to detecting a second set of use data, the second set of use data including at least a second inhalation event associated with the patient;
detecting, by the medicament sensor, the second set of use data;
identifying, from the second set of use data, the second inhalation event; and
based on identifying the second inhalation event, providing a guidance by way of an instruction component to direct a subsequent inhalation event according to the modification to the timing between the consecutive uses.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the medication data includes information regarding a type of the respiratory medicament.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the medication data includes information on a period of time required between consecutive doses of a plurality of medicament types or medicament device types.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the predetermined modification to the timing between the consecutive uses directs the subsequent inhalation event after more than 30 seconds following the second inhalation event.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, further comprising:
based on the modification to the timing between the consecutive uses of the respiratory medicament device, classifying the consecutive uses as the proper usage technique or an improper usage technique to generate a usage technique record; and
based on the usage technique record, providing at least one notification of the proper usage technique or the improper usage technique to ensure the proper usage technique.

### Claim 6 (depends on 5)

The method of claim 5, wherein the plurality of consecutive uses is at least two consecutive uses of the respiratory medicament device, the at least two uses being separated in time by less than or equal to 120 seconds.

### Claim 7 (depends on 5)

The method of claim 5, wherein:
the proper usage technique comprises a time period of more than 30 seconds between consecutive uses of the respiratory medicament device; and
the improper usage technique comprises a time period of less than or equal to 30 seconds between consecutive uses of the respiratory medicament device.

### Claim 8 (depends on 5)

The method of claim 5, wherein the at least one notification comprises an identification of the improper usage technique with the guidance on an appropriate usage technique for the respiratory medicament device, the guidance comprising:
a timer configured to indicate a period of time required between consecutive uses of the respiratory medicament device; and
an audio or a visual content displaying a required sequence of steps for ensuring the proper usage technique of the respiratory medicament device.

### Claim 9

A system, comprising:
one or more processors; and
a memory storing instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the system to perform operations including:
collecting, by at least one processor associated with a respiratory medicament device, medication data relating to a medication plan for a patient, the medication data including at least one of a type of the respiratory medicament device and a prescribed number of doses of a respiratory medicament associated with the respiratory medicament device;
based on the medication data, determining whether the respiratory medicament device requires a plurality of consecutive uses;
based on determining the respiratory medicament device requires a plurality of consecutive uses, determining a timing between consecutive uses of the respiratory medicament device;
based on determining a spacer is used with the respiratory medicament device, determining a modification to the timing between the consecutive uses;
detecting, by a medicament sensor associated with the respiratory medicament device, a first set of use data of the respiratory medicament device, the first set of use data including at least a first inhalation event associated with the patient;
identifying, from the first set of use data, a usage characteristic associated with the patient, the usage characteristic including an audio signal associated with an inhalation of the patient;
applying an adjustment to the medicament sensor in response to identifying the usage characteristic, the adjustment causing the medicament sensor to eliminate false positives in response to detecting a second set of use data, the second set of use data including at least a second inhalation event associated with the patient;
detecting, by the medicament sensor, the second set of use data;
identifying, from the second set of use data, the second inhalation event; and
based on identifying the second inhalation event, providing a guidance by way of an instruction component to direct a subsequent inhalation event according to the modification to the timing between the consecutive uses.

### Claim 10 (depends on 9)

The system of claim 9, wherein the medication data includes information regarding a type of the respiratory medicament.

### Claim 11 (depends on 9)

The system of claim 9, wherein the medication data includes information on a period of time required between consecutive doses of a plurality of medicament types or medicament device types.

### Claim 12 (depends on 9)

The system of claim 9, wherein the modification to the timing between the consecutive uses directs the subsequent inhalation event after more than 30 seconds following the second inhalation event.

### Claim 13 (depends on 9)

The system of claim 9, wherein the operations further include:
based on the modification to the timing between the consecutive uses of the respiratory medicament device, classifying the consecutive uses as a proper usage technique or an improper usage technique to generate a usage technique record; and
based on the usage technique record, providing at least one notification of the proper usage technique or the improper usage technique to ensure the proper usage technique.

### Claim 14 (depends on 13)

The system of claim 13, wherein the plurality of consecutive uses is at least two consecutive uses of the respiratory medicament device, the at least two uses being separated in time by less than or equal to 120 seconds.

### Claim 15 (depends on 13)

The system of claim 13, wherein:
the proper usage technique comprises a time period of more than 30 seconds between consecutive uses of the respiratory medicament device; and
the improper usage technique comprises a time period of less than or equal to 30 seconds between consecutive uses of the respiratory medicament device.

### Claim 16 (depends on 13)

The system of claim 13, wherein the at least one notification comprises an identification of the improper usage technique with the guidance on an appropriate usage technique for the respiratory medicament device, the guidance comprising:
a timer configured to indicate a period of time required between consecutive uses of the respiratory medicament device; and
an audio or a visual content displaying a required sequence of steps for ensuring the proper usage technique of the respiratory medicament device.

### Claim 17

A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing instructions encoded thereon that, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to perform operations comprising:
collecting, by at least one processor associated with a respiratory medicament device, medication data relating to a medication plan for a patient, the medication data including at least one of a type of the respiratory medicament device and a prescribed number of doses of a respiratory medicament associated with the respiratory medicament device;
based on the medication data, determining whether the respiratory medicament device requires a plurality of consecutive uses;
based on determining the respiratory medicament device requires a plurality of consecutive uses, determining a timing between consecutive uses of the respiratory medicament device;
based on determining a spacer is used with the respiratory medicament device, determining a modification to the timing between the consecutive uses;
detecting, by a medicament sensor associated with the respiratory medicament device, a first set of use data of the respiratory medicament device, the first set of use data including at least a first inhalation event associated with the patient;
identifying, from the first set of use data, a usage characteristic associated with the patient, the usage characteristic including an audio signal associated with an inhalation of the patient;
applying an adjustment to the medicament sensor in response to identifying the usage characteristic, the adjustment causing the medicament sensor to eliminate false positives in response to detecting a second set of use data, the second set of use data including at least a second inhalation event associated with the patient;
detecting, by the medicament sensor, the second set of use data;
identifying, from the second set of use data, the second inhalation event; and
based on identifying the second inhalation event, providing a guidance by way of an instruction component to direct a subsequent inhalation event according to the modification to the timing between the consecutive uses.

### Claim 18 (depends on 17)

The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 17, wherein the operations further include:
based on the modification to the timing between the consecutive uses of the respiratory medicament device, classifying the consecutive uses as a proper usage technique or an improper usage technique to generate a usage technique record, wherein the proper usage technique comprises a time period of more than 30 seconds between consecutive uses of the respiratory medicament device, and wherein the improper usage technique comprises a time period of less than or equal to 30 seconds between consecutive uses of the respiratory medicament device; and
based on the usage technique record, providing at least one notification of the proper usage technique or the improper usage technique to ensure the proper usage technique.

### Claim 19 (depends on 18)

The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 18, wherein the plurality of consecutive uses is at least two consecutive uses of the respiratory medicament device, the at least two uses being separated in time by less than or equal to 120 seconds.

### Claim 20 (depends on 18)

The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 18, wherein the at least one notification comprises an identification of the improper usage technique with the guidance on an appropriate usage technique for the respiratory medicament device, the guidance comprising:
a timer configured to indicate a period of time required between consecutive uses of the respiratory medicament device; and
an audio or a visual content displaying a required sequence of steps for ensuring the proper usage technique of the respiratory medicament device.