Unit dose compliance monitoring and reporting device and system
First Claim
1. A unit dose medication compliance monitoring and reporting device, comprising:
- a dispenser shell with a dispensing face and defining a plurality of unit dose containers, each container defining an opening through the dispensing face;
a retainer sheet configured to be confrontingly affixed to the dispensing face to seal each container opening and to burst proximate to each opening as the unit dose is dispensed through the respective openings of the containers;
a sensor network arranged about the retainer sheet to have a plurality of frangible electrical container integrity signal paths, each path being positioned to substantially extend across a respective opening when the retainer sheet is affixed;
a monitoring and reporting circuit in electrical communication with timer and memory circuits, which are configured to record a time signal at each instance when a one of the frangible signal paths is interrupted as the unit dose is dispensed, the monitoring and reporting circuit being further adapted to compute and record an average time interval signal of the recorded time signals; and
a data display device in electronic communication with the monitoring and reporting circuit and configured to communicate data that includes the average time interval signal of the recorded time signals.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A unit dose medication compliance monitoring and reporting apparatus and system that includes a dispenser shell formed with dose compartments. A retainer sheet affixed to the shell seals each compartment and partially bursts upon dispensing. A sensor network and monitoring and reporting circuitry records dispensing times and determines an average time interval, which can be reported with other data on an integral data display. The system can thereby monitor and report patient compliance with prescription regimens. Additional data can be recorded and displayed for augmented patient compliance assistance and analysis, which data can include customized informational messages, telephone and other patient support contact information, unit doses dispensed and remaining, reminder alarms, identification data, prescription regimens, among other data. In myriad variations and alternative preferred configurations, the devices and systems have demonstrated efficacy in minimalist to complex monitoring and reporting applications ranging from routine prescription monitoring to detailed clinical trial assessments.
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Citations
20 Claims
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1. A unit dose medication compliance monitoring and reporting device, comprising:
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a dispenser shell with a dispensing face and defining a plurality of unit dose containers, each container defining an opening through the dispensing face; a retainer sheet configured to be confrontingly affixed to the dispensing face to seal each container opening and to burst proximate to each opening as the unit dose is dispensed through the respective openings of the containers; a sensor network arranged about the retainer sheet to have a plurality of frangible electrical container integrity signal paths, each path being positioned to substantially extend across a respective opening when the retainer sheet is affixed; a monitoring and reporting circuit in electrical communication with timer and memory circuits, which are configured to record a time signal at each instance when a one of the frangible signal paths is interrupted as the unit dose is dispensed, the monitoring and reporting circuit being further adapted to compute and record an average time interval signal of the recorded time signals; and a data display device in electronic communication with the monitoring and reporting circuit and configured to communicate data that includes the average time interval signal of the recorded time signals. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
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10. A unit dose medication compliance monitoring and reporting blister pack, comprising:
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a dispenser shell with a dispensing face and defining a plurality of unit dose containers, each container defining an opening through the dispensing face; a retainer sheet configured to be confrontingly affixed to the dispensing face to seal each container opening and to burst proximate to each opening as the unit dose is dispensed through the respective openings of the containers; a sensor network arranged about the retainer sheet and dispenser shell to have a plurality of frangible electrical container integrity signal paths, each path being positioned to substantially extend across a respective opening when the retainer sheet is affixed; a monitoring and reporting circuit carried from respective extended edges of the dispenser shell and retainer sheet, and in electrical communication with timer and memory circuits, which monitoring and reporting circuit is configured to record to the memory circuit a time signal of the timer circuit at each instance when a one of the frangible signal paths is broken as the unit dose is dispensed, the monitoring and reporting circuit being further adapted to compute and record an average time interval signal from the recorded time signals; and a data display device carried from the respective extended edges and in electronic communication with the monitoring and reporting circuit to display data that includes the average time interval signal of the recorded time signals. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17)
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18. A unit dose medication compliance monitoring and reporting apparatus, comprising:
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a dispenser pack with an aperture face and defining a plurality of blister compartments sized to contain respective unit doses, each blister compartment defining a recess with an opening in the aperture face; a retainer sheet configured to be confrontingly affixed to the aperture face to seal each opening and to burst proximate thereto as the unit dose is dispensed; a dispensement sensing network arranged about the retainer sheet to have a plurality of frangible electrical signal paths that are interrupted upon respective dispensement, each signal path arranged to substantially extend across a respective opening when the retainer sheet is affixed; a monitoring and reporting circuit with timer and memory circuits, which are configured to record a time signal at each instance when a one of the frangible signal paths of the plurality is interrupted as the unit dose is dispensed, the monitoring and reporting circuit being further adapted to count each unit dose dispensed and to compute and store an average time interval from the recorded time intervals each time a new time signal is recorded; and a data display device in electronic communication with the monitoring and reporting circuit and configured to display data that includes the average time interval signal of the recorded time signals. - View Dependent Claims (19, 20)
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Specification