Intelligent inhaler providing feedback to both patient and medical professional

A hand-held inhaler device comprising:

• a housing adapted to be hand-held by a user;
• delivery means incorporated in said housing for delivering, upon activation, a desired unit dose of inhaled medication from an associated canister received in said housing;
• electronic sensor means responsive to activation of said delivery means, incorporated in said housing for measuring flow of air through said medication delivery means and for producing output signals representative thereof for each activation event;
• microprocessor means incorporated in said housing for storage of data including relative time of activation of said delivery means, and for storing data representative of duration and pattern of inspiration through said medication delivery means, said microprocessor being adapted to record data pertaining to each medication delivery event to thereby provide a record of medication delivery for compliance monitoring;
• means operatively connected with said microprocessor for performing logical operations to optimize the patient's use of said delivery means in response to interpretative calculations upon said data;
• signaling means responsive to said means for performing logical operations, for providing feedback to a user, wherein said feedback expresses to the user success in inhaled medication delivery and provides one or more recommendations for improved patent inhalation in subsequent doses;
• and
• wherein said means for performing logical operations further comprises a motion sensor means for detecting of said medicine canister is shaken prior to each medication delivery event.

A portable hand-held inhaler device comprising:

• a housing adapted to be hand-held by a user;
• a canister of inhaled medication received within the housing;
• delivery means incorporated in said housing for delivering a desired unit dose of said inhaled medication from said canister;
• electronic sensor means incorporated in said housing for measurement of air flow through said delivery means;
• microprocessor means incorporated in said housing, comprising means for storage of data, including relative time of activation of said delivery means, and for storing data representative of measured duration and pattern of inspiration through said delivery means for each activation event;
• said microprocessor means further comprising means for performing logical operations or interpretive calculations upon said data;
• signaling means incorporated in said housing responsive to said microprocessor means for providing feedback to said user, said feedback expressing to the user whether the delivery of medication has been done correctly;
• and
• wherein said signalling means further comprises means for interrogating a patient concerning factors relating to patient status such as symptoms or exposures.

A portable hand-held inhaler device comprising:

• a housing adapted to be hand-held by a user;
• a canister of inhaled medication received within the housing;
• delivery means incorporated in said housing for delivering a desired unit dose of said inhaled medication from said canister;
• electronic sensor means incorporated in said housing for measurement of air flow through said delivery means;
• microprocessor means incorporated in said housing, comprising means for storage of data, including relative time of activation of said delivery means, and for storing data representative of measured duration and pattern of inspiration through said delivery means for each activation event;
• said microprocessor means further comprising means for performing logical operations or interpretive calculations upon said data;
• signaling means incorporated in said housing, responsive to said microprocessor means for providing feedback to said user, said feedback expressing to the user whether the delivery of medication has been done correctly;
• wherein said microprocessor further comprises wireless transmission means for transmitting output signals representative of said stored data to a remotely located computer means for compliance monitoring.

A portable hand-held inhaler device comprising:

• a housing adapted to be hand-held by a user;
• a canister of inhaled medication received within the housing;
• delivery means incorporated in said housing for delivering a desired unit dose of said inhaled medication from said canister;
• electronic sensor means incorporated in said housing for measurement of air flow through said delivery means;
• microprocessor means incorporated in said housing, comprising means for storage of data, including relative time of activation of said delivery means, and for storing data representative of measured duration and pattern of inspiration through said delivery means for each activation event;
• said microprocessor means further comprising means for performing logical operations or interpretive calculations upon said data;
• signaling means incorporated in said housing, responsive to said microprocessor means for providing feedback to said user, said feedback expressing to the user whether the delivery of medication has been done correctly;
• wireless transmission means comprising input means responsive to remotely generated signals for reprogramming said microprocessor to vary the time interval for delivering a desired unit dose of said medication;
• and
• wherein said signalling means is responsive to said remotely generated input signals for indicating a time prescribed for delivery of said dosage of medicine, said means for indicating comprising at least one of the following:
• indicator lights, auditory tones and vibration.

A portable hand-held inhaler device comprising:

• a housing adapted to be hand-held by a user;
• a container of inhaled medication received within the housing;
• delivery means incorporated in said housing for delivering a desired unit dose of said inhaled medication from said container;
• electronic sensor means incorporated in said housing for measurement of air flow through said delivery means;
• microprocessor means incorporated in said housing, comprising means for storage of data, including relative time of activation of said delivery means, and for storing data representative of measured duration and pattern of inspiration through said delivery means for each activation event;
• said microprocessor means further comprising means for performing logical operations or interpretive calculations upon said data;
• signaling means incorporated in said housing responsive to said microprocessor means for providing feedback to said user, said feedback expressing to the user whether the delivery of medication has been done correctly;
• reprogramming means responsive to said measurement from said electronic sensor means for reprogramming the signalling means to vary the timing of frequency of delivery of medication.

A method for administering an air borne medication by a digital computer communicating with a microprocessor incorporated in a portable hand-held inhaler, comprising the steps of:

• measuring the values of at least the time, date and inspiration pattern for each use of said inhaler by a patient;
• storing said measured values in a microprocessor means incorporated in said portable inhaler;
• displaying said measured values in a display unit incorporated in said inhaler for providing interactive feedback with the patient;
• retrieving said measured values by wireless communication into a remotely located computer for providing remote compliance monitoring;
• visually displaying said measured values on a display unit of said remotely located computer to permit evaluation of a therapeutic effect of said medication upon the patient.

A method for administering an air borne medication through a digital computer communicating with a microprocessor incorporated in a portable and hand-held inhaler, comprising the steps of:

• measuring the values of at least the time, date and inspiration pattern for each use of said inhaler by a patient;
• storing said measured values in a microprocessor means incorporated in said portable inhaler;
• displaying said measured values in a display unit incorporated in said inhaler for providing interactive feedback with the patient;
• retrieving said measured values along a communication path into a remotely located computer for providing remote compliance monitoring;
• visually displaying said measured values on a display unit of said remotely located computer to permit evaluation of a therapeutic effect of said medication upon the patient;
• interrogating a patient through the display unit in the inhaler concerning factors affecting inhalation such as exposure to allergens, breathing irritants or the like;
• receiving a yes or no answer from the patient in response to the step of interrogating through a switch on the inhaler;
• and
• recording the patient's answer as data to be stored in the microprocessor.