SMART PILL DISPENSER

• US 20100076595A1
• Filed: 06/12/2009
• Published: 03/25/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 06/12/2008
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Michael R. Nguyen
• Original Assignee: Michael R. Nguyen
• Inventors: Nguyen, Michael R.
• Application Number:
  US12/484,149
• Publication Number:
  US 20100076595A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 700/232
• CPC Class Codes: A61J 7/0084 for multiple medicaments
• CPC Class Codes: A61J 7/02 Pill counting devices
• CPC Class Codes: A61J 7/04 Arrangements for time indication or reminder for taking medicine, e.g. programmed dispensers
• CPC Class Codes: A61J 7/0481 working on a schedule basis
• 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

Abstract

A smart pill dispenser may be used to receive, store, track and/or dispense one or more pills for a user. The dispenser may be capable of tracking information related to the pills. Moreover, the user may manually enter their prescription details or alternatively, the dispenser may include a reader capable of reading the specific code and retrieving the details. The dispenser may be capable of informing the user when to take their pills. The dispenser may either automatically or manually quantify the pills in the dispenser. The dispenser may be capable of tracking medical parameters of the user that may be associated with the pills they are taking The dispenser may be capable of communicating with external sources such as a pharmacy to replenish the pills or a doctors office to renew a prescription or enable the doctor to modify the prescription.

Claims

1. A pill dispenser comprising:

a housing to receive, store and dispense pills;

a quantifier to quantify the pills contained within the housing; and

a communication link to communicate with external sources regarding a user and the pills contained within the housing.

2. The pill dispenser of claim 1, wherein the quantifier includes a counter to automatically count pills as they are added to and subtracted from the housing.

3. The pill dispenser of claim 1, wherein the quantifier includes a scale to weigh the pills contained in the housing.

4. The pill dispenser of claim 1, wherein the communication link includes an internet connection.

5. The pill dispenser of claim 1, wherein the communication link includes a dial-up connection.

6. The pill dispenser of claim 1, wherein the external source includes a doctors office.

7. The pill dispenser of claim 1, wherein the external source includes a pharmacy.

8. The pill dispenser of claim 1, wherein the external source includes a medical data source.

9. The pill dispenser of claim 1, further comprising a control device to control operation of the pill dispenser.

10. The pill dispenser of claim 9, wherein the external source is a computing device and the control device may operate as a slave to the computing device or in tandem with the computing device.

11. The pill dispenser of claim 1, further comprising a user interface to interact with the user.

12. A pill dispenser comprising:

a plurality of storage units to store pills therewithin;

a counter to quantify pills within the plurality of storage units;

an output device to dispense pills from the plurality of storage units;

a user interface to interact with a user;

communication links to provide communications with external sources regarding the user and the pills; and

a control device to control operation of the pill dispenser.

13. The pill dispenser of claim 12, a reader to read a code associated with pills deposited in the pill dispenser.

14. The pill dispenser of claim 12, further comprising a turntable to rotate the plurality of storage units to align an appropriate storage unit with the output device in order to dispense an appropriate pill.

15. The pill dispenser of claim 12, wherein the user interface is to provide the user with information regarding the pills.

16. The pill dispenser of claim 12, wherein the output device includes a plurality of output devices aligned with the plurality of storage units.

17. The pill dispenser of claim 12, wherein the communication links are to communicate with a doctors office and a pharmacy regarding prescriptions.

18. The pill dispenser of claim 12, wherein the communication links are to receive medical data.

19. The pill dispenser of claim 12, wherein the plurality of storage units include an automated gate device to control dispensing of the pills to the output device.

20. The pill dispenser of claim 12, wherein the plurality of storage units include an manual conveying device to enable the user to control dispensing of the pills to the output device.