PROGRAMMABLE SYSTEM WITH VISUAL INDICATION FOR MEDICINE CONSUMPTION

• US 20130087469A1
• Filed: 09/10/2012
• Published: 04/11/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 10/05/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Signalchip Innovations Pvt. Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Signalchip Innovations Pvt. Ltd.
• Inventors: Khasnis, Himamshu Gopalakrishna
• Granted Patent: US 9,125,797 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 206/38
• CPC Class Codes: A61J 1/035 Blister-type containers blisters in general B65D75/36
• CPC Class Codes: A61J 2200/30 Compliance analysis for taking medication
• CPC Class Codes: A61J 2205/20 Colour codes
• CPC Class Codes: A61J 2205/60 using magnetic or electronic identifications, e.g. chips, RFID, electronic tags
• 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 7/0454 for dispensing of multiple drugs
• CPC Class Codes: A61J 7/0481 working on a schedule basis
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 20/13 delivered from dispensers

Abstract

A programmable system to visually indicate a predefined tablet to be consumed at a predefined time is provided. The programmable system includes a plurality of sections each corresponding to one of a plurality of tablets in a tablet strip, a wired interface or a wireless interface coupled to the plurality of sections. The wired interface or the wireless interface receives a set of instructions that include a set of sections and their corresponding times from a programming device. A memory stores the set of instructions. A timer tracks time and generates a message based on the set of instructions. A controller generates an electrical stimulus and communicates the electrical stimulus to a first section of the plurality of sections at a first time based on the set of instructions. The first section is modified visually at the first time in response to the electrical stimulus.

Claims

1. A programmable system to visually indicate a predefined tablet to be consumed at a predefined time, said programmable system comprising:

a plurality of sections each corresponding to one of a plurality of tablets in a tablet strip;

at least one of a wired interface or a wireless interface coupled to said plurality of sections, wherein said at least one of said wired interface or said wireless interface receives a set of instructions that comprise a set of sections and their corresponding times from a programming device;

a memory that stores said set of instructions;

a timer that tracks time and generates a message based on said set of instructions; and

a controller that controls said at least one of a wired interface or a wireless interface, said memory and said timer, generates an electrical stimulus and communicates said electrical stimulus to a first section of said plurality of sections at a first time based on said set of instructions, wherein said first section is modified visually at said first time in response to said electrical stimulus.

2. The programmable system of claim 1, wherein said programmable system is embedded within said tablet strip itself.

3. The programmable system of claim 1, wherein said programmable system is embedded within a guide card that is separate from said tablet strip, wherein said guide card does not contain tablets.

4. The programmable system of claim 1, wherein said first section is modified visually by changing a colour of said first section at least in part.

5. The programmable system of claim 1, wherein said first section is modified visually by emitting light from said first section at least in part.

6. The programmable system of claim 1, wherein said set of instructions comprises a dosage information and a consumption time information for each of said tablets.

7. The programmable system of claim 1, wherein said first section is partially modified visually in proportion to a dosage information corresponding to said first section.

8. The programmable system of claim 2, wherein said tablet strip further comprises an antenna or a coil that extracts energy based on an electromagnetic power scavenging mechanism.

9. The programmable system of claim 8, wherein said tablet strip further comprises an embedded capacitor that stores charge based on said energy.

10. The programmable system of claim 2, wherein said programmable system further comprises a battery that is embedded within said tablet strip itself.

11. A programming device for programming a paired gadget that sends a set of instructions to a medicine identifier circuit embedded within a medicine strip, wherein said medicine strip comprises a set of sections and their corresponding times, wherein said paired gadget comprises a processor, an input means, a display means, and a memory, wherein said instructions execute a method comprising:

obtaining a medicine prescription for each of a plurality of types of tablets, wherein said medicine prescription comprises a timing information and a dosage information for each of said types of tablets;

pairing a plurality of medicine strips for said types of tablets with said paired gadget, wherein each of said medicine strips comprises a unique ID, wherein each of said medicine strip sends said unique ID to said paired gadget;

displaying, by said display means, each of said unique ID of said medicine strips, on said paired gadget;

validating said displayed unique ID with a unique ID that is printed on said medicine strip; and

programming said paired gadget with said medicine prescription comprising said timing and said dosage information for each of said ‘

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type of tablets on said unique ID being validated.

12. The programming device of claim 11, wherein said medicine prescription is at least one of an electronic format, or a word processing format.

13. The programming device of claim 11, wherein said paired gadget sends said instructions to said medicine identifier of said medicine strip circuit.

14. The programming device of claim 11, wherein said instructions trigger communication of an electronic stimulus to a first section of said sections of said medicine strip at a first time, wherein said first section is modified visually at said first time in response to said electrical stimulus that corresponds to a predefined tablet to be consumed at a predefined time from said medicine strip.

15. A tablet strip comprising:

a plurality of sections each enclosing not more than one tablet;

a receiver that obtains a stimulus from an external device indicating at least one of said sections corresponding to a prescription information stored on said external device; and

a visual identification means that changes a visual appearance of said at least one of said sections by at least one of changing a colour of said at least one of said sections at least in part or by emitting light from said at least one of said sections at least in part.

16. A programming device for programming a programmable system that visually indicates a predefined tablet to be consumed at a predefined time, said programming device comprising:

a prescription database that comprises at least one medicine type, a timing information, a dosage information, and a total number of tablets to be consumed for each said medicine type;

a programmable system pairing module that comprises

a sequencing module that processes a number of programmable systems that needs to be programmed for each said medicine type;

a validation module that processes a confirmation of a programmable system belonging to a medicine type based on an identifier received from said programmable system; and

an instructions communication module that communicates said medicine type, said timing information, said dosage information, and said total number of tablets to be consumed for each said medicine type to said programmable system.

17. The programming device of claim 16, wherein said programmable system pairing module further comprises a polling module that communicates a programmable identifier to a plurality of programmable systems and receives a programmable identifier from a programmable system that corresponds to said programmable system identifier.

19. The programmable system of claim 17 wherein said programmable system comprises a number of programmable sub-systems ranging from 2 to a number of tablets in said tablet strip.

18. A programmable system to visually indicate a predefined tablet to be consumed at a predefined time, said programmable system comprising:

at least one programmable sub-system that comprises

at least one section, wherein each said section corresponds to one tablet in a tablet strip;

at least one of a wired interface or a wireless interface that receives a set of instructions that comprise a corresponding time for each of said at least one section in said programmable sub-system from a programming device;

a memory that stores said set of instructions;

a timer that tracks time and generates a message based on said set of instructions; and

a controller that controls said at least one of said wired interface or said wireless interface, said memory and said timer, generates an electrical stimulus and communicates said electrical stimulus to a first section of said at least one section at a first time based on said set of instructions, wherein said first sub-section is modified visually at said first time in response to said electrical stimulus.

20. A paired gadget for activating a programmable system that visually indicates a predefined tablet to be consumed at a predefined time, said paired gadget comprising:

a prescription database that comprises at least one medicine type, a timing information, a dosage information, and a total number of tablets to be consumed for each said medicine type;

a strip database that comprises a number of medicine strips corresponding to each said medicine type;

a timing and sequence module that indicates a time of consumption for a medicine type to be consumed and retrieves an identifier of a programmable system corresponding said medicine type;

a validation module that processes a confirmation of a programmable system belonging to a medicine type based on an identifier received from said programmable system to validate said programmable system as a validated programmable system; and

an instructions communication module that communicates said dosage information, for each said medicine type to said validated programmable system based on a user action.