Abstract: Circuits are provided for increasing the reliability of an iontophoretic drug delivery system. Such circuits detect the failure of a crystal oscillator of the system, the failure of a voltage reference of the system, or the impending failure of a battery power source of the system.

Abstract: Circuits are provided for increasing the reliability of an iontophoretic drug delivery system. Such circuits detect the failure of a crystal oscillator of the system, the failure of a voltage reference of the system, or the impending failure of a battery power source of the system.

Abstract: An iontophoresis system includes a transdermal patch for placement against the skin of a patient and a controller electrically connected to the patch. The patch includes an anode and cathode electrode, and holds an electrolyte and a medication. The controller includes a DC-DC converter circuit which generates an output voltage that is provided to the anode electrode. The controller also includes an adjustable current regulator circuit. The current regulator circuit is coupled to the cathode electrode and is adjustable to provide a desired current flow through the electrodes and the skin of the patient. The DC-DC converter circuit is responsive to the voltage drop across the electrodes and adjusts its output voltage in response to this voltage drop and changes in the impedance of the patient's skin.

Abstract: An iontophoresis system includes a transdermal patch for placement against the skin of a patient and a controller electrically connected to the patch. The patch includes an anode and cathode electrode, and holds an electrolyte and a medication. The controller includes a DC-DC converter circuit which generates an output voltage that is provided to the anode electrode. The controller also includes an adjustable current regulator circuit. The current regulator circuit is coupled to the cathode electrode and is adjustable to provide a desired current flow through the electrodes and the skin of the patient. The DC-DC converter circuit is responsive to the voltage drop across the electrodes and adjusts its output voltage in response to this voltage drop and changes in the impedance of the patient's skin.

Abstract: Circuits are provided for increasing the reliability of an iontophoretic drug delivery system. Such circuits detect the failure of a crystal oscillator of the system, the failure of a voltage reference of the system, or the impending failure of a battery power source of the system.

Abstract: An iontophoretic drug delivery device includes a controller normally being in an off or low power consumption state, and a patch including electrodes, a reservoir for holding an ionizable drug for transdermal delivery to a patient and a return reservoir. The patch is removable and electrically connectable to the controller, and delivers the drug to patient when the patch is on the patient's skin and when the controller is switched from the off or low power consumption state to an operational state. This occurs when the patch is connected to the controller and a connector connects a power source to the controller or an activation means signals the controller to switch to the operational state. This feature preserves the battery of the controller.

Abstract: An iontophoretic system is provided, including a patch and a controller. The patch includes a plurality of electrodes electrically connectable to the controller and through which current is applied by the controller to the skin. The controller includes at least one current delivery profile, an input device, a control circuitry, and circuitry for generating the patch current. The current delivery profile is an element that can be changed independently of the other components of the controller. The control circuitry selects a current delivery profile using an input from the input device, and causes the current generating circuitry to generate and apply current to the patch electrodes in accordance with the read current delivery profile.

Abstract: An apparatus and a corresponding method for the iontophoretic delivery of drugs that operates only when the supply voltage is higher than a predetermined threshold is provided. The apparatus includes a current control circuit for controlling the current in an iontophoretic patch, and a supply voltage detection circuit. When a low supply voltage is detected, the current control circuit is disabled, which stops the iontophoretic current, thereby stopping the delivery of drugs.

Abstract: An iontophoresis system includes a transdermal patch for placement against the skin of a patient and a controller electrically connected to the patch. The patch includes an anode and cathode electrode, and holds an electrolyte and a medication. The controller includes a DC--DC converter circuit which generates an output voltage that is provided to the anode electrode. The controller also includes an adjustable current regulator circuit. The current regulator circuit is coupled to the cathode electrode and is adjustable to provide a desired current flow through the electrodes and the skin of the patient. The DC--DC converter circuit is responsive to the voltage drop across the electrodes and adjusts its output voltage in response to this voltage drop and changes in the impedance of the patient's skin.

Abstract: A circuit for causing a voltage step in a battery of a plurality of serially-connected cells is provided. The circuit causes one or more of the cells to discharge through a resistor at a higher rate than the other cells, thus producing a voltage step when the faster discharging cell dies before the other cells. A reverse-biased diode is connected in parallel to the faster discharging cell to cause the current to bypass the faster discharging cell after it has died, thus preventing it from reverse charging. This circuit may be controlled to adjust the higher rate of discharge, and thus the time of occurrence of the voltage step.

Abstract: An iontophoretic controller is provided. The controller is electrically connected via two electrical connectors to a patch consisting of two electrodes, the two electrodes are respectively positioned in an active reservoir and a return reservoir of the patch. A current is applied to the patch when the iontophoretic controller is turned on or otherwise activated. A waveform, such as the patch voltage, is measured over a predetermined time interval. A change in the measured voltage is compared to a threshold. If the change in measured voltage exceeds the threshold, the controller takes an action, such as providing a warning or discontinuing the application of current.

Abstract: A fail-safe iontophoretic drug delivery apparatus and a corresponding method is provided. The apparatus includes a current generating circuit for sending a current through a patch, error detection circuitry, and a control circuit. The control circuit controls the current generating circuit. When errors are detected in the apparatus, the control circuit stops the current and disables itself.

Abstract: An iontophoretic drug delivery device includes a controller normally being in an off or low power consumption state, and a patch including electrodes, a reservoir containing an ionizable drug for transcutaneous delivery to a patient and a return reservoir. The patch is removably and electrically connectable to the controller, and delivers the drug to patient when the patch is on the patient's skin and when the controller is switched from the off or low power consumption state to an operational state. This occurs when the patch is inserted into the controller. This feature preserves the battery of the controller. Upon patch insertion, the controller periodically changes from a non-current delivery state to a current delivery state for the predetermined period of time to deliver a pulse of current to the inserted patch. A current sensor within the controller measures the current delivered to the patch.

Abstract: An iontophoretic drug delivery system of the present invention includes a controller interconnectable with a drug-filled patch. The controller includes electronic circuitry which monitors and controls the supply of electrical current to the drug-filled patch during delivery of at least one drug, and the electronic circuitry includes a circuit for causing a voltage step in a battery of a plurality of serially-connected cells. Specifically, the circuit causes one or more of the cells to discharge through a resistor at a higher rate than the other cells, thus producing a voltage step when the faster discharging cell dies before the other cells. A reverse-biased diode is connected in parallel to the faster discharging cell to cause the current to bypass the faster discharging cell after it has died, thus preventing it from reverse charging. This circuitry may be controlled to adjust the higher rate of discharge, and thus the time of occurrence of the voltage step.

Abstract: A iontophoretic drug delivery apparatus and a corresponding method is provided. The apparatus includes a switched-capacitor DC--DC voltage converter to step up a supply voltage, and a current control circuit that draws current from the stepped-up voltage.

Abstract: An iontophoretic drug delivery device of the present invention includes a power source and an electrode assembly containing at least two electrodes, in electrical contact with a first reservoir and a second reservoir. The present invention also includes at least three electrodes in a three electrode embodiment, with the third electrode in electrical contact with a third reservoir. In either embodiment, the first reservoir and the second reservoir contain an active agent to be delivered to an applied area of a patient. The present invention also includes in its two electrode embodiment a switch for reversing the flow of current or in its three electrode embodiment a switch for switching the flow of current, so as to reduce sensation. The devices also include a timer for controlling the amount of time the electrical current flows in each direction.

Abstract: An apparatus and method of delivering drugs from multiple sites on a patients body is provided. A controller is used at each site, and these controllers communicate with each other to coordinate drug delivery from the multiple sites. In a preferred embodiment, the drugs are delivered using iontophoresis.

Abstract: An iontophoretic drug delivery system having a patch including a medicament containing surface, and a controller having circuits which supply electric current to effect the iontophoretic drug delivery. The patch is detachably coupled to the controller and includes a plurality of spaced-apart electrical contacts. The controller includes an elastomeric connector which is made of alternating sections of electrically conductive and electrically non-conductive material. The electrically conductive material of the elastomeric connector is coupled to the controller circuiting. During transcutaneous drug delivery, the patch is connected to the controller such that the electrically conductive sections of the elastomeric connector are also coupled to respective spaced-apart electrical contacts of the patch so that the controller can control the rate and duration of the drug delivery.

Abstract: An iontophoretic drug delivery device including an improved controller is disclosed. More specifically, the controller includes a number of features including a controller which records the number of times that it has been used. The controller records the number of uses and, after a predetermined number of uses, the controller will no longer operate. Similarly, the controller may include a microprocessor which times a useful life of the controller, such as five (5) years. Once the timer has timed a predetermined length of time, the controller will indicate that it is no longer useable and should be discarded. The microprocessor of the controller may also be used for storage of a unique serial number embedded in the read only memory of the microprocessor for traceability purposes. Additionally, the unique serial number may be used as a security measure to ensure that the correct controller is used with the proper patch.

Abstract: An iontophoretic system including a controller and a patch is provided. The controller has a receiving portion including an upper surface and a lower surface, and a member protruding from the lower surface in a ramp-like fashion toward the upper surface and terminating in a top edge near the upper surface. The patch has an interconnection tab including an opening for engaging the protruding member of the controller when the interconnection tab is inserted into the receiving portion of the controller and the opening falls over the top edge of the protruding member.