Home medication manager

• US 9,498,408 B2
• Filed: 07/31/2014
• Issued: 11/22/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 03/14/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: The Research Foundation for The State University of New York (State University of New York)
• Original Assignee: The Research Foundation for The State University of New York (State University of New York)
• Inventors: Lehmann, Craig, Brittelli, John
• Primary Examiner(s): WAGGONER, TIMOTHY R
• Application Number:
  US14/448,104
• Publication Number:
  US 20140350720A1
• Time in Patent Office: 845 Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: A61J 2200/30 Compliance analysis for taking medication
• CPC Class Codes: A61J 2205/10 Bar codes
• CPC Class Codes: A61J 2205/20 Colour codes
• CPC Class Codes: A61J 2205/30 Printed labels
• CPC Class Codes: A61J 2205/60 using magnetic or electronic identifications, e.g. chips, RFID, electronic tags
• CPC Class Codes: A61J 2205/70 Audible labels, e.g. for pre-recorded info or messages
• 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 7/0454 for dispensing of multiple drugs
• CPC Class Codes: A61J 7/0481 working on a schedule basis
• CPC Class Codes: A61J 7/049 automatically changing in response to a schedule deviation by the patient
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 11/62 in which the articles are stored in compartments in fixed receptacles
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/0092 for assembling and dispensing of pharmaceutical articles medical dispensers for private use, A61J7/00
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 5/02 with visual presentation of the material to be studied, e.g. using film strip
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 10/60 for patient-specific data, e.g. for electronic patient records
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 20/13 delivered from dispensers
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 40/67 for remote operation
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 70/40 relating to drugs, e.g. their side effects or intended usage

Abstract

A portable self medication management system and method comprising at least a plurality of receptacles, a scanner, a display screen, a housing for a compact electronic box, a compact electronic box and a processor to acquire medication information from a medication container, determine whether the medication information exists in a first database, if the medication information does not exist in the first database, associate the medication information with a location information comprising a receptacle and store the medication information and the location information in the first database, indicate the location information, and confirm placement of the medication container in the associated receptacle, notify a user to administer the medication held in the medication container, and request the user to scan the medication container of the notified medication, detect retrieval of an incorrect medication container from the plurality of receptacles, and issue a warning of the detection, and provide instructions for administering the medication.

Claims

1. A self medication management system, comprising:

a base comprising;

a plurality of receptacles, each receptacle having at least a sensor, a visual indicator, and a securing mechanism, wherein said plurality of receptacles are each capable of housing an intact medication container;

a scanner;

at least one display screen;

a power source; and

a housing for a removable compact electronic box;

a memory device;

a removable compact electronic box, wherein said compact electronic box comprises individual compartments capable of housing medication;

a storage device; and

a hardware processor coupled to the memory device and couple-able to the storage device, the processor configured to;

acquire, using the scanner, medication information from a medication container holding a medication, the medication information comprising at least an administration time;

determine whether the medication information exists in a first database residing on the storage device;

if the medication information does not exist in the first database, associate the medication information with a location information comprising at least a receptacle and store the medication information and the location information in the first database;

indicate, using the receptacle visual indicator, the location information, and confirm, using the receptacle sensor, placement of the medication container in the associated receptacle in accordance with the securing mechanism;

notify a user to administer the medication held in the medication container based on the administration time, and request the user to scan, at the scanner, the medication container of the notified medication;

detect, based on the scan of the medication container, retrieval of an incorrect medication container from the plurality of receptacles, and issue a warning of the detection; and

provide instructions on the display screen for administering the medication, the instructions based on the medication information.

2. The self medication management system according to claim 1, the processor further configured to track administering of the medications in a second database residing on the storage device.

3. The self medication management system according to claim 2, the processor further configured to send information from the second database to an external source.

4. The self medication management system according to claim 3, wherein the external source is a pharmacy database or cloud database.

5. The self medication management system according to claim 1, the processor further configured to acquire additional medication information from an external source.

6. The self medication management system according to claim 5, wherein the external source is a pharmacy database or cloud database.

7. The self medication management system according to claim 1, further comprising a lid attachable to the base.

8. The self medication management system according to claim 1, further comprising a power supply couple-able to the power source, the power supply being one of a battery and power receptacle.

9. The self medication management system according to claim 8, wherein the battery is a rechargeable battery.

10. The self medication management system according to claim 1, the base further comprising a buzzer wherein said buzzer vibrates to provide notification to the user.

11. The self medication management system according to claim 1, the base further comprising a speaker, wherein notification is provided using one or more of the visual indicator, the display screen and the speaker.

12. The self medication management system of claim 1, wherein said removable compact electronic box further comprises a locking element.

13. The self medication management system of claim 12, wherein said locking element couples said removable compact electronic box couples to said housing for said removable compact electronic box.

14. The self medication management system of claim 1, wherein said removable compact electronic box further comprises a controller, a memory/memory storage device and a clock.

15. The self medication management system of claim 14, wherein said removable compact electronic box further comprises a power supply couple-able to a power source.

16. The self medication management system of claim 15, wherein when said controller on said removable compact electronic box is configured to transmit information between said removable compact electronic box and said hardware processor coupled to the memory device and couple-able to the storage device.