Portable and modular prescription drug dispensing device

A dispensing device for dispensing doses of non-individually packaged pills at a plurality of pre-specified dosing times includes a housing that holds a removable magazine, a dispensing unit and an electronic circuit. The removable magazine is configured to hold a stack of the non-individually packaged pills. The dispensing unit is configured to operate on the removable magazine to dispense a pre-specified dose of the pills upon receipt of a signal. The electronic circuit includes a timer that provides the signal at the pre-specified dosing times to activate the dispensing unit to dispense the pre-specified dose.

FIELD

This patent application generally relates to a scheme for dispensing pills.

BACKGROUND

Preventing errors in dispensing, taking, and monitoring prescription drugs has been needed to prevent incorrect drug taking, overdose, and theft, and to ensure correct dosage and timing. Applicants recognized that better schemes than those available are needed and such solutions are provided by the following description.

SUMMARY

One aspect of the present patent application is a dispensing device for dispensing doses of non-individually packaged pills at a plurality of pre-specified dosing times. The device includes a housing that holds a removable magazine, a dispensing unit and an electronic circuit. The removable magazine is configured to hold a stack of the non-individually packaged pills. The dispensing unit is configured to operate on the removable magazine to dispense a pre-specified dose of the pills upon receipt of a signal. The electronic circuit includes a timer that provides the signal at the pre-specified dosing times to activate the dispensing unit to dispense the pre-specified dose.

Another aspect is a dispensing device for dispensing doses of pills at a plurality of pre-specified dosing times. The device includes a housing that holds a removable magazine, a dispensing unit, a tamper recognizing device, and an electronic circuit. The removable magazine is configured to hold a stack of the pills. The dispensing unit is configured to operate on the removable magazine to dispense a pre-specified dose of the pills upon receipt of a signal. The electronic circuit includes a timer that provides the signal at the pre-specified dosing times to activate the dispensing unit to dispense the pre-specified dose. The tamper recognizing device includes a scheme that recognizes the occurrence of tampering and provides an action in response to the occurrence of tampering.

Another aspect is a dispensing device for dispensing doses of pills at a plurality of pre-specified dosing times. The device includes a housing that holds a removable magazine, a dispensing unit, an authentication device, and an electronic circuit. The removable magazine is configured to hold a stack of the pills. The dispensing unit is configured to operate on the removable magazine to dispense a pre-specified dose of the pills upon receipt of a signal. The electronic circuit includes a timer that provides the signal at the pre-specified dosing times to activate the dispensing unit to dispense the pre-specified dose upon authorization by the authentication device. The authentication device includes a scheme for receiving identifying data from a current user, comparing the current user identifying data with previously stored identifying data, and authorizing dispensing a dose if the current user identifying data sufficiently matches the previously stored identifying data.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

The present applicants created a system for dispensing doses of non-individually packaged pills at pre-specified dosing times. In one embodiment the system includes a housing that holds a removable magazine, a dispensing unit and an electronic circuit. The removable magazine holds a stack of the non-individually packaged pills. The dispensing unit operates on the removable magazine to dispense a pre-specified dose of the pills. The electronic circuit includes a timer that provides a signal to activate the dispensing unit to dispense a specified dose at each of the pre-specified dosing times.

In one embodiment the housing includes two or more of the removable magazines in which each of the removable magazines is configured to hold a stack of the non-individually packaged pills. In one embodiment, each of these removable magazines is configured to hold a different kind of pill. In one embodiment, each of the removable magazines is configured to hold a sufficient number of pills of a single type to provide a specified dose at several dosing times.

In one embodiment the system optionally includes an authentication device that includes a scheme for receiving identifying data from a current user, comparing the current user identifying data with previously stored identifying data, and authorizing dispensing a dose if the current user identifying data sufficiently matches the previously stored identifying data.

In one embodiment the system optionally includes a tamper recognizing device that includes sensors that recognize the occurrence of tampering.

The authentication device and the tamper recognizing device can be included separately or together. Either or both can be included with the timer that provides a signal to activate the dispensing unit to dispense a specified dose at each of the pre-specified dosing times. Any one, or any two or all three of these can be combined with the housing that includes a single magazine or multiple magazines.

Housing20includes slots22with removable magazines24inserted, as shown inFIGS. 1a, 1b. Housing20also includes a dispensing unit that operates on removable magazines24to dispense one or more pills. The dispensing unit includes dispensing outlet30. The dispensing unit may also includes motor26and dispense button28. Motor26is connected to cause housing20to vibrate. It can optionally be used during dispensing to facilitate movement of pills. Dispense button28is optional if authentication is included.

Electronic circuit32includes central processing unit34and memory, such as non-volatile memory36, that receives a program setting timing for dispensing pills and stores data about authentication, tampering, and time a pill was actually dispensed.

Communications, such as through micro-USB port38provides for programming times at which pills will be dispensed from each magazine. Communications may be two-way, allowing information, such as times pills were actually dispensed and authentication and tampering data can be output. In addition, micro-USB port38may provide for programming and updating software. Firewire, Wi-Fi, Blue tooth, GSM, 3G/4G, wireless USB, and mobile ad-hoc networks can be used in addition to or instead of the micro-USB port.

An authentication system such as fingerprint scanner40may be included to ensure that the correct person is receiving the pill. In one alternative, the patient can use an input device, such as keypad42, to input a password. Voice recognition, physical tokens/keys, or facial recognition can also be used. These methods can be used individually or in any combination to authenticate the user.

Output devices, such as LCD screen46, buzzer/speaker48, and red and green LED's50a,50bcan optionally be included to allow communication from the device to the patient. Dispense motor26that causes the housing to vibrate, can also optionally be used to alert the user. Projectors, external displays, remote notifications, and devices that provide other sensory stimulation can also be used. For example such communications may indicate the name of the medication, the time for the next dose, dosage instructions, and side effects. An input device, such as keypad42, allows the patient, pharmacist, doctor, patient, caregiver, or other personnel to input information to the device. The input device can also be a wired or wireless computer mouse, a trackball, a gesture recognition device, a touchscreen, a brain-computer interface, a neural interface, foot pedals, a sip-and-puff (SNP) controller, a mouthstick, a head controller, a chin controller, a speech controller, or a tongue controller.

A power supply, such as rechargeable battery pack54and/or plug56for receiving external power from a wall outlet and an external power supply are also included. Micro-USB port38can also be used for charging the internal battery.

Each slot22for removable magazine24may optionally include a mechanical lock mechanism, such as rotating foot60, that fits into opening62in each removable magazine24, as shown inFIGS. 2a-2d, securely locking removable magazine24in place in its slot22in housing20. Rotating foot60is controlled by motor64and shaft66, as shown inFIG. 2d. An alternative way of locking removable magazine24in place in its slot22in housing20is shown inFIGS. 3a-3cwhich uses L-shaped foot60′ that rotates around an axis perpendicular to the axis ofFIG. 2c.

In one embodiment, removable magazine24includes spring70and pressure plate72that push down on pills74, as shown inFIG. 4. Removable magazine24also includes sliding plate access window76, sliding plate78, fixed bottom plate80and removable back panel81, as shown inFIGS. 4 and 5a-5f. Sliding plate78remains within removable magazine24but is operated by a pill dispensing motor through sliding plate access window76, allowing or preventing dispensing of one or more pills.

In one embodiment, sliding plate78of removable magazine24has a thickness about equal to one of pills74a. Sliding plate78is positioned to the left by spring82, as shown inFIG. 5a-5cand can be driven to the right by a motor (not shown). When sliding plate78is driven right by the motor and has opening86aligned with pill stack74, bottom pill74aof pill stack74drops into opening86, as shown inFIG. 5d. The presence of pill74aprevents any other pill of pill stack74from dropping in to opening86. When the motor is turned off and sliding plate78is pushed back to the left by spring82only pill74amoves to the left with opening86, the rest of pill stack74remaining in place supported by planar region88of sliding plate78. When opening86of sliding plate78aligns with opening90of fixed bottom plate80, as shown inFIG. 5f, pill74athen falls into opening90in fixed bottom plate80, as shown inFIG. 5e, from which it is dispensed out the bottom of opening90by gravity and through dispensing outlet30.

Two sliding plates could be used to allow dispensing two pills at a time, as shown in the sequenceFIGS. 6a-6c. In this embodiment both sliding plates78a,78bmove into alignment with stack of pills74, allowing two of the stacked pills to fit into their openings,86a,86b. The two sliding plates then slide back into alignment with third bottom plate80that remains in a fixed position, allowing the two pills to fall through opening90in fixed bottom plate80for dispensing. For each additional pill desired for dispensing another sliding plate can be included. Alternatively, two stacks of pills can be mounted over each plate and each plate can have two openings to accept a pill from each stack. In another alternative, sliding plate78can slide back and forth multiple times.

In another embodiment, motor91operates a rotating plate92that has opening94for a pill, but no springs, as shown inFIG. 7. Opening94in rotating plate92receives a pill when aligned with stack of pills74and dispenses the pill when opening94in rotating plate92is aligned with opening96in fixed bottom plate98below. Multiple openings can be provided in plate92to dispense multiple pills. Alternatively, rotating plate92can rotate multiple times to dispense multiple pills.

One embodiment of electronic circuit32is shown in the block diagram ofFIG. 8. Central processing unit34includes non-volatile memory36, oscillator100, and USB port38. Connections to central processing unit34are provided for dispense motor26to operate the removable magazine lock, push button28, fingerprint slide scanner40, LCD screen46, buzzer48, LEDs50a,50b, keypad42, and power supply54.

A strong case fabricated of polycarbonate, carbon fiber, aluminum, or another material may be used to prevent tampering. Wire mesh incorporated in the casing may be used to prevent unauthorized communication through the housing. Sensors such as accelerometers, temperature sensors, moisture sensors, and Global Positioning System (GPS), may be included to detect tampering and may be connected to central processing unit34. Other sensors for detecting holes or other physical compromise of the wire mesh in the case also may be included, or to otherwise detect tampering, such as those described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,593,384 and in “Thinking inside the box: system-level failures of tamper proofing,” by Saar Drimer, Steven J. Murdoch, and Ross Anderson, University of Cambridge Computer Laboratory Technical Report UCAM-CL-TR-711, ISSN 1476-2986, February 2008 and in “Physical security devices for computer subsystems: a survey of attacks and defences”, by Steve H. Weingart,Cryptographic Hardware and Embedded Systems Workshop, volume 1965 of LNCS, pages 302-317, London, UK, August 2000, Springer-Verlag. In one embodiment electronic circuit32or magazine24also includes a memory for logging information about such detected tampering. Magazine24or housing20may also include a communications device connected to communicate information about the tampering. Communications devices, such as USB, Firewire, Wi-Fi, Blue tooth, GSM, 3G/4G, wireless USB, and mobile ad-hoc networks can be used. A GPS device can be included in magazine24or housing20for theft tracking Magazine24or housing20may include a local alerting device connected to alert in response to the tampering, such as a buzzer alarm, a projector or a local display.

Magazine24or housing20can include a pill destroying device connected to destroy the pills in response to detected tampering. In one embodiment, the pill destroying device includes pressurized liquid denaturant from reservoirs103with nozzles102positioned to spray the liquid over pills in the magazine, as shown inFIGS. 9a-9b. Denaturants can be used to inactivate the medication, render the medication unfit for consumption, or increase the difficulty of extracting the active compounds from the pills. Liquid denaturants include, but are not limited to hydrogen peroxide, sulfuric acid, and hydrochloric acid. The selection of the most appropriate denaturant will depend on the chemical makeup of the pills and the design of the magazine and device housing. In another embodiment, the pill destroying device includes metal coil104that provides sufficient heat when current from battery106flows to denature pills74held in place in pill sleeve108, as shown inFIG. 10. Each of these pill destroying techniques can be provided alone. Some can be used in combination with others.

In one embodiment, operation of the device follows a process along the lines of the program shown in the flow chart ofFIG. 11for each removable magazine24that may be inserted into housing20. Central processing unit34determines whether or not magazine24nis loaded into housing30by evaluating the state of button84, as shown in box110. If so, CPU34determines whether it is time for the patient to take his or her medication from that magazine24n, as also shown in box110. If not, CPU34waits a pre-programmed time, such as 1 minute, as shown in box111. After that pre-programmed time, CPU34asks the same questions again. If magazine24nis loaded and it is time for the patient to take a pill from that magazine24n, CPU34activates an alarm to prompt the user for user input, as shown in box112.

CPU34then waits for user input, as shown in box113. CPU34waits another pre-programmed time, such as 5 minutes, as shown in box114, and determines whether the dosage time window has been exceeded, as shown in box115. The dosage time window is the time after which the dosage should be skipped. If the dosage time window has been exceeded and the user has not responded, then CPU34does not prompt the user anymore and begins again to determine whether the next time for taking a dose has arrived. If the dosage time window has not been exceeded and the user has not responded, then CPU34activates the alarm again and prompts the user again, and waits for user input again, as shown in boxes112and113.

If user input is detected, such as by the user pressing button28, CPU34determines whether authentication is required, as shown in box116. If no authentication is required, then the medication is dispensed from removable magazine24n, as shown in box117. CPU34then begins again to determine whether the next time for taking a dose has arrived, as shown in box110.

If authentication is required, then CPU34determines whether a user authentication input corresponds to the correct patient, as shown in box118. If the correct user authentication is detected, then the medication is dispensed from removable magazine24n, as shown in box117. CPU34then begins again to determine whether the next time for taking a dose has arrived, as shown in box110.

If the correct user authentication is not detected, CPU34determines whether a user has tried and failed to authenticate a specified number of times, such as 3 times, as shown in box119. If CPU34determines that the user has tried and failed to authenticate the specified number of times, CPU34sends a message to display46indicating failed authentication, as shown in box120. In this case CPU34waits a pre-specified time, such as two minutes, as shown in box121, and then CPU34checks whether the dosage time window has expired as shown in box115. If CPU34determines that the user has not used up all the specified number of tries, CPU34checks whether the dosage time window has expired as shown in box122. If not, CPU34prompts the user to re-enter authentication credentials and CPU34again determines whether the user has tried and failed to authenticate the specified number of times. In any case in which the dosage time window has expired CPU34then begins again to determine whether the next time for taking a dose has arrived, as shown in box110.

Removal of removable magazine24from housing20and insertion of removable magazine24into housing20may be limited to authorized personnel, such as a pharmacist, who has the proper software and credentials, as shown in the flow chart inFIG. 12.

CPU34determines whether or not an administrative device, such as a notebook computer, desktop computer, tablet computer, server, mainframe, smartphone, or other electronic or digital device is plugged into the micro-USB interface or otherwise is in communication with CPU34, as shown in box151. If no such device is connected, CPU34waits for a pre-specified time, such as five seconds, as shown in box152then again determines whether or not an administrative device is in communication, as shown in box151. If an administrative device is in communication, CPU34initiates a secure network authentication/encryption protocol, such as Transport Layer Security (TLS) or Secure Sockets Layer (SSL) with the administrative device, as shown in box153. The results of the secure network authentication/encryption protocol are evaluated to determine whether the administrative device presented valid credentials, as shown in box154.

If the administrative device did not present valid credentials or if some other error prevents correct negotiation, CPU34provides a certificate error message or another error message to the administrative device and the error message may also be displayed on LCD screen46, as shown in box155. CPU34waits for the administrative device to disconnect or waits a pre-specified time, such as thirty seconds, as shown in box156, and when one of these is satisfied, then again determines whether or not an administrative device is in communication, as shown in box151.

If the administrative device did present valid credentials, CPU34then determines whether the authenticated administrative device is authorized to configure this pill dispenser, as shown in box157.

If the authenticated administrative device is not authorized to configure this pill dispenser, CPU34returns an “access denied” or similar error message, or turns on the red LED light, as shown in box158. CPU34then waits for the administrative device to disconnect or waits a pre-specified time, such as thirty seconds, as shown in box156, and when one of these is satisfied, then again determines whether or not an administrative device is in communication, as shown in box151.

If the authenticated administrative device is authorized to configure this pill dispenser, CPU34waits for the connected authenticated administrative device to send a command. Once it receives a command, as shown in box159, CPU34decodes the command, as shown in box160and handles it appropriately. For example, if the connected authenticated administrative device requests to “Remove Magazine24n”, as shown in box161, CPU34sends a command to operate the motor controlling mechanical lock60so as to disengage mechanical lock60from magazine24nand returns “success,” or “magazine unlocked” or a similar message indicating success to the LCD screen or turns on the green LED light, as shown in box162. CPU34then waits for the connected authenticated administrative device to send another command.

If the connected authenticated administrative device requests to “Insert Magazine24n”, as shown in box163, CPU34detects that magazine24nis currently inserted when the inserted magazine depresses button84. If slot n for magazine24nis currently occupied, as shown in box164, CPU34returns an “invalid magazine” or similar appropriate error message, as shown in box165, to await another command. If CPU34determines that magazine slot n is not occupied, CPU34prompts the user to insert a magazine into slot24nand displays a pre-determined timed countdown, such as a 60 second countdown on LCD screen46, as shown in box166. CPU34then detects whether or not magazine24nis currently inserted and was inserted within the time limit by evaluating the state of button84, as shown in box167. If no magazine has been inserted, CPU34displays an error message, such as “magazine not inserted in specified time,” as shown in box168. Regardless of whether the magazine has been inserted successfully or not, CPU34awaits receipt of a new command, as shown in box159.

If the connected authenticated administrative device requests to “disconnect” displays “goodbye” on LCD screen46as shown in box169. CPU34then clears and re-initializes all connection-related credentials, as shown in box170, and again determines whether or not an administrative device is in communication, as shown in box151. If at any point in this process, the connected authenticated administrative device unexpectedly unplugs, as shown in box171, CPU34then clears and re-initializes all connection-related credentials, as shown in box170, and again determines whether or not an administrative device is in communication, as shown in box151.

While several embodiments, together with modifications thereof, have been described in detail herein and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, it will be evident that various further modifications are possible without departing from the scope of the invention as defined in the appended claims. Nothing in the above specification is intended to limit the invention more narrowly than the appended claims. The examples given are intended only to be illustrative rather than exclusive.