Medical assistance and tracking system and method employing smart tags

• US 7,158,030 B2
• Filed: 09/19/2002
• Issued: 01/02/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 09/19/2001
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Avante International Technology
• Original Assignee: Avante International Technology
• Inventors: Chung, Kevin Kwong-Tai
• Primary Examiner(s): Lee; Benjamin C.
• Application Number:
  US10/247,435
• Publication Number:
  US 20030052788A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,566 Days
• Field of Search: 340/573.1, 340/572.1, 340/309.16, 235/375, 235/376, 235/385, 221/2, 221/9, 705/2, 705/3, 368/10, 368/11
• US Class Current: 340/572.1
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/6009 for matching patient with his treatment, e.g. to improve transfusion security
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/6054 Magnetic identification systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 17/00 Methods or arrangements for effecting co-operative working between equipments covered by two or more of main groups G06K1/00 - G06K15/00, e.g. automatic card files incorporating conveying and reading operations
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/10346 the antenna being of the far field type, e.g. HF types or dipoles
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/10 Office automation; Time management
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/2417 having a radio frequency identification chip
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/2462 Asset location systems combined with EAS inventory, tracking, logistic G06Q10/00; entrance control systems G07C9/00
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/2471 Antenna signal processing by receiver or emitter
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/2474 Antenna or antenna activator geometry, arrangement or layout loop antennae H01Q1/22
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/2482 EAS methods, e.g. description of flow chart of the detection procedure
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 40/60 for the operation of medical equipment or devices
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/1221 onto a wall
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/2225 used in active tags, i.e. provided with its own power source or in passive tags, i.e. deriving power from RF signal
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/38 formed by a conductive layer on an insulating support patch antennas H01Q9/0407; microstrip dipole antennas H01Q9/065; microstrip slot antennas H01Q13/106; transmission line microstrip antennas H01Q13/206; manufacturing reflecting surfaces using insulating material for supporting the reflecting surface H01Q15/142
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 21/24 Combinations of antenna units polarised in different directions for transmitting or receiving circularly and elliptically polarised waves or waves linearly polarised in any direction circularly polarised patch antennas H01Q9/0428; circularly polarised horns H01Q13/0241; cross-polarised horns H01Q13/0258; polarisation converters H01Q15/242; cross-polarised rear feeds H01Q19/136; crossed polarisation dual antenna H01Q25/001
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 21/28 Combinations of substantially independent non-interacting antenna units or systems multiple beam H01Q25/00
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 21/29 Combinations of different interacting antenna units for giving a desired directional characteristic H01Q25/00 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 7/00 Loop antennas with a substantially uniform current distribution around the loop and having a directional radiation pattern in a plane perpendicular to the plane of the loop
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0861 using biometrical features, e.g. fingerprint, retina-scan cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication using biological data H04L9/3231
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/12 Applying verification of the received information cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for data integrity or data verification H04L9/32

Abstract

A medication tracking and/or medical assistance device and method comprises an RFID tag coder for reading from and/or writing to an RFID tag. A processor and a memory process information read from an RFID tag to provide a message based thereon by a visual and/or an audible message.

Claims

1. Apparatus for providing medical assistance relating to a medical object associated with a smart tag, the smart tag having stored therein a unique permanent identifier of the smart tag, information relating to the medical object, and a relational check number representative of the unique permanent identifier of the smart tag and the information relating to the medical object, said apparatus comprising:

a decoder for at least reading the information stored in the smart tag relating to the unique permanent identifier, the medical object and the relational check number

a processor including a memory for storing the information read from the smart tag, wherein said processor processes the unique permanent identifier and the relational check number to verify the information read from the smart tag and processes the information read from the smart tag to generate information concerning the medical object;

display means for providing a visual display responsive to the information generated by said processor; and

sound reproducing means for providing an audible sound responsive to the information generated by said processor.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said decoder includes a smart tag reader and an antenna.

3. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said apparatus includes a source of time information, and wherein the information read from the smart tag includes frequency of administration information, wherein said processor processes the time information and the frequency of administration information to generate a schedule of times at which the medical object is to be administered and/or utilized.

4. The apparatus of claim 3 wherein said display means displays and said sound reproducing means provide at least the name of the medical object and the time at which the medical object is to be administered and/or utilized at or near the times at which the medical object is to be administered and/or utilized.

5. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein drug information is stored in the memory of said processor, wherein said processor further generates from the information read from the smart tag and the drug information further information concerning the medical object which further information is displayed by said display means and provided by said sound reproducing means.

6. The apparatus of claim 5 wherein the drug information includes one or more of drug interaction information, allergy information, drug treatment information, and patient information, and wherein the further information generated by said processor includes indication of one or more of a drug interaction, an allergic reaction, and an inappropriate ate drug administration.

7. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said display means includes one or more of a liquid crystal display, illumination therefor, a light, an electro-luminescent light source, and a Braille device.

8. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said sound reproducing means includes one or more of a loudspeaker, a piezo-electric element recorded speech, a speech synthesizer, a bell, and a buzzer.

9. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the medical object is a medication, and wherein the information relating to the medical object represents at least the name of the medication, the dosage of the medication and the frequency of administration of the medication, and optionally includes information representing one or more of lot identification, NDC number, expiration date, manufacturer, prescribing person, dispenser, number of refills, condition treated, patient name and identifying information.

10. The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising external communication means for providing information responsive to the information read from the smart tag to an external location.

11. The apparatus of claim 10 wherein said external communication means includes a wireless transmitter and/or a wireless receiver and/or a telephone dialer and/or a telephone line.

12. The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising input means for entering information into the memory of said processor.

13. The apparatus of claim 12 wherein said input means includes one or more of a keyboard, a button, a Braille keyboard and said decoder.

14. Apparatus for providing medical assistance relating to a medical object associated with a smart tag comprising:

a decoder for at least reading information from the smart tag associated with the medical object wherein the information includes a unique permanent identifier of the smart tag, information relating to the medical object, and a relational check number representative of the unique permanent identifier of the smart tag and the information relating to the medical object;

a processor including a memory for storing the information read from the smart tag, wherein said processor processes the unique permanent identifier and the relational check number to verify the information read from the smart tag and processes the information read from the smart tag to provide patient information concerning the medical object;

a user interface including display means for providing a visual display responsive to the patient information provided by said processor, and/or sound reproducing means for providing an audible sound responsive to the patient information provided by said processor.

15. The apparatus of claim 14 wherein said decoder includes a smart tag reader and an antenna.

16. The apparatus of claim 14 wherein said processor includes a source of time information, and wherein the patient information includes a schedule of the times at which the object is to be administered.

17. The apparatus of claim 14 wherein said processor includes a source of time information, and wherein the information read from the smart tag includes frequency of administration information, wherein said processor processes the time information and the frequency of administration information to generate a schedule of times at which the medical object is to be administered and/or utilized.

18. The apparatus of claim 17 wherein the display means and/or the sound reproducing means of said user interface display and/or provide at least the name of the medical object and the time at which the medical object is to be administered and/or utilized at or near the times at which the medical object is to be administered and/or utilized.

19. The apparatus of claim 14 wherein drug information is stored in the memory of said processor, wherein said processor further generates from the information read from the smart tag and the drug information further patient information concerning the medical object, which further patient information is displayed by the display means of said user interface and/or is provided by the sound reproducing means of said user interface.

20. The apparatus of claim 19 wherein the drag information includes one or more of drug interaction information, allergy information, drug treatment information, and patient information, and wherein the further patient information generated by said processor includes indication of one or more of a drug interaction, an allergic reaction, and an inappropriate drug administration.

21. The apparatus of claim 14 wherein said user interface includes one or more of a liquid crystal display, illumination therefor, a light, an electro-luminescent light source, a Braille device, a loudspeaker, a piezo-electric element, recorded speech, a speech synthesizer, a bell, and a buzzer.

22. The apparatus of claim 14 wherein the medical object is a medication, and wherein the information relating to the medical object represents at least the name of the medication, the dosage of the medication and the frequency of administration of the medication, and optionally includes information representing one or more of lot identification, NDC number, expiration date, manufacturer, prescribing person, dispenser, number of refills, condition treated, patient name and identifying information.

23. The apparatus of claim 14 further comprising external communication means for providing information responsive to the information read from the smart tag to an external location.

24. The apparatus of claim 23 wherein said external communication means includes a wireless transmitter and/or a wireless receiver and/or a telephone dialer and/or a telephone line.

25. The apparatus of claim 14 further comprising input means for entering information into the memory of said processor.

26. The apparatus of claim 25 wherein said input means includes one or more of a keyboard, a button, a Braille keyboard and said decoder.

27. A method for providing medical assistance relating to a medical object associated with a smart tag, the smart tag having stored therein a unique permanent identifier of the smart tat information relating to the medical object, and a relational check number representative of the unique permanent identifier of the smart tag and the information relating to the medical object, said method comprising:

decoding at least the information stored in the smart tag relating to the medical object, the unique permanent identifier and the relational check number;

storing the information decoded from the smart tag;

processing the relational check number to verify the information decoded from the smart tag;

generating from the stored information decoded from the smart tag information concerning the medical object;

said method further comprising one or more of;

displaying a visual representation responsive to the information concerning the medical object; and

/or

reproducing an audible representation responsive to the information concerning the medical object.

28. The method of claim 27 wherein said decoding includes reading the information stored in the smart tag via an antenna.

29. The method of claim 27 further comprising providing time information, wherein said generating includes generating a schedule of times at which the medical object is to be administered and/or utilized responsive to the time information and to frequency of administration information decoded from the smart tag.

30. The method of claim 29 wherein said displaying a visual representation and/or said reproducing an audible representation include at least the name of the medical object and the time at which the medical object is to be administered and/or utilized at or near the times at which the medical object is to be administered and/or utilized.

31. The method of claim 27 further comprising:

generating from the information decoded from the smart tag and from drug information further information concerning the medical object, and

displaying a visual representation responsive to the further information and/or reproducing an audible representation responsive to the further information.

32. The method of claim 31 wherein the drug information includes one or more of drug interaction information, allergy information, drug treatment information, and patient information, and wherein the further information includes an indication of one or more of a drug interaction, an allergic reaction, and an inappropriate drug administration.

33. The method of claim 27 wherein the medical object is a medication, and wherein the information relating to the medical object represents at least the name of the medication, the dosage of the medication and the frequency of administration of the medication, and optionally includes information representing one or more of lot identification, NDC number, expiration date, manufacturer, prescribing person, dispenser, number of refills, condition treated, patient name and identifying information.

34. The method of claim 27 further comprising communicating information responsive to the information decoded from the smart tag and/or to the information generated to an external location.

35. The method of claim 34 wherein said communicating includes communicating via a wireless transmitter and/or a wireless receiver and/or a telephone dialer and/or a telephone line.

36. The method of claim 27 further comprising entering information for altering the information generated from the information decoded from the smart tag.

37. A method for assisting the administration of medication comprising:

encoding an RFID tag with medication information and patient information, and with a relational check number representative of a unique permanent identifier of the RFID tag and the medication information and patient information, wherein the RFID tag includes a memory and an antenna;

utilizing the encoded RFID tag in dispensing the medication and/or in verifying the proper medication is dispensed and/or administered;

reading encoded information from the RFID tag;

processing the unique permanent identifier and the relational check number to verify the information read from the smart tag;

generating from the read medication information a schedule of times for administering the medication; and

providing at the schedule times a reminder to administer the medication, wherein the reminder is provided responsive to the read medication information and the generated schedule.

38. The method of claim 37 further comprising comparing medication and/or patient information read from the RFID tag with drug interaction information, patient allergic condition information, medication-to-disease relevancy information and/or dosage appropriateness information;

and

providing responsive to said comparing a visual and/or audible indication of a drug interaction, a patient allergic condition, medication-to-disease non-relevancy and/or dosage inappropriateness.

39. The method of claim 37 wherein said providing at the schedule times a reminder to administer the medication includes providing a visual and/or audible representation of the medication.

40. The method of claim 37 wherein said providing at the schedule times a reminder to administer the medication includes providing a visual and/or audible representation of the medication and of the schedule time.

41. A medication tracking device comprising:

an RFID tag coder for reading information from an RFID tag and/or for writing information to an RFID tag, wherein an RFID tag includes a memory having information including a relational check number representative of a unique permanent identifier of the RFID tag and medication information stored therein and an antenna;

a processor and a memory for storing and processing information read from an RFID tag to provide a reminder message based upon the processed information read from the RFID tag including processing the unique permanent identifier and the relational check number to verify the information read from the RFID tag;

means for providing a visual and/or audible reminder message responsive to the reminder message provided by said processor.

42. The medication tacking device of claim 41 wherein the reminder message includes a reminder of the times at which the medication is to be administered, wherein said means for providing provides the reminder message at or near to the times at which the medication is to be administered.

43. The medication tacking device of claim 41 wherein the information stored in the RFID tag includes the prescription for the medication, the frequency and dosage to be administered, the number of refills permitted, and the disease to be treated.

44. The medication tracking device of claim 41 wherein said processor includes medical treatment information stored in the memory thereof;

and wherein the reminder message includes a drug interaction message, an allergic condition message, an irrelevant medication message and/or an inappropriate medication message, which messages are provided by said processor responsive to the medical treatment information.