Smart tray for dispensing medicaments

• US 7,908,030 B2
• Filed: 10/10/2006
• Issued: 03/15/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 09/13/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Helene Laliberte, Michael Handfield
• Original Assignee: Helene Laliberte, Michael Handfield
• Inventors: Handfield, Michael, Laliberte, Helene
• Primary Examiner(s): Waggoner; Timothy R
• Application Number:
  US11/548,130
• Publication Number:
  US 20070187422A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,617 Days
• Field of Search: 700/236, 700/237
• US Class Current: 700/236
• CPC Class Codes: A61J 1/03 for pills or tablets containers for pills or tablets with special dispensing means therefor B65D83/04
• CPC Class Codes: A61J 2205/30 Printed labels
• CPC Class Codes: A61J 7/0076 Medicament distribution means with pill counting devices A61J7/02; with time indication A61J7/04; containers or packages with special means for dispensing contents B65D83/00
• CPC Class Codes: A61J 7/0084 for multiple medicaments
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 20/66 Trinkets, e.g. shirt buttons or jewellery items recognising microscopic objects G06V20/69
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 11/24 Rotary or oscillatory members
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 11/38 in which the magazines are horizontal
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 11/44 in which magazines the articles are stored in bulk
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 11/62 in which the articles are stored in compartments in fixed receptacles
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/0092 for assembling and dispensing of pharmaceutical articles medical dispensers for private use, A61J7/00
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 9/026 for alarm, monitoring and auditing in vending machines or means for indication, e.g. when empty
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 20/13 delivered from dispensers
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 40/67 for remote operation

Abstract

The invention relates to a medicament container having a memory contained therein for storing medicament effect data, such as, for example, drug interaction, side effect, and expected vital signs of a patient who takes the medicament, that may be accessed by medical practitioner or pharmacist.

Claims

1. A medicaments container, comprising:

a housing for storing at least one medicament unit therein;

a memory device contained within the housing for storing medicament effect data related to the at least one medicament unit therein; and

a communication device contained within the housing for wirelessly transmitting the medicament effect data to an external device, wherein the communication device is also configured to receive updated medicament effect data from the external device and store the updated medicament effect data in the memory device, wherein the updated medicament effect data comprises medicament effect feedback data for a particular patient that has taken the at least one medicament unit.

2. The container of claim 1 wherein the medicament effect data comprises drug interaction data pertaining to how the at least one medicament unit may interact with at least one other drug.

3. The container of claim 1 wherein the medicament effect data comprises side effect data pertaining to the at least one medicament.

4. The container of claim 1 wherein the medicament effect data comprises vitamin and supplement interaction data pertaining to how the at least one medicament unit may interact with at least one vitamin or nutritional supplement.

5. The container of claim 1 wherein the medicament effect data comprises data regarding the expected vital signs of a patient after the patient has taken the at least one medicament unit.

6. A medicaments container, comprising:

a housing for storing at least one medicament unit therein;

a memory device contained within the housing for storing medicament effect data related to the at least one medicament unit therein; and

a communication device contained within the housing and configured to wirelessly communicate the medicament effect data to an external device, wherein the communication device is further configured to receive updated medicament effect data from the external device and to store the updated medicament effect data in the memory device, wherein the updated medicament effect data is stored in the memory device by updating a feedback template stored in the memory device.

7. The container of claim 6 wherein the communication device comprises an RFID device.

8. The container of claim 6 wherein the updated medicament effect data comprises medicament effect feedback data for a particular patient that has taken the at least one medicament unit.

9. A medicaments container, comprising:

an integral housing for storing at least one medicament unit therein;

an output defined by the integral housing through which the at least one medicament may be dispensed;

a dispensing mechanism contained within the integral housing for moving the at least one medicament toward the outlet for dispensing;

a memory device contained within the housing for storing medicament effect data related to the at least one medicament unit therein; and

a communication device contained within the housing and adapted to transmit medicament effect data to an external device, wherein the communication device is further adapted to receive updated medicament effect data from the external device, and wherein the updated medicament effect data is stored in the memory device by updating a feedback template stored in the memory device.

10. The container of claim 9 wherein the communication device comprises a wireless communication device for wirelessly transmitting the medicament effect data to the external device.

11. The container of claim 10 wherein the wireless communication device comprises an RFID device.

12. The container of claim 9 wherein the updated medicament effect data comprises medicament effect feedback data for a particular patient that has taken the at least one medicament unit.

13. A medicaments container, comprising:

a housing for storing at least one medicament unit therein;

a memory device contained within the housing for storing medicament effect data related to the at least one medicament unit therein, wherein the medicament effect data comprises drug interaction data pertaining to how the at least one medicament unit may interact with at least one other drug; and

a communication device contained within the housing for wirelessly transmitting the medicament effect data to an external device, wherein the communication device is further adapted to receive updated medicament effect data from the external device, and wherein the updated medicament effect data is stored in the memory device by updating a feedback template stored in the memory device.

61. The container of any one of claims 6, 9, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 21, 44, and 49, wherein the communication device comprises logic to disable dispensing of the medication upon receiving an instruction to disable the medicament container.

62. The container of any one of claims 6, 9, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 21, 44, and 49, wherein the communication device comprises logic to disable dispensing of the medication upon receiving an instruction to abort administration of the medication.

14. A medicaments container, comprising:

a housing for storing at least one medicament unit therein;

a memory device contained within the housing for storing medicament effect data related to the at least one medicament unit therein, wherein the medicament effect data comprises side effect data pertaining to the at least one medicament; and

a communication device contained within the housing and adapted to transmit medicament effect data to an external device, wherein the communication device is further adapted to receive updated medicament effect data from the external device, and wherein the updated medicament effect data is stored in the memory device by updating a feedback template stored in the memory device.

15. A medicaments container, comprising:

a housing for storing at least one medicament unit therein;

a memory device contained within the housing for storing medicament effect data related to the at least one medicament unit therein, wherein the medicament effect data comprises vitamin and supplement interaction data pertaining to how the at least one medicament unit may interact with at least one vitamin or nutritional supplement; and

a communication device contained within the housing for wirelessly transmitting the medicament effect data to an external device, wherein the communication device is further adapted to receive updated medicament effect data from the external device, and wherein the updated medicament effect data is stored in the memory device by updating a feedback template stored in the memory device.

16. A medicaments container, comprising:

a housing for storing at least one medicament unit therein;

a memory device contained within the housing for storing medicament effect data related to the at least one medicament unit therein, wherein the medicament effect data comprises data regarding the expected vital signs of a patient after the patient has taken the at least one medicament unit; and

a communication device contained within the housing and adapted to transmit medicament effect data to an external device, wherein the communication device is further adapted to receive updated medicament effect data from the external device, and wherein the updated medicament effect data is stored in the memory device by updating a feedback template stored in the memory device.

17. A medicaments container, comprising:

a housing for storing at least one medicament unit therein;

a memory device contained within the housing for storing medicament effect data related to the at least one medicament unit therein, wherein the medicament effect data comprises medicament effect feedback data for a particular patient that has taken the at least one medicament unit; and

a communication device contained within the housing for wirelessly transmitting the medicament effect data to an external device, wherein the communication device is further adapted to receive updated medicament effect data from the external device, and wherein the updated medicament effect data is stored in the memory device by updating a feedback template stored in the memory device.

18. A medicaments container, comprising:

a housing for storing at least one medicament unit therein;

a memory device contained within the housing for storing medicament effect data related to the at least one medicament unit therein; and

a communication device contained within the housing and configured to communicate with an external device, receive updated medicament effect data from the external device and store the updated medicament effect data in the memory device, wherein the updated medicament effect data is stored in the memory device by updating a feedback template stored in the memory device.

19. The container of claim 18 wherein the external device comprises a medicaments dispensing machine.

20. The container of claim 18 wherein the external device comprises a computer coupled to a computer network.

21. A medicaments container, comprising:

a housing;

a chamber within the housing for storing at least one medicament unit therein;

an outlet defined by the housing through which the at least one medicament unit may be dispensed;

a dispensing mechanism contained within the housing configured to move the at least one medicament unit from the chamber to the outlet for dispensing;

a memory device contained within the housing for storing medicament effect data related to the at least one medicament unit therein; and

a communication device contained within the housing and coupled to the memory device for communicating the medicament effect data to an external device, wherein the communication device is further configured to receive updated medicament effect data from the external device and store the updated medicament effect data in the memory device, wherein the updated medicament effect data is stored in the memory device by updating a feedback template stored in the memory device, and wherein the communication device comprises a wireless communication device.

22. The container of claim 21 further comprising at least one data port for communicatively coupling the communication device to the external device.

23. The container of claim 21 wherein the housing is hermetically sealed when the at least one medicament unit is not being dispensed from the outlet.

24. The container of claim 21 wherein the memory device stores a plurality of memory tables containing different types of medicament effect data.

25. The container of claim 21 wherein the memory device further stores data pertaining to allergies of at least one patient designated to receive the at least one medicament unit.

26. The container of claim 21 wherein the memory device further stores data pertaining to a medical condition of at least one patient designated to receive the at least one medicament unit.

27. A method of providing medicament effect data related to at least one medicament unit stored within a housing of a medicament container, the method comprising:

storing medicament effect data related to the at least one medicament unit in a memory device contained within the housing;

communicating the medicament effect data from a communication device contained within the housing to an external device over a wireless connection; and

receiving updated medicament effect data from the external device and storing the updated medicament effect data in the memory device, wherein the updated medicament effect data comprises medicament effect feedback data for a particular patient that has taken the at least one medicament unit.

28. The method of claim 27 wherein the medicament effect data comprises drug interaction data pertaining to how the at least one medicament unit may interact with at least one other drug.

29. The method of claim 27 wherein the medicament effect data comprises side effect data pertaining to the at least one medicament.

30. The method of claim 27 wherein the medicament effect data comprises vitamin and supplement interaction data pertaining to how the at least one medicament unit may interact with at least one vitamin or nutritional supplement.

31. The method of 27 wherein the medicament effect data comprises data regarding the expected vital signs of a patient after the patient has taken the at least one medicament unit.

32. A method of providing medicament effect data related to at least one medicament unit stored within a housing of a medicament container, the method comprising:

automatically dispensing the at least one medicament unit from an outlet defined in the housing;

storing medicament effect data related to the at least one medicament unit in a memory device contained within the housing;

communicating the medicament effect data to an external device; and

receiving updated medicament effect data from the external device, wherein the updated medicament effect data is stored in the memory device by updating a feedback template stored in the memory device.

33. The method of claim 32 wherein the act of communicating comprises wirelessly transmitting the medicament effect data to the external device.

34. The method of claim 32 wherein the updated medicament effect data comprises medicament effect feedback data for a particular patient that has taken the at least one medicament unit.

35. A method of providing medicament effect data related to at least one medicament unit stored within a housing of a medicament container, the method comprising:

storing medicament effect data related to the at least one medicament unit in a memory device contained within the housing, wherein the medicament effect data comprises side effect data pertaining to the at least one medicament;

communicating the medicament effect data to an external device, wherein said communicating comprises wirelessly transmitting the medicament effect data to the external device; and

receiving updated medicament effect data from the external device, wherein the updated medicament effect data is stored in the memory device by updating a feedback template stored in the memory device.

36. A method of providing medicament effect data related to at least one medicament unit stored within a housing of a medicament container, the method comprising:

storing medicament effect data related to the at least one medicament unit in a memory device contained within the housing, wherein the medicament effect data comprises vitamin and supplement interaction data pertaining to how the at least one medicament unit may interact with at least one vitamin or nutritional supplement;

transmitting the medicament effect data to an external device; and

receiving updated medicament effect data from the external device, wherein the updated medicament effect data is stored in the memory device by updating a feedback template stored in the memory device.

37. A method of providing medicament effect data related to at least one medicament unit stored within a housing of a medicament container, the method comprising:

storing medicament effect data related to the at least one medicament unit in a memory device contained within the housing, wherein the medicament effect data comprises data regarding the expected vital signs of a patient after the patient has taken the at least one medicament unit;

communicating the medicament effect data to an external device, wherein said communicating comprises wirelessly transmitting the medicament effect data to the external device; and

receiving updated medicament effect data from the external device, wherein the updated medicament effect data is stored in the memory device by updating a feedback template stored in the memory device.

38. A method of providing medicament effect data related to at least one medicament unit stored within a container, the method comprising:

storing medicament effect data related to the at least one medicament unit in a memory device contained within the housing, wherein the medicament effect data comprises medicament effect feedback data for a particular patient that has taken the at least one medicament unit;

transmitting the medicament effect data to an external device; and

receiving updated medicament effect data from the external device, wherein the updated medicament effect data is stored in the memory device by updating a feedback template stored in the memory device.

39. A method of providing medicament effect data related to at least one medicament unit stored within a housing of a medicament container, the method comprising:

storing medicament effect data related to the at least one medicament unit in a memory device contained within the housing;

communicating the medicament effect data to an external device;

receiving updated medicament effect data from the external device; and

storing the updated medicament effect data in the memory device, wherein the updated medicament effect data is stored in the memory device by updating a feedback template stored in the memory device.

40. The method of claim 39 wherein the external device comprises a medicaments dispensing machine.

41. The method of claim 39 wherein the external device comprises a computer coupled to a computer network.

42. The method of claim 39 further comprising storing in the memory device data pertaining to allergies of at least one patient designated to receive the at least one medicament unit.

43. The method of claim 39 further comprising storing in the memory device data pertaining to a medical condition of at least one patient designated to receive the at least one medicament unit.

44. A medicaments container, comprising:

a housing for storing at least one medicament unit therein;

a memory device contained within the housing for storing medicament effect data related to the at least one medicament unit therein;

a logic device contained within the housing for determining whether the medicament effect data indicates an adverse effect for a patient; and

a communication device contained within the housing for wireles sly transmitting the medicament effect data to an external device, wherein the communication device is configured to receive updated medicament effect data from the external device and store the updated medicament effect data in the memory device, wherein the updated medicament effect data comprises medicament effect feedback data.

45. The container of claim 44 wherein the act of determining comprises determining whether the at least one medicament unit can produce an adverse effect when taken with another medicament unit contained in another medicament container.

46. The container of claim 44 wherein the logic device further generates an error signal indicating the adverse side effect.

47. The container of claim 46 wherein the container further comprises a display on the housing for displaying an alarm based on the error signal.

48. The container of claim 46 wherein the logic device further transmits the error signal to a dispensing machine coupled to the container.

49. A medicaments container, comprising:

a housing for storing at least one medicament unit therein;

a memory device contained within the housing for storing medicament effect data related to the at least one medicament unit therein;

a logic device contained within the housing for determining whether the at least one medicament unit can produce an adverse effect when taken with another medicament unit contained in another medicament container, wherein the logic device further generates an error signal indicating the adverse side effect; and

a communication device contained within the housing and adapted to transmit medicament effect data to an external device, wherein the communication device is further adapted to receive updated medicament effect data from the external device, and wherein the updated medicament effect data is stored in the memory device by updating a feedback template stored in the memory device.

50. The container of claim 49 wherein the container further comprises a display on the housing for displaying an alarm based on the error signal.

51. The container of claim 49 wherein the logic device further transmits the error signal to a dispensing machine coupled to the container.

52. A method of providing medicament effect data related to at least one medicament unit stored within a housing of a medicament container, the method comprising:

storing medicament effect data related to the at least one medicament unit in a memory device contained within the housing;

determining whether the medicament effect data indicates an adverse effect for a patient;

wirelessly communicating the medicament effect data to an external device; and

receiving updated medicament effect data from the external device, wherein the updated medicament effect data is stored in the memory device by updating a feedback template stored in the memory device.

53. The method of claim 52 wherein the act of determining comprises determining whether the at least one medicament unit can produce an adverse effect when taken with another medicament unit contained in another medicament container.

54. The method of claim 52 further comprising generating an error signal indicating the adverse side effect.

55. The method of claim 54 further comprising displaying an alarm based on the error signal on a display on the housing.

56. The method of claim 54 further comprising transmitting the error signal to a dispensing machine coupled to the container.

57. A method of providing medicament effect data related to at least one medicament unit stored within a housing of a medicament container, the method comprising:

storing medicament effect data related to the at least one medicament unit in a memory device contained within the housing;

determining whether the medicament effect data indicates no effect for a patient;

communicating the medicament effect data to an external device; and

receiving updated medicament effect data from the external device, wherein the updated medicament effect data is stored in the memory device by updating a feedback template stored in the memory device.

58. The method of claim 57 further comprising generating an error signal indicating no effect for a patient.

59. The method of claim 58 further comprising displaying an alarm based on the error signal on a display on the housing.

60. The method of claim 58 further comprising transmitting the error signal to a dispensing machine coupled to the container.