ELECTRONIC MEDICATION COMPLIANCE MONITORING SYSTEM AND ASSOCIATED METHODS
A method of monitoring a patient's compliance with a medication program includes transmitting a first signal from an electronic ingestible medication delivery device located within a patient's body, the signal including information about a physiological parameter of the patient. The signal is detected with an electronic reader located outside the patient's body. A second signal is provided to the reader from a different source than the delivery device. The second signal includes information about the same physiological parameter of the patient. Related systems are also described.
1 . A system for monitoring a patient's compliance with a medication delivery program, the system comprising:
an electronic ingestible medication delivery device that, after ingestion by a patient, makes a first measurement of a physiological parameter of the patient and transmits a signal from within the patient's body, the signal including information from the first measurement; and
an electronic reader outside the patient's body that reads the signal and makes a second measurement of the same physiological parameter of the patient.
2 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the physiological parameter of the patient is the patient's ECG.
3 . The system of claim 2 , wherein the information from the first measurement is a time component selected from the patient's ECG, the time component being a time between successive peaks in the patient's ECG.
4 . The system of claim 2 , wherein the information from the first measurement is a time component selected from the patient's ECG, the time component being a time between successive R peaks in the patient's ECG.
5 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the reader is wearable by the patient.
6 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the reader reads the signal within a time-frame defined by the physiological parameter.
7 . A system for monitoring a patient's compliance with a medication program, the system comprising:
an ingestible medication delivery device carrying an electronic circuit that transmits an electromagnetic signal from within a patient's body to outside the patient's body; and
an electronic reader positioned outside the patient's body that detects the electromagnetic signal; and
wherein transmission and detection of the electromagnetic signal are synchronized according to a physiological parameter measured from the patient.
8 . The system of claim 7 , wherein the physiological parameter is measured by the delivery device, the reader, or both.
9 . The system of claim 7 , wherein the physiological parameter is the patient's ECG.
10 . The system of claim 9 , wherein the transmitted signal includes a time component selected from the patient's ECG, the time component being a time between successive R peaks in the patient's ECG.
11 . The system of claim 7 , wherein the reader is wearable by the patient.
12 . A method of monitoring a patient's compliance with a medication program, the method comprising:
transmitting a first signal from an electronic ingestible medication delivery device located within a patient's body, the signal including information about a physiological parameter of the patient;
detecting the signal with an electronic reader located outside the patient's body; and
providing a second signal to the reader from a different source than the delivery device, the second signal including information about the same physiological parameter of the patient.
13 . The method of claim 12 , further comprising comparing the first and second signals to determine whether both the first and second signals are from the patient.
14 . The method of claim 12 , further comprising synchronizing transmission by the delivery device and detection of the first signal by the reader with a time component of the physiological parameter.
15 . The method of claim 12 , wherein the physiological parameter is measured by the delivery device, the reader, or both.
16 . The method of claim 12 , wherein the physiological parameter is the patient's ECG.
17 . The method of claim 12 , further comprising the step of providing the first signal with a time component selected from the patient's ECG, the time component being a time between successive R peaks in the patient's ECG.
18 . The method of claim 12 , wherein the reader is worn by the patient during the detecting step.
19 . The method of claim 12 , wherein the transmitting and detecting steps occur during a plurality of times while the delivery device is within the patient's body.
20 . The method of claim 12 , further comprising applying a principal component analysis algorithm to the first signal.