Claims for Patent: 11,266,796

Summary for Patent: 11,266,796

Title:	Inhalation device with integrated electronics
Abstract:	A device (400) for delivering medication to a user includes a circular or elliptical body (410) that includes a mouthpiece (420), a flexible strip (401) of medication, a lever (424), and a mouthpiece cover (491), where the mouthpiece cover is rotatable about the body. An electronics module (120) includes a communication circuit (134), a power supply (126), a sensor system (128), and a switch. The lever is configured to actuate the switch when the lever is moved from a closed position to an open position. The lever is further configured to advance a dose of medication on the flexible strip when moved from the closed position to the open position. The switch switches the electronics module from an off state to an active state when the lever is actuated for a first time by a user. The electronics module is configured to not return to the off state thereafter.
Inventor(s):	Yang; Dong (Waterford, IE), Moorhouse; Dylan A. (County Wexford, IE)
Assignee:	Norton (Waterford) Limited (Waterford, IE)
Application Number:	16/463,838
Patent Claims:	1. An inhaler tor delivering medication to a user, the inhaler comprising: a body comprising a mouthpiece, a mouthpiece cover, a lever, and a flexible strip of medication; and an electronics module comprising a power supply, a sensor system, and a switch; wherein the electronics module is configured to be in an off state prior to a user moving the lever from a first position to a second position for the first time; wherein, when the lever is moved from the first position to the second position for the first time, the lever is configured to engage the switch, causing the electronics module to transition from the off state to an active state and to sense an inhalation by the user from the mouthpiece; and wherein the electronics module is configured to not return to the off state after the lever is moved from the first position to the second position for the first time by the user. 2. The inhaler of claim 1, wherein the electronics module is configured to start an internal counter when transitioning from the off state. 3. The inhaler of claim 2, wherein the electronics module is configured to timestamp a sensed inhalation or movement of the lever based on the internal counter. 4. The inhaler of claim 2, wherein the electronics module is configured to be in a sleep state when not in the off state or the active state. 5. The inhaler of claim 4, wherein the electronics module is configured to change from the active state to the sleep state upon the electronics module determining that one or more atmospheric pressure measurements received from a pressure sensor do not fall within the predetermined range for a predetermined amount of time, the predetermined amount of time based on the internal counter. 6. The inhaler of claim 5, wherein the electronics module is configured to store a timeout event and associated timestamp when the lever is moved from the first position to the second position and the one or more atmospheric pressure measurements are not within the predetermined range within the predetermined amount of time. 7. The inhaler of claim 1, wherein the lever is further configured to advance a dose of medication on the flexible strip when the lever is moved from the first position to the second position. 8. The inhaler of claim 1, wherein the mouthpiece cover is configured to cover the lever when in a closed position and expose the lever for actuation by a user when in an open position, the mouthpiece cover being rotatable about a periphery of the body of the inhaler. 9. The inhaler of claim 1, wherein the body is elliptical in shape and the lever is part of the mouthpiece cover, and wherein the lever is configured to move from the first position to the second position when the mouthpiece cover is moved, by the user, from a closed position to an open position to expose the mouthpiece. 10. The inhaler of claim 9, wherein the body further comprises a second flexible strip of medication comprising different medication; and wherein the lever is further configured to advance the flexible strip and the second flexible strip when the lever moves from the first position to the second position so that medication from the flexible strip and the second flexible strip are made available to the user through the mouthpiece. 11. The inhaler of claim 1, wherein the sensor system comprises a pressure sensor configured to measure at least one atmospheric pressure within the inhaler after the lever is moved from the first position to the second position. 12. The inhaler of claim 11, wherein the pressure sensor is configured to take measurements for a predetermined period of time or until a predetermined event is detected. 13. The inhaler of claim 11, wherein the electronics module further includes a processor configured to determine an inhalation parameter based on the at least one measured atmospheric pressures. 14. The inhaler of claim 13, wherein the inhalation parameter comprises one or more of: a peak flow rate; a time to peak flow rate; an inhaled volume; or an inhalation duration. 15. The inhaler of claim 13, wherein the electronics module further includes a communication circuit configured to wirelessly transmit the inhalation parameter to an external device. 16. The inhaler of claim 1, wherein, when in the active state, the electronics module is configured to perform at least one of the following: measure one or more atmospheric pressures within the inhaler after the lever is moved from the first position to the second position; determine inhalation parameters based on the at least one measured atmospheric pressures; store the inhalation parameters in a local memory; advertise to an external device; or transmit the inhalation parameters to the external device. 17. The inhaler of claim 1, wherein the electronics module is configured to change from the active state to a sleep state at a predetermined time after the lever is moved from the first position to the second position. 18. A method for delivering medication via an inhaler with an electronics module, the method comprising: maintaining the electronics module in an off state prior to a user moving a lever from a first position to a second position for the first time; actuating a switch when the lever is moved from the first position to the second position, wherein a mouthpiece cover is rotatable about a body of the inhaler to expose the lever; transitioning the electronics module from the off state to an active state when the switch is actuated; sensing an inhalation of a user from a mouthpiece of the inhaler; and delivering a dose of medication; wherein the electronics module is configured to not return to the off state after the lever is moved from the first position to the second position for the first time by the user. 19. The method of claim 18, further comprising starting an internal counter via a processor within the electronics module when transitioning from the off state, and timestamping the sensed inhalation or the movement of the lever based on the internal counter. 20. The method of claim 18, further comprising measuring, via a sensor of the electronics module, a plurality of atmospheric pressures within the inhaler; and determining, via the electronics module, an inhalation parameter based on the plurality of measured atmospheric pressures, wherein the inhalation parameter comprises one or more of a peak flow rate, a time to peak flow rate, an inhaled volume, or an inhalation duration.