INTELLIGENT MEDICATION TRACKER

• US 20090001093A1
• Filed: 06/29/2007
• Published: 01/01/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 06/29/2007
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Intel-GE Care Innovations, LLC (Intel Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Intel-GE Care Innovations, LLC (Intel Corporation)
• Inventors: Labhard, Michael
• Application Number:
  US11/771,339
• Publication Number:
  US 20090001093A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 221/1
• CPC Class Codes: A61J 2200/30 Compliance analysis for taking medication
• CPC Class Codes: A61J 2205/10 Bar codes
• CPC Class Codes: A61J 2205/70 Audible labels, e.g. for pre-recorded info or messages
• CPC Class Codes: A61J 7/0418 with electronic history memory
• CPC Class Codes: A61J 7/0427 with direct interaction with a dispensing or delivery system
• CPC Class Codes: A61J 7/0454 for dispensing of multiple drugs
• CPC Class Codes: A61J 7/0481 working on a schedule basis
• 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 9/002 Vending machines being part of a centrally controlled network of vending machines
• 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

Abstract

A medication dispenser comprises slots that may be sized to accommodate medication containers of various sizes. Each slot has an associated barcode reader. A user inserts the pharmacy-provided pill or medication container into one slot. The barcode on the container is read. From the barcode the medication in the container is identified. The device contains a simple user interface that allows the user to enter the dosing frequency prescribed, how many pills or cc'"'"'s are in the container, how many refills and a starting time. The dispenser alerts users to possible drug interactions with medications in other slots as well as alerts them to dosing times and other pertinent information.

Claims

1. A medication dispensing device, comprising:

a housing including a plurality of slots sized to accommodate a drug container;

a reader associated with each slot for reading a machine readable label on the drug container;

a database to store information pertaining to a drug in the drug container;

a user interface to enter data related to the drug;

a display to alert a user when it is time to take a dose of the drug; and

a button to be pressed when the drug has been taken.

2. The device as recited in claim 1, where the display further alerts the user of drug interaction with drugs in other slots.

3. The device as recited in claim 1, wherein the reader is a barcode reader.

4. The device as recited in claim 1, wherein the reader is an RF tag reader.

5. The device as recited in claim 1, further comprising:

a button to override a drug interaction alert.

6. The device as recited in claim 1 wherein the user interface comprises a keypad to manually enter dosing information.

7. A method, comprising:

inserting a drug container having a machine readable code into a slot;

machine reading the code to determine information pertaining to a drug stored in the drug container;

determining any drug interactions with another drug in another slot;

alerting a patient when it is time to take a dose of the drug; and

receiving an input from the patient when the drug has been taken.

8. The method as recited in claim 7 wherein the machine readable code is a barcode.

9. The method as recited in claim 8 wherein the information pertaining to the drug comprises the type of drug and dosing information.

10. The method as recited in claim 8, further comprising:

manually entering dosing information into a keypad.

11. The method as recited in claim 7 further comprising:

alerting the patient to a drug interaction.

12. The method as recited in claim 11 further comprising:

a button for overriding a drug interaction alert.

13. The method as recited in claim 7 further comprising displaying dose information and drug interactions on a display.