Methods and apparatuses for detecting medical device acceleration, temperature, and humidity conditions

Abstract

An ambulatory medical device for detecting acceleration, temperature, and / or humidity conditions in or around the medical device is provided. The medical device includes one or more acceleration, thermal, and / or humidity sensors which detect acceleration, temperature, and / or humidity conditions in or around the medical device. In response to detected conditions, the medical device may, among other things, alter the operation of the device, provide an alarm or warning to the user, or transmit data about the detected conditions to another device.

Description

FIELD OF THE INVENTION[0001]This invention relates generally to improvements in ambulatory medical devices, such as drug delivery systems or patient monitoring systems, and more specifically, to improved methods and apparatuses for detecting acceleration, temperature and humidity conditions in or around these ambulatory medical devices.BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION[0002]Ambulatory medical devices, such as drug delivery systems and patient monitoring systems, are used in the therapy of various diseases or medical disorders, such as diabetes mellitus, pulmonary hypertension, thalassemia, and chronic pain. Many such devices are adapted to be carried by the user, for example, by means of a belt clip or harness, in the user's clothing pocket, or attached to the user's body or clothing.[0003]A common drug delivery system includes a tubing arrangement to deliver medication to a user cutaneously or subcutaneously. For example, ambulatory infusion pumps are used in delivering a prescribed medi...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

[0013]In particular embodiments, the infusion device further includes an indicator operatively coupled to the processor and adapted to indicate information to the person about the temperature output signal. In some embodiments, if the temperature output signal exceeds the predetermined temperature threshold, the processor is adapted to control the infusion device by causing the indicator to provide an alarm or a warning to the person about the temperature output signal. For example, the fluid infused into the person's body may be medication, and the predetermined temperature threshold may correspond to a temperature that causes the medication to degrade, so that the alarm or warning may indicate degradation of the medication to the person. In other embodiments, if the temperature output signal is less than the predetermined temperature threshold, the processor is adapted to control the infusion device by causing the indicator to provide an alarm or a warning to the person about the temperature output signal. For example, the infusion device may further include a battery that is adapted to provide power for the infusion device and has a discharge resistance that varies with temperature. The predetermined temperature threshold may correspond to a temperature that causes the discharge resistance of the battery to increase by at least 10 percent, so that the alarm or warning may indicate reduced life of the battery to the person.

Problems solved by technology

Due to their small size and portability, ambulatory medical devices can be subjected to a number of external conditions that may adversely affect their performance.

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