Medication management and reporting technology

• US 9,842,195 B2
• Filed: 06/29/2015
• Issued: 12/12/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 04/04/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Alarm.com Inc. (Alarm.com Holdings, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Alarm.com Inc. (Alarm.com Holdings, Inc.)
• Inventors: Hanson, Mark Andrew, Manson, Elizabeth Leslie
• Primary Examiner(s): Alam, Mirza
• Application Number:
  US14/754,136
• Publication Number:
  US 20150302175A1
• Time in Patent Office: 897 Days
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2505/07 Home care
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2560/0242 adapted to measure environmental factors, e.g. temperature, pollution
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/1113 Local tracking of patients, e.g. in a hospital or private home
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/1128 using image analysis A61B5/1127 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/4833 Assessment of subject's compliance to treatment
• CPC Class Codes: A61G 12/00 Accommodation for nursing, e.g. in hospitals, not covered by groups A61G1/00 - A61G11/00, e.g. trolleys for transport of medicaments or food service or tea-tables, trolleys or wagons A47B31/00; Prescription lists
• CPC Class Codes: A61J 7/0069 Trays for holding or distributing medicines display trays A47F3/14; serving trays A47G23/06
• CPC Class Codes: A61J 7/0418 with electronic history memory
• CPC Class Codes: A61J 7/0427 with direct interaction with a dispensing or delivery system
• 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: G06Q 10/10 Office automation; Time management
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/24 Reminder alarms, e.g. anti-loss alarms
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 23/00 Alarms responsive to unspecified undesired or abnormal conditions
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 20/10 relating to drugs or medications, e.g. for ensuring correct administration to patients
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 20/13 delivered from dispensers
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 40/63 for local operation

Abstract

Medication management and reporting technology, in which output from at least one sensor configured to sense physical activity in a building in which medication of a patient is located is monitored and a determination is made to capture one or more images of the medication based on the monitoring. A camera is used to capture an image of the medication and the captured image is analyzed to detect a state of the medication. Information regarding a schedule by which the medication should be taken by the patient is accessed and an expected state of the medication is determined. The detected state is compared with the expected state and a determination is made that the patient has departed from the schedule based on the comparison revealing that the detected state does not match the expected state. A message indicating the departure from the schedule is sent based on the determination.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

monitoring, over time, activity of a user during a period of time in which the user is scheduled to take medication;

determining at least one of (1) past activity of the user or (2) expected activity of the user during the period of time in which the user is scheduled to take the medication;

analyzing the monitored activity of the user during the period of time in which the user is scheduled to take the medication with respect to at least one of (1) the past activity of the user or (2) the expected activity of the user during the period of time in which the user is scheduled to take the medication;

determining whether an issue exists related to the user'"'"'s taking of the medication based on the analysis of the monitored activity of the user during the period of time in which the user is scheduled to take the medication with respect to at least one of (1) the past activity of the user or (2) the expected activity of the user during the period of time in which the user is scheduled to take the medication; and

providing an alert based on a determination that an issue exists related to the user'"'"'s taking of the medication,

wherein determining at least one of (1) past activity of the user or (2) expected activity of the user during the period of time in which the user is scheduled to take the medication comprises determining expected activity of the user during the period of time in which the user is scheduled to take the medication;

wherein analyzing the monitored activity of the user during the period of time in which the user is scheduled to take the medication with respect to at least one of (1) the past activity of the user or (2) the expected activity of the user during the period of time in which the user is scheduled to take the medication comprises analyzing the monitored activity of the user during the period of time in which the user is scheduled to take the medication with respect to the expected activity of the user during the period of time in which the user is scheduled to take the medication; and

wherein determining whether an issue exists related to the user'"'"'s taking of the medication based on the analysis of the monitored activity of the user during the period of time in which the user is scheduled to take the medication with respect to at least one of (1) the past activity of the user or (2) the expected activity of the user during the period of time in which the user is scheduled to take the medication comprises determining whether an issue exists related to the user'"'"'s taking of the medication based on the analysis of the monitored activity of the user during the period of time in which the user is scheduled to take the medication with respect to the expected activity of the user during the period of time in which the user is scheduled to take the medication.

2. The method of claim 1:

wherein determining at least one of (1) past activity of the user or (2) expected activity of the user during the period of time in which the user is scheduled to take the medication comprises determining (1) past activity of the user and (2) expected activity of the user during the period of time in which the user is scheduled to take the medication;

wherein analyzing the monitored activity of the user during the period of time in which the user is scheduled to take the medication with respect to at least one of (1) the past activity of the user or (2) the expected activity of the user during the period of time in which the user is scheduled to take the medication comprises analyzing the monitored activity of the user during the period of time in which the user is scheduled to take the medication with respect to (1) the past activity of the user and (2) the expected activity of the user during the period of time in which the user is scheduled to take the medication; and

wherein determining whether an issue exists related to the user'"'"'s taking of the medication based on the analysis of the monitored activity of the user during the period of time in which the user is scheduled to take the medication with respect to at least one of (1) the past activity of the user or (2) the expected activity of the user during the period of time in which the user is scheduled to take the medication comprises determining whether an issue exists related to the user'"'"'s taking of the medication based on the analysis of the monitored activity of the user during the period of time in which the user is scheduled to take the medication with respect to (1) the past activity of the user and (2) the expected activity of the user during the period of time in which the user is scheduled to take the medication.

3. The method of claim 1:

wherein determining whether an issue exists related to the user'"'"'s taking of the medication comprises determining whether the analysis indicates that the user is not taking the medication; and

wherein providing the alert comprises providing an alert that indicates that the user is not taking the medication based on a determination that the analysis indicates that the user is not taking the medication.

4. The method of claim 1:

wherein determining whether an issue exists related to the user'"'"'s taking of the medication comprises determining whether the analysis indicates that the medication is not working as expected; and

wherein providing the alert comprises providing an alert that indicates that the medication is not working as expected based on a determination that the analysis indicates that the medication is not working as expected.

5. The method of claim 1:

wherein determining whether an issue exists related to the user'"'"'s taking of the medication comprises determining whether the analysis indicates that the medication is causing the user to suffer one or more side effects; and

wherein providing the alert comprises providing an alert that indicates that the medication is causing the user to suffer one or more side effects based on a determination that the analysis indicates that the medication is causing the user to suffer one or more side effects.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein monitoring, over time, activity of a user during a period of time in which the user is scheduled to take medication comprises monitoring output from at least one sensor configured to sense physical activity in a building in which medication of the user is located.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein monitoring output from at least one sensor configured to sense physical activity in a building in which medication of the user is located comprises monitoring output of motion sensors configured to detect motion in multiple rooms throughout the building in which the medication is located.

6. A method comprising:

monitoring, over time, activity of a user during a period of time in which the user is scheduled to take medication;

determining at least one of (1) past activity of the user or (2) expected activity of the user during the period of time in which the user is scheduled to take the medication;

analyzing the monitored activity of the user during the period of time in which the user is scheduled to take the medication with respect to at least one of (1) the past activity of the user or (2) the expected activity of the user during the period of time in which the user is scheduled to take the medication;

determining whether an issue exists related to the user'"'"'s taking of the medication based on the analysis of the monitored activity of the user during the period of time in which the user is scheduled to take the medication with respect to at least one of (1) the past activity of the user or (2) the expected activity of the user during the period of time in which the user is scheduled to take the medication; and

providing an alert based on a determination that an issue exists related to the user'"'"'s taking of the medication,

wherein determining whether an issue exists related to the user'"'"'s taking of the medication comprises determining whether the analysis indicates that the user is not taking the medication, determining whether the analysis indicates that the medication is not working as expected, and determining whether the analysis indicates that the medication is causing the user to suffer one or more side effects; and

wherein providing the alert comprises;

providing an alert that indicates that the user is not taking the medication based on a determination that the analysis indicates that the user is not taking the medication,

providing an alert that indicates that the medication is not working as expected based on a determination that the analysis indicates that the medication is not working as expected, and

providing an alert that indicates that the medication is causing the user to suffer one or more side effects based on a determination that the analysis indicates that the medication is causing the user to suffer one or more side effects.

17. The method of claim 6:

wherein determining at least one of (1) past activity of the user or (2) expected activity of the user during the period of time in which the user is scheduled to take the medication comprises determining past activity of the user;

wherein analyzing the monitored activity of the user during the period of time in which the user is scheduled to take the medication with respect to at least one of (1) the past activity of the user or (2) the expected activity of the user during the period of time in which the user is scheduled to take the medication comprises analyzing the monitored activity of the user during the period of time in which the user is scheduled to take the medication with respect to the past activity of the user; and

wherein determining whether an issue exists related to the user'"'"'s taking of the medication based on the analysis of the monitored activity of the user during the period of time in which the user is scheduled to take the medication with respect to at least one of (1) the past activity of the user or (2) the expected activity of the user during the period of time in which the user is scheduled to take the medication comprises determining whether an issue exists related to the user'"'"'s taking of the medication based on the analysis of the monitored activity of the user during the period of time in which the user is scheduled to take the medication with respect to the past activity of the user.

18. The method of claim 6:

wherein determining at least one of (1) past activity of the user or (2) expected activity of the user during the period of time in which the user is scheduled to take the medication comprises determining expected activity of the user during the period of time in which the user is scheduled to take the medication;

wherein analyzing the monitored activity of the user during the period of time in which the user is scheduled to take the medication with respect to at least one of (1) the past activity of the user or (2) the expected activity of the user during the period of time in which the user is scheduled to take the medication comprises analyzing the monitored activity of the user during the period of time in which the user is scheduled to take the medication with respect to the expected activity of the user during the period of time in which the user is scheduled to take the medication; and

wherein determining whether an issue exists related to the user'"'"'s taking of the medication based on the analysis of the monitored activity of the user during the period of time in which the user is scheduled to take the medication with respect to at least one of (1) the past activity of the user or (2) the expected activity of the user during the period of time in which the user is scheduled to take the medication comprises determining whether an issue exists related to the user'"'"'s taking of the medication based on the analysis of the monitored activity of the user during the period of time in which the user is scheduled to take the medication with respect to the expected activity of the user during the period of time in which the user is scheduled to take the medication.

19. The method of claim 6:

wherein determining at least one of (1) past activity of the user or (2) expected activity of the user during the period of time in which the user is scheduled to take the medication comprises determining (1) past activity of the user and (2) expected activity of the user during the period of time in which the user is scheduled to take the medication;

wherein analyzing the monitored activity of the user during the period of time in which the user is scheduled to take the medication with respect to at least one of (1) the past activity of the user or (2) the expected activity of the user during the period of time in which the user is scheduled to take the medication comprises analyzing the monitored activity of the user during the period of time in which the user is scheduled to take the medication with respect to (1) the past activity of the user and (2) the expected activity of the user during the period of time in which the user is scheduled to take the medication; and

wherein determining whether an issue exists related to the user'"'"'s taking of the medication based on the analysis of the monitored activity of the user during the period of time in which the user is scheduled to take the medication with respect to at least one of (1) the past activity of the user or (2) the expected activity of the user during the period of time in which the user is scheduled to take the medication comprises determining whether an issue exists related to the user'"'"'s taking of the medication based on the analysis of the monitored activity of the user during the period of time in which the user is scheduled to take the medication with respect to (1) the past activity of the user and (2) the expected activity of the user during the period of time in which the user is scheduled to take the medication.

20. The method of claim 6, wherein monitoring, over time, activity of a user during a period of time in which the user is scheduled to take medication comprises monitoring output from at least one sensor configured to sense physical activity in a building in which medication of the user is located.

21. The method of claim 6, wherein monitoring output from at least one sensor configured to sense physical activity in a building in which medication of the user is located comprises monitoring output of motion sensors configured to detect motion in multiple rooms throughout the building in which the medication is located.

9. A system comprising:

at least one processor; and

at least one memory coupled to the at least one processor having stored thereon instructions which, when executed by the at least one processor, causes the at least one processor to perform operations comprising;

monitoring, over time, activity of a user during a period of time in which the user is scheduled to take medication;

determining at least one of (1) past activity of the user or (2) expected activity of the user during the period of time in which the user is scheduled to take the medication;

analyzing the monitored activity of the user during the period of time in which the user is scheduled to take the medication with respect to at least one of (1) the past activity of the user or (2) the expected activity of the user during the period of time in which the user is scheduled to take the medication;

determining whether an issue exists related to the user'"'"'s taking of the medication based on the analysis of the monitored activity of the user during the period of time in which the user is scheduled to take the medication with respect to at least one of (1) the past activity of the user or (2) the expected activity of the user during the period of time in which the user is scheduled to take the medication; and

providing an alert based on a determination that an issue exists related to the user'"'"'s taking of the medication,

wherein determining at least one of (1) past activity of the user or (2) expected activity of the user during the period of time in which the user is scheduled to take the medication comprises determining expected activity of the user during the period of time in which the user is scheduled to take the medication;

wherein analyzing the monitored activity of the user during the period of time in which the user is scheduled to take the medication with respect to at least one of (1) the past activity of the user or (2) the expected activity of the user during the period of time in which the user is scheduled to take the medication comprises analyzing the monitored activity of the user during the period of time in which the user is scheduled to take the medication with respect to the expected activity of the user during the period of time in which the user is scheduled to take the medication; and

wherein determining whether an issue exists related to the user'"'"'s taking of the medication based on the analysis of the monitored activity of the user during the period of time in which the user is scheduled to take the medication with respect to at least one of (1) the past activity of the user or (2) the expected activity of the user during the period of time in which the user is scheduled to take the medication comprises determining whether an issue exists related to the user'"'"'s taking of the medication based on the analysis of the monitored activity of the user during the period of time in which the user is scheduled to take the medication with respect to the expected activity of the user during the period of time in which the user is scheduled to take the medication.

10. The system of claim 9:

wherein determining at least one of (1) past activity of the user or (2) expected activity of the user during the period of time in which the user is scheduled to take the medication comprises determining (1) past activity of the user and (2) expected activity of the user during the period of time in which the user is scheduled to take the medication;

wherein analyzing the monitored activity of the user during the period of time in which the user is scheduled to take the medication with respect to at least one of (1) the past activity of the user or (2) the expected activity of the user during the period of time in which the user is scheduled to take the medication comprises analyzing the monitored activity of the user during the period of time in which the user is scheduled to take the medication with respect to (1) the past activity of the user and (2) the expected activity of the user during the period of time in which the user is scheduled to take the medication; and

wherein determining whether an issue exists related to the user'"'"'s taking of the medication based on the analysis of the monitored activity of the user during the period of time in which the user is scheduled to take the medication with respect to at least one of (1) the past activity of the user or (2) the expected activity of the user during the period of time in which the user is scheduled to take the medication comprises determining whether an issue exists related to the user'"'"'s taking of the medication based on the analysis of the monitored activity of the user during the period of time in which the user is scheduled to take the medication with respect to (1) the past activity of the user and (2) the expected activity of the user during the period of time in which the user is scheduled to take the medication.

11. The system of claim 9:

wherein determining whether an issue exists related to the user'"'"'s taking of the medication comprises determining whether the analysis indicates that the user is not taking the medication; and

wherein providing the alert comprises providing an alert that indicates that the user is not taking the medication based on a determination that the analysis indicates that the user is not taking the medication.

12. The system of claim 9:

wherein determining whether an issue exists related to the user'"'"'s taking of the medication comprises determining whether the analysis indicates that the medication is not working as expected; and

wherein providing the alert comprises providing an alert that indicates that the medication is not working as expected based on a determination that the analysis indicates that the medication is not working as expected.

13. The system of claim 9:

wherein determining whether an issue exists related to the user'"'"'s taking of the medication comprises determining whether the analysis indicates that the medication is causing the user to suffer one or more side effects; and

wherein providing the alert comprises providing an alert that indicates that the medication is causing the user to suffer one or more side effects based on a determination that the analysis indicates that the medication is causing the user to suffer one or more side effects.

15. The system of claim 9, wherein monitoring, over time, activity of a user during a period of time in which the user is scheduled to take medication comprises monitoring output from at least one sensor configured to sense physical activity in a building in which medication of the user is located.

16. The system of claim 9, wherein monitoring output from at least one sensor configured to sense physical activity in a building in which medication of the user is located comprises monitoring output of motion sensors configured to detect motion in multiple rooms throughout the building in which the medication is located.

14. A system comprising:

at least one processor; and

at least one memory coupled to the at least one processor having stored thereon instructions which, when executed by the at least one processor, causes the at least one processor to perform operations comprising;

monitoring, over time, activity of a user during a period of time in which the user is scheduled to take medication;

determining at least one of (1) past activity of the user or (2) expected activity of the user during the period of time in which the user is scheduled to take the medication;

analyzing the monitored activity of the user during the period of time in which the user is scheduled to take the medication with respect to at least one of (1) the past activity of the user or (2) the expected activity of the user during the period of time in which the user is scheduled to take the medication;

determining whether an issue exists related to the user'"'"'s taking of the medication based on the analysis of the monitored activity of the user during the period of time in which the user is scheduled to take the medication with respect to at least one of (1) the past activity of the user or (2) the expected activity of the user during the period of time in which the user is scheduled to take the medication; and

providing an alert based on a determination that an issue exists related to the user'"'"'s taking of the medication,

wherein determining whether an issue exists related to the user'"'"'s taking of the medication comprises determining whether the analysis indicates that the user is not taking the medication, determining whether the analysis indicates that the medication is not working as expected, and determining whether the analysis indicates that the medication is causing the user to suffer one or more side effects; and

wherein providing the alert comprises;

providing an alert that indicates that the user is not taking the medication based on a determination that the analysis indicates that the user is not taking the medication,

providing an alert that indicates that the medication is not working as expected based on a determination that the analysis indicates that the medication is not working as expected, and

providing an alert that indicates that the medication is causing the user to suffer one or more side effects based on a determination that the analysis indicates that the medication is causing the user to suffer one or more side effects.

22. The system of claim 14:

wherein determining at least one of (1) past activity of the user or (2) expected activity of the user during the period of time in which the user is scheduled to take the medication comprises determining past activity of the user;

wherein analyzing the monitored activity of the user during the period of time in which the user is scheduled to take the medication with respect to at least one of (1) the past activity of the user or (2) the expected activity of the user during the period of time in which the user is scheduled to take the medication comprises analyzing the monitored activity of the user during the period of time in which the user is scheduled to take the medication with respect to the past activity of the user; and

wherein determining whether an issue exists related to the user'"'"'s taking of the medication based on the analysis of the monitored activity of the user during the period of time in which the user is scheduled to take the medication with respect to at least one of (1) the past activity of the user or (2) the expected activity of the user during the period of time in which the user is scheduled to take the medication comprises determining whether an issue exists related to the user'"'"'s taking of the medication based on the analysis of the monitored activity of the user during the period of time in which the user is scheduled to take the medication with respect to the past activity of the user.

23. The system of claim 14:

wherein determining at least one of (1) past activity of the user or (2) expected activity of the user during the period of time in which the user is scheduled to take the medication comprises determining expected activity of the user during the period of time in which the user is scheduled to take the medication;

wherein analyzing the monitored activity of the user during the period of time in which the user is scheduled to take the medication with respect to at least one of (1) the past activity of the user or (2) the expected activity of the user during the period of time in which the user is scheduled to take the medication comprises analyzing the monitored activity of the user during the period of time in which the user is scheduled to take the medication with respect to the expected activity of the user during the period of time in which the user is scheduled to take the medication; and

wherein determining whether an issue exists related to the user'"'"'s taking of the medication based on the analysis of the monitored activity of the user during the period of time in which the user is scheduled to take the medication with respect to at least one of (1) the past activity of the user or (2) the expected activity of the user during the period of time in which the user is scheduled to take the medication comprises determining whether an issue exists related to the user'"'"'s taking of the medication based on the analysis of the monitored activity of the user during the period of time in which the user is scheduled to take the medication with respect to the expected activity of the user during the period of time in which the user is scheduled to take the medication.

24. The system of claim 14:

wherein determining at least one of (1) past activity of the user or (2) expected activity of the user during the period of time in which the user is scheduled to take the medication comprises determining (1) past activity of the user and (2) expected activity of the user during the period of time in which the user is scheduled to take the medication;

wherein analyzing the monitored activity of the user during the period of time in which the user is scheduled to take the medication with respect to at least one of (1) the past activity of the user or (2) the expected activity of the user during the period of time in which the user is scheduled to take the medication comprises analyzing the monitored activity of the user during the period of time in which the user is scheduled to take the medication with respect to (1) the past activity of the user and (2) the expected activity of the user during the period of time in which the user is scheduled to take the medication; and

wherein determining whether an issue exists related to the user'"'"'s taking of the medication based on the analysis of the monitored activity of the user during the period of time in which the user is scheduled to take the medication with respect to at least one of (1) the past activity of the user or (2) the expected activity of the user during the period of time in which the user is scheduled to take the medication comprises determining whether an issue exists related to the user'"'"'s taking of the medication based on the analysis of the monitored activity of the user during the period of time in which the user is scheduled to take the medication with respect to (1) the past activity of the user and (2) the expected activity of the user during the period of time in which the user is scheduled to take the medication.

25. The system of claim 14, wherein monitoring, over time, activity of a user during a period of time in which the user is scheduled to take medication comprises monitoring output from at least one sensor configured to sense physical activity in a building in which medication of the user is located.

26. The system of claim 14, wherein monitoring output from at least one sensor configured to sense physical activity in a building in which medication of the user is located comprises monitoring output of motion sensors configured to detect motion in multiple rooms throughout the building in which the medication is located.