Medication compliance device

• US 7,545,257 B2
• Filed: 12/22/2006
• Issued: 06/09/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 02/14/2003
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Vesta L. Brue
• Original Assignee: Vesta L. Brue
• Inventors: Brue, Vesta L.
• Primary Examiner(s): Bugg; George A
• Application Number:
  US11/644,802
• Publication Number:
  US 20070194890A1
• Time in Patent Office: 900 Days
• Field of Search: 340/309.16, 340/573.1, 340/531, 368/10, 368/244, 600/300
• US Class Current: 340/309.16
• CPC Class Codes: A61J 7/0418 with electronic history memory
• 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: G16H 20/13 delivered from dispensers
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 40/67 for remote operation

Abstract

A portable medication compliance device having a body and compartments formed in the body. A microprocessor is disposed in the body and is coupled to each of the compartments. The microprocessor is programmable to determine relative time intervals for dispensing medication from each of the compartments, and to record the opening of each of the compartments in a memory. Programming buttons are positioned proximate the body and are coupled to the microprocessor. The programming buttons enable a user to program the microprocessor. The device may also be programmed via a remote computer through communication means such as a Liquid Crystal Display (LCD) is positioned on the body and is coupled to the microprocessor. The LCD displays data including the relative time intervals for dispensing medication determined by the microprocessor.

Claims

1. A portable medication compliance device, comprising:

a body;

a display means adapted to receive electronic information and display said information to a user, said display means disposed in said body, a plurality of compartments formed in said body, each of said compartments adapted to contain one or more pharmaceutical dosage forms, wherein each of said compartments has a barrel shape, wherein each of said compartments has an open position and a closed position and an integral lid operatively coupled to a microprocessor so that the time of opening and/or closing of the compartment may be recorded and stored in a memory chip.

2. The device of claim 1, wherein each of said compartments has a sloped bottom surface adapted to allow a user to more easily grasp medication contained therein.

3. The device of claim 1, wherein the dimensions of each of said compartments is approximately 5.6 cm wide, approximately 2.5 cm high, and approximately 0.8 cm deep.

4. The device of claim 1, wherein each compartment contains an indicia on the lid which identifies said compartment and allows coordination with instructions provided to the user via said display means.

5. The device of claim 1, wherein each of said compartments comprise hinges that rotatably couple said integral lid to the compartments and enable said lid to rotate with respect to the body to enable easy access to the compartments.

6. The device of claim 5, wherein said lid rotates approximately 180 degrees with respect to the body.

7. The device of claim 5, wherein the lid is adapted to rotate about the hinges by approximately 90 degrees with respect to the body.

8. The device of claim 1, wherein the lid is rotatably coupled to the device.

9. A portable medication compliance device, comprising:

a body;

a plurality of compartments formed in said body, each of said compartments adapted to contain one or more pharmaceutical dosage forms;

wherein each of said compartments has an open position and a closed position, a memory disposed in said body;

a microprocessor disposed in said body and operatively coupled to said memory and each of said compartments, said microprocessor programmed to perform a calculation of relative time intervals for dispensing said dosage forms from each of said compartments and to notify the user when a dosage form is to be taken from each of said compartments, the calculation based upon a user'"'"'s removal or non-removal of medication from the device, and at least one display means in said body operatively coupled to said microprocessor and adapted to display information to a user.

10. The device of claim 9, further comprising a charger connector comprising a cradle for receiving said body, said cradle comprising a device connector for interface with said charger connector and recharging means able to connect to a power source.

11. The device of claim 10, wherein said charger connector docking cradle further comprises a connection port for connecting said device to a remote computer through communication lines which can be connected to said connection port.

12. A medication compliance method, comprising:

the steps of controlling an operation of a medication compliance device;

customizing a medication regimen for a particular type of medication by inputting information including dose frequency via programming buttons to said device wherein said device includes a microprocessor which performs a calculation of relative time intervals thereby alerting patients to take medication, the calculation based upon the user'"'"'s removal or or non-removal of medication from the device.

13. The method of claim 12 further comprising the steps of communicating with a remote device and uploading compliance data stored in the memory of said medication compliance device to said remote device for storage and analysis.

14. The method of claim 12, further comprising the steps of communicating with a remote device via a communication port on a portable medication compliance device downloading of compliance data stored in the memory of said medication compliance device to said remote device for storage and analysis.

15. The method of claim 13, further comprising the steps of communicating with a remote device via a communication port on a portable medication compliance device downloading of compliance data stored in the memory of said medication compliance device to said remote device for storage and analysis.

16. The method of claim 12, further comprising the step of programming said device by receiving a download from a remote computer.

17. The method of claim 13, further comprising the step of programming said device by receiving a download from a remote computer.

18. The method of claim 14, further comprising the step of programming said device by receiving a download from a remote computer.

19. The method of claim 15, further comprising the step of programming said device by receiving a download from a remote computer.