Programmable digital labels for a medicine container

• US 8,384,517 B2
• Filed: 06/30/2008
• Issued: 02/26/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 03/10/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: SMRxT, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Mil. Digital Labeling Inc.
• Inventors: Chu, Victor
• Primary Examiner(s): Zimmerman, Brian
• Assistant Examiner(s): Khan, Omer S
• Application Number:
  US12/164,941
• Publication Number:
  US 20090002185A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,702 Days
• Field of Search: 340/10.1, 340/5.91, 340/613, 340/666
• US Class Current: 340/5.91
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 17/0022 arrangements or provisious for transferring data to distant stations, e.g. from a sensing device "transfer between computer elements G06F13/00 "; data-transmission H04L
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/07703 the interface being visual
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/07707 the visual interface being a display, e.g. LCD or electronic ink
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/07758 arrangements for adhering the record carrier to further objects or living beings, functioning as an identification tag
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 1/08 using electric transmission ; transformation of alarm signals to electrical signals from a different medium, e.g. transmission of an electric alarm signal upon detection of an audible alarm signal
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/24 Reminder alarms, e.g. anti-loss alarms
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 25/10 using wireless transmission systems G08B25/009 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 20/13 delivered from dispensers

Abstract

A label for a product includes an electronic display for displaying label information. The digital label includes an operating system program with an applications interface to allow development of custom applications by manufacturers, retailers, and users of the product. The digital label also includes a communications interface enable communication with external devices, such as other computer systems. The processor in the digital label can process, display, and transmit information.

Claims

1. A medicine container for containing prescription medicine, said medicine container comprising:

a) a bottle with a bottom wall and sidewalls that form an interior space for holding the medicine, said bottle further including a cap that extends across an opening formed by the sidewalls to enclose the interior space and prevent the escape of the prescription medicine;

b) a memory integrated with said bottle for storing medicine usage information;

c) a display integrated with said bottle for displaying said medicine usage information;

d) a processor integrated with said bottle and configured to collect the medicine usage information, to store said medicine usage information in said memory, and to output said medicine usage information to said display for viewing by a consumer;

e) a weight sensor positioned within said interior space at the bottom wall and operatively coupled to said processor, wherein said processor is configured to monitor said medicine usage based on output signals generated by said weight sensor;

f) a wireless communications interface operatively coupled to said bottle for communicating with a remote device; and

g) at least one input device on the bottle.

2. The medicine container of claim 1 further comprising an alerting device controlled by said processor for generating an alert signal responsive to a predetermined event.

3. The medicine container of claim 2 wherein the processor is configured to activate the alerting device to notify the user of a scheduled event.

4. The medicine container of claim 1 wherein the processor is configured to activate an alerting device responsive to the detection of a predetermined condition by the sensor.

5. The medicine container of claim 1 further comprising a temperature sensor to determine a temperature within the interior space, the temperature sensor further configured to send the temperature to the processor.

6. A medicine container for containing prescription medicine comprising:

a) a bottle with a bottom wall, sidewalls, an opening formed by the sidewalls, and a cap configured to extend across the opening to form an enclosed interior space to hold the medicine;

b) a weight sensor positioned within the enclosed interior space of said bottle at the bottom wall to determine a weight of said medicine remaining within said interior space;

c) a wireless communications interface operatively coupled to said bottle for communicating with a remote device; and

d) a processor operatively connected to said bottle and configured to receive output signals from said weight sensor regarding said remaining weight of said medicine within said interior space, said processor further configured to send a refill request through said wireless communications interface to said remote device when said remaining weight of said medicine determined by said weight sensor reaches a predetermined amount, said refill request configured to obtain an additional amount of the medicine.

7. The medicine container of claim 6 further comprising a memory operatively connected to said bottle for storing the remaining weight of said medication.

8. The medicine container of claim 6 further comprising a display positioned on said sidewalls of said bottle and operatively connected to said processor for displaying information regarding said medicine.

9. The medicine container of claim 8 wherein the information includes said remaining weight of said medicine.

10. The medicine container of claim 6 further comprising a temperature sensor operatively coupled to the bottle to detect a temperature within the interior space.

11. A medicine container for containing prescription medicine comprising:

a) a bottle for holding the medicine, the bottle including exterior walls that include an opening, and a cap that extends across the opening to form an enclosed interior space;

b) a memory integrated with said bottle for storing medicine usage information;

c) a display integrated with said bottle for displaying said medicine usage information;

d) a processor integrated with said bottle and configured to collect the medicine usage information, to store said medicine usage information in said memory, and to output said medicine usage information to said display for viewing by a consumer;

e) a weight sensor positioned within a bottom of said interior space and operatively coupled to said processor, wherein said processor is configured to monitor said medicine usage based on output signals generated by said weight sensor; and

f) a wireless communications interface operatively coupled to said bottle for communicating with a remote device;

said processor further configured to send a refill request through said wireless communications interface to said remote device when said medicine usage reaches a predetermined setting, said refill request effective to obtain an additional amount of said medicine.

12. The medicine container of claim 11 further comprising a temperature sensor operatively connected to the bottle to determine a temperature within the bottle.