Method of intelligently dispensing medicaments

• US 20060249525A1
• Filed: 07/11/2006
• Published: 11/09/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 09/13/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Helene Laliberte, Michael Handfield
• Original Assignee: Helene Laliberte, Michael Handfield
• Inventors: Handfield, Michael, Laliberte, Helene
• Granted Patent: US 7,844,362 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 221/162
• 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 2205/30 Printed labels
• 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 7/0084 for multiple medicaments
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 20/66 Trinkets, e.g. shirt buttons or jewellery items recognising microscopic objects G06V20/69
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 11/24 Rotary or oscillatory members
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 11/38 in which the magazines are horizontal
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 11/44 in which magazines the articles are stored in bulk
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 11/62 in which the articles are stored in compartments in fixed receptacles
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/0092 for assembling and dispensing of pharmaceutical articles medical dispensers for private use, A61J7/00
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 9/026 for alarm, monitoring and auditing in vending machines or means for indication, e.g. when empty
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 20/13 delivered from dispensers
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 40/67 for remote operation

Abstract

The invention relates to a medicament dispensing container for dispensing medicaments contained therein and further including electronic circuitry for performing various functions such as, for example, determining an operating mode of the container, determining if the data stored in the memory device is up to date, determining if a new container needs to be ordered, determining if the medicament units have been recalled, determining if the container is to be returned for credit, determining if the medicament units may cause adverse side effects to a specified patient, and determining if the container is to be discarded.

Claims

1. A method of dispensing medicaments, comprising:

accessing a memory device contained within a housing of a medicaments container to retrieve data pertaining to the medicaments container, wherein the medicaments container stores a plurality of medicament units to be dispensed to a patient;

establishing a communication link between an electronic device contained within the medicaments container and a device external to the medicaments container; and

determining, based on communications between the medicaments container and the external device and at least a portion of the data stored in the memory device, whether the container is in one of a plurality of operating modes.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the plurality of operating modes comprises a loading mode, shipping mode, inventory mode or dispensing mode.

3. The method of claim 2 wherein if it is determined that the container is in dispensing mode, the method further comprises uploading at least a portion of the stored in the memory device to the external device, wherein the external device comprises a medicaments dispensing machine coupled to the container.

4. The method of claim 2 further comprising determining whether the data stored in the memory device is up-to-date and, if it is determined that the information is not up-to-date, initiating downloading of up-to-date data from the external device for storage in the memory device.

5. The method of claim 1 further comprising determining whether a new container containing a plurality of medicament units needs to be ordered and, if so, sending a reorder signal to an external device.

6. The method of claim 1 further comprising determining whether the plurality of medicament units has been recalled.

7. The method of claim 1 further comprising determining whether the container is being returned for credit.

8. The method of claim 1 further comprising determining whether the plurality of medicament units may cause adverse side effects to a patient.

9. The method of claim 1 further comprising determining whether the container is to be discarded and, if so, erasing at least a portion of the data stored in the memory device.

10. A method of dispensing medicaments, comprising:

receiving a medicaments container storing a plurality of medicament units to be dispensed to a patient;

accessing data pertaining to the medicaments container from a memory device within a housing of the medicaments container; and

making logic decisions related to the dispensing of the medicaments based at least in part on the data stored in the memory device.

11. The method of claim 10 wherein the logic decisions comprise determining whether the container is in one of a plurality of operating modes.

12. The method of claim 11 wherein the plurality of operating modes comprises a loading mode, shipping mode, inventory mode or dispensing mode.

13. The method of claim 10 further comprising uploading at least a portion of the data stored in the memory device to an external device.

14. The method of claim 13 wherein the external device is a computer network server.

15. The method of claim 13 wherein the external device is a transponder.

16. The method of claim 13 further comprising downloading data from the external device and storing the data from the external device in the memory device.

17. The method of claim 16 wherein the data downloaded from the external device comprises information pertaining to one or more symptoms of a patient.

18. The method of claim 17 wherein the information pertaining to the one or more symptoms is represented by one or more codes assigned to the one or more symptoms, respectively.

19. The method of claim 16 further comprising determining whether the medicament units are appropriate for the patient based on the data downloaded from the external device.

20. The method of claim 16 further comprising determining whether the medicament units are having an intended effect on the patient based on the data downloaded from the external device.

21. The method of claim 16 wherein the electronic device is further configured to determine whether a dosage of the medicament units for the patient should be modified based on the data downloaded from the external device.

22. A method of dispensing medicaments, comprising:

storing a plurality of medicament units within a housing of a medicaments container;

storing data pertaining to the container within a memory device contained within the housing; and

providing an electronic device within the housing, wherein the electronic device is configured to communicate with an external device and make logic decisions related to the dispensing of the medicament units based at least in part on the data stored in the memory device.

23. The method of claim 22 wherein the logic decisions comprise determining whether the container is in one of a plurality of operating modes.

24. The method of claim 23 wherein the plurality of operating modes comprises a loading mode, shipping mode, inventory mode or dispensing mode.

25. The method of claim 22 wherein the electronic device is further configured to upload at least a portion of the data stored in the memory device to an external device.

26. The method of claim 25 wherein the external device is a computer network server.

27. The method of claim 25 wherein the external device is a transponder.

28. The method of claim 25 wherein the electronic device is further configured to download data from the external device and store the data from the external device in the memory device.

29. The method of claim 28 wherein the data downloaded from the external device comprises information pertaining to one or more symptoms of a patient.

30. The method of claim 29 wherein the information pertaining to the one or more symptoms is represented by one or more codes assigned to the one or more symptoms, respectively.

31. The method of claim 28 wherein the electronic device is further configured to determine whether the medicament units are appropriate for the patient based on the data downloaded from the external device.

32. The method of claim 28 wherein the electronic device is further configured to determine whether the medicament units are having an intended effect on the patient based on the data downloaded from the external device.

33. The method of claim 28 wherein the electronic device is further configured to determine whether a dosage of the medicament units for the patient should be modified based on the data downloaded from the external device.

34. A method of dispensing medicaments, comprising:

storing a plurality of medicament units within a housing of a medicaments container;

storing data pertaining to the container within a memory device contained within the housing; and

providing an electronic device within the housing, wherein the electronic device is configured to communicate with an external device and dispense the plurality of medicaments based at least in part on the data stored in the memory device, the electronic device being further configured to determine whether the data stored in the memory device is up to date.

35. The method of claim 34 wherein, if it is determined that the data stored in the memory device is not up to date, the electronic device is configured to receive up to date data from the external device and store the up to date data in the memory device.

36. A method of dispensing medicaments comprising:

storing a plurality of medicament units within a housing of a medicaments container;

storing data pertaining to the container within a memory device contained within the housing;

providing an electronic device within the housing, wherein the electronic device is configured to communicate with an external device and dispense the plurality of medicament units based at least in part on the data stored in the memory device, the electronic device being further configured to determine whether a new container containing a plurality of medicament units needs to be reordered.

37. The method of claim 36 wherein the electronic device is further configured to determine the number of medicament units remaining in the tray, and if the number is below a predetermined amount, transmit a signal to the external device so as to initiate automatic re-ordering of a new container containing the same medicament units.

38. The method of claim 36 wherein the electronic device is further configured to determine if an expiration date of the medicament units has expired and, if so, transmit a signal to the external device so as to initiate automatic re-ordering of a new container containing the same medicament units.

39. A method of dispensing medicaments, comprising:

storing a plurality of medicament units within a housing of a medicaments container;

storing data pertaining to the container within a memory device contained within the housing;

providing an electronic device within the housing, wherein the electronic device is configured to communicate with an external device and dispense the plurality of medicament units based at least in part on the data stored in the memory device, the electronic device being further configured to determine whether the medicament units contained in the container have been recalled.

40. The method of claim 39 wherein if the medicament units have been recalled, the electronic device is further configured to transmit a signal to the external device indicating that the container is being returned for credit.

41. The method of claim 39 wherein if the medicament units have been recalled, the electronic device is further configured to erase at least a portion of the data stored in the memory device and transmit a signal to the external device indicating that the container is being discarded.

42. A method of dispensing medicaments, comprising:

storing a plurality of medicament units within a housing of a medicaments container;

storing data pertaining to the container within a memory device contained within the housing;

providing an electronic device within the housing, wherein the electronic device is configured to communicate with an external device and dispense the plurality of medicament units based at least in part on the data stored in the memory device, the electronic device being further configured to determine whether the medicament units may cause adverse side effects to a patient for whom the medicament units have been prescribed.

43. The method of claim 42 wherein if it is determined the medicament units may cause adverse side effects to the patient, the electronic device is further configured to transmit a signal to the external device indicating that the container is being returned for credit.

44. The method of claim 42 wherein if it is determined the medicament units may cause adverse side effects to the patient, the electronic device is further configured to erase at least a portion of the data stored in the memory device and transmit a signal to the external device indicating that the container is being discarded.

45. A method of dispensing medicaments, comprising:

storing a plurality of medicament units within a housing of a medicaments container;

storing data pertaining to the container within a memory device contained within the housing;

providing an electronic device within the housing, wherein the electronic device is configured to communicate with an external device and dispense the plurality of medicament units based at least in part on the data stored in the memory device, the electronic device being further configured to determine whether the container is being returned for credit.

46. A method of dispensing medicaments, comprising:

storing a plurality of medicament units within a housing of a medicaments container;

storing data pertaining to the container within a memory device contained within the housing;

providing an electronic device within the housing, wherein the electronic device is configured to communicate with an external device and dispense the plurality of medicament units based at least in part on the data stored in the memory device, the electronic device being further configured to determine whether the container is to be discarded.

47. The method of claim 46 wherein if the electronic device determines the container is to be discarded, the electronic device initiates erasing at least a portion of the data stored in the memory device.

48. A method of dispensing medicaments, comprising:

storing a plurality of medicament units within a housing of a medicaments container, wherein the plurality of medicament units are intended to be dispensed to a patient;

storing data pertaining to the container within a memory device contained within the housing;

providing an electronic device within the housing, wherein the electronic device is configured to communicate with an external device and make interactive decisions based on communications with the external device and at least part of the data stored in the memory device, the interactive decisions comprising one or more decisions from a group consisting of;

determining an operating mode of the container, determining if the data stored in the memory device is up to date, determining if a new container needs to be ordered, determining if the medicament units have been recalled, determining if the container is to be returned for credit, determining if the medicament units may cause adverse side effects to a specified patient, and determining if the container is to be discarded.

49. The method of claim 48 wherein the operating mode is selected from a group consisting of a loading mode, a shipping mode, an inventory mode or a dispensing mode.

50. A method of dispensing medicaments, comprising:

storing a plurality of medicament units within a housing of a medicaments container;

storing data pertaining to the container within a memory device contained within the housing;

providing an electronic device within the housing, wherein the electronic device is configured to communicate with an external device and dispense the plurality of medicament units based at least in part on the data stored in the memory device, the electronic device being further configured to determine if the container is coupled to medicaments loading equipment, coupled to a medicaments dispensing machine, in shipping transit mode, or in inventory mode.

51. The method of claim 50 wherein if it is determined that the container is coupled to a medicaments dispensing machine, the electronic device is further configured to upload at least a portion of the data stored in the memory device to the medicaments dispensing machine.

52. The method of claim 50 wherein if it is determined that the container is coupled to a medicaments dispensing machine, the electronic device is further configured to determine whether the data stored in the memory device is up-to-date.

53. The method of claim 50 wherein if it is determined that the container is coupled to a medicaments dispensing machine, the electronic device is further configured to determine the number of medicament units remaining in the container, and if the number is below a predetermined amount, automatically re-order a new container containing the same medicament units.

54. The method of claim 50 wherein the electronic device is further configured to determine if the medicament units have been recalled.

55. The method of claim 50 wherein the electronic device is further configured to determine if the container is being returned for credit.

56. The method of claim 50 wherein the electronic device is further configured to determine if the medicament units may have adverse side effects to a specified patient.

57. The method of claim 50 wherein the electronic device is further configured to determine if the container is to be discarded.

58. A method of dispensing medicaments, comprising:

storing a plurality of medicament units within a housing of a medicaments container, the medicaments units being intended for dispensing to a patient;

storing data and instructions pertaining to the container within a memory device contained within the housing; and

providing an electronic device within the housing, wherein the electronic device is configured to communicate with an external device and proactively perform functions based on the instructions stored in the memory device.

59. The method of claim 58 wherein the functions comprise determining if the data stored in the memory device is up to date.

60. The method of claim 58 wherein the functions comprise determining the number of medicament units remaining in the container, and if the number is below a predetermined amount, automatically re-ordering a new container containing the same medicament units.

61. The method of claim 58 wherein the functions comprise determining if the container is being recalled.

62. The method of claim 58 wherein the functions comprise determining if the container is being returned for credit.

63. The method of claim 58 wherein the functions comprise determining if the medicament units may potentially cause adverse effects to a patient.

64. The method of claim 58 wherein the functions comprise determining if the container is to be discarded and, if so, erasing at least a portion of the data from the memory device.

65. A method of dispensing medicaments, comprising:

storing a plurality of medicament units within a housing of a medicaments container, the medicaments units being intended for dispensing to a patient;

providing an outlet in the housing to dispense the medicament units;

providing a dispensing mechanism contained in the housing for moving at least one medicament unit at a time toward the outlet for dispensing;

storing data and instructions pertaining to the container within a memory device contained within the housing; and

providing an electronic device within the housing, wherein the electronic device is configured to communicate with an external device and execute one or more functions based on the instructions stored in the memory device.

66. The method of claim 65 wherein the one or more functions comprises determining an operating mode of the container.

67. The method of claim 66 wherein the operating mode is selected from a group consisting of a loading mode, a shipping mode, an inventory mode and a dispensing mode.

68. A method of dispensing medicaments, comprising:

storing a plurality of medicament units within a housing of a medicaments container, the medicaments units being intended for dispensing to a patient;

storing data and instructions pertaining to the container within a memory device contained within the housing; and

providing an electronic device within the housing, wherein the electronic device is configured to execute functions in accordance with the instructions, the functions comprising determining if the container is coupled to the medicaments dispensing machine, medicament loading equipment, in shipping mode, or in inventory mode.

69. A method of dispensing medicaments, comprising:

storing a plurality of medicament units within a housing of a medicaments container, the medicaments units being intended for dispensing to a patient;

storing data and instructions pertaining to the container within a memory device contained within the housing; and

providing an electronic device within the housing, wherein the electronic device is configured to execute functions in accordance with the instructions, the functions comprising determining whether the data stored in the memory device is up-to-date.

70. A method of dispensing medicaments, comprising:

storing a plurality of medicament units within a housing of a medicaments container, the medicaments units being intended for dispensing to a patient;

storing data and instructions pertaining to the container within a memory device contained within the housing; and

providing an electronic device within the housing, wherein the electronic device is configured to execute functions in accordance with the instructions, the functions comprising determining the number of medicament units remaining in the container, and if the number is below a predetermined amount, automatically re-ordering a new container containing the same medicament units.

71. A method of dispensing medicaments, comprising:

storing a plurality of medicament units within a housing of a medicaments container, the medicaments units being intended for dispensing to a patient;

storing data and instructions pertaining to the container within a memory device contained within the housing; and

providing an electronic device within the housing, wherein the electronic device is configured to execute functions in accordance with the instructions, the functions comprising determining if the container has been recalled.

72. A method of dispensing medicaments, comprising:

storing a plurality of medicament units within a housing of a medicaments container, the medicaments units being intended for dispensing to a patient;

storing data and instructions pertaining to the container within a memory device contained within the housing; and

providing an electronic device within the housing, wherein the electronic device is configured to execute functions in accordance with the instructions, the functions comprising determining if the container is being returned for credit.

73. A method of dispensing medicaments, comprising:

storing a plurality of medicament units within a housing of a medicaments container, the medicaments units being intended for dispensing to a patient;

storing data and instructions pertaining to the container within a memory device contained within the housing; and

providing an electronic device within the housing, wherein the electronic device is configured to execute functions in accordance with the instructions, the functions comprising determining if the medicament units may potentially cause adverse effects to a patient.

74. A method of dispensing medicaments, comprising:

storing a plurality of medicament units within a housing of a medicaments container, the medicaments units being intended for dispensing to a patient;

storing data and instructions pertaining to the container within a memory device contained within the housing; and

providing an electronic device within the housing, wherein the electronic device is configured to execute functions in accordance with the instructions, the functions comprising determining if the tray is to be discarded and, if so, erasing at least a portion of the data stored in the memory device.