Device and Method for Determining Information Related to a Medical Device

Abstract

The invention relates to an apparatus ( 2, 3 ), comprising a mating unit ( 20 - 1, 20 - 2 ) for releasably attaching the apparatus ( 2 ) to a medical device ( 1 ) or for releasably receiving at least a part of the medical device ( 1 ). The apparatus ( 2, 3 ) further comprises one or more optical sensors ( 25, 26 ) and/or one or more acoustical sensors ( 27 ) for determining information related to a condition and/or use of the medical device ( 1 ). The invention further relates to a system comprising such an apparatus ( 2, 3 ) and such a medical device ( 1 ), to a method ( 500, 600, 700 ) and a computer program ( 61 ) for determining information related to a condition and/or use of such a medical device ( 1 ), and to a computer-readable medium ( 60 ) storing such a computer program ( 61 ).

1 . An apparatus ( 2 ,  3 ), comprising
 a mating unit ( 20 - 1 ,  20 - 2 ;  31 ) for releasably attaching the apparatus ( 2 ) to a medical device for ejecting a medicament ( 1 ) or for releasably receiving at least a part of said medical device ( 1 ), and   one or more optical sensors ( 25 ,  26 ) for determining information related to a condition and/or use of said medical device ( 1 ), said determining comprising recognizing characters.   
     
     
         2 . The apparatus ( 2 ,  3 ) according to  claim 1 , wherein said one or more optical sensors ( 25 ,  26 ) comprise at least one optical sensor ( 25 ) configured to capture an image of an information-bearing or information-displaying ( 13 ) part of said medical device ( 1 ), and wherein said apparatus ( 2 ,  3 ) is configured to recognize characters from said captured image. 
     
     
         3 . The apparatus according to  claim 2 , wherein said apparatus is further configured to capture at least two images of said information-bearing or information-displaying ( 13 ) part of said medical device ( 1 ) and to only recognize characters from at least one of said at least two captured images if no change between said at least two captured images is detected. 
     
     
         4 . The apparatus according to  claim 2 , wherein said apparatus is further configured to capture at least two images of said information-bearing or information-displaying ( 13 ) part of said medical device ( 1 ) and to only recognize characters from at least one of said at least two captured images if no change between at least two of said at least two captured images is detected within a specified period of time. 
     
     
         5 . The apparatus ( 2 ,  3 ) according to any of the  claims 1 - 4 , wherein said determining further comprises at least partially monitoring a timing of an application sequence of said medical device. 
     
     
         6 . The apparatus ( 2 ,  3 ) according to  claim 5 , wherein said apparatus is configured to only determine and/or further process said information if said monitored timing at least partially corresponds to a specified timing of an application sequence of said medical device. 
     
     
         7 . The apparatus ( 2 ,  3 ) according to any of the  claims 1 - 6 , wherein said one or more optical sensors ( 25 ,  26 ) comprise at least one optical sensor ( 26 ) configured to capture information representative of a colour of at least a part ( 10 ) of said medical device ( 1 ) or to determine a colour of at least a part of said medical device ( 1 ). 
     
     
         8 . The apparatus ( 2 ,  3 ) according to  claim 7 , wherein said apparatus ( 2 ,  3 ) is configured to recognize a colour of said part ( 10 ) of said medical device ( 1 ) from said captured information. 
     
     
         9 . The apparatus ( 2 ,  3 ) according to any of the  claims 1 - 8 , said apparatus further comprising one or more acoustical sensors ( 27 ), wherein said one or more acoustical sensors ( 27 ) comprise at least one acoustical sensor ( 27 ) configured to capture a sound produced when said medical device ( 1 ) is used. 
     
     
         10 . The apparatus ( 2 ,  3 ) according to  claim 9 , wherein said apparatus ( 2 ,  3 ) is configured to only capture an image of said information-bearing or information-displaying ( 13 ) part of said medical device ( 1 ) and/or to perform said recognizing characters if said captured sound corresponds to a sound produced when a dose for a medicament to be ejected by said medical device ( 1 ) is dialled. 
     
     
         11 . The apparatus ( 2 ,  3 ) according to any of the  claims 1 - 10 , further comprising a display unit ( 21 ) for displaying information representative of at least a part of said determined information. 
     
     
         12 . The apparatus ( 2 ,  3 ) according to any of the  claims 1 - 11 , further comprising an interface ( 28 ) configured to provide said determined information to another device  42 ,  42 ′) via a wired or wireless connection. 
     
     
         13 . The apparatus ( 2 ,  3 ) according to any of the  claims 1 - 12 , further comprising an interface ( 28 ) configured to receive information indicative of a type and/or dose of medicament to be ejected. 
     
     
         14 . The apparatus according to any of the  claims 1 - 13 , further comprising a processor ( 24 ) for determining a proposal of a type and/or dose of a medicament to be ejected by said medical device. 
     
     
         15 . The apparatus according to any of the  claims 1 - 14 , further comprising a measurement unit ( 29 ) for measuring at least one parameter that is representative of a condition of a creature that is to receive a medicament ejectable by said medical device. 
     
     
         16 . The apparatus according to any of the  claim 1 - 15 , wherein a user of said medical device is required to confirm said determined information. 
     
     
         17 . The apparatus according to any of the  claim 1 - 16 , wherein said apparatus is configured to determine said information at least partially from recognized characters. 
     
     
         18 . A system, comprising a medical device ( 1 ) and an apparatus ( 2 ,  3 ) according to any of the  claims 1 - 17 . 
     
     
         19 . A method ( 500 ,  600 ,  700 ), comprising
 determining, based on information captured by one or more optical sensors ( 25 ,  26 ), information related to a condition and/or use of a medical device for ejecting a medicament ( 1 ), said determining comprising recognizing characters, wherein said sensors ( 25 ,  26 ,  27 ) are comprised in an apparatus ( 2 ,  3 ) that further comprises a mating unit ( 20 - 1 ,  20 - 2 ;  31 ) for releasably attaching the apparatus ( 2 ) to said medical device ( 1 ) or for releasably receiving at least a part of said medical device ( 1 ).   
     
     
         20 . A computer program ( 61 ), comprising instructions operable to cause a processor ( 24 ) to perform the method ( 500 ,  600 ,  700 ) of  claim 19  when said computer program ( 61 ) is executed on said processor ( 24 ).