Apparatus and method for improved drug regimen compliance

• US 10,083,594 B2
• Filed: 07/29/2016
• Issued: 09/25/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 04/08/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Philips Healthcare Informatics Incorporated (Koninklijke Philips N.V.)
• Original Assignee: Quantaed, Llc
• Inventors: Mehregany, Mehran, Roham, Masoud
• Primary Examiner(s): Ghulamali, Qutbuddin
• Application Number:
  US15/223,779
• Publication Number:
  US 20170294105A1
• Time in Patent Office: 788 Days
• Field of Search: 3405681
• CPC Class Codes: A61J 1/035 Blister-type containers blisters in general B65D75/36
• CPC Class Codes: A61J 2200/30 Compliance analysis for taking medication
• CPC Class Codes: A61J 2205/70 Audible labels, e.g. for pre-recorded info or messages
• CPC Class Codes: A61J 7/0436 resulting from removing a drug from, or opening, a container
• CPC Class Codes: A61J 7/0481 working on a schedule basis
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/24 Reminder alarms, e.g. anti-loss alarms
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 20/13 delivered from dispensers

Abstract

A method and apparatus for monitoring drug-regimen compliance is disclosed. Systems in accordance with the present invention enable automatic monitoring of the state of medicine content of a blister card. Each tablet location on the blister card is operatively coupled with a different sensor that detects whether the tablet location is occupied and/or a dispensing event at a tablet location. In some embodiments, capacitive sensing is employed, where the capacitance of each sensor is based on the physical state of a dispensing region of the lidding film of the blister pack, which is located at the tablet location being monitored. Alternative sensing approaches are based on optical, acoustic, and tactile sensors that interrogate either the dispensing region at each tablet location or the tablets themselves to determine whether tablets have been dispensed. The sensors interface with a mobile app that provides the user instructions to help improve drug-regimen compliance.

Claims

1. A system for monitoring the state of at least one blister card that includes a forming film, a lidding film, and a first tablet contained in a first reservoir defined by the forming film and the lidding film, wherein the system comprises:

a housing that is operative for locating the blister card in a first position;

a first detection module comprising a first sensor that includes a first capacitor having a first capacitance that is based on the physical state of a first dispensing region of the lidding film, wherein the first reservoir includes the first dispensing region, and wherein the first sensor is operative for providing a first electrical signal that is based on the first capacitance, and further wherein the first sensor includes a first electrode, a second electrode, and a third electrode, the second and third electrodes collectively defining the first capacitor, and the first and second electrodes collectively defining a second capacitor having a second capacitance that is based on a fringing field between the dispensing region and the first electrode, and wherein the first capacitance is based on the second capacitance; and

an electronics module that is operative for providing a first output signal based on the first electrical signal.

2. The system of claim 1 wherein the second electrode is between the first electrode and third electrode, and wherein the first electrode and third electrode collectively define an electrical shield for the second electrode.

3. The system of claim 2 further comprising a shielding line that substantially surrounds the second electrode in a first plane, wherein the first electrode, third electrode, and shielding line collectively define an electrical shield for the second electrode.

4. A system that is operative for monitoring the state of a first blister card that includes a first forming film, a first lidding film, and a first plurality of tablets that is arranged in a first arrangement, wherein each tablet of the first plurality thereof is contained in a different reservoir of a first plurality of reservoirs defined by the first forming film and first lidding film, wherein the system comprises:

a first detection module comprising a first plurality of sensors arranged in the first arrangement such that there is a one-to-one correspondence between the first plurality of sensors and the first plurality of reservoirs, wherein each sensor of the first plurality thereof includes a capacitor whose capacitance is based on the physical state of a different dispensing region of a first plurality of dispensing regions of the first lidding film, and wherein each sensor is operative for providing an electrical signal of a first plurality thereof such that each electrical signal of the first plurality thereof is based on the capacitance of its capacitor, and further wherein a first sensor of the plurality thereof includes a first electrode, a second electrode, and a third electrode, the first electrode and second electrode collectively defining the capacitor of the first sensor, and wherein the capacitor has a first capacitance that is based on a fringing field between the first electrode and a first dispensing region of the plurality thereof; and

an electronics module operative for providing a first output signal based on the first plurality of electrical signals.

5. The system of claim 4 wherein the second electrode is between the first electrode and third electrode, and wherein the first electrode and third electrode are operative as an electrical shield for the second electrode.

6. The system of claim 5 further comprising a shielding line that substantially surrounds the second electrode in a first plane, wherein the first electrode, third electrode, and shielding line collectively define an electrical shield for the second electrode.