US5752235A
Expired / Lapsed
US
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Electronic medication monitoring and dispensing method
Assignee: InforMedix Inc
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Filing: 1990-07-23
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Granted: 1998-05-12
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Expires: 2010-07-23
Abstract
Abstract A device for monitoring medication of a patient and for prompting the patient into certain medication taking schedule and/or certain programming steps and routines. The device has a plurality of compartments, each of which may store medication, and an electrical signaling system to emit medication alert signals from time-to-time, each of which said signals indicates (a) that medication should be taken, (b) from which compartment the medication should be taken, (c) and the quantity of medication to be taken. If a designated compartment is not opened and closed within a predetermined period of time, the electrical signaling system will display an alarm and the event will be recorded as a missed medication event, unless the patient then opens the designated compartment. If each designated compartment is opened and closed, the take-medication signal and the alarm (if operating) are turned off and the event is recorded for later review. The device may be constructed in one piece with hinged doors for each pill compartment, or each pill compartment may be a separate "drawer" sliding into a main unit.
Inventors
- 👤 Bruce A. Kehr
- 👤 David Lerner
- 👤 Richard D. Demenus
- 👤 Michael J. Edl
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-07 21:29
CPC Classifications
A; A61; A61J; A61J7/00; A61J7/04; A61J7/0409; A61J7/0481; A61J7/0076; A61J7/0084; A61J7/0418; A61J7/0427; A61J7/0436; A61J7/0454; G; G07; G07F; G07F11/00; G07F11/62; G07F17/00; G07F17/0092; G08; G08B; G08B21/00; G08B21/18; G08B21/24; G16; G16H; G16H20/00; G16H20/10; G16H20/13; A61J2200/00; A61J2200/30; A61J2205/00; A61J2205/70; A61J7/0445
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 8
Claim 1
Independent Claim
284 words
A device for alerting a person when it is time to take medication, comprising, (a) a casing having at least one face, (b) a display on said face, (c) a memory, (d) timing means, (e) a plurality of medication compartments that open and close, associated with said casing, (f) control means for providing a plurality of bits of information relating to the taking of medication, said control means including the timing means, said information including information as to the quantity of medication to be taken and also including other information, (g) selecting means for selecting at least one of said bits and at least one time of day, for each compartment, (h) means for entering the selected bits and said selected time or times in said memory, (i) said control means including means responsive to both said selected time or times and said selected bits stored in said memory, for, a particular one of said compartments, (a) giving a take-medication signal at each of said time or times that was selected for that compartment, and (b) displaying on said display the information that was based on the bit or bits selected for that compartment, (j) said display having first and second portions the first of which is closer to said compartments than the second portion, said control means including means for displaying said information as to the quantity of medication to be taken on said first portion and said other information on said second portion, and (k) means operable following a take-medication signal to store a missed medication signal in said memory, if a compartment is not opened or closed, said control means including means for displaying, on said display, the missed medication signal.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
284 words
A device for alerting a person when it is time to take medication, comprising, (a) a casing having at least one face, (b) a display on said face, (c) a memory, (d) timing means, (e) a plurality of medication compartments that open and close, associated with said casing, (f) control means for providing a plurality of bits of information relating to the taking of medication, said control means including the timing means, said information including information as to the quantity of medication to be taken and also including other information, (g) selecting means for selecting at least one of said bits and at least one time of day, for each compartment, (h) means for entering the selected bits and said selected time or times in said memory, (i) said control means including means responsive to both said selected time or times and said selected bits stored in said memory, for, a particular one of said compartments, (a) giving a take-medication signal at each of said time or times that was selected for that compartment, and (b) displaying on said display the information that was based on the bit or bits selected for that compartment, (j) said display having first and second portions the first of which is closer to said compartments than the second portion, said control means including means for displaying said information as to the quantity of medication to be taken on said first portion and said other information on said second portion, and (k) means operable following a take-medication signal to store a missed medication signal in said memory, if a compartment is not opened or closed, said control means including means for displaying, on said display, the missed medication signal.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
40 words
A device according to claim 1 in which said control means includes means for displaying a plurality of past times that medication was to be taken from a given compartment together with any missed medication signal applicable to such compartment.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
31 words
A device according to claim 2 in which the time at which the missed medication was scheduled to be taken is displayed on said display along with the missed medication signal.
Claim 5
Independent Claim
282 words
A device for alerting a person when it is time to take medication, comprising, (a) a casing having at least one face, (b) a display on said face, (c) a memory, (d) timing means, (e) a plurality of medication compartments that open and close, associated with said casing, (f) control means for providing a plurality of bits of information relating to the taking of medication, said control means including the timing means, said information including information as to the quantity of medication to be taken and also including other information, (g) selecting means for selecting at least one of said bits and at least one time of day, for each compartment, (h) means for entering the selected bits and said selected time or times in said memory, (i) said control means including means responsive to both said selected time or times and said selected bits stored in said memory, for, a particular one of said compartments, (a) giving a take-medication signal at each of said time or times that was selected for that compartment, and (b) displaying on said display the information that was based on the bit or bits selected for that compartment, (j) said display having first and second portions the first of which is closer to said compartments than the second portion, said control means including means for displaying said information as to the quantity of medication to be taken on said first portion and said other information on said second portion, (k) wherein if one of said compartments is opened at an unscheduled time, said device gives a signal and the display displays a query as to whether the patient wishes to take medication from such one compartment.
Claim 6
Independent Claim
282 words
A device for alerting a person when it is time to take medication, comprising, (a) a casing having at least one face, (b) a display on said face, (c) a memory, (d) timing means, (e) a plurality of medication compartments that open and close, associated with said casing, (f) control means for providing a plurality of bits of information relating to the taking of medication, said control means including the timing means, said information including information as to the quantity of medication to be taken and also including other information, (g) selecting means for selecting at least one of said bits and at least one time of day, for each compartment, (h) means for entering the selected bits and said selected time or times in said memory, (i) said control means including means responsive to both said selected time or times and said selected bits stored in said memory, for, a particular one of said compartments, (a) giving a take-medication signal at each of said time or times that was selected for that compartment, and (b) displaying on said display the information that was based on the bit or bits selected for that compartment, (j) said display having first and second portions the first of which is closer to said compartments than the second portion, said control means including means for displaying said information as to the quantity of medication to be taken on said first portion and said other information on said second portion, (k) wherein if one of said compartments is opened at an unscheduled time, said device gives a signal and the display displays a query as to whether the patient wishes to take medication from such one compartment.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
15 words
A device as defined in claim 4, having manually operable means for answering said query.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
28 words
A device as defined in claim 5 wherein the answer to said query is stored in said memory available for display by said display at a later time.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 2001-05-11 | 2001-11-10 | 2002-05-12 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2005-05-11 | 2005-11-10 | 2006-05-12 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2009-05-11 | 2009-11-10 | 2010-05-12 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |