INJECTION DEVICE WITH AUTOMATIC DATA CAPTURE AND TRANSMISSION
An injection device, which can be, e.g., an insulin pen, can capture and transmit injection and/or medicament information to another device, such as, e.g., a blood glucose meter. The injection and medicament information can include, e.g., time and date of injection, type of medicament injected, and dosage amount. The injection device can include a dial cap that can be rotated to select a dosage amount to be injected. In some embodiments, the dial cap can include a microcontroller with transmitter, a Hall effect sensor, and a ring magnet. In some embodiments, the injection device can include a medicament cartridge with a 1-wire EEPROM, which can have medicament information stored therein. Methods of operating an injection device are also provided, as are other aspects.
1 . A dial cap configured to be attached to a housing of an injection device, the dial cap comprising:
a rotatable portion configured to rotate to select a dosage amount to be delivered by the injection device;
a Hall effect sensor configured to rotate with the rotatable portion and to output a voltage proportional to an angle of rotation of the Hall effect sensor;
a ring magnet encircling the Hall effect sensor; and
a microcontroller configured to:
receive the output voltage of the Hall effect sensor;
determine a dosage amount in response to receiving the output voltage of the Hall effect sensor; and
transmit a determined dosage amount.
2 . The dial cap of claim 1 further comprising a printed circuit board attached internally to the rotatable portion and configured to rotate with the rotatable portion, the Hall effect sensor and the microcontroller mounted on the printed circuit board.
3 . The dial cap of claim 2 wherein the microcontroller is mounted on a first side of the printed circuit board and the Hall effect sensor is mounted on a second, opposite side of the printed circuit board.
4 . The dial cap of claim 1 wherein the microcontroller comprises an analog-to-digital converter operative to receive the output voltage of the Hall effect sensor.
5 . An injection device, comprising:
the dial cap of claim 1 ;
the housing, wherein the housing has a first end and a second end, the dial cap attached to the first end, the housing having therein a plunger and a stored energy source configured to drive the plunger through the second end; and
a cartridge container attached to the second end of the housing, the cartridge container configured to receive a medicament cartridge.
6 . The injection device of claim 5 wherein the injection device is an insulin pen configured to deliver insulin to an injection site.
7 . The injection device of claim 5 , wherein the stored energy source comprises a spring configured to be compressed in response to rotation of the rotatable portion.
8 . The injection device of claim 5 further comprising a medicament cartridge received in the cartridge container, the medicament cartridge comprising:
a hollow cylindrical body configured to contain a medicament therein and having an open end;
a piston configured to seal the open end; and
an end cap comprising a 1-wire EEPROM (electrically erasable programmable read only memory) configured to store medicament information therein, the end cap configured to fit over the open end.
9 . The injection device of claim 8 , wherein:
the end cap further comprises an electrical connection with the 1-wire EEPROM;
the dial cap, the housing, and the cartridge container comprise electrical connections that electrically couples the microcontroller to the 1-wire EEPROM upon receipt of the medicament cartridge in the cartridge container; and
the microcontroller is configured to receive medicament information from the 1-wire EEPROM and transmit the received medicament information.
10 . A medicament cartridge configured to be received in a cartridge container of an injection device, the medicament cartridge comprising:
a hollow cylindrical body configured to contain a medicament therein and having an open end;
a piston configured to seal the open end; and
an end cap comprising a 1-wire EEPROM (electrically erasable programmable read only memory) configured to store medicament information therein, the end cap configured to fit over the open end.
11 . The medicament cartridge of claim 10 wherein the 1-wire EEPROM has stored therein medicament information including at least one of a type of medicament, an expiration date, and a batch number.
12 . The medicament cartridge of claim 10 wherein the hollow cylindrical body contains insulin therein.
13 . An injection device, comprising:
a dial cap comprising a microcontroller and configured to rotate to select a dosage amount to be delivered by the injection device;
a housing having a first end and a second end, the dial cap attached to the first end, the housing having therein a plunger and a stored energy source configured to drive the plunger through the second end;
a cartridge container attached to the second end of the housing, the cartridge container configured to receive a medicament cartridge; and
the medicament cartridge of claim 10 received in the cartridge container.
14 . The injection device of claim 13 wherein:
the end cap of the medicament cartridge further comprises an electrical contact in communication with the 1-wire EEPROM; and
the dial cap, the housing, and the cartridge container comprise an electrical connection that electrically couples the microcontroller to the electrical contact of the end cap.
15 . The injection device of claim 13 wherein the dial cap further comprises a Hall effect sensor configured to rotate and output a voltage proportional to an angel of rotation.
16 . A method of operating an injection device, the method comprising:
receiving an output voltage from a Hall effect sensor located in the injection device;
determining an amount of a dosage based on the received output voltage;
receiving medicament information from a 1-wire EEPROM (electrically erasable programmable read only memory) located in a medicament cartridge of the injection device; and
transmitting the determined amount of the dosage and the medicament information to a device external to the injection device.
17 . The method of claim 16 further comprising electrically coupling the 1-wire EEPROM to a microcontroller of the injection device.
18 . The method of claim 16 further comprising:
providing a dial cap comprising:
a rotatable portion configured to rotate to select a dosage amount to be delivered by the injection device;
the Hall effect sensor configured to rotate with the rotatable portion;
a ring magnet encircling the Hall effect sensor; and
a microcontroller configured to:
receive the output voltage of the Hall effect sensor;
determine the amount of the dosage in response to receiving the output voltage of the Hall effect sensor; and
transmit the determined amount of the dosage.
19 . The method of claim 16 further comprising providing insulin in the medicament cartridge.
20 . The method of claim 16 further comprising:
providing the medicament cartridge comprising:
a hollow cylindrical body configured to contain a medicament therein and having an open end;
a piston configured to seal the open end; and
an end cap comprising the 1-wire EEPROM, the end cap configured to fit over the open end.