초록 ▼

This invention provides a medication dispensing system that instructs the user through visual and audio cues, such as the illumination of individual medication cups that are arrayed in accordance with a daily and weekly schedule in separate orifices within the dispenser body. The system and method m

This invention provides a medication dispensing system that instructs the user through visual and audio cues, such as the illumination of individual medication cups that are arrayed in accordance with a daily and weekly schedule in separate orifices within the dispenser body. The system and method monitors compliance by determining when an indicated cup is accessed, based upon at least one of manipulating a lid and/or placing into, removing from, or replacing into the correct orifice based upon the indication. The cups can be refilled at an appropriate time based upon an indication by the system, and/or can be provided in removable refill tray (that is prefilled by a pharmacist) which simplifies the refill process. The dispenser can include an on-board processor that stores a current configuration including the treatment schedule. The configuration can be programmed/re-programmed, and compliance can be monitored, via a wired or wireless server connection that communicates with interested parties (e.g., the user, family, caregivers, physicians and the like), and that supports a graphical user (web-based) interface. The server allows interested parties to generate reports regarding compliance. The server also transmits alerts to interested parties via a variety of communications mechanisms (telephone, e-mail, text-messaging (SMS), etc.) in cases of current or continuing non-compliance by the user/patient.

대표청구항 ▼

1. A medication dispensing system, comprising: a body including a bottom housing and a top bezel that movably overlies and is selectively secured over the bottom housing, the bottom housing having a plurality of orifices arranged in a plurality of rows and a plurality of columns, each of the orifice

1. A medication dispensing system, comprising: a body including a bottom housing and a top bezel that movably overlies and is selectively secured over the bottom housing, the bottom housing having a plurality of orifices arranged in a plurality of rows and a plurality of columns, each of the orifices being constructed and arranged to respectively receive each of a plurality of cups,wherein the cups are each sized and arranged to store a plurality of pills therein that collectively define a single dose of medication to be taken by a user at a single corresponding predetermined time, and each include a bottom, sidewalls and an open top, at least a portion of each of the cups defining a light transmissive material,wherein the top bezel includes a plurality of openings that are each respectively aligned with each of the orifices and each respectively surround each of the cups when the top bezel overlies the bottom housing, each of the openings being covered by a hinged lid that is movable by the user between a closed position that covers a respective one of the cups and an opened position that allows access by the user to, and removal of, the one of the cups from a respective one of the orifices, at least a portion of a rim of each lid defining a light-transmissive material confronting the respective one of the cups;an illumination source located respectively within each of the orifices at a position that, when illuminated, transmits light through the respective one of the cups in a manner of a light pipe and into the portion of the rim of the lid confronting the respective one of the cups;a sensor switch located with respect to each of the orifices that detects when the respective one of the cups is either present or absent from the respective one of the orifices so as to determine when the respective one of the cups has been removed therefrom;a circuit located within the bottom housing that monitors each sensor switch, and that correlates the monitored state of each sensor switch with respect to a pre-programmed schedule, and provides, in response to the correlation, a signal in the form of illumination of one the illumination source with respect to the one of the orifices in which the single dose is scheduled to be taken by the user at the single corresponding predetermined time; anda network interface located at least in part in the bottom housing, operatively connected to the circuit and a communication network that delivers a status of including whether the respective one of the cups has been removed from the orifice at a time in which the illumination source located in the respective one of the orifices is illuminated. 2. The system as set forth in claim 1, wherein the signal to the user further includes at least one of transmission of a sound and generation of a cue. 3. The system as set forth in claim 1, wherein the orifices are arranged in the columns and the rows with respect to days of the week and times of day. 4. The system as set forth in claim 3, wherein each of the cups is translucent so as to transmit light into and through the cup and wherein each of the cups defines a tapered, square cross section between the bottom and top thereof, the orifices having a square orifice cross section of approximately a similar size as the square cross section of each of the cups and the orifice square cross section being constructed and arranged to receive the respective one of the cups therein. 5. The system as set forth in claim 4, wherein the lid is translucent or transparent and defines an approximately square shape, and wherein each of the cups has a height of approximately 1½ inches and top width of approximately 1 inch on each side thereof. 6. The system as set forth in claim 5, wherein the network interface is operatively connected wirelessly, to a remote server constructed and arranged to enable programming and reprogramming of a configuration that includes the pre-programmed schedule and information provided as the status. 7. The system as set forth in claim 6, wherein the server monitors the accessing of each of the cups and generates compliance data by determining the accessing by the user of each of the cups at scheduled times according to pre-programmed schedule and reports the compliance data to the remote server for access by an interested party. 8. The system as set forth in claim 7, wherein the bezel is hinged to the bottom housing and includes a latch mechanism to limit opening of the bezel with respect to the bottom housing, and the body further including a switch that monitors opening and closing of the bezel and reports the opening and the closing of the bezel as part of the status. 9. The system as set forth in claim 8, wherein the remote server is constructed and arranged to report to the recipient information related to at least one of: (a) removal of each of the cups with respect to the configuration; or(b) replacement of each of the cups with respect to the configuration; or(c) refilling of a plurality of the cups with respect to the configuration; or(d) replacement of an entire tray composed as a plurality of cups arranged to match an arrangement of the rows and the columns of the orifices with respect to the configuration. 10. The system as set forth in claim 9, wherein the circuit is constructed and arranged to operate in illumination the illumination source located in each of the orifices in accordance with a recent programmed configuration upon a disconnection of the communication network from the remote server. 11. The system as set forth in claim 10, wherein the circuit and the remote server monitors the placement, removal and replacement of the each of the cups so as to determine a requirement for refill of medication into the cups and generates a refill reminder signal. 12. The system as set forth in claim 3 wherein the status includes transmission of predetermined information to a remote server for review by an interested party through a web-based user interface. 13. The system as set forth in claim 12 wherein the bezel defines a surface and a portion of each of the cups projects partially above the surface when located within a respective one of the orifices so as to allow grasping and removal by the user with the lid in the opened position, and wherein each lid is attached to the surface by a hinge and includes an opposing lift tab, and each hinge surrounding the partially projecting portion of the respective one of the cups with the lid rim in the closed position, in which the rim engages the surface of the bezel. 14. The system as set forth in claim 13, wherein the bezel is hinged to the bottom housing and includes a latch mechanism to limit opening of the bezel with respect to the bottom housing. 15. The system as set forth in claim 14 further comprising a replacement tray having a plurality of holes that are sized and arranged to match an arrangement of the rows and the columns of the orifices, the replacement tray having each of the cups in each of the holes with a replacement dose of the medication respectively therein, the bottom housing, the cups being removably retained in the tray and the bezel being constructed and arranged to receive the replacement tray and the cups therebetween when the bezel is hinged and latched to overlie the top housing. 16. The system as set forth in claim 15 further comprising a switch that monitors opening and closing of the bezel and reports the opening and the closing of the bezel as part of the status. 17. The system as set forth in claim 15 wherein the replacement tray includes at least one alignment feature in a perimeter thereof that matches an alignment feature formed on the body. 18. The system as set forth in claim 15 wherein the replacement tray includes a removable seal that covers the cups when each filled with the replacement dose. 19. The system as set forth in claim 15 wherein each of the rows and each of the columns includes a visible indicia of time and a visible indicia of day, respectively, on the surface of the bezel.