Apparatus and method for information challenged persons to determine information regarding pharmaceutical container labels

• US 6,877,658 B2
• Filed: 01/17/2001
• Issued: 04/12/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 01/24/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: En-Vision America Incorporated
• Original Assignee: En-Vision America Incorporated
• Inventors: Raistrick, David, Raistrick, Philip
• Primary Examiner(s): LE, THIEN MINH
• Application Number:
  US09/761,935
• Publication Number:
  US 20030189089A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,546 Days
• Field of Search: 235/385, 235/375, 235/380, 235/462, 235/472.01, 235/381, 235/383, 235/462.01, 235/462.48
• US Class Current: 235/385
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 9/08 Devices or methods enabling eye-patients to replace direct visual perception by another kind of perception
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/06037 multi-dimensional coding
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/07749 the record carrier being capable of non-contact communication, e.g. constructional details of the antenna of a non-contact smart card
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/07758 arrangements for adhering the record carrier to further objects or living beings, functioning as an identification tag
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/0008 General problems related to the reading of electronic memory record carriers, independent of its reading method, e.g. power transfer
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/10861 sensing of data fields affixed to objects or articles, e.g. coded labels postal sorting B07C3/14, conveying articles B65G47/48
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 21/001 Teaching or communicating with blind persons G09B21/02 - G09B21/06 take precedence

Abstract

An apparatus and method permitting an information challenged person to determine the content of pharmaceutical information contained in a label placed on a medicine container. The apparatus comprises, in one embodiment, a two-dimensional bar code label and, in a second embodiment, a radio frequency identification label, a reader and a processing unit. The reader scans the label located on the medicine container, the label information is then decoded by a processing unit into text information for audio and/or video dissemination to the information challenged person.

Claims

1. A combination comprising:

a label, a two dimension bar code provided on said label, said two dimension bar code containing information related to medicine being taken by an information-challenged person; and

a retrieval device, said retrieval device including means for retrieving data from said two dimension bar code, means for interpreting said retrieved data, and means for conveying said interpreted data to the information-challenged person in a form understandable to the information-challenged person, said means for conveying comprising a speech synthesizer which is capable of converting said interpreted data into audible speech.

2. The combination as defined in claim 1, wherein said two dimension bar code has data thereon including at least one of a description of the medicine, an identification of the information-challenged person, an identification of a physician prescribing said medicine;

drug reactions regarding the information-challenged person, medical records of the information-challenged person, side effects related to said medicine, the present medical condition of the information-challenged person, the past medical condition of the information-challenged person, a physiological trait of the information-challenged person, a characteristic of the information-challenged person, a description of conditions of administration of the medicine; and

instructions regarding accessing information stored in a remotely located database.

3. The combination as defined in claim 1, wherein said retrieval device further includes means for storing said data retrieved from said label.

4. The combination as defined in claim 1, wherein said conveying means is capable of scrolling through said interpreted data when conveyed to the information-challenged person.

5. The combination as defined in claim 1, wherein said conveying means is capable of randomly playing said interpreted data when conveyed to the information-challenged person.

6. The combination as defined in claim 1, wherein said retrieval device further includes a transmitter for transmitting said retrieved data to a remotely-located database.

10. The combination as defined in claim 1, wherein said conveying means comprises a display for visually displaying said interpreted data in alphabetical characters.

7. A combination comprising:

a label, a two dimension bar code provided on said label, said two dimension bar code containing information related to medicine being taken by an information-challenged person; and

a retrieval device, said retrieval device including means for retrieving data from said two dimension bar code, means for interpreting said retrieved data, and means for conveying said interpreted data to the information-challenged person in a form understandable to the information-challenged person, said retrieval device is a mobile telephone.

9. The combination as defined in claim 7, wherein said mobile telephone includes a memory, and means for accessing information from a remote database and storing said information in said memory.

8. A combination comprising:

a label, a two dimension bar code provided on said label, said two dimension bar code containing information related to medicine being taken by an information-challenged person; and

a retrieval device, said retrieval device including means for retrieving data from said two dimension bar code, means for interpreting said retrieved data, and means for conveying said interpreted data to the information-challenged person in a form understandable to the information-challenged person, said retrieval device is a wireless organizer.

46. The combination as defined in claim 8, wherein said wireless organizer includes a memory, and means for accessing information from a remote database and storing said information in said memory.

11. A combination comprising:

a label, a two dimension bar code provided on said label, said two dimension bar code containing information related to medicine being taken by an information-challenged person; and

a retrieval device, said retrieval device including means for retrieving data from said two dimension bar code, means for interpreting said retrieved data, and means for conveying said interpreted data to the information-challenged person in a form understandable to the information-challenged person, said conveying means comprising a display for visually displaying said interpreted data in graphics.

12. A combination comprising:

a label, a two dimension bar code provided on said label, said two dimension bar code containing information related to medicine being taken by an information-challenged person; and

a retrieval device, said retrieval device including means for retrieving data from said two dimension bar code, means for interpreting said retrieved data, and means for conveying said interpreted data to the information-challenged person in a form understandable to the information-challenged person, said conveying means comprising a Braille synthesizer.

13. A combination comprising:

a radio frequency identification label code containing information related to medicine being taken by an information-challenged person; and

a retrieval device, said retrieval device including means for retrieving data from said radio frequency identification label, means for interpreting said retrieved data, and means for conveying said interpreted data to the information-challenged person in a form understandable to the information-challenged person.

14. The combination as defined in claim 13, wherein said radio frequency identification label includes a memory and a transceiver coupled to said memory, said transceiver being capable of receiving data and storing said data in said memory, and further being capable of retrieving said data stored in said memory and transmitting said data.

15. The combination as defined in claim 13, wherein said information includes at least one of a description of the medicine, an identification of the information-challenged person, an identification of a physician prescribing said medicine;

drug reactions regarding the information-challenged person, medical records of the information-challenged person, side effects related to said medicine, the present medical condition of the information-challenged person, the past medical condition of the information-challenged person, a physiological trait of the information-challenged person, a characteristic of the information-challenged person, a description of conditions of administration of the medicine; and

instructions regarding accessing information stored in a remotely located database.

16. The combination as defined in claim 13, wherein said retrieval device includes means for editing said data in said memory.

17. The combination as defined in claim 13, wherein said retrieval device further includes means for storing said data retrieved from said label.

18. The combination as defined in claim 13, wherein said conveying means is capable of scrolling through said data when conveyed to the information-challenged person.

19. The combination as defined in claim 13, wherein said conveying means is capable of randomly playing said data when conveyed to the information-challenged person.

20. The combination as defined in claim 13, wherein said retrieval device further includes a transmitter for transmitting said data to a remotely-located database.

21. The combination as defined in claim 13, wherein said retrieval device is a mobile telephone.

22. The combination as defined in claim 13, wherein said retrieval device is a wireless organizer.

23. The combination as defined in claim 13, wherein said retrieval device includes a retrieval device memory, and means for accessing information from a remote database and storing said information in said retrieval device memory.

24. The combination as defined in claim 23, wherein said retrieval device is a mobile telephone.

25. The combination as defined in claim 23, wherein said retrieval device is a wireless organizer.

26. The combination as defined in claim 13, wherein said conveying means comprises a speech synthesizing means for converting said data into audible speech.

27. The combination as defined in claim 13, wherein said conveying means comprises a display for visually displaying said interpreted data in alphabetical characters.

28. The combination as defined in claim 13, wherein said conveying means comprises a display for visually displaying said interpreted data in graphics.

29. The combination as defined in claim 13, wherein said conveying means comprises a Braille synthesizer.

30. A combination comprising:

a container, non-text data provided on said container, said non-text data containing information related to medicine being taken by an information-challenged person; and

a retrieval device, said retrieval device including means for retrieving said non-text data from said container, means for interpreting said non-text data, and means for conveying said non-text data to the information-challenged person in a form understandable to the information-challenged person, said conveying means comprising a speech synthesizer for converting said data into audible speech.

31. The combination as defined in claim 30, wherein said non-text data is provided in a memory provided on said container, said container further including a transceiver coupled to said memory, said transceiver being capable of receiving data and storing said non-text data in said memory, and further being capable of retrieving said non-text data stored in said memory and transmitting said non-text data.

32. The combination as defined in claim 31, wherein the non-text data includes at least one of a description of the medicine, an identification of the information-challenged person, an identification of a physician prescribing said medicine;

drug reactions regarding the information-challenged person, medical records of the information-challenged person, side effects related to said medicine, the present medical condition of the information-challenged person, the past medical condition of the information-challenged person, a physiological trait of the information-challenged person, a characteristic of the information-challenged person, a description of conditions of administration of the medicine; and

instructions regarding accessing information stored in a remotely located database.

33. The combination as defined in claim 31, wherein said memory and said transceiver are provided on a label which is mounted on said container.

34. The combination as defined in claim 31, wherein said retrieval device includes means for editing said data in said memory.

35. The combination as defined in claim 30, wherein the non-text data includes at least one of a description of the medicine, an identification of the information-challenged person, an identification of a physician prescribing said medicine;

drug reactions regarding the information-challenged person, medical records of the information-challenged person, side effects related to said medicine, the present medical condition of the information-challenged person, the past medical condition of the information-challenged person, a physiological trait of the information-challenged person, a characteristic of the information-challenged person, a description of conditions of administration of the medicine; and

instructions regarding accessing information stored in a remotely located database.

36. The combination as defined in claim 30, wherein said retrieval device further includes means for storing said non-text data retrieved from container.

37. The combination as defined in claim 30, wherein said conveying means is capable of scrolling through said data when conveyed to the information-challenged person.

38. The combination as defined in claim 30, wherein said conveying means is capable of randomly playing said data when conveyed to the information-challenged person.

39. The combination as defined in claim 30, wherein said retrieval device further includes a transmitter for transmitting said data to a remotely-located database.

43. The combination as defined in claim 30, wherein said conveying means comprises a display for visually displaying said interpreted data in alphabetical characters.

40. A combination comprising:

a container, non-text data provided on said container, said non-text data containing information related to medicine being taken by an information-challenged person; and

a retrieval device, said retrieval device including means for retrieving said non-text data from said container, means for interpreting said non-text data, and means for conveying said non-text data to the information-challenged person in a form understandable to the information-challenged person, said retrieval device is a mobile telephone.

42. The combination as defined in claim 40, wherein said mobile telephone includes a memory, and means for accessing information from a remote database and storing said information in said memory.

41. A combination comprising:

a container, non-text data provided on said container, said non-text data containing information related to medicine being taken by an information-challenged person; and

a retrieval device, said retrieval device including means for retrieving said non-text data from said container, means for interpreting said non-text data, and means for conveying said non-text data to the information-challenged person in a form understandable to the information-challenged person, said retrieval device is a wireless organizer.

47. The combination as defined in claim 41, wherein said wireless organizer includes a memory, and means for accessing information from a remote database and storing said information in said memory.

44. A combination comprising:

a container, non-text data provided on said container, said non-text data containing information related to medicine being taken by an information-challenged person; and

a retrieval device, said retrieval device including means for retrieving said non-text data from said container, means for interpreting said non-text data, and means for conveying said non-text data to the information-challenged person in a form understandable to the information-challenged person, said conveying means comprising a display for visually displaying said interpreted data in graphics.

45. A combination comprising:

a container, non-text data provided on said container, said non-text data containing information related to medicine being taken by an information-challenged person; and

a retrieval device, said retrieval device including means for retrieving said non-text data from said container, means for interpreting said non-text data, and means for conveying said non-text data to the information-challenged person in a form understandable to the information-challenged person, said conveying means comprising a Braille synthesizer.