IP Library Granted Patent US 12,397,102
Granted Patent B2
US 12,397,102 · App. 18/605,157 · Granted Aug 26, 2025

Packaging assembly

Inventor: Hardy Kietzmann (Frankfurt am Main, DE)
Assignee: Sanofi
A61M5/002G07C9/00174G08B5/36G16H20/17H04W76/40A61M5/20A61M2205/18A61M2205/3306A61M2205/3368A61M2205/3584A61M2205/502A61M2205/52A61M2205/581A61M2205/583A61M2205/587A61M2205/6054A61M2205/6072A61M2205/8206
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,397,102
App. No.
18/605,157
Granted
Aug 26, 2025
Kind
B2
Abstract

A packaging assembly comprises a case configured to at least partially contain a plurality of injection devices for delivering a medicament; a light sensor configured to detect light incident on the packaging assembly; and a wireless communication module configured to establish a wireless connection with at least one external device conditional on an intensity of light detected by the light sensor exceeding a threshold light intensity.

Claims (49)

1. A packaging assembly comprising:

a case configured to at least partially contain a plurality of injection devices for delivering a medicament;

a processor arrangement;

a light sensor configured to detect light incident on the packaging assembly and to provide a signal to the processor arrangement according to the detected light intensity;

a wireless communication module configured to establish a wireless connection with at least one external device conditional on an intensity of light detected by the light sensor exceeding a threshold light intensity; and

a door open timer configured to be started in response to detecting that the intensity of light detected by the light sensor exceeds the threshold amount of light, and to expire after a predetermined time,

wherein the wireless communication module is configured to transmit a door open alert to the at least one external device on expiry of the door open timer.

2. The packaging assembly of claim 1 , wherein the processor arrangement is configured to enter a partial sleep state on expiry of the door open timer.

3. The packaging assembly of claim 1 , wherein the predetermined time in in the range of 1 minute to 10 minutes.

4. The packaging assembly of claim 1 , wherein the packaging assembly is configured to be stored in a fridge and the processor arrangement is configured, upon determining that the intensity of light detected by the light sensor exceeds the threshold amount of light, to determine that a door of the fridge is open.

5. The packaging assembly of claim 4 , further comprising:

a temperature sensor configured to provide a signal to the processor arrangement according to the internal temperature of the packaging assembly,

wherein the processor arrangement is configured to compare the received signal to a threshold temperature, and

wherein the wireless communication module is configured to transmit an alert signal when the internal temperature of the packaging assembly exceeds the threshold temperature and conditional on the processor arrangement determining that the fridge door is open.

6. The packaging assembly of claim 5 , wherein the threshold temperature is one of a preset threshold stored in a memory of the packaging assembly, or is dynamically adjustable having regard to operating conditions of the packaging assembly.

7. The packaging assembly of claim 4 , further comprising:

a humidity sensor configured to provide a signal to the processor arrangement according to the internal humidity of the packaging assembly,

wherein the processor arrangement is configured to compare the received signal to a threshold humidity, and

wherein the wireless communication module is configured to transmit an alert signal when the internal humidity of the packaging assembly exceeds the threshold humidity and conditional on the processor arrangement determining that the fridge door is open.

8. The packaging assembly of claim 4 , further configured to output a visual and/or audio reminder when a scheduled dosing time is due, wherein the visual and/or audio reminder is output conditional on the processor arrangement determining that the fridge door is open.

9. The packaging assembly of claim 8 , wherein the packaging assembly further comprises:

a lid coupled to the case and movable between an open position and a closed position; and

a lid sensor configured to determine whether the lid is in the open position or the closed position,

and wherein the packaging assembly is configured to deactivate the visual and/or audio reminder upon detection of the lid being moved to the open position.

10. The packaging assembly of claim 8 , wherein the processor arrangement is configured to:

activate an alert timer when the visual and/or audio reminder is output when the scheduled dosing time is due; and

deactivate the visual and/or audio reminder when the alert timer expires.

11. The packaging assembly of claim 10 , wherein an expiry time period for the alert timer is between 5 and 60 seconds.

12. The packaging assembly of claim 1 , wherein the wireless communication module is configured to broadcast a wireless connection request in response to detecting that the intensity of light detected by the light sensor exceeds the threshold light intensity.

13. The packaging assembly of claim 12 , wherein the wireless communication module, in response to receiving a signal from the at least one external device in response to the broadcast communication request, is configured to determine the identity of the at least one external device and to establish a wireless connection with the at least one external device conditional on the determined identity of the at least one external device.

14. The packaging assembly of claim 1 , further comprising:

one or more environmental sensors configured to output a signal representative of environmental conditions external to the case,

wherein the wireless communication module, when a connection to the at least one external device is established, is configured to transmit the signal of the one or more environmental sensors to the at least one external device.

15. The packaging assembly of claim 14 , wherein the one or more environmental sensors are configured to detect a temperature or a humidity of an environment external to the case.

16. The packaging assembly of claim 1 , further comprising the plurality of injection devices contained within the case, wherein each of the plurality of injection devices contain a medicament.

17. The system of claim 16 , wherein the medicament is an anti-IL-4 monoclonal antibody.

18. A method of operating a packaging assembly, the packaging assembly comprising a case configured to at least partially contain a plurality of injection devices for delivering a medicament,

the method comprising:

using a light sensor of the packaging assembly, detecting light incident on the packaging assembly;

using a wireless communication module of the packaging assembly, establishing a wireless connection with at least one external device conditional on an intensity of light detected by the light sensor exceeding a threshold light intensity;

in response to detecting that the intensity of light detected by the light sensor exceeds the threshold amount of light, starting a door open timer, wherein the door open timer is set to expire after a predetermined time; and

using the wireless communication module, transmitting a door open alert to the at least one external device when the door open timer expires.

19. The method of operating a packaging assembly of claim 18 , comprising the processor arrangement entering a partial sleep state on expiry of the door open timer.

20. A method of operating a packaging assembly, the packaging assembly configured to be stored in a fridge and comprising a case configured to at least partially contain a plurality of injection devices for delivering a medicament and a processor arrangement, the method comprising:

using a light sensor of the packaging assembly, detecting light incident on the packaging assembly;

the light sensor providing a signal to the processor arrangement according to the detected light intensity;

the processor arrangement determining that a door of the fridge is open in response to determining that the intensity of light detected by the light sensor exceeds a threshold amount of light;

using a wireless communication module of the packaging assembly, establishing a wireless connection with at least one external device; and

using the processor arrangement, determining that a scheduled dosing time is due and transmitting an alert to the at least one external device to indicate that the scheduled dosing time is due conditional on the processor arrangement having determined that the fridge door is open.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Aug 18, 2024
From: KIETZMANN, HARDY
To: SANOFI
Reel/Frame 068320/0393 →
Priority Claims (1)
EP 17305211 · Feb 24, 2017 · regional
Continuity (3)
Continuation 17825790 · May 26, 2022
Continuation 16487006
Related Publication 20240358912A1 · Oct 31, 2024
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