Drug delivery management system
First Claim
1. A package for medication, the package comprising:
- (a) a medication container containing a plurality of storage cells;
(b) an electronic monitoring circuit affixed to said medication container;
(c) at least one breakable closure associated with a storage cell, said at least one breakable closure further comprising a severable conductor proximate to said storage cell, said at least one breakable closure securing a unit dose of medication, said severable conductor being communicably connected to said electronic monitoring circuit;
(d) at least one environment sensor affixed to said medication container, said at least one environment sensor being communicably connected to said electronic monitoring circuit;
(e) an RF transceiver affixed to said medication container, said RF transceiver being communicably connected to said at least one monitoring circuit;
(f) an RF antenna affixed to said medication container, said RF sensor being communicably connected to said RF transceiver; and
(g) a power supply;
wherein least one severable conductor is severed upon breaking of the breakable closure, said severance being detected by said monitoring circuit, wherein data associated with said at least one environment sensor is acquired by said electronic monitoring circuit, wherein said RF transceiver transmits said data associated with said severance and said data associated with said at least one environment sensor, and wherein said data is radiated from said RF antenna.
6 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A system for managing delivery of medication is formed of a blister package that includes a plurality of cells wherein each cell is sealed by a breakable wall and holds a unit-dose of medication. A user gains access to the medication by puncturing the breakable wall. A severable conductor is positioned proximate to each breakable wall and ruptures upon puncturing. A monitoring circuit senses the puncturing of each of the severable conductors. An RF transmitter sends information corresponding to usage of each medication stored in the blister package to a remote information transceiver. The package may also be provided with environmental monitoring sensors to allow analytical determinations of medication expiration. The package may furthermore be provided with a power supply which conforms to the back side of the package and an antenna formed by a printing a conductive element on the back side of the package.
272 Citations
41 Claims
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1. A package for medication, the package comprising:
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(a) a medication container containing a plurality of storage cells;
(b) an electronic monitoring circuit affixed to said medication container;
(c) at least one breakable closure associated with a storage cell, said at least one breakable closure further comprising a severable conductor proximate to said storage cell, said at least one breakable closure securing a unit dose of medication, said severable conductor being communicably connected to said electronic monitoring circuit;
(d) at least one environment sensor affixed to said medication container, said at least one environment sensor being communicably connected to said electronic monitoring circuit;
(e) an RF transceiver affixed to said medication container, said RF transceiver being communicably connected to said at least one monitoring circuit;
(f) an RF antenna affixed to said medication container, said RF sensor being communicably connected to said RF transceiver; and
(g) a power supply;
wherein least one severable conductor is severed upon breaking of the breakable closure, said severance being detected by said monitoring circuit, wherein data associated with said at least one environment sensor is acquired by said electronic monitoring circuit, wherein said RF transceiver transmits said data associated with said severance and said data associated with said at least one environment sensor, and wherein said data is radiated from said RF antenna. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11)
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12. A package for medication, the package comprising:
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(a) a medication container containing a plurality of storage cells;
(b) at least one monitoring circuit affixed to said medication container;
(c) at least one breakable closure associated with a storage cell, said breakable closure further comprising a severable conductor proximate to said storage cell, said at least one breakable closure securing a unit dose of medication, said severable conductor being communicably connected to said electronic monitoring circuit;
(d) a conformal power supply, said conformal power supply comprising a plurality of layers printed on the medication package, said plurality of layers comprising at least one anode, at least one cathode, and at least one electrolytic layer interposed between said at least one anode and said at least one cathode;
(e) an RF transceiver affixed to said medication container, said RF transceiver being communicably connected to said at least one monitoring circuit; and
(f) an RF antenna affixed to said medication container, said RF antenna being communicably connected to said RF transceiver;
wherein at least one severable conductor is severed upon breaking of the breakable closure, said severance being detected by said at least one monitoring circuit, wherein said RF transceiver transmits said detection associated with said severance, and wherein said detection is radiated from said RF antenna. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24)
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25. A package for medication, the package comprising:
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(a) a medication container, the medication container having a plurality of storage cells, at least one storage cell being sealed by an associated breakable closure and holding a unit dose of a medication, said medication container comprising a first means for sensing temperature exposure;
(b) a severable conductor proximate to the breakable closure associated with said at least one storage cell sealed by a breakable closure, wherein said severable conductor is severed upon breaking of the associated breakable closure;
(c) an electronic monitoring circuit comprising means for monitoring (i) a first status indicating a severed condition of the associated breakable closure, (ii) a second status indicating temperature exposure of said medication container, (d) a means for transmitting said first status and said second status to a remote monitor. - View Dependent Claims (26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37)
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38. The method of monitoring the environment of a package for medication comprising the steps of:
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providing a network of monitoring stations;
providing managed medication packaging for at least one medication, wherein the managed medication packaging includes severable conductors associated with individual medication cells, at least one environmental sensor, an RF transceiver, and monitoring circuitry for monitoring the severable conductors and the at least one environmental sensor;
providing said managed medication packaging for at least one medication with threshold information;
dispensing said managed medication packaging for at least one medication to a patient;
monitoring environmental exposures through the monitoring circuitry associated with the medication package;
monitoring through the monitoring circuit associated with the medication package the condition of severable conductors associated with the package;
transmitting from the medication package to a monitoring station data associated with the condition of the severable conductors and the environmental sensor. - View Dependent Claims (39, 40, 41)
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Specification