System for influencing and monitoring the movement of products

• US 20060282300A1
• Filed: 05/26/2006
• Published: 12/14/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 05/26/2005
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: GW Pharmaceuticals Limited (Jazz Pharmaceuticals Plc)
• Original Assignee: GW Pharmaceuticals Limited (Jazz Pharmaceuticals Plc)
• Inventors: Dave, Rajiv Bobby
• Application Number:
  US11/442,034
• Publication Number:
  US 20060282300A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/8
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06 Resources, workflows, human or project management; Enterprise or organisation planning; Enterprise or organisation modelling
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/08 Logistics, e.g. warehousing, loading or distribution; Inventory or stock management
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 10/20 for electronic clinical trials or questionnaires
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 20/10 relating to drugs or medications, e.g. for ensuring correct administration to patients
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 40/67 for remote operation

Abstract

The present invention relates to a system for influencing and monitoring the movement of products between points along a pathway. The invention enables monitoring of products throughout the entire supply chain from, for example, the site of manufacture to the end-user, for example, the patient. At least one point-product interface may enable the influence of the products movement at each step of the pathway.

Claims

1. A system for:

influencing the movement of one or more products [3] between points [1, 2] along a pathway; and

managing data [4(a)-(f)] associated with the one or more products [3] and their movement between the points [1,2];

comprising;

one or more information repositories [7];

one or more hubs [6] allowing access to and from the information repositories; and

at least one point-product interface [5] for communicating data [4(a)-(f)] to and from the information repositories [7];

wherein the point-product interface [5];

operates in real-time; and

influences movement of the one or more products [3] between points [1,2] along the pathway by communicating data [4(a)-(f)] associated with at least;

the products [3]; and

the points [1,2];

and after communicating with the one or more information repositories [7] is able to authorise movement of the one or more products [3] to the next point [2].

2. A system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the point-product interface [5] is able to authorise movement of the one or more products [3] to the next point [2] after further communicating with a product handler.

3. A system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the point-product interface [5] additionally allows an authorised user access to particular data from the system.

4. A system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the point-product interface [5] additionally manipulates the data [4(a)-(f)].

5. A system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the point-product interface [5] additionally manipulates the one or more products [3].

6. A system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the point-product interface [5] additionally manipulates the point [1,2].

7. A system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the point-product interface [5] after communicating with the one or more information repositories [7] forbids and locks or otherwise disables the one or more products [3] preventing movement.

8. A system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the one or more products [3] is a drug and the points [1,2] are steps associated with movement of the drug along a supply chain.

9. A method for influencing in real-time the movement of one or more products [3] along a pathway and managing data [4(a)-(f)] associated with the one or more products [3] and their movement between the points [1,2] comprising the steps of:

obtaining data [4(a)] associated with the one or more products [3] and the points [1,2];

communicating data [4(c)] through one or more hubs [6] to one or more information repositories [7];

analysing the data [4(e)] communicated to the one or more information repositories [7];

communicating the data [4(b),(d),(f)] back to the one or more products [3] or points [1,2]; and

authorising or forbidding the one or products [3] to be moved to the next point [2].

10. A method as claimed in claim 9, wherein the one or more products [3] is a drug and the points [1,2] are steps associated with movement of the drug along a supply chain.

11. A method as claimed in claim 9, wherein one point along the pathway is a place of drug manufacture [20] and another point along the pathway is a warehouse [30].

12. A method as claimed in claim 9, wherein one point along the pathway is a doctor [50] and another point along the pathway is a patient [60].

13. A method as claimed in claim 9, wherein one point along the pathway is a place of drug manufacture [20], another point along the pathway is a warehouse [30] and a further point along the pathway is a pharmacy [70].

14. A method as claimed in claim 9, wherein one point along the pathway is a doctor [50], another point along the pathway is a patient [60] and a further point along the pathway is a pharmacy [70].

15. A method as claimed in claim 9, wherein one point along the pathway is a place of drug manufacture [20], another point along the pathway is a warehouse [30], a further point along the pathway is a pharmacy [70] and a still further point along the pathway is a drug dispensing device [80].

16. A method as claimed in claim 9, wherein one point along the pathway is a doctor [50], another point along the pathway is a patient [60], a further point along the pathway is a pharmacy [70] and a still further point along the pathway is a drug dispensing device [80].

17. A method as claimed in claim 9, wherein the method further comprises a step which additionally allows an authorised user access to particular data from the system.

18. A method as claimed in claim 17, wherein the authorised user is selected from the following:

pharmaceutical company;

healthcare providers;

government bodies;

institutions.

19. A method as claimed in claim 12, wherein the patient [60,90] is a patient requiring treatment for drug addiction.

20. A method as claimed in claim 12, wherein the patient [60,90] is an elderly or otherwise infirm patient.

21. A method as claimed in claim 12, wherein the patient [60,90] is a child.

22. A method as claimed in claim 12, wherein the patient [60,90] is a patient being treated as part of a clinical trial.

23. A method as claimed in claim 12, wherein the patient [60,90] is a patient being treated in a hospital.

24. A method of allowing an authorised user to access data [4(a)-(f)] associated with the movement of one or more products [3] along a pathway comprising the steps of:

storing data [4(a)-(f)] associated with the movement of the one or more products [3] in one or more information repository [7];

obtaining data associated with the user;

communicating the data associated with the user through one or more hubs [6] to the one or more information repositories [7];

analysing the data associated with the user communicated to the one or more information repositories [7];

authorising or forbidding the user to access the data; and

communicating authorised data back to the user.