Apparatus and methods for tracking administering of medication by medication injection devices

Abstract

A medication injection device including a plunger, a temperature sensor, an antenna, and a controller is described herein. The plunger is configured to dispense medication. The temperature sensor is to measure a temperature representative of an ambient temperature of the medication injection device. The antenna is to pair the medication injection device with a remote device. The controller includes logic that when executed causes the medication injection device to perform operations, including placing the medication injection device into a low-power sleep mode, measuring the temperature with the temperature sensor at a regular interval while the medication injection in the low-power sleep mode, detecting a temperature change with the temperature sensor while in the low-power sleep mode, transitioning the medication injection device into an initialization mode in response, and pairing the medication injection device with the remote device using the antenna while in the initialization mode.

1 . A medication injection device, comprising:
 a plunger configured to dispense medication from the medication injection device when the plunger is depressed;   a temperature sensor coupled to the plunger to measure a temperature representative of an ambient temperature of the medication injection device;   an antenna to pair the medication injection device with a remote device;   a controller coupled to the temperature sensor and the antenna, wherein the controller includes logic that when executed by the controller causes the medication injection device to perform operations including:
 placing the medication injection device into a low-power sleep mode; 
 measuring the temperature with the temperature sensor at a regular interval while the medication injection in the low-power sleep mode; 
 detecting a temperature change with the temperature sensor while in the low-power sleep mode; 
 transitioning the medication injection device into an initialization mode, in response to the temperature change; and 
 pairing the medication injection device with the remote device using the antenna while in the initialization mode. 
   
     
     
         2 . The medication injection device of  claim 1 , wherein a power consumption of the medication injection while in the low-power sleep mode is less than when the medication injection device is in the initialization mode or an operational mode. 
     
     
         3 . The medication injection device of  claim 1 , wherein the controller includes additional logic that when executed by the controller causes the medication injection device to perform further operations including:
 transitioning the medication device from the initialization mode to an operational mode in response to a successful pairing of the medication device with the remote device; and   measuring and logging a plunger head position of the medication injection device while the medication injection device is in the operational mode.   
     
     
         4 . The medication injection device of  claim 3 , wherein the controller includes additional logic that when executed by the controller causes the medication injection device to perform further operations including:
 transitioning the medication injection device to the low-power sleep mode when after a period of inactivity.   
     
     
         5 . The medication injection device of  claim 4 , wherein the period of inactivity corresponding to no measurable change in position of the plunger head position over a period of time. 
     
     
         6 . The medication injection device of  claim 3 , wherein the controller includes additional logic that when executed by the controller causes the medication injection device to perform further operations including:
 transitioning the medication injection device from the operational mode to the low-power sleep mode when a subsequent temperature change is detected, wherein the subsequent temperature change corresponds to a decrease in the ambient temperature.   
     
     
         7 . The medication injection device of  claim 1 , wherein the temperature change corresponds to an increase in temperature from a storage temperature to a room temperature. 
     
     
         8 . The medication injection device of  claim 1 , wherein the controller includes additional logic that when executed by the controller causes the medication injection device to perform further operations including:
 transitioning the medication injection device directly from the low-power sleep mode to an operational mode if a successful pairing with the remote device has already occurred; and   measuring and logging a plunger head position of the medication injection device while the medication injection device is in the operational mode.   
     
     
         9 . The medication injection device of  claim 1 , further comprising a transducer coupled to the controller to measure a plunger head position of the medication injection device. 
     
     
         10 . The medication injection device of  claim 9 , wherein the controller includes additional logic that when executed by the controller causes the medication injection device to perform further operations including:
 transitioning the medication device from the initialization mode to an operational mode in response to a successful pairing of the medication device with the remote device; and   measuring and logging the plunger head position of the medication injection device while the medication injection device is in the operational mode using the transducer.   
     
     
         11 . The medication injection device of  claim 1 , wherein the controller includes additional logic that when executed by the controller causes the medication injection device to perform further operations including:
 transitioning the medication device from the initialization mode to an operational mode in response to a successful pairing of the medication device with the remote device;   monitoring the temperature during each of the low-power sleep mode, the initialization mode, and the operational mode; and   transmitting an alert when the temperature goes outside of an acceptable range of temperature.   
     
     
         12 . The medication injection device of  claim 11 , wherein the alert corresponds to an auditory alert emitted by the medication injection device. 
     
     
         13 . The medication injection device of  claim 11 , wherein the alert is transmitted to the remote device. 
     
     
         14 . The medication injection device of  claim 11 , wherein the medication injection device further includes a display coupled to the controller, and wherein the transmitting of the alert corresponds to displaying a visual indicator on the display. 
     
     
         15 . At least one machine-accessible storage medium that provides instructions that, when executed by a medication injection device, will cause the medication injection device to perform operations comprising:
 placing the medication injection device into a low-power sleep mode;   measuring a temperature with a temperature sensor at a regular interval while the medication injection in the low-power sleep mode, wherein the temperature is representative of an ambient temperature of the medication injection device;   detecting a temperature change with the temperature sensor while in the low-power sleep mode;   transitioning the medication injection device into an initialization mode, in response to the temperature change; and   pairing the medication injection device with the remote device using the antenna while in the initialization mode.   
     
     
         16 . The at least one machine-accessible storage medium of  claim 15 , that provides additional instructions that, when executed by the medication injection device, will cause the medication injection device to perform further operations including:
 transitioning the medication device from the initialization mode to an operational mode in response to a successful pairing of the medication device with the remote device, and wherein a power consumption of the medication injection while in the low-power sleep mode is less than when the medication injection device is in the initialization mode or the operational mode; and   measuring and logging a plunger head position of the medication injection device while the medication injection device is in the operational mode.   
     
     
         17 . The at least one machine-accessible storage medium of  claim 15 , wherein the medication injection device enters the low-power sleep mode as part of a manufacturing and testing process for the medication injection device. 
     
     
         18 . The at least one machine-accessible storage medium of  claim 15 , that provides additional instructions that, when executed by the medication injection device, will cause the medication injection device to perform further operations including:
 transitioning the medication injection device to the low-power sleep mode when after a period of inactivity, wherein the period of inactivity corresponding to no measurable change in position of the plunger head position over a period of time.   
     
     
         19 . The at least one machine-accessible storage medium of  claim 15 , that provides additional instructions that, when executed by the medication injection device, will cause the medication injection device to perform further operations including:
 transitioning the medication injection device directly from the low-power sleep mode to an operational mode if a successful pairing with the remote device has already occurred; and   measuring and logging a plunger head position of the medication injection device while the medication injection device is in the operational mode.   
     
     
         20 . The at least one machine-accessible storage medium of  claim 15 , that provides additional instructions that, when executed by the medication injection device, will cause the medication injection device to perform further operations including:
 transitioning the medication device from the initialization mode to an operational mode in response to a successful pairing of the medication device with the remote device;   measuring and logging a plunger head position of the medication injection device while the medication injection device is in the operational mode;   monitoring the temperature during each of the low-power sleep mode, the initialization mode, and the operational mode; and   transmitting an alert when the temperature goes outside of an acceptable range of temperature.