SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR MONITORING DISPENSING OF MEDICATION

• US 20100164716A1
• Filed: 04/01/2009
• Published: 07/01/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 12/31/2008
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Texas Instruments, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Texas Instruments, Inc.
• Inventors: Estevez, Leonardo William, Krenik, William Robert
• Application Number:
  US12/416,227
• Publication Number:
  US 20100164716A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/540
• CPC Class Codes: A61J 2200/30 Compliance analysis for taking medication
• CPC Class Codes: A61J 2205/70 Audible labels, e.g. for pre-recorded info or messages
• CPC Class Codes: A61J 7/0436 resulting from removing a drug from, or opening, a container
• CPC Class Codes: A61J 7/0445 for preventing drug dispensing during a predetermined time period
• CPC Class Codes: A61J 7/049 automatically changing in response to a schedule deviation by the patient
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 13/025 wherein the volume is determined during delivery
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/0092 for assembling and dispensing of pharmaceutical articles medical dispensers for private use, A61J7/00
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 20/13 delivered from dispensers

Abstract

A system is capable of monitoring dispensing of medication from a medication container having a volume. The system comprises a measuring portion and a processor portion. The measuring portion is operable to measure a parameter at a first time and to measure the parameter at a second time. The processor portion is in communication with the measuring portion. The processor portion is operable to determine a change in volume of medication within the medication container based on the measured parameter at the first time and the measured parameter at the second time.

Claims

1. A system for monitoring dispensing of medication from a medication container having a volume, said system comprising:

a measuring portion operable to measure a parameter at a first time and to measure the parameter at a second time;

a processor portion in communication with said measuring portion, said processor portion being operable to determine a change in volume of medication within the medication container based on the measured parameter at the first time and the measured parameter at the second time.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein said measuring portion is operable to measure a volume of medication within the medication container at the first time and to measure the volume of medication within the medication container at the second time.

3. The system of claim 2,

wherein said measuring portion comprises a pressure sensor operable to measure a first pressure within the medication container at the first time, to generate a first pressure signal based on the measured first pressure, to measure a second pressure within the medication container at the second time and to generate a second pressure signal based on the measured second pressure,

wherein said processor portion is further operable to determine the change in volume of medication based on the first pressure signal and the second pressure signal.

4. The system of claim 2,

wherein said measuring portion comprises a mass sensor operable to measure a first mass within the medication container at the first time, to generate a first mass signal based on the measured first mass, to measure a second mass within the medication container at the second time and to generate a second mass signal based on the measured second mass,

wherein said processor portion is further operable to determine the change in volume of medication based on the first mass signal and the second mass signal.

5. The system of claim 1, further comprising an indicator operable to provide at least one of an audible indication and a visible indication.

6. The system of claim 5, wherein said processor portion is further operable to instruct the indicator to provide the at least one of an audible indication and a visible indication based on the change in volume of medication.

7. The system of claim 5, wherein said processor portion is further operable to instruct the indicator to provide the at least one of an audible indication and a visible indication based on a period of time.

8. The system of claim 1, further comprising a transmitter operable to transmit a transmission signal.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein said processor portion is further operable to instruct the transmitter to transmit the transmission signal based on the change in volume of medication.

10. The system of claim 8, wherein said processor portion is further operable to instruct the transmitter to transmit the transmission signal based on a period of time.

11. A method monitoring dispensing of medication from a medication container having a volume, said method comprising:

measuring a parameter at a first time;

measuring the parameter at a second time;

determining a change in volume of medication within the medication container based on the measured parameter at the first time and the measured parameter at the second time.

12. The method of claim 11,

wherein said measuring a parameter at a first time comprises measuring a volume of medication within the medication container at the first time, and

wherein said measuring the parameter at a second time comprises measuring the volume of medication within the medication container at the second time.

13. The method of claim 12, further comprising:

generating a first pressure signal; and

generating a second pressure signal,

wherein said measuring a volume of medication within the medication container at the first time comprises measuring a first pressure within the medication container at the first time,

wherein the first pressure signal is based on the measured first pressure,

wherein said measuring the volume of medication within the medication container at the second time comprises measuring a second pressure within the medication container at the second time,

wherein the second pressure signal is based on the measured second pressure, and

wherein said determining a change in volume of medication based on the measured parameter at the first time and the measured parameter at the second time comprises determining the change in volume of medication based on the first pressure signal and the second pressure signal.

14. The method of claim 12, further comprising:

generating a first mass signal; and

generating a second mass signal,

wherein said measuring a volume of medication within the medication container at the first time comprises measuring a first mass within the medication container at the first time,

wherein the first mass signal is based on the measured first mass,

wherein said measuring the volume of medication within the medication container at the second time comprises measuring a second mass within the medication container at the second time,

wherein the second mass signal is based on the measured second mass, and

wherein said determining a change in volume of medication based on the measured parameter at the first time and the measured parameter at the second time comprises determining the change in volume of medication based on the first mass signal and the second mass signal.

15. The method of claim 11, further comprising providing at least one of an audible indication and a visible indication.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein said providing at least one of an audible indication and a visible indication is based on the change in volume of medication.

17. The method of claim 15, wherein said providing at least one of an audible indication and a visible indication is based on a period of time.

18. The method of claim 11, further comprising transmitting a transmission signal.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein said transmitting a transmission signal is based on the change in volume of medication.

20. The method of claim 18, wherein said transmitting a transmission signal is based on a period of time.