Patent ID: 9066849
Filing Date: 2015-06-30
Classification: A61J,G16H

Abstract:
1. A pillbox comprising a plurality of pill receiving compartments detachably connected with one another in side-by-side relation to form a unitary structure, each of the compartments being constructed to store pills to be taken at a single predetermined time and have an opening which is covered by a cover and through which the compartment is accessible; wherein the unitary structure is configured such that the plurality of compartments are arranged sequentially according to a medication schedule created according to a prescription for a particular patient, with the compartment storing the pills to be taken first as an outermost one, and that only the opening of the outermost compartment is permitted to remain uncovered all the time, and wherein the outermost compartment is removed from the unitary structure after the pills contained therein are taken; wherein each of the compartments is provided at its bottom with a radio frequency identification (RFID) tag for containing and updating data associated with the pillbox, and the pillbox further comprises a microcontroller unit (MCU) with a RFID reader to process and read the data contained in the RFID tag; wherein the data associated with the pillbox includes an ID number assigned to the respective compartment, personal data of the patient, the prescription for the patient, the medication schedule, a time when the patient is to take the pills, a time when a reminder alert is sent to the patient, and pill information including manufacturers and availability of the pills; wherein the MCU is configured to generate a reminder alert indicating the time when the patient is to take the pills, upon reading the RFID tag of the compartment in which the pills have been taken.