Programmable automatic pill dispenser
First Claim
1. A method of automatically dispensing a preselected pill and alerting a user to take said preselected pill at a preset time, comprising:
- (a) providing a programmable timer, (b) programming said programmable timer to transmit a signal at said preset time, (c) providing a series of moveable pill-storage compartments and an outlet, each compartment of said series being able to receive at least one pill and discharge said pill by gravity into said outlet when said compartment moves into registration with said outlet, (d) providing and associating a store of pills with said series of moveable pill-storage compartments, said store of pills being a cabinet holding one or more pill-supply container of preselected pills to be dispensed, (e) obtaining said preselected pill from said store and loading a compartment of said series with said preselected pill to provide a loaded compartment, (f) providing an actuation means for automatically moving said loaded compartment into registration with said outlet in response to said signal from said programmable timer, and (g) providing an alarm to alert said user to take the pill that is discharged, said alarm being activated when said loaded compartment moves into registration with said outlet.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A device that can be loaded with appropriate pills and programmed to automatically dispense the proper amount(s) and proper type(s) of pill(s) at the proper time(s) each day. The device includes a system for alerting the pill taker that pills have been dispensed, a system for providing voice messages to coach the pill taker to use the device and consume the pills, and a system for alerting an off-site caregiver when the pill taker has not responded as required or when there is a problem with the operation of the device. Major components of the device include a programmable timer (41), a pill-storage wheel (21), a cabinet (11), a compartment for storing bottles of pills (13), a push button to stop the alarm and release the pills (34), a pill-release gate (61), a compartment indicator template (51), an index gear (92), a battery (500), a pill-storage wheel actuation circuit (504), a pill alert LED and buzzer driver circuit (506), a voice message record and playback system (514), and an automatic telephone dialer system (510).
118 Citations
32 Claims
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1. A method of automatically dispensing a preselected pill and alerting a user to take said preselected pill at a preset time, comprising:
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(a) providing a programmable timer, (b) programming said programmable timer to transmit a signal at said preset time, (c) providing a series of moveable pill-storage compartments and an outlet, each compartment of said series being able to receive at least one pill and discharge said pill by gravity into said outlet when said compartment moves into registration with said outlet, (d) providing and associating a store of pills with said series of moveable pill-storage compartments, said store of pills being a cabinet holding one or more pill-supply container of preselected pills to be dispensed, (e) obtaining said preselected pill from said store and loading a compartment of said series with said preselected pill to provide a loaded compartment, (f) providing an actuation means for automatically moving said loaded compartment into registration with said outlet in response to said signal from said programmable timer, and (g) providing an alarm to alert said user to take the pill that is discharged, said alarm being activated when said loaded compartment moves into registration with said outlet. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17)
(a) providing a counting means for detecting a predetermined quantity of loaded compartments of said series which have moved into registration with said outlet and transmitting a signal when said predetermined quantity has been detected, (b) providing an indicator means for alerting the need to refill said series of moveable pill-storage compartments, said indicator means being activated in response to said signal from said counting means, and (c) detecting said predetermined quantity of said loaded compartments and transmitting a signal by said counting means to activate said indicator means to alert the need to refill said series of moveable pill-storage compartments with preselected pills.
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5. The method of claim 1, further including providing a control for said user to govern the discharge of a pill from said outlet.
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6. The method of claim 5 wherein said providing a control comprises:
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(a) providing a gate means associated with said outlet for preventing the discharge of a pill through said outlet until said gate means is actuated, (b) providing an alert means for alerting said user to actuate said gate means, said alert means replacing said alarm, and (c) actuating said gate means by said user in response to said alert means to allow the discharge of said pill.
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7. The method of claim 1, further including providing at least one voice message for said user.
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8. The method of claim 7 wherein said providing at least one voice message comprises:
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(a) providing a voice message record and playback system, (b) recording a voice message for said user on said voice message record and playback system, and (d) automatically activating said voice message record and playback system to playback said voice message, said voice message replacing said alarm or playing back after said alarm.
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10. The method of claim 6, further including providing a remote alert when said user does not actuate said gate means within a predetermined duration after said alert means is activated.
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11. The method of claim 10 wherein said remote alert is provided by:
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(a) providing an automatic telephone dialer system, (b) programming said automatic telephone dialer system with a telephone number of a person other than said user who will be available to respond to an alert voice message from said automatic telephone dialer system, (c) recording said alert voice message on said automatic telephone dialer system, (d) providing a circuit means for automatically activating said automatic telephone dialer system when said predetermined duration expires and said user did not actuate said gate means, and (e) automatically activating said automatic telephone dialer system to dial the telephone number of said person and play the recorded alert voice message when said predetermined duration expires and said gate means was not actuated.
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12. The method of claim 6, further including alerting a person when said user actuates said gate means but does not take the preselected pill that is discharged.
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13. The method of claim 12, wherein said alerting said person is provided by:
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(a) providing a removable pill receptacle at said outlet to receive the preselected pill that is discharged, (b) providing a sensing means for detecting the removal of said removable pill receptacle, (c) providing a circuit means for automatically activating said automatic telephone dialer system when said sensing means does not detect the removal of said removable pill receptacle within a predetermined time interval after said gate means has been actuated by said user in response to said alert means, and (d) automatically activating said automatic telephone dialer system to dial the telephone number of said person and play the recorded alert voice message to said person answering the telephone when said sensing means does not detect the removal of said removable pill receptacle within said predetermined time interval.
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14. The method of claim 13, further including providing at least one voice message to coach said user to replace said removable pill receptacle after taking the dispensed pills from said removable pill receptacle.
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15. The method of claim 14 wherein said providing at least one voice message comprises:
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(a) providing a system for recording and playing back said voice message, (b) recording said voice message which instructs said user to replace said removable pill receptacle after taking the dispensed pills on said system, (c) providing a detecting means for detecting the replacement of said removable pill receptacle, (d) providing a circuit means for automatically activating said system to playback said voice message when said sensing means detects the removal of said removable pill receptacle, the playing of said voice message continuing for a preset duration unless said playing is interrupted before the expiration of said preset duration by said detecting means detecting the replacement of said removable pill receptacle, and (e) automatically activating said system to playback said voice message to instruct said user to replace said removable pill receptacle when said sensing means detects the removal of said removable pill receptacle.
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16. The method of claim 15, further including providing an off-site alert when said removable pill receptacle is not replaced within said preset duration.
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17. The method of claim 16 wherein said providing an off-site alert comprises:
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(a) providing a circuit means for automatically activating said automatic telephone dialer system when said preset duration expires and said detecting means does not detect the replacement of said removable pill receptacle, and (b) automatically activating said automatic telephone dialer system to dial the telephone number of said person and play the recorded alert voice message to said person answering the telephone when said user does not replace said removable pill receptacle and said detecting means does not detect the replacement of said removable pill receptacle within said preset duration.
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9. The method of 8 wherein said voice message record and playback system is a playback only voice message system, said playback only voice message system having a factory installed voice message recording.
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18. A programmable automatic pill dispenser comprising:
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(a) a cabinet having a series of moveable pill-storage compartments, a pill-supply storage compartment, and a pill outlet, (b) each compartment, of said series being able to receive at least one pill and being able to move into registration with said pill outlet to discharge said pill by gravity via said pill outlet, (c) said pill outlet positioned to discharge said pill by gravity from said each compartment when said each compartment moves into registration with said pill outlet, (d) an actuation means for moving in sequential order the corresponding pill-storage compartment of said series into registration with said pill outlet each time said actuation means is activated, (e) an alarm means for alerting a user to take the discharged pill, and (f) a programmable timing means for programming preset times for dispensing preselected pills and enabling the activation of said actuation means and said alarm means at each programmed preset time. - View Dependent Claims (19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29)
(a) a removable pill receptacle associated with said pill outlet, (b) a sensing means for detecting the removal of said removable pill receptacle, and (c) a circuit means for automatically activating said automatic telephone dialer system when said sensing means does not detect the removal of said removable pill receptacle within said predetermined duration after said pill-release gate has been actuated by said user in response to said signal means, whereby providing a telephonic alert voice message to said person when said user did not remove said removable pill receptacle to take the dispensed pills.
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27. The dispenser of claim 18, wherein said series of moveable pill-storage compartments comprises a rotatable pill-storage wheel having a series of pill-storage compartments disposed concentrically about the center axis of said wheel.
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28. The dispenser of claim 27 wherein said actuation means comprises a rotary motor driving said pill-storage wheel and a sensor interacting with an index wheel coherently associating with said pill-storage wheel.
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29. The dispenser of claim 28 wherein said actuation means further comprises:
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(a) said index wheel having circumferential teeth angularly displaced in correspondence with said pill storage compartments of said pill storage wheel, (b) said sensor being a motor interrupt switch engaging said index wheel, (c) a worm gear associating with said rotary motor, and (d) a spur gear associating with said pill-storage wheel and engaging said worm gear.
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30. A programmable automatic pill dispenser comprising:
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(a) a cabinet having a series of moveable pill-storage compartments, a compartment for holding one or more pill-supply container of preselected pills to be dispensed, and a pill outlet, (b) each pill-storage compartment of said series being able to receive at least one pill and being able to move into registration with said pill outlet to discharge said pill by gravity via said pill outlet, (c) said pill-outlet positioned to discharge said pill by gravity from said each compartment when said each compartment moves into registration with said pill outlet, (d) an actuation means for moving in sequential order the corresponding pill-storage compartment of said series into registration with said pill outlet each time said actuation means is activated, (e) a voice message means for recording and playing back voice messages, and (f) a programmable timing means for programming preset times for dispensing preselected pills and enabling the activation of said actuation means and voice message means at each programmed preset time. - View Dependent Claims (31, 32)
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Specification