Systems and methods for determining container contents, locations, and surroundings

• US 9,358,183 B2
• Filed: 05/08/2014
• Issued: 06/07/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 02/26/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Digital Medical Technologies, LLC
• Original Assignee: Adheretech Inc., Board of Trustees of The University of Alabama (University of Alabama System)
• Inventors: Stein, Joshua, Langhauser, John, Morena, Michael, Jovanov, Emil
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen, Tai T
• Application Number:
  US14/273,289
• Publication Number:
  US 20140240094A1
• Time in Patent Office: 761 Days
• Field of Search: 340/7.58, 340/5.2, 340/5.82, 340/540, 340/541, 340/687, 340/691.5
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: A61J 2200/30 Compliance analysis for taking medication
• CPC Class Codes: A61J 2200/70 Device provided with specific sensor or indicating means
• CPC Class Codes: A61J 2200/74 for weight
• CPC Class Codes: A61J 2200/76 for fluid level
• CPC Class Codes: A61J 7/0409 with timers
• CPC Class Codes: A61J 7/0418 with electronic history memory
• CPC Class Codes: A61J 7/0436 resulting from removing a drug from, or opening, a container
• CPC Class Codes: A61J 7/0481 working on a schedule basis
• CPC Class Codes: F04C 2270/0421 Controlled or regulated
• CPC Class Codes: G01G 19/42 for counting by weighing G01G19/387 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01G 19/52 Weighing apparatus combined with other objects, e.g. furniture with walking sticks A45B3/08
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/10 Office automation; Time management
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 20/13 delivered from dispensers
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 40/67 for remote operation

Abstract

Systems and methods are provided for determining whether and/or when a patient is taking his or her medication and, when appropriate, providing reminders and/or alerts to the patient to improve adherence to a medication regimen. In some embodiments, a medication container is provided that includes a capacitance sensor for sensing the contents of the medication container (e.g., pill count or quantity of liquid medication). The capacitance sensor may include interleaved or interdigitated electrodes oriented vertically, horizontally, or angularly (e.g., diagonally) relative to an axis of the medication container. Reminders and/or alerts to the patient may be triggered based at least in part on the contents of the medication container, when a cap of the container was last opened and/or closed, the location of the medication container, and/or the container'"'"'s surroundings.

Claims

1. A medication container, comprising:

a housing for medication;

a cap removably coupled to the housing;

a cap sensor configured to sense opening and/or closing of the cap;

one or more processors coupled to the cap sensor to determine a status of the cap sensor;

a transmitter for wirelessly transmitting data to a remote computer based at least in part on the status of the cap sensor;

a wireless receiver configured to receive an activation command from or otherwise initiated by the remote computer; and

an alert comprising a light source,

wherein the one or more processors is configured to illuminate the light source in a first manner indicating that a corresponding patient has not taken the patient'"'"'s medication based at least in part on the receipt of the activation command by the wireless receiver.

2. The medication container of claim 1, wherein the light source is configured to illuminate in different ways under different circumstances.

3. The medication container of claim 2, wherein the one or more processors is configured to illuminate the light source in a manner different than the first manner based when the patient still has not taken the patient'"'"'s medication subsequent to the one or more processors causing the light source to illuminate in the first manner.

4. The medication container of claim 2, wherein the one or more processors is configured to illuminate the light source in a manner different than the first manner when the medication container lacks the ability to communicate directly or indirectly with the remote computer.

5. The medication container of claim 1, wherein the light source comprises a light emitting diode.

6. The medication container of claim 1, wherein the light source comprises a plurality of light emitting diodes.

7. The medication container of claim 1, wherein the alert comprises a light source and an audio alert.

8. The medication container of claim 1, wherein the alert further comprises a graphical display.

9. The medication container of claim 1, wherein the alert further comprises a text display.

10. A medication container, comprising:

a housing for medication;

a cap removably coupled to the housing;

a cap sensor configured to sense opening and/or closing of the cap;

one or more processors coupled to the cap sensor to determine a status of the cap sensor;

a transmitter for wirelessly transmitting data to a remote computer based at least in part on the status of the cap sensor;

a wireless receiver configured to receive an activation command from or otherwise initiated by the remote computer; and

an alert comprising an audio alert,

wherein the one or more processors is configured to cause the audio alert to sound in a first manner indicating that a corresponding patient has not taken the patient'"'"'s medication based at least in part on the receipt of the activation command by the wireless receiver.

11. The medication container of claim 10, wherein the audio alert is configured to sound in different ways under different circumstances.

12. The medication container of claim 11, wherein the one or more processors is configured to cause the audio alert to sound in a manner different than the first manner when the patient still has not taken the patient'"'"'s medication subsequent to the one or more processors causing the audio alert to sound in the first manner.

13. The medication container of claim 11, wherein the one or more processors is configured to cause the audio alert to sound in a manner different than the first manner when the medication container lacks the ability to communicate directly or indirectly with the remote computer.

14. The medication container of claim 10, wherein the audio alert comprises a speaker.