Computational systems and methods for monitoring medication events including a camera and identified time intervals

• US 9,081,885 B2
• Filed: 08/24/2012
• Issued: 07/14/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 08/24/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Elwha LLC (Intellectual Ventures LLC)
• Original Assignee: Elwha LLC (Intellectual Ventures LLC)
• Inventors: Bangera, Mahalaxmi Gita, Hyde, Roderick A., Kare, Jordin T., Leuthardt, Eric C., Sweeney, Elizabeth A., Wood, Lowell L. Jr.
• Primary Examiner(s): HOFSASS, JEFFERY A
• Application Number:
  US13/593,882
• Publication Number:
  US 20140055588A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,054 Days
• Field of Search: 340/573.1, 340/539.12, 340/309.16, 600/300, 368/10, 705/2, 348/77
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: A61J 7/0481 working on a schedule basis
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/0639 Performance analysis of employees; Performance analysis of enterprise or organisation operations
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 20/10 relating to drugs or medications, e.g. for ensuring correct administration to patients

Abstract

Computer-based systems and computer-implemented methods are described for monitoring medication events for an individual. Computer-based systems include systems for monitoring medication events relating to an individual, including: circuitry for analyzing data for an identifier of a first medication event for an individual; circuitry for analyzing the data for at least one attribute of an individual; circuitry for analyzing the data for at least one attribute relating to a medication during the first medication event; circuitry for analyzing the data for at least one feature of visual information and at least one feature of non-visual information relating to the individual during the first medication event; circuitry for analyzing the received data for a time associated with the first medication event; circuitry for determining a compliance likelihood for the first medication event based on the analyses of the received data; and circuitry for indicating the determined compliance likelihood.

Claims

1. A system for monitoring medication events, comprising:

circuitry for associating a time interval with a first medication event for an individual;

circuitry for identifying a start of the time interval associated with the first medication event;

circuitry for activating an indicator in response to the identification of the start of the time interval associated with the first medication event;

circuitry for activating at least one camera unit associated with the individual, the activating in response to the identification of the start of the time interval associated with the first medication event;

circuitry for identifying an end of the time interval associated with the first medication event;

circuitry for accepting data relating to the time interval associated with the first medication event from the at least one camera unit; and

circuitry for deactivating the at least one camera unit in response to the identification of the end of the time interval associated with the first medication event.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the circuitry for activating the at least one camera unit associated with the individual, the activating in response to the identification of the start of the time interval associated with the first medication event comprises:

circuitry for activating the at least one camera unit including activating non-visual components of the at least one camera unit.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the circuitry for activating the at least one camera unit associated with the individual, the activating in response to the identification of the start of the time interval associated with the first medication event comprises:

circuitry for activating at least one camera unit including a microphone.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the circuitry for activating the at least one camera unit associated with the individual, the activating in response to the identification of the start of the time interval associated with the first medication event comprises:

circuitry for activating the at least one camera unit for video data acquisition.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the circuitry for activating the at least one camera unit associated with the individual, the activating in response to the identification of the start of the time interval associated with the first medication event comprises:

circuitry for activating the at least one camera unit for data acquisition including near-infrared (IR) data.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the circuitry for activating the at least one camera unit associated with the individual, the activating in response to the identification of the start of the time interval associated with the first medication event comprises:

circuitry for activating the at least one camera unit for data acquisition including thermal data.

7. The system of claim 1, comprising:

circuitry for retrieving at least one attribute of the individual from memory;

circuitry for examining the accepted data for the at least one attribute of the individual;

circuitry for forming an identification result for the individual from the examination; and

circuitry for transmitting the identification result for the individual.

8. The system of claim 1, comprising:

circuitry for retrieving at least one attribute of the medication from memory;

circuitry for examining the accepted data for the at least one attribute of the medication;

circuitry for forming an identification result for the medication from the examination; and

circuitry for transmitting the identification result for the medication.

9. The system of claim 1, comprising:

circuitry for comparing the accepted data relating to the time interval associated with the first medication event with the set of standard medication event parameters;

circuitry for comparing the accepted data relating to the second time interval associated with the second medication event with a set of standard medication event parameters; and

circuitry for activating an indicator if either the accepted data relating to the time interval associated with the first medication event or the accepted data relating to the second time interval associated with the second medication event are distinct from the set of standard medication event parameters.

10. A computer-readable storage medium including executable instructions for monitoring medication events, the computer-readable storage medium comprising:

instructions for associating a time interval with a first medication event for an individual;

instructions for identifying a start of the time interval associated with the first medication event;

instructions for activating an indicator in response to the identification of the start of the time interval associated with the first medication event;

instructions for activating at least one camera unit associated with the individual, the activating in response to the identification of the start of the time interval associated with the first medication event;

instructions for identifying an end of the time interval associated with the first medication event;

instructions for accepting data relating to the time interval associated with the first medication event from the at least one camera unit; and

instructions for deactivating the at least one camera unit in response to the identification of the end of the time interval associated with the first medication event.

11. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 10, wherein the instructions for activating the at least one camera unit associated with the individual, the activating in response to the identification of the start of the time interval associated with the first medication event comprises:

instructions for activating the at least one camera unit including activating non-visual components of the at least one camera unit.

12. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 10, wherein the instructions for activating the at least one camera unit associated with the individual, the activating in response to the identification of the start of the time interval associated with the first medication event comprises:

instructions for activating at least one camera unit including a microphone.

13. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 10, wherein the instructions for activating the at least one camera unit associated with the individual, the activating in response to the identification of the start of the time interval associated with the first medication event comprises:

instructions for activating the at least one camera unit for video data acquisition.

14. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 10, wherein the instructions for activating the at least one camera unit associated with the individual, the activating in response to the identification of the start of the time interval associated with the first medication event comprises:

instructions for activating the at least one camera unit for data acquisition including near-infrared (IR) data.

15. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 10, wherein the instructions for activating the at least one camera unit associated with the individual, the activating in response to the identification of the start of the time interval associated with the first medication event comprises:

instructions for activating the at least one camera unit for data acquisition including thermal data.

16. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 10, comprising:

instructions for retrieving at least one attribute of the individual from memory;

instructions for examining the accepted data for the at least one attribute of the individual;

instructions for forming an identification result for the individual from the examination; and

instructions for transmitting the identification result for the individual.

17. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 10, comprising:

instructions for retrieving at least one attribute of the medication from memory;

instructions for examining the accepted data for the at least one attribute of the medication;

instructions for forming an identification result for the medication from the examination; and

instructions for transmitting the identification result for the medication.

18. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 10, comprising:

instructions for comparing the accepted data relating to the time interval associated with the first medication event with a set of standard medication event parameters;

instructions for comparing the accepted data relating to a second time interval associated with a second medication event with the set of standard medication event parameters; and

instructions for activating an indicator if either the accepted data relating to the time interval associated with the first medication event or the accepted data relating to the second time interval associated with the second medication event are distinct from the set of standard medication event parameters.

19. A system for monitoring medication events, comprising:

circuitry for identifying a start of a time interval associated with a first medication event for an individual;

circuitry for activating at least one camera unit associated with the individual, the activating in response to the identification of the start of the time interval;

circuitry for accepting data from the at least one camera unit, the data including both visual and non-visual data;

circuitry for providing at least one sufficiency parameter for visual data from the first medication event;

circuitry for providing at least one sufficiency parameter for non-visual data from the first medication event;

circuitry for comparing the accepted data from the at least one camera unit with the provided at least one sufficiency parameter for visual data and with the provided at least one sufficiency parameter for non-visual data;

circuitry for determining, from the comparison, if the accepted data from the at least one camera unit is sufficient;

circuitry for activating an indicator in response to the determined sufficiency;

circuitry for identifying an end of the time interval associated with the first medication event; and

circuitry for deactivating the at least one camera unit in response to the identification of the end of the time interval associated with the first medication event.

20. The system of claim 19, wherein the circuitry for activating the at least one camera unit associated with the individual, the activating in response to the identification of the start of the time interval, comprises:

circuitry for activating at least one camera unit within a mobile device associated with the individual.

21. The system of claim 19, wherein the circuitry for activating the at least one camera unit associated with the individual, the activating in response to the identification of the start of the time interval, comprises:

circuitry for activating the at least one camera unit at a fixed location associated with the individual.

22. The system of claim 19, wherein the circuitry for accepting data from the at least one camera unit, the data including both visual and non-visual data comprises:

circuitry for accepting data including video data.

23. The system of claim 19, wherein the circuitry for accepting data from the at least one camera unit, the data including both visual and non-visual data comprises:

circuitry for accepting data including near-infrared (IR) data.

24. The system of claim 19, wherein the circuitry for accepting data from the at least one camera unit, the data including both visual and non-visual data comprises:

circuitry for accepting data including thermal data.

25. The system of claim 19, wherein the circuitry for accepting data from the at least one camera unit, the data including both visual and non-visual data comprises:

circuitry for accepting data including audio data.

26. The system of claim 19, wherein the circuitry for comparing the accepted data from the at least one camera unit with the provided at least one sufficiency parameter for visual data and with the provided at least one sufficiency parameter for non-visual data comprises:

circuitry for comparing the accepted data from the at least one camera unit with at least one minimum value for visual data and at least one minimum value for non-visual data.

27. The system of claim 19, wherein the circuitry for comparing the accepted data from the at least one camera unit with the provided at least one sufficiency parameter for visual data and with the provided at least one sufficiency parameter for non-visual data comprises:

circuitry for comparing the accepted data from the at least one camera unit with at least one range of values for visual data and at least one range of values for non-visual data.

28. The system of claim 19, wherein the circuitry for comparing the accepted data from the at least one camera unit with the provided at least one sufficiency parameter for visual data and with the provided at least one sufficiency parameter for non-visual data comprises:

circuitry for comparing the accepted data from the at least one camera unit with at least one sufficiency parameter for visual data specific to the individual and at least one sufficiency parameter for non-visual data specific to the individual.

29. The system of claim 19, comprising:

circuitry for identifying, in response to the determined sufficiency, a start of a time interval associated with a supplementary medication event for the individual.

30. The system of claim 19, comprising:

circuitry for processing the accepted data from the at least one camera unit into a medication record for the individual; and

circuitry for transmitting the medication record.

31. The system of claim 19, comprising:

circuitry for identifying a start of a second time interval associated with a second medication event for the individual;

circuitry for activating the at least one camera unit associated with the individual, the activating in response to the identification of the start of the second time interval;

circuitry for accepting data from the at least one camera unit, the data including both visual and non-visual data;

circuitry for providing the at least one sufficiency parameter for visual data from the second medication event;

circuitry for providing the at least one sufficiency parameter for non-visual data from the second medication event;

circuitry for comparing the accepted data from the at least one camera unit with the provided at least one sufficiency parameter for visual data and with the provided at least one sufficiency parameter for non-visual data;

circuitry for determining, from the comparison, if the accepted data from the at least one camera unit is sufficient;

circuitry for activating an indicator in response to the determined sufficiency;

circuitry for identifying an end of the second time interval associated with the second medication event; and

circuitry for deactivating the at least one camera unit in response to the identification of the end of the time interval associated with the second medication event.

32. A computer-readable storage medium including executable instructions for monitoring medication events, the computer-readable storage medium comprising:

instructions for identifying a start of a time interval associated with a first medication event for an individual;

instructions for activating at least one camera unit associated with the individual, the activating in response to the identification of the start of the time interval;

instructions for accepting data from the at least one camera unit, the data including both visual and non-visual data;

instructions for providing at least one sufficiency parameter for visual data from the first medication event;

instructions for providing at least one sufficiency parameter for non-visual data from the first medication event;

instructions for comparing the accepted data from the at least one camera unit with the provided at least one sufficiency parameter for visual data and with the provided at least one sufficiency parameter for non-visual data;

instructions for determining, from the comparison, if the accepted data from the at least one camera unit is sufficient;

instructions for activating an indicator in response to the determined sufficiency;

instructions for identifying an end of the time interval associated with the first medication event; and

instructions for deactivating the at least one camera unit in response to the identification of the end of the time interval associated with the first medication event.

33. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 32, wherein the instructions for activating the at least one camera unit associated with the individual, the activating in response to the identification of the start of the time interval, comprises:

instructions for activating at least one camera unit within a mobile device associated with the individual.

34. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 32, wherein the instructions for accepting data from the at least one camera unit, the data including both visual and non-visual data comprises:

instructions for accepting data including video data.

35. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 32, wherein the instructions for accepting data from the at least one camera unit, the data including both visual and non-visual data comprises:

instructions for accepting data including near-infrared (IR) data.

36. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 32, wherein the instructions for accepting data from the at least one camera unit, the data including both visual and non-visual data comprises:

instructions for accepting data including thermal data.

37. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 32, wherein the instructions for accepting data from the at least one camera unit, the data including both visual and non-visual data comprises:

instructions for accepting data including audio data.

38. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 32, wherein the instructions for comparing the accepted data from the at least one camera unit with the provided at least one sufficiency parameter for visual data and with the provided at least one sufficiency parameter for non-visual data comprises:

instructions for comparing the accepted data from the at least one camera unit with at least one minimum value for visual data and at least one minimum value for non-visual data.

39. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 32, wherein the instructions for comparing the accepted data from the at least one camera unit with the provided at least one sufficiency parameter for visual data and with the provided at least one sufficiency parameter for non-visual data comprises:

instructions for comparing the accepted data from the at least one camera unit with at least one range of values for visual data and at least one range of values for non-visual data.

40. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 32, wherein the instructions for comparing the accepted data from the at least one camera unit with the provided at least one sufficiency parameter for visual data and with the provided at least one sufficiency parameter for non-visual data comprises:

instructions for comparing the accepted data from the at least one camera unit with at least one sufficiency parameter for visual data specific to the individual and at least one sufficiency parameter for non-visual data specific to the individual.

41. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 32, comprising:

instructions for identifying, in response to the determined sufficiency, a start of a time interval associated with a supplementary medication event for the individual.

42. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 32, comprising:

instructions for processing the accepted data from the at least one camera unit into a medication record for the individual; and

instructions for transmitting the medication record.

43. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 32, comprising:

instructions for identifying a start of a second time interval associated with a second medication event for the individual;

instructions for activating the at least one camera unit associated with the individual, the activating in response to the identification of the start of the second time interval;

instructions for accepting data from the at least one camera unit, the data including both visual and non-visual data;

instructions for providing the at least one sufficiency parameter for visual data from the second medication event;

instructions for providing the at least one sufficiency parameter for non-visual data from the second medication event;

instructions for comparing the accepted data from the at least one camera unit with the provided at least one sufficiency parameter for visual data and with the provided at least one sufficiency parameter for non-visual data;

instructions for determining, from the comparison, if the accepted data from the at least one camera unit is sufficient;

instructions for activating an indicator in response to the determined sufficiency;

instructions for identifying an end of the second time interval associated with the second medication event; and

instructions for deactivating the at least one camera unit in response to the identification of the end of the time interval associated with the second medication event.