Medicine station and alert device

• US 9,007,875 B2
• Filed: 06/24/2011
• Issued: 04/14/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 05/14/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Darien Okinza Nurse, Lloyd Cleveland Nurse
• Original Assignee: Darien Okinza Nurse, Lloyd Cleveland Nurse
• Inventors: Nurse, Lloyd Cleveland, Nurse, Darien Okinza
• Primary Examiner(s): Kayes, Sean
• Application Number:
  US13/168,324
• Publication Number:
  US 20110254656A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,390 Days
• Field of Search: 368/244, 368/277, 368/276, 368/284, 368/10, 700/242, 221/15
• US Class Current: 368/10
• CPC Class Codes: A61J 1/03 for pills or tablets containers for pills or tablets with special dispensing means therefor B65D83/04
• CPC Class Codes: A61J 7/0472 of the count-down type, i.e. counting down a predetermined interval after each reset
• CPC Class Codes: A61J 7/0481 working on a schedule basis
• CPC Class Codes: G04C 23/40 using continuously-running mechanism
• CPC Class Codes: G04G 11/00 Producing optical signals at preselected times
• CPC Class Codes: G04G 13/026 acting at a number of different times

Abstract

A medicine station or stand-alone alert device has a processor having access to memory, wherein the memory stores a control module, and the processor is configured to execute the modules stored in the memory. The medicine station or stand-alone alert device also includes one or more indicators. The control module is configured to periodically check for an external notification from a primary alert device that it is time to take a medication. Upon receiving the external notification, the control program is configured to cause the medicine station or stand-alone alert device to enter an amplified alert mode with respect to the primary alert device via the one or more indicators.

Claims

1. An apparatus, comprising:

a processor having access to memory, wherein the memory stores a control module, a timing module and an announcer module, and the processor is configured to execute the modules stored in the memory;

a reusable medicine tray comprising a plurality of compartments arranged on a swivel stand, wherein each compartment is configured to store at least one medication bottle; and

at least one indicator, wherein

the control module is configured to periodically check for an external notification from a primary alert device that it is time to take a medication, and

upon receiving the external notification, the control program is configured to cause the apparatus to generate an alert via the at least one indicator.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the at least one indicator comprises one or more of a Liquid Crystal Display (LCD) screen, a noise making device, and a Light-Emitting Diode (LED).

3. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising:

a USB port configured to receive updates from, and upload information to, an external computing device.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising:

at least one sensor configured to detect a notification from the primary alert device.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the control module is configured to periodically check with the timing module to determine whether at least one timer has elapsed.

6. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein

when a time period has elapsed and a user has not deactivated the at least one indicator, the control module is configured to instruct the announcer module to switch to a different alert mode, and

the different alert mode comprises a switch from audible to light, audible to vibratory, light to audible, light to vibratory, vibratory to audible, vibratory to light, or from any single alert mode to any combination of two or more of audible, light, and vibratory.

7. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the control module causes the apparatus to transmit information to an external computing device.

8. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein when a user has not deactivated the amplified alert for a predetermined period of time, the apparatus is configured to transmit a notification to an external computing device alerting another individual that the user has not taken the medication.

9. A computer-implemented method, comprising:

a primary alert device generating a primary alert at a time to take medication;

periodically checking, via a controller, for an external notification from a primary alert device that it is time to take a medication; and

causing, via the controller separate from the primary alert device, at least one indicator of a medicine station or stand-alone alert device to generate an amplified repeater alert with respect to the primary alert device, wherein

the amplified repeater alert is amplified to be more human-recognizable than an alert generated by the primary alert device.

10. The method of claim 9, further comprising:

when a user does not deactivate the indicators within a predetermined time period, changing, via the controller, the at least one indicator to switch to operating in a different mode, wherein

the different alert mode comprises a switch from audible to light, audible to vibratory, light to audible, light to vibratory, vibratory to audible, vibratory to light, or from any single alert mode to any combination of two or more of audible, light, and vibratory.

11. The method of claim 9, wherein the at least one indicator comprises one or more of a Liquid Crystal Display (LCD) screen, a noise making device and a Light-Emitting Diode (LED).

12. The method of claim 9, wherein at least one sensor detects the notification from a primary alert device.

13. The method of claim 9, further comprising:

transmitting information to an external computing device.

14. The method of claim 9, further comprising:

transmitting a notification to an external computing device alerting another individual that the user has not taken the medication when the user has not deactivated the amplified alert for a predetermined period of time.