Basal Insulin Rate Testing Using Frequent Glucose Input

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Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional insulin therapy methods, including insulin pumps and multiple daily injections, often result in large variations in insulin levels, making it difficult for diabetic patients to maintain optimal blood glucose levels, leading to complications such as hypoglycemia and hyperglycemia.

Innovation Solution

A blood glucose management device with a user interface and controller that performs a basal insulin rate test, determining the amount of over-delivered or under-delivered insulin by comparing actual blood glucose levels to a target baseline, and adjusting the basal insulin rate pattern to maintain optimal glucose levels, taking into account lag times and patient-specific factors.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of operation

If conventional insulin therapy with one or two injections a day is used, then the treatment is simple and convenient, but large variations in insulin levels occur making it difficult to maintain optimal blood glucose levels

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveconvenience of insulin therapyVSAvoidstability of insulin levels

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent implements dynamic basal rate adjustment by allowing the insulin pump to automatically modify basal insulin delivery rates based on continuous blood glucose monitoring data. The system transitions from static pre-programmed basal rates to dynamic rates that adapt in real-time to the patient's metabolic needs, thereby maintaining stable blood glucose levels while simplifying patient management.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The system employs closed-loop feedback control where continuous blood glucose measurements are fed back to the pump controller, which then adjusts basal insulin delivery accordingly. This feedback mechanism enables automatic fine-tuning of insulin rates to maintain optimal glucose levels, resolving the contradiction between operational simplicity and insulin level stability.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #23Feedback

2Reliability

If multiple daily injections (MDI) with more than three injections a day are used, then better control of blood glucose levels is achieved, but the treatment becomes inconvenient and requires tracking of multiple parameters

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecontrol of blood glucose levelsVSAvoidconvenience of insulin therapy

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The insulin pump system performs self-adjustment of basal insulin rates based on automatic analysis of continuous blood glucose data. The algorithm independently determines optimal rate modifications without requiring patient intervention for calculations or decisions, thereby maintaining precise glucose control while eliminating the burden of manual tracking and multiple injections.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #25Self-service

Solution Approach 2:

The patent replaces the mechanical process of manual injections and paper-based tracking with an automated electronic system. The pump automatically delivers insulin and adjusts rates based on sensor data, substituting the manual mechanical injection process with an automated fluid delivery system controlled by algorithms, thus improving convenience while maintaining control reliability.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

3Measurement precision

If basal insulin rate testing is performed to determine over-delivered or under-delivered insulin, then precise insulin delivery adjustments can be made, but the testing process requires frequent blood glucose measurements over a specified time duration

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveprecision of insulin delivery assessmentVSAvoidtime required for basal rate testing

Core Design Contradiction:

Measurement precisionVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The system performs continuous blood glucose monitoring throughout the basal rate testing period, collecting data at frequent intervals to continuously assess insulin delivery effectiveness. This continuous measurement approach enables precise determination of over- or under-delivery while minimizing the testing duration by providing real-time feedback rather than relying on intermittent measurements.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #20Continuity of useful action

Solution Approach 2:

The patent performs preliminary analysis of blood glucose trends during the testing period to predict the optimal basal rate adjustment before the test is complete. By anticipating the required adjustment based on early data patterns, the system can shorten the testing duration while maintaining measurement precision, as the algorithm prepares the adjustment recommendation in advance.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Data Source

PatentUS20260034300A1Basal rate testing using frequent blood glucose input

Publication Date: 2026.02.05 TANDEM DIABETES CARE INC

AI summary

An apparatus comprising a user interface configured to generate an electrical signal to start a basal insulin rate test when prompted by a user, an input configured to receive sampled blood glucose data of a patient that is obtained during a specified time duration, including a time duration during delivery of insulin according to a specified basal insulin rate pattern, and a controller communicatively coupled to the input and the user interface. The controller includes an insulin calculation module configured for determining at least one of an amount of basal insulin over-delivered and an amount of basal insulin under-delivered during the basal insulin rate test in trying to meet a target blood glucose baseline. Other devices and methods are disclosed.