US4768176A — Apparatus for alerting a patient to take medicati…

Claim 1

Independent Claim 115 words

In a device for providing medication, a container for storing medication, electrical means associated with said container for indicating when medication should be taken, comprising: (a) timing circuit means for producing equally spaced first signals that recur periodically, and for producing a plurality of take-medication signals during the period between two of said first signals, (b) means for suspending further take-medication signals, (c) said timing circuit means including means for resuming the take-medication signals, but no earlier than the occurrence of the next one of said first signals to follow the said suspension of said take-medication signals, (d) said timing circuit means producing said first signals independently of the means for suspending further take-medication signals.

Claim 2

Dependent Claim 115 words

In a device for providing medication, a container for storing medication, electrical means associated with said container for indicating when medication should be taken, comprising: (a) timing circuit means for producing equally spaced first signals that recur periodically, and for producing a plurality of take-medication signals during the period between two of said first signals, (b) means for suspending further take-medication signals, (c) said timing circuit means including means for resuming the take-medication signals, but no earlier than the occurrence of the next one of said first signals to follow the said suspension of said take-medication signals, (d) said timing circuit means producing said first signals independently of the means for suspending further take-medication signals.

Claim 3

Dependent Claim 27 words

In a device for providing medication as defined in claim 1, said equally spaced first signals recurring every twenty-four hours, said third named means being manually operable.

Claim 4

Dependent Claim 45 words

In a device for providing medication as defined in claim 1, in which one of said take-medication signals occurs once every twenty-four hours concurrently with one of said equally spaced first signals and the take-medication signals occurring periodically, unless suspended, during each twenty-four hour period.

Claim 5

Dependent Claim 25 words

In a device as defined in claim 1: said take-medication signal comprising both an audible signal and the visual display of at least one word.

Claim 6

Dependent Claim 140 words

In a device for providing medication, a container for storing medication, electrical means, associated with said container, having signal producing means for producing audible take-medication signals and thereby indicating when medication should be taken, (a) timing circuit means for producing equally spaced first signals that recur periodically every twenty four hours, and for controlling said sound producing means to produce a plurality of spaced take-medication signals during the period between two of said first signals, (b) manually operable means for suspending further take-medication signals with such suspension starting at a selected time after one of said first signals but substantially prior to the next of said first signals, (c) said timing circuit means including means for controlling said sound producing means to resume the take-medication signals, but no earlier than the occurrence of said next one of said first signals.

Claim 7

Dependent Claim 140 words

In a device for providing medication, a container for storing medication, electrical means, associated with said container, having signal producing means for producing audible take-medication signals and thereby indicating when medication should be taken, (a) timing circuit means for producing equally spaced first signals that recur periodically every twenty four hours, and for controlling said sound producing means to produce a plurality of spaced take-medication signals during the period between two of said first signals, (b) manually operable means for suspending further take-medication signals with such suspension starting at a selected time after one of said first signals but substantially prior to the next of said first signals, (c) said timing circuit means including means for controlling said sound producing means to resume the take-medication signals, but no earlier than the occurrence of said next one of said first signals.

Claim 8

Dependent Claim 47 words

In a device for providing medication as defined in claim 5 in which said signal producing means includes means for producing at least some of the take-medication signals in the form of both audible and visual signals that coexist for at least a limited period of time.

Claim 9

Dependent Claim 51 words

In a device for providing medication as defined in claim 5, a casing, said container and said electrical means being located in said casing, said casing including a cover portion operable so that said container may be exposed for placing medication into the container and for removing medication from the container.

Claim 10

Dependent Claim 40 words

In a device for providing medication as defined in claim 5 said manually operable means comprising means for suspending the take-medication signals starting at any selected time between any two of said first signals that are spaced 24 hours apart.

Claim 11

Dependent Claim 183 words

In a device for providing medication, a container for storing medication, electrical means associated with said container including an electrically operated signaling device for indicating when medication should be taken, said signaling device having an input and giving a take-medication signal when its input is energized, said electrical means comprising: (a) timing circuit means for producing equally spaced first signals that recur periodically, and for producing input signals to said signaling device to provide a plurality of take-medication signals during the period between two of said first signals, (b) means for suspending further take-medication signals comprising circuit means including: (1) a manually operated switch for starting the suspension, and (2) means responsive to the one of said first signals that next follows the operation of said switch for terminating said suspension, (c) said timing circuit means including means for resuming the take-medication signals, but no earlier than the occurrence of the next one of said first signals to follow said suspension of said take-medication signals, (d) said timing circuit means producing said first signals independently of the means for suspending further take-medication signals.

Claim 12

Dependent Claim 183 words

In a device for providing medication, a container for storing medication, electrical means associated with said container including an electrically operated signaling device for indicating when medication should be taken, said signaling device having an input and giving a take-medication signal when its input is energized, said electrical means comprising: (a) timing circuit means for producing equally spaced first signals that recur periodically, and for producing input signals to said signaling device to provide a plurality of take-medication signals during the period between two of said first signals, (b) means for suspending further take-medication signals comprising circuit means including: (1) a manually operated switch for starting the suspension, and (2) means responsive to the one of said first signals that next follows the operation of said switch for terminating said suspension, (c) said timing circuit means including means for resuming the take-medication signals, but no earlier than the occurrence of the next one of said first signals to follow said suspension of said take-medication signals, (d) said timing circuit means producing said first signals independently of the means for suspending further take-medication signals.

Claim 13

Dependent Claim 20 words

In a device for providing medication as defined in claim 9, said equally spaced first signals recurring every twenty-four hours.

Annuity Stage	Window Opens	Payment Deadline	Surcharge Period Until	Estimated Fee	Status
3.5 Years (Year 4)	1991-08-30	1992-02-29	1992-08-30	$2000.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8)	1995-08-30	1996-02-29	1996-08-30	$3760.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12)	1999-08-30	2000-02-29	2000-08-30	$7700.00	Window Closed / Lapsed

Apparatus for alerting a patient to take medication

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