PORTABLE MEDICATION DISPENSING CONTAINERS

• US 20130187774A1
• Filed: 01/19/2012
• Published: 07/25/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 01/19/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Carefusion 303 Incorporated (Becton, Dickinson & Co)
• Original Assignee: Carefusion 303 Incorporated (Becton, Dickinson & Co)
• Inventors: HEFFRON, David, MUECKE, Melvin, GODLEWSKI, Peter
• Granted Patent: US 8,749,379 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/540
• CPC Class Codes: A61J 1/1437 Locking means requiring key or combination to open the container
• CPC Class Codes: A61J 1/16 Holders for containers
• CPC Class Codes: A61J 7/0084 for multiple medicaments
• CPC Class Codes: E05G 1/10 with alarm, signal or indicator E05G1/14 takes precedence; burglar, theft or intruder alarm per se G08B13/00; fire or explosion alarm per se G08B17/00
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 2009/00761 with data transmission performed by connected means, e.g. mechanical contacts, plugs, connectors
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 2009/00769 with data transmission performed by wireless means
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/00309 operated with bidirectional data transmission between data carrier and locks
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/00896 specially adapted for particular uses
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/30 not involving the use of a pass
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/00 Burglar, theft or intruder alarms
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/1427 with transmitter-receiver for distance detection
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 20/13 delivered from dispensers

Abstract

A portable container is disclosed that includes a body and a lid that cooperatively form a securable storage compartment and a latch that is coupled to the body and configured to releasably secure the lid. The portable container also includes a location-sensing element configured to determine the location of the portable container in a facility and provide location information to a processor coupled to the latch and the location sensing element. The processor is configured to receive the location information from the location-sensing element and allow the latch to release the lid upon a determination that the portable container is located in an area of the facility where access to the contents of the portable container is permitted.

Claims

1. A portable container comprising:

a body and a lid that cooperatively form a securable storage compartment;

a latch coupled to the body, the latch configured to releasably secure the lid;

a location-sensing element configured to determine a location of the portable container and provide the location; and

a processor coupled to the latch and the location-sensing element, the processor configured to;

receive the location from the location-sensing element; and

allow the latch to release the lid upon a determination that the portable container is located in an area where access to contents of the portable container is permitted.

2. The portable container of claim 1, wherein the processor is configured to:

provide the location received from the location-sensing element to an external controller;

receive an access signal from the external controller; and

cause the latch to release the lid upon receipt of the access signal.

3. The portable container of claim 2, wherein the external controller is a server.

4. The portable container of claim 2, wherein the processor is further configured to:

accept an access request from a user; and

provide the location information to the external controller upon receipt of the access request.

5. The portable container of claim 1, further comprising a connector coupled to the body and the latch, wherein:

the body is configured to mate with a docking station having a docking connector;

the connector of the portable container is configured to mate with the docking connector, receive power from the docking connector, and provide the power to the processor and latch.

6. The portable container of claim 1, further comprising a battery coupled to the processor and the latch.

8. The portable container of claim 6, further comprising a connector coupled to the body and the latch, wherein:

the body is configured to mate with a docking station having a docking connector;

the connector is configured to mate with the docking connector, receive power from the docking connector, and provide the power to the processor and latch.

9. The portable container of claim 6, further comprising a battery coupled to the processor and the latch.

7. A medication delivery system comprising:

a plurality of portable containers each comprising;

a body with a lid forming a secure storage compartment;

a latch coupled to the body, the latch configured to releasably secure the lid;

a location-sensing element configured to determine a location of the portable container and provide the location;

a memory comprising a unique identifier; and

a first processor coupled to the latch, the location-sensing element, and the memory, the first processor configured to receive the location from the location-sensing element, retrieve the identifier from the memory, provide an information signal comprising the location and identifier, receive an access signal, and cause the latch to release the lid upon receipt of the access signal; and

a controller selectively coupled to the first processor of at least one of the portable containers, the controller comprising;

a memory configured to store facility information related to at least one area of a facility and which of the plurality of portable containers are allowed to be opened within the at least one area; and

a second processor configured to receive the information signal from the first processor, retrieve the facility information from the memory, compare the location of the at least one portable container to the facility information, and provide the access signal to the first processor if the at least one portable container is located in an area wherein the at least one portable container is allowed to be opened.

10. A portable container comprising:

a body with a lid forming a securable storage compartment;

a latch coupled to the body, the latch configured to releasably secure the lid;

a processor coupled to the latch; and

a power source coupled to the latch and the processor;

wherein the processor is configured to respond to an access signal from an external controller and cause the latch to release the lid upon receipt of the access signal.

11. The portable container of claim 10, further comprising a communication module communicatively coupled to the processor and the external controller, the communication module configured to receive the access signal from the external controller and provide the signal to the processor.

12. The portable container of claim 11, wherein the communication module communicates wirelessly.

13. The portable container of claim 12, wherein the wireless communication module communicates using radio frequency (RF) signals.

14. The portable container of claim 12, wherein the wireless communication module communicates using optical signals.

15. The portable container of claim 10, further comprising a memory coupled to the processor, the memory comprising a unique identifier, wherein the processor is further configured to:

retrieve the unique identifier from the memory; and

provide an information signal comprising the unique identifier.

16. The portable container of claim 15, wherein the processor is further configured to:

receive an identification request signal; and

provide the information signal upon receiving the information request signal.

17. A medication delivery system comprising:

at least one portable container comprising;

a body with a lid forming a securable storage compartment;

a latch coupled to the body, the latch configured to releasably secure the lid;

a first processor coupled to the latch;

a power source coupled to the latch and the first processor; and

a first memory coupled to the first processor, the first memory comprising a unique identifier;

wherein the first processor is configured to;

retrieve the unique identifier from the first memory;

provide a data signal comprising the unique identifier;

receive an access signal; and

cause the latch to release the lid upon receipt of the access signal;

a controller comprising a second processor communicatively coupled to the scanner and to the first processor of the at least one portable container, the second processor configured to;

receive the data signal from the first processor of the at least one portable container; and

provide the access signal to the first processor upon a determination that the portable container is allowed to be opened.

18. The medication delivery system of claim 17, wherein the second processor is further configured to provide an information signal comprising a patient identifier and the portable container identifier, and the medication delivery system further comprises a server configured to:

store information related to prescriptions for at least one patient;

store information related to a content of the at least one portable container; and

receive the information signal from the second processor.

19. The medication delivery system of claim 18, wherein:

the at least one portable container contains a medication;

the prescription information stored on the server comprises a listing of medications to be administered to the at least one patient;

the content information stored on the server comprises a list of at least one medication stored in the at least one portable container; and

the server is further configured to provide the prescription information for the identified patient and the container content information for the identified portable container upon receipt of the information signal; and

the second processor is further configured to;

receive the prescription information and the container content information from the server; and

determine whether the at least one portable container is allowed to be opened.

20. The medication delivery system of claim 18, wherein:

the at least one portable container contains a medication;

the prescription information stored on the server comprises a listing of medications to be administered to the at least one patient;

the content information stored on the server comprises a list of at least one medication stored in the at least one portable container; and

the server is further configured to;

retrieve prescription information for the identified patient;

retrieve the content information for the identified portable container;

compare the medications listed in the retrieved prescription information to the list of medications in the retrieved content information; and

provide a permission signal to the second processor if at least one of the medications listed in the content information matches at least one of the medications listed in the prescription information; and

the second processor is further configured to;

receive the permission signal from the server; and

provide the access signal upon receipt of the permission signal.

21. The medication delivery system of claim 17, wherein:

the controller further comprises a scanner configured to;

retrieve a patient identity from a machine-readable element associated with a patient, and

provide the patient identity to the second processor; and

the second processor is further configured to receive the patient identity from the scanner.

22. A method of storing and dispensing medications, the method comprising the steps of:

placing at least one medication in a portable container that comprises a real time locating system (RTLS) device and a latch configured to releasably secure a lid that cooperates with a body to form a secure storage compartment;

determining the location of the portable container using the RTLS device;

determining whether the portable container is in an area where it is allowable to dispense the at least one medication; and

releasing the lid if the portable container is in an area where it is allowable to dispense the medication.

23. The method of claim 22, further comprising the step of:

transporting the secured portable container to a location proximate to a patient;

wherein the location proximate to the patient is within an area where it is allowable to dispense the at least one medication.

24. The method of claim 22, further comprising the step of:

issuing an alert if the portable container is determined to be in an area into which the portable container is not allowed to be taken.

25. A method of storing and dispensing medications, the method comprising the steps of:

placing at least one medication in a portable container that comprises a power source and a latch configured to releasably secure a lid that cooperates with a body to form a secure storage compartment;

determining automatically whether it is permissible to dispense the at least one medication; and

releasing the lid of the portable container automatically when it is determined that it is permissible to dispense the at least one medication.

26. The method of claim 25, wherein the step of determining automatically whether it is permissible to dispense the at least one medication comprises the steps of:

determining with a scanner the identify of a patient;

retrieving from a coupled memory a list of medications that are prescribed for the identified patient;

retrieving from a memory of the portable container a unique identifier;

retrieving from a coupled memory a list of the at least one medication stored in the identified portable container; and

determining that it is permissible to dispense the at least one medication if at least one of the at least one medication stored in the identified portable container is prescribed for the identified patient.

27. A non-transitory computer-readable medium having computer-executable instructions stored thereon for execution by a processor to perform a method of storing and dispensing medications, the method comprising the steps of:

determining the location of a portable container that comprises a real time locating system (RTLS) device and that contains at least one medication;

determining whether the portable container is in an area where it is allowable to dispense the at least one medication; and

releasing the lid if the portable container is in an area where it is allowable to dispense the medication.

28. The method of claim 27, further comprising the step of:

issuing an alert if the portable container is determined to be in an area into which the portable container is not allowed to be taken.

29. A non-transitory computer-readable medium having computer-executable instructions stored thereon for execution by a processor to perform a method of storing and dispensing medications, the method comprising the steps of:

determining automatically whether it is permissible to dispense at least one medication that is contained in a secure storage compartment of a portable container that comprises a power source and a latch configured to releasably secure a lid that cooperates with a body to form the secure storage compartment; and

releasing the lid of the portable container automatically when it is determined that it is permissible to dispense the at least one medication.

30. The medium of claim 29, wherein the step of determining automatically whether it is permissible to dispense the at least one medication comprises the steps of:

determining with a scanner the identify of a patient;

retrieving from a coupled memory a list of medications that are prescribed for the identified patient;

retrieving from a memory of the portable container a unique identifier;

retrieving from a coupled memory a list of the at least one medication stored in the identified portable container; and

determining that it is permissible to dispense the at least one medication if at least one of the at least one medication stored in the identified portable container is prescribed for the identified patient.