Breastmilk expression system with detection, feedback and connectability features

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016287767-A1
Application number	US-201615091286-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Apr 5, 2016
Priority date	Apr 6, 2015
Publication date	Oct 6, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

Methods and systems for an improved feedback milk extraction system are described. According to aspects, the system may communicate with various electronic devices and/or server components to exchange data and perform certain functionalities. The functionalities may include providing visual and audio feedback to a user, supporting unique kit identification as well as associated user profiles and preferred configuration settings, detecting and responding to leaks having various sizes during operation of the breastpump, controlling operation of the breastpump in response to detected leaks and the detected type and/or magnitude of the leak, preemptively contacting customers if a fault condition is detected or imminent, enabling effective labeling of collection containers, and determining volume and flow of expressed breastmilk.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A breastmilk extracting system, comprising:
a pressure measurement component configured to obtain a pressure level in the system during operation of the system; a comparison circuit configured to,
on a substantially continuous basis, compare at least one of a displacement measurement and motor current data to the pressure level to obtain a comparison result,
determine that there is a leak in the system when the comparison result at least meets a threshold value, and
estimate a magnitude of the leak; and
at least one feedback component configured to indicate to a user the existence of the leak in the system.

2 . The breastmilk extracting system of claim 1 , wherein to estimate the magnitude of the leak, the comparison circuit is configured to:
calculate a rate at which fluid enters the system, and compare the rate to a measured state variable.

3 . The breastmilk extracting system of claim 1 , wherein the comparison circuit is further configured to:
compare the pressure level to an expected pressure level, and based on the comparison, estimate a fluid flow volume in the system.

4 . The breastmilk extracting system of claim 1 , wherein when the comparison result at least meets the threshold value, the comparison circuit is further configured to:
determine, based on the comparison result, at least one action to take to address the leak in the system, and perform the at least one action.

5 . The breastmilk extracting system of claim 1 , wherein to obtain the pressure level in the system during operation of the system, the pressure measurement component is configured to:
obtain, at a first point in time, a first pressure level, and obtain, at a second point in time, a second pressure level;
and wherein to compare the at least one of the displacement measurement and the motor current data to the pressure level, the comparison circuit is configured to compare the at least one of the displacement measurement and the motor current data to the first pressure level and the second pressure level to obtain the comparison result.

6 . The breastmilk extracting system of claim 1 , further comprising:
a milk flow loop configured to calculate a milk flow volume estimate by comparing the pressure level to an expected pressure level; and an output module configured to generate milk output data indicating at least one of milk flow, milk volume, and milk ejection reflex (MER), based on the milk flow volume estimate.

7 . The breastmilk extracting system of claim 1 , further comprising:
a transceiver configured to receive, from an electronic device, a set of user configuration settings; and a hardware controller interfaced with at least the transceiver, and configured to,
determine, from the set of user configuration settings, a set of operation settings for the system, and
configure the system according to the set of operation settings.

8 . The breastmilk extracting system of claim 7 , wherein the transceiver is further configured to receive, from the electronic device, sensor data associated with a set of sensors of the electronic device;
and wherein the hardware controller further determines the set of operation settings for the system from the sensor data.

9 . The breastmilk extracting system of claim 1 , wherein the pressure measurement component is an absolute pressure sensor.

10 . The breastmilk extracting system of claim 1 , wherein the pressure measurement component is at least two pressure sensors.

11 . A method for operating a breastmilk extracting system comprising:
obtaining, by a pressure measurement component, a pressure level in the system during operation of the system; on a continuous basis, comparing at least one of a displacement measurement and motor current data to the pressure level to obtain a comparison result; when the comparison result at least meets a threshold value,
determining that there is a leak in the system, and
estimating a magnitude of the leak; and
indicating, to a user by at least one feedback component, the existence of the leak in the system.

12 . The method of claim 11 , wherein estimating the magnitude of the leak comprises:
calculating a rate at which fluid enters the system, and comparing the rate to a measured state variable.

13 . The method of claim 11 , further comprising:
comparing the pressure level to an expected pressure level; and based on the comparing, estimating a fluid flow volume in the system.

14 . The method of claim 11 , further comprising, when the comparison result at least meets the threshold value:
determining, based on the comparison result, at least one action to take to address the leak in the system, and performing the at least one action.

15 . The method of claim 11 , wherein obtaining the pressure level in the system during operation of the system comprises:
obtaining, at a first point in time, a first pressure level; and obtaining, at a second point in time, a second pressure level;
and wherein comparing the at least one of the displacement measurement and the motor current data to the pressure level comprises:
comparing the at least one of the displacement measurement and the motor current data to the first pressure level and the second pressure level to obtain the comparison result.

16 . The method of claim 11 , further comprising:
calculating a milk flow volume estimate by comparing the pressure level to an expected pressure level; and generating milk output data indicating at least one of milk flow, milk volume, and milk ejection reflex (MER), based on the milk flow volume estimate.

17 . The method of claim 11 , further comprising:
receiving, from an electronic device via a transceiver, a set of user configuration settings; determining, from the set of user configuration settings, a set of operation settings for the system; and configuring the system according to the set of operation settings.

18 . The method of claim 11 , wherein obtaining the pressure level in the system during operation of the system comprises:
obtaining, by one of an absolute pressure sensor or at least two pressure sensors, the pressure level in the system during operation of the system.

19 . A method of detecting leaks within a breastmilk extracting system, comprising:
determining, by a processor at a first point in time, (i) a first absolute pressure within the system and (ii) an initial displaced volume; determining, by the processor at a second point in time, (i) a second absolute pressure within the extracting system and (ii) a second displaced volume; determining an original volume of the system; estimating a leaked volume of the system; comparing a difference between the original volume and the leaked volume to a threshold value to determine if there is a leak in the system and to produce a resulting comparison where the leak is present; based on the comparing, determining an action to take to address the leak, where the action differs for leaks of different sizes; and performing the action.

20 . The method of claim 19 , wherein determining the initial displaced volume comprises:
determining, at the first point in time, a first position of a volume displacement mechanism within the system;
and wherein determining the second displaced volume comprises:
determining, at the second point in time, a second position of the volume displacement mechanism within the system.

21 . The method of c

Assignees

• Medela Holding Ag

Inventors

• Simmons Bryan D
• Skach John R
• Bauer Ryan
• Gilbert Deanna
• Cho David

Classifications

• A61M2205/502

  User interfaces, e.g. screens or keyboards · CPC title

• A61M2205/3561

  local, e.g. within room or hospital · CPC title

• A61M2205/332

  Force measuring means · CPC title

• A61M2205/3334

  Measuring or controlling the flow rate · CPC title

• A61M2205/3379

  Masses, volumes, levels of fluids in reservoirs, flow rates · CPC title