System and method for monitoring a metered dose inhaler
AssigneeKoninklijke Philips Electronics N.V.
InventorMark Steven Morrison
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A system and method for dispensing metered doses of medicament to a subject that monitors one or more aspects of the dispensation. The medicament is aerosolized for dispensation to the subject so that the subject can inhale the medicament into his airway. The one or more aspects of the dispensation that are monitored based on ultrasonic energy generated by the aerosolization of the medicament. The one or more aspects of the dispensation that are monitored may include one or more of a number of doses dispensed, a number of doses remaining, whether any medicament remains to be dispensed, and/or other aspects of the dispensation of the medicament.
Claims24
A system configured to monitor treatment of a subject with a metered dose inhaler, the system comprising
- a sensor configured to generate one or more output signals conveying information related to ultrasonic energy generated by a dispensation of a dose of medicament from an inhaler;
- and
- a processor configured to receive the one or more output signals generated by the sensor, and to monitor one or more aspects of the dispensation of the medicament based on the information related to the ultrasonic energy generated by the dispensation of the dose of medicament that is conveyed by the received one or more output signals.
A method of monitoring one or more aspects of treatment of a subject with a metered dose inhaler, the method comprising
- generating one or more output signals conveying information related to ultrasonic energy generated by a dispensation of a dose of medicament from an inhaler;
- monitoring one or more aspects of the dispensation of the medicament based on the generated one or more output signals;
- and
- providing information to a recipient of the medicament related to the monitored one or more aspects of the dispensation of the medicament.
A system configured to monitor one or more aspects of treatment of a subject with a metered dose inhaler, the system comprising
- means for generating one or more output signals conveying information related to ultrasonic energy generated by a dispensation of a dose of medicament;
- means for monitoring one or more aspects of the dispensation of the medicament based on the generated one or more output signals;
- and
- means for providing information to a recipient of the medicament related to the monitored one or more aspects of the dispensation of the medicament.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.