Source: http://patents.com/us-9272101.html
Timestamp: 2018-12-14 19:03:10
Document Index: 610766169

Matched Legal Cases: ['Application No. 201201015', 'Application No. 201201015', 'Application No. 201201015', 'Application No. 201201015', 'Application No. 2012', 'Application No. 2012', 'Application No. 201180010284', 'Application No. 201180010284', 'Application No. 201180010284', 'Application No. 220886', 'Application No. 61']

US Patent # 9,272,101. Identifying dry nebulizer elements - Patents.com
United States Patent 9,272,101
Gordon , et al. March 1, 2016
Identifying dry nebulizer elements
Gordon; Benjamin Morris (Cambridge, GB), Gardner; Steven David (Yaxley, GB), Parker; Thomas Edward (Rampton, GB)
Gordon; Benjamin Morris
Gardner; Steven David
Parker; Thomas Edward
Family ID: 1000001675477
13/574,221
PCT/US2011/021671
WO2011/091002
US 20120291777 A1 Nov 22, 2012
61296306 Jan 19, 2010
Current CPC Class: A61M 11/005 (20130101); A61M 15/0081 (20140204); A61M 15/0085 (20130101); B05B 17/0646 (20130101); A61M 2205/276 (20130101); A61M 2205/70 (20130101); B05B 12/081 (20130101); B05B 17/0669 (20130101)
Current International Class: B05B 17/06 (20060101); B05B 17/00 (20060101); A61M 15/00 (20060101); A61M 11/00 (20060101); B05B 12/08 (20060101)
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Eurasian Office Action dated Aug. 13, 2014 for Eurasian Patent Application No. 201201015 filed on Jan. 19, 2011, 2 pages. cited by applicant .
Eurasian Office Action dated May 29, 2015 for Eurasian Patent Application No. 201201015 filed on Jan. 19, 2011, 3 pages. cited by applicant .
Eurasian Office Action dated Aug. 13, 2014 for Eurasian Patent Application No. 201201015 filed on Jan. 19, 2011, 3 pages. cited by applicant .
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Japanese Office Action dated Sep. 16, 2014 for Japanese Patent Application No. 2012-550081 filed Jan. 19, 2011, 3 pages. cited by applicant .
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1. A method for determining whether a liquid is in contact with a nebulizer element, the method comprising: energizing the nebulizer element with an electrical signal at an atomization frequency; ceasing to energize the nebulizer element with the electrical signal at the atomization frequency; after ceasing to energize the nebulizer element with the electrical signal at the atomization frequency, consecutively energizing the nebulizer element with the electrical signal at a plurality of measurement frequencies; measuring an impedance of the nebulizer element at each of the plurality of measurement frequencies, thereby obtaining a plurality of measured impedance value; calculating an average measured impedance value for the plurality of measured impedance values; comparing the average measured impedance value to a stored threshold impedance value; and determining whether the liquid contacts the nebulizer element using the comparison between the average measured impedance value and the stored threshold impedance value.
3. The method of claim 1, further comprising: if the nebulizer element is determined to not be in contact with liquid, ceasing to energize the nebulizer element with the electrical signal.
4. The method of claim 1, further comprising: if the nebulizer element is determined to be in contact with the liquid, energizing the nebulizer element with the electrical signal at an atomization frequency.
5. A system for energizing a nebulizer element when a liquid is in contact with the nebulizer element, the system comprising: a nebulizer, wherein the nebulizer comprises: a reservoir configured to store the liquid, wherein: the reservoir is configured to dispense the liquid to the nebulizer element; and the nebulizer element, wherein: the nebulizer element is configured to, when energized by an electrical signal at an atomization frequency, atomize the liquid in contact with the nebulizer element; and a control module, wherein the control module is configured to: output the electrical signal at the atomization frequency to energize the nebulizer element; cease to output the electrical signal at the atomization frequency to energize the nebulizer element; after ceasing to output the electrical signal at the atomization frequency, consecutively output the electrical signal at a plurality of measurement frequencies to energize the nebulizer element; measure an impedance of the nebulizer element at each of the plurality of measurement frequencies, thereby obtaining a plurality of measured impedance values; calculate an average measured impedance value for the plurality of measured impedance values; compare the average measured impedance value to a stored impedance value; and determine whether the liquid contacts the nebulizer element using the comparison between the average measured impedance value and the stored impedance value.
9. A non-transitory processor-readable medium comprising processor-readable instructions configured to cause a processor to: cause a nebulizer element to energize with an electrical signal at an atomization frequency; cause the nebulizer element to cease energizing with the electrical signal at the atomization frequency; after ceasing to energize the nebulizer element with the electrical signal at the atomization frequency, cause the nebulizer element to energize with the electrical signal at a plurality of measurement frequencies consecutively; cause an impedance of the nebulizer element to be measured at each of the plurality of measurement frequencies, thereby obtaining a plurality of measured impedance values; calculate an average measured impedance value for the plurality of measured impedance values; compare the average measured impedance value to a stored threshold impedance value; and determine whether the liquid contacts the nebulizer element using the comparison between the average measured impedance value and the stored threshold impedance value; and control energization of the nebulizer element based on determining whether the liquid contacts the nebulizer element.
11. The non-transitory processor-readable medium of claim 9, wherein the processor-readable instructions that cause the processor to control energization of the nebulizer element based on determining whether the liquid contacts the nebulizer element comprise processor-readable instructions that, when executed, cause the processor to: if the nebulizer element is determined to not be in contact with liquid, cause the nebulizer element to cease being energized by the electrical signal at the atomization frequency.
12. The non-transitory processor-readable medium of claim 9, wherein the processor-readable instructions that cause the processor to control energization of the nebulizer element based on determining whether the liquid contacts the nebulizer element comprise processor-readable instructions that, when executed, cause the processor to: if the nebulizer element is determined to be in contact with liquid, cause the nebulizer element to be energized at the atomization frequency.
13. A method for determining whether a liquid is in contact with a nebulizer element, the method comprising: energizing the nebulizer element with an electrical signal at an atomization frequency; ceasing to energize the nebulizer element with the electrical signal at the atomization frequency; after ceasing to energize the nebulizer element with the electrical signal at the atomization frequency, consecutively energizing the nebulizer element with the electrical signal at a plurality of measurement frequencies; measuring an electrical characteristic at each of the plurality of measurement frequencies of the nebulizer element, thereby obtaining a plurality of measured electrical characteristic value; comparing the average measured electrical characteristic value to a stored threshold electrical characteristic value; and determining whether the liquid contacts the nebulizer element using the comparison between the average measured electrical characteristic value and the stored threshold electrical characteristic value.
This application is a PCT application of U.S. Patent Application No. 61/296,306 filed Jan. 19, 2010, entitled "METHODS, DEVICES AND SYSTEMS FOR IDENTIFYING DRY NEBULIZER ELEMENTS," the entire disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference for all purposes.
The amount of antibiotic or other active agent in the pharmaceutical formulation will be that amount necessary to deliver a therapeutically or prophylactically effective amount of the active agent per unit dose to achieve the desired result. In practice, this will vary widely depending upon the particular agent, its activity, the severity of the condition to be treated, the patient population, dosing requirements, and the desired therapeutic effect. The composition will generally contain anywhere from about 1 wt % to about 99 wt %, such as from about 2 wt % to about 95 wt %, or from about 5 wt % to 85 wt %, of the active agent, and will also depend upon the relative amounts of additives contained in the composition. The compositions of the invention are particularly useful for active agents that are delivered in doses of from 0.001 mg/day to 100 mg/day, such as in doses from 0.01 mg/day to 75 mg/day, or in doses from 0.10 mg/day to 50 mg/day. It is to be understood that more than one active agent may be incorporated into the formulations described herein and that the use of the term "agent" in no way excludes the use of two or more such agents.
The pharmaceutical formulation may further include flavoring agents, taste-masking agents, inorganic salts (for example sodium chloride), antimicrobial agents (for example benzalkonium chloride), sweeteners, antioxidants, antistatic agents, surfactants (for example polysorbates such as "TWEEN 20" and "TWEEN 80"), sorbitan esters, lipids (for example phospholipids such as lecithin and other phosphatidylcholines, phosphatidylethanolamines), fatty acids and fatty esters, steroids (for example cholesterol), and chelating agents (for example EDTA, zinc and other such suitable cations). Other pharmaceutical excipients and/or additives suitable for use in the compositions according to the invention are listed in "Remington: The Science & Practice of Pharmacy", 19th ed., Williams & Williams, (1995), and in the "Physician's Desk Reference", 52nd ed., Medical Economics, Montvale, N.J. (1998), both of which are incorporated herein by reference in their entireties.
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