Smart medicine container

• US 8,483,872 B2
• Filed: 11/03/2009
• Issued: 07/09/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 12/11/2004
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Nitesh Ratnakar
• Original Assignee: Nitesh Ratnakar
• Inventors: Ratnakar, Nitesh
• Primary Examiner(s): WAGGONER, TIMOTHY R
• Application Number:
  US12/611,912
• Publication Number:
  US 20100049363A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,344 Days
• Field of Search: 700/240, 700/241, 700/242
• US Class Current: 700/240
• CPC Class Codes: A61J 2200/30 Compliance analysis for taking medication
• CPC Class Codes: A61J 2205/60 using magnetic or electronic identifications, e.g. chips, RFID, electronic tags
• CPC Class Codes: A61J 2205/70 Audible labels, e.g. for pre-recorded info or messages
• 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 7/02 Pill counting devices
• CPC Class Codes: A61J 7/0418 with electronic history memory
• CPC Class Codes: A61J 7/0436 resulting from removing a drug from, or opening, a container
• CPC Class Codes: A61J 7/0445 for preventing drug dispensing during a predetermined time period
• CPC Class Codes: A61J 7/0481 working on a schedule basis
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 11/44 in which magazines the articles are stored in bulk
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/0092 for assembling and dispensing of pharmaceutical articles medical dispensers for private use, A61J7/00
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 9/02 Devices for alarm or indication, e.g. when empty; Advertising arrangements in coin-freed apparatus alarms or warning devices indicating the interruption of flow to be metered G07F15/10
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 20/13 delivered from dispensers
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 40/67 for remote operation

Abstract

Present invention discloses a dispenser having means to dispense desired number of pills from a bulk supply of pills contained in the dispenser. The dispenser comprises of storage compartment having bulk supply of pills and having a discharge port emptying into counting compartment. The counting compartment contains first and second conveyors moving at first and second speed; wherein the second speed is greater than the first speed thereby enabling pill separation; the second conveyor discharges pills into dispensing compartment. Sensors are strategically placed along the conveyors to count pills discharged into dispensing compartment. A pill recovery system and apparatus is disposed inside the dispenser having means to recover pills remaining on conveyors upon completion of a dispensation cycle and deposit recovered pills back into the storage compartment for use in future dispensation cycles. A docking station having receptacles to accommodate dispenser is provided. Docking station has communication ports enabling two-way communication with personal computer. The present invention also relates to a method of determining medication-medication interaction. Furthermore, the present invention relates to a method of determining medication side effect as being causative of a patient'"'"'s clinical symptoms.

Claims

1. A method of operating a medicine dispensing device, comprising:

storing a first bulk supply of a first medicine in a first storage container having a first discharge port;

storing a second bulk supply of a second medicine in a second storage container having a second discharge port;

dispensing at least a portion of the first supply to a collection compartment using a dispensing assembly configured to receive the pills from the first and the second discharge ports, wherein the assembly comprises a first conveyor configured to operate at a first rate of speed in a first direction, and a second conveyor configured to operate at a second rate of speed greater than the first rate of speed in a second direction;

dispensing at least a portion of the second supply to the collection compartment using the dispensing assembly;

sending a communication from a control portion of the medicine dispensing device to an external communication device to notify an external server of the identities of the first medicine and the second medicine;

receiving a first communication by the control portion from the external server; and

notifying a first user of potential drug interactions between the first medicine and the second medicine.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising notifying the user of intake instructions.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising permitting the user to access the collection compartment.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein dispensing at least a portion of the first supply is initiated by the control portion at a first prescribed interval of time.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

storing a third bulk supply of a third medicine in a third storage container having a third discharge port;

dispensing at least a portion of the third supply to the collection compartment; and

notifying the first user of potential drug interactions between the first medicine, the second medicine, and the third medicine.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the central server includes a readable medium including medical data relating to the first user.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising transmitting medical data relating to the first user to the central server.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

storing a fourth bulk supply of a fourth medicine in a fourth storage container having a fourth discharge port;

storing a fifth bulk supply of a fifth medicine in a fifth storage container having a fifth discharge port;

dispensing at least a portion of the fourth supply to a collection compartment;

dispensing at least a portion of the fifth supply to the collection compartment;

communicating with an external communication device to notify an external server of the identities of the fourth medicine and the fifth medicine;

receiving a communication from the external server; and

notifying a second user of potential drug interactions between the fourth medicine and the fifth medicine.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising notifying the first user of a first side effect related to at least one of the first medicine and the second medicine.

10. The method of claim 9, further comprising determining a first side effect attribute for the first side effect relating to at least the first medicine and the first user, wherein the first side effect attribute is indicative of a probability that the first side effect is caused by the first medicine.

11. The method of claim 10, further comprising:

determining a second side effect attribute for a second side effect relating to at least the second medicine and the first user, wherein the second side effect attribute is indicative of a probability that the second side effect is caused by the second medicine; and

determining a third side effect attribute for a third side effect relating to at least the third medicine and the first user, wherein the third side effect attribute is indicative of a probability that the third side effect is caused by the third medicine.

12. The method of claim 11, further comprising notifying the first user of at least a portion of the side effect attributes.

13. The method of claim 11, further comprising calculating a cumulative side effect attribute based upon the determined side effect attributes.