Systems, methods, and apparatuses for managing adherence to a regimen

• US 10,245,216 B2
• Filed: 02/09/2018
• Issued: 04/02/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 02/10/2017
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Rajesh Rawal, Sreenivasan Narayanan
• Original Assignee: Rajesh Rawal, Sreenivasan Narayanan
• Inventors: Rawal, Rajesh, Narayanan, Sreenivasan
• Primary Examiner(s): Tweel, Jr., John A
• Application Number:
  US15/893,573
• Publication Number:
  US 20180228696A1
• Time in Patent Office: 417 Days
• Field of Search: 3406861
• CPC Class Codes: A61J 1/03 for pills or tablets containers for pills or tablets with special dispensing means therefor B65D83/04
• CPC Class Codes: A61J 1/1412 Containers with closing means, e.g. caps
• CPC Class Codes: A61J 2200/30 Compliance analysis for taking medication
• CPC Class Codes: A61J 7/0076 Medicament distribution means with pill counting devices A61J7/02; with time indication A61J7/04; containers or packages with special means for dispensing contents B65D83/00
• CPC Class Codes: A61J 7/0418 with electronic history memory
• 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: A61J 7/049 automatically changing in response to a schedule deviation by the patient
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1656 Details related to functional adaptations of the enclosure, e.g. to provide protection against EMI, shock, water, or to host detachable peripherals like a mouse or removable expansions units like PCMCIA cards, or to provide access to internal components for maintenance or to removable storage supports like CDs or DVDs, or to mechanically mount accessories mounting of accessories to a computer display G06F1/1607; display hoods G06F1/1603; cooling arrangements for portable computers G06F1/203
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/24 Reminder alarms, e.g. anti-loss alarms

Abstract

Methods, systems and apparatuses, including computer programs encoded on computer storage media, are provided for assisting users with adherence to a medication regimen. An attachable device includes a sensor module releasably attached to an adapter, which is in turn attached to a medication container using a connector, such as adhesive tape. The sensor module can be removed from the adapter to change an included battery without removing the adapter from the medication container. The sensor module is in communication with a user device, such as a smart phone. A user can use an app on the user device to create a medicine regimen, or schedule, and send the schedule to the sensor module. The user can also set notification preferences on the user device to be sent to the sensor module. The sensor module includes audio and/or visual transducers that notify the user to take the medication at the scheduled times. The sensor module further includes one or more buttons that are pressed when a user opens the medication container. The button(s) are configured so the push action of the user required to open the container also presses at least one button. The sensor module records the actions of the user, including when the medication container is opened and when a dose of the medication is missed. The user actions can be transmitted to the user device, which can then transmit the recorded actions to a server. The sensor module may be configured to attempt communication with the user device on a periodic basis to conserve battery life.

Claims

1. A device that removably attaches to a medication container, the device comprising:

a housing;

a transducer for notifying a user;

one or more container opening detectors configured to detect when the medication container is opened;

a processor;

a memory configured to store medication information and activity information;

a communication module; and

a connector for attaching the device to the container;

wherein the communication module is configured to send the stored activity information to a user device at a calculated time, wherein the calculated time is determined based on a parameter selected from the group consisting of a user sleep schedule, a user medication schedule, and a time of at least one prior successful transmission of information from the attachable device to the user device.

2. The device of claim 1, wherein the one or more container opening detectors comprise one or more detection buttons.

3. The device of claim 2, wherein the one or more detection buttons are configured to be pressed in the same motion performed to open the medication container.

4. The device of claim 3, wherein the device comprises three detection buttons.

5. The device of claim 3, wherein at least one of the one or more detection buttons is disposed at the top of the housing.

6. The device of claim 5, wherein at least one of the one or more detection buttons protrudes from a top of the housing by between about 0.70 mm and about 1.15 mm.

7. The device of claim 1, wherein the device is configured to be removably attached to the lid of the medication container.

8. The device of claim 7, wherein the housing comprises a diameter of between about 30 mm and about 35 mm.

9. The device of claim 1, wherein the connector comprises pressure sensitive adhesive tape.

10. The device of claim 1, further comprising:

a power source compartment cover configured to removably attach to the housing; and

an adapter, the adapter configured to removably attach to the housing such that the adapter substantially covers the power source compartment cover, and wherein the connector is configured to attach the adapter to the container.

11. A device removably attachable to a medication container comprising a processor and a memory storing instructions that when executed by the processor cause the processor to perform operations comprising:

receiving medication information and notification information from a user device, the medication information comprising a time for taking the medication;

notifying a user at the time for taking the medication;

receiving a signal indicating the user has opened the medication container;

storing a dosage time indicating the time the medication container was opened;

calculating a transmission time to send the stored dosage time to the user device, the calculation based on at least one prior successful transmission of information from the attachable device to the user device; and

sending the stored dosage time to the user device at the calculated transmission time.

12. The device of claim 11, wherein the device is attachable to the lid of the medication container.

13. The device of claim 11, wherein the device comprises at least one detection button, and further wherein the signal indicating the user has opened the medication container is based on the user having pressed at least one of the at least one detection button.

14. The device of claim 13, wherein the at least one detection button is configured to be pressed in the same motion performed to open the medication container.

15. The device of claim 14, wherein the device comprises three detection buttons.

16. The device of claim 11, wherein the calculation of the transmission time is further based on a medication schedule of the user.

17. The device of claim 11, wherein the calculation of the transmission time is further based on a sleep schedule of the user.

18. The device of claim 11, wherein the operations further comprise notifying the user that the container has been opened.