Contingent dosing device
First Claim
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1. A contingent dosing device for controlling the dispensing of a drug to a patient, comprising:
- a time counter capable of recording one or more starting times and of measuring at least one elapsed time period from the one or more starting times;
means for recording an initial dispensing regimen, said regimen including information concerning the times for taking doses in a specified sequence and information regarding acceptable deviations therefrom;
means for relating the start of said dispensing regimen to a time recorded or measured by the time counter;
means for determining when the patient requests to take a dose of the drug;
means for calculating the actual deviation of the request from the recorded dosing time of said regimen;
means for comparing the actual deviation with the acceptable deviation set forth in the regimen and deriving the time difference therebetween; and
means for informing the patient as to the acceptability of said time difference, whereby if said actual deviation is less than or equal to said acceptable deviation, a dose is dispensed and whereby if said actual deviation is greater than or equal to said acceptable deviation, a dose is refused.
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Abstract
A contingent dosing device which actively controls the pattern in which doses of one or more pharmaceutical preparations are administered to a patient. The device is programmed with information concerning an initial dosing regimen, and monitors deviations from that regimen. Based on the acceptability of the calculated deviations, the device may dispense or withhold medication. The invention also includes an automatic drug dosage compliance method using the contingent dosing device.
333 Citations
30 Claims
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1. A contingent dosing device for controlling the dispensing of a drug to a patient, comprising:
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a time counter capable of recording one or more starting times and of measuring at least one elapsed time period from the one or more starting times; means for recording an initial dispensing regimen, said regimen including information concerning the times for taking doses in a specified sequence and information regarding acceptable deviations therefrom; means for relating the start of said dispensing regimen to a time recorded or measured by the time counter; means for determining when the patient requests to take a dose of the drug; means for calculating the actual deviation of the request from the recorded dosing time of said regimen; means for comparing the actual deviation with the acceptable deviation set forth in the regimen and deriving the time difference therebetween; and means for informing the patient as to the acceptability of said time difference, whereby if said actual deviation is less than or equal to said acceptable deviation, a dose is dispensed and whereby if said actual deviation is greater than or equal to said acceptable deviation, a dose is refused. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19)
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20. A contingent dosing device for controlling the dispensing of a drug to a patient, comprising:
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a time counter capable of recording one or more starting times and of measuring at least one elapsed time period from the one or more starting times; means for recording an initial dispensing regimen, said regimen including information concerning the times for taking doses in a specified sequence and information regarding acceptable deviations therefrom; means for relating the start of said dispensing regimen to a time recorded or measured by the time counter; means for determining when the patient requests to take a dose of the drug; means for calculating the actual deviation of said request from the recorded dosing time of said regimen; means for comparing the actual deviation with the acceptable deviation set forth in the regimen and deriving the time difference therebetween; and means for informing the patient'"'"'s health care professional as to said time difference.
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21. An automatic drug dosage compliance method, comprising the steps of:
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(a) recording in a patient-portable memory unit an initial dispensing regimen, said regimen including information concerning the times for taking doses in a specified sequence and information regarding acceptable deviations therefrom; (b) determining the times when a patient requests to take a dose of a drug; (c) calculating the actual deviation of the request times from the recorded dosing times; (d) comparing the actual deviation with the acceptable deviation set forth in the regimen and deriving the time difference therebetween; and (e) automatically informing the patient as to the acceptability of said time difference, whereby if said actual deviation is less than or equal to said acceptable deviation, a dose is dispensed and whereby if said actual deviation is greater than or equal to said acceptable deviation, a dose is refused. - View Dependent Claims (22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30)
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Specification