Remotely and interactively controlling semi-automatic devices

• US 8,738,383 B2
• Filed: 06/07/2007
• Issued: 05/27/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 06/07/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Omnicell Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Aesynt, Inc. (Omnicell Incorporated)
• Inventors: Schuck, Joseph C., Spano, Philip H. Jr.
• Primary Examiner(s): Godbold, Douglas
• Assistant Examiner(s): Villena, Mark
• Application Number:
  US11/759,438
• Publication Number:
  US 20080306740A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,546 Days
• Field of Search: 704270-278
• US Class Current: 704/275
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 17/00 Arrangements for transmitting signals characterised by the use of a wireless electrical link
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 2201/30 User interface
• CPC Class Codes: G10L 15/26 Speech to text systems G10L15/08 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 20/13 delivered from dispensers
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 40/67 for remote operation

Abstract

An apparatus, system, method and computer program product are provided for enabling a user to remotely and interactively control, using voice commands, the processing tasks of multiple pieces of equipment, such as semi-automatic medication storing, dispensing and packaging devices. In particular, an apparatus may be configured to provide a user with a voice prompt associated with a dynamically prioritized task. In response, the apparatus may further be configured to receive, a voice command from the use and to transmit an instruction associated with the voice command to one of the multiple pieces of equipment for performance of the prioritized task.

Claims

1. An apparatus comprising:

a first input device configured to receive information associated with two or more tasks to be performed in relation to one or more medication storing, dispensing and packaging devices;

an output device configured to communicate an instruction, associated with at least one of the two or more tasks, to a user operating at least one of the one or more medication storing, dispensing and packaging devices;

a processor in communication with the first input device and the output device;

a memory in communication with the processor, said memory storing the information associated with the two or more tasks, said memory further storing an application executable by the processor, wherein the application is configured, upon execution, (a) to dynamically prioritize the two or more tasks based at least in part on a set of rules defining the relative priorities associated with the two or more tasks, (b) to prioritize one or more actions associated with at least one of the two or more tasks based at least in part on historical data representing options previously selected by one or more users in relation to the one or more actions, and (c) to automatically communicate, via the output device, an instruction, associated with one of the two or more tasks based at least in part on the dynamic prioritization, to a user operating at least one of the one or more medication storing, dispensing and packaging devices;

a second input device configured to receive an audible command from a user operating the apparatus in response to the instruction based at least in part on the dynamic prioritization, the application further configured, upon execution, to convert the audible command into an instruction associated with the at least one of the one or more medication storing, dispensing and packaging devices; and

a transmitter configured to wirelessly transmit the instruction converted from the audible command to the at least one of the one or more medication storing, dispensing and packaging devices for execution.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the set of rules defining the relative priorities of the two or more tasks comprises one or more rules defining a relative priority associated with respective ones of a plurality of types of tasks.

3. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the set of rules defining the relative priorities of the two or more tasks further comprises one or more rules defining a relative priority associated with respective medication storing, dispensing and packaging devices.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein an instruction associated with the at least one of the two or more tasks conveys the one or more actions in an order corresponding to the prioritization.

5. The apparatus of claim 4, the prioritization of the one or more actions associated with the at least one of the two or more tasks is further based at least in part on a probability that respective actions will be selected.

6. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein the application is further configured, upon execution, to determine the probability based at least in part on information of the historical data representing a frequency with which respective actions are selected.

7. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the first input device comprises a receiver configured to receive the information over a network.

8. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the first input device comprises a keyboard.

9. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the output device comprises a transmitter, such that, in order to automatically communicate, via the output device, an instruction associated with one of the one or more tasks, the application is further configured to wirelessly transmit the instruction via the transmitter.

10. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the application is further configured, upon execution, to determine to which of two or more mobile devices to transmit the instruction.

11. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the output device comprises a speaker configured to output an audible prompt associated with the instruction, and wherein in order to automatically communicate, via the output device, an instruction associated with one of the one or more tasks, the application is further configured, upon execution, to convert the instruction into the audible prompt.

12. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the second input device comprises a microphone.

13. A system comprising:

one or more medication storing, dispensing and packaging devices;

an apparatus configured to (a) receive and store information associated with two or more tasks to be performed in relation to the medication storing, dispensing and packaging devices, (b) dynamically prioritize the two or more tasks based at least in part on a set of rules defining the relative priorities associated with the two or more tasks, (c) prioritize one or more actions associated with at least one of the two or more tasks based at least in part on historical data representing options previously selected by one or more users in relation to the one or more actions, and (d) wirelessly communicate an instruction, associated with one of the two or more tasks based at least in part on the dynamic prioritization, to a mobile device of a user operating at least one of the one or more medication storing, dispensing and packaging devices;

the mobile device configured (a) to receive an audible command from the user in response to the instruction based at least in part on the dynamic prioritization, (b) to convert the audible command into an instruction associated with one of the medication storing, dispensing and packaging devices, and (c) to wirelessly transmit the instruction converted from the audible command to the at least one of the one or more medication storing, dispensing and packaging devices for execution.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein an instruction associated with the at least one of the two or more tasks conveys the one or more actions in an order corresponding to the prioritization.

15. The system of claim 14, wherein the prioritization of the one or more actions associated with the at least one of the two or more tasks is further based at least in part on a probability that respective actions will be selected.

16. The system of claim 15, wherein the apparatus is further configured to determine the probability based at least in part on information of the historical data representing a frequency with which respective actions are selected.

17. The system of claim 13, wherein the mobile device is further configured to convert the instruction into an audible prompt, and to output the audible prompt to a user operating the mobile device.

18. The system of claim 17, wherein the mobile device is further configured to receive an audible command from the user, to convert the audible command into an instruction, and to wirelessly transmit the instruction to a corresponding one of the medication storing, dispensing and packaging devices.

19. A method comprising:

receiving information associated with two or more tasks to be performed in relation to one or more medication storing, dispensing and packaging devices;

dynamically prioritizing the two or more tasks based at least in part on a set of rules defining the relative priorities associated with the two or more tasks;

prioritizing one or more actions associated with at least one of the two or more tasks based at least in part on historical data representing options previously selected by one or more users in relation to the one or more actions;

communicating an instruction, associated with one of the two or more tasks based at least in part on the dynamic prioritization, to a user operating at least one of the one or more medication storing, dispensing and packaging devices;

receiving an audible command from the user in response to the instruction based at least in part on the dynamic prioritization;

converting the audible command into an instruction associated with the at least one of the medication storing, dispensing and packaging devices; and

transmitting the instruction converted from the audible command to the at least one of the medication storing, dispensing and packaging devices for execution.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein dynamically prioritizing the two or more tasks comprises evaluating the relative priority associated with respective tasks and ordering the tasks based on the evaluation.

21. The method of claim 19, wherein an instruction associated with the at least one of the two or more tasks conveys the one or more actions in an order corresponding to the prioritization.

22. The method of claim 21, wherein the prioritization of the one or more actions associated with the at least one of the two or more tasks is further based at least in part on a probability that respective actions will be selected.

23. The method of claim 22 further comprising:

determining the probability based at least in part on information of the historical data representing a frequency with which respective actions are selected.

24. The method of claim 19, wherein communicating an instruction associated with one of the two or more tasks comprises transmitting the instruction over a network.

25. The method of claim 19, wherein communicating an instruction associated with one of the two or more tasks comprises:

converting the instruction into one or more audible prompts; and

outputting the audible prompts.

26. An apparatus comprising:

a first input device configured to receive an instruction associated with a task to be performed in relation to at least one of a set of medication storing, dispensing and packaging devices, wherein (a) the instruction is selected based on a dynamic prioritization of a plurality of tasks to be performed in relation to the at least one of the set of medication storing, dispensing and packaging devices, (b) the dynamic prioritization is based at least in part on a set of rules defining the relative priorities associated with the plurality of tasks, and (c) one or more actions associated with at least one of the plurality of tasks are prioritized based at least in part on historical data representing options previously selected by one or more users in relation to the one or more actions;

an output device configured to output an audible prompt associated with the instruction;

a processor in communication with the first input device and the output device;

a memory in communication with the processor, said memory storing an application executable by the processor, wherein the application is configured, upon execution, to convert the instruction into the audible prompt for a user operating at least one of the one or more medication storing, dispensing and packaging devices;

a second input device configured to receive an audible command in response to the instruction based on the dynamic prioritization, wherein the application is further configured, upon execution, to convert the audible command into an instruction associated with the at least one of the set of medication storing, dispensing and packaging devices; and

a second output device configured to wirelessly transmit the instruction converted from the audible command to the at least one of the medication storing, dispensing and packaging devices for execution for execution.

27. The apparatus of claim 26, wherein the prioritization of the one or more actions associated with the at least one of the plurality tasks is further based at least in part on a probability that respective actions will be selected.

28. A computer program product for remotely and interactively controlling one more medication storing, dispensing and packaging devices, wherein the computer program product comprises at least one non-transitory computer-readable storage medium having computer-readable program code portions stored therein, the computer-readable program code portions comprising:

a first executable portion for receiving information associated with two or more tasks to be performed in relation to one or more medication storing, dispensing and packaging devices;

a second executable portion for (a) dynamically prioritizing the two or more tasks based at least in part on a set of rules defining the relative priorities associated with the two or more tasks and (b) prioritizing one or more actions associated with at least one of the two or more tasks based at least in part on historical data representing options previously selected by one or more users in relation to the one or more actions;

a third executable portion for communicating an instruction, associated with one of the two or more tasks based at least in part on the dynamic prioritization, to a user operating at least one of the one or more medication storing, dispensing and packaging devices;

a fourth executable portion for receiving an audible command in response to the instruction based at least in part on the dynamic prioritization;

a fifth executable portion for converting the audible command into an instruction associated with one of the medication storing, dispensing and packaging devices; and

a sixth executable portion for transmitting the instruction to the at least one of the medication storing, dispensing and packaging devices for execution.

29. The computer program product of claim 28, wherein the second executable portion is configured to evaluate the relative priority associated with respective tasks and order the tasks based on the evaluation.

30. The computer program product of claim 28, wherein the third executable portion is configured to transmit the instruction over a network.

31. The computer program product of claim 28, wherein the third executable portion is configured to:

convert the instruction into one or more audible prompts; and

output the audible prompts.