Pill Bottle Lid Incorporating Audible Messaging Device, and Pairing Thereof with External Devices for Dosage Reminder and Conflict Checking Purposes

• US 20150360834A1
• Filed: 06/11/2015
• Published: 12/17/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 06/11/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Tamer S.M. Mikhail
• Original Assignee: Tamer S.M. Mikhail
• Inventors: Mikhail, Tamer S.M.
• Granted Patent: US 9,710,608 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: A61J 1/03 for pills or tablets containers for pills or tablets with special dispensing means therefor B65D83/04
• CPC Class Codes: A61J 1/1425 Snap-fit type
• CPC Class Codes: A61J 2205/70 Audible labels, e.g. for pre-recorded info or messages
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 43/163 the container and the lid being made separately B65D43/161 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 51/248 the closure being provided with transient audible or visual signaling means, e.g. for indicating dispensing, or other illuminating or acoustic devices, e.g. whistles B65D55/026, B65D55/028 take precedence; for indicating incorrect storage B65D79/02
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 20/13 delivered from dispensers

Abstract

A pill bottle or like for medicinal products such as prescription drugs includes an audio device for emitting audible messages to the user of the product, thereby enabling easy identification of the product by the visually impaired. The audio device is incorporated into an internal chamber of a lid of the bottle. The audio device stores data thereon that is received from the computer terminal of a prescription dispensing station, and is configured to wirelessly transmit this data to a separate mobile electronic device, such as a smart phone or tablet computer, which uses the data to cross-check the user'"'"'s medicinal products for potential interactions and allergen risks, and to create audible reminders for following a prescribed dosage schedule.

Claims

1. A container assembly having audible message functionality for conveying information concerning contents thereof:

a primary container body having a hollow interior for receipt of the contents therein;

a lid assembly comprising multiple pieces that are collectively movable between a closed position closing off said open upper end of the primary container body and an open position revealing said open upper end of the primary container for access to the hollow interior thereof, and are mated or matable together in a manner cooperating with one another to define an internal chamber delimited by the mated pieces; and

an electronic audio device received or receivable within the internal chamber defined by the lid assembly, and operable to emit at least one audible message concerning the contents of the primary container body.

2. The container assembly of claim 1 wherein the multiple pieces of the lid assembly comprise a base engaged to the primary container in the closed position, and a cover mated or matable to the base in a position thereatop to enclose the electronic audio device in a position seated atop the base.

3. The container assembly of claim 1 wherein the lid assembly is pivotally coupled to the primary container body adjacent the open upper end thereof and pivotal between the open and closed positions.

4. The container assembly of claim 1 wherein a first piece the lid assembly is pivotally coupled to a second piece of the lid assembly for movement between a locked position mated with and secured to the second piece to enclose the electronic audio device within the internal chamber and a released position withdrawn from the second piece to enable removal and insertion of the audio device.

5. The container assembly of claim 1 wherein the electronic audio device comprises a connection port positioned to align with a cable opening in the lid assembly to enable connection of a cable to the electronic audio device without removal thereof from the internal chamber of the lid assembly.

6. The container assembly of claim 5 wherein the connection port is connected to a charging circuit of the electronic audio device for re-charging a battery of the electronic audio device via the cable.

7. The container assembly of claim 5 wherein the electronic audio device comprises a processor connected to the connection port for receipt of incoming data from the cable by the processor.

8. The container assembly claim 5 wherein the cable opening is positioned in a circumferential wall of the lid assembly.

9. The container assembly of claim 1 wherein the electronic audio device comprises a message actuator that is operable by way of a cooperating feature of the lid assembly to trigger playback of one or more audible messages concerning the contents of the primary container body.

10. The container assembly of claim 9 wherein the cooperating feature of the lid assembly is an actuator opening therein by which the message actuator of the electronic audio device is accessible.

11. The container assembly of claim 1 wherein the audio device has a plurality of different audibly playable messages stored therein, and at least one message actuator operable to trigger playback of the different audibly playable messages.

12. The container assembly of claim 11 wherein the at least one message actuator consists of a single actuator arranged to playback a respective one of the differently audibly playable messages for each one of plurality of sequential button presses performed on said single actuator.

13. The container assembly of claim 1 wherein the electronic audio device stores data concerning the contents of the primary container body, and comprises a wireless transmitter arranged to transmit said data to an external electronic device.

14. The container assembly of claim 13 in combination with said external electronic device, which comprises a wireless receiver arranged to receive said data from the electronic audio device and is configured to generate reminders concerning consumption of the contents according to a predetermined dosage schedule, based at least party on said data from the electronic audio device.

15. The container assembly of claim 13 in combination with said external electronic device, wherein the data concerning the contents of the primary container body includes a unique identifier for said contents, and the external electronic device comprises a wireless receiver arranged to receive said unique identifier from the audio device and is configured to use said unique identifier to cross-check the contents for potential conflicts based on recorded data stored on the external electronic device concerning a user for whom the contents of the container assembly are intended.

16. The container assembly of claim 15 wherein the recorded data concerning the user comprises data on one or more other consumable products that are recorded in the external electronic device as a product of intended or ongoing consumption by said user.

17. A container comprising:

a container body having a hollow interior for receipt of the contents therein; and

an on-board electronic device carried on the container body and comprising;

a computer readable medium on which data concerning the contents of the container body is stored;

a wireless transmitter arranged to transmit said data to an external electronic device.

18. The container of claim 17 wherein the data stored on the computer readable medium of the on-board electronic device and transmitted to the external electronic device comprises audio file data, and the on-board electronic device comprises a speaker through which audible messages concerning the contents of the container are conveyed based on the audio file data.

19. The container of claim 17 in combination with the external electronic device, which comprises a wireless receiver arranged to receive said data from the audio device and is configured to generate reminders concerning consumption of the contents according to a predetermined dosage schedule, based at least party on said data from the audio device.

20. The container of claim 17 in combination with the external electronic device, wherein the data concerning the contents of the primary container body comprises a unique identifier for said contents, and the external electronic device comprises a wireless receiver arranged to receive said data from the audio device and is configured to cross-check the contents of the container for potential conflicts based on recorded data stored on the external electronic device concerning a user for whom the contents of the container are intended.

21. A method of conveying information concerning a consumable substance that is to be dispensed into a container, the method comprising:

at a dispensing station at which the consumable substance is dispensed into the container, receiving data concerning the substance at an on-board electronic device of the container from a computer terminal of the dispensing station, the on-board electronic device being configured to selectively emit audible messages concerning the consumable substance in the container based on the data transmitted to said on-board electronic device;

wirelessly transmitting at least some of the data received by the on-board electronic device of the container to a separate mobile electronic device that is configured to use said data to generate one or more alarms concerning the substance.

22. The method of claim 21 wherein the one or more alarms comprise scheduled reminder alarms concerning consumption of the substance from the container according to a predetermined dosage schedule.

23. The method of claim 21 wherein the one or more alarms comprise conflict alarms concerning potential complications that could result from consumption of the substance based on recorded data concerning a user for whom the contents of the container are intended.