Devices used in connection with continuous analyte monitoring that provide the user with one or more notifications, and related methods
Devices and methods for providing a user with alerts are provided. The alerts may take different forms, such as an output to a display, a speaker, a vibration module, a shock module, etc. The alerts provide the user with sufficient information to take appropriate action, but the devices may be of limited functionality to enhance their compactness, discreetness, wearability, etc., while also lowering their cost to manufacture.
1. A wearable device for providing an alert to a user regarding a wearer's blood glucose value, the device comprising:
a communication module comprising circuitry for receiving a signal from a transmitter of a continuous glucose monitoring device, wherein the communication module is configured to relay the signal received from the transmitter to one or more remote monitoring devices monitoring the wearer's blood glucose state corresponding to the wearer's blood glucose value;
an alert interface configured to provide a first alert when the wearer's blood glucose value is within a predetermined range, and a second alert that the wearer's blood glucose value is outside the predetermined range, wherein the alert interface has limited functionality compared to that of the one or more remote monitoring devices; and
wherein the communication module circuitry is further configured to detect the location of the wearer and the location of the one or more remote monitoring devices, and determine a set of the one or more monitoring devices proximate to the wearable device, and is further configured to send signals to the set of the one or more remote monitoring devices in response to detecting that the wearer has not acknowledged an alert provided at the alert interface.
2. The wearable device of claim 1 , further comprising a band configured to be worn about a wrist of a wearer, wherein the communication module and the alert interface are incorporated into the band.
3. The wearable device of claim 2 , wherein the band comprises a closed loop having no endpoints.
4. The wearable device of claim 3 , wherein the band is constructed of a resilient material.
5. The wearable device of claim 1 , wherein the alert interface comprises a display including at least one of a liquid crystal display, one or more light-emitting diodes, one or more organic light-emitting diodes, an electronic paper display, a color- or pattern-changing material, or a text display.
6. The wearable device of claim 1 , wherein the device is configured to process or partially process data received from the transmitter prior to relaying it.
7. The wearable device of claim 1 , wherein the communication module is configured to store data received from the transmitter and relay the data upon a user request.
8. The wearable device of claim 7 , wherein a user request to relay the data may be initiated using the device.
9. The wearable device of claim 1 , wherein the communication module is configured to relay the signal received from the transmitter in response to a trigger.
10. The wearable device of claim 9 , wherein the trigger comprises a user request, a glucose concentration, a change in state or zone or range of a glucose concentration, or glucose information meeting one or more predetermined criteria.
11. The wearable device of claim 1 , wherein a functionality of the alert interface is limited to providing positive feedback when the wearer's blood glucose remains within a desired glucose range for a set period of time, and providing negative feedback when the wearer's blood glucose is outside the desired glucose range.
12. The wearable device of claim 1 , wherein the device is configured to be in physical contact with skin of a wearer at all times when worn by the wearer.
13. A method of providing an alert to a user regarding a wearer's blood glucose value, the method comprising:
receiving a signal providing information about the wearer's current blood glucose value, and relaying the received signal to one or more remote monitoring devices monitoring the wearer's blood glucose state corresponding to the wearer's blood glucose value;
on an alert interface having limited functionality compared to that of the one or more remote monitoring devices, providing a first alert when the wearer's current glucose concentration is within a predetermined range, and a second alert when the wearer's current glucose concentration is outside the predetermined range;
detecting a location of the wearer and a location of the one or more remote monitoring devices;
determining a set of the one or more monitoring devices proximate to the wearable device; and
sending signals to the set of the one or more remote monitoring devices in response to detecting that the wearer has not acknowledged an alert provided at the alert interface.
14. The method of claim 13 , further comprising processing or partially processing data received from the signal prior to relaying it.
15. The method of claim 13 , further comprising storing data received from the signal and relaying the data when the user requests.
16. The method of claim 13 , the signal is received using a first wireless communication protocol and relayed using a second, different, wireless communication protocol.
17. The wearable device of claim 1 , wherein at least one of the one or more remote monitoring devices is a device associated with the wearer and at least another one of the one or more remote monitoring devices is a device associated with a user different than the wearer.