Patient compliance and monitoring system for multiple regimens using a movable bar code reader

• US 5,774,865 A
• Filed: 04/19/1996
• Issued: 06/30/1998
• Est. Priority Date: 04/19/1996
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Ideal Ideas, Inc. (iVoice, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Ideal Ideas, Inc. (iVoice, Inc.)
• Inventors: Glynn, Kenneth P.
• Primary Examiner(s): Hafiz, Tariq R.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Patel, Jagdish
• Application Number:
  US08/635,013
• Time in Patent Office: 802 Days
• Field of Search: 705/2, 705/3, 600/300, 177/25.19
• US Class Current: 705/2
• CPC Class Codes: A61J 2200/74 for weight
• CPC Class Codes: A61J 2205/10 Bar codes
• 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 7/0454 for dispensing of multiple drugs
• CPC Class Codes: G01G 19/414 using electronic computing means only
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 20/10 relating to drugs or medications, e.g. for ensuring correct administration to patients

Abstract

The patient compliance and monitoring device utilizes a tray with a base for holding medicine containers such as bottles. Inside the base attached to the tray is a weight scale connected to a computer. Also connected to the computer are an alphanumeric keyboard and an LCD monitor which attached to the base. The computer entails a microprocessor connected to ROM and RAM and encoded with instruction sets to determine the dosage taken by a user as well as the date and time taken. The medicine containers are detected, preferably, by a bar code reader inside the base scanning bar code labels attached to the bottom of the medicine containers.

Claims

1. A patient compliance and monitoring device for multiple medicine regimens comprising:

(a) a medicine tray for holding a plurality of medicine containers having a bottom, said medicine tray having a reciprocally attached base;

(b) a computer inside said base, said computer including;

1) a central processing unit;

2) random access memory electrically connected to said central processing unit; and

,

3) read only memory electrically connected to said central processing unit, said read only memory being encoded with instruction sets;

c) a positioner inside said base, said positioner being electrically connected to said computer, said positioner being pivotable in a partially hemispherical pattern;

d) a scanner inside said base, said scanner being electrically connected to said computer;

e) a weight scale inside said base, said weight scale being electrically connected to said computer, said weight scale being attached to said medicine tray and said base so as to allow said medicine tray to reciprocally slide relative to said base;

f) input means electrically connected to said computer and fixedly attached to said base for allowing a user to initialize said computer and recall usage data from said computer;

g) output means electrically connected to said computer and mounted to exterior of said base for displaying usage data; and

,

h) a switch inside said base, said switch being electrically connected to said computer, said positioner and a power supply.

2. The device of claim 1, wherein said central processing unit is a microprocessor.

3. The device of claim 2, wherein said scanner is a bar code reader.

4. The device in claim 3, wherein said input means is an alphanumeric key board.

5. The device of claim 4, wherein said output means is an liquid crystal display.

6. The device of claim 5, wherein said weight scale is a spring activated, weight sensing device with an electrical transducer.

7. The device of claim 6, wherein said positioner is a servomotor with a gear drive train.

8. The device of claim 2 wherein said scanner is a magnetic reader for detecting magnetic signatures on magnetic media attached to a medicine container on said tray.

9. The device in claim 8, wherein said input means is an alpha numeric key board.

10. The device of claim 9, wherein said output means is an liquid crystal display.

11. The device of claim 10, wherein said weight scale is a spring activated, weight sensing device with an electrical transducer.

12. The device of claim 11, wherein said positioner is a servomotor with a gear drive train.

13. The device of claim 12, wherein said switch is a one way switch for permitting current flow from said power supply to a rotating means for rotating a linear bar code reader, said one way switch being controlled by said computer.

14. A patient compliance and monitoring device for multiple medicine regimens comprising:

(a) a medicine tray for holding a plurality of medicine containers having a bottom for permitting propagation of light waves, said medicine tray having a reciprocally attached base;

(b) a computer inside base, said computer including;

1) a central processing unit;

2) random access memory electrically connected to said central processing unit; and

,

3) read only memory electrically connected to said central processing unit, said read only memory being encoded with instruction sets;

c) rotating means electrically connected to said computer;

d) a first linkage having a first end and a second end, said first end being attached to said rotating means;

e) a second linkage having a first end and a second end, said first end of said second linkage being rotatably connected to said second end of said first linkage;

d) a linear bar code reader inside said base, said linear bar code reader being electrically connected to said computer and rotatably coupled to said second end of said second linkage;

e) a weight scale inside said base, said weight scale being electrically connected to said computer, said weight scale being attached to said medicine tray and said base so as to allow said medicine tray to reciprocally slide relative to said base;

f) input means electrically connected to said computer and fixedly attached to said base for allowing a user to initialize said computer and recall usage data from said computer;

g) output means electrically connected to said computer and fixedly attached to said base for displaying usage data; and

,

h) a switch inside said base, said switch being electrically connected to said computer, said positioner and a power supply.

15. The device of claim 14, wherein said central processing unit is a microprocessor.

16. The device of claim 15, wherein said rotating means is a direct current motor, said direct current motor being rotatably reversible.

17. The device of claim 16, wherein said input means is an alpha numeric key board.

18. The device of claim 17, wherein said output means is an liquid crystal display.

19. The device of claim 18, wherein said weight scale is a spring activated, weight sensing device with an electrical transducer.

20. The device of claim 19, wherein said switch is a one way switch for permitting current flow from said power supply to said rotating means, said one way switch being controlled by said computer.