Acoustic Add-On Module for Drug Dose Event Detection
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing electronic add-on modules for drug delivery devices struggle to reliably detect dose events without requiring significant structural modifications to the device, often relying on complex and invasive sensors like optical detection of relative movements, which can be misleading and require additional structural changes.
Innovation Solution
An electronic add-on module with an acoustic sensor arrangement and processing circuit to detect dose events through sound signals, using a microphone to identify relevant clicks and vibrations, and a processing circuit to differentiate between background and dose-related sounds, minimizing structural modifications.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If optical sensors are used to detect relative movements for monitoring dose events, then measurement capability is provided, but device complexity increases and structural modifications are required
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces optical sensors with acoustic sensors that detect sound waves generated by mechanical movements within the drug delivery device. This substitution eliminates the need for complex optical detection systems while maintaining the ability to monitor dose events through sound signal analysis
Solution Approach 2:
The acoustic sensor arrangement utilizes sound signals that are naturally generated by the drug delivery device during operation (click sounds, mechanical movements). The system monitors these self-generated signals without requiring external modifications or additional components, allowing the device to monitor itself using its own operational sounds
2Measurement precision
If structural modifications are made to enable sensor detection of dose events, then measurement capability is improved, but ease of manufacture deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces mechanical sensing requirements with acoustic sensing that detects sound waves naturally produced by the device's mechanical operations. This eliminates the need for encoder patterns, reflective surfaces, or other structural modifications, allowing the device to maintain its original manufacturing simplicity while gaining monitoring capabilities
Solution Approach 2:
The acoustic sensor arrangement acts as an intermediary that translates mechanical movements and sounds into detectable electrical signals. This intermediary approach allows monitoring of dose events without directly modifying the mechanical structure, as the acoustic field serves as a non-invasive medium for information transfer
3Reliability
If acoustic sensor arrangement is used to detect sound signals, then reliability of dose event detection is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts only the essential acoustic sensing function from complex sensor systems. The acoustic sensor arrangement is designed to detect specific sound frequency ranges generated by dose events, filtering out irrelevant sounds through signal processing that identifies characteristic acoustic patterns of actual dose dispensing
Solution Approach 2:
The system incorporates signal processing that analyzes acoustic signals in real-time, comparing detected sounds against expected patterns for dose events. This feedback mechanism confirms whether detected sounds correspond to actual dose dispensing, improving reliability by validating signals against known operational characteristics
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
Provides reliable and safe detection of dose events in drug delivery devices by accurately identifying relevant sounds, reducing complexity and invasiveness, and ensuring precise dose monitoring with minimal hardware alterations.
Implementation Method 1
an acoustic sensor arrangement which is configured to detect a sound signal generated during operation of the drug delivery device
Data Source
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AI summary
The present invention relates to an electronic add-on module (100) configured for releasable attachment to a drug delivery device (1). The electronic add-on module comprises at least a housing, an electric power source (112) arranged inside the housing, a circuit board assembly (111) electrically connected to the electric power source, an acoustic sensor arrangement (113) electrically connected to the circuit board assembly, and a processing circuit configured to process a first output signal (119, 129) from the acoustic sensor arrangement. In order to provide an improved electronic add-on module that is configured to detect dose events of a drug delivery device reliable and safe, the processing circuit is configured to detect a dose dialing event, a dose dispensing event and/or a dose amount, dialed and/or dispensed, based on the first output signal received from the acoustic sensor arrangement.