Multiple medication reminder

• US 6,587,036 B2
• Filed: 07/26/2001
• Issued: 07/01/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 07/26/2001
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Scott Somers
• Original Assignee: Gregory M. Somers, Ronald G. Stokes, Scott R. Somers
• Inventors: Somers, Gregory M., Somers, Scott R., Stokes, Ronald G.
• Primary Examiner(s): TRIEU, VAN THANH
• Application Number:
  US09/916,626
• Publication Number:
  US 20030020599A1
• Time in Patent Office: 705 Days
• Field of Search: 340/309.16, 340/309.3, 340/309.4, 340/309.5, 340/309.7, 340/309.8, 368/10, 368/12, 368/21, 368/109, 368/261
• US Class Current: 340/309.16
• 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: A61J 7/049 automatically changing in response to a schedule deviation by the patient
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 20/10 relating to drugs or medications, e.g. for ensuring correct administration to patients
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 40/63 for local operation

Abstract

Apparatus for reminding a person to perform a plurality of periodically repeating tasks includes a first and a second user-accessible interface each having at one least task switch. A first and a second signal device each correspond to the respective first and second user-accessible interfaces. A surface supported by the apparatus can be imprinted with first and second task identifications which are aligned proximate to the corresponding signal devices and user interfaces. The apparatus includes an electronic processor configured to set a first alarm interval and a second alarm interval in response to the at least one task switch of the respective first or second user-accessible interface being accessed by a user a single time. The processor measures the passage of time using an electronic timing device and activates the first or second signal device when the measured passage of time exceeds the respective first or second alarm interval.

Claims

1. An apparatus for reminding a person to perform a plurality of periodically repeating tasks, comprising:

a body member;

a first and a second user-accessible task switch supported by the body member;

a first signal device and a second signal device, each said signal device aligned with the respective first and second task switches, the signal devices supported by the body member;

a surface supported by the body member and configured to be imprinted with a first and a second task identification, such that when the task identifications are imprinted on the surface the first and second task identifications are aligned with the corresponding first and second signal devices and the first and second task switches;

an electronic processor in electronic communication with the first and second task switches and the first and second signal devices;

an electronic timing device;

an electronic readable-writeable memory device defining a first task primary memory location, a first task secondary memory location, a second task primary memory location, and a second task secondary memory location; and

wherein the processor is configured to;

generate a predetermined signal when a user actuates one of the first or second task switches in a predefined manner, thereby causing an interval value to be stored in the corresponding first or second task primary memory location, and further causing the corresponding first or second signal device to indicate to the user via the respective first or second signal device an alarm interval corresponding to the interval value;

store in the first and second task secondary memory locations an increasing value as determined by the electronic timing device; and

generate an alarm signal when the increasing value in one of the first or second task secondary memory locations is greater than the interval value in the corresponding first or second task primary memory locations.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, and wherein the alarm signal is used to generate a visible signal using the signal device corresponding to the secondary memory location which caused the alarm signal to be generated.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, and wherein the first and second signal devices each comprise a plurality of light emitting diodes.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, and wherein the first and second signal devices each comprise a liquid crystal display.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, and further comprising an audible alarm, and wherein the audible alarm is configured to be activated by the alarm signal.

6. The apparatus of claim 1, and further wherein the alarm interval corresponds to a periodic frequency occurring at most once every twenty-four hours.

7. The apparatus of claim 1, and wherein the processor is a programmable processor, and further wherein the readable-writeable memory device contains a series of executable steps which can be accessed by the processor and executed by the processor to vary the interval value stored in the memory device in response to the user accessing the first or second task switches.

8. The apparatus of claim 7, and wherein:

the first and second task switches are configured to be cycled by the user between an open state and a closed state; and

the readable-writeable memory device further contains executable steps to vary the interval value stored in the first or second task primary memory location when the respective first or second task switch is held in a continuous closed state for longer than a predetermined period of time.

9. The apparatus of claim 7, and wherein the readable-writeable memory device further contains executable steps to vary the alarm signal depending upon whether the alarm signal is generated by the increasing value in the first or the second task secondary memory locations.

10. The apparatus of claim 7, and wherein the readable-writeable memory device further contains executable steps to cancel the alarm signal in response to the user accessing one of the first or the second task switches.

11. The apparatus of claim 7, and wherein the readable-writeable memory device further contains executable steps to cancel the alarm signal after a predetermined period of time.

12. The apparatus of claim 1, and wherein the readable-writeable memory device further contains executable steps to initialize the first or second task secondary memory location to zero when the alarm signal generated by the respective first or second primary memory locations is canceled, and to thereafter again store the increasing value in the respective first or second task secondary memory locations.

13. The apparatus of claim 1, and further wherein the surface supported by the body member is an essentially planar component removable from the body member.

14. The apparatus of claim 1, and further comprising a first and a second reset switch, and in response to the user accessing the first or second reset switch, the processor is prevented from generating the alarm signal corresponding to the first or the second task secondary memory locations.

15. An apparatus for reminding a person to perform a plurality of periodically repeating tasks, comprising:

a body member;

a first plurality and a second plurality of user-accessible task switches supported by the body member, each task switch in the plurality of task switches corresponding to a distinct time interval;

a first signal device and a second of signal device, each said signal device corresponding to the respective first and second task plurality of task switches, the signal devices supported by the body member;

a surface supported by the body member and configured to be imprinted with a first and a second task identification, such that when the task identifications are imprinted on the surface the first and second task identifications are aligned with the corresponding first and second signal devices and the first and second plurality of task switches;

an electronic processor in electronic communication with the first and second plurality of task switches and the first and second signal devices;

an electronic timing device;

and wherein the processor is configured to;

set a first alarm interval in response to one of the first plurality of task switches being accessed by a user, and set a second alarm interval in response to one of the second plurality of task switches being accessed by a user;

measure the passage of time using the electronic timing device;

activate the first signal device when the measured passage of time exceeds the first alarm interval; and

activate the second signal device when the measured passage of time exceeds the second alarm interval.

16. The apparatus of claim 15, and further comprising a first reset switch configured to terminate the activation of the first signal device, and a second reset switch configured to terminate the activation of the first signal device.

17. The apparatus of claim 15, and wherein the first and second signal devices are light emitting diodes.

18. The apparatus of claim 15, and further comprising an audible alarm device, and wherein the audible alarm is activated when either of the first or the second signal devices are activated.

19. The apparatus of claim 18, and wherein the audible alarm device emits a first audible signal in response to activation of the first signal device, and a second audible signal in response to activation of the second signal device.

20. An apparatus for reminding a person to perform a plurality of periodically repeating tasks, comprising:

a body member;

a first and a second user-accessible interface, each said interface comprising at one least task switch supported by the body member;

a first signal device and a second signal device, each said signal device aligned with the respective first and second user-accessible interfaces, the signal devices supported by the body member;

a surface supported by the body member and configured to be imprinted with a first and a second task identification, such that when the task identifications are imprinted on the surface the first and second task identifications are aligned with the corresponding first and second signal devices and the first and second user-accessible interfaces;

an electronic processor in electronic communication with the first and second user-accessible interfaces and the first and second signal devices;

an electronic timing device;

and wherein the processor is configured to;

set a first alarm interval in response to the at least one task switch of the first user-accessible interface being accessed by a user a single time, and set a second alarm interval in response to the at least on a task switch of the second user-accessible interface being accessed by a user a single time;

measure the passage of time using the electronic timing device;

activate the first signal device when the measured passage of time exceeds the first alarm interval; and

activate the second signal device when the measured passage of time exceeds the second alarm interval.

21. An apparatus for reminding a person to perform a plurality of periodically repeating tasks, comprising:

a first and a second user-accessible interface, each said interface having at least one task switch;

a first and a second signal device, each said signal device aligned with the respective first and second user-accessible interfaces;

a surface supported by the apparatus configured to be imprinted with first and second task identifications which are aligned with at least one of the corresponding signal devices or user interfaces;

an electronic timing device; and

an electronic processor configured to;

set a first alarm interval and a second alarm interval in response to the respective task switches each being accessed by a user a single time;

measure the passage of time using the electronic timing device; and

activate the first or second signal device when the measured passage of time exceeds the respective first or second alarm interval.