Controlling medication delivery system operation and features based on automatically detected user stress level

Abstract

A method of operating a system having a fluid pump mechanism and a related controller involves: operating the system in a first mode to automatically deliver the medication in accordance with a therapy control algorithm; and receiving stress-identifying data generated at least in part from gesture data for the user. The gesture data is provided by a gesture-based physical behavior detection system. The method determines, from the stress-identifying data, that the user is under stress while the medication delivery system is operating in the first mode. In response to detecting stress, the system is operated in a second mode to automatically deliver the medication to the user in accordance with a stress-correlated therapy control algorithm. The second mode compensates for user stress as determined from the stress-identifying data.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method of operating a medication delivery system comprising a fluid pump mechanism and at least one controller that regulates operation of the fluid pump mechanism to deliver medication from the medication delivery system, the method comprising:
 operating the medication delivery system in a first mode of operation to automatically deliver the medication to a user in accordance with a therapy control algorithm;   receiving stress-identifying data that indicates a current stress status of the user, the stress-identifying data generated at least in part from gesture data for the user, the gesture data provided by a gesture-based physical behavior detection system;   determining, from the stress-identifying data, that the user is under stress while the medication delivery system is operating in the first mode; and   in response to the determining, operating the medication delivery system in a second mode of operation to automatically deliver the medication to the user in accordance with a stress-correlated therapy control algorithm, wherein the second mode of operation compensates for user stress as determined from the stress-identifying data.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein a transition from the first mode of operation to the second mode of operation occurs automatically without user input. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 changing at least one therapy-altering factor of the therapy control algorithm, based on the determining, to obtain the stress-correlated therapy control algorithm.   
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 3 , wherein the changing is a function of a stress level of the user, as determined from the stress-identifying data. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the receiving and determining steps are performed by a data processing system that communicates with the medication delivery system; and   the data processing system sends at least one command to the medication delivery system, the at least one command causing the medication delivery system to transition from the first mode of operation to the second mode of operation.   
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the received stress-identifying data comprises user status data for the user, the user status data generated by at least one ancillary system that monitors the user. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 obtaining gesture training data provided by the gesture-based physical behavior detection system, and stress marker data entered by the user; and   temporally correlating the obtained gesture training data with the obtained stress marker data to identify stress-indicating gestures performed by the user while under stress, wherein the stress-identifying data is generated in response to comparing the gesture data against the identified stress-indicating gestures.   
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the medication comprises insulin; and   the stress-correlated therapy control algorithm utilized for the second mode of operation increases aggressiveness of insulin therapy provided by the medication delivery system, relative to the therapy control algorithm utilized for the first mode of operation.   
     
     
         9 . A medication delivery system comprising:
 a fluid pump mechanism;   at least one controller that regulates operation of the fluid pump mechanism to deliver insulin from the medication delivery system; and   at least one memory element associated with the at least one controller, the at least one memory element storing processor-executable instructions configurable to be executed by the at least one controller to perform a method of controlling operation of the medication delivery system, the method comprising:
 operating the medication delivery system in a first mode of operation to automatically deliver the insulin to a user in accordance with a therapy control algorithm; 
 receiving stress-identifying data that indicates a current stress status of the user, the stress-identifying data generated at least in part from gesture data for the user, the gesture data provided by a gesture-based physical behavior detection system; 
 determining, from the stress-identifying data, that the user is under stress while the medication delivery system is operating in the first mode; and 
 in response to the determining, operating the medication delivery system in a second mode of operation to automatically deliver the insulin to the user in accordance with a stress-correlated therapy control algorithm, wherein the second mode of operation compensates for user stress as determined from the stress-identifying data. 
   
     
     
         10 . The medication delivery system of  claim 9 , wherein a transition from the first mode of operation to the second mode of operation occurs automatically without user input. 
     
     
         11 . The medication delivery system of  claim 9 , wherein the method performed by the at least one controller further comprises:
 changing at least one therapy-altering factor of the therapy control algorithm, based on the determining, to obtain the stress-correlated therapy control algorithm.   
     
     
         12 . The medication delivery system of  claim 9 , wherein the gesture-based physical behavior detection system is separate and distinct from the medication delivery system. 
     
     
         13 . The medication delivery system of  claim 9 , wherein the medication delivery system comprises the gesture-based physical behavior detection system. 
     
     
         14 . The medication delivery system of  claim 9 , wherein the received stress-identifying data comprises user status data for the user, the user status data generated by at least one ancillary system that monitors the user. 
     
     
         15 . The medication delivery system of  claim 9 , wherein the method performed by the at least one controller further comprises:
 obtaining gesture training data provided by the gesture-based physical behavior detection system, and stress marker data entered by the user; and   temporally correlating the obtained gesture training data with the obtained stress marker data to identify stress-indicating gestures performed by the user while under stress, wherein the stress-identifying data is generated in response to comparing the gesture data against the identified stress-indicating gestures.   
     
     
         16 . The medication delivery system of  claim 9 , wherein the stress-correlated therapy control algorithm utilized for the second mode of operation increases aggressiveness of insulin therapy provided by the medication delivery system, relative to the therapy control algorithm utilized for the first mode of operation. 
     
     
         17 . A system comprising:
 an insulin infusion device that regulates delivery of insulin to a user;   a gesture-based physical behavior detection system configured to generate gesture data for the user, and configured to communicate the gesture data; and   at least one controller that controls operation of the insulin infusion device, the at least one controller configured to:
 operate the insulin infusion device in a first mode of operation to automatically deliver the insulin to the user in accordance with a therapy control algorithm; 
 process stress-identifying data that indicates a current stress status of the user, the stress-identifying data generated at least in part from gesture data provided by the gesture-based physical behavior detection system; 
 determine, from the stress-identifying data, that the user is under stress while the insulin infusion device is operating in the first mode; and 
 in response to determining that the user is under stress, operate the insulin infusion device in a second mode of operation to automatically deliver the insulin to the user in accordance with a stress-correlated therapy control algorithm, wherein the second mode of operation compensates for user stress as determined from the stress-identifying data. 
   
     
     
         18 . The system of  claim 17 , wherein the insulin infusion device comprises the at least one controller. 
     
     
         19 . The system of  claim 17 , wherein the stress-correlated therapy control algorithm utilized for the second mode of operation increases aggressiveness of insulin therapy provided by the insulin infusion device, relative to the therapy control algorithm utilized for the first mode of operation. 
     
     
         20 . The system of  claim 17 , wherein the stress-identifying data comprises user status data for the user, the user status data generated by at least one ancillary system that monitors characteristics, status, or condition of the user.