Contactless automatic pill dispenser with blister-pack support

A dispenser apparatus and system to dispense medication, including from a blister pack, to remind a user to take medication, to provide information to users, operators, and caregivers, and to track medication compliance, said users, operators, and caregivers having at least one hand, the dispenser comprising:

• a. a processor;
• b. a memory;
• c. a wireless transceiver, wherein said wireless transceiver includes a multiplicity of functions, including downloading a medication schedule;
• d. an interface display;
• e. a microphone;
• f. a speaker;
• g. a sensor mechanism, said sensor mechanism detecting when medication has been dispensed and providing notifications to a user via the interface display and the speaker, said sensor mechanism additionally able to notify remote operators and caregivers via wireless communication when medication is dispensed;
• h. a rotatable carousel tray, said carousel tray having a multiplicity of compartments to contain and rotatably move medication as the carousel tray moves and a keyed mechanism that provides for the carousel tray to be inserted in a specific position;
• i. a motorized mechanism to advance the rotatable carousel tray based on pre-loaded schedule;
• j. a medication ingress;
• k. a medication egress;
• l. a dispensing mechanism, wherein said dispensing mechanism retains and releases medication;
• m. a housing to contain the processor, the memory, the wireless transceiver, the display, the microphone, the speaker, the sensor mechanism, the rotatable carousel tray, the medication ingress, the medication egress, the dispensing mechanism;
• n. a dispense schedule, wherein said dispense schedule can be downloaded into the device both remotely or locally;
• o. a monitoring protocol, wherein said monitoring protocol monitors the download medication schedule, and is capable of notifying local operators and remote operators and caregivers, wirelessly in the event the operator fails to dispense the medication within the scheduled dispense time period;
• p. a Check-On-Me protocol, wherein said Check-On-Me protocol includes a response device, such as a button, and wherein the device maybe programmed to alert the user at various pre-scheduled times to press the Check-On-Me button to confirm the user's status within a pre-programs time interval, and further including an alert to remote operators if the user fails to press the Check-On-Me button;
• q. an optical non-contact sensor to detect a user's hand or a container into which the dispenser releases medication;
• r. an accommodation for a blister-pack;
• said accommodation residing within the housing;
• s. a punching armature, said punching armature providing for the dispensing of medication from a blister pack such that medication that was manually placed in the dispenser and medication from a blister pack may be both dispensed from the dispenser;
• t. wherein said punching armature is motorized device;
• u. wherein said punching armature further comprises a two-step, double punching mechanism, wherein the first punch punctures the blister pack, and the second punch gently pushes the medication into the carousel tray compartment;
• and
• v. wherein said first punching action consists of a fast tapping motion to puncture the top of the blister pack, and said second punching action consists of a slow and deep punching motion allowing the punching action to penetrate through both the top of the blister pack as well as the bottom layer of the blister pack, and wherein the second motion is further performed in form of slow press down force to ensure all pills in the blister pack compartment are dropped without incurring any damage.

A method and system to dispense medication, including from a blister pack, remind a user to take medication, provide information to users, operators, and caregivers, and track medication compliance, said users, operators, and caregivers having at least one hand, the method comprising:

• a. utilizing an automatic motorized pill dispenser for medication adherence and allowing individuals including caregivers to create a schedule for taking daily, weekly or monthly medication use at multiple intervals per day;
• b. providing the ability to program a time window for taking the said meditation at its proper time;
• c. downloading the schedule into an automatic medication dispensing device;
• d. rotating a carousal tray with multiple compartments, one compartment for each mediation intake time, utilizing a motorized mechanism;
• e. utilizing various sensors to indicate if and when medication was taken;
• f. monitoring the carousal tray position and various sensor readings at all times to alert the user when is time to take the medication;
• and
• g. utilizing wireless communication to notify remote operators such as a caregiver via text message, email or phone calls of when medications are taken;
• h. accommodating a blister pack;
• i. punching through said blister pack and dispensing said medication from the blister pack such that medication placed manually in the dispenser and medication from a blister pack may be simultaneously dispensed from the dispenser;
• j. electronically controlling said punching process;
• and
• k. said punching process further comprising the steps of puncturing the blister pack and pushing the medication into a compartment below.