# US 8,539,945 B2 · Dose counter and recording method > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 8,539,945 B2 - Document ID: US8539945B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 12/855,685 - Filed: 2010-08-12 - Published: 2011-02-24 - Granted: 2013-09-24 - Earliest claimed: 2009-08-18 - Assignees: Teva Pharmaceutical Industries Ltd. - Applicants: Ian Solomon; Moti Goldhirsh - Inventors: Ian Solomon; Moti Goldhirsh - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US8539945B2 ## CPC - G16H 50/30: for calculating health indices; for individual health risk assessment - A61M 15/0065: {Inhalators with dosage or measuring devices (A61M15/0028 takes precedence; dosage devices incorporated in aerosol cans B65D83/52)} - A61M 15/008: {Electronic counters} - A61M 15/009: {using medicine packages with incorporated spraying means, e.g. aerosol cans (pocket atomiser of the injector type A61M11/08)} - G16H 20/10: relating to drugs or medications, e.g. for ensuring correct administration to patients - A61M 2205/332: Force measuring means - A61M 2205/502: User interfaces, e.g. screens or keyboards - G16H: HEALTHCARE INFORMATICS, i.e. INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY [ICT] SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR THE HANDLING OR PROCESSING OF MEDICAL OR HEALTHCARE DATA - 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)} ## Abstract A dose counter for a metered dose inhaler includes a force sensor, an electronic controller, a memory for storing data indicative of a remaining number of doses and an electronic display device coupled to the controller for displaying the remaining number of doses. The dose counter is attached or integrated into a base of a canister containing medicament such that force applied to the base of the canister is registered by the force sensor, the controller being configured to measure force applied to the dose counter when depressing the canister and being responsive to measured force to decrement the remaining number of doses stored in the memory and shown on the display device. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A dose counter for a metered dose inhaler comprising a force sensor, an electronic controller, a memory for storing data indicative of a remaining number of doses and an electronic display device coupled to the controller for displaying the remaining number of doses, said dose counter being attached or otherwise integrated into a base of a canister containing medicament such that force applied to the base of the canister is registered by the force sensor, said controller being configured to measure force applied to said dose counter when depressing said canister and measure a time duration of the depression of said canister, and said controller being responsive to measured force to decrement the remaining number of doses stored in the memory and shown on said display device when the measured force exceeds a defined minimum force threshold and the measured time duration exceeds a pre-determined and defined minimum time duration. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The dose counter of claim 1 where said force sensor belongs to the group including force sensitive resistors, piezoelectric sensors, strain gauges, and MEMS-based sensing technologies for measuring strain and capacitance. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The dose counter of claim 1 where said dose counter is fabricated as a multi-layer product having layers that are sandwiched together. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The dose counter of claim 1 further comprising at least one icon showing the status of the metered dose inhaler in regard of the number of doses remaining. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The dose counter of claim 1 further comprising at least one icon showing the status of the metered dose inhaler in regard of the need to take the next dose. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The dose counter of claim 1 further comprising means to download data showing the dose history of the inhaler. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The dose counter according to claim 1, further comprising an internal clock which is set to an absolute time at time of manufacture, assembly or distribution. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The dose counter according to claim 1, comprising a controller and a power saving means including a switch activated during the initial depression action of said canister, said switch activating the controller. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The dose counter of claim 1, further including an internal clock for associating with each dose a respective time-stamp indicating an absolute time adjusted to a local time reference when the dose was administered, the controller being adapted to record and upload to an external device coupled to the dose counter a time-stamped dose history for allowing the external device to determine the absolute time when each dose was administered. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The dose counter of claim 1, further including an internal clock for associating with each dose a respective time-stamp indicating a time interval between doses, the controller being adapted to record and upload to an external device coupled to the dose counter a time-stamped dose history for allowing the external device to determine relative times between doses within the memory of the dose counter and to map these relative time-stamps to local time, in order to time-stamp the dose history uploaded to the external device. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The dose counter of claim 1 wherein there is a specific recommendation in the prescribing information to the medical practitioner to verify the compliance of a patient to an existing metered dose inhaler medication regimen prior to prescribing a different medication regimen.