SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR REAL TIME MANAGEMENT OF A DRUG REGIMEN

• US 20070260487A1
• Filed: 05/06/2007
• Published: 11/08/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 05/06/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Irody, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Irody, Inc.
• Inventors: BARTFELD, EYAL, LASS, AMIR
• Granted Patent: US 7,747,454 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/2
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/00 Administration; Management
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/018 Certifying business or products
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/08 Insurance
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 20/66 Trinkets, e.g. shirt buttons or jewellery items recognising microscopic objects G06V20/69
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/0092 for assembling and dispensing of pharmaceutical articles medical dispensers for private use, A61J7/00
• CPC Class Codes: G07G 1/0054 with control of supplementary check-parameters, e.g. weight or number of articles
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 20/10 relating to drugs or medications, e.g. for ensuring correct administration to patients
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 70/40 relating to drugs, e.g. their side effects or intended usage

Abstract

A system for managing a prescribed drug regimen for a user, the system including at least one electronic device (Pod) for interactive communication with at least one user, a Pod server coupled via a communication link to each Pod, said Pod server including an analysis unit, the analysis unit including a database of drug characteristics, and a processor for comparing sensed characteristics of a drug in one of the Pods with characteristics in the drug characteristics database, so as to identify the drug, and to provide to the Pod an indication of compatibility of the drug with the drug regimen.

Claims

1. A system for managing a prescribed drug regimen for a user, the system comprising:

at least one electronic device (Pod) for interactive communication with at least one user;

wherein each said Pod includes;

at least one sensor for sensing and recording at least one characteristic of a drug to be taken by one of said users;

means for transferring said recorded characteristics to said Pod server for analysis of compatibility of said drug with a pre-selected drug regimen;

means for receiving from said Pod server analyzed data regarding compatibility; and

a display for displaying said received data;

a Pod server coupled via a communication link to each said at least one Pod, said Pod server comprising an analysis unit, said analysis unit including;

a database of drug characteristics; and

a processor for receiving said output signals, comparing sensed characteristics of a drug in one of said Pods with characteristics in said drug characteristics database, so as to identify said drug, and to provide to said Pod an indication of compatibility of said drug with the drug regimen.

2. The system according to claim 1, wherein:

said sensor comprises means for capturing images of said drug to be taken;

and said drug characteristics database includes images of a plurality of drugs;

and wherein

said processor is adapted for comparing said captured images with said images in said drug characteristics database so as to identify said drug and indicate to the Pod compatibility of the drug to the drug regimen.

3. The system according to claim 2, wherein:

each said Pod further comprises a user interface including;

means for entry of a user'"'"'s drug regimen to said Pod; and

said means for transferring is adapted to transfer said entered drug regimen to said Pod server.

4. The system according to claim 1, wherein

said Pod server further comprises a database of drug interactions, and

said processor includes means for providing an indication of potential drug interactions for display on said display.

5. The system according to claim 1, further comprising a user'"'"'s web interface including a personal file web display displaying said user'"'"'s drug regimen.

6. The system according to claim 5, wherein said personal file web display includes:

a list of drugs on file in the Pod for a user according to a drug regimen;

dosage and frequency for each drug; and

compliance data.

7. The system according to claim 1, further comprising at least one external sensor, coupled to said Pod, for measuring a physiological parameter of the user that is controlled by at least one drug in the drug regimen.

8. The system according to claim 1, further comprising a personal computer (PC) coupled to said Pod and, via said communication link, to said Pod server, wherein:

said Pod includes said at least one sensor and means for providing an output signal corresponding to said sensed characteristics; and

said PC comprises

said means for transferring;

said means for receiving;

software for communicating both with said Pod and with said Pod Server via communication links; and

said display.

9. The system according to claim 1, further comprising a pill dispenser coupled to said Pod for dispensing a pill into said Pod for identification.

10. The system according to claim 1, wherein said Pod is a cellular telephone.

11. The system according to claim 1, said Pod server

further comprising a database of drug interactions;

and wherein

said processor includes means for providing an indication of potential drug interactions for display on said display.

12. A method for monitoring a drug regimen, the method comprising:

sensing and recording selected characteristics of a drug to be identified in at least one electronic device (Pod) for interactive communication with at least one user;

transferring said recorded characteristics to a Pod server coupled via a communication link to each said at least one Pod, said Pod server comprising an analysis unit, said analysis unit including a database of drug characteristics and a processor for analysis for compatibility with a pre-selected drug regimen;

comparing in said processor sensed characteristics of a drug in one of said Pods with characteristics in said drug characteristics database, so as to identify said drug;

said processor providing to said Pod an indication of compatibility of said drug with the drug regimen;

said Pod receiving analyzed data of said recorded characteristics regarding compatibility; and

said Pod displaying said received data.

13. The method according to claim 12, further comprising based on said identification, either releasing said drug to said user or blocking said drug inside said Pod.

14. The method according to claim 12, further comprising

providing a drug interaction database in said server;

and

determining, in said processor, if adverse drug interactions exist with said drug; and

providing an alert in pre-defined situations.

15. A method for managing a prescribed drug regimen for a user, the method comprising:

providing a user with an electronic device (a Pod) for interactive communication with said user, said Pod having a unique identifier, and providing a server, coupled via a communication link to said Pod, said server including a database of drug characteristics and a processor;

registering said Pod with said Pod server as belonging to said user;

entering a drug regimen of the user into the Pod;

receiving a drug in said Pod for identification;

sensing selected characteristics of said drug in said Pod and transmitting sensed characteristics to said server;

comparing, in said processor, said sensed characteristics with characteristics of known drugs; and

said processor providing an identification of said drug to said Pod when a match is found.

16. The method according to claim 15, further comprising the step of displaying a notification when said drug is compatible with said drug regimen and releasing said drug from the Pod.

17. The method according to claim 15, further comprising performing a drug interaction analysis and providing an indication of compatibility between said drug and drugs in said drug regimen for display on said display.

18. The method according to claim 17, further comprising providing an alert when said drug is not compatible.