Activity monitor to alleviate controlled substance abuse

• US 8,854,225 B2
• Filed: 09/10/2012
• Issued: 10/07/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 07/14/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sam Johnson
• Original Assignee: Sam Johnson
• Inventors: Johnson, Sam
• Primary Examiner(s): PHAM, TOAN NGOC
• Application Number:
  US13/609,203
• Publication Number:
  US 20130002429A1
• Time in Patent Office: 757 Days
• Field of Search: 340/669, 340/568.1, 340/693.5, 340/532, 340/686.1, 340/681, 340/691.1, 340/691.6, 340/309.16, 340/309.4, 340/309.7, 340/309.8, 340/571, 600/300, 368/244, 368/277, 705/2, 705/3
• US Class Current: 340/669
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/24 Reminder alarms, e.g. anti-loss alarms
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 20/10 relating to drugs or medications, e.g. for ensuring correct administration to patients
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 40/63 for local operation
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 40/67 for remote operation

Abstract

An activity monitor which can be pre-programmed at the factory, the doctors office or the pharmacist, or that can be programmed by the user. The activity monitor is affixed to a medicine bottle or container and activity associated with the bottle or container, such as movement, opening, volume changes, etc. are monitored in view to the schedule. The activity monitor records and allows for the analysis of the recorded data to determine is there is a likelihood of substance abuse.

Claims

1. A method for an insurer to help alleviate an abuse of controlled substances by insured individuals that pay a premium for insurance to the insurer, the method comprising the actions of:

the insurer offering a discount for controlled substances that are distributed in conjunction with an activity monitor that is integrated with a container holding the controlled substances;

providing controlled substances in the container with the integrated activity monitor, the substances being provided in accordance with a valid prescription, wherein the activity monitor records activity events related to the dispensing of the controlled substance;

the insurer retrieving the recorded activity events;

the insurer analyzing the recorded activity events; and

the insurer adjusting the premium offered to the individual continued insurance coverage if the analysis of the recorded activity indicates activity that is commensurate with the abuse.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the insurer includes a processing system.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the container and integrated activity monitor includes a lock-out mechanism and, further comprising the actions of:

placing the controlled substance within the container;

closing the container and activating the activity monitor in a lock-out state;

receiving a lock-out reset request from an insured individual that has received the activity monitored container with the controlled substance; and

resetting the lock-out mechanism such that the insured individual can access the controlled substance.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the action of resetting the lock-out mechanism further comprises receiving a code sequence that is entered by the insured individual to reset the lock-out mechanism.

5. The method of claim 3, wherein activity monitor includes a tone detector and the action of resetting the lock-out mechanism further comprises sending one or more tones over a telephone line to be received by the activity monitor.