Devices, systems, and methods for automated medical product or service delivery

• US 9,864,842 B2
• Filed: 11/14/2013
• Issued: 01/09/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 11/14/2013
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Elwha LLC (Intellectual Ventures LLC)
• Original Assignee: Elwha LLC (Intellectual Ventures LLC)
• Inventors: Hyde, Roderick A., Ishikawa, Muriel Y., Kare, Jordin T., McKnight, Gary L., Petroski, Robert C.
• Primary Examiner(s): Tomaszewski, Michael
• Application Number:
  US14/079,857
• Publication Number:
  US 20150134346A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,517 Days
• Field of Search: None
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/087 Inventory or stock management, e.g. order filling, procurement or balancing against orders
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/10 Office automation; Time management
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 20/13 delivered from dispensers
• CPC Class Codes: Y02A 90/10 Information and communication technologies [ICT] supporting adaptation to climate change, e.g. for weather forecasting or climate simulation

Abstract

Various embodiments disclosed herein include systems, methods, and devices for automated delivery of medical services and products. In certain embodiments, the systems and/or methods are at least partially controlled by a computer.

Claims

1. A system, comprising:

a kiosk and paired pillbox device, wherein the kiosk includes at least one sensor operably coupled to at least one computing device, wherein the at least one sensor is operable to detect one or more physiological parameters of a subject seeking a medical product or service;

the paired pillbox device being an externally coupled pillbox device including at least one compartment operably coupled to circuitry configured for sending a signal when the compartment is engaged with the at least one computing device of the kiosk;

the paired pillbox device including at least one port configured for transferring data with the at least one computing device of the kiosk,

the computing device including circuitry configured for receiving at least one input related to the subject seeking a medical product or service, the at least one input related to the subject seeking a medical product or service including the one or more physiological parameters of a subject seeking a medical product or service detected by the at least one sensor,

comparing the at least one input from the subject relating to the subject seeking a medical product or service with one or more verification datasets;

generating a verification value based on the comparison; and

dispensing the medical product or service sought directly into the paired pillbox device, upon satisfying a verification threshold; and

a subject tracking system configured to track a location of the subject relative to the paired pillbox device, wherein the computing device includes circuitry configured to provide at least one of a map or directions to a nearest kiosk that includes the medical product or service when the verification value does not satisfy the verification threshold.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the port includes a wired connection, flash drive, microdrive, or wireless connection.

3. The system of claim 1, further including a visual, audio, or tactile indicator that the verification value has or has not satisfied the verification threshold.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the computing device further includes circuitry for reinitiating receiving additional input related to the subject seeking a medical product or service.

5. The system of claim 4, wherein the additional input includes at least one of identification input or insurance input.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the at least one input further includes transferring data between the pillbox device and the kiosk.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the circuitry is configured to generate at least one of a visual cue, audio cue, or tactile cue.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the one or more verification datasets includes one or more of an inventory dataset, an electronic medical record for the subject dataset, a verification code dataset, or a health status indicator dataset.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein the at least one input further includes at least one input from the subject in response to one or more queries.

10. The system of claim 1, wherein the one or more detected physiological parameters of the subject include at least one electrical measurement, biochemical measurement, or thermal measurement.

11. The system of claim 1, wherein the comparing at least one input includes at least one of coupling, versioning or clustering in determining the subject'"'"'s verification value.

12. The system of claim 1, wherein the at least one input includes at least one input from a data storage device.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein the data storage device includes a Universal Serial Bus (USB) data storage device, CD, DVD, or other data storage device.

14. The system of claim 12, wherein the data storage device includes a mobile phone, computer tablet, computer laptop, or other computing device.

15. The system of claim 1, wherein the computing device includes circuitry configured for transmitting at least one signal to alert to a third party that a specific medical product or service has reached a pre-determined inventory level.

16. The system of claim 1, wherein the computing device includes circuitry configured for transmitting at least one signal to order inventory of one or more medical product or service that has reached a pre-determined inventory level.

17. The system of claim 1, wherein the computing device includes circuitry configured for transmitting at least one signal to order inventory of one or more medical product or service for a specific subject.

18. The system of claim 17, wherein the signal to order inventory of one or more medical product or service for a specific subject is based on a pre-determined schedule of a subject seeking the same medical product or service at one or more time points.

19. The system of claim 1, further including at least one currency exchanger.

20. The system of claim 1, further including at least one printer, scanner, or fax machine operably coupled to the computing device.

21. The system of claim 1, wherein the computing device further includes circuitry configured for transmitting a signal to send an invoice to the subject for receipt of the medical product or service.

22. The system of claim 1, further including at least one locked dispensing box containing certain pre-determined medical products or services.

23. The system of claim 22, wherein the at least one input relating to a subject'"'"'s seeking a medical product or service includes a code configured to unlock the at least one locked dispensing box.

24. The system of claim 22, further including multiple locked dispensing boxes including different medical products or services accessible by the same subject.

25. The system of claim 22, wherein the at least one locked dispensing box includes circuitry configured to transmit a signal when the box is opened.

26. The system of claim 22, wherein the kiosk dispenses a key or code for the at least one locked dispensing box subsequent to satisfaction of the verification threshold.

27. The system of claim 22, wherein the code or key for the at least one locked dispensing box was previously accessible to the subject from a healthcare worker.

28. The system of claim 22, wherein the at least one locked dispensing box includes circuitry configured for transmitting a signal to order a medical product or service for re-stocking.

29. The system of claim 22, wherein the at least one locked dispensing box includes circuitry configured for transmitting a signal to alert a mobile third party to re-stock the box.

30. The system of claim 29, wherein the mobile third party includes a human or machine.

31. The system of claim 30, wherein the machine includes circuitry configured for receiving at least one signal from the locked drop box for re-stocking.

32. The system of claim 1, wherein the computing device includes circuitry configured for transmitting at least one signal to alert to a third party that a specific medical product or service has reached a pre-determined inventory level.

33. The system of claim 1, further including a locked dropbox physically coupled to the kiosk and configured to contain a medical product or service.