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OwnerRobert Selby, Andrei Petrus +3inventors
InventorsRobert Selby, Andrei Petrus, Pavel Kohut, David Horne, Svilen Savov
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Devices, methods and a system for detection and analysis of inhaler use, in particular breath detection modules and inhaler device counters. An electronic inhaler counter device (100) comprises a rocker arm (102) comprising a proximal end (110) providing a pivot (104) and a distal end (112) providing a head (114), a return spring (108) coupled to the rocker arm pivot, and a count switch (106), wherein, in response to a first selected degree of linear actuation motion, the rocker arm is arranged to perform a first rocker movement and engage the count switch with the rocker head; and in response to further linear actuation motion, the spring is engaged to enable the rocker arm to perform a second rocker movement, such to facilitate over travel. An inhaler breath detection module coupled to an airpath of the inhaler comprises a sensing means configured to provide signals indicative of a change in parameter in the inhaler airpath as a function of time caused by an inhalation breath, and a controller configured to determine the presence of breath, based on a change in parameter in the inhaler airpath as a function of time.
An electronic inhaler counter for counting linear actuation of a pressurised metered dose inhaler, pMDI, the electronic inhaler counter comprising:
The electronic inhaler counter of any of the previous claims wherein the first rocker movement is an anti-clockwise rotation about the pivot, and the second rocker movement is a clockwise rotation about the count switch.
The electronic inhaler counter of any of the previous claims wherein the first selected degree of linear actuation motion does not compress the return spring, and wherein the second selected degree of linear actuation motion compresses the return spring.
The electronic inhaler counter of any of the previous claims, further comprising a digital display, wherein the display is configured to display at least one of the counted number of linear actuations of the inhaler device, and/or the number of linear actuations of the inhaler device remaining, wherein the number of linear actuations of the inhaler device remaining is calculated by the counted number of linear actuations of the inhaler device subtracted from a predetermined maximum number of linear actuations of the inhaler device.
An inhaler breath detection module for detecting the beginning and/or end of an inhalation breath;
The inhaler breath detection module of any of the previous claims wherein at least a portion of the inhaler breath detection module is configured to fit within at least a portion of the inhaler actuator housing.
The inhaler breath detection module of any of the previous claims wherein the inhaler device is actuated by depressing the breath detection module with respect to the actuator housing.
The inhaler breath detection module of any of the preceding claims wherein the inhaler breath detection module is configured to attach to the end of an inhaler container mounted in an inhaler actuator housing.
The inhaler breath detection module of any of the previous claims wherein the sensing means comprises a microphone.
The inhaler breath detection module of any of the previous claims wherein the controller is programmed with a machine learning algorithm, wherein the algorithm is trained using training parameters relating power at each frequency to different weightings.
The inhaler breath detection module of any of the previous claims wherein the controller is configured to process the signals indicative of the change in parameter into the frequency domain.
The inhaler breath detection module of any of the previous claims wherein the controller is configured to determine the cepstrum of the signals indicative of the change in parameter.
The inhaler breath detection module of any of the previous claims wherein the controller is configured to perform linear regression to determine an estimate of the flow rate estimate, and/or logistic regression to determine the start and/or end of a breath, based on stored training parameters.
The inhaler breath detection module of any of the previous claims further comprising a short-range wireless communications interface, and wherein the controller is configured to send data relating to the (i) the confidence level of the beginning and/or end of a breath, and/or (ii) estimated flow rate to a remote device via the short-range wireless communications interface.
The inhaler breath detection module of any of the previous claims comprising a plurality of sensing means each configured to provide signals indicative of a change in parameter, and wherein the controller is configured to perform noise cancellation based on a comparison of the signals indicative of a change in parameter from the plurality of sensing means.
The inhaler breath detection module of any of the previous claims, further comprising an accelerometer configured to detect shaking of the device.
An inhaler breath detection and analysis system comprising the inhaler breath detection module of any of the previous claims and a remote device, wherein the remote device is configured to provide technique feedback based on at least one of breath duration and breath flow rate data from the inhaler breath detection module.
An inhaler breath detection and analysis system comprising the inhaler breath detection module of any of the previous claims and a remote device, wherein the remote device is configured to provide technique feedback based on aggregated data from the inhaler breath detection module.
An inhaler technique feedback app configured to:
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.