Cost-effective resource apportionment technologies suitable for facilitating therapies

• US 20120265544A1
• Filed: 04/14/2011
• Published: 10/18/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 04/14/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: The Invention Science Fund II, L.L.C. (Intellectual Ventures LLC)
• Original Assignee: Searete LLC (Intellectual Ventures LLC)
• Inventors: Hwang, Eun Young, Hyde, Roderick A., Ishikawa, Muriel Y., Kare, Jordin T., Rivet, Dennis J., Sweeney, Elizabeth A., Tegreene, Clarence T., Wood, Lowell L. Jr., Wood, Victoria Y.H.
• Granted Patent: US 9,626,650 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/1.1
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/10 Office automation; Time management
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/00 Commerce
• 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 40/20 for the management or administration of healthcare resources or facilities, e.g. managing hospital staff or surgery rooms

Abstract

Configuration technologies for apportioning resources and communicating indications of potential or actual incentives based on one or more measurements or other objective indications that therapeutic components have been administered to an individual, other attributes of the therapeutic components or the individual, or other such determinants. Techniques for apportioning resources cost-effectively (between providers and other parties, e.g.) and for facilitating or handling implementations thereof or output therefrom.

Claims

1. A resource apportionment method comprising:

invoking circuitry for obtaining an indication of an incentive partly based on a physical attribute of an individual and partly based on an indication of a therapeutic component available to the individual, a component of the incentive being an incentive to the individual; and

transmitting the indication of the incentive partly based on the physical attribute of the individual and partly based on the indication of the therapeutic component available to the individual to a putative provider of the therapeutic component.

15. The resource apportionment method of claim 1, in which the transmitting the indication of the incentive partly based on the physical attribute of the individual and partly based on the indication of the therapeutic component available to the individual to a putative provider of the therapeutic component comprises:

obtaining a selection of a type of the incentive partly based on the physical attribute of the individual and partly based on the indication of the therapeutic component available to the individual in response to input from a resource provider.

18. The resource apportionment method of claim 1, in which the invoking circuitry for obtaining an indication of an incentive partly based on a physical attribute of an individual and partly based on an indication of a therapeutic component available to the individual comprises:

invoking circuitry for determining the indication of the incentive in response to an indication of a product attribute.

2-14. -14. (canceled)

16-17. -17. (canceled)

19-49. -49. (canceled)

50. A resource apportionment system comprising:

means for obtaining an indication of an incentive partly based on a physical attribute of an individual and partly based on an indication of a therapeutic component available to the individual, a component of the incentive being an incentive to the individual; and

means for transmitting the indication of the incentive partly based on the physical attribute of the individual and partly based on the indication of the therapeutic component available to the individual to a putative provider of the therapeutic component.

52. The resource apportionment system of claim 50, in which the means for obtaining an indication of an incentive partly based on a physical attribute of an individual and partly based on an indication of a therapeutic component available to the individual, a component of the incentive being an incentive to the individual comprises:

means for conditioning the incentive partly based on the physical attribute of the individual and partly based on the indication of the therapeutic component available to the individual upon compliance with a regimen that includes an antihypertensive material component as the therapeutic component.

53. The resource apportionment system of claim 50, in which the means for obtaining an indication of an incentive partly based on a physical attribute of an individual and partly based on an indication of a therapeutic component available to the individual, a component of the incentive being an incentive to the individual comprises:

means for conditioning the incentive partly based on the physical attribute of the individual and partly based on the indication of the therapeutic component available to the individual upon compliance with a regimen that includes at least one respiratory or physical therapy session.

57. The resource apportionment system of claim 50, in which the means for transmitting the indication of the incentive partly based on the physical attribute of the individual and partly based on the indication of the therapeutic component available to the individual to a putative provider of the therapeutic component comprises:

means for presenting a first message indicative of the incentive partly based on the physical attribute of the individual and partly based on the indication of the therapeutic component available to the individual to a care provider and a second message indicative of the incentive partly based on the physical attribute of the individual and partly based on the indication of the therapeutic component available to the individual to the putative provider, the putative provider being a material provider.

58. The resource apportionment system of claim 50, in which the means for transmitting the indication of the incentive partly based on the physical attribute of the individual and partly based on the indication of the therapeutic component available to the individual to a putative provider of the therapeutic component comprises:

means for conditioning a benefit upon an acceptance of at least a portion of the incentive from the individual.

59. The resource apportionment system of claim 50, in which the means for obtaining an indication of an incentive partly based on a physical attribute of an individual and partly based on an indication of a therapeutic component available to the individual, a component of the incentive being an incentive to the individual comprises:

means for conditioning the incentive partly based on the physical attribute of the individual and partly based on the indication of the therapeutic component available to the individual upon compliance with a regimen that includes a nitric oxide donor component.

61. The resource apportionment system of claim 50, in which the means for obtaining an indication of an incentive partly based on a physical attribute of an individual and partly based on an indication of a therapeutic component available to the individual, a component of the incentive being an incentive to the individual comprises:

means for determining the incentive partly based on the physical attribute of the individual and partly based on the indication of the therapeutic component available to the individual as a linear function of a value of the therapeutic component.

63. The resource apportionment system of claim 50, in which the means for transmitting the indication of the incentive partly based on the physical attribute of the individual and partly based on the indication of the therapeutic component available to the individual to a putative provider of the therapeutic component comprises:

means for obtaining a selection of a type of the incentive partly based on the physical attribute of the individual and partly based on the indication of the therapeutic component available to the individual in response to input from a resource provider who is not the putative provider of the therapeutic component.

69. The resource apportionment system of claim 50, in which the means for transmitting the indication of the incentive partly based on the physical attribute of the individual and partly based on the indication of the therapeutic component available to the individual to a putative provider of the therapeutic component comprises:

means for transmitting the indication of the incentive to a care provider as the putative provider of the therapeutic component.

72. The resource apportionment system of claim 69, in which the means for transmitting the indication of the incentive partly based on the physical attribute of the individual and partly based on the indication of the therapeutic component available to the individual to a putative provider of the therapeutic component comprises:

means for transmitting the indication of the incentive to a party other than the putative provider of the therapeutic component.

83. The resource apportionment system of claim 50, in which the means for obtaining an indication of an incentive partly based on a physical attribute of an individual and partly based on an indication of a therapeutic component available to the individual, a component of the incentive being an incentive to the individual comprises:

means for obtaining an indication of an inhalation of the therapeutic component as an objective indication that the therapeutic component has been administered to the portion of the individual, the therapeutic component being a bioactive material.

86. The resource apportionment system of claim 50, in which the means for obtaining an indication of an incentive partly based on a physical attribute of an individual and partly based on an indication of a therapeutic component available to the individual, a component of the incentive being an incentive to the individual comprises:

means for obtaining a test result of a sample extracted from the individual as an objective indication that the therapeutic component has been administered to the portion of the individual.

90. The resource apportionment system of claim 50, in which the means for transmitting the indication of the incentive partly based on the physical attribute of the individual and partly based on the indication of the therapeutic component available to the individual to a putative provider of the therapeutic component comprises:

means for obtaining an indication of whether the individual remains enrolled in a program requiring a therapeutic regimen that includes the therapeutic component.

97. The resource apportionment system of claim 50, in which the means for obtaining an indication of an incentive partly based on a physical attribute of an individual and partly based on an indication of a therapeutic component available to the individual, a component of the incentive being an incentive to the individual comprises:

means for receiving the indication of the incentive from a site that has apparently received a category of the therapeutic component and an indication of a dispensing device administering the therapeutic component to the individual, the therapeutic component being a bioactive material.

100. The resource apportionment system of claim 50, in which the means for obtaining an indication of an incentive partly based on a physical attribute of an individual and partly based on an indication of a therapeutic component available to the individual, a component of the incentive being an incentive to the individual comprises:

means for detecting a dispensing device administering the therapeutic component to the individual via injection, the therapeutic component being a bioactive material.

200. The resource apportionment system of claim 50, in which the means for obtaining an indication of an incentive partly based on a physical attribute of an individual and partly based on an indication of a therapeutic component available to the individual, a component of the incentive being an incentive to the individual comprises:

the means for obtaining the indication of the incentive partly based on the physical attribute of another individual and partly based on the indication of the therapeutic component available to the individual, the component of the incentive being the incentive to the individual, the therapeutic component available to the individual being a respiratory therapy session.

201. The resource apportionment system of claim 200, in which the means for transmitting the indication of the incentive partly based on the physical attribute of the individual and partly based on the indication of the therapeutic component available to the individual to a putative provider of the therapeutic component comprises:

means for conditioning a benefit upon an acceptance of at least a portion of the incentive from the individual;

means for transmitting the indication of the incentive to a care provider as the putative provider of the therapeutic component available to the individual; and

means for authorizing a transfer of one or more resources into an account as another component of the incentive partly based on the physical attribute of the individual and partly based on the indication of the therapeutic component available to the individual.

202. The resource apportionment system of claim 50, in which the means for transmitting the indication of the incentive partly based on the physical attribute of the individual and partly based on the indication of the therapeutic component available to the individual to a putative provider of the therapeutic component comprises:

means for obtaining an indication of whether the individual remains enrolled in a program requiring a therapeutic regimen that includes the therapeutic component available to the individual;

means for conditioning a benefit upon an acceptance of at least a portion of the incentive from the individual;

means for obtaining a selection of a type of the incentive partly based on the physical attribute of the individual and partly based on the indication of the therapeutic component available to the individual in response to input from a material provider who is not the putative provider of the therapeutic component available to the individual;

means for transmitting the indication of the incentive to the material provider; and

means for authorizing a transfer of one or more resources into an account as another component of the incentive partly based on the physical attribute of the individual and partly based on the indication of the therapeutic component available to the individual.

203. The resource apportionment system of claim 50, in which the means for obtaining an indication of an incentive partly based on a physical attribute of an individual and partly based on an indication of a therapeutic component available to the individual, a component of the incentive being an incentive to the individual comprises:

means for obtaining a test result of a sample extracted from the individual as an objective indication that the therapeutic component has been administered to the portion of the individual; and

means for conditioning the incentive partly based on the physical attribute of the individual and partly based on the indication of the therapeutic component available to the individual upon compliance with a regimen that includes an antihypertensive material component as the therapeutic component.

204. The resource apportionment system of claim 50, in which the means for obtaining an indication of an incentive partly based on a physical attribute of an individual and partly based on an indication of a therapeutic component available to the individual, a component of the incentive being an incentive to the individual comprises:

means for receiving the indication of the incentive from a site that has apparently received a category of the therapeutic component and an indication of a dispensing device administering the therapeutic component to the individual, the therapeutic component being a bioactive material;

means for conditioning the incentive partly based on the physical attribute of the individual and partly based on the indication of the therapeutic component available to the individual upon compliance with a regimen that includes at least one respiratory or physical therapy session; and

means for presenting a first message indicative of the incentive partly based on the physical attribute of the individual and partly based on the indication of the therapeutic component available to the individual to a care provider and a second message indicative of the incentive partly based on the physical attribute of the individual and partly based on the indication of the therapeutic component available to the individual to the putative provider, the putative provider being a material provider.

205. The resource apportionment system of claim 50, in which the means for obtaining an indication of an incentive partly based on a physical attribute of an individual and partly based on an indication of a therapeutic component available to the individual, a component of the incentive being an incentive to the individual comprises:

means for conditioning the incentive partly based on the physical attribute of the individual and partly based on the indication of the therapeutic component available to the individual upon compliance with a regimen that includes a nitric oxide donor component;

means for detecting a dispensing device administering the therapeutic component to the individual via injection, the therapeutic component being a bioactive material, the bioactive material being a nitric oxide donor.

206. The resource apportionment system of claim 50, in which the means for obtaining an indication of an incentive partly based on a physical attribute of an individual and partly based on an indication of a therapeutic component available to the individual, a component of the incentive being an incentive to the individual comprises:

the means for obtaining the indication of the incentive partly based on the physical attribute of the individual and partly based on the indication of the therapeutic component available to the individual, the therapeutic component including an anti-infective component.

51. (canceled)

54-56. -56. (canceled)

60. (canceled)

62. (canceled)

64-68. -68. (canceled)

70-71. -71. (canceled)

73-82. -82. (canceled)

84-85. -85. (canceled)

87-89. -89. (canceled)

91-96. -96. (canceled)

98-99. -99. (canceled)

101. (canceled)

102. A resource apportionment system comprising:

circuitry for obtaining an indication of an incentive partly based on a physical attribute of an individual and partly based on an indication of a therapeutic component available to the individual, a component of the incentive being an incentive to the individual; and

circuitry for transmitting the indication of the incentive partly based on the physical attribute of the individual and partly based on the indication of the therapeutic component available to the individual to a putative provider of the therapeutic component.

131. The resource apportionment system of claim 102, in which the circuitry for transmitting the indication of the incentive partly based on the physical attribute of the individual and partly based on the indication of the therapeutic component available to the individual to a putative provider of the therapeutic component comprises:

circuitry for selecting a beneficiary of the incentive partly based on the physical attribute of the individual and partly based on the indication of the therapeutic component available to the individual in response to a pattern of enrollment.

103-130. -130. (canceled)

132-157. -157. (canceled)

158. An article of manufacture comprising:

one or more physical media bearing a device-detectable output indicating an occurrence of

obtaining an indication of an incentive partly based on a physical attribute of an individual and partly based on an indication of a therapeutic component available to the individual, a component of the incentive being an incentive to the individual; and

transmitting the indication of the incentive partly based on the physical attribute of the individual and partly based on the indication of the therapeutic component available to the individual to a putative provider of the therapeutic component.

159. The article of manufacture of claim 158, in which a portion of the one or more physical media comprises:

one or more signal-bearing media configured to transmit one or more instructions for conditioning the incentive partly based on the physical attribute of the individual and partly based on the indication of the therapeutic component available to the individual upon compliance with a regimen that includes a plasma lipid-modifying material component as the therapeutic component.

162. The article of manufacture of claim 158, in which a portion of the one or more physical media comprises:

one or more signal-bearing media configured to transmit one or more instructions for determining the incentive partly based on the physical attribute of the individual and partly based on the indication of the therapeutic component available to the individual to have a value partly based on a value of the therapeutic component and partly based on a physical attribute of another individual, the other individual being a putative recipient of the therapeutic component.

188. The article of manufacture of claim 158, in which a portion of the one or more physical media comprises:

one or more signal-bearing media configured to transmit one or more instructions for obtaining a test result of a sample extracted from the individual as an objective indication that the therapeutic component has been administered to the portion of the individual.

198. The article of manufacture of claim 158, in which a portion of the one or more physical media comprises:

one or more signal-bearing media configured to transmit one or more instructions for detecting a health status apparently resulting from a dispensing device administering the therapeutic component to the individual, the therapeutic component being a bioactive material.

199. The article of manufacture of claim 158, in which a portion of the one or more physical media comprises:

one or more signal-bearing media configured to transmit one or more instructions for detecting a dispensing device administering the therapeutic component to the individual via injection.

160-161. -161. (canceled)

163-187. -187. (canceled)

189-197. -197. (canceled)