Optical Sensor Polling for Low-Power Drug Delivery Electronics
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing drug delivery devices with integrated electronic systems face challenges in managing power consumption efficiently, particularly when not in use, leading to reduced battery life and increased energy usage during inactive periods.
Innovation Solution
An electronic system for drug delivery devices incorporating optical sensors in an anti-phase arrangement, with a low-power-consumption state and higher power states, uses regular polling of sensors to minimize energy usage and extend battery life by detecting movement indicative of dose selection and delivery, and includes a motion sensor to further reduce power consumption during inactivity.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the electronic system continuously monitors dose-related movements using optical sensors, then the reliability of dose recording is improved, but the power consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The optical sensors are polled at regular intervals rather than continuously monitored. The processor periodically checks the sensor responses to detect movement, switching between low-power state and active monitoring state based on detection needs. This periodic polling maintains dose recording reliability while significantly reducing average power consumption compared to continuous monitoring.
Solution Approach 2:
The electronic system dynamically adjusts its operational state between a low-power consumption state and a higher-power active state. The processor determines when to wake from low-power state based on sensor polling results and user interaction detection, allowing the system to adapt its power consumption level to current operational needs rather than maintaining a fixed power state.
2Speed
If the optical sensors are polled frequently to detect movement, then the responsiveness of dose detection is improved, but the power consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system uses periodic polling of optical sensors at optimized intervals that balance detection responsiveness with power conservation. The polling frequency is adjusted based on operational context, ensuring timely dose detection while minimizing energy expenditure during inactive periods.
Solution Approach 2:
The processor continuously monitors sensor responses and uses this feedback to determine when movement indicating dose selection has occurred. The system adjusts its polling behavior based on feedback from previous sensor readings, waking from low-power state only when necessary based on detected changes in sensor responses.
3Ease of operation
If the electronic system remains in active state to ensure immediate response, then the ease of operation is improved, but the battery life decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The electronic system implements dynamic state management, transitioning between low-power and active states based on detected user interaction. The processor monitors for user inputs that warrant waking from low-power state, ensuring the system responds immediately when needed while maintaining extended battery life during inactive periods through automated state transitions.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The system effectively reduces power consumption by maintaining a low-power state during inactivity and efficiently detects dose-related movements, extending battery life and ensuring reliable operation.
Implementation Method 1
at least two optical sensor units... which are in communication with the processor. The optical sensors are suitable for detecting a movement of an encoder
Data Source
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AI summary
The present invention refers to an electronic system (100) for a drug delivery device (1). The electronic system (100) may comprise an electrical power supply (132), a memory, a processor (131) configured to control operation of the electronic system and coupled to the electrical power supply (132) and to the memory, and two optical sensor units (133, 134). The electronic system haa a first low-power-consumption state and at least one further state having a higher power consumption compared with the first state. The processor (131) is configured to regularly poll both optical sensors (134) in the first low-power-consumption state, to maintain the first low- power-consumption state if the response of both optical sensors (134) is identical to each other and identical to the preceding response, and to switch into the at least one further state if the responses of the optical sensors (134) are different from each other or are different from the preceding response.