Artificial Pancreas IC Ratio Updates for Personalized Insulin Dosing

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing insulin delivery systems fail to regularly adjust the insulin-to-carbohydrate (IC) ratio and Total Daily Insulin (TDI) values accurately, leading to postprandial hyperglycemia or hypoglycemia due to under- or over-bolusing, and do not consider glucose control quality in determining TDI.

Innovation Solution

An artificial pancreas algorithm that adjusts the IC ratio based on real-time blood glucose measurements, insulin delivery data, and user inputs to maintain blood glucose within a target range, using equations to calculate optimal IC ratios and TDI values.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of operation

If IC ratio adjustment is performed manually by physician after review of blood glucose and insulin delivery histories, then the adjustment process is simple to implement, but the adjustment frequency is low (occurring only every 3-6 months between physician visits)

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveease of IC ratio adjustmentVSAvoidIC ratio adjustment frequency
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The system enables automatic IC ratio adjustment through an artificial pancreas algorithm that continuously monitors blood glucose measurements and insulin delivery data, eliminating the need for manual physician review and adjustment while maintaining accuracy and increasing adjustment frequency

Inventive Principle:
Principle #25Self-service

Solution Approach 2:

The system implements continuous feedback loops where blood glucose measurements and insulin delivery histories are automatically analyzed by the algorithm to dynamically adjust IC ratios in real-time, ensuring frequent and accurate adjustments without manual intervention

Inventive Principle:
Principle #23Feedback

2Ease of operation

If user manually tunes IC ratio, then the user has direct control over insulin dosing, but users often mistune the IC ratios leading to postprandial hyperglycemia or hypoglycemia

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveuser control over IC ratioVSAvoidaccuracy of IC ratio tuning
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The system transfers the IC ratio tuning task from the user to an automated algorithm that objectively analyzes blood glucose and insulin delivery data to determine optimal IC ratios, eliminating user error while maintaining personalized control

Inventive Principle:
Principle #25Self-service

Solution Approach 2:

The patent replaces manual user adjustment with an automated computational algorithm that processes glucose and insulin data to calculate optimal IC ratios, substituting human judgment with algorithmic precision to improve reliability

Inventive Principle:
Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

3Device complexity

If TDI is calculated as simple sum of insulin delivery throughout one day, then the calculation is simple, but this method does not consider glucose control quality and may underestimate true daily insulin needs

Engineering Contradiction:
ImproveTDI calculation complexityVSAvoidaccuracy of TDI determination
Core Design Contradiction:
Device complexityVSMeasurement precision

Solution Approach 1:

The system uses feedback from blood glucose measurements to adjust TDI calculations, incorporating glucose control quality metrics to determine whether the simple sum adequately represents true insulin needs or if adjustments are necessary

Inventive Principle:
Principle #23Feedback

Solution Approach 2:

The patent modifies the TDI calculation by introducing quality-based adjustment factors that change the effective TDI value based on glucose control performance, transforming the simple sum into a more accurate representation of true insulin needs

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

Data Source

PatentEP4354455B1Techniques and devices providing adaptivity and personalization in diabetes treatment
Publication Date: 2025.10.29 INSULET CORP
  • EP4354455B1 patent drawingFigure 1A
  • EP4354455B1 patent drawingFigure 1B
  • EP4354455B1 patent drawingFigure 1C

AI summary

Disclosed are a device, system, methods and computer-readable medium products that provide an updated insulin-to-carbohydrate ratio and an updated total daily insulin. The described processes may be used for periodic updating of the insulin-to-carbohydrate ratio and the total daily insulin. The insulin-to-carbohydrate ratio and/or the total may be used in the calculation of new doses of insulin that a drug delivery device may be commanded to deliver to a user.