Bottle -cap medication reminder and overdose safeguard

• US 20030063522A1
• Filed: 09/28/2001
• Published: 04/03/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 09/28/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Koninklijke Philips Electronics N.V. (Koninklijke Philips N.V.)
• Original Assignee: Koninklijke Philips Electronics N.V. (Koninklijke Philips N.V.)
• Inventors: Sagar, Richard Bryan
• Granted Patent: US 6,604,650 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 368/10
• 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: G16H 20/13 delivered from dispensers
• CPC Class Codes: Y02A 90/10 Information and communication technologies [ICT] supporting adaptation to climate change, e.g. for weather forecasting or climate simulation

Abstract

A medicine-dispensing system has a medication reminder to assist the patient in following a drug regimen. In an example embodiment, a medication reminder comprises a timer programmable to a predetermined interval. A user-alert is responsive to the timer, reminding the user to take a dose of medicine at the predetermined interval. A sensor detects whether a dose of medicine has been taken and a dose-indication informs the user of the time since a last medication. The dose indication further informs the user as to whether to take a next medication dose. Time of the last dose is determined by the timer receiving a signal from the sensor. A communications interface enables programming of a parameter associated with administering a medication.

Claims

1. A container comprising an interface part for enabling a user to be reminded of taking a dose of a substance in the container, the interface part comprising:

a timer; and

a user-alert generator coupled to the timer for generating an alert upon a predetermined time interval.

2. The container of claim 1, wherein the user-alert generator further comprises,

a sensor to detect whether a closure has been removed from the container;

and

a dose-indication informing the user of the time since a last substance dose was taken, the dose-indication further informing the user as to whether to take a next substance dose, the time of the last dose being determined by the timer receiving a signal from the sensor.

3. The container of claim 1 further comprising:

a communications interface enabling programming of a parameter associated with the alert to administer the substance.

4. The container of claim 3, wherein the communications interface enables the programming via at least one of the following:

a PDA, a laptop computer, a desktop computer, a wireless telephone.

5. A medication reminder system, comprising:

a timer programmable to a predetermined interval;

a user-reminder responsive to the timer, for reminding the user to take a dose of medicine upon the predetermined interval having elapsed;

a sensor to detect whether a dose of medicine has been taken; and

a dose-indicator informing the user of the time since a last medication dose, the dose-indicator further informing the user as to whether to take a next medication dose, the time of the last dose being determined by the timer receiving a signal from the sensor; and

a communications interface enabling programming of a parameter associated with administering the medication.

6. The medication reminder system of claim 5 wherein the communications interface enables programming the timer via at least one of the following:

a PDA, a laptop computer, a desktop computer, a wireless telephone.

7. The medication reminder system of claim 6 wherein,

the sensor comprises a switch for detecting when a closure is removed from a medicine container.

8. The medication reminder system of claim 7 wherein,

the sensor further comprises at least one of the following switch types:

optical, mechanical, magnetic.

9. The medication reminder system of claim 8 wherein the medication reminder system is integral with at least one of the following:

the closure, the medicine container.

10. A method of reminding to administer a dose of medicine, the method comprising:

sending a reminder via a portable electronic device; and

enabling the device to receive the reminder.

11. A service on a communication network for sending a control message to an electronic device for causing the device to generate a reminder,

wherein the device confirms to the service receipt of the control message and then the service sets a timer for a next control message upon receipt of the confirmation.

12. The service of claim 11, wherein

the device comprises at least one of the following:

a handheld device, a desktop computer, a laptop computer, a wireless telephone handset, cell phone, and PDA.

13. Software for being installed on an electronic apparatus for control of generating an alert upon a prescribed time for reminding of taking a dose of a medicine.