US 5,088,056 AGranted

Medication clock

AssigneeKenneth B. McIntosh

InventorsKenneth B. McIntosh, James O. Pratt, Donald E. Stout

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Abstract

A programmed clock is disclosed for signalling a person the time that dosages of medication are to be taken in compliance with a medication regimen. A record producing apparatus is provided for producing a record of the person's compliance with the medication regimen. A control program, including a programmed timer, determines the time that dosages of medication are to be taken from a plurality of compartments. The program activates the record producing apparatus to provide a message that dosages of medication have been missed and that further actions should be taken in response to the missing of successive dosages of medication. The control program also activates the record producing apparatus to provide the person with information useful for correlating the actual chemical or brand name identification of the medication with the compartment storing the medication and other information regarding the medication regimen to be taken prior to activation of the timing function.

Claims10

Dependent claims

A medication compliance device comprising:

(a) a plurality of compartments with each compartment being separately usable for holding one or more medications to be taken by a person;
(b) a programmable timer which produces a medication dispensing signal indicating the time that a person is to take one or more medications to be taken at specific times;
(c) an alarm, responsive to the medication dispensing signal produced by the programmable timing means, for producing an alarm for alerting the person that it is time to take a medication located within one of the compartments;
(d) means located in proximity to each of the compartments which are separately activable by the person for producing an acknowledgment signal that any one of the medications stored in one of the compartments has been taken;
(e) a memory, coupled to the programmable timer, for storing the time of occurrence of each acknowledgment signal produced by one of the means for producing an acknowledgment signal and an identification of the compartment in proximity therewith and for storing prerecorded information used for correlating an actual identification of the medications being taken with the compartment which is recorded with each acknowledgment signal;
and
(f) a record producer, coupled to the memory, for providing a record of the prerecorded information, permitting a correlation to be made between the medication being taken and the compartment within which the medication is being stored, and a dosage record of the medication being taken, and time of taking each dosage of medication for each of the medications being taken by the person.

4 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 07/587,044Filed 24 Sep 1990 · continuation
Priority: 19 Feb 1985
Granted: 11 Feb 1992
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification13 codes

A61J 7/0481
With timers: working on a schedule basis
A61J 7/04
Devices for administering medicines orally, e.g. spoons ; Pill counting devices; Arrangements for time indication or reminder for taking medicine:…
G04G 9/0064
Visual time or date indication means: in which functions not related to time can be displayed
A61J 7/0418
With timers: with electronic history memory

Family

Serial702,746Parent of this continuation-in-part · filed 19 Feb 1985
Serial70,221Parent of this continuation · filed 6 Jul 1987
Serial338,594Parent of this continuation · filed 14 Apr 1989
US 4,970,669 AParent of this continuation
US 4,837,719 AParent of this continuation
US 4,682,299 AParent of this continuation-in-part
US 5,088,056 AThis patent

From the US filing history. Foreign family members aren’t listed.