Prescription compliance device and method of using device
First Claim
1. A prescription compliance device comprising:
- microcontroller;
a program memory storing data representing a plurality of pre-programmed commonly prescribed medication-taking regimens;
a selector selecting one of said regimens and programming said device in accordance therewith; and
a display,said selector including an event switch which is activated in conjunction with a patient taking a dose of a medication corresponding to a respective medication-taking regimen to record the taking of said medication, said event switch causing said microcontroller to effect the display of the time at which a next dose of medication is scheduled to be taken, in accordance with the regimen selected by said selector,wherein at least one of the plurality of pre-programmed medication-taking regimens causes calculation of acceptable times during which said patient is scheduled to take said medication, andwherein the calculated times are based on the following factors;
1) a preferred time of day at which the patient is to take a first dose of the medication;
2) a regimen specific predetermined interval of time between doses of the medication; and
3) a regimen specific predetermined time range during which it is medically acceptable for the patient to take the medication.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A prescription compliance device which aids patients in complying with instructions given by a physician for taking prescription medication. The device reminds a patient when the next dose of medication is to he taken and indicates whether a specified dose has been taken. The device includes a microcontroller, a display, a program memory for storing pre-programmed medication-taking regimens for single and multiple medications, a real time clock, a selector for selecting one of the regimens and for programming the device as to the time and day on which a first dose of medication is to be taken, a display which alternately displays the current time and a time at which a next dose of medication is to be taken, and an alarm which alerts the patient at times when a dose of medication is to be taken. The selector includes an event switch which is activated by the patient after taking a dose of medication so as to record the taking of the medication and to cause the microcontroller to effect the display of the next time at which a dose of medication is to be taken. A memory may also be included to record the times at which a patient takes doses of medication. The device is small enough to be attached to medication containers, and includes a remote programming feature via a wireless link.
301 Citations
70 Claims
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1. A prescription compliance device comprising:
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microcontroller; a program memory storing data representing a plurality of pre-programmed commonly prescribed medication-taking regimens; a selector selecting one of said regimens and programming said device in accordance therewith; and a display, said selector including an event switch which is activated in conjunction with a patient taking a dose of a medication corresponding to a respective medication-taking regimen to record the taking of said medication, said event switch causing said microcontroller to effect the display of the time at which a next dose of medication is scheduled to be taken, in accordance with the regimen selected by said selector, wherein at least one of the plurality of pre-programmed medication-taking regimens causes calculation of acceptable times during which said patient is scheduled to take said medication, and wherein the calculated times are based on the following factors; 1) a preferred time of day at which the patient is to take a first dose of the medication; 2) a regimen specific predetermined interval of time between doses of the medication; and 3) a regimen specific predetermined time range during which it is medically acceptable for the patient to take the medication. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 67)
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26. A prescription compliance device comprising:
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control means; program memory means for storing data representing a plurality of pre-programmed commonly prescribed medication-taking regimens; select means for selecting one of said regimens and programming said device in accordance therewith; and display means, said select means including an event switch which is activated in conjunction with a patient taking a dose of a medication corresponding to a respective medication-taking regimen for recording the taking of said medication, said event switch causing said control means to effect the display of the time at which a next dose of medication is scheduled to be taken, in accordance with the regimen selected by said select means, wherein at least one of the plurality of pre-programmed medication-taking regimens causes calculation of acceptable times during which said patient is scheduled to take said medication, and wherein the calculated times are based on the following factors; 1) a preferred time of day at which the patient is to take a first dose of the medication; 2) a regimen specific predetermined interval of time between doses of the medication; and 3) a regimen specific predetermined time range during which it is medically acceptable for the patient to take the medication. - View Dependent Claims (27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 68)
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45. A method of operating a prescription compliance device, comprising the steps of:
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(a) switching said device to a setup state; (b) programming the current time into said device; (c) selecting one of a plurality of pre-programmed commonly prescribed medication-taking regimens; (d) programming a time of day a first dose of medication is to be taken in accordance with the selected regimen; (e) switching said device from a setup state to an operation state; and (f) indicating to said device that a dose of medication has been taken, wherein at least one of the plurality of pre-programmed medication-taking regimens causes calculation of acceptable times during which said patient is scheduled to take said medication, and wherein the calculated times are based on the following factors; 1) a preferred time of day at which the patient is to take a first dose of the medication; 2) a regimen specific predetermined interval of time between doses of the medication; and 3) a regimen specific predetermined time range during which it is medically acceptable for the patient to take the medication. - View Dependent Claims (46, 47, 48, 49, 50, 51, 52, 53, 54, 55, 56, 57, 58, 69, 70)
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59. A prescription compliance device comprising:
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microcontroller; a program memory storing data representing a plurality of pre-programmed medication-taking regimens; a selector selecting one of said regimens and programming said device in accordance therewith; a display; an alarm circuit alerting a patient at times when said patient is scheduled to take a dose of medication, wherein said selector includes an event switch which is activated by said patient after taking a dose of said medication to record the taking of said medication, said event switch causing said microcontroller to effect the display of the time at which a next dose of said medication is scheduled to be taken, in accordance with the regimen selected by said selector, and wherein said alarm circuit is activated if said patient takes a dose of said medication and presses said event switch more than a predetermined time before or after a time at which a next dose is scheduled to be taken.
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60. A prescription compliance device comprising:
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control means; program memory means for storing data representing a plurality of pre-programmed medication-taking regimens; select means for selecting one of said regimens and programming said device in accordance therewith; display means; alarm means for alerting a patient at times when said patient is scheduled to take a dose of said medication, wherein said select means includes an event switch which is activated by said patient after taking a dose of said medication for recording the taking of said medication, said event switch causing said control means to effect the display of the time at which a next dose of said medication is scheduled to be taken, in accordance with the regimen selected by said select means, and wherein said alarm means is activated if said patient takes a dose of said medication and presses said event switch more than a predetermined time before or after a time at which a next dose is scheduled to be taken.
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61. A prescription compliance system, comprising:
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a prescription compliance device configured to indicate when a prescription is to be administered; a patient identifying device configured to identify a patient taking the prescription; and a recorder configured to record received signals from the prescription compliance device and the patient identifying device, wherein the prescription compliance device transmits a signal directly or indirectly to the patient identifying device and the recorder when the prescription is to be taken or has been taken, the patient identifying device transmits a patient identification signal to the recorder when the patient has taken the prescription, and the recorder records the signals transmitted by the prescription compliance device and the patient identifying device so as to confirm that the prescription was taken by the identified patient. - View Dependent Claims (62)
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63. A prescription compliance system, comprising:
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prescription compliance means for indicating when a prescription is to be administered; patient identifying means for identifying a patient taking the prescription; and recorder means for recording received signals from the prescription compliance means and the patient identifying means, wherein the prescription compliance means transmits a signal directly or indirectly to the patient identifying means and the recorder means when the prescription is to be taken or has been taken, the patient identifying means transmits a patient identification signal to the recorder means when the patient has taken the prescription, and the recorder means records the signals transmitted by the prescription compliance means and the patient identifying means so as to confirm that the prescription was taken by the identified patient. - View Dependent Claims (64)
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65. A prescription compliance method, comprising the steps of:
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transmitting, by a prescription compliance device, a signal directly or indirectly to a patient identifying device and a recorder when a prescription is to be administered or has been administered; transmitting a patient identification signal to the recorder when the patient has taken the prescription; recording the signals transmitted by the prescription compliance device and the patient identifying device; and confirming that the prescription was taken by the identified patient by correlating the recorded signals. - View Dependent Claims (66)
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Specification