Medicament dispenser

• US 20040117062A1
• Filed: 02/23/2004
• Published: 06/17/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 04/02/2001
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Glaxo Group Limited (Glaxosmithkline Holdings Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Glaxo Group Limited (Glaxosmithkline Holdings Ltd.)
• Inventors: Bonney, Stanley George, Robertson, Duncan, Jones, Anthony Patrick
• Application Number:
  US10/473,918
• Publication Number:
  US 20040117062A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 700/237
• 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 7/04 Arrangements for time indication or reminder for taking medicine, e.g. programmed dispensers
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 15/0043 Non-destructive separation of the package, e.g. peeling
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 15/0045 using multiple prepacked dosages on a same carrier, e.g. blisters
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 15/008 Electronic counters
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 15/0083 Timers
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 15/009 using medicine packages with incorporated spraying means, e.g. aerosol cans pocket atomiser of the injector type A61M11/08
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2016/0021 with a proportional output signal, e.g. from a thermistor
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/3553 remote, e.g. between patient's home and doctor's office
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/3569 sublocal, e.g. between console and disposable
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/3584 using modem, internet or bluetooth
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/3592 using telemetric means, e.g. radio or optical transmission
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/6054 Magnetic identification systems
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 10/60 for patient-specific data, e.g. for electronic patient records
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 20/13 delivered from dispensers
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 40/67 for remote operation
• CPC Class Codes: G16Z 99/00 Subject matter not provided for in other main groups of this subclass

Abstract

A method of operating a medicament dispenser for use with a container for holding medicament to be used in the treatment of a patient, said dispenser comprising means for reading first data from said medicament container. A data communication link is used for remotely transmitting second data, derived from said first data, to a node in a communications network via said data communications link.

Claims

1. A method of operating a medicament dispenser for use with a container for holding medicament to be used in the treatment of a patient, said container including an electronic memory comprising first data identifying one or more patient details, wherein said dispenser comprises means for reading data from said medicament container, said method comprising:

reading said first data from said medicament container;

processing said first data to generate second data, derived at least in part from said first data;

providing a data communications link for transmitting data to a remote node via a communications network; and

transmitting said second data to said node via said data communications link.

2. A method according to claim 1, wherein said method comprises:

(a) accessing a patient data record for said patient;

(b) preparing data to be written to said medicament container in response to accessing said patient data record; and

(c) writing said prepared data to the electronic memory in said medicament container, said first data comprising said prepared data.

3. A method according to claim 1 or claim 2, comprising arranging said first data to be analysed in relation to data relating to one or more predetermined conditions for use of said medicament dispenser, and said second data transmitted via said communications link comprises data indicating that said one or more conditions are not met.

4. A method according to any preceding claim, wherein said first data comprises data for identifying a patient to said node.

5. A method according to any preceding claim, wherein said first data comprises treatment regimen data.

6. A method according to any preceding claim, wherein said method comprising receiving a response to said transmitted data, said response being generated at said node in relation to said transmitted data

7. A method according to any preceding claim, in which the step of processing said first data to generate the second data is performed in response to placing the refill into the dispenser.

8. A method according to any preceding claim, including:

retrieving said patient details from the first data;

comparing at least some of the retrieved patient details with data identifying a user of the medicament dispenser;

in the event that the retrieved patient details do not concord with the user data, retrieving a patient record corresponding to the said user, said patient record identifying a type of medicament associated with the user; and

comparing the type of medicament associated with the user with that associated with the patient details.

9. A method according to claim 8, in which the conditions include concordance between the type of medicament associated with the user and that associated with the patient details.

10. A method according to any preceding claim, in which, in the event that the second data comprise said data indicating that said one or more conditions are not met, the method includes deactivating the medicament dispenser.

11. A method according to any preceding claim, wherein said data communications link comprises a link selected from the set of a PSTN link, a cellular radio link, a DSL link, a cable link, a digital television link.

12. A method according to any preceding claim, comprising establishing a data communications link with a first communications device, said first communications device comprising means for providing said communications link.

13. A method according to claim 12, comprising establishing a data communications link with a second communications device, said second communications device comprising means for providing data communications via said first communications device.

14. A method according to claim 13, wherein said second communications device comprises a docking station for receiving said medicament dispenser and for performing data communications therewith.

15. Medicament dispensing apparatus arranged to carry out a method according to any preceding claim.