EP0403294A1
Expired / Lapsed
EP
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Medicine compliance and patient status monitoring system and method
Assignee: Individual
•
Filing: 1990-06-14
•
Granted: —
•
Expires: 2010-06-14
Abstract
Abstract The present invention is directed to a method of monitoring a patient's medicine compliance. It involves weighing a container of medicine to determine a starting weight on a scale (1) which is connected to a computer (3) with a display unit (5) and storing the starting weight in the computer followed by reweighing the container of medicine after a prescribed dosage is consumed to determine a second weight. The computer (3) then determinmes the difference between the starting weight and said second weight to store a dosage unit weight. The computer (3) is programmed to calculate compliance required weights of the container for each dosage administration for the prescription period of the medicine. The container of medicine is reweighed from time to time on the scale to compare actual weight with compliance required weight to determine compliance and the computer (3) visually displays the compliance results on the display unit (5) to permit compliance monitoring. Optionally, other patient characteristics are also monitored and feedback is provided. The present invention includes both the method and the system of interconnected devices to practice the method. Feedback may be to the patient for self-monitoring or to a professional, and a single medicine or a plurality of medicines may be monitored.
Inventors
- 👤 Albert L. Dessertine
- 👤 Thomas P. Hudson
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
EP
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-24 14:47
CPC Classifications
G; G01; G01G; G01G13/00; G01G13/24; G01G13/28; A; A61; A61J; A61J7/00; A61J7/0076; A61J7/0084; A61J2200/00; A61J2200/30; A61J2200/70; A61J2200/74; A61J7/04
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 20
Claim 1
Independent Claim
143 words
A method of monitoring a patient's medicine compliance, which comprises: (a) weighing a container of medicine to determine a starting weight on a scale which is connected to a computer with a display unit; (b) storing the starting weight in said computer; (c) reweighing the container of medicine after a prescribed dosage is consumed to determine a second weight; (d) having said computer determine the difference between said starting weight and said second weight to store a dosage unit weight; (e) having the computer programmed to calculate compliance required weights of the container for each dosage administration for the prescription period of the medicine; (f) reweighing the container of medicine from time to time on said scale to compare actual weight with compliance required weight to determine compliance; and (g) visually displaying the compliance results on said display unit to permit compliance monitoring.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
143 words
A method of monitoring a patient's medicine compliance, which comprises: (a) weighing a container of medicine to determine a starting weight on a scale which is connected to a computer with a display unit; (b) storing the starting weight in said computer; (c) reweighing the container of medicine after a prescribed dosage is consumed to determine a second weight; (d) having said computer determine the difference between said starting weight and said second weight to store a dosage unit weight; (e) having the computer programmed to calculate compliance required weights of the container for each dosage administration for the prescription period of the medicine; (f) reweighing the container of medicine from time to time on said scale to compare actual weight with compliance required weight to determine compliance; and (g) visually displaying the compliance results on said display unit to permit compliance monitoring.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
36 words
The method of claim 1 wherein said computer is further programmed to compare actual weight of the container of medicine with the required compliance weight to provide corrective instructions to the patient on said display unit.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
29 words
The method of claim 1 or claim 2 wherein said computer is programmed to receive specific day and/or time of day information for providing the patient with compliance information.
Claim 5
Independent Claim
21 words
The method of any of claims 1 to 3 wherein said method includes remote communication to a professional for compliance monitoring.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
27 words
The method of claim 4 wherein said display unit is a unit locted with the patient and a second display unit is located remotely with said professional.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
22 words
The method of claim 5 wherein said professional has a computer/display unit and has the capability of screening different patients as desired.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
32 words
The method of claim 6 wherein said computer/display unit of said professional is programmed to and connected to a patient's display unit to permit the professional to give instructions to said patient.
Claim 9
Independent Claim
27 words
The method of any of claims 1 to 7 wherein said reweighing of the container from time to time involves reweighing the container after each dosage administration.
Claim 10
Independent Claim
40 words
The method of any of claims 1 to 8 wherein the method is repeated for a plurality of different containers of medicine and the computer determines and stores compliance information for each of said plurality of different containers of medicine.
Claim 11
Independent Claim
31 words
The method of any of claims 1 to 9 wherein said method further includes monitoring one or more of a patient's medical characteristics to provide supplemental patient information to the computer.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
29 words
The method of claim 10 wherein said medical characteristics are selected from one or more of heart rate, blood pressure, glucose, cholesterol, blood cell count, respiration or body weight.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
21 words
The method of claim 10 wherein said patient medical characteristics include detailed physical regimen results taken from patient exerciser therapy equipment.
Claim 14
Independent Claim
129 words
A system for patient medicine compliance and patient status monitoring, which comprises: (a) a scale for weighing one or more containers of medicine and having sufficient accuracy to measure weight to establish changes by dosage consumption. (b) a computer connected to said scale which is capable of receiving a first weight of one or more container of medicine, a second weight thereof after first dosage consumption, determining the difference between the two weights to establish a dosage unit weight, and storing same, and further capable of calculating the required compliance weight for the or each container of medicine for each dosage to be taken over the period of prescription, and further capable of displaying compliance information upon a display unit; and (c) a display unit connected to said computer.
Claim 15
Independent Claim
129 words
A system for patient medicine compliance and patient status monitoring, which comprises: (a) a scale for weighing one or more containers of medicine and having sufficient accuracy to measure weight to establish changes by dosage consumption. (b) a computer connected to said scale which is capable of receiving a first weight of one or more container of medicine, a second weight thereof after first dosage consumption, determining the difference between the two weights to establish a dosage unit weight, and storing same, and further capable of calculating the required compliance weight for the or each container of medicine for each dosage to be taken over the period of prescription, and further capable of displaying compliance information upon a display unit; and (c) a display unit connected to said computer.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
22 words
The system of claim 13 wherein said scale, computer and display unit are located at a single site to permit patient self-monitoring.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
25 words
The system of claim 13 or claim 14 wherein said display unit is remotely located away from said patient for compliance monitoring by a professional.
Claim 18
Independent Claim
30 words
The system of any of claims 13 to 15 wherein the computer is programmed to receive specific day and/or time of day information for providing the patient with compliance information.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
48 words
The system of claim 15 wherein said professional has a computer/display unit and has the capability of screening different patients as desired, said computer/display unit of said professional being programmed to and connected to a patient's display unit to permit the professional to give instructions to said patient.
Claim 20
Independent Claim
43 words
The system of any of claims 14 to 17 which further comprises means for monitoring patient medical characteristics which comprises a conversion device which converts medical testing or monitoring equipment signals to computer signals and means for transmitting converted signals to the computer.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
Maintenance schedule is calculated for granted US utility patents.