MOTION OR OPENING DETECTOR
First Claim
1. An apparatus that can be attached to a container to monitor activity associated with the container, the activity detector comprising:
- a housing including at least one button accessible on the exterior of the housing and at least one indicator;
an activity detector;
a processing unit coupled to the at least one button, the at least one indicator, a memory device and the activity detector; and
a schedule, created during a learning mode in which activity associated with the container is monitored, stored within the memory device, that includes data which defines at least one window of time during which activity associated with the container is permissible and at least one window of time during which activity associated with the container is not permissible.
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Accused Products
Abstract
An activity monitor which can be pre-programmed at the factory, the doctor'"'"'s 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. If the schedule indicates that a dose of medicine should be taken at a particular time, but the monitored activity does not determine that the medicine has been taken, an alert signal will be issued to alert the user that it is time to take the medicine. In addition, if the monitored activity indicates that the medicine bottle has been opened prior to a scheduled time, then a tamper alert can be triggered.
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Citations
20 Claims
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1. An apparatus that can be attached to a container to monitor activity associated with the container, the activity detector comprising:
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a housing including at least one button accessible on the exterior of the housing and at least one indicator; an activity detector; a processing unit coupled to the at least one button, the at least one indicator, a memory device and the activity detector; and a schedule, created during a learning mode in which activity associated with the container is monitored, stored within the memory device, that includes data which defines at least one window of time during which activity associated with the container is permissible and at least one window of time during which activity associated with the container is not permissible. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 6, 7)
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5. An apparatus for monitoring container activity, the apparatus comprising:
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a housing that can be attached to a container; a processing unit communicatively coupled to a memory device and embedded in the housing; an actuator interface on the housing that is communicatively coupled to the processing unit; an indicator on the housing that is communicatively coupled to the processing unit; an accelerometer communicatively coupled to the processing unit and operative to provide signals to the processing unit when the container to which the housing is attached is moved; the processing unit, in response to instructions read from the memory device is operative to; receive programming data identifying scheduled times at which the container should be accessed by entering a learning mode wherein the processing unit monitors activity during a period of time to establish a schedule of expected activities; monitor activity based on signals received from the accelerometer; and if activity is not detected proximate to a scheduled time, send an alert signal to the indicator.
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8. A disposable monitoring apparatus that can be affixed to a medicine bottle, the disposable monitoring apparatus comprising:
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a housing including at least one button accessible on the exterior of the housing and at least one indicator; an activity detector; a processing unit coupled to the at least one button, the at least one indicator, a memory device and the activity detector; and a schedule, stored within the memory device, that includes data which at least defines a time of the day at which medicine is supposed to be dispensed. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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Specification