SMART CAP FOR MEDICATION CONTAINER

• US 20160324726A1
• Filed: 05/06/2016
• Published: 11/10/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 05/07/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Performance Designed Products LLC
• Original Assignee: Performance Designed Products LLC
• Inventors: Roberts, Tom, Lavache, Steve, Briones, Ireck, Quiros, Mario Andres, Richards, Chris
• Granted Patent: US 9,901,515 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: A61J 1/1412 Containers with closing means, e.g. caps
• CPC Class Codes: A61J 1/1437 Locking means requiring key or combination to open the container
• CPC Class Codes: A61J 2200/30 Compliance analysis for taking medication
• CPC Class Codes: A61J 2200/74 for weight
• CPC Class Codes: A61J 7/0076 Medicament distribution means with pill counting devices A61J7/02; with time indication A61J7/04; containers or packages with special means for dispensing contents B65D83/00
• CPC Class Codes: A61J 7/02 Pill counting devices
• CPC Class Codes: A61J 7/04 Arrangements for time indication or reminder for taking medicine, e.g. programmed dispensers
• CPC Class Codes: A61J 7/0418 with electronic history memory
• CPC Class Codes: A61J 7/0436 resulting from removing a drug from, or opening, a container
• CPC Class Codes: A61J 7/0463 for multiple patients
• 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: B65D 55/02 Locking devices; Means for discouraging or indicating unauthorised opening or removal of closure B65D41/32 takes precedence; protective covers for bottles B65D23/08; protective cap-like outer covers for bottle or jar closures B65D41/62; pressure-applying means B65D45/00; closures with means for discouraging unauthorised opening or removal of closures B65D50/00
• CPC Class Codes: G01G 19/52 Weighing apparatus combined with other objects, e.g. furniture with walking sticks A45B3/08
• CPC Class Codes: G01G 3/1402 Special supports with preselected places to mount the resistance strain gauges; Mounting of supports
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 20/13 delivered from dispensers

Abstract

A smart cap for a medication container is disclosed. The smart cap includes a circuit board and a weight sensor electrically coupled to the circuit board and configured to generate electrical input signals representative of the total weight of medication units in the medication container. The smart cap may include a processor for processing the electrical input signals generated by the weight sensor, and a memory for storing medication information associated with medication in the medication container, including the processed electrical input signals generated by the weight sensor. The smart cap may transmit the stored information to a computing device communicatively coupled to the cap.

Claims

1. A cap for a medication container, comprising:

a circuit board;

a weight sensor electrically coupled to the circuit board and configured to generate electrical input signals representative of a total weight of medication units in the medication container;

a processor electrically coupled to the circuit board and configured to process the electrical input signals generated by the weight sensor;

a memory configured to store medication information associated with medication in the medication container, wherein the medication information comprises the processed electrical input signals generated by the weight sensor; and

a wireless transmitter configured to transmit the stored medication information to a computing device communicatively coupled to the cap.

2. The cap of claim 1, further comprising an enclosure, wherein the enclosure houses the circuit board, weight sensor, processor and wireless transmitter.

3. The cap of claim 2, further comprising a cover releasably attached to the enclosure, wherein the enclosure is disposed within the cover.

4. The cap of claim 1, wherein the wireless transmitter is a Bluetooth low energy (LE) transmitter.

5. The cap of claim 1, further comprising an RFID tag, wherein the RFID tag comprises the wireless transmitter and the memory.

6. The cap of claim 5, wherein the RFID tag comprises a near field communication (NFC) tag.

7. The cap of claim 6, wherein the cap comprises a lock, and wherein the cap may be unlocked by bringing the computing device in close proximity to the cap.

8. The cap of claim 1, wherein the weight sensor comprises a strain gauge configured to measure the change in resistance of a conductor when medication units are inserted into or removed from the medication container.

9. The cap of claim 1, further comprising an accelerometer configured to generate electrical input signals representative of the position of the cap.

10. The cap of claim 1, further comprising an audible or visual indicator device configured to alert a user of a medication dosing time, wherein the medication information comprises the medication dosing time, and wherein the processor is configured to activate the indicator device at the dosing time.

11. The cap of claim 10, wherein the processor is configured to:

determine a change in the total weight of the medication units in the medication container after the dosing time based on electrical signals generated by the weight sensor; and

turn off the indicator if it is determined that the change in the total weight after the dosing time matches a predetermined amount.

12. The cap of claim 11, wherein the processor is configured to generate an alert if it is determined that the change in the total weight does not match the predetermined amount.

13. The cap of claim 10, wherein the transmitter is a transceiver configured to receive information signals from the computing device, and wherein in response to receiving a beacon signal from the computing device attempting to locate the cap, the processor is configured to activate the indicator device.

14. The cap of claim 1, wherein in response to the computing device communicatively coupling to the cap, the processor is configured to store in the memory an identification of the computing device, and the time the cap and computing device communicatively coupled.

15. The cap of claim 8, wherein the cap comprises a platform and a load cell, wherein the load cell comprises an annular portion and a beam extending inwardly from the annular portion, wherein the strain gauge is mounted on the beam.

16. A cap for a medication container, comprising:

a cover;

an enclosure attached to the cover, wherein the enclosure is disposed within the cover and is configured to seal the opening of the medication container;

a circuit board; and

a weight sensor assembly electrically coupled to the circuit board and configured to generate electrical input signals representative of the total weight of the medication container;

wherein the enclosure houses the circuit board and the weight sensor assembly.

17. The cap of claim 16, wherein the weight sensor assembly comprises:

a platform;

a load cell; and

a strain gauge mounted on the load cell, wherein the strain gauge is electrically coupled to the circuit board.

18. The cap of claim 17, wherein the load cell comprises:

an annular portion; and

a beam coupled to the platform, wherein the beam comprises a first end fixed to the annular portion and a second end that deforms as the platform displaces downward in response to an applied force, wherein the strain gauge is mounted on the beam.

19. The cap of claim 16, further comprising an accelerometer configured to generate electrical input signals representative of the position of the cap.

20. The cap of claim 19, further comprising a processing module configured to process the electrical input signals generated by the weight sensor and the accelerometer, and determine a total weight of the medicament container, including medicament units, based on the processed signals.

21. The cap of claim 20, further comprising:

a wireless transmitter configured to transmit the total weight of the medicament container to a computing device communicatively coupled to the cap.

22. The cap of claim 21, further comprising an RFID tag, wherein the RFID tag comprises the wireless transmitter and the memory.

23. The cap of claim 19, further comprising a processing module configured to process the electrical input signals generated by the weight sensor assembly and the accelerometer, and determine a current number of medicament units in the medicament container based on the processed signals.

24. The cap of claim 23, wherein the processing module comprises a memory that stores:

the weight or mass of the medicament container without any of the medicament units;

the weight or mass of one of the medicament units; and

the current number of medicament units in the medicament container.

25. A computing device, comprising:

a display;

a receiver;

a processor; and

a non-transitory computer-readable medium operatively coupled to the processor and having instructions stored thereon that, when executed by the processor, cause;

the receiver to receive medication information from a transmitter of a cap, wherein the medication information comprises processed electrical input signals generated by a weight sensor of the cap;

the processor to determine, based on the processed electrical input signals, a number of medication units remaining in a medication container that the cap is coupled to; and

display on the display the number of medication units remaining in the medication container.