Portable medication dispensing containers

• US 8,749,379 B2
• Filed: 01/19/2012
• Issued: 06/10/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 01/19/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Carefusion 303 Incorporated (Becton, Dickinson & Co)
• Original Assignee: Carefusion 303 Incorporated (Becton, Dickinson & Co)
• Inventors: Heffron, David, Godlewski, Peter, Muecke, Melvin
• Primary Examiner(s): Tweel, Jr., John A
• Application Number:
  US13/354,172
• Publication Number:
  US 20130187774A1
• Time in Patent Office: 873 Days
• Field of Search: 340/540, 340/541, 340/545.1, 340/5.21, 340/5.31, 340/5.73, 340/5.7, 109/45
• US Class Current: 340/540
• CPC Class Codes: A61J 1/1437 Locking means requiring key or combination to open the container
• CPC Class Codes: A61J 1/16 Holders for containers
• CPC Class Codes: A61J 7/0084 for multiple medicaments
• CPC Class Codes: E05G 1/10 with alarm, signal or indicator E05G1/14 takes precedence; burglar, theft or intruder alarm per se G08B13/00; fire or explosion alarm per se G08B17/00
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 2009/00761 with data transmission performed by connected means, e.g. mechanical contacts, plugs, connectors
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 2009/00769 with data transmission performed by wireless means
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/00309 operated with bidirectional data transmission between data carrier and locks
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/00896 specially adapted for particular uses
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/30 not involving the use of a pass
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/00 Burglar, theft or intruder alarms
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/1427 with transmitter-receiver for distance detection
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 20/13 delivered from dispensers

Abstract

A portable container is disclosed that includes a body and a lid that cooperatively form a securable storage compartment and a latch that is coupled to the body and configured to releasably secure the lid. The portable container also includes a location-sensing element configured to determine the location of the portable container in a facility and provide location information to a processor coupled to the latch and the location sensing element. The processor is configured to receive the location information from the location-sensing element and allow the latch to release the lid upon a determination that the portable container is located in an area of the facility where access to the contents of the portable container is permitted.

Claims

1. A portable container comprising:

a body and a lid that cooperatively form a securable storage compartment;

a latch coupled to the body, the latch configured to releasably secure the lid;

a location-sensing element configured to determine a location of the portable container and provide the location;

a processor coupled to the latch and the location-sensing element, the processor configured to;

receive the location from the location-sensing element; and

allow the latch to release the lid upon a determination that the portable container is located in an area where access to contents of the portable container is permitted; and

a connector coupled to the body and the latch, wherein;

the body is configured to mate with a docking station having a docking connector; and

the connector of the portable container is configured to mate with the docking connector, receive power from the docking connector, and provide the power to the processor and the latch.

2. The portable container of claim 1, wherein the processor is configured to:

provide the location received from the location-sensing element to an external controller;

receive an access signal from the external controller; and

cause the latch to release the lid upon receipt of the access signal.

3. The portable container of claim 2, wherein the external controller is a server.

4. The portable container of claim 2, wherein the processor is further configured to:

accept an access request from a user; and

provide the location information to the external controller upon receipt of the access request.

5. The portable container of claim 1, further comprising a battery coupled to the processor and the latch.

7. The portable container of claim 5, further comprising a battery coupled to the processor and the latch.

20. The portable container of claim 1, wherein the lid is configured to be released only when the portable container is docked to the docking station.

6. A medication delivery system comprising:

a plurality of portable containers each comprising;

a body with a lid forming a secure storage compartment;

a latch coupled to the body, the latch configured to releasably secure the lid;

a location-sensing element configured to determine a location of the portable container and provide the location;

a memory comprising a unique identifier;

a first processor coupled to the latch, the location-sensing element, and the memory, the first processor configured to receive the location from the location-sensing element, retrieve the identifier from the memory, provide an information signal comprising the location and identifier, receive an access signal, and cause the latch to release the lid upon receipt of the access signal; and

a connector coupled to the body and the latch, wherein;

the body is configured to mate with a docking station having a docking connector; and

the connector of the portable container is configured to mate with the docking connector, receive power from the docking connector, and provide the power to the processor and latch; and

a controller selectively coupled to the first processor of at least one of the portable containers, the controller comprising;

a memory configured to store facility information related to at least one area of a facility and which of the plurality of portable containers are allowed to be opened within the at least one area; and

a second processor configured to receive the information signal from the first processor, retrieve the facility information from the memory, compare the location of the at least one portable container to the facility information, and provide the access signal to the first processor if the at least one portable container is located in an area wherein the at least one portable container is allowed to be opened.

8. A portable container comprising:

a body with a lid forming a securable storage compartment;

a latch coupled to the body, the latch configured to releasably secure the lid;

a processor coupled to the latch;

a power source coupled to the latch and the processor, wherein the processor is configured to respond to an access signal from an external controller and cause the latch to release the lid upon receipt of the access signal; and

a connector coupled to the body and the latch, wherein;

the body is configured to mate with a docking station having a docking connector; and

the connector of the portable container is configured to mate with the docking connector, receive power from the docking connector, and provide the power to the processor and latch.

9. The portable container of claim 8, further comprising a communication module communicatively coupled to the processor and the external controller, the communication module configured to receive the access signal from the external controller and provide the signal to the processor.

10. The portable container of claim 9, wherein the communication module communicates wirelessly.

11. The portable container of claim 10, wherein the wireless communication module communicates using radio frequency (RF) signals.

12. The portable container of claim 10, wherein the wireless communication module communicates using optical signals.

13. The portable container of claim 8, further comprising a memory coupled to the processor, the memory comprising a unique identifier, wherein the processor is further configured to:

retrieve the unique identifier from the memory; and

provide an information signal comprising the unique identifier.

14. The portable container of claim 13, wherein the processor is further configured to:

receive an identification request signal; and

provide the information signal upon receiving the information request signal.

15. A method of storing and dispensing medications, the method comprising the steps of:

placing at least one medication in a portable container that comprises a real time locating system (RTLS) device, a latch configured to releasably secure a lid that cooperates with a body to form a secure storage compartment, and a connector coupled to the body and the latch, the connector configured to mate with a docking connector of a docking station to receive power from the docking connector and provide the power to the portable container;

determining the location of the portable container using the RTLS device;

determining whether the portable container is in an area where it is allowable to dispense the at least one medication; and

releasing the lid if the portable container is in an area where it is allowable to dispense the medication.

16. The method of claim 15, further comprising the step of:

transporting the secured portable container to a location proximate to a patient;

wherein the location proximate to the patient is within an area where it is allowable to dispense the at least one medication.

17. The method of claim 15, further comprising the step of:

issuing an alert if the portable container is determined to be in an area into which the portable container is not allowed to be taken.

18. A non-transitory computer-readable medium having computer-executable instructions stored thereon for execution by a processor to perform a method of storing and dispensing medications, the method comprising the steps of:

determining the location of a portable container that comprises a real time locating system (RTLS) device, a connector coupled to the body and the latch, the connector configured to mate with a docking connector of a docking station to receive power from the docking connector and provide the power to the portable container, and that contains at least one medication;

determining whether the portable container is in an area where it is allowable to dispense the at least one medication; and

releasing the lid if the portable container is in an area where it is allowable to dispense the medication.

19. The method of claim 18, further comprising the step of:

issuing an alert if the portable container is determined to be in an area into which the portable container is not allowed to be taken.