METHODS AND APPARATUS FOR INCREASING AND/OR FOR MONITORING A PARTY'S COMPLIANCE WITH A SCHEDULE FOR TAKING MEDICINES

• US 20070073560A1
• Filed: 06/13/2006
• Published: 03/29/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 03/10/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Inventor Holdings LLC (Walker Innovation Inc. (f/k/a Patent Properties, Inc.))
• Original Assignee: Walker Digital LLC (Walker Innovation Inc. (f/k/a Patent Properties, Inc.))
• Inventors: Kobayashi, Michiko, Mik, Magdalena, WALKER, JAY, Sammon, Russell, Gelman, Geoffrey, Mayfield, Terry, Golden, Andrew
• Granted Patent: US 8,069,056 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/3
• CPC Class Codes: A61J 2200/74 for weight
• CPC Class Codes: A61J 7/0481 working on a schedule basis
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/087 Inventory or stock management, e.g. order filling, procurement or balancing against orders
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0224 based on user history
• 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 70/40 relating to drugs, e.g. their side effects or intended usage

Abstract

Methods and apparatus are provided for increasing and/or monitoring a party'"'"'s compliance with a schedule for taking medicines. In a first embodiment, a method is provided for use by a first container that is adapted to store a first medicine. The method includes storing information regarding the first medicine and wirelessly communicating a signal between the first container and a second container adapted to store a second medicine. In a second embodiment, a method is provided that includes determining if a first container for storing a first medicine is positioned so as to wirelessly communicate with a second container for storing a second medicine. The method further includes generating data based at least in part on whether the first container is positioned so as to wirelessly communicate with the second container. In a third embodiment, a method is provided that includes receiving a signal and, based at least in part on the received signal, determining whether a first container for storing a first medicine was positioned so as to wirelessly communicate with a second container for storing a second medicine. In a fourth embodiment, a method is provided that includes receiving a signal from a device that monitors whether a first container for storing a first medicine and a second container for storing a second medicine are positioned so as to communicate. The method further includes determining if at least one party has complied with a schedule for taking the first medicine and the second medicine based at least in part on the received signal. Systems, apparatus and computer program products are provided for carrying out the above-described embodiments and numerous other embodiments.

Claims

1. (canceled)

2-125. -125. (canceled)

126. A compliance monitoring device comprising:

a housing configured to removably accommodate a plurality of medicine containers;

a transceiver coupled to the housing for wireless communication with the plurality of medicine containers;

a processor in communication with the transceiver; and

a data storage device associated with the processor, the data storage device storing at least one program for directing the processor to;

wirelessly communicate with each of the medicine containers;

monitor removal of each of the plurality of medicine containers from the central monitoring device;

monitor the return of each medicine container to the central monitoring device;

store container data in the data storage device that comprises at least one of communications data, removal data and return data associated with each medicine container; and

determine patient compliance with at least one schedule for taking medicine based on the container data.

127. The compliance monitoring device of claim 126, further comprising a display to provide information to a patient.

128. The compliance monitoring device of claim 126, further comprising a local positioning system.

129. The compliance monitoring device of claim 128, wherein the local positioning system is a global positioning device operable to generate location data for each medicine container.

130. The compliance monitoring device of claim 128, wherein the program includes instructions for directing the processor to:

generate distance data corresponding to the a distance between a first medicine container and at least one of a second medicine container and the compliance monitoring device; and

store the distance data in the data storage device as a component of the container data.

131. The compliance monitoring device of claim 128, further comprising a display device, and wherein the program includes instructions for directing the processor to provide position data to a patient on the display device.

132. The compliance monitoring device of claim 126, further comprising at least one sensor for generating medicine container content data.

133. The compliance monitoring device of claim 132, wherein the sensor comprises at least one of a pressure sensor, a weight sensor, and an RF scanner.

134. The compliance monitoring device of claim 132, wherein the program includes instructions for directing the processor to:

determine medicine container content data corresponding to how much medicine was removed from at least one medicine container; and

store the medicine container content data associated with the at least one medicine container in the data storage device as a component of the container data.

135. The compliance monitoring device of claim 126, wherein the data storage device includes at least one of a container database, a prescription database, a medicine database, a patient database, a rewards database, and a compliance database.

136. The compliance monitoring device of claim 135, wherein the container database includes data comprising at least one of patient identifier data, medicine container identifier data, prescription data, schedule data for taking medicine, date and time data, rules data, compliance data and proximity data.

137. The compliance monitoring device of claim 135, wherein the container database includes data comprising at least one of pharmaceutical company identity data, medicine purpose data, medicine side effect data, medicine interactions data, medicine cost data, and medicine dispensing data.

138. The compliance monitoring device of claim 126, wherein the housing is configured as at least one of a meta-container and a mini-container.

139. The compliance monitoring device of claim 126, further comprising a timing device associated with the processor for determining when pills are dispensed.

140. A compliance monitoring device comprising:

a housing configured to accommodate a plurality of medicine containers that are each adapted to store medicine;

a communication device coupled to the housing and adapted to wirelessly communicate with the plurality of medicine containers;

a processor associated with the communication device; and

a memory associated with the processor, the memory storing a computer program executable by the processor and including instructions to direct the processor to;

communicate with the medicine containers;

determine, based at least in part on the communications, position data corresponding to whether a first medicine container storing a first medicine was positioned so as to wirelessly communicate with at least one of a second medicine container storing a second medicine and the central monitoring device; and

generate patient compliance data based at least on the position data.

141. The compliance monitoring device of claim 140, wherein the computer program further includes instructions executable by the processor and directing the processor to determine if at least one party complied with a schedule for taking at least one of the first medicine and the second medicine, based at least in part on the determination of the positions of the first and second medicine containers.

142. A medicine compliance system, comprising:

a compliance monitoring device configured to accommodate a plurality of medicine containers that are each adapted to store medicine, the compliance monitoring device also configured for interactions with a patient and a medicine provider;

a plurality of medicine containers each configured for wireless communication with each other and with the compliance monitoring device;

a network configured to facilitate communications between at least a medicine provider and the compliance monitoring device; and

a controller configured for communications with the network and with the compliance monitoring device, and wherein the compliance monitoring device further comprises a processor operable to;

communicate with the medicine containers and to determine, based at least in part on the communications, position data corresponding to the proximity of a first medicine container storing a first medicine to at least one of a second medicine container storing a second medicine and the central monitoring device; and

generate patient compliance data based at least in part on the position data.

143. A method, comprising:

communicating proximity data between each of a plurality of medicine containers having medicine stored therein and a compliance monitoring device;

monitoring removal of each medicine container from the central monitoring device;

monitoring the return of each medicine container to the central monitoring device;

storing medicine container content data in a storage device of the central monitoring device; and

determining, with the compliance monitoring device, a level of patient compliance to at least one medicine dispensing schedule based on at least the proximity data, the removal data, the return data and the medicine container content data.

144. A computer readable medium storing instructions configured to direct a processor to:

communicate proximity data between each of a plurality of medicine containers having medicine stored therein and a compliance monitoring device;

monitor removal of each medicine container from the central monitoring device;

monitor the return of each medicine container to the central monitoring device;

store medicine container content data in a storage device of the central monitoring device; and

determine, with the compliance monitoring device, a level of patient compliance to at least one medicine dispensing schedule based on at least the proximity data, the removal data, the return data and the medicine container content data.

145. A method, comprising:

determining proximity data concerning the locations of a plurality of medicine containers in relation to a compliance monitoring device, each medicine container adapted for wireless communications between other medicine containers and the compliance medicine device, and wherein each medicine container is adapted for storing medicine therein;

determining a level of compliance with a schedule for taking medicine based at least in part on the proximity data; and

storing the proximity data and compliance data in a medicine container database.

146. The method of claim 145, wherein the proximity data comprises at least one of information regarding a first medicine container being moved beyond a communication range from at least a second medicine container, information regarding a first medicine container being moved beyond a communication range from the central monitoring device, the number of times at least one of the medicine containers has been moved beyond the communication range of at least one other medicine container and the central monitoring device, and the distance between at least one medicine container and the central monitoring device.

147. The method of claim 145, wherein the proximity data comprises the amount of time a first medicine container has been moved beyond a communication range with at least one of a second medicine container and the central monitoring device.

148. The method of claim 145, in which determining the level of compliance comprises:

determining an out of range time period that corresponds to the length of time a first medicine container was unable to communicate with at least one of a second medicine container and the central monitoring device; and

reducing the compliance level if the out of range time period is greater than a predetermined time period.

149. The method of claim 148, further comprising, prior to reducing the compliance level, ignoring the determined out of range time period if the first medicine container was being refilled with medicine.

150. The method of claim 145, in which determining the level of compliance comprises:

determining an out of range time period that corresponds to the length of time a first medicine container was unable to communicate with at least one of a second medicine container and the central monitoring device; and

increasing the compliance level if the out of range time period is at least equal to a predetermined time period.

151. A computer readable medium storing instructions configured to direct a processor to:

determine proximity data concerning the locations of a plurality of medicine containers in relation to a compliance monitoring device, each medicine container adapted for wireless communications between other medicine containers and the compliance medicine device, and wherein each medicine container is adapted for storing medicine therein;

determine a level of compliance with a schedule for taking medicine based at least in part on the proximity data; and

store the proximity data and compliance data in a medicine container database.

152. The computer readable medium of claim 151, wherein the instructions for determining proximity data further comprise instructions configured to direct the processor to determine at least one of information regarding a first medicine container being moved beyond a communication range from at least a second medicine container, information regarding a first medicine container being moved beyond a communication range from the central monitoring device, the number of times at least one of the medicine containers has been moved beyond the communication range of at least one other medicine container and the central monitoring device, and the distance between at least one medicine container and the central monitoring device.

153. The computer readable medium of claim 151, wherein the instructions for determining proximity data further comprise instructions configured to direct the processor to determine the amount of time a first medicine container has been moved beyond a communication range with at least one of a second medicine container and the central monitoring device.

154. The computer readable medium of claim 151, wherein the instructions for determining the level of compliance data further comprise instructions configured to direct the processor to:

determine an out of range time period that corresponds to the length of time a first medicine container was unable to communicate with at least one of a second medicine container and the central monitoring device; and

reduce the compliance level if the out of range time period is greater than a predetermined time period.

155. The computer readable medium of claim 154, which further comprises instructions configured to direct the processor to ignore the determined out of range time period if the first medicine container was being refilled with medicine.

156. The computer readable medium of claim 151, wherein the instructions for determining the level of compliance data further comprise instructions configured to direct the processor to:

determine an out of range time period that corresponds to the length of time a first medicine container was unable to communicate with at least one of a second medicine container and the central monitoring device; and

increase the compliance level if the out of range time period is at least equal to a predetermined time period.