Patent ID: 9555200
Date: 2017-01-31
CPC Classifications: A61M,F04C

Claim:
1. An inhaler comprising: a medicament capsule housing for containing a medicament capsule, an airflow path through which air flows during an airflow event from at least one air inlet to an outlet, the airflow path passing through the capsule housing, a first sensor comprising a microphone or piezo element for detecting impact, a processor, and a power source for powering the processor, the medicament capsule housing being defined by at least one wall and configured such that when the medicament capsule is located in the medicament capsule housing and air flows along the airflow path through the medicament capsule housing, the medicament capsule moves within the medicament capsule housing wherein said movement comprises impacting said at least one wall, the first sensor is being arranged on the inhaler so that it is able to detect the impact of the medicament capsule against said wall of the medicament capsule housing and generate a first signal indicative of said movement, the processor receiving the first signal from the first sensor and analyzes said first signal using a peak-detection algorithm which determines whether the calculated peak frequency is within predetermined limits to determine whether the first signal is indicative of the a presence, or absence, of the medicament capsule in the medicament capsule housing during as the airflow event and to generate a signal indicative of medicament capsule presence, the inhaler further comprising memory for storing the signal indicative of medicament capsule presence or absence, and an output from which the medicament capsule presence or absence signal or the contents of the memory can be accessed, and at least one actuator which can be actuated by a user to cause an opening element to open the medicament capsule within the inhaler, the inhaler further including an actuator sensor for sensing actuation of the actuator and generating an actuation signal, the processor being arranged to receive the actuation signal.