Smart cap with communication function

• US 8,319,613 B2
• Filed: 01/17/2011
• Issued: 11/27/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 02/09/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Steven Lazar
• Original Assignee: Steven Lazar
• Inventors: Lazar, Steven
• Primary Examiner(s): Bugg, George
• Assistant Examiner(s): Labbees, Edny
• Application Number:
  US13/007,997
• Publication Number:
  US 20110119090A1
• Time in Patent Office: 680 Days
• Field of Search: 340/309.16, 221/9, 221/10, 221/15, 700/240
• US Class Current: 340/309.16
• CPC Class Codes: A61J 1/14 Details; Accessories therefor A61J7/00 takes precedence; openers B65D, B67B7/00
• CPC Class Codes: A61J 2200/30 Compliance analysis for taking medication
• 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 smart cap for a medical container for the containment of solid medications having unique indicia. The cap is provided with an optical scanner configured with at least one locally contained or external data base having general medication identification data and optionally patient-specific information to scan and identify the medication (and optionally the dosage, specific formulations, manufacturing source, etc.) and to record and correlate information regarding patient medication usage (scanning of a medication is generally considered indicative of actual patient taking of the medication). The cap further comprises communication elements configured to transmit/receive “usage” through scanning of a unit dosage of the medication, to an external data base such as the patient'"'"'s cell phone and or computer (such as with blue tooth or RF communication) or via a telephone call or internet transmission to a data base of a pharmacy or physician or other health care provider.

Claims

1. A smart cap for a container dispensing a medication comprising:

a) a medication scanning and recognition element configured to recognize the medication being scanned,

b) the cap being configured to be programmed with the identity of medication which is property dispensed and is further configured to physically scan a medication being dispensed for use by a patient and to identify the medication being dispensed and to verify a match or a mismatch with the medication property dispensed and medication actually being dispensed; and

c) a communication element configured to transmit information about scanned medication and its utilization by a patient to any or all of data bases maintained by a pharmacy, a physician or other health provider and the patient or patient caretaker.

2. The smart cap of claim 1, wherein the scanning and recognition element comprises an optical scanner electronically linked to a medication data base having medication identification information stored therein unique to different medications whereby the scanned medication is recognized and identified.

3. The smart cap of claim 1, wherein the communication element comprises a blue tooth receiver/transmitter device for communication with a proximate cell phone, smart phone or computer for transmission to any or all of the data bases.

4. The smart cap of claim 1, wherein the communication element comprises an RF transmitted for communication with a proximate cell phone, smart phone or computer for transmission to any or all of the data bases.

5. The smart cap of claim 1, the communication element comprises a WiFi element configured for direct internet transmission of usage information of the medication to any or all of the data bases.

6. The smart cap of claim 1, wherein the communication device is uniquely programmed to the cap and the contained medication to provide specific usage by a patient of specific medication at specified times.

7. The smart cap of claim 1, wherein the smart cap comprises:

a) a first circuitry configured to be programmed with the identity of the medication which is properly dispense;

b) a second circuitry configured to automatically program the first circuitry with said identity of the medication;

c) a third circuitry configured to physically scan a medication being dispensed for use by a patient; and

d) a display;

wherein said first circuitry is disposed within said smart cap;

wherein said third circuitry is accessible within said smart cap for physical scanning of the medication being dispensed;

wherein said third circuitry is in electrical communication with said first circuitry;

wherein third circuitry is configured for automatically scanning at least an observe side and a reverse side of the medication to thereby identify the medication being dispense to provide a medication signal;

wherein the smart cap is programmed with software for communication and for containing and storing patient and related medication information with said information comprising details of the medication including at least one of expiration date, dosage level, common and trade name of the medication as well as an indication if it is a generic version, the number of refills and the number of remaining refills on a prescription, whether there is duplication, prescribing doctor or doctors or treating health profession, dispensing pharmacy, common side effects and interactions with other drugs and food, how and when to take the dosages and the ability to receive medication alerts from the internet, with information being visible on the display.

8. The smart cap of claim 7, wherein the smart cap is configured for communication into a remote adverse reaction data base and patient history.

9. The smart cap of claim 1, wherein the smart cap is adapted for use with a medical container or vial for the containment of solid medications in the form of pills or capsules having unique indicia wherein the identity of the medication and the contained dosage, specific formulation and manufacturing source is identifiable by means indicia unique to the medication comprising visible characteristics of at least color, size, shape, and inscriptions thereon, the smart cap being provided with an optical recognition scanner configured with at least one locally contained or external data base having general medication identification data and optionally patient-specific information to scan and identify the medication and to record and correlate information regarding patient medication usage as defined as unit dosage by the individual scanning of a pill or capsule, wherein the cap further comprises communication elements configured to transmit usage by the patient of the medication through scanning of a unit dosage of the medication, to an external data base in a patient'"'"'s cell phone and or computer or to a data base of a pharmacy or physician or other health care provider.

10. The smart cap of claim 4, wherein at least one of the proximate cell phone, smart phone or computer comprise a database accessible for download by the patient or caretaker of medication and usage information.

11. The smart cap of claim 1, wherein the communication element further comprises a receiver element configured to receive information about the scanned medication and/or the patient.

12. A medication usage compliance and medication stocking system comprising the smart cap of claim 9 and at least one computer to which medication usage is transmitted with said at least one computer being accessible to at least one of a medication dispensing pharmacy and a prescribing physician or health care professional, wherein the computer is configured for the pharmacy to cumulate usage numbers to provide a basis for maintaining proper medication stock with individual usage information.

13. The medication usage compliance and medication stocking system of claim 12, wherein medication usage information is transmitted to computer accessible by a treating physician or health care professional to enable monitoring of patient compliance and, if necessary, indicating the need for corrective measures.

14. The medication usage compliance and medication stocking system of claim 12, wherein medication usage information is transmitted to computer accessible by the patient or patient caretaker to enable monitoring and verification of actual proper patient compliance.

15. The smart cap of claim 7, wherein the smart cap for a container dispensing a medication and for automatically self-verifying the medication once said smart cap has been automatically programmed for the medication so as to prevent improper dispensing of the medication, wherein the smart cap comprises first and second displays, wherein said second circuitry automatically programs said first circuitry for the medication;

wherein said third circuitry is accessible within said smart cap;

wherein said third circuitry is in electrical communication with said first circuitry;

wherein said third circuitry is for automatically scanning at least an obverse side and a reverse side of the medication so as to provide a medication signal;

wherein said medication signal is sent from said third circuitry to said first circuitry for automatically self-verifying the medication once said first circuitry has been automatically programmed by said second circuitry for the medication so as to provide a verification signal;

wherein said first display is visible on said smart cap;

wherein said first display is in electrical communication with said first circuitry; and

wherein said first display receives said verification signal from said first circuitry so as to prevent the improper dispensing of the medication and wherein said second display is visible on said smart cap;

wherein said second display is in electrical communication with said first circuitry; and

wherein said second display displays the at least an obverse side and a reverse side of the medication inputted from said third circuitry so as to prevent the improper dispensing of the medication.

16. The cap of claim 15, further comprising a third display;

wherein said third display is visible on said smart cap;

wherein said third display is in electrical communication with said first circuitry; and

wherein said third display displays frequency for taking the medication once said first circuitry has been automatically programmed by said second circuitry for the medication and recalibrates every time a pill is placed in the chamber.

17. The cap of claim 16, further comprising a fourth display;

wherein said fourth display is visible on said smart cap;

wherein said fourth display is in electrical communication with said first circuitry; and

wherein said fourth display displays quantity of medication in the container starting with a prescribed quantity once said first circuitry has been automatically programmed by said second circuitry for the medication and recalibrates every time a pill is placed in the chamber.

18. The cap of claim 17, wherein said first circuitry comprises:

a sub-miniature chip; and

a sub-miniature memory;

wherein said sub-miniature chip of said first circuitry is automatically programmed by said second circuitry for the medication and automatically self-verifies the medication once said first circuitry has been automatically programmed by said second circuitry for the medication.

19. The cap of claim 18, wherein said second circuitry comprises a sub-miniature programmer;

and wherein said sub-miniature programmer of said second circuitry automatically programs said first circuitry for the medication.

20. The cap of claim 19, wherein said third circuitry comprises a sub-miniature scanner;

and wherein said sub-miniature scanner of said third circuitry is for automatically scanning the obverse and reverse sides of the medication.