Apparatus and Method for Recognition of Inhaler Actuation

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2018353052-A1
Application number	US-201815877000-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Jan 22, 2018
Priority date	May 6, 2010
Publication date	Dec 13, 2018
Grant date	—

Abstract

A medication confirmation method and apparatus for confirming administration of medication employing an inhalable medication administration apparatus. The method of an embodiment of the invention includes the steps of capturing one or more video sequences of a user administering medication employing the inhalable medication administration apparatus, storing the captured one or more video sequences, capturing one or more audio sequences of the user administering medication employing the inhalable medication administration apparatus and storing the captured one or more audio sequences. At least one of the stored video sequences and at least one of the stored audio sequences are then analyzed to confirm that the user has properly administered the medication.

First claim

What is claimed:

1 . A medication administration confirmation apparatus for confirming administration of medication employing an inhalable medication administration apparatus, comprising:
a video capture device for capturing one or more video sequences of a user administering medication employing the inhalable medication administration apparatus; a memory for storing the captured one or more video sequences; an audio capture device for capturing one or more audio sequences of the user administering medication employing the inhalable medication administration apparatus; a memory for storing the captured one or more audio sequences; and a processor for analyzing at least one of the stored video sequences and at least one of he stored audio sequences to confirm that the user has properly administered the medication.

2 . The medication confirmation apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the user is prompted to perform a particular sequence of actions to be stored as the one or more video sequences.

3 . The medication confirmation apparatus of claim 2 , wherein the one or more audio sequences are stored in accordance with the performance of the particular sequence of actions.

4 . The medication confirmation apparatus of claim 2 , wherein the particular sequence of actions is designed to assist in determining proper medication administration.

5 . The medication confirmation apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the one or more audio sequences are analyzed to determine their similarity to a target audio sequence.

6 . The medication confirmation apparatus of claim 5 , wherein the analysis is performed in a two level process, comprising:
a first step of determining whether one of the one or more captured audio sequences passes a first filter as being similar to a target audio sequence; and after passing the first step, a second step for determining whether the one or more captured audio sequences passes a more stringent filter as being similar to the target audio sequence.

7 . The medication confirmation apparatus of claim 6 , wherein the more stringent filter of the second step is trained based upon audio sequences that pass the filter in the first audio step.

8 . The medication confirmation apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the analysis confirms proper positioning of the inhalable medication administration apparatus.

9 . The medication confirmation apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the apparatus is employed during a training sequence.

10 . The medication confirmation apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the processor analyzes the at least one stored video sequences to determine one or more micro movements of the user,

11 . The medication confirmation apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the processor analyzes the one or more captured audio sequences to determine an amount of medication inhaled by the user.

12 . The medication confirmation apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the processor analyzes the one or more captured audio sequences to determine whether the teeth of the user are in the path of inhalation.

13 . The medication confirmation apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising an environmental checker to determine whether there is too much background noise to properly capture the one or more audio signals.

14 . The medication confirmation apparatus of claim 13 , wherein the processor further applies a noise cancellation algorithm to the one or more captured audio signals.

15 . A medication confirmation method for confirming administration of medication employing an inhalable medication administration apparatus, comprising the steps of:
capturing one or more video sequences of a user administering medication employing the inhalable medication administration apparatus; storing the captured one or more video sequences; capturing one or more audio sequences of the user administering medication employing the inhalable medication administration apparatus; storing the captured one or more audio sequences; and analyzing at least one of the stored video sequences and at least one of the stored audio sequences to confirm that the user has properly administered the medication.

16 . The method of claim 15 , further comprising the step of prompting the user to perform a particular sequence of actions to be stored as the one or more video sequences.

17 . The method of claim 16 , further comprising the step of storing the one or more audio sequences in accordance with the performance of the particular sequence of actions.

18 . The method of claim 15 , further comprising the step of analyzing the one or more audio sequences to determine their similarity to a target audio sequence.

19 . The method of claim 18 , wherein the analysis is performed in a two level process, further comprising;
a first determining step for determining whether one of the one or more captured audio sequences passes a first filter as being similar to a target audio sequence; and after passing the first determining step, a second determining step for determining whether the one or more captured audio sequences passes a more stringent filter as being similar to the target audio sequence.

20 . The method of claim 19 , wherein the more stringent filter of the second step is trained based upon audio sequences that pass the filter in the first audio step.

Assignees

• Aic Innovations Group Inc

Inventors

• Hanina Adam
• Kessler Gordon
• Guan Lei
• Lai Dehua

Classifications

• G16H20/17

  delivered via infusion or injection · CPC title

• A61M15/0083

  Timers · CPC title

• A61M2205/609

  Biometric patient identification means · CPC title

• G09B19/00

  Teaching not covered by other main groups of this subclass (teaching or practice apparatus for gun-aiming or gun-laying F41G3/26) · CPC title

• A61M2230/62

  Posture · CPC title