Light-Based Visual Cues for Drug Delivery Instructions Using Light and Motion Sensors

Abstract

For example, light-based visual cues may be provided to assist a patient in the proper use of a drug delivery device, such as a drug injection device, or a drug storage container. A light source, such as an organic light-emitting diode (OLED), may be used, which when activated may be a visual cue to execute a drug delivery command and / or may illuminate drug delivery information. Some example commands may be to remove a cap on the drug delivery device or to shake the drug delivery device. Light sensors, motion sensors, sound collectors and / or other sensors may be used to trigger activation of the light source based on detected light, motion and / or sound.

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present disclosure relates generally to providing light-based visual cues, for example to assist a patient in the proper use of a medication delivery device. A light source, such as one or more organic light-emitting diodes (OLEDs), may be activated based on output from one or more sensors, for example. [Background technology]

[0002] The drug delivery device may be used to store and / or deliver a drug. In some examples, the drug delivery device may be a drug injection device such as a pre-filled syringe, an auto-injector, or a wearable injection pump. In some other examples, the drug delivery device may be a drug containment container such as a bottle, a blister pack, or other drug packaging.

[0003] Patients may often not properly perform an injection by failing to remove the cap of the drug delivery device, not depressing the drug delivery device sufficiently to inject the full dose, failing to lift the drug delivery device after injection, etc. Additionally, patients may neglect to perform other drug delivery steps, such as shaking the drug before use.

[0004] Drug delivery instructions may be printed on a product label or instruction sheet. However, users often neglect to read the printed instructions or do not fully understand the instructions. Furthermore, the printed instructions may not tell the user exactly which step of the process they are currently performing, which may lead to steps and instructions being missed or performed improperly. Summary of the Invention [Means for solving the problem]

[0005] An exemplary light-based drug delivery cue system is described. The exemplary system may include a light sensor and a motion sensor. The light sensor may detect light corresponding to removal of the drug delivery device from a storage component. The motion sensor may detect motion of the drug delivery device. The exemplary system may further include a first light source that is activated based at least in part on a first detection of the light and a second detection of the motion. Activation of the first light source may be a first visual cue to execute a first drug delivery instruction. In some examples, the light sensor, the motion sensor, and the first light source may be included in one or more adhesive labels attached to the drug delivery device. In some other examples, the light sensor, the motion sensor, and the first light source may be included within the drug delivery device.

[0006] An exemplary light-based drug delivery cue method is described. The exemplary method may include detecting light corresponding to removal of the drug delivery device from a storage component by a light sensor. The exemplary method may further include detecting motion of the drug delivery device by a motion sensor. The exemplary method may further include activating a first light source based at least in part on the detection of the light and the detection of the motion. The activation of the first light source may be a first visual cue for executing a first drug delivery instruction. In some examples, the light sensor, the motion sensor, and the first light source may be included in one or more adhesive labels attached to the drug delivery device. In some other examples, the light sensor, the motion sensor, and the first light source may be included within the drug delivery device.

[0007] Another exemplary light-based drug delivery cueing system is described. The exemplary system may include a timer configured to detect the occurrence of a designated date. The exemplary system may further include a light sensor capable of detecting light corresponding to removal of the drug delivery device from the storage component. The light sensor may be powered based on a first detection of the occurrence of the designated date. The exemplary system may further include a light source that is activated based at least in part on a second detection of the light. In some examples, the timer, light sensor, and light source may be included in one or more adhesive labels attached to the drug delivery device. In some other examples, the timer, light sensor, motion sensor, and light source may be included within the drug delivery device.

[0008] Another exemplary light-based drug delivery cueing system is described. The exemplary system may include a motion sensor that detects motion of the drug delivery device. The exemplary system may further include a timer configured to detect expiration of a designated time period. The exemplary system may further include a first light source that is activated at least in part based on detecting expiration of the designated time period. The exemplary system may further include a second light source that is activated at least in part based on detecting motion. In some examples, the timer, the motion sensor, the first light source, and the second light source may be included in one or more adhesive labels attached to the drug delivery device. In some other examples, the timer, the motion sensor, the first light source, and the second light source may be included within the drug delivery device.

[0009] Another exemplary light-based drug delivery cue system is described. The exemplary system may include a sound collector that detects at least one detected sound. The exemplary system may further include one or more processing components that determine a first audio characteristic of the at least one detected sound and detect a sound match between the first audio characteristic and a second audio characteristic of at least one injection completion sound associated with the completion of the injection and generated by the drug delivery device. The exemplary system may further include a light source that is activated at least in part based on the detection of the sound match. In some examples, the sound collector, the one or more processing components, and the light source may be included in one or more adhesive labels attached to the drug delivery device. In some other examples, the sound collector, the one or more processing components, and the light source may be included within the drug delivery device. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0010] For a more complete understanding of the principles disclosed herein and their advantages, reference is now made to the following descriptions taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which: [Figure 1A] FIG. 2 is a front view of a first exemplary medication delivery device in a pre-use position. [Figure 1B] FIG. 2 is a front view of a first exemplary medication delivery device with the cap removed to expose the needle guard. [Figure 1C] FIG. 1C is a front view of the first exemplary medication delivery device with the needle guard moved from the position of FIG. 1B. [Figure 1D] FIG. 2 is a front view of a first exemplary medication delivery device with the upper housing moving towards a dispensing position. [Figure 1E] FIG. 2 is a front view of a first exemplary medication delivery device with the upper housing in a dispensing position. [Figure 1F] FIG. 2 is a front view of a first exemplary medication delivery device with the needle guard in a final position. [Diagram 2] FIG. 2 is a diagram of a second exemplary drug delivery device, which is an exemplary pre-filled syringe. [Diagram 3] FIG. 13 is a diagram of a third exemplary drug delivery device, which is an exemplary auto-injector. [Figure 4] FIG. 13 is a diagram of a fourth exemplary drug delivery device, which is an exemplary wearable drug delivery device. [Diagram 5] FIG. 2 is a diagram of an exemplary storage component that may store a drug delivery device. [Figure 6] 13A-13D are diagrams of an exemplary removal of a medication delivery device from an exemplary storage component. [Figure 7] FIG. 2 is a diagram of a first exemplary illuminable drug delivery instruction panel on a first exemplary drug delivery device. [Figure 8] FIG. 1 illustrates a first exemplary illuminable medication delivery instruction illuminated in response to movement of the first exemplary medication delivery device. [Figure 9] FIG. 2 is a diagram of an exemplary light source illuminating a first exemplary medication delivery instruction panel. [Figure 10] FIG. 1 is a diagram of a first exemplary light-based drug delivery cueing system. [Figure 11] FIG. 11 is a diagram of a second exemplary illuminable drug delivery instruction panel on a fourth exemplary drug delivery device. [Figure 12] FIG. 2 is a diagram of a second exemplary light-based drug delivery cueing system. [Figure 13] FIG. 1 is a diagram of an exemplary light-based drug delivery cueing process. [Figure 14] FIG. 13 is a diagram of a third exemplary light-based drug delivery signaling system. [Figure 15] FIG. 4 is a diagram of a fourth exemplary light-based drug delivery signaling system. [Figure 16] FIG. 5 is a diagram of a fifth exemplary light-based drug delivery signaling system. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0011] While the concept of the present disclosure is susceptible to various modifications and alternative forms, certain exemplary embodiments thereof are shown by way of example in the drawings and will be described in detail herein. It should be understood, however, that there is no intention to limit the concept of the present disclosure to the particular forms disclosed, but on the contrary, the present invention is intended to cover all modifications, equivalents, and alternatives encompassed within the spirit and scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims. Furthermore, a structure described as "at least one," as used herein, can refer to a single one of the described structures, as well as either or both of a plurality of the described structures. In addition, references to the singular forms "a," "an," or "the" apply equal force and effect to the plural, unless otherwise indicated. Similarly, references to the plural herein apply equal force and effect to the singular forms "a," "an," or "the."

[0012] References herein to "one embodiment," "an embodiment," "an exemplary embodiment," and the like indicate that the embodiment being described may include a particular feature, structure, or characteristic, but not all embodiments necessarily include that particular feature, structure, or characteristic. Moreover, such phrases do not necessarily refer to the same embodiment. Furthermore, when a particular feature, structure, or characteristic is described in connection with an embodiment, the effect of such feature, structure, or characteristic on other embodiments, whether or not explicitly described, is intended to be within the knowledge of one of ordinary skill in the art.

[0013] Exemplary Drug Delivery Devices Several exemplary drug delivery devices are described herein in association with which the described light-based visual cue techniques may be implemented. The term drug delivery device, as used herein, refers to a device used to store and / or deliver a drug. Drug delivery devices may include, for example, drug injection devices and drug storage containers. In some examples, the light-based visual cue techniques described herein may be implemented in association with drug injection devices, such as auto-injectors, pre-filled syringes, wearable drug delivery devices (e.g., patch pumps, on body delivery systems (OBDS), etc.). However, it should be noted that the techniques described herein are not limited to use with any particular type of drug delivery device, and a wide variety of types of drug delivery devices may be used.

[0014] 1A-1F, a first exemplary medication delivery device will be described in connection with which the described light-based visual cue techniques may be implemented. As described, the device 300 may be used to inject medication, such as by depressing the upper housing 308 and moving the upper housing from a pre-use position to an administration position. In operation, and with reference to FIGS. 1A-1F, the device 300 may be configured to deliver medication. Prior to use, the upper housing 308 may be locked in a pre-use position, and the cap 320 may be coupled to the lower housing 304 to shield the needle guard 316 and the needle 332. When the device 300 is ready to be used, the cap 320 may be removed from the lower housing 304, as shown in FIG. 1B.

[0015] As shown in FIG. 1C, the device 300 can be positioned against the skin surface and a manual force can be applied to the upper housing 308 along an insertion direction (which is the X2 direction in FIG. 1A ) such that the needle guard 316 is pressed against the skin surface, the needle guard 316 moves, and the needle 332 is inserted into tissue. As the needle guard 316 moves, the upper housing 308 can be unlocked from the pre-use position. As shown in FIG. 1D and FIG. 1E , the upper housing 308 can then be moved past the middle housing 312 along the insertion direction. The upper housing 308 of the device 300 is supported relative to the lower housing 304 and is configured to receive a manual force and, in response to the force, move from a pre-use position to a dispensing position along the insertion direction relative to the lower housing 304. The device 300 may include an internal syringe supported by the lower housing 304, and a plunger rod carried by the upper housing 308 and movable with the upper housing 308 to advance relative to the syringe as the upper housing 308 is moved along an insertion direction. The syringe may be configured to hold a medicament and may carry a needle 332 configured to be inserted into tissue. Advancement of the plunger rod relative to the syringe may cause the syringe to deliver the medicament from the needle 332 into the tissue. Once the upper housing 308 reaches the dispensing position, the upper housing 308 may be locked in the dispensing position, for example, via an internal locking latch and latch member, to prevent reuse of the device 300. Once the upper housing 308 is locked in the dispensing position, such as by locking a latch that snaps onto the latch member, an audible click may be generated to inform the user that the upper housing 308 has reached the dispensing position and is locked in the dispensing position. The upper housing 308 may be permanently locked in the dispensing position such that the device 300 cannot be reused. However, it should be understood that the upper housing 308 may be temporarily locked so that the device 300 can be sterilized and reused.

[0016] 1F, when device 300 is removed from the skin surface in a direction X1 opposite to the insertion direction, needle guard 316 moves along the insertion direction to a final position. When in the final position, needle guard 316 may be permanently locked in the final position such that device 300 cannot be reused. However, it should be understood that needle guard 316 may be temporarily locked so that device 300 can be sterilized and reused.

[0017] 1A-1F is one example of a medication delivery device in association with which the light-based visual cue techniques described herein may be implemented. However, the light-based visual cue techniques described herein may also be implemented in association with other medication delivery devices, such as auto-injectors, pre-filled syringes, wearable medication delivery devices (e.g., patch pumps, OBDS), etc.

[0018] Referring now to FIG. 2, device 400 is an example of a pre-filled syringe in association with which the light-based visual cue techniques described herein may be implemented. As shown in FIG. 2, device 400 has a cap 420 that may be removed by a user when the user is ready to use device 400 to inject a medication. After removing cap 420, device 400 may be held and needle 414 may be inserted. The user may then place their thumb on plunger 412 and fully depress plunger 412 until plunger 412 stops. The user may then release pressure from plunger 412. Needle 414 may then be retracted into body 411. Thus, in device 400, the user depresses plunger 412, as opposed to, for example, upper housing 308 of device 300 of FIG. 3.

[0019] Referring now to FIG. 3, device 500 is an example of an auto-injector in association with which the light-based visual cue techniques described herein may be implemented. As shown in FIG. 2, device 500 has a cap 520 that may be removed by the user when the user is ready to use device 500 to inject medication. After removing cap 520, the user may hold device 500 and position device 500 against the skin with safety sleeve 516 flat against the skin. The user may then press firmly against the skin, which may cause safety sleeve 516 to slide into cover 517. The user may then press button 518, which may cause medication to be injected into the user through a hidden needle, which may be located adjacent safety sleeve 516 and cover 517. Device 500 may generate an audible sound, such as a first click, when button 518 is pressed and injection of medication begins. The user may continue to press button 518 until medication is fully administered. 3, device 500 may also generate an audible sound, such as a click, once the medication is fully administered, and this second click may indicate to the user that the medication has been fully administered. Upon hearing the second click, the user may lift device 500 from the skin. Thus, one way in which device 500 differs from device 300 is that device 500 allows an injection to be triggered by pressing button 518.

[0020] Referring now to FIG. 4, device 600 is an example of a wearable drug delivery device in association with which the light-based visual cue techniques described herein may be implemented. Device 600 may be an on-body delivery system (OBDS) or may be included in an on-body delivery system. FIG. 4 shows a front side 601 of device 600. In some examples, 600 may be attachable to a user's skin. For example, a rear side of device 600 (not shown in FIG. 4), which may be opposite front side 601 in some cases, may have an attached adhesive pad that may enable attachment of device 600 to a user's skin. Also, in some examples, device 600 may have an associated strap to assist in attaching device 600 to a user's skin. As shown in FIG. 4, drug tube 603 is visible through window 602. In operation, device 600 may deliver drug from drug tube 603 to a user via injection. In the example of FIG. 4, a user may press button 604 to initiate the injection process. The device 600 may include a needle that may protrude from the rear of the device 600, through which an injection of a medication may be delivered.

[0021] Thus, as noted above, the light-based visual cue techniques described herein may be implemented in association with medication delivery devices, such as auto-injectors, pre-filled syringes, wearable medication delivery devices (e.g., patch pumps, on-body delivery systems (OBDS), etc.). However, it should again be noted that the techniques described herein are not limited to use with any particular type of medication delivery device, and a wide variety of types of medication delivery devices may be used. As another example, the light-based visual cue techniques described herein may also be used in combination with other medication delivery devices, such as medication storage containers (e.g., storage bottles, blister packs, other storage packages, etc.).

[0022] Light-based visual cues for drug delivery instructions In some examples, one or more light sources may be activated to signal the user to perform one or more drug delivery instructions. The drug delivery instructions are instructions related to drug delivery, such as remove cap, shake well, place on skin, press down, lift straight up, or check drug expiration date. Activating a light source means that the light source is caused to assume one or more activated states, such as to start emitting light (e.g., by being turned on), to start blinking, to change color (e.g., to green or another designated color associated with an activated state), etc. In some examples, the light source may illuminate information corresponding to the instruction. The illuminated information may be or include text, including, for example, words such as "remove cap" or "shake well". In other examples, the illuminated information may be or include non-text instructions, including, for example, one or more symbols, such as an arrow. For example, a vertical double-sided arrow may be displayed to instruct the patient to shake the drug delivery device. As another example, a horizontal double-sided arrow may be displayed to instruct the patient to remove the cap. In yet another example, the illuminated information can include a combination of text and symbols. For example, for instructions to shake well, the illuminated information can include a vertical double-sided arrow combined with the words "Shake well." As another example, for instructions to remove the cap, the illuminated information can include a horizontal double-sided arrow combined with the words "Remove the cap."

[0023] As described herein, the illuminable information may be illuminated by a light source, which may include an organic light-emitting diode (OLED), an OLED display, a light-emitting diode (LED), an LED display, other thin-film lights, incandescent lights, and / or other light sources. Also, as described herein, the light source may be activated (e.g., may emit light, flash, and / or change color) based on one or more sensors, such as a light sensor and / or a motion sensor. In one particular example, activation of the light source may be a visual cue to execute a drug delivery command, such as an command to remove a cap or an command to shake the drug delivery device. The light source may be activated based on a combination of a light sensor, a motion sensor, and / or other sensors. The light sensor may detect light corresponding to removal of the drug delivery device from a storage component. The motion sensor may detect motion corresponding to a user's movement of the drug delivery device. The light source may be activated based on detection of light and / or detection of motion. This and other exemplary embodiments are described in more detail below.

[0024] Patients and other users may often neglect to perform steps in the medication delivery process and / or perform steps improperly. For example, a user may forget to check the expiration date, forget to shake the medication container before use, forget to remove the cap, etc. In other examples, a user may perform these and other steps improperly. For example, a user may not shake the medication container sufficiently for the required period or may not perform the injection properly (e.g., not press down fully). By illuminating information corresponding to medication delivery instructions, the information may be more visible and may appear more important to the user, thereby reducing the likelihood that the user will forget to perform the instructed action and / or not perform the instructed action properly.

[0025] FIG. 5 illustrates an exemplary storage carton 700 that stores the device 300. The storage carton 700 is thus an example of a storage component for storing a drug delivery device. Other examples of storage components may include containers, packages, wrappers, cases, and the like. In FIG. 5, the storage carton 700 is closed (and thus not visible in FIG. 5) with the device 300 enclosed within the storage carton 700. In this example, the storage carton 700 may be opened, such as by lifting the flap 701, as shown in FIG. 6, for example. Referring now to FIG. 6, the flap 701 is lifted by a user, such as in the direction indicated by arrow 801. The user may then remove the device 300 from the storage carton 700, such as by lifting the device 300 from the storage carton 700 in the direction indicated by arrow 802.

[0026] 7, an example of an illuminable instruction panel 3110 on a device 300 is shown. In this example, the illuminable instruction panel 3110 displays the instruction "Remove Cap." As described in more detail below, the illuminable instruction panel 3110 may be illuminated based on detection of light, such as when the device 300 is removed from a storage component (e.g., storage carton 700 of FIGS. 5-6), and detection of motion, such as when the device 300 is moved by a user. FIG. 8 illustrates an example in which the device 300 is moved by a user, such as in one or more directions represented by arrows 801-804 and / or other directions. In the example of FIG. 8, the illuminable instruction panel 3110 is illuminated in response to detected light (e.g., when the device 300 is removed from the storage carton 700) and detected motion corresponding to the movement of the device 300. The illumination of the illuminable command panel 3110 in FIG. 8 is indicated by the thicker, bolder outline of the illuminable command panel 3110 in FIG. 8 (compared to the thinner outline of the illuminable command panel 3110 in FIG. 7).

[0027] 9, it is shown that the illuminable instruction panel 3110 can be illuminated by a light source 3204, which can also be included in the device 300. For example, in some cases, the light source 3204 can be positioned directly below the illuminable instruction panel 3110. In order not to cause a substantial change in the size and / or shape of the device 300 described above, the light source 3204 (and other light sources described herein) can be thin, flat, and / or flexible components, such as OLEDs and / or OLED displays. In some examples, other light sources can be used for the light sources described herein, such as LEDs, LED displays, other thin-film lights, incandescent lights, and / or other light sources. In some examples, the light source 3204 can have a color different from the color of the exterior of the device 300 to enhance patient visibility. For example, in some cases, the exterior of the device 300 can have a white color and the light source 3204 can have a red, yellow, or green color.

[0028] In some examples, the illuminable instruction panel 3110 may be substantially translucent. By being substantially translucent, this may also enhance the visibility of the illuminable instruction panel 3110 when the light source 3204 is activated. In one example, if the illuminable instruction panel 3110 is substantially translucent, the illuminable instruction panel 3110 may appear to take on the color of the light source 3204 when the light source 3204 is activated. In one particular example, if the light source 3204 has a red color and the illuminable instruction panel 3110 is substantially translucent, the illuminable instruction panel 3110 may then appear as if the light source 3204 is illuminating the illuminable instruction panel 3110 and the illuminable instruction panel has a red color. As will be appreciated, various designs can be used for the instructions displayed. For example, in some cases, only the letters in the words "remove cap" may be translucent and illuminated by the underlying light source 3204. In another example, the words "remove cap" may be colored (e.g., colored black or yellow) and the remainder of the illuminable instruction panel 3110 may be translucent and illuminated by the underlying light source 3204. In this example, the cap removal instruction would still be considered illuminated even if the letters in the words "remove cap" themselves are not necessarily illuminated. Any or all of the above or other examples of illuminable instructions may similarly be used for alternative instructions such as instructions to shake the device, instructions to press the device for injection, etc.

[0029] 10, an example of a light-based drug delivery cue system 3390 will now be described in detail. As shown, the light-based drug delivery cue system 3390 includes an illumination circuit 3300 and a drug delivery device 3310, such as the device 300 of FIG.

[0030] The lighting circuitry 3300 may be integrated with the drug delivery device 3310. The term "integrated" as used herein means that the lighting circuitry 3300 is included within the drug delivery device 3310 or is otherwise physically connected or attached (e.g., via an adhesive, etc.) directly or indirectly (e.g., via one or more connection or attachment components) to the drug delivery device 3310 before and / or when the drug delivery device is used by the patient (and / or by another user on behalf of the patient). Thus, the battery 3301, the motion sensor 3302, the light sensor 3303, the processing component 3330, the switch 3312, the light source 3204, the switch 3314, and the illuminable information 3305 may be integrated with the drug delivery device 3310. In some examples, the lighting circuitry 3300 may be included in one or more thin, flexible adhesive labels that can be attached to and / or are attached to the drug delivery device 3310. Thus, in some examples, any or all of the battery 3301, the motion sensor 3302, the light sensor 3303, the processing component 3330, the switch 3312, the light source 3204, the switch 3314, and the illuminable information 3305 may be included in one or more thin, flexible adhesive labels that can be attached to and / or are attached to the drug delivery device 3310. In addition, in some examples, the lighting circuitry 3300 may be included within the drug delivery device 3310. For example, the lighting circuitry 3300 may be embedded in one or more other components of the drug delivery device 3310, for example, by being molded into the plastic and / or other material that may comprise those components. Thus, in some examples, any or all of the battery 3301, the motion sensor 3302, the light sensor 3303, the processing component 3330, the switch 3312, the light source 3204, the switch 3314, and the illuminable information 3305 may be included within the drug delivery device 3310.

[0031] The lighting circuit 3300 includes a light sensor 3303 configured to detect the presence of light outside the drug delivery device 3310. In one particular example, the light sensor 3303 (and optionally other light sensors described herein) may be a semiconductor-based sensor that can convert light into an electric current, for example, via a junction between different types of semiconductor materials. The light sensor 3303 is powered by a battery 3301. In some examples, before being used by a patient or other user, the drug delivery device 3310 may be stored in a storage component, such as the storage carton 700 of FIG. 5. To use the drug delivery device 3310, the patient may first need to remove the drug delivery device 3310 from the storage component. In some examples, the drug delivery device 3310 may not be exposed to any light while in the storage component. Thus, in some examples, when the light sensor 3303 detects light, this may correspond to removal of the drug delivery device 3310 from the storage component.

[0032] The lighting circuit 3300 also includes a motion sensor 3302. The motion sensor 3302 is configured to detect motion of the drug delivery device 3310, such as caused by a user's movement of the drug delivery device 3310. This may occur, for example, when a user picks up the drug delivery device 3310 to inject or otherwise obtain a drug from the drug delivery device 3310. In some examples, the motion sensor 3302 (and optionally other motion sensors described herein) may include an accelerometer, such as to detect acceleration of the drug delivery device 3310. In one particular example, the motion sensor 3302 (and other motion sensors described herein) may be an accelerometer that measures acceleration forces in multiple directions (e.g., two or three axes) and reports these measurements to the processing component 3330. The combination of the removal of the drug delivery device 3310 from the storage component (as detected by the optical sensor 3303) and subsequent movement of the drug delivery device 3310 (as detected by the motion sensor 3302) may indicate that the user is ready to dispense medication from the drug delivery device.

[0033] In some examples, the motion sensor 3302 may be initially in an unpowered sleep state. The motion sensor 3302 may remain unpowered until light is detected by the light sensor 3303. When light is detected by the light sensor 3303, the motion sensor 3302 may be powered on by receiving power from the battery 3301. In this way, the power of the battery 3301 may be conserved. In addition, this may prevent the motion sensor 3302 from detecting motion of the drug delivery device 3310 while the drug delivery device 3310 is still inside the storage component, which does not indicate that the user is ready to use the drug delivery device. The switch 3312 is an electrical switch that may control the flow of power from the battery 3301 to the motion sensor 3302. The switch 3312 may be initially in an open state (not allowing power to be provided to the motion sensor 3302) and then moved to a closed state (allowing power to be provided to the motion sensor 3302) once light is detected. In some examples, upon detecting light, the light sensor 3303 can provide an indication (e.g., a signal) of the detected light to the processing component 3330, which can provide an indication (e.g., a signal) to close the switch 3312 and allow power to flow to the motion sensor 3302. In some examples, the processing component 3330 can be integrated in whole or in part with the light sensor 3303, or can be a separate component. In some examples, the processing component 3330 (and other processing components described herein) can be components that are programmed or otherwise instructed to perform operations as described herein and can be included in one or more integrated circuit (IC) chips and / or other IC components.

[0034] As described above, the combination of removal of the drug delivery device 3310 from the storage component (as detected by the light sensor 3303) and subsequent movement of the drug delivery device 3310 (as detected by the motion sensor 3302) may indicate that the user is ready to deliver a drug from the drug delivery device. Thus, in this example, the light source 3204 may be activated after detection of both light and motion. The light source 3204 may be activated by changing to one or more activation states to start emitting light (e.g., by being powered on), to start flashing, to change color (e.g., to green or another designated color associated with an activation state), etc. When activated, the light source 3204 may illuminate the illuminable information 3305.

[0035] In the example of FIG. 10, the light source 3204 may be activated by being caused to emit light, such as by being turned on. The switch 3314 is an electrical switch that may control the flow of power from the battery 3301 to the light source 3204. The switch 3314 may initially be in an open state (not allowing power to be provided to the light source 3204) and then moved to a closed state (allowing power to be provided to the light source 3204) upon motion being detected. In some examples, the motion sensor 3302, upon detecting motion, may provide an indication (e.g., a signal) of the detected motion to the processing component 3330, which may then provide an indication (e.g., a signal) to close the switch 3314 and allow power to flow to the light source 3204. In some examples, the processing component 3330 may be integrated in whole or in part with the motion sensor 3302, or may be a separate component. In this manner, the light source 3204 may be activated based at least in part on the detected motion. Additionally, note that because the motion sensor 3302 is powered based on the detection of light, both light detection and motion detection may be required to activate the light source 3204. In this manner, the light source 3204 may be activated based at least in part on both detected light and detected motion (even if the light sensor 3303 does not directly activate the light source 3204). As discussed above, keeping the motion sensor 3302 asleep prior to the detection of light (e.g., while in the storage component) may help prevent the battery 3301 from running out of power.

[0036] In some examples, any or all of the lighting circuit components (e.g., motion sensor 3302, light sensor 3303, light source 3204, switch 3312, switch 3314, processing component 3330, battery 3301) of the lighting circuit 3300 (and other lighting circuits described herein) may be implemented in whole or in part using one or more integrated circuit (IC) components, such as one or more IC chips. The integrated circuit components may be connected to one or more circuit boards, such as printed circuit boards and / or flexible circuit boards. The components may communicate and / or interact with each other via one or more electrical connections, for example, via one or more circuit boards. Any or all of the lighting circuit components of the lighting circuit 3300 shown in FIG. 10 (and other lighting circuits described herein) may optionally include one or more processing components (e.g., integrated with or separate from the processing component 3330) and one or more memory components. The memory components may be volatile (such as some types of RAM), non-volatile (such as ROM, flash memory, etc.), or a combination thereof. Additionally, in some examples, any or all of the lighting circuits described herein may be combined with each other in whole or in part.

[0037] In some examples, activation of the light source 3204 may be a visual cue to execute a medication delivery command, such as an instruction to remove the cap or an instruction to shake the device. In some examples, the illuminable information 3305 may include text corresponding to these commands, such as the words "remove cap" or the words "shake well." In one particular example, the medication delivery device 3310 may be the device 300 of FIG. 7 and the illuminable information 3305 may be the illuminable instruction panel 3110 of FIG. 7 displaying the words "remove cap." In another particular example, the medication delivery device 3310 may be a medicine bottle that stores a medication in liquid form and the illuminable information 3305 may display the words "shake well before use." Now referring to FIG. 11, an example is shown in which a medicine bottle 3400 includes an illuminable instruction panel 3410. In the example of FIG. 11, the illuminable instruction panel 3410 displays the words "shake well before use." Thus, the medicine bottle 3400 is another example of a medication delivery device 3310. The medicine bottle 3400 may also include the lighting circuitry 3300 of Figure 10. An illuminable instruction panel 3410 is another example of illuminable information 3305. The illuminable instruction panel 3410 may be illuminated by the light source 3204 based on detected light and detected motion, as described above with respect to the lighting circuitry 3300.

[0038] In some instances, it may be desirable to cue a user to execute multiple medication delivery instructions in a specified order. One particular example of this relates to tamper-resistant blister packs, such as for administering medication pills, caplets, and the like. Specifically, in some instances, to obtain medication from this type of blister pack, a user may first need to hold down a release tab. The user can then only withdraw the desired medication from the blister pack while holding down the release tab, thereby making it difficult for someone to inappropriately access the medication. In some instances, the light and motion sensing technology described above can be used to cue the user to execute a first instruction, such as for the user to hold down the release tab. Then, only after the first instruction has been executed can the user be commanded to execute a second instruction, such as withdrawing medication from the blister pack.

[0039] 12, there is shown another example of a light-based medication delivery cue system 3590. The light-based medication delivery cue system 3590 includes an illumination circuit 3500 and a medication delivery device 3510, such as the tamper-evident blister pack described above.

[0040] The lighting circuitry 3500 may be integrated with the drug delivery device 3510. The term "integrated" as used herein means that the lighting circuitry 3500 is included within the drug delivery device 3510 or is otherwise physically connected or attached (e.g., via an adhesive, etc.) directly or indirectly (e.g., via one or more connection or attachment components) to the drug delivery device 3510 before and / or when the drug delivery device is used by the patient (and / or by another user on behalf of the patient). Thus, the battery 3501, the motion sensor 3502, the light sensor 3503, the processing component 3530, the switch 3512, the switch 3514, the switch 3516, the light source 3504, the light source 3506, the release tab sensor 3508, the illuminable information 3505, and the illuminable information 3507 may be integrated with the drug delivery device 3510. In some examples, the lighting circuitry 3500 may be included in one or more thin, flexible adhesive labels that are attachable and / or attached to the drug delivery device 3510. Thus, in some examples, any or all of the battery 3501, the motion sensor 3502, the light sensor 3503, the processing component 3530, the switch 3512, the switch 3514, the switch 3516, the light source 3504, the light source 3506, the release tab sensor 3508, the illuminable information 3505, and the illuminable information 3507 may be included in one or more thin, flexible adhesive labels that are attachable and / or attached to the drug delivery device 3510. Additionally, in some examples, the lighting circuitry 3500 may be included within the drug delivery device 3510. For example, the lighting circuitry 3500 may be embedded in one or more other components of the drug delivery device 3510, such as by being molded into the plastic and / or other material that may comprise those components. Thus, in some examples, any or all of the battery 3501, the motion sensor 3502, the light sensor 3503, the processing component 3530, the switch 3512, the switch 3514, the switch 3516, the light source 3504, the light source 3506, the release tab sensor 3508, the illuminable information 3505, and the illuminable information 3507 may be included within the drug delivery device 3510.

[0041] In the example of FIG. 12, the light sensor 3503 may operate similarly to the light sensor 3303 of FIG. 10, such as detecting light corresponding to removal of the delivery device 3510 from a storage component and causing the battery 3501 to provide power to the motion sensor 3502 based on the detected light. The switch 3512 is an electrical switch that is initially open (not allowing power to be provided to the motion sensor 3502) based on the detection of light and then closes based on the detection of light to allow power to be provided to the motion sensor 3502. Additionally, the motion sensor 3502 may operate similarly to the motion sensor 3302 of FIG. 10, such as detecting motion of the medication delivery device 3510 and activating the light source 3504 (e.g., an OLED, an OLED display, an LED, etc.) based on the detected motion. In the example of FIG. 12, the light source 3504 may be activated by being caused to emit light, such as by being turned on. The switch 3514 is an electrical switch that is initially open (not allowing power to be applied to the light source 3504) and then closes based on detection of motion to allow power to be applied to the light source 3504. Activation of the light source 3504 may be a visual cue to execute a first medication delivery command, such as an command to hold down a release tab on a tamper-evident blister pack. The light source 3504 may illuminate illuminable information 3505, which may include text (e.g., the words "hold down") and / or symbols (e.g., an arrow pointing to the release tab).

[0042] In this example, the lighting circuit 3500 further includes a release tab sensor 3508, such as a touch sensor and / or a pressure sensor, configured to detect when a user presses the release tab. In some examples, the light source 3504 may be powered off (e.g., by opening the switch 3514) either after the expiration of a designated period of time (e.g., 5 seconds) or after a user presses the release tab (e.g., as detected by the release tab sensor 3508). For example, upon detecting a press of the release tab, the release tab sensor 3508 may move the switch 3514 from a closed state (allowing power to be provided to the light source 3504) back to an open state (not allowing power to be provided to the light source 3504).

[0043] In addition, upon detecting that the user has pressed the release tab, the release tab sensor 3508 may also activate the light source 3506 (e.g., an OLED, OLED display, LED, etc.). In the example of FIG. 12, the light source 3506 may be activated by being turned on or otherwise caused to emit light. The switch 3516 is an electrical switch that may control the flow of power from the battery 3501 to the light source 3506. The switch 3516 may be initially in an open state (not allowing power to be provided to the light source 3506) and then moved to a closed state (allowing power to be provided to the light source 3506) upon detection of a release tab press. In some examples, the release tab sensor 3508, upon detecting a release tab press, may provide an indication (e.g., a signal) of the detected release tab press to the processing component 3530, which may then provide an indication (e.g., a signal) to close the switch 3516 and allow power to flow to the light source 3506. Activation of light source 3506 may be a visual cue to execute a second medication delivery instruction, such as an instruction to withdraw medication from a tamper-evident blister pack. When activated, light source 3506 may cause illumination of illuminable information 3507, which may include text and / or symbols instructing the user to withdraw medication from the tamper-evident blister pack.

[0044] It should be noted that FIG. 12 and the tamper-evident blister pack are just one example of a scenario in which it may be desirable to cue the user to execute multiple medication delivery instructions. For example, FIG. 15 described below provides an example in which visual indications related to the expiration date and shaking of the device may be provided. In yet other examples, different illuminable information may be displayed by different light sources in response to different motions / motion sequences detected by the sensor. For example, "remove cap," then "place on skin," then "press here," etc. In some examples, a motion sensor may be used adjacent to the device cap to detect the removal of the cap, such as the motion of the user's hand removing the cap from the device. Detection of the cap removal motion may then trigger a light source that illuminates an instruction to place the device on the user's skin. Detection of the cap removal motion may also trigger another motion sensor that detects a motion associated with the placement of the device on the user's skin, such as a downward or horizontal motion (depending on the body part being injected). Detection of the placement of the device on the user's skin may then trigger a light source that illuminates an instruction to press down the device. Other alternative combinations using different sensors (eg, optical sensors, force sensors, etc.) and different instructions may also be used.

[0045] Referring now to FIG. 13, a flow chart for an exemplary light-based drug delivery cueing process will now be described in detail. In some examples, the process of FIG. 13 may be performed by the lighting circuit 3300 of FIG. 10 and / or the lighting circuit 3500 of FIG. 12. In operation 3610, power is provided to the light sensor. For example, as shown in FIG. 10, power is provided from a battery 3301 to the light sensor 3303. Providing power to a component may also be referred to as powering a component. In operation 3612, light corresponding to removal of the drug delivery device from a storage component is detected by the light sensor. For example, as described above, the drug delivery device may be stored in a storage component, such as the storage carton 700 of FIG. 5, prior to use by a patient or other user. While in the storage component, the drug delivery device may not be exposed to any light (or may be exposed to very little light). Thus, in some examples, when the light sensor 3303 detects light, this may correspond to removal of the drug delivery device 3310 from the storage component. In some examples, detecting light in operation 3612 may include detecting at least a threshold amount of light, such as an amount of light greater than the amount of light to which the drug delivery device is exposed in the storage component. In some examples, the light sensor 3303 can provide an indication of the amount of light detected by the light sensor 3303 over time to the processing component 3330. The processing component 3330 can then compare the detected amount of light to a threshold amount of light, and the processing component 3930 can cause power to be provided to the motion sensor based on the detected amount of light meeting or exceeding the threshold.

[0046] At operation 3614, power is provided to the motion sensor. Power may be provided (at operation 3614) based at least in part on the detection of light (at operation 3612), such as based on the detection of a threshold amount of light. As described above, the switch 3312 can control the flow of power from the battery 3301 to the motion sensor 3302. The switch 3312 may be initially in an open state (not allowing power to be provided to the motion sensor 3302) and then moved to a closed state (allowing power to be provided to the motion sensor 3302) when light is detected. In some examples, the light sensor 3303, upon detecting light, can provide an indication (e.g., a signal) of the detected light to the processing component 3330, which can provide an indication (e.g., a signal) to close the switch 3312 and allow power to flow to the motion sensor 3302. Thus, as described above, the motion sensor 3302 can be switched from a sleep state (conserving battery power) to a powered state when the device is removed from the storage component.

[0047] In operation 3616, motion of the drug delivery device is detected by the motion sensor. The detected motion may correspond to a user's movement of the drug delivery device. In some examples, detecting motion in operation 3616 may include detecting at least a threshold amount of motion (and / or a threshold amount of motion in one or more particular axes or directions). In some examples, the motion sensor 3302 may provide an indication of the amount of motion detected by the motion sensor 3302 over time to the processing component 3330. The processing component 3330 may then compare the detected amount of motion to the threshold amount of motion, and the processing component 3930 may activate the first light source based on the detected amount of motion meeting or exceeding the threshold. In operation 3618, the first light source is activated. The first light source may be activated by changing to one or more activation states, such as to start emitting light (e.g., by being powered on), to start blinking, to change color (e.g., to green or another designated color associated with the activation state), etc. The first light source may be activated (at ACT 3618) based at least in part on the detection of motion (at ACT 3616), such as based on the detection of a threshold amount of motion. As also described above, the motion sensor 3302 may be powered based on the detection of light, so the first light source may be activated based at least in part on the detection of light and the detection of motion. In the example of FIG. 10, the light source 3204 may be activated by being caused to emit light, such as by being turned on. As described above, the switch 3314 may control the flow of power from the battery 3301 to the light source 3204. The switch 3314 may be initially in an open state (not allowing power to be provided to the light source 3204) and then moved to a closed state (allowing power to be provided to the light source 3204) once motion is detected. In some examples, upon detecting motion, the motion sensor 3302 can provide an indication (e.g., a signal) of the detected motion to the processing component 3330, which can then provide an indication (e.g., a signal) to close the switch 3314 and allow power to flow to the light source 3204.Activation of the first light source is a first visual cue to execute a first medication delivery command (e.g., a remove cap command as shown in FIG. 10 or a shake well command as shown in FIG. 11). In some examples, the first light source can illuminate text and / or symbols (e.g., an arrow, etc.).

[0048] In some examples, such as shown in FIG. 12, the user may be signaled to execute a second medication delivery command. The user may be signaled to execute this second medication delivery command based on the user executing the first medication delivery command. For example, in the case of a tamper-evident blister pack, the first command may be to hold down the release tab and the second command may be to withdraw medication from the blister pack. In these and other examples, an additional action (ACT 3620) may be performed. Specifically, in ACT 3620, based on the execution of the first medication delivery command (e.g., holding down the release tab), a second light source is activated. The activation of the second light source is a second visual cue to execute the second medication delivery command (e.g., withdraw medication from the blister pack). As shown in FIG. 12, additional sensors, such as additional light sensors, touch sensors, and / or motion sensors, may be used to detect when the first medication delivery command is executed. As a particular example, a release tab sensor 3508, such as a touch sensor, is an additional sensor that can be used to determine when the release tab is pressed, which can cause activation of a second light source.

[0049] 14, an example of a light-based medication delivery cue system 3790 for illuminating an expiration date will now be described in detail. As shown, the light-based medication delivery cue system 3790 includes a medication delivery device 3710 and an illumination circuit 3700.

[0050] The lighting circuitry 3700 may be integrated with the drug delivery device 3710. The term "integrated" as used herein means that the lighting circuitry 3700 is included within the drug delivery device 3710 or is otherwise physically connected or attached (e.g., via an adhesive, etc.) directly or indirectly (e.g., via one or more connection or attachment components) to the drug delivery device 3710 before and / or when the drug delivery device is used by the patient (and / or by another user on behalf of the patient). Thus, the battery 3701, the timer 3706, the motion sensor 3702, the light sensor 3703, the processing component 3730, the switch 3712, the switch 3713, the switch 3714, the light source 3704, and the illuminable information 3705 may be integrated with the drug delivery device 3710. In some examples, the lighting circuitry 3700 may be included in one or more thin, flexible adhesive labels that can be attached to and / or are attached to the drug delivery device 3710. Thus, in some examples, any or all of the battery 3701, timer 3706, motion sensor 3702, light sensor 3703, processing component 3730, switch 3712, switch 3713, switch 3714, light source 3704, and illuminable information 3705 may be included in one or more thin, flexible adhesive labels that can be attached to and / or are attached to the drug delivery device 3710. Additionally, in some examples, the lighting circuitry 3700 may be included within the drug delivery device 3710. For example, the lighting circuitry 3700 may be embedded in one or more other components of the drug delivery device 3710, for example, by being molded into the plastic and / or other material that may comprise those components. Thus, in some examples, any or all of the battery 3701, timer 3706, motion sensor 3702, light sensor 3703, processing component 3730, switch 3712, switch 3713, switch 3714, light source 3704, and illuminable information 3705 may be included within the drug delivery device 3710.

[0051] The lighting circuit 3700 includes a timer 3706 configured to determine the occurrence of a specified date (e.g., a medication expiration date). The timer 3706 may be an integrated circuit (IC) chip programmed to determine when the specified date is reached. In one particular example, the timer 3706 may be programmed when the medication is packaged for distribution. The timer 3706 may be powered by a battery 3701.

[0052] The lighting circuit 3700 may further include a light sensor 3703 and a motion sensor 3702, both of which may be powered by the battery 3701. The light sensor 3703 may detect light corresponding to removal of the medication delivery device 3710 from the storage component. The motion sensor 3702 may detect motion of the medication delivery device. In this example, both the light sensor 3703 and the motion sensor 3702 may initially be in an unpowered sleep state. The light sensor 3703 may remain unpowered until the occurrence of a specified date (e.g., medication expiration date) is detected by the timer 3706. Thus, the light sensor 3703 is powered based on the detection of the occurrence of the specified date. Once the occurrence of the specified date is detected by the timer 3706, the light sensor 3703 may then be changed to a powered state in which the light sensor 3703 receives power from the battery 3701. The switch 3713 may control the flow of power from the battery 3701 to the light sensor 3703. The switch 3713 may be initially in an open state (not allowing power to be provided to the light sensor 3703) and then moved to a closed state (allowing power to be provided to the light sensor 3703) upon detecting the occurrence of the designated date. In some examples, the timer 3706, upon detecting the occurrence of the designated date, may provide an instruction of the occurrence of the designated date to the processing component 3730, which may then provide a signal to close the switch 3713 and allow power to flow to the light sensor 3703. The light sensor 3703 detects light corresponding to removal of the drug delivery device 3710 from the storage component. The motion sensor 3702 may then be powered based at least in part on the detection by the light sensor 3703 of light corresponding to removal of the drug delivery device 3710 from the storage component. The switch 3712 may control the flow of power from the battery 3701 to the motion sensor 3702. The switch 3712 may initially be in an open state (not allowing power to be provided to the motion sensor 3702) and then moved to a closed state (allowing power to be provided to the motion sensor 3702) when light is detected.In some examples, upon detecting light, the light sensor 3703 can provide an indication of the detection of light to the processing component 3730, which can then provide a signal to close the switch 3712, allowing power to flow to the motion sensor 3702.

[0053] The lighting circuit 3700 further includes a light source 3704, such as an OLED, an OLED display, an LED, etc. Activation of the light source 3704 may cause illumination of illuminable information 3705, which is drug delivery information for delivering a drug. Thus, activation of the light source 3704 may cause illumination of the drug delivery information (e.g., illuminable information 3705). The drug delivery information may relate to an expiration date of a drug included in the drug delivery device 3710. For example, the drug delivery information may include an expiration date, the word "Expired", etc., and / or a corresponding symbol (e.g., an hourglass, etc.). Thus, activation of the light source 3704 may be a visual cue for a user to execute a drug delivery instruction, such as checking the expiration date of a drug. In this example, the light source 3704 may be activated based at least in part on detection of movement of the drug delivery device by the motion sensor 3702. The light source 3704 may be activated by being changed to one or more activation states to begin emitting light (e.g., by being powered on), to begin blinking, to change color (e.g., to green or another designated color associated with an activation state), etc. In the example of FIG. 14, the light source 3704 may be activated by being caused to emit light, such as by being powered on. The switch 3714 may control the flow of power from the battery 3701 to the light source 3704. The switch 3714 may be initially in an open state (not allowing power to be provided to the light source 3704) and then moved to a closed state (allowing power to be provided to the light source 3704) upon motion being detected. Upon detecting motion, the motion sensor 3702 may provide an indication of the detection of motion to the processing component 3730, which may then provide a signal to close the switch 3714. In an alternative embodiment, both the motion sensor 3702 and the light sensor 3703 may be powered when the occurrence of a designated day is detected by the timer 3706. In this embodiment, the light source 3704 may be powered based on detection of light by the light sensor 3703 (corresponding to removal of the drug delivery device 3710 from the storage component) and / or detection of motion by the motion sensor 3702 (corresponding to movement of the drug delivery device).

[0054] In the example of FIG. 14, the motion sensor 3702 is powered based on the detection of light by the light sensor 3703. Thus, the light source 3704 may be activated based on the detection of light and the detection of motion, for example, since the detection of light is necessary to power the motion sensor 3702. In some examples, the lighting circuit 3700 may not include the motion sensor 3702, and the light source 3704 may be activated directly in response to the detection of light. It should be noted that the light source 3704 may thus be activated at least in part based on the detection of light. For example, the light source 3704 may be activated directly in response to the detection of light (e.g., when no motion sensor is present). In addition, the light source 3704 may also be activated at least in part based on the detection of light, for example, when the detection of light causes power to be applied to the motion sensor 3703, as shown in FIG. 14.

[0055] In this example, the timer 3706 prevents the light sensor 3703 and the motion sensor 3702 from being powered until a specified date (e.g., an expiration date) occurs. This prevents the illuminable information 3705 from being illuminated before the occurrence of the specified date (e.g., an expiration date). This is advantageous because it allows the illuminable information 3705 to be illuminated once the specified date occurs while, for example, conserving battery power before the specified date. Note that while FIG. 14 shows an example that includes both a motion sensor 3702 and a light sensor 3703, some other examples may include only a single sensor, such as a motion sensor (no light sensor) or a light sensor (no motion sensor). In these single sensor examples, the occurrence of the specified date can trigger power to be applied to the single sensor, and the detection of light or motion by the single sensor can trigger activation of the light source 3704.

[0056] 15, there is shown another example of a light-based drug delivery cue system 3890. The light-based drug delivery cue system 3890 includes an illumination circuit 3800 and a drug delivery device 3810, such as may include granules for an oral suspension or liquid emulsion.

[0057] The lighting circuitry 3800 may be integrated with the drug delivery device 3810. The term "integrated" as used herein means that the lighting circuitry 3800 is included within the drug delivery device 3810 or is otherwise physically connected or attached (e.g., via an adhesive, etc.) directly or indirectly (e.g., via one or more connection or attachment components) to the drug delivery device 3810 before and / or when the drug delivery device is used by the patient (and / or by another user on behalf of the patient). Thus, the battery 3801, the start tab sensor 3807, the timer 3806, the motion sensor 3802, the processing component 3830, the switch 3811, the switch 3813, the light source 3804, the light source 3814, the illuminable information 3805, and the illuminable information 3815 may be integrated with the drug delivery device 3810. In some examples, the lighting circuitry 3800 may be included in one or more thin, flexible adhesive labels that are attachable and / or attached to the drug delivery device 3810. Thus, in some examples, any or all of the battery 3801, the start tab sensor 3807, the timer 3806, the motion sensor 3802, the processing component 3830, the switch 3811, the switch 3813, the light source 3804, the light source 3814, the illuminable information 3805, and the illuminable information 3815 may be included in one or more thin, flexible adhesive labels that are attachable and / or attached to the drug delivery device 3810. Additionally, in some examples, the lighting circuitry 3800 may be included within the drug delivery device 3810. For example, the lighting circuitry 3800 may be embedded in one or more other components of the drug delivery device 3810, for example, by being molded into the plastic and / or other material that may comprise those components. Thus, in some examples, any or all of the battery 3801, start tab sensor 3807, timer 3806, motion sensor 3802, processing component 3830, switch 3811, switch 3813, light source 3804, light source 3814, illuminable information 3805, and illuminable information 3815 may be included within the drug delivery device 3810.

[0058] In some instances, the drug may be in the form of granules for oral suspension that may be reconstituted (e.g., by a pharmacist) or may be a liquid emulsion. The drug may be required to be used by an expiration date, which may be based on the date the drug is reconstituted. In some instances, the pharmacist may write an expiration date on the drug delivery device. The drug may also need to be shaken by the patient before use.

[0059] In the example of FIG. 15, upon reconstituting the medication, the pharmacist may activate a start tab sensor 3807 (e.g., a touch and / or pressure sensor), such as by pushing or pulling the start tab. Activation of the start tab sensor 3807 may energize an illumination circuit 3800. The illumination circuit includes a timer 3806, which may be configured to detect expiration of a designated period of time, such as may expire on the medication's expiration date. Specifically, an indication of activation of the start tab sensor 3807 may be transmitted to a processing component 3830, which may then cause the timer 3806 to begin counting down the designated period of time. The light source 3804 may be activated based at least in part on the detection of expiration of the designated period of time. The light source 3804 may be activated by changing to one or more activation states, such as to begin emitting light (e.g., by being powered on), to begin flashing, to change color (e.g., to green or another designated color associated with the activation state), etc. In the example of FIG. 15 , the light source 3804 may be activated by being caused to emit light, such as by being turned on. In particular, upon expiration of a designated time period, the timer 3806 may cause the battery 3801 to provide power to the light source 3804 (e.g., an OLED, OLED display, LED, etc.). The switch 3811 may control the flow of power from the battery 3801 to the light source 3804. The switch 3811 may initially be in an open position (not allowing power to be provided to the light source 3804) and then, upon expiration of the designated time period, may be moved to a closed position (allowing power to be provided to the light source 3804). The timer 3806 may provide an indication of the expiration of the designated time period to the processing component 3830, which may then provide a signal to close the switch 3811. Activation of the light source 3804 may cause illumination of the illuminable information 3805, which is the first drug delivery information. Thus, activation of the light source 3804 may cause illumination of the first medication delivery information (e.g., illuminable information 3805). The first medication delivery information may include information related to the expiration date of a medication contained within the medication delivery device 3810, such as the words "Expiration Date" positioned adjacent to the expiration date, which may be written by a pharmacist.In some examples, once the specified time period has expired, the light source 3804 can be illuminated and pulsed for a set period of time (e.g., 10 minutes), and activation of the light source 3804 can thus be a visual cue for the user to carry out a drug delivery instruction, such as to check the expiration date of a drug.

[0060] In addition, the lighting circuit 3800 includes a motion sensor 3802 that detects motion of the drug delivery device 3810. In some examples, the motion sensor 3802 may include an accelerometer that may be configured to detect a threshold motion of the drug delivery device 3810, such as a threshold motion corresponding to a user shaking the drug delivery device. In some examples, the motion sensor 3802 may provide a processing component 3830 with an indication of an amount of motion detected by the motion sensor 3802 over time. The processing component 3830 may then compare the detected amount of motion to a threshold amount of motion, and the processing component 3830 may determine when the detected amount of motion meets or exceeds the threshold. If this threshold motion is detected before the expiration of the specified use period, a countdown of another period for shaking the drug delivery device 3810 may be initiated. The shaking period may be measured by a timer 3806 (or an additional timer not shown in FIG. 15 ). Upon expiration of this shaking period, the light source 3814 (e.g., an OLED, an OLED display, an LED, etc.) can be activated to provide an indication to stop shaking the drug delivery device 3810. Thus, the light source 3814 can be activated based at least in part on detection of movement of the drug delivery device. The light source 3814 can be activated by changing to one or more activation states to start emitting light (e.g., by being powered on), to start blinking, to change color (e.g., to green or another designated color associated with an activation state), etc. In the example of FIG. 15, the light source 3814 can be activated by being caused to emit light, such as by being powered on. The switch 3813 can control the flow of power from the battery 3801 to the light source 3814. The switch 3813 can be initially in an open position (not allowing power to be provided to the light source 3814) and then moved to a closed position (allowing power to be provided to the light source 3814) once the shaking period is completed. The timer 3806 (or an additional timer not shown in FIG. 15) can provide an indication of the completion of the shaking period to the processing component 3830, which can provide a signal to close the switch 3813.In some other examples, motion sensor 3802 (and other motion sensors described herein) may be an accelerometer that measures acceleration forces in multiple directions (e.g., two or three axes) and reports these measurements to processing component 3830. Processing component 3830 can then use an algorithm to determine when sufficient force has been applied in multiple directions (e.g., two or three axes) to correspond to a successful shaking.

[0061] Activation of the light source 3814 can cause illumination of the illuminable information 3815, which is the second medication delivery information. Thus, activation of the light source 3814 can cause illumination of the second medication delivery information (e.g., the illuminable information 3815). The second medication delivery information can include instructions related to shaking the medication delivery device 3810, such as an illuminable symbol adjacent to the words "Stop shaking when this symbol remains illuminated." This is a visual cue to the patient that the medication has been shaken for the required amount of time. Thus, activation of the light source 3814 can be a visual cue for the user to execute the medication delivery instructions, such as stopping shaking the medication after the required amount of time.

[0062] After the specified period corresponding to the expiration date has expired, the medication should no longer be used. Thus, the light source 3814 may not be activated after expiration of the specified expiration date period. Instead, the light source 3804 may be activated when the motion sensor 3802 detects motion of the medication delivery device 3810 after expiration of the specified expiration date. Activation of the light source 3804 may cause illumination of the illuminable information 3805, which may include information associated with the expiration date, such as the word "Use by" positioned adjacent to the expiration date, which may be written by a pharmacist, as described above. This may help ensure that the patient does not take the medication after the expiration date.

[0063] 16, the light-based drug delivery cue system 3990 will now be described in detail. As shown, the light-based drug delivery cue system 3990 includes an illumination circuit 3900 and a drug delivery device 3910, such as the device 300 of FIG. 10 or another drug injection device.

[0064] The lighting circuitry 3900 may be integrated with the drug delivery device 3910. The term "integrated" as used herein means that the lighting circuitry 3900 is included within the drug delivery device 3910 or is otherwise physically connected or attached (e.g., via an adhesive, etc.) directly or indirectly (e.g., via one or more connection or attachment components) to the drug delivery device 3910 before and / or when the drug delivery device is used by the patient (and / or by another user on behalf of the patient). Thus, the battery 3901, the motion sensor 3902, the light sensor 3903, the processing component 3930, the switch 3912, the switch 3913, the switch 3914, the sound collector 3905, and the light source 3904 may be integrated with the drug delivery device 3910. In some examples, the lighting circuitry 3900 may be included in one or more thin, flexible adhesive labels that are attachable to and / or attached to the drug delivery device 3910. Thus, in some examples, any or all of the battery 3901, the motion sensor 3902, the light sensor 3903, the processing component 3930, the switch 3912, the switch 3913, the switch 3914, the sound collector 3905, and the light source 3904 may be included in one or more thin, flexible adhesive labels that may be attached to and / or are attached to the drug delivery device 3910. Additionally, in some examples, the lighting circuitry 3900 may be included within the drug delivery device 3910. For example, the lighting circuitry 3900 may be embedded in one or more other components of the drug delivery device 3910, for example, by being molded into the plastic and / or other material that may comprise those components. Thus, in some examples, any or all of the battery 3901, the motion sensor 3902, the light sensor 3903, the processing component 3930, the switch 3912, the switch 3913, the switch 3914, the sound collector 3905, and the light source 3904 may be included within the drug delivery device 3910.

[0065] The lighting circuit 3900 includes a light sensor 3903 configured to detect the presence of light external to the medication delivery device 3910. The light sensor 3903 may operate similarly to the light sensor 3303 of Fig. 10, such as detecting light corresponding to removal of the medication delivery device 3910 from a storage component. The lighting circuit 3900 also includes a motion sensor 3902. The motion sensor 3902 may operate similarly to the motion sensor 3302 of Fig. 10 to detect motion of the medication delivery device 3910 caused, for example, by a user's movement of the medication delivery device 3910.

[0066] In some examples, the motion sensor 3902 may be initially in an unpowered sleep state. The motion sensor 3902 may remain unpowered until light is detected by the light sensor 3903. When light is detected by the light sensor 3903, the motion sensor 3902 may be powered on by receiving power from the battery 3901. In this way, the power of the battery 3901 may be conserved. In addition, this may prevent the motion sensor 3902 from detecting motion of the drug delivery device 3910 while the drug delivery device 3910 is still inside the storage component, which does not indicate that the user is ready to use the drug delivery device. The switch 3912 is an electrical switch that may control the flow of power from the battery 3901 to the motion sensor 3902. The switch 3912 may initially be in an open state (not allowing power to be provided to the motion sensor 3902) and then moved to a closed state (allowing power to be provided to the motion sensor 3902) once light is detected. In some examples, upon detecting light, light sensor 3903 can provide an indication (e.g., a signal) of the detected light to processing component 3930, which can provide an indication (e.g., a signal) to close switch 3912 and allow power to flow to motion sensor 3902. In some examples, processing component 3930 (and other processing components described herein) can be components that are programmed or otherwise instructed to perform operations as described herein and can be included on one or more integrated circuit (IC) chips and / or other IC components.

[0067] The lighting circuit 3900 further includes a sound collector 3905 that detects at least one sound, which may include a sound emitted by a component of the drug delivery device 3910. In this example, power may be provided to the sound collector 3905 based at least in part on the detection of motion of the drug delivery device 3910 by the motion sensor 3902. Furthermore, since the motion sensor 3902 is powered based on the detection of light, the sound collector 3905 may also be considered to be powered based at least in part on the detection of light and the detection of motion. In some examples, the sound collector 3905 may be initially in a sleep state where it is not powered. The sound collector 3905 may remain unpowered until motion is detected by the motion sensor 3902. When motion is detected by the motion sensor 3902, the sound collector 3905 may be powered on by receiving power from the battery 3901. In this manner, the power of the battery 3901 may be conserved. The switch 3913 is an electrical switch that may control the flow of power from the battery 3901 to the sound collector 3905. The switch 3913 may be initially in an open state (not allowing power to be provided to the sound collector 3905) and then moved to a closed state (allowing power to be provided to the sound collector 3905) upon motion being detected. In some examples, upon detecting motion, the motion sensor 3902 may provide an indication (e.g., a signal) of the detected motion to the processing component 3930, which may then provide an indication (e.g., a signal) to close the switch 3913 and allow power to flow to the sound collector 3905.

[0068] In some examples, the medication delivery device 3910 may emit an audible sound, such as a click, when the injection of the medication is complete. For example, as described above, the example medication delivery device 3910, device 300, may emit a click sound when the injection of the medication is complete. Specifically, as described above in connection with Figures 1A-1F, when the upper housing 308 is locked in the dispensing position, such as by locking a latch that snaps into place with a latch member, an audible click may be generated to notify the user that the upper housing 308 has reached and is locked in the dispensing position.

[0069] In some examples, the processing component 3930 can access stored audio characteristics, such as a stored audio fingerprint, that correspond to an injection completion sound, such as a click, associated with the completion of an injection and emitted by the drug delivery device 3910. For example, these stored audio characteristics can be programmed into memory accessible to the processing component 3930, such as by a manufacturer and / or distributor of the drug delivery device 3910.

[0070] In some examples, when the sound collector 3905 is powered on, audio data corresponding to at least one sound detected by the sound collector 3905 may be provided by the sound collector 3905 to the processing component 3930. Upon receiving this audio data, the processing component 3930 may determine a first audio characteristic of the at least one sound detected by the sound collector 3905. The processing component 3930 may then attempt to match the first audio characteristic to a second audio characteristic that is a stored audio characteristic (e.g., a stored audio fingerprint) of an injection completion sound (e.g., a click sound). When the processing component 3930 detects a sound match between the first audio characteristic of the detected sound from the sound collector 3905 and the second audio characteristic (e.g., a stored audio fingerprint) of an injection completion sound, this is an indication that the injection of the medication is complete. In some examples, the first and second audio characteristics compared may include amplitude, frequency, etc. In some cases, the techniques used to determine a sound match may include audio classification, sound event detection, sound threshold detection, etc. In some examples, to determine a sound match, the processing component 3930 may use frequency domain sound characteristics, time-frequency segmentation, conversion of a spectrogram to a vector and monitoring audio characteristics that match the vector, as well as the use of other techniques.

[0071] The lighting circuit 3900 further includes a light source 3904, such as an OLED, an OLED display, an LED, etc. The light source 3904 may be activated based on detection of a sound match by the processing component 3930. The light source 3904 may be activated by changing to one or more activation states to start emitting light (e.g., by being powered on), to start blinking, to change color (e.g., to green or another designated color associated with an activation state), etc. In the example of FIG. 16, the light source 3904 may be activated by being caused to emit light, such as by being powered on. The switch 3914 is an electrical switch that may control the flow of power from the battery 3901 to the light source 3904. The switch 3914 may be initially in an open state (not allowing power to be provided to the light source 3904) and then moved to a closed state (allowing power to be provided to the light source 3904) once a sound match is detected. In some examples, upon detecting a sound match, the processing component 3930 can provide an indication (e.g., a signal) to close the switch 3914 and allow power to flow to the light source 3904. In this manner, the light source 3904 can be activated based on the detection of a sound match.

[0072] In some examples, activation of the light source 3904 may be a visual cue that the injection is complete. Activation of the light source 3904 may also be a visual cue to lift the drug delivery device 3910. In some examples, the light source 3904 may illuminate illuminable information, such as an instruction panel having words such as "injection complete" and / or "lift straight up." It should be noted that the use of the light sensor 3903 and the motion sensor 3902 in the lighting circuit 3900 is optional.

[0073] Although exemplary embodiments of an apparatus for performing the disclosed techniques are described herein, the underlying concepts may be applied to any system capable of performing the techniques as described herein. Thus, the methods and apparatuses described herein may be implemented, or certain aspects or portions thereof, may take the form of program code (e.g., instructions) embodied in a tangible, non-transitory storage medium (e.g., one or more memory components as described above), including a processor-readable or machine-readable storage medium, such that when the program code is loaded into and executed by a machine, the machine becomes an apparatus for performing the techniques described herein.

[0074] While the technology described herein may be implemented in connection with and described in various embodiments in the various drawings, it should be understood that other similar embodiments may be used, or modifications and additions may be made to the described embodiments without departing from them. For example, it should be understood that the above disclosure may be performed in the order set forth above, or in any other order as desired. The technology described herein should not be limited to any single embodiment, but rather should be construed in breadth and scope in accordance with the appended claims.

Claims

1. 1. A light-based drug delivery cueing system, comprising: an optical sensor and a motion sensor, wherein the optical sensor detects light corresponding to removal of the medication delivery device from a storage component, and the motion sensor detects movement of the medication delivery device; a first light source activated based at least in part on the first detection of the light and the second detection of the movement, the activation of the first light source being a first visual cue for executing a first medication delivery command; A light-based drug delivery cue system comprising:

2. 10. The light-based drug delivery cue system of claim 1, wherein power is provided to the motion sensor based at least in part on the first detection of the light.

3. 10. The light-based medication delivery cue system of claim 1, wherein the light sensor, the motion sensor, and the first light source are included in one or more adhesive labels attached to the medication delivery device.

4. The light-based medication delivery cue system of claim 1 , wherein the light sensor, the motion sensor, and the first light source are contained within the medication delivery device.

5. The light-based medication delivery cue system of claim 1 , wherein the medication delivery device is a medication storage container.

6. The light-based drug delivery cue system of claim 1 , wherein the drug delivery device is a drug injection device.

7. The light-based medication delivery cue system of claim 1 , wherein the first medication delivery command is a cap removal command or a device shaking command.

8. 10. The light-based drug delivery cue system of claim 1, wherein the first light source is an organic light emitting diode (OLED).

9. The light-based medication delivery cue system of claim 1 , wherein the first light source illuminates text.

10. The light-based drug delivery cue system of claim 1 , wherein the first light source illuminates a symbol.

11. 10. The light-based drug delivery cue system of claim 1, wherein the first light source is activated by at least one of causing the first light source to emit light, causing the first light source to flash, or causing the first light source to change color.

12. 1. A light-based drug delivery cueing method, comprising: detecting, by a light sensor, light corresponding to removal of the medication delivery device from the storage component; detecting movement of the medication delivery device with a motion sensor; activating a first light source based at least in part on the detection of the light and the detection of the movement, wherein the activation of the first light source is a first visual cue for executing a first medication delivery command; A light-based drug delivery cueing method comprising:

13. 13. The light-based drug delivery cue method of claim 12, further comprising powering the motion sensor based at least in part on the detection of the light.

14. 13. The light-based drug delivery cue method of claim 12, wherein the activating of the first light source comprises at least one of causing the first light source to emit light, causing the first light source to flash, or causing the first light source to change color.

15. 1. A system comprising: a timer configured to detect the occurrence of the specified date; a light sensor that detects light corresponding to removal of the medication delivery device from a storage component, the light sensor being powered upon a first detection of the occurrence of the specified date; a light source activated based at least in part on the second detection of the light; A system comprising:

16. 16. The system of claim 15, further comprising a motion sensor that detects motion of the medication delivery device.

17. The system of claim 16 , wherein the light source is powered based at least in part on the second detection of the light and the third detection of the movement.

18. 16. The system of claim 15, wherein the light sensor, the timer, and the light source are contained in one or more adhesive labels attached to the medication delivery device.

19. 1. A system comprising: a motion sensor for detecting motion of the medication delivery device; a timer configured to detect the expiration of a specified period of time; a first light source activated based at least in part on detecting the expiration of the designated time period; a second light source activated based at least in part on the detection of the motion; A system comprising:

20. 20. The system of claim 19, wherein the motion sensor, the timer, the first light source, and the second light source are contained in one or more adhesive labels attached to the medication delivery device.

21. 20. The system of claim 19, wherein activation of the first light source causes illumination of first medication delivery information.

22. 20. The system of claim 19, wherein the second light source is not activated after the specified period of time has expired.

23. 1. A light-based drug delivery cueing system, comprising: a sound collector for detecting at least one detected sound; one or more processing components that determine a first audio characteristic of the at least one detected sound and detect a sound match between the first audio characteristic and a second audio characteristic of at least one injection completion sound associated with completion of an injection and generated by the medication delivery device; a light source activated based at least in part on detecting the sound match; A light-based drug delivery cue system comprising:

24. 24. The light-based medication delivery signal system of claim 23, further comprising a light sensor and a motion sensor, wherein the light sensor detects light corresponding to removal of the medication delivery device from a storage component and the motion sensor detects movement of the medication delivery device.

25. 25. The light-based drug delivery cue system of claim 24, wherein power is provided to the sound collector based at least in part on the detection of light and the detection of movement.

26. 24. The light-based drug delivery cue system of claim 23, wherein the sound collector, the one or more processing components, and the light source are included in one or more adhesive labels attached to the drug delivery device.

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