Rule-Based Insulin Pump Settings for Easier Glucose Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional insulin therapy methods, such as multiple daily injections, are inconvenient and require significant user effort to manage blood glucose levels effectively, often leading to variations in insulin levels and potential complications.
Innovation Solution
A device with a controller that includes an input/output module and a rule module, which presents questions to patients, receives their information, applies rules to this data, and generates suggested insulin pump settings to assist in managing insulin therapy.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If conventional insulin therapy methods are used, then fewer injections are required, but blood glucose control becomes less effective and insulin levels vary significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments insulin delivery into multiple small injections throughout the day (MDI - multiple daily injections) rather than one or two large injections. This segmentation allows for more frequent, smaller doses that maintain more stable insulin levels and better blood glucose control, directly resolving the contradiction between ease of operation and reliability.
2Reliability
If multiple daily injections are used, then blood glucose control improves, but user convenience deteriorates and tracking complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements an automated system that performs blood glucose monitoring and insulin delivery without requiring manual intervention for each action. The system automatically tracks glucose levels, calculates appropriate insulin doses, and delivers the insulin, thereby maintaining reliable blood glucose control while significantly improving user convenience by eliminating the burden of manual tracking and administration.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces the mechanical manual process of tracking and administering insulin with an automated electronic system. The mechanical actions of manual blood glucose testing, dose calculation, and insulin injection are substituted with an integrated pump system that performs these functions automatically based on sensor data and programmed protocols, thus improving ease of operation while maintaining control reliability.
3Ease of operation
If insulin pumps are used, then convenience and flexibility improve, but device complexity and programming difficulty increase
Solution Approach 1:
The insulin pump system performs self-service by automatically monitoring blood glucose levels and adjusting insulin delivery without requiring the user to manually program complex dosing schedules. The system autonomously manages therapy parameters, thereby maintaining convenience and flexibility while eliminating programming complexity for the user.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements automatic adjustment of insulin delivery parameters based on real-time blood glucose measurements and user profiles. The system dynamically changes delivery parameters (dose amounts, timing, rates) without requiring manual reprogramming, thus maintaining flexibility and convenience while reducing the perceived complexity by handling parameter management automatically.
4Ease of operation
If automated insulin delivery is implemented, then user effort is reduced, but device sophistication and initial learning curve increase
Solution Approach 1:
The automated insulin delivery system performs self-service by autonomously monitoring glucose levels and administering insulin without requiring ongoing user effort or intervention. The system handles all aspects of insulin management automatically, thereby minimizing user effort while the initial learning curve is reduced through intuitive interfaces and automated guidance features.
Data Source
AI summary
An apparatus comprising a controller. The controller includes an input/output (I/O) module and a rule module. The I/O module is configured to present a question for a patient when communicatively coupled to a user interface and receive patient information in response to the question via the user interface. The rule module is configured to apply a rule to the patient information and generate a suggested insulin pump setting from application of the rule. Other devices, systems, and methods are disclosed.