Electronic medication dispensing system

• US 4,473,884 A
• Filed: 01/08/1982
• Issued: 09/25/1984
• Est. Priority Date: 01/08/1982
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: MDT Incorporated, Nalge Company, Santa Barbara Research Center Goleta CA
• Original Assignee: Sybron Corporation (Envista Holdings Corporation)
• Inventors: Behl, Robert S.
• Primary Examiner(s): Smith, Jerry
• Assistant Examiner(s): MACDONALD, ALLEN R
• Application Number:
  US06/337,978
• Time in Patent Office: 991 Days
• Field of Search: 364/413, 364/479, 364/402, 364/148, 206/533, 206/538, 206/539, 221/2, 221/3, 221/7, 221/8
• US Class Current: 700/242
• CPC Class Codes: A61J 7/04 Arrangements for time indication or reminder for taking medicine, e.g. programmed dispensers
• CPC Class Codes: A61J 7/0481 working on a schedule basis

Abstract

A portable medication dispensing unit has several compartments for storing pills or other forms of medicine. The dispensing unit is programmed with a medication schedule which causes visual and audio signals when it is time for the medication to be consumed. The medication schedule is optimized to accommodate the user'"'"'s personal habits and to simplify taking two or more medicines. The programming means may be integral with the dispensing unit or a separate unit.

Claims

1. A programmable medication dispenser system comprising:

(a) a dispenser having a plurality of compartments for containing doses of medicine;

(b) indicating means on said dispenser corresponding to said compartments;

(c) a programmer means associated with said dispenser for utilizing input data pertaining to a patient'"'"'s medication prescription and personal habits to develop a program corresponding to a timed medication schedule for the patient;

(d) a programmable electronic memory in said dispenser for storing said program;

(e) means for entering said program into said memory directly from said programmer means; and

(f) means in said dispenser acting responsive to the program in said memory for activating said indicating means when the time of day coincides with the time of said medication schedule.

2. A medication dispensing system, including, in combination;

(a) a programmer having manually operable means for converting medical information into programming signals;

(b) a first port forming part of said programmer and outputting said programming signals;

(c) a dispenser for dispensing medication in accordance with a predetermined schedule corresponding to the personal requirements of a particular patient;

(d) a second port on said dispenser, said second port being attachable and detachable from said first port, for receiving said programming signals while attached to said first port;

(e) a control means in said dispenser for producing control effects in accordance with said predetermined schedule, said control means being programmable by said programming signals while said second port is connected to said first port wherein said programming signals as received by said second port from said first port are presented directly to said control means; and

(f) said control means operating in response to having been programmed by said programming signals to produce said control effects in accordance with said predetermined schedule, during a period of time following detachment of said second port from first port, and while said second port is detached from said first port.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein said control means includes memory means retaining, after said second port is detached from said first port, a memory of a program corresponding to said programmable signals, and said control means is responsive to said memory to produce said control effects in accordance with a schedule corresponding to said memory.

4. A medication dispenser comprising:

(a) port means readily attachable and detachable to a programmer for receiving a medication program produced by said programmer from information relating to a particular patient; and

(b) said dispenser having storage means connected to said port means for storing said program, and said dispenser also including control means connected to said storage means and operating in accordance with said program such as to produce control effects in accordance with a schedule of the personal requirements of said patient;

the operation of said control means in accordance with said program occurring after said port means has been attached to said programmer, and continuing over a period of time in which said port means remains detached from said programmer.

5. A medication dispensing system, including, in combination;

(a) a programmer having manually operable means for converting medical information into programming signals;

(b) a first port forming part of said programmer and outputting said programming signals;

(c) a dispenser for dispensing medication in accordance with a predetermined schedule corresponding to the personal requirements of a particular patient;

(d) a second port on said dispenser, said second port being attachable and detachable from said first port, for receiving said programming signals while attached to said first port;

(e) control means in said dispenser for producing control effects in accordance with said predetermined schedule, said control means being programmable by said programming signals while said second port is connected to said first port wherein said programming signals as received by said second port from said first port are presented directly to said control means; and

(f) said control means operating in response to having been programmed by said programming signals to produce said control effects in accordance with said predetermined schedule, during a period of time following detachment of said second port from said first port, and while said second port is detached from said first port; and

(g) said programmer being a computer means operable in response to medical information to cause said programming signals to correspond to an optimized medication schedule.

6. A medication dispensing system, including, in combination;

(a) a programmer having manually operable means for converting medical information into programming signals;

(b) a first port forming part of said programmer and outputting said programming signals;

(c) a dispenser for dispensing medication in accordance with a predetermined schedule corresponding to the personal requirements of a particular patient;

(d) a second port on said dispenser, said second port being attachable and detachable from said first port, for receiving said programming signals while attached to said first port;

(e) control means in said dispenser for producing control effects in accordance with said predetermined schedule, said control means being programmable by said programming signals while said second port is connected to said first port wherein said programming signals as received by said second port from said first port are presented directly to said control means;

(f) said control means operating in response to having been programmed by said programming signals to produce said control effects in accordance with said predetermined schedule, during a period of time following detachment of said second port from said first port, and while said second port is detached from said first port;

(g) said control means including memory means retaining, after said second port is detached from said first port, a memory of a program corresponding to said programmable signal, said control means being responsive to said memory means to produce said control effects in accordance with a schedule corresponding to said memory; and

(h) said programmer being a computer means operable in response to medical information to cause said programming signals to correspond to an optimized medication schedule.