Apparatus and method for improved drug regimen compliance

• US 10,282,971 B2
• Filed: 08/10/2018
• Issued: 05/07/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 04/08/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Quantaed, Llc
• Original Assignee: Quantaed, Llc
• Inventors: Mehregany, Mehran
• Primary Examiner(s): Ghulamali, Qutbuddin
• Application Number:
  US16/100,430
• Publication Number:
  US 20190005800A1
• Time in Patent Office: 270 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:

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

(2) a first detection module comprising a first sensor that includes;

(i) an acoustic transmitter that transmits a first acoustic signal; and

(ii) an acoustic receiver operative for providing a first electrical signal based on the magnitude of a second acoustic signal that has a first magnitude when the first reservoir contains the first tablet and a second magnitude when the first reservoir does not contain the first tablet;

wherein the acoustic transmitter and acoustic receiver are arranged such that the acoustic transmitter transmits the first acoustic signal toward the first reservoir and the acoustic receiver receives the second acoustic signal from the first reservoir; and

(3) an electronics module that is operative for receiving the first electrical signal from the first sensor and providing a first output signal based on the first electrical signal.

2. The system of claim 1 wherein the electronics module is operative for providing the first output signal as a wireless signal.

3. The system of claim 1 further comprising a tactile sensor that is operative for detecting a force applied to the blister card.

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

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

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 photodetector that is dimensioned and arranged to provide a first electrical signal based on a first light signal that is received from the first reservoir, wherein the first light signal comprises ambient light; and

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

5. The system of claim 4 further comprising a tactile sensor that is operative for detecting a force applied to the blister card.

6. The system of claim 4 wherein the electronics module is operative for providing the first output signal as a wireless signal.

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

providing a detection module comprising a plurality of sensors that is arranged in the first arrangement such that there is a one-to-one correspondence between the plurality of sensors and the plurality of reservoirs, wherein each sensor of the plurality thereof provides a first electrical signal, and wherein each sensor is selected from the group consisting of;

(1) an acoustic sensor that includes an acoustic transmitter and an acoustic receiver, wherein the acoustic transmitter transmits a first acoustic signal toward its respective reservoir and the acoustic receiver provides the first electrical signal based on the magnitude of a second acoustic signal that includes at least a portion of the first acoustic signal, and wherein the second acoustic signal has a first magnitude when the reservoir contains a tablet and a second magnitude when the reservoir does not contain a tablet;

(2) a tactile sensor that is operative for providing the first electrical signal based on a force applied to its respective reservoir; and

(3) a photodetector that is configured to provide the first electrical signal based on a light signal that is received from its respective reservoir, wherein the light signal comprises ambient light;

determining a physical state of the blister card based on the plurality of first electrical signals;

comparing the physical state of the blister card with an expected state of the blister card, wherein the expected state is based on a predetermined prescription regimen for the plurality of tablets; and

providing an output signal based on the physical state of the blister card relative to the expected state.

8. The method of claim 7 wherein the output signal is provided as a wireless signal.

9. The method of claim 7 further comprising monitoring the time and date, wherein the expected state is based on the monitored time and date.

10. The method of claim 7 further comprising providing a second electrical signal when a force on the blister card is detected, the second electrical signal being provided by a tactile sensor that is operatively coupled with the blister card.

11. The method of claim 7 further comprising initiating an error signal if the physical state and expected state are different.