Interactive prescription compliance, and life safety system

• US 6,150,942 A
• Filed: 07/09/1999
• Issued: 11/21/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 07/15/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Meds-Alert USA Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Charles T O'Brien
• Inventors: O'Brien, Charles T.
• Primary Examiner(s): SWANN III, GLEN R
• Application Number:
  US09/350,437
• Time in Patent Office: 501 Days
• Field of Search: 340/573.1, 340/573.4, 340/825.36, 364/400, 379/38
• US Class Current: 340/573.1
• CPC Class Codes: A61J 2200/30 Compliance analysis for taking medication
• CPC Class Codes: A61J 2200/70 Device provided with specific sensor or indicating means
• CPC Class Codes: A61J 2200/72 for temperature
• CPC Class Codes: A61J 2205/10 Bar codes
• CPC Class Codes: A61J 2205/20 Colour codes
• CPC Class Codes: A61J 2205/50 using icons or symbolic figures, e.g. by a graphical representation symbolising the type of pathology or the organ by an image
• CPC Class Codes: A61J 2205/60 using magnetic or electronic identifications, e.g. chips, RFID, electronic tags
• CPC Class Codes: A61J 2205/70 Audible labels, e.g. for pre-recorded info or messages
• CPC Class Codes: A61J 7/0427 with direct interaction with a dispensing or delivery system
• CPC Class Codes: A61J 7/0454 for dispensing of multiple drugs
• CPC Class Codes: A61J 7/0481 working on a schedule basis
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 20/66 Trinkets, e.g. shirt buttons or jewellery items recognising microscopic objects G06V20/69
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 20/13 delivered from dispensers
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 40/67 for remote operation

Abstract

An interactive prescription compliance, and life safety system provides remote and on site verification of procedures related to the health status of a person, including taking of medicines, responsiveness to queries, and attendance of health care and service providers in the home by providing for signals to and from a person'"'"'s location, with alarm activation when a deviation from a preprogrammed procedure occurs.

Claims

1. An interactive personal safety system comprising:

(a) an outward communication means connected to a customer service center;

(b) a personal activating means connected to the outward communication means;

(c) a timing means providing a signal at at least one preset time, said signal prompting the activation of said personal activation means, the timing means functioning to inhibit the provision of said signal when the personal activation means is timely activated;

(d) an automatic activating means connected to the outward communication means;

(e) a programmable timing mechanism interconnecting the outward communication means, the personal activating means, the automatic activating means, and the customer service center and functioning to enable the automatic activating means to communicate with the customer service center if the personal activating means is not timely activated;

(e) a return communicating means;

(f) a response means controlled by the return communicating means; and

(g) a team indicator activated by the response means when triggered by the customer service center via the return communicating means to indicate a response is required from an assistance team.

2. The interactive personal safety system of claim 1, wherein

the personal activating means is at least one device from the group comprising:

a telephone, a response button, a bar code reader, and a radio frequency identification tag reader.

3. The interactive personal safety system of claim 2, wherein

the personal activating means is at least one device from the group comprising:

a bar code reader and a radio frequency identification tag reader and wherein

the personal activating means responds to at least one identification code carried by at least one care giver and/or at least one medicine container, the programmable timing mechanism being activatable by the response of said personal activating means to said at least one identification code.

4. The interactive personal safety system of claim 3, further comprising:

(h) at least one alarm monitor selected from a group comprising a fire alarm, a burglar alarm, a water alarm, a temperature alarm, a carbon monoxide alarm, a perimeter monitoring alarm, an interactive video alarm, and an interactive audio alarm; and

(I) at least one medical monitoring device, wherein

the programmable timing mechanism provides a remote alert if, following activation of said at least one alarm monitor, the personal activating means is not activated within a predetermined time, the programmable timing mechanism further responding to at least one code identifying a care giver and to at least one code identifying an output from said at least one medical monitoring device to provide appropriate remote alerts.

5. The interactive personal safety system of claim 4, wherein

at least one of an interactive video alarm and an interactive audio alarm monitors an individual patient;

and

the customer service center includes a database storing information relating to compliance based on inputs from the personal activating means and the automatic activation means; and

further including

a recovery means for retrieving said information.

6. The interactive personal safety system of claim 5, further including:

(k) a set top box forming part of said outward communication means, the set top box including a microprocessor to process data received from said customer service center; and

(l) a medicine dispenser controlled through said set top box to dispense at least one medicine for at least one desired interval.

7. The interactive personal safety system of claim 6, wherein

the return communicating means includes a television activating means cooperating with the set top box;

and

the set top box includes at least one feature selected from the group consisting of a computer processing unit, a solid state memory, a radio frequency receiver, at least one connecting port, a user interface having at least one alarm button and at least one reset button, a display device, a video alarm overlay circuit, an audio alarm, a visual alarm, a bar code reader, a radio frequency identification tag scanner, a drug dispensing port, a modem, an Ethernet 10 base t converter, a wide area network converter, an auto dialer, a back-up power source, and a priority interrupting system.

8. The interactive personal safety system of claim 7, wherein

the set top box includes at least one item selected from the group consisting of a wireless safety device, a security device, a display pager, a cellular telephone, and a wireless telephone;

and

the set top box functions as a control means for at least one device from the group consisting of a drug dispenser, and interactive audio medical monitor, and an interactive video alarm medical monitor.

9. The interactive personal safety system of claim 8, wherein

the interactive audio medical monitor, and the interactive video alarm medical monitor is at least one device selected from the group consisting of an electro cardiogram, a renal function monitor, an oxygen monitor, and a blood pressure monitor;

and

the wireless safety device, and the security device is at least one device selected from the group consisting of a fire alarm, a burglar alarm, a motion detector, a temperature sensor, a carbon monoxide detector, a water sensor, a wrist mounted panic button, a pendant panic button, a perimeter limiting alarm, a video alarm camera, and a keyless door entry.

10. The interactive personal safety system of claim 9, wherein

a bar code serves to identify a user or a medicine via the bar code reader;

and

a radio frequency identification tag serves to identify a user or a medicine via the radio frequency identification tag reader.

11. The interactive personal safety system of claim 10 wherein

the bar code and/or radio frequency identification tag provide log-in and log-out entries for at least one service provider and alert the customer service center of the dates and times service and goods were provided to the user;

and

a failure to log-in or log-out causes an alarm condition at the customer service center and results in a follow-up notification.

12. The interactive personal safety system of claim 11, wherein the alarm condition includes a delay to avoid unnecessary action;

and the alarm condition includes at least one audio warning.