Medication Delivery Device Alarm Acknowledgment Logic

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Solution Overview

Problem

Diabetes management systems face challenges with alert fatigue, where users ignore alarms or discontinue use due to excessive notifications, and there is a need for an improved system to provide diabetes-related information, alerts, and alarms while allowing for user discretion and convenience.

Innovation Solution

A medication delivery system that includes a medication delivery device and a remote user-interface device in wireless communication, allowing the medication delivery device to provide audible, visual, or haptic feedback only if the remote user-interface device acknowledges alarms or alerts within a predetermined time, and enabling users to snooze or silence alarms through the remote device or the medication delivery device itself, with features like tap detection and proximity sensing to prevent accidental silencing.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If the medication delivery device provides audible, visual, or haptic alarms and alerts, then user awareness of glycemic conditions and system issues is improved, but alert fatigue occurs causing users to ignore alarms or discontinue use

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveuser awareness of glycemic conditionsVSAvoiduser engagement with system

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The alarm system is segmented into multiple types (audible, visual, haptic) and delivery locations (device itself, remote user-interface device). This segmentation allows the system to provide comprehensive alerts while giving users control over which alert types they receive, reducing overall alert fatigue while maintaining reliability.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The system dynamically adapts alarm behavior based on user responses and conditions. Alarms can be snoozed, acknowledged, or adjusted in intensity. The system learns from user interactions to optimize alert delivery, maintaining user awareness while preventing disengagement through excessive or inappropriate alerting.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

2Reliability

If the medication delivery device continuously monitors and sends communications to the remote user-interface device, then real-time glycemic monitoring is improved, but battery consumption increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvereal-time glycemic monitoringVSAvoidbattery consumption

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSUse of energy by moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The system uses periodic monitoring and communication rather than continuous operation. The medication delivery device checks for alarm conditions and communicates with the remote user-interface device at scheduled intervals or when events occur, maintaining real-time monitoring capability while significantly reducing battery consumption compared to continuous communication.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #19Periodic action

Solution Approach 2:

The system automatically manages communication timing and battery power without user intervention. It intelligently determines when communications are necessary versus when periodic checks suffice, optimizing the balance between real-time monitoring and energy conservation autonomously.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #25Self-service

3Reliability

If the medication delivery device provides multiple alarm and alert functions, then system reliability and safety are improved, but device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvesystem safetyVSAvoidnumber of alarm functions

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

A single controller in the medication delivery device manages multiple alarm and alert functions (audible, visual, haptic) through integrated software logic. This universal approach provides comprehensive safety monitoring while avoiding the complexity of separate dedicated circuits for each alert type, achieving multi-functionality through a unified control architecture.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

4Ease of operation

If the remote user-interface device is kept concealed from view, then user privacy and comfort are improved, but ability to receive and acknowledge alarms is reduced

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveuser comfortVSAvoidalarm acknowledgment

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The medication delivery device itself acts as an intermediary alerting mechanism. When the remote user-interface device is concealed or unavailable, the medication delivery device provides local audible, visual, or haptic alarms to ensure alarm acknowledgment, bridging the gap between user comfort and safety reliability.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Data Source

PatentUS20240415450A1Alarms and alerts for medication delivery devices and systems

Publication Date: 2024.12.19 BIGFOOT BIOMEDICAL INC

AI summary

Systems, methods, and devices provide alarms and alerts in an on-body networked diabetes management system. Methods may include receiving glucose sensor data from a continuous glucose monitor and determining a dosage of insulin delivery based at least in part on the glucose sensor data. The method may include detecting an alarm or alert condition, and sending a wireless communication regarding the alarm or alert condition to a remote user-interface device. The method may include triggering an audible, visual, or haptic alarm or alert on the insulin delivery device unless an acknowledgement of the alarm or alert condition is received within a predetermined period of time.