PILL MANAGEMENT AND HEALTH MONITORING SYSTEM

• US 20170087059A1
• Filed: 02/23/2016
• Published: 03/30/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 02/23/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Syntalli, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Syntalli, Inc.
• Inventors: Rodriguez, Mark, Reyes, Carlos
• Granted Patent: US 9,901,516 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/01 Measuring temperature of body parts ; Diagnostic temperature sensing, e.g. for malignant or inflamed tissue clinical contact thermometers G01K13/20
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/024 Detecting, measuring or recording pulse rate or heart rate A61B5/0205, A61B5/021 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/14551 for measuring blood gases
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/4833 Assessment of subject's compliance to treatment
• CPC Class Codes: A61J 2200/30 Compliance analysis for taking medication
• 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 7/0418 with electronic history memory
• CPC Class Codes: A61J 7/0427 with direct interaction with a dispensing or delivery system
• CPC Class Codes: A61J 7/0472 of the count-down type, i.e. counting down a predetermined interval after each reset
• CPC Class Codes: A61J 7/0481 working on a schedule basis
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 10/65 stored on portable record carriers, e.g. on smartcards, RFID tags or CD
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 20/13 delivered from dispensers
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 40/63 for local operation
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/142 Constructional details of the terminal equipment, e.g. arrangements of the camera and the display

Abstract

A system and method for the dispensing of medication in the form of pills and also to monitor health parameters is disclosed. The system comprises a modular system having a main control module; a plurality of pill dispensing modules in communication with the main control module; and optionally sensors to measure health parameters in communication with the main control module. The main control module can store information and also can communicate information over a communications network.

Claims

1. A medication dosage control and health monitoring device comprising:

a main control module; and

one or more pill box modules,

wherein the main control module is connected to the pill box modules via a distributed power and communication system, wherein the distributed power and communication system facilitates bi-directional communication between the main control module and the pill box modules,

wherein the main control module provides power to the pill box modules via the distributed power and communication system,

wherein the distributed power and communication system comprises a DC power bus which directly provides DC power to the pill box modules,

wherein the distributed power and communication system comprises a wired communications link that facilitates bi-directional communications between the main control module and the pill box modules,

wherein the main control module and each pill box module comprises a rewriteable memory and a programmable processor, wherein the main control module programmable processor is in bi-directional communication with each pill box module, wherein further main control module programmable processor assigns a unique identifier to each pill box module, wherein the main control module programmable processor further comprises a pill box module scheduler that stores a dosage schedule for each pill box module in its rewriteable memory that is identified with each pill box module unique identifier;

wherein the main control module further comprises a clock;

wherein the main control module further comprises a display that allows programming of the programmable processor by a user of the device;

wherein the main control module further comprises a first communications link for communication over a local area network;

wherein each pill box module comprises an LED display under control of the pill box module programmable processor;

wherein the pill box modules are separately detachable from the device.

2. The device of claim 1, further comprising one or more health parameter sensor modules connected to the main control module via the distributed power and communication system.

3. The device of claim 2, wherein one or more health parameter sensor modules comprises a sensor unit.

4. The device of claim 1, wherein the main control module further comprises a second communications link for communication over a network.

5. The device of claim 1, wherein the main control module can be accessed by an external device over a communications network.

6. The device of claim 5, wherein the main control module can be accessed by the external device over the second communications link.

7. The device of claim 1, wherein one or more pill box modules contain a dosage schedule prior to connection to the main control module, wherein upon connection to the main control module the programmable processor of the pill box modules transmits the dosage schedule to the main control module, whereupon the dosage schedule is stored in the pill box module scheduler.

8. The device of claim 1, wherein the user programs the dosage schedule for one or more pill box modules via the display of the main control module.

9. The device of claim 1, wherein the pill box module comprises a pill box hub and a pill box enclosure, wherein the pill box hub comprises an internal cavity into which the pill box enclosure is removably inserted, wherein the pill box hub comprises an LED display, wherein the pill box hub is in communication with the main control module through the distributed power and communication system, wherein the pill box hub receives power over the distributed power and communication system, wherein the pill box enclosure comprises a readable memory, wherein the pill box hub reads the information stored in the readable memory of the pill box enclosure and can transmit that information to the main control module, wherein the pill box enclosure contains medication.

10. The device of claim 9, wherein the readable memory of the pill box enclosure comprises an information storage device.

11. The device of claim 10, wherein the information storage device comprises an RFID chip, an integrated circuit chip, a QR code, a 2-dimensional tag, a 3-dimensional tag or a barcode.

12. The device of claim 10, wherein the readable memory of the pill box enclosure contains information relating to the medication stored in the pill box enclosure.

13. The device of claim 10, wherein the pill box enclosure is filled with medication by someone other than the user of the device.

14. The device of claim 13, wherein upon attachment of the pill box enclosure to the pill box hub, medication information is read by the pill box enclosure and transmitted to the main control module, whereupon the main control module assigns a unique identifier to the pill box enclosure and pill box hub, whereupon if the information comprises a dosage schedule that dosage schedule is stored in the pill box module scheduler of the main control module.

15. The device of claim 1, wherein the device comprises a camera, audio output and a microphone that supports video conferencing via the second communications link.

16. The device of claim 15, wherein the camera comprises a scanner, wherein information scanned by the scanner is entered into the main control module.

17. The device of claim 15, wherein the scanner comprises capability to conduct OCR on information scanned by the camera, read a QR code, read a 2-dimensional tag, read a 3-dimensional tag or read a barcode.

18. The device of claim 1, wherein the main control module develops a schedule based on input into the main control module display by the user of information relating to the medication, the information relating to the medication comprising dosage information and constraints relating to the medication.

19. The device of claim 1, wherein the main control module records information regarding medications removed from pill box modules.