Drug Infusion Device Notification System for Weekly Replacement
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Solution Overview
Problem
Diabetes patients face challenges in managing insulin delivery due to the lack of periodicity in wearable disposable insulin pump devices, leading to forgotten doses and poor compliance, which can result in complications such as blindness, kidney failure, and neuropathy.
Innovation Solution
A method and system that provides a notification system for drug infusion devices, allowing for regular and predictable replacement cycles, with patches set to expire on specific days of the week, ensuring users remember to change them, and incorporating a controller that communicates with the device to send alerts and disable it if not replaced, promoting high compliance and minimizing infection risk.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If wearable disposable insulin pump devices are designed with fixed usage duration (e.g., 80 hours), then device simplicity and manufacturing are improved, but user compliance deteriorates due to irregular replacement cycles that are difficult to remember
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies periodic action by configuring the insulin pump device to be replaced at regular weekly intervals (e.g., every Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday) rather than at fixed duration intervals. This periodic replacement schedule aligned with days of the week makes it easier for users to remember when to replace the device, thereby improving compliance while maintaining manufacturing simplicity
2Device complexity
If the drug infusion device operates without notification systems, then device complexity is reduced, but reliability deteriorates due to users forgetting replacement times and missing doses
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by implementing a notification system that alerts users in advance (e.g., 24 hours before) when the device needs to be replaced. This advance notification allows users to prepare for replacement at the appropriate time, ensuring reliable dose delivery without requiring complex real-time monitoring systems
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies feedback by implementing a notification mechanism that provides information to users about the device's usage status and replacement timing. This feedback loop helps users understand when the device needs replacement, improving reliability while maintaining relatively simple device architecture
3Productivity
If users are allowed to extend device usage beyond the intended period, then productivity is improved by reducing replacement frequency, but safety deteriorates due to increased infection risk from prolonged wear
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by implementing a notification system that alerts users before the device usage period expires. This allows users to replace the device at the appropriate time rather than extending usage indefinitely, balancing the need to reduce replacement frequency with the need to maintain safety by preventing prolonged wear that increases infection risk
Data Source
AI summary
Provided are a method, apparatus, and computer program for providing a notification according to a period of use of a drug infusion device. A time point at which the drug infusion device switches from an inactive mode to an active mode may be determined as a use start time point. Also, an impending expiration notification indicating that expiration of a period of use of the drug infusion device is imminent may be provided at a first time point after a certain period from the use start time point, based on a usable period and a user set time of the drug infusion device. In addition, an expiration notification indicating that the period of use of the drug infusion device has expired may be provided at a second time point after the usable period from the use start time point.