ASSISTED MEDICATION FILLING AND MANAGEMENT

• US 20160074284A1
• Filed: 09/10/2015
• Published: 03/17/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 09/12/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Becton, Dickinson & Co
• Original Assignee: Becton, Dickinson & Co
• Inventors: Despa, Mircea, Wilson, Dylan, Kankanala, Sundeep
• Granted Patent: US 9,687,419 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: A61J 2200/70 Device provided with specific sensor or indicating means
• CPC Class Codes: A61J 2205/10 Bar codes
• 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 7/0409 with timers
• 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: G01F 23/0015 with a whistle or other sonorous signal
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 20/13 delivered from dispensers

Abstract

A medication filling and management system comprises a medication storage device for assisting patients in filling and managing medication supplies. The medication storage device includes a number of electronically monitored storage compartments and a communication system to identify a medication to be provided from an adjacent medication commercial package, automatically identify to a user which compartments of the storage device are to be filled with the identified medication from the commercial package, and detect and communicate the filling and dispensing of the medication from the storage device.

Claims

1. A medication storage system, comprising:

a medication storage container comprising;

a plurality of storage compartments for receiving one or more medications;

one or more indicators, each indicator configured to indicate one of the plurality of storage compartments;

an identification sensor configured to detect medication information; and

a processor configured to;

determine a medication regimen based on the detected medication information, the medication regimen comprising one or more doses and, for each dose, a time at which to be taken; and

activate one or more of the indicators based on the determined medication regimen.

2. The medication storage system of claim 1, further comprising one or more sensors configured to detect one or more of a content level of one or more of the storage containers and a movement of a cover of one or more of the storage containers.

3. The medication storage system of claim 2, wherein the one or more sensors comprise one or more of electronic switches, mechanical switches, and optical sensing devices.

4. The medication storage system of claim 1, wherein the medication storage container further comprises a communication interface configured to communicate data with one or more external devices.

5. The medication storage system of claim 4, wherein the data comprises one or more of:

medication information, medication regimens, location of medication in the medication storage container, and medication regimen adherence.

6. The medication storage system of claim 1, wherein the identification sensor comprises one or more of a barcode scanner or an RFID scanner.

7. The medication storage system of claim 1, wherein the processor is further configured to determine one or more of the plurality of storage compartments in which to place medication.

8. The medication storage system of claim 1, wherein the processor is further configured to determine adherence to a medication regimen.

9. The medication storage system of claim 1, wherein the indicators comprise one or more light emitting sources.

10. The medication storage system of claim 1, further comprising an automated filling station.

11. An electronic method for operating a medication storage container, comprising:

receiving medication information;

determining by a processor a medication regimen based on the received medication information, the medication regimen comprising one or more doses and, for each dose, a dosage time; and

activating one or more indicators on a medication storage container based on the determined medication regimen, the medication storage container comprising a plurality of storage compartments for receiving one or more medications, wherein each indicator is configured to indicate one of the plurality of storage compartments.

12. The method of claim 11, further comprising detecting by a sensor a content level of one or more of the storage compartments of the medication storage container.

13. The method of claim 11, further comprising detecting by a sensor a movement of a cover of one or more of the storage compartments.

14. The method of claim 11, further comprising determining by a processor one or more storage compartments in which to place medication.

15. The method of claim 14, further comprising activating one or more of the indicators based on the determined compartments in which to place medication.

16. The method of claim 15, further comprising sensing a content level of one or more of the storage compartments and a movement of a cover of one or more of the storage compartments to determine if a medicine from within the one or more storage compartments has been removed.

17. The method of claim 11, further comprising activating one or more of the indicators at the dosage time for a dose.

18. The method of claim 17, further comprising recording regimen medication adherence data based on the detecting the content level of one or more of the storage compartments or the movement of a cover of one or more of the storage compartments.

19. The method of claim 11, further comprising determining by a processor adherence to a medication regimen.

20. The method of claim 11, further comprising receiving data from an external device, the data comprising one or more of:

medication information, medication regimens, location of medication in the medication storage container, and medication regimen adherence

21. The method of claim 11, further comprising transmitting data to an external device, the data comprising one or more of:

medication information, medication regimens, location of medication in the medication storage container, and medication regimen adherence.

22. The method of claim 11, further comprising communicating with an automated filling station through a communication interface.

23. A medication storage container, comprising:

a transceiver configured to wirelessly connect with one or more electronic devices;

a plurality of storage compartments for receiving one or more medications;

one or more indicators, each indicator configured to indicate one of the plurality of storage compartments, the indicators configured to indicate one or more storage compartments in which to fill medication, the indicators further configured to indicate one or more storage compartments at a time at which the medication in the one or more storage compartments is to be taken.

24. The medication storage container of claim 23, further comprising an identification sensor configured to detect medication information.

25. The medication storage container of claim 24, wherein the transceiver is configured to receive prescription information from one or more of the identification sensor and the one or more electronic devices.

26. The medication storage container of claim 23, wherein the transceiver is configured to transmit data regarding the location of medication in the medication storage container and medication regimen adherence to the one or more electronic devices.