Method of and apparatus for alerting a patient to take medication
First Claim
1. In a device for providing medication:
- a first unit for providing medication including a container for medication, a timing circuit for producing timing signals, and signaling means for giving a signal capable of human detection to indicate that medication should be taken, said signaling means giving said signal that is capable of human detection in response to a start signal;
said first unit including control means, controlled by at least some of said timing signals, for producing a start signal which energizes said signaling means and thereby indicates that medication should be taken, said first unit also including manually operable means for deactivating said signaling means, anda second unit removably associated with said first unit and having a medication container independent of the container of the first unit;
said second unit including (a) means for receiving timing signals from said timing circuit of said first unit, (b) means responsive to at least one of the received timing signals for sending a start signal to said signaling means to produce a signal capable of human detection, and (c) manually operable means for sending another signal to said first unit for deactivating said signaling means.
9 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A device for indicating when medication should be taken has plural compartments, each of which may store medication. An electrical signaling system emits take-medication signals from time to time, each of which said signals indicates (a) that medication should be taken, (b) from which compartment the medication should be taken, (c) the quantity of medication to be taken from the designated compartment, and instructions for taking the medication. If a designated compartment is not promptly opened and closed, the electrical signaling system will sound an alarm. If each designated compartment is opened and closed, the take-medication signal and the alarm (if operating) are turned off. A reload signal is given once a week, as a reminder to reload the compartments with medication. The device has modular construction. A first module has: (a) one of the compartments, (b) an alarm for producing an audible signal to alert the patient to take medication, (c) a timing signal generator for producing timing signals, (d) a circuit for energizing the alarm in response to selected timing signals, and (e) a switch for turning off said alarm when the medication has been taken from the container in the first module. Each remaining module is a plug-in device which has a compartment, receives timing signals from the first module, sends signals to activate said alarm in response to selected timing signals and a manual switch for deactivating said alarm when medication is taken from the compartment in the module.
-
Citations
31 Claims
-
1. In a device for providing medication:
-
a first unit for providing medication including a container for medication, a timing circuit for producing timing signals, and signaling means for giving a signal capable of human detection to indicate that medication should be taken, said signaling means giving said signal that is capable of human detection in response to a start signal;
said first unit including control means, controlled by at least some of said timing signals, for producing a start signal which energizes said signaling means and thereby indicates that medication should be taken, said first unit also including manually operable means for deactivating said signaling means, anda second unit removably associated with said first unit and having a medication container independent of the container of the first unit;
said second unit including (a) means for receiving timing signals from said timing circuit of said first unit, (b) means responsive to at least one of the received timing signals for sending a start signal to said signaling means to produce a signal capable of human detection, and (c) manually operable means for sending another signal to said first unit for deactivating said signaling means. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 30, 31)
-
-
14. In a device for providing medication:
-
a first unit for providing medication including a container for medication, a timing circuit for producing timing signals, and signaling means for giving a signal capable of human detection to indicate that medication should be taken, said signaling means giving said signal that is capable of human detection in response to a start signal;
said first unit including control means, controlled by at least one of said timing signals, for producing a start signal which energizes said signaling means and thereby indicates that medication should be taken, said first unit also including manually operable means for deactivating said signaling means, anda second unit removably associated with said first unit and having a medication container independent of the container of the first unit;
said second unit including;(a) means responsive to at least one of said timing signals for sending a start signal to said signaling means to produce a signal capable of human detection, and (b) manually operable means for deactivating said signaling means. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29)
-
Specification