ACTIVITY MONITOR TO ALLEVIATE CONTROLLED SUBSTANCE ABUSE

• US 20110169635A1
• Filed: 03/28/2011
• Published: 07/14/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 07/14/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sam Johnson
• Original Assignee: Sam Johnson
• Inventors: Johnson, Sam
• Granted Patent: US 8,284,068 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/540
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/24 Reminder alarms, e.g. anti-loss alarms
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 20/10 relating to drugs or medications, e.g. for ensuring correct administration to patients
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 40/63 for local operation
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 40/67 for remote operation

Abstract

An activity monitor which can be pre-programmed at the factory, the doctors office or the pharmacist, or that can be programmed by the user. The activity monitor is affixed to a medicine bottle or container and activity associated with the bottle or container, such as movement, opening, volume changes, etc. are monitored in view to the schedule. The activity monitor records and allows for the analysis of the recorded data to determine is there is a likelihood of substance abuse.

Claims

1. An activity monitored container comprising:

a container defining an interior that can accommodate a substance;

processing unit communicatively coupled to a memory device and integral to the activity monitored container;

an activity detector communicatively coupled to the processing unit and that can detect activity of the container and provide signals to the processing unit related to the detected activity;

the processing unit, in response to instructions read from the memory device;

receives signals from the activity detector; and

records information pertaining to the detected signals into the memory device; and

a data access interface the provides access to the recorded information in the memory device to an external device.

2. The activity monitored container of claim 1, further comprising a time stamp generator, and wherein the processing further obtains a time stamp from the time stamp generator upon reception of each received signal and stores the time stamp along with the information pertaining to the detected signals.

3. The activity monitored container of claim 1, further comprising:

a program interface that receives programming information pertaining to expected activity of the activity monitored container; and

the processing unit further comparing the received signals with the programming information and flagging any signals that deviate from the expected activity.

4. The activity monitored container of claim 2, wherein the data access interface includes a wireless transmitter.

5. A method for detecting suspected abuse of controlled substances, the method including the actions of:

receiving a prescription for a controlled substance;

providing the filled prescription to an individual in an activity monitored container, wherein the activity monitored container monitors activity of the activity monitored container related to opening of the container and removal of substance and records activity events and associated time stamps into a memory element;

receiving the activity monitored container from the individual after a period of time;

retrieving the recorded activity events from the memory element;

analyze the retrieved recorded activity; and

report the activity a third party.

6. A method of claim 5, wherein the third party is the insurance provider of the individual.

7. The method of claim 5, wherein the third party is the prescription issuing doctor of the individual.

8. The method of claim 5, wherein the third party is the guardian of the individual.

9. The method of claim 5, further comprising the action of denying the fulfillment of a refill request if the recorded activity indicates suspicious behavior.

10. The method of claim 9, further comprising the action of fulfilling a refill request if the activity indicates normal behavior.

11. A method for an insurer to help alleviate the abuse of controlled substances by insured individuals that pay a premium for insurance to the insurer, the method comprising the actions of:

the insurer offering a discount for controlled substances that are distributed in conjunction with an activity monitor;

providing controlled substances along with an activity monitor, the substances being provided in accordance with a valid prescription, wherein the activity monitor records activity events related to the dispensing of the controlled substance;

the insurer retrieving the recorded activity events;

the insurer analyzing the recorded activity events; and

the insurer adjusting the premium offered to the individual continued insurance coverage if the analysis of the recorded activity indicates activity that is commensurate with abuse.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the insurer includes a processing system.

13. The method of claim 11, the action of providing the controlled substances along with an activity monitor further comprises providing the controlled substances within a container that includes the activity monitor.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the container and activity monitor includes a lock-out mechanism and, further comprising the actions of:

placing the controlled substance within the container;

closing the container and activating the activity monitor in a lock-out state;

receiving a lock-out reset request from an insured individual that has received the activity monitored container with the controlled substance; and

resetting the lock-out mechanism such that the insured individual can access the controlled substance.

15. The method of claim 13, wherein the action of resetting the lock-out mechanism further comprises receiving a code sequence that is entered by the insured individual to reset the lock-out mechanism.

16. The method of claim 13, wherein activity monitor includes a tone detector and the action of resetting the lock-out mechanism further comprises sending one or more tones over a telephone line to be received by the activity monitor.

17. An activity monitor that can be coupled to a controlled substance container, the activity monitor comprising:

a processing unit communicatively coupled to a memory device and integral to the activity monitor;

an activity detector communicatively coupled to the processing unit and that can detect activity of the container and provide signals to the processing unit related to the detected activity;

the processing unit, in response to instructions read from the memory device;

receives signals from the activity detector; and

records information pertaining to the detected signals into the memory device; and

a data access interface the provides access to the recorded information in the memory device to an external device.

18. The activity monitor of claim 17, wherein the recorded information includes a time-stamp and a detected activity.

19. The activity monitor of claim 17, further comprising a dispensing mechanism that allows only one dosage of the controlled substance to be dispensed at a time.

20. The activity monitor of claim 17, further comprising a lock-out mechanism that can prevent access to the control substance within the container.

21. The activity monitor of claim 17, wherein the activity monitor is further equipped with a weight sensor that can detect the weight of the contents in the container before and after detected activity.

22. The activity monitor of claim 17, further comprising a signature detector that can be accessed by the activity monitor, and wherein the recorded information includes a detected signature proximate to the activity monitor at the time the activity is detected.

23. A system employing the activity monitor of claim 22, wherein the system includes a central server that can receive the recorded information from the data access interface and alert third parties with regards to the detected activity.

24. A system employing the activity monitor of claim 17, wherein the system includes a central server that can receive the recorded information from the data access interface and alert third parties with regards to the detected activity.