Event monitoring device

• US 6,198,695 B1
• Filed: 02/19/1999
• Issued: 03/06/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 04/13/1998
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Raymond Eduardo Kirton, Thomas Raymond Poulin
• Original Assignee: Raymond Eduardo Kirton, Thomas Raymond Poulin
• Inventors: Poulin, Thomas Raymond, Kirton, Raymond Eduardo
• Primary Examiner(s): Roskoski, Bernard
• Application Number:
  US09/253,869
• Time in Patent Office: 746 Days
• Field of Search: 368/10, 368/89, 368/107-113
• US Class Current: 368/10
• CPC Class Codes: A61J 2200/30 Compliance analysis for taking medication
• CPC Class Codes: A61J 2205/10 Bar codes
• CPC Class Codes: A61J 2205/70 Audible labels, e.g. for pre-recorded info or messages
• CPC Class Codes: A61J 7/0418 with electronic history memory
• CPC Class Codes: A61J 7/0454 for dispensing of multiple drugs
• CPC Class Codes: A61J 7/0481 working on a schedule basis

Abstract

This disclosure relates to a method of monitoring patent compliance using a multiple step event acknowledgment process.

a) programming a device with event times and descriptions,

b) comparing the event times to a system time,

c) alerting the patient when an event is to occur,

d) pausing the alert,

e) waiting a predetermined amount of time,

f) acknowledging said alerting after said alert was paused and before the end of said predetermined amount of time.

An apparatus for carrying out said method. The apparatus consisting of a portable device having a microcontroller with memory for storing said event times and descriptions. The device further including a prompting means for alerting the patient and event pause and acknowledgment functions. In an alternate embodiment, the portable device includes a microphone for allowing the patient to record verbal messages for later replay by a clinician.

Claims

1. A patient event monitoring method comprising the steps of:

a) programming into a portable device memory a patient profile, said profile including at least one profile time and at least one event and pause time associated with said at least one profile time;

b) periodically comparing said at least one profile time against an actual system time;

c) alerting the user when said profile time matches said system time;

d) enabling the execution of a pause function on said portable device;

e) executing a pause function on said portable device in response to a patient command;

f) waiting said pause time once said pause function has been executed;

g) enabling the execution of an acknowledgment function on said portable device;

h) storing event completed data in said memory if said acknowledgment function was executed within said pause time, said event completed data including information on whether or not said event was confirmed within said pause time.

2. The method of claim 1 including the following step:

i) repeating steps c)-h) a second time if said user alerting was not acknowledged after step g).

3. The method of claim 2 including the following step:

j) repeating steps c)-h) a third time if said patient alerting was not acknowledged after step g).

4. The method of claim 3 including the step of displaying said event data associated with said profile time that matches said system time between steps c) and d).

5. The method of claim 4 including the step of downloading said data stored in said electronic memory to an external host.

6. The method of claim 1 including the step of downloading said data stored in said memory to a host computer.

7. The method of claim 1 including the step of recording a verbal message and storing said message in said memory.

8. The method of claim 7 including the step of downloading said data stored in said electronic memory to a host computer.

9. The method of claim 7 including the step of retrieving said verbal message from said electronic memory and replaying said message.

10. The method of claim 9 wherein said replaying step is accomplished using an audio speaker.

11. The method of claim 3 wherein said predetermined amount of time is less than five minutes to pause a prompting feature.

12. The method of claim 3 wherein said predetermined amount of time is less than two minutes to pause a prompting feature.

13. The method of claim 3 wherein said patient profile data further includes a plurality of said predetermined times, each of said plurality of predetermined times associated with an event such that each event can have a different predetermined amount of time.

14. A system for monitoring patient compliance to medical events, the system comprising:

a host computer having;

a microprocessor;

a data entry device operably coupled to said microprocessor, said data entry device capable of entering patient profile data, said data including at least one event time, and an event data and pause time associated with said event time, said event data including visual and audible descriptions of the event;

a monitor operably coupled to said microprocessor, said monitor capable of displaying patient data;

a communications device operably coupled to said microprocessor, said communications device including a receiver and a transmitter capable of receiving and sending said profile data;

a storage device operably coupled to said microprocessor, said storage device storing said profile data for retrieval at a later time;

a portable device, said device having;

a microcontroller, said microcontroller including internal time circuitry for maintaining a system time;

a comparator operably coupled to said microcontroller, said comparator capable of comparing a profile time to said system time;

a communications device removably coupled to said host computer, said communications device being able to receive and transmit data from and to said host;

a memory operably coupled to said microcontroller;

a storage device operably coupled to said microcontroller, said storage device storing said profile data;

a prompting device operable coupled to said microcontroller and being responsive to said comparator for generating an audible and visual signal when said system time matches one of said event times, said visual signal being the event description corresponding to the event time that matches said system time;

a pausing input device operably coupled to said microcontroller, said pausing input device being responsive to the user for silencing said prompting signal for a predetermined amount of pause time;

an acknowledgment input device operably coupled to said microcontroller, said acknowledgement input device being responsive to the user for confirming said event has occurred;

said comparator further determines if said event was confirmed within said predetermined amount of pause time, said comparator storing an event completed data in said memory, said event completed data including information on whether or not said event was confirmed within said predetermined amount of pause time.

15. The system of claim 14 wherein:

said comparator further determines if said event was confirmed occurred after said predetermined amount of pause time, and controls said prompting device for generating a second signal after said predetermined amount of pause time expires.

16. The system of claim 15 wherein:

said comparator further determines if said event was confirmed after a second predetermined amount of pause time, said comparator storing an event completed data in said memory, said event completed data including information on whether or not said event was confirmed within said second predetermined amount of pause time.

17. The system of claim 16 wherein said communications device of said portable device is comprised of a data transmission box external to said portable device and a communications port internal to said portable device and operably connected to said microcontroller, said data transmission box being capable of receiving data from said host and transmitting it to said communications port.

18. A system for monitoring patient compliance to medical events, the system comprising:

a host computer including;

a microprocessor;

a data entry device operably coupled to said microprocessor, said data entry device capable of inputting patient profile data, said data including at least one event time and event data and pause time associated with said event time, said event data including visual and audible descriptions of the event;

a communications device coupled to said microprocessor, said communications device including a receiver and transmitter for receiving and sending profile data to an external device;

a storage device operably coupled to said microprocessor, said storage device capable of storing said profile data for retrieval at a later time;

a portable device, said device including;

a microcontroller, said microcontroller including internal time circuitry for maintaining a system time;

a communications device operably coupled to said microcontroller, said communications device transmits and receives data from said host;

a memory operably coupled to said microcontroller;

a storage device operably coupled to said microcontroller, said storage device storing said profile data;

a comparator operably coupled to said microcontroller, said comparator capable of comparing said profile time to said system time;

a prompting device coupled to said microcontroller and responsive to said comparator, said prompting device generates a audible and visual signal when said system time matches one of said event times, said visual signal being the event description corresponding to the event time that matches said system time;

a pausing input device operably coupled to said microcontroller, said pausing input device being responsive to the user for silencing said prompting signal for a predetermined amount of pause time;

an acknowledgment input device operably coupled to said microcontroller, said acknowledgement input device being responsive to the user for confirming said event has occurred;

a microphone, said microphone operably connected to said microcontroller.

19. The system of claim 18 further comprising:

a recorder operably coupled with said microcontroller, said recorder receives an audio signal from said microphone and stores said audio signal as audio data with the current system time in said memory means.

20. The system of claim 18 further comprising

a speaker;

a player operably coupled to said microcontroller and said speaker, said player retrieves said audio data from said memory and replays the audio signal through said speaker.

21. A portable event monitoring device, said device comprising;

a microcontroller, said microcontroller including internal timing circuitry for maintaining a system time;

a comparator coupled to said microcontroller;

a memory operably coupled to said microcontroller;

a storage device operably coupled to said microcontroller, said storage device stores profile data, said profile data including at least one event time and event data and pause time associated with said event time;

a prompting device responsive to said comparator for generating an audible and visual signal when said system time matches an event time, said visual signal being the event description corresponding to the event time that matches said system time;

a microphone, said microphone operably connected to a said microcontroller;

a pausing input device coupled with said microcontroller, said pausing input device being responsive to the monitoring device user for silencing said prompting signal for a predetermined amount of pause time;

an acknowledgement input device coupled with said microcontroller, said acknowledgement input device being responsive to commands from the monitoring device user;

an event recorder coupled with said microcontroller, said event recorder storing in memory data indicating if said acknowledgement input device or said pausing input device was activated by the monitor device user.

22. The portable event monitoring device of claim 21 further comprising:

a recording device coupled with said microcontroller, said recording device receives an audio signal from said microphone.

23. The portable event monitoring device of claim 22 further comprising

a speaker;

a player for retrieving said audio data and replaying the audio data through said speaker.

24. The portable event monitoring device of claim 23 further comprising:

a communications device having a transmitter and a receiver.

25. A portable event monitoring device, said device comprising;

a microcontroller, said microcontroller including internal timing circuitry for maintaining a system time;

a comparator operably coupled with said microcontroller;

a memory operably coupled to said microcontroller;

a storage device operably coupled to said microcontroller, said storage device storing profile data, said profile data including at least one event time;

a prompting device responsive to said comparator, said prompting device generating an audible and visual signal when said system time matches one of said event times, said visual signal being an event description corresponding to said event time that matches said system time;

a pausing input device coupled to said microcontroller, said pausing input silencing said prompting audible signal for a predetermined amount of pause time;

an acknowledgment input device for confirming said event has occurred;

said comparator further determines if said event was confirmed within said predetermined amount of pause time, said comparator storing an event completed data in said memory, said event completed data including information on whether or not said event was confirmed within said predetermined amount of pause time.

26. The portable event monitoring device of claim 25 wherein:

said comparator further determines if said event was confirmed after said predetermined amount of time, and controls said prompting device for generating a second signal after said predetermined amount of pause time expires.

27. The portable event monitoring device of claim 26 wherein:

said comparator further determines if said acknowledgment input occurred after a second predetermined amount of pause time, said comparator storing an event completed data in said memory, said event completed data including information on whether or not said event was confirmed within said second predetermined amount of pause time.