Patent Application
20110137208
The present invention relates to a device and method for automatically sampling and measuring blood analytes, such as glucose, in a patient.
Hospital bound patients must have measurements of various physiologic analytes measured and tested on a routine and sometimes frequent basis. The vast majority of these measurements are done manually by hospital nurses and other staff thereby creating constraints on hospital staff time and an overall burden on the health care system. While analytes, such as triglycerides, total cholesterol, HDL-cholesterol, fibrinogen, hemoglobin, ferritin, glucose, and the like may be required to be measured during a patient's hospital stay, the present disclosure uses blood glucose sampling and measurement as an exemplary embodiment of the invention.
Hyperglycemia is a frequent consequence of severe illness, occurring in both diabetic and non-diabetic patients, due to altered metabolic and hormonal systems, impaired gastrointestinal motility, altered cardiac function, increased catecholamine production, altered hepatic gluconeogenesis, relative insulin resistance, and increased corticosteroid levels. Symptoms associated with elevated levels of blood glucose include dehydration, weakness, an increased risk of infection and poor healing, frequent urination, and thirst. Infusion of insulin has proven an effective method for treating hyperglycemia. However, insulin infusion without proper glucose level monitoring can lead to problems with hypoglycemia.
Hypoglycemia in both diabetic and non-diabetic patients is one physiological condition that is monitored in an intensive care and/or other acute medical setting. Hypoglycemia is a common problem with severely ill patients and is defined as the fall of blood and tissue glucose levels to below 72 mg/dL. Symptoms associated with decreased levels of blood and tissue glucose levels include weakness, sweating, loss of concentration, shakiness, nervousness, change in vision, loss of consciousness, possible seizures, and neurological sequelae such as paralysis and death. Treatment in the case of both hyperglycemia and hypoglycemia involves monitoring and controlling the patient's glucose level.
Data provided in medical studies indicates that hypoglycemia occurs in 3.8%-4% of all patients when glucose is measured every 2 hours. In other words, the average patient has a hypoglycemic episode every 2 to 4 days. The mean time that patients spent in the intensive care unit in these studies was between 2.5 and 10 days. Thus, theoretically, the average patient would have at least 1 and possibly up to 5 episodes of hypoglycemia during their intensive care unit stay. To reduce the risk of hypoglycemia, the burden is on healthcare staff to monitor patient glucose levels every 1 to 1.5 hours. In addition, healthcare staff must implement increasingly complex procedures to monitor and control patients' glucose levels. This level of attention by healthcare professionals is not practical for busy hospital intensive care units. Furthermore, as a result of increases in medical malpractice claims, hospitals are reluctant to treat hyperglycemia vigorously, fearing that any hypoglycemia might be attributed to such treatment.
Measurements of glucose from blood continue to be the most accurate and reliable to monitor the aforementioned conditions. The current widely used blood measurement technique (as well as for other blood analytes such as total and HDL-cholesterol) is the manual finger-prick. This method is simple, safe, and reliable. However, while sufficient for home monitoring use, in a hospital environment the burden on staff is enormous. The tedious and time-consuming nature of repeated testing limits the practical frequency of glucose measurements in hospital care. For instance, the manual finger-prick method may involve periodic measurements (typically hourly) of the patient's blood glucose level. The nursing staff must then obtain orders from a doctor to adjust the amount of insulin being delivered to the patient in an effort to maintain the patient's blood glucose level within a desired range. This method is time consuming, costly, and prone to error.
Current blood glucose sampling methods use indwelling venous and arterial catheters. Such approaches introduce the possibility of additional medical complications such as clotting, infection, and immune response. This is especially true when used over longer periods or in seriously ill individuals.
Automation of the widely-used current finger prick technique, without the need for manual intervention, would mitigate hospital staff constraints without introducing new medical complexity. Therefore, there exists a need for an automated glucose system that utilizes technology known to be safe and reliable, but that relieves the burden of manual intervention associated with the individual monitoring of glucose and other analyte levels in a patient.
The presently disclosed sampling and measuring device in accordance with the present invention uses electromechanical automation to sample and measure blood glucose and other analytes of a patient. The presently disclosed method for sampling and measuring blood analytes uses this sampling and measuring device to obtain repeated automated measurements over a period of time.
It is an object of the invention to provide a device and method for sampling and measuring blood analytes in a patient over an extended period of time without the need for manual intervention. This sampling and measuring process may be initiated by an external automated controller, by another sampling and measuring device, or by self-contained processing logic within the device.
It is a further object of the invention to enable hospital staff to situate a small sampling and sensing apparatus on a patient, adjust its sizing to fit the patient properly, affix a replaceable supply cartridge to the apparatus, and leave the apparatus to automatically monitor blood glucose levels and other blood analytes, as needed, for an extended period of time without manual intervention.
It is a further object of the invention to provide an automated device for sampling and measuring blood analytes, including a sensor unit structured to be positioned on a patient body, the sensor unit having electronic circuitry, lancet firing means, and variable pressure control means; and a replaceable cartridge having a plurality of consumable products disposed therein, the consumable products including one or more lancets and one or more test strips for measuring a blood analyte of the patient; wherein the replaceable cartridge and the sensor unit are structured to temporarily mate with one another via an attachment means such that the replaceable cartridge is removable from the sensor unit; wherein the electronic circuitry enables automated blood extraction and analysis of a blood analyte from the patient body iteratively over time without need for manual intervention; and wherein the automated blood extraction and analysis is performed through electronically controlled use of the variable pressure control means, the lancet firing means, the one or more lancets, and the one or more blood test strips.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide an automated device for sampling and measuring a blood analyte of a patient, having a sensor unit structured to be positioned adjacent a measurement site of a patient, the sensor unit including an upper portion and a lower portion operably connected thereto, the sensor unit including an lancet firing means; and a replaceable cartridge in mating relationship with the sensor unit via an attachment means such that the replaceable cartridge is removable from the sensor unit, the replaceable cartridge housing a plurality of consumable products disposed therein for producing a blood sample, the consumable products including one or more lancets and one or more test strips for measuring the blood analyte of the patient; a microcontroller and electronic circuitry operably coupled to the sensor unit and capable of controlling use of the lancets and test strips relative to the measurement site; a set of electronic instructions executable by the microcontroller such that upon execution, the electronic instructions causes the microcontroller to initiate a sequence including selecting a lancet for deployment at a measurement site, firing the lancet to obtain a blood sample from the measurement site, and collecting a blood sample from the measurement site onto a test strip; wherein the microcontroller receives inputs from the test strip to determine the blood analyte and further wherein the electronic instructions cause the microcontroller to initiate the sequence without the need for manual intervention.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide an automated system for monitoring blood analytes of a patient, including a sampling and measurement device structured to be positioned adjacent a measurement site of a patient, the device housing a replaceable supply of consumable products including a plurality of lancets and a plurality of test strips for the measurement of blood analytes; a microcontroller operably coupled to the sampling and measurement device and capable of controlling the plurality of lancets and plurality of test strips relative to the measurement site; a set of electronic instructions executable by the microcontroller such that upon execution, the electronic instructions causes the microcontroller to initiate a sequence including selecting a lancet and test strip for use at the measurement site, firing the lancet to obtain a blood sample from the measurement site, collecting a blood sample from the measurement site; and depositing the blood sample onto the test strip; wherein the microcontroller processes a electrochemical reaction from the test strip to determine the level of blood analytes and further wherein the electronic instructions cause the microcontroller to initiate the sequence without the need for manual intervention.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide a method for deploying an automated device for sampling and measuring blood analytes from a patient, including: positioning an automated sampling and measuring device proximate to a measurement site on a patient, the sampling and measuring device configured to obtain blood analyte measurements from blood samples initiated with an automated process; providing a set of replaceable materials to the automated sampling and measuring device, the set of replaceable materials including a plurality of reactive areas, each reactive area including one or more lancets and one or more test strips; performing an automated blood analyte sampling and measurement using a blood sample obtained from the measurement site, the blood sample introduced to one of the plurality of the reactive areas provided to the automated sampling and measuring device; and automatically repeating the step of performing a blood analyte measurement using a unused reactive area from the plurality of reactive areas, thereby performing a new blood analyte sampling and measurement at the measurement site without user intervention.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide a method for sampling and measuring of blood analytes from a patient with an automated device, including: affixing an automated sampling and measuring device to a patient, the sampling and measuring device accessing a supply of consumable products including a plurality of lancets and a plurality of test strips; executing a set of electronic instructions by a microcontroller within the sampling and measuring device, the execution of the electronic instructions causing the microcontroller to initiate a sequence for sampling and measuring a level of a blood analyte with the sampling and measuring device, the sequence including: applying pressure proximate to a measurement site on the patient; firing a lancet to obtain a blood sample from the measurement site; exposing a test strip to the blood sample from the measurement site; and obtaining an electrochemical measurement of the blood analyte level from the test strip; wherein the set of electronic instructions for initiating the sampling and measuring the blood analyte level are executed by the microcontroller iteratively over a period of time or upon request, thereby enabling the sampling and measuring device to perform a series of automated sampling and measuring events without need for manual intervention.
With use of the various embodiments of the present invention, blood analyte measurements may be recorded, displayed, or sent directly to a therapeutic control device to adjust infusion or other treatment. Further embodiments of the present invention include control of the sampling and measuring apparatus and appropriate treatment through use of an external monitoring and treatment system.
One aspect of the present invention encompasses a blood analyte sampling and measuring device and its method of use. This method of use can enable medical care personnel to situate a small apparatus on a patient, adjust its sizing to fit the patient properly, affix a replaceable supply cartridge to the apparatus, and leave the apparatus to automatically monitor the patient's blood analytes (such as glucose level) at various intervals as required for an extended period of time without manual intervention.
With use of the various embodiments of the present invention, individual blood analyte measurements may be recorded electronically, displayed to a healthcare provider, or sent directly to a therapeutic control device to adjust infusion or other treatment. In one exemplary embodiment, healthcare personnel need only to change the supply cartridge periodically, thereby enabling several hours of measurements to be taken by the sampling and measuring device without further manual action. Thus, what is currently a manual task may be electromechanically automated by the sampling and measuring techniques of the present invention.
As provided throughout this disclosure, the operation of the present invention is primarily described with relation to one specific type of blood analyte, that of glucose level. Those skilled in the art will recognize numerous other types of blood analyte measurements and treatments may be facilitated through varying techniques and structures without departing from the intended scope of the present invention.
The various embodiments of the present invention automate the sampling and measurement portion of this cycle identified as 150 in
A sampling and measuring device according to one embodiment of the present invention is depicted in
In the embodiment depicted in
Those skilled in the art would also recognize that the depicted sampling and measuring device 300 may be attached to a finger or other measurement sites of a patient using numerous other means and techniques as known in the art. Further, the sensor unit 310 may also be configured to be fitted or otherwise adjustable to patient physiology, and may account for size and shape of the measuring location used.
The replaceable cartridge 320 may be configured to be fitted into the sensor unit 310. The cartridge 320 may be outfitted with necessary consumable products for testing such as test strips, lancets, anesthetic/analgesic, and absorbent padding. When consumables are exhausted, the cartridge 320 may be replaced as a single unit, mitigating the need to handle consumable items individually.
An exploded view of several of the components that would be found in the replaceable cartridge 320 is also illustrated in
The replaceable cartridge 320 may include a slot 321 or similar feature adapted to mate with an attachment means 311, such as a guide rail, on the sensor unit 310. When mated together, one or more electrical contacts 322 on the replaceable cartridge 320 may be positioned adjacent a similar electrical contact on the sensor unit (not depicted) such that the sensor unit 310 and replaceable cartridge 320 are electrically coupled.
Solution may also be applied to the measurement area prior to a measurement or reapplied as necessary using a manual or automated means. In a further embodiment, when situated on a patient, the sampling and measuring device 300 may automatically apply an anesthetic/analgesic solution to the skin around the measurement area.
As illustrated in
As further illustrated in
A pressure inducing mechanism 420, such as a mechanical or pneumatic mechanism, may be utilized to produce pressure gradient patterns to affect blood flow in the measurement area before and/or after sampling. Likewise, variable pressure may be applied as necessary to increase and decrease blood flow. For example, pressure gradient patterns may be applied to increase the blood flow prior to lancet penetration, and pressure may be reversed shortly after measurement to decrease the blood flow. This may ensure that the measurement site has sufficient blood to provide an accurate reading, and minimizes further bleeding once the test has been performed. Force used and area affected in pressure application may be modified for individual patient needs.
In one exemplary embodiment, the pressure inducing mechanism forms one component of the sensor unit. However, the pressure inducing mechanism may alternatively be designed such that it is separate from the sensor unit or is provided by an external source.
The permanent, non-disposable materials used in the reaction area include an actuator, in addition to an electronic contact 570 with the test strip 560. In operation, the lancet 550 is activated by an actuator carriage 522 housed within an actuator casing 521. The electronic contact 570 with the disposable test strip 560 then enables measurement of the blood analyte collected within the reaction area.
The membrane 540 forms a flexible barrier that is non-permeable to blood, preventing any blood from one reaction area from contaminating another reaction area. Between reaction areas, the membrane is pressed against the patient's skin to form a seal, aiding in sequestration of the blood sample. The membrane barrier 540 additionally separates the disposable test materials (lancets, test strips, padding) from the non-disposable components (actuators, electronics, permanent casing, etc), preventing fluids from coming in contact with durable parts. The membrane 540 is made of a flexible, tear-resistant material, such as latex or other similar material, allowing movement for lancet actuation while keeping the barrier between disposable and non-disposable components intact.
Force and travel of lancet actuation may be adjusted as required for an individual patient. For an embodiment in which the actuator is driven by, for example, shape memory material, electromagnetic, or piezoelectric means, lancet force and travel may be adjusted by varying the electrical stimulus applied to the actuator's motive component. Force and travel of lancet actuation may be adjusted for a single reaction area or for multiple reaction areas simultaneously.
As will be appreciated by those skilled in the art, blood may be drawn by capillary action from the point of lancet penetration to a test strip. A chemical reaction will then take place on the test strip in proportion to the concentration of the specific analyte such as glucose present in the blood. Thus, using the glucose example, an electrical charge may be used to determine the magnitude of the test strip reaction and therefore the patient's blood glucose level.
Each reactive test area may have its own electrical sensor, or multiple test strips may be situated on a single circuit, allowing one sensor to service multiple reaction areas. The sensor or sensors may be connected to a data converter which translates the test results into a format suitable for storage, display, relay, or processing by a controller.
As previously mentioned, operation of the sampling and measuring device may be regulated by a programmable controller. This controller may be contained within the non-disposable sensor unit or may be external, such as by linking with an external patient monitor via wired or wireless communications. The controller may be configured to dictate when measurements are taken, and may instruct the sampling and measuring device to retake a measurement if deemed necessary. The sampling and measuring device may report to the controller measurement results and operational status, including how much cartridge supplies have been consumed and how much remain available. In a further embodiment, the programmable controller may be attached or otherwise directly coupled to the sampling and measuring device, to enable fully autonomous operation of the device.
Next, the lancet 640 is deployed as illustrated in
Then, as illustrated in
In one exemplary embodiment of the present invention, the sensor unit 810 microcontroller is configured to receive a command via a communication link to commence with the blood analyte testing. In this embodiment, the sampling and measuring device operates as a “slave” to an external controller, conducting a sampling and measuring operation only when instructed to by the external controller, and communicating the results of the sampling and measuring to the external controller. However, the control of the actuator, any reactive chemical or anesthetic, and the actual measurement of the blood analyte from the measurement site occurs through microcontroller control and other logic internal to the sensor unit 810.
Once the blood analyte measurements are obtained and processed within the sensor unit 810, it is then communicated via the communication link to the external source or controller. Those skilled in the art would recognize that additional functionality could be added to the sensor unit 810 to enable fully autonomous, non-slave operation of the sampling and measuring device.
In one exemplary embodiment, the variable pressure inducer within the sensor unit may be a two-sided rocker mechanism, although numerous other pneumatic, hydraulic, mechanical, or other means are also contemplated. The communications link to additional sensor devices or an external controller/receiver may utilize, for example, a wired USB connection. Alternatively, any other suitable bus or communication may be used in conjunction with the sampling and measuring device including RS-232 serial, Bluetooth, and 802.11 wireless configurations.
The measurement circuit 920 comprises a set of connections to a test strip 950, accompanied by use of a voltage divider 921, a voltage follower 922, and a current-to-voltage converter 923. The measurement circuit is connected to the microcontroller through an analog-to-digital converter 940. The actuator circuit 930 comprises connections to a pressure actuator 931 and a lancet actuator 932, connected for electronic control by the microcontroller 910.
As previously suggested, the disposable supply cartridge may contain all consumable testing supplies, including lancets and glucose reactive tests. In use, the cartridge may be affixed to the sensor unit of the sampling and monitoring device, establishing several electrical connections between the two and giving the sensor unit access to all cartridge resources. In a further embodiment, the replaceable supply cartridge may include a descriptor memory chip (EEPROM) which may allow cartridge attributes to be queried by the microcontroller. Attributes may include available test count (which may be decremented as test areas are used), and test strip chemistry characteristics.
Method 1100 continues at step 1120 where the patient monitor device (i.e., the sampling and measuring device) may be adjusted to fit the specific size and contours of the patient physiology at the measuring location. This adjustability allows the patient monitor device to be tailored to variations in the size and shape of measuring locations of different patients. As a result, the patient monitor device may be “universal” such that one device design may be used on substantially all patients.
Next, in step 1130, a new supply cartridge is inserted or otherwise affixed to the sensor unit portion of the patient monitor device. Once the cartridge is attached to the sensor unit portion of the patient monitor device, the consumable products located within the cartridge are tested in step 1140 to ensure there is a sufficient amount of the products remaining. If it is determined that there is not a sufficient amount of the products remaining, the method returns back to step 1130 where the user must insert a new supply cartridge into the sensor unit. However, if it is determined that there is a sufficient amount of the consumable products remaining in the cartridge, then the method continues at step 1150 where a predetermined, required time interval is monitored prior to taking any measurements. The predetermined, required time interval may be a configurable parameter selectable by the user or provided by an external control system. Thus, for example, the required time interval in step 1150 may be any amount of time greater than or equal to zero seconds. As those skilled in the art will appreciate, when the required time interval is set to zero seconds, step 1150 is essentially “skipped” such that the method moves almost immediately from step 1140 to step 1160.
Once the required time interval has elapsed, the method continues in step 1160 with determining whether the patient monitor device has been removed from the patient. If it is determined that, for any reason, the patient monitor device has been removed from the patient, the method continues to step 1180 wherein the monitoring process is stopped. Additionally, an external monitoring system may be alerted to the removed monitor. However, if it is determined that the required time interval has elapsed and the monitor remains positioned on the patient, then the method continues at step 1170 where blood analyte measurements are taken and reported to the user, patient, or to an external system.
Once one or more blood glucose measurements are taken and reported in step 1170, the method returns to step 1140 wherein the consumable products located within the cartridge are tested to ensure a sufficient amount of the products still remains in the cartridge. If a sufficient amount of consumable products is not found in the cartridge, such as when all consumable products and test areas have been utilized, then the method returns to step 1130 where the user is required to insert a new cartridge into the sensor unit of the patient monitor. However, if a sufficient amount of the consumable products still remains within the cartridge, then the method continues with taking and reporting additional measurements, again repeating the process as long as the monitor has not been removed from the patient.
If it is determined that there is not a sufficient amount of the consumable products remaining within the cartridge, then the method proceeds to step 1215 where exhaustion of the supply may be reported to the user or an external system. The supply exhaustion may be reported by, for example, a signal sent from the patient monitor to an external controller via a communications interface. Alternatively, if it is determined that a sufficient amount of consumable products remains, then the method continues at step 1220 where a specific test reaction area is selected for sampling of a specific measurement site on the patient. Once the specific test area has been selected, pressure is applied around the measurement location in step 1230 in order to induce blood to flow toward the specific measurement site. In one embodiment, pressure may be applied via an inflatable mechanism structured to produce pressure gradient patterns to cause an increase in blood flow at the measurement site as previously described.
After blood flow has been increased in the area surrounding the specific measurement site, method 1200 continues at step 1240 where a lancet is “fired” or otherwise deployed to the skin of the measurement site in order to draw blood for use by the patient monitor device. Next, in step 1250, a test strip within the selected test area is exposed to the blood previously drawn by the lancet. The pressure applied to increase blood flow at the measurement site is thereafter reversed in step 1260 so as to prevent additional bleeding.
The process continues at step 1280 where the specific test area and measurement site that was selected may be indicated as “expended.” The effect of indicating a specific measurement site as expended may be that when subsequent measurements are initiated, different sites may be selected such that a measurement is not repeatedly taken in the exact same location on the patient. In one embodiment, the method in accordance with the present invention may be configured to take measurements at a plurality of locations such that a measurement is not repeated at a particular location until measurements have been taken at all other available locations.
Next, in step 1270, an electrical charge is generated in order to read the electrochemical result on the test strip. This may be accomplished by determining the magnitude of the test strip chemical reaction as previously discussed. Thereafter, in step 1280, the result is translated to human readable measurement data with a data converter (such as an analog to digital converter). The result is then validated in step 1290. If it is determined that the measurement is sufficient and valid, then the process continues at step 1295 where the measurement is reported, such as on a display of the sampling and measurement device, or via a communication to an external controller or monitoring system. If the measurement is not sufficient or not valid, then the process continues back at step 1205 where another new measurement is initiated.
As will be appreciated by those skilled in the art, the processes depicted in
A further embodiment of the present invention involves the combination of the presently disclosed blood analyte sampling and measuring device with various features of monitoring and treatment systems. The use of monitoring and treatment systems enables full or near-full automation of the cycle involving measurement, monitoring, and treatment for specific levels of a blood analyte. Further, use of the presently disclosed sampling and measuring device with a monitoring and treatment system may encompass the relay of measurement results from the sampling and measuring device to numerous external devices, such as a treatment controller, as suggested in
As is depicted in the system of
In other embodiments of the present invention, the presently disclosed blood analyte sampling and measuring device and methods of its use may be interfaced with other types of external monitoring devices, treatment control devices, or monitoring and treatment systems. For example, the sampling and measuring device may be used in conjunction with the system and method entitled “Balanced Physiological Monitoring and Treatment System,” disclosed in U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11/816,821, filed Aug. 21, 2007, which is herein incorporated by reference in its entirety.
Monitoring and treatment systems enable the automated regulation of a patient's physiological condition by monitoring at least one physiological parameter, in this case, a blood analyte. In addition to the presently disclosed sampling and measuring device, an example monitoring and treatment system may include an intelligent control device and a multi-channel delivery device for providing controlled intravenous delivery of medications that affect the physiological condition being controlled (namely, the blood analyte level). Control logic in the intelligent control device is derived by an algorithm based on model predictive control. The control logic may include mathematically modeled systems, empirical data systems or a combination thereof. Further, the system may be networked to provide centralized data storage and archival of system information as well as data export and query capabilities that can be used for patient file management, health care facility management and medical research.
The various embodiments of monitoring and treatment systems typically provide a delivery mechanism. This delivery mechanism may include a plurality of pumps for delivering infusion or other treatment to the patient, such as the infusion of insulin to correct an improper level of blood glucose. As those skilled in the art will appreciate, alternate embodiments may include additional pumps and control valves, continuous and/or intermittent pumps, and the administration of fluids that may vary by the time of day, by interval, and by direct or indirect response to the blood analyte monitoring results. Further, a single mechanism may be used in a system configured to monitor and regulate a single or numerous types of blood analytes, in addition to monitoring and treating other physiological parameters and conditions.
Multiple delivery mechanisms further may be used individually or in combination to provide delivery of various medications in monitoring and treatment systems. For example, a single delivery mechanism may control delivery of one or more medications to a patient as determined by a monitoring and treatment system controller and its interaction with a blood analyte sampling and measuring device, or multiple delivery mechanisms may be used with one sampling and measuring device. The monitoring and treatment system controller further may be provided with adaptive logic for gradual, optimized, stabilization of an improper blood analyte level or related physiological condition. Furthermore, the controller may include an output to the delivery mechanism to thereby control the rate of flow of the medication to patient to maintain the patient's blood analyte level and other physiological parameters within a defined range. The monitoring and treatment system controller may accept as input data point information from the blood analyte sampling and measuring device providing the blood analyte measurement in the patient.
As additional examples of data collection and treatment activities performed within monitoring and treatment systems,
Those skilled in the art will appreciate that monitoring and treatment systems and devices used in combination with the embodiments of the present invention may include stationary systems used in intensive care units or emergency rooms in hospitals. Alternatively, the systems and devices may comprise portable units for use in other situations, such as in an ambulance or at a person's home.
In further embodiments, monitoring and treatment systems may be integrated with a network for remote monitoring, management, and control of delivery devices and/or the sampling and measuring device. For example, a networked monitoring and treatment system may provide centralized data storage and archival of system information, patient information, blood analyte measurements, and calculation and administered dosage information. Additionally, a networked monitoring and treatment system may provide for information export and query capabilities that may be used for external patient file management, health care facility management, and medical research.
As will be understood by one skilled in the art, various aspects of the present invention may be embodied as a system, apparatus, method, or computer program product. Accordingly, inventive aspects of the present invention may be embodied through use of hardware, software (including firmware, embedded software, etc.), or a combination therein. Furthermore, aspects of the present invention may include a computer program product embodied in one or more computer readable storage medium(s) having computer readable program code embodied thereon.
Code for carrying out operations for aspects of the present invention may be written in any combination of one or more programming languages, including an object oriented programming language such as Java, C#, C++ or the like, conventional procedural programming languages, such as the “C” programming language, or languages configured for use in embedded hardware and other electronics. Further, the various components of the invention described in the drawings and the disclosure above may be implemented by executable program code or other forms of electronic and computer program instructions. These electronic and computer program instructions may be provided to a processor or microprocessor of a general purpose computer, special purpose computer, standalone electronic device, or other data processing apparatus to produce a particular machine, such that the instructions, which execute via a processor or other data processing apparatus, create suitable means for implementing the functions/acts specified in the present drawings and disclosure.
As would also be understood by one skilled in the art, network connections to the previously described devices and systems may be configured to occur through local area networks and networks accessible via the Internet and/or through an Internet service provider. Likewise, network connections may be established in wired or wireless forms, to enable connection with a detached device such as a handheld, laptop, tablet, or other mobile device. For example, a suitable monitoring and control system may be accessible remotely by a third party user via a network connection.
Further, the external controllers, devices, and systems described in the present disclosure may comprise general and special purpose computing systems, which may include various combinations of memory, primary and secondary storage devices (including non-volatile data storage), processors, human interface devices, display devices, and output devices. Such memory may include random access memory (RAM), flash, or similar types of memory, configured to store one or more applications, including but not limited to system software and applications for execution by a processor.
Examples of external computing machines which may interact with the presently disclosed sampling and measuring device and/or monitoring and treatment systems may include personal computers, laptop computers, notebook computers, netbook computers, network computers, mobile computing devices, Internet appliances, or similar processor-controlled devices. Those skilled in the art would also recognize that the previously described systems and devices may also be configured for control and monitoring via a web server, web service, or other Internet-driven interface.
Although various representative embodiments of this invention have been described above with a certain degree of particularity, those skilled in the art could make numerous alterations to the disclosed embodiments without departing from the spirit or scope of the inventive subject matter set forth in the specification and claims.
| Filing Document | Filing Date | Country | Kind | 371c Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| PCT/US2009/051486 | 7/23/2009 | WO | 00 | 1/21/2011 |
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 61083450 | Jul 2008 | US |
