Patent Publication Number: US-2020279630-A1

Title: Drug dispenser systems and methods thereof

Description:
TECHNICAL FIELD 
     Aspects of this document relate generally to a drug dispenser system, and methods for dispensing medications that reduce risks for the user. 
     BACKGROUND 
     A patient may be prescribed multiple medications, and each medication may need to be taken at different frequencies. Patients may find it difficult to take medications at a correct dosage and frequency. Further, medications may be additive and may create adverse reactions for the user, whether taken alone or together with other substances, including other medications. Taking medication, therefore, presents two major challenges for patients. One is to remember to take the medication at the prescribed intervals. This task is especially challenging for the elderly. The other challenge is not to overdose or abuse prescription drugs. A drug dispenser system may be used to address these challenges. 
     SUMMARY 
     According to an aspect of the disclosure, a drug dispenser system may comprise a drug dispenser machine and a medication cartridge. The drug dispenser machine may comprise a controller, a user interface, a drive system, and a display. The controller may have a processor and a memory, the controller configured to conduct a safety check. The user interface may be configured to interact with a user. The drive system may be configured to couple to the controller. The display may be configured to display information sent from the controller. The medication cartridge may be releasably loaded onto the drug dispenser machine. The medication cartridge may include at least one pill chamber, at least one protective plate, and a label plug. The at least one protective plate may cover at least a majority of the at least one pill chamber. The label plug may be configured to couple to the at least one pill chamber. The drive system of the drug dispenser machine may be configured to move the label plug and, in turn, move the at least one pill chamber upon receipt of a command to dispense a medication sent from the controller when the safety check is passed. 
     Particular embodiments may comprise one or more of the following features. The safety check may comprise at least one of checking whether a minimum period of time between doses has elapsed, checking whether a request time of the safety check is outside an adversely-indicated window of another medication, and checking whether a user&#39;s medication reaction history indicates the medication is safe for the user. The drug dispenser machine may further comprise a read/write device configured to couple to the controller; the label plug of the medication cartridge may further comprise a communication device; and the read/write device and the communication device may be configured to communicate with each other. The drug dispenser system may further comprise an indicator configured to couple to the controller, wherein the controller is configured to send a command to set the indicator into a warning mode when the safety check is not passed. The medication cartridge may comprise a substantially circular foot print, the medication cartridge further comprising a carousel containing the at least one pill chamber. The drug dispenser system may further comprise a first medication cartridge and a second medication cartridge, wherein the first medication cartridge comprises a first medication; the second medication cartridge comprises a second medication; the drug dispenser machine may further comprise a turntable; and the first medication cartridge and the second medication cartridge may be disposed on the turntable. The drug dispenser system may further comprise a first layer of the medication cartridge and a second layer of the medication cartridge, the first layer disposed over the second layer. The label plug of the medication cartridge may further comprise a spoilage chemical reservoir, the label plug configured to deploy a spoilage chemical stored in the spoilage chemical reservoir into each of the at least one pill chamber of the medication cartridge when an auto-spoilage condition is met. The medication cartridge may be packaged by a manufacturer with a medication inside the at least one pill chamber, and the label plug of the medication cartridge is primed and inserted into the medication cartridge by the manufacturer. 
     According to an aspect, a drug dispenser system may comprise a drug dispenser machine. The drug dispenser machine may comprise a controller comprising a processor and a memory, a drive system configured to couple to the controller, and a display configured to display information sent from the controller. The drug dispenser machine may be configured to receive a medication cartridge, the controller of the drug dispenser machine configured to conduct a safety check upon receipt of a dispensing request from a user, and the drive system configured to move the medication cartridge upon receipt of a command to dispense a medication from the controller when the safety check is passed. 
     Particular embodiments may comprise one or more of the following features. The drug dispenser system may further comprise one or more medication cartridges releasably loaded onto the drug dispenser machine, the one or more medication cartridges comprising at least one pill chamber. The one or more medication cartridges may further comprise a spoilage chemical reservoir, the drug dispenser machine configured to deploy spoilage chemical stored in the spoilage chemical reservoir into each of the at least one pill chamber of the one or more medication cartridges when an auto-spoilage condition is met. The safety check may comprise at least one of checking whether a minimum period of time between doses has elapsed; checking whether a request time of the safety check is outside an adversely-indicated window of another medication; and checking whether the user&#39;s medication reaction history indicates the medication is safe for the user. 
     According to an aspect, a drug dispenser system may comprise receiving a request, by a controller, of dispensing a new dose of a medication for a user, wherein at least one dose of the medication is held inside a drug dispenser machine; conducting, by the controller, a safety check; indicating, by a display, whether the new dose of the medication is safe to be dispensed; and dispensing the medication from the drug dispenser machine if the safety check is passed. 
     Particular embodiments may comprise one or more of the following features. The safety check may comprise checking whether a minimum period of time between the new dose and an immediately-prior dose of the medication has elapsed or whether a request time of the safety check is outside an adversely-indicated window of another medication. The drug dispenser system may be configured to display an amount of time to wait before the new dose of the medication is dispensed if the minimum period of time between the new dose and the immediately-prior dose has not elapsed or if the request time of the safety check is within the adversely-indicated window of another medication. The safety check may comprise checking whether the user&#39;s medication reaction history indicates the medication is safe for the user. The drug dispenser system may be configured to set an indicator to a warning mode and display at least a portion of the user&#39;s medication reaction history that indicates the medication is unsafe for the user. The drug dispenser system may be configured to check whether the medication has expired or whether a request time of the safety check is after a prescribed time of the medication. The drug dispenser system may be configured to start an auto-spoilage mechanism if the medication has expired or if the request time of the safety check is after the prescribed time of the medication. 
     Aspects and applications of the disclosure presented here are described below in the drawings and detailed description. Unless specifically noted, it is intended that the words and phrases in the specification and the claims be given their plain, ordinary, and accustomed meaning to those of ordinary skill in the applicable arts. The inventors are fully aware that they can be their own lexicographers if desired. The inventors expressly elect, as their own lexicographers, to use only the plain and ordinary meaning of terms in the specification and claims unless they clearly state otherwise and then further, expressly set forth the “special” definition of that term and explain how it differs from the plain and ordinary meaning. Absent such clear statements of intent to apply a “special” definition, it is the inventors&#39; intent and desire that the simple, plain, and ordinary meaning to the terms be applied to the interpretation of the specification and claims. 
     The inventors are also aware of the normal precepts of English grammar. Thus, if a noun, term, or phrase is intended to be further characterized, specified, or narrowed in some way, such noun, term, or phrase will expressly include additional adjectives, descriptive terms, or other modifiers in accordance with the normal precepts of English grammar. Absent the use of such adjectives, descriptive terms, or modifiers, it is the intent that such nouns, terms, or phrases be given their plain, and ordinary English meaning to those skilled in the applicable arts as set forth above. 
     Further, the inventors are fully informed of the standards and application of the special provisions of 35 U.S.C. § 112(f). Thus, the use of the words “function,” “means” or “step” in the Detailed Description or Description of the Drawings or claims is not intended to somehow indicate a desire to invoke the special provisions of 35 U.S.C. § 112(f), to define the invention. To the contrary, if the provisions of 35 U.S.C. § 112(f) are sought to be invoked to define the inventions, the claims will specifically and expressly state the exact phrases “means for” or “step for”, and will also recite the word “function” (i.e., will state “means for performing the function of [insert function]”), without also reciting in such phrases any structure, material, or acts in support of the function. Thus, even when the claims recite a “means for performing the function of . . . ” or “step for performing the function of . . . ,” if the claims also recite any structure, material, or acts in support of that means or step, or to perform the recited function, it is the clear intention of the inventors not to invoke the provisions of 35 U.S.C. § 112112(f). Moreover, even if the provisions of 35 U.S.C. § 112(f), are invoked to define the claimed aspects, it is intended that these aspects not be limited only to the specific structure, material, or acts that are described in the preferred embodiments, but in addition, include any and all structures, material, or acts that perform the claimed function as described in alternative embodiments or forms in the disclosure, or that are well-known present or later-developed, equivalent structures, material, or acts for performing the claimed function. 
     The foregoing and other aspects, features, and advantages will be apparent to those artisans of ordinary skill in the art from the DETAILED DESCRIPTION and DRAWINGS, and from the CLAIMS. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       Implementations will hereinafter be described in conjunction with the appended drawings, where like designations denote like elements. 
         FIG. 1A  is a schematic diagram of a drug dispenser system. 
         FIG. 1B  shows an example drug dispenser system depicted in  FIG. 1A . 
         FIG. 2  is a flow chart of a safety check. 
         FIG. 3  is a flow chart of using a drug dispenser system. 
         FIG. 4A  shows a drug dispenser system configured to receive more than one medication cartridge. 
         FIG. 4B  shows the drug dispenser system of  FIG. 4A  without a cover and with a medication cartridge. 
         FIG. 5  is a flow chart of using the drug dispenser system shown in  FIG. 4A . 
         FIG. 6  shows an example of a medication cartridge. 
         FIG. 7A  shows a top view of the medication cartridge of  FIG. 6  with a top protective plate removed. 
         FIG. 7B  is a top view of another medication cartridge with its top protective plate removed. 
         FIG. 7C  is cross-section view of the medication cartridge of  FIG. 6 . 
         FIG. 7D  shows the label plug of the medication cartridge of  FIG. 6 . 
         FIG. 8A  shows an example label plug before being inserted into a medication cartridge. 
         FIG. 8B  shows the label plug of  FIG. 8A  inserted into a medication cartridge with the sleeve of the label plug being removed. 
         FIG. 9A  shows the top portion of the label plug shown in  FIG. 7D . 
         FIG. 9B  shows a top view of the medication cartridge of  FIG. 6  before medication has being dispensed. 
         FIG. 9C  shows a top portion of the label plug of  FIG. 7D  with the catching device cover retracted. 
         FIG. 9D  shows a drive system and a read/write device of the drug dispenser system to be engaged with the label plug of  FIG. 6 . 
         FIG. 9E  shows a top view of the medication cartridge of  FIG. 6 , when the medication is being dispensed, with the top protective plate of the medication cartridge removed. 
         FIG. 9F  shows the top portion of the label plug of  FIG. 7D  with the catching device returned to the pre-dispensing state. 
         FIG. 10A  shows a multi-layered medication cartridge. 
         FIG. 10B  shows the label plug of the medication cartridge of  FIG. 10A . 
         FIG. 10C  shows a drive system to be engaged with the first layer of the medication cartridge of  FIG. 10A . 
         FIG. 10D  shows the drive system to be engaged with the second layer of the medication cartridge of  FIG. 10A . 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     This disclosure, its aspects and implementations, are not limited to the specific material types, system component examples, or methods disclosed herein. Many additional components, manufacturing and assembly procedures known in the art consistent with product design and manufacture are contemplated for use with particular implementations from this disclosure. Accordingly, for example, although particular implementations are disclosed, such implementations and implementing components may comprise any components, models, types, materials, versions, quantities, and/or the like as is known in the art for such systems and implementing components, consistent with the intended operation. 
     The word “exemplary,” “example,” or various forms thereof are used herein to mean serving as an example, instance, or illustration. Any aspect or design described herein as “exemplary” or as an “example” is not necessarily to be construed as preferred or advantageous over other aspects or designs. Furthermore, examples are provided solely for purposes of clarity and understanding and are not meant to limit or restrict the disclosed subject matter or relevant portions of this disclosure in any manner. It is to be appreciated that a myriad of additional or alternate examples of varying scope could have been presented, but have been omitted for purposes of brevity. 
     While this disclosure includes embodiments in many different forms, they are shown in the drawings and will herein be described in detailed particular embodiments with the understanding that the present disclosure is to be considered as an exemplification of the principles of the disclosed methods and systems, and is not intended to limit the broad aspect of the disclosed concepts to the embodiments illustrated. 
     A conventional drug dispenser system dispenses medications for a patient when a button is pressed or a handle is moved. Conventional drug dispenser systems do not check whether the medication is safe to be dispensed at the moment when the medication is being taken too close together with the medication itself or with another medication. Conventional drug dispenser systems also do not restrict hoarded or unused medication from getting into wrong hands and being overdosed or misused. 
     Contemplated as part of this disclosure are drug dispenser systems and methods of dispensing medications to reduce risks from the medications for the users.  FIG. 1A  shows a schematic diagram of the drug dispenser system  100 ,  1100 .  FIG. 1B  shows an example drug dispenser system  100 . 
     A drug dispenser system  100 ,  1100  comprises a drug dispenser machine  200 ,  1200  and a medication cartridge  300 ,  301 ,  1300 . The drug dispenser machine  200  may further comprise a door  201  such that the drug dispenser machine  200  encloses the medication cartridge  300 ,  301 ,  1300  ( FIG. 3 ). In some embodiments, the drug dispenser machine  200  does not include a door ( FIG. 1B ). 
     The drug dispenser machine  200 ,  1200  comprises a controller  202 , a drive system  204 , and a display  206 . The controller  202  may comprise a processor  208  and a memory  210 . The controller  202  is the control center of the drug dispenser machine  200 ,  1200 . It may issue command and send and receive data, and may also start, run, and control processes run on the drug dispenser system  100 ,  1100 . The drive system  204  may be coupled to the controller  202  and be used to drive the medication cartridge  300 ,  301 ,  1300 . The display  206  may be used to display information to be seen by a user. The display  206  may be in Braille for visually-impaired users to read the information. The drug dispenser machine  200 ,  1200  may further comprise an indicator  220  to indicate the status of a dispensing process ( FIGS. 1B, 3 and 4A ). The indicator  220  may be part of the display  206  ( FIG. 1B ) or may be separate from the display  206  ( FIGS. 3 and 4A ). The drug dispenser machine  200 ,  1200  may further comprise a speaker to read out the information. The medication cartridge  300 ,  301 ,  1300  may be releasably loaded into the drug dispenser machine  200 ,  1200  or may be integrated into the drug dispenser machine  200 ,  1200  such that the drug dispenser system  100 ,  1100  is for one-time use. Multiple medication cartridges  300 ,  301 ,  1300  may be loaded to a drug dispenser machine  200 ,  1200 . 
     The drug dispenser system  100  may further comprise data storage or storage. The storage may be in the drug dispenser machine  200 ,  1200 , or may be an external storage such as the cloud. The drug dispenser machine  200 ,  1200  may further comprise a user interface  212 , a read/write device  214 , a clock  216 , and a dispensing log  218 . The user interface  212  is configured to interact with a user. The read/write device  214  may be used to read and/or write data to and from the controller and to and from the medication cartridge  300 ,  301 ,  1300 . The clock  216  may be used to keep track of and control the timing of the drug dispenser system  100 ,  1100 . The clock may be, and in some instances will be, radio-linked or otherwise coupled such that power loss or interruptions in the power supply will not stop, thwart, or limit, function or integrity of the system  100 . As such, the time on the clock may be, and in some cases will be, automatically updated, regardless of whether the clock is connected to a power source. The dispensing log  218  may store dispensing data of the drug dispenser system  100 ,  1100 , and may be stored in the memory  210  or the storage. The drug dispenser system  1000  may further comprise a size or dimensions in ranges of 15-50 centimeters (cm) long, 10-45 cm wide, and 1.5-40 cm thick, or other suitable dimensions. 
     Unlike conventional drug dispenser systems, which dispense medications at a time triggered by a timer or when requested, the drug dispenser system disclosed herein conducts safety checks before medications are dispensed. The drug dispenser system  100 ,  1100  is configured to check whether two doses of a medication are too close together, or whether the time taking one medication is too close to a time of taking another medication. The drug dispenser system  100 ,  1100  is also configured to check whether dispensing the medication is safe according to the user&#39;s allergy or medication reaction history stored or downloaded onto the system. The safety check may comprise checking whether a minimum period of time between doses has elapsed, checking whether the request time of the safety check is outside the adversely-indicated window of another medication, and checking whether the user&#39;s medication reaction history indicates the medication is safe for the user to take at the request time. 
     In some embodiments, the drug dispenser system  100 ,  1100  may comprise an anti-tampering feature, and the safety check further comprises an auto-spoilage check. The anti-tampering mechanism may be deployed when auto-spoilage conditions are met, for example, when the system has been tampered with, or when the medication is expired, or when the prescribed time of the medication has passed. The expiration time of a medication is often marked as “exp” or “used by.” The prescribed time of a medication is the duration of time that the doctor has prescribed for the patient to take the medication. For example, a doctor may prescribe a pain killer, asking the patient to take the pain killer within the prescribed time such as within the next week. In this example, the prescribed time would end at the end of the next week. A user should not take the medication after the expiration time or the prescribed time. The auto-spoilage check may comprise checking whether the medication loaded in the medication cartridge has expired, and may also include checking whether the request time for the safety check is after the prescribed time of the medication. 
       FIG. 2  shows a flow chart of an example process  400  of a safety check conducted by the drug dispenser system. A user may request medication be dispensed, or request a dose availability check, which will initiate a safety check, through the user interface. The user interface may relay the request for a safety check to the controller or trigger a request for a safety check upon a dispensing request. Upon the receipt of the request for a safety check, the controller may start the process of a safety check ( 402 ). The controller may check whether the condition for auto-spoilage is met ( 404 ). The controller may check whether the medications in the medication cartridge are expired ( 404 ). The controller may check whether the request time of the safety check is after the prescribed time for the medication ( 404 ). If the condition for auto-spoilage has been met (e.g., the medication has expired or the request time is after the prescribed time), the dispenser system starts the auto-spoilage mechanism to render the medication in the medication cartridge unusable or too unpalatable to be taken ( 406 ). In some embodiments, the safety check does not include an auto-spoilage check and, when a safety check is requested ( 402 ), the drug dispenser system  100 ,  1100  directly starts a regular safety check ( 408 ). 
     The controller may check whether the minimum period of time between doses has elapsed, whether the request is outside the adversely-indicated window of another medication, or whether the user&#39;s allergy/medication reaction history indicates the medication is safe for the user to take ( 408 ). If the answers to all of the questions are yes, the indicator is set to the safe mode and the medication is dispensed ( 410 ). The read/write device may write to the dispensing log in the drug dispenser system ( 412 ). If the answer to any of the question is no, the indicator is set to the warning mode and the display may display how long the user needs to wait until the medication may be dispensed or display that the user had an allergy or adverse medication reaction in the past ( 414 ). 
     The dispensing log may comprise two logs, one for the safety check and one for record keeping. The dispensing log may be stored on the dispensing machine or on the communication device of the label plug. In some embodiments, the dispensing log for safety check may include only the last 24-hour dispensing data of the drug dispenser system. The duration of 24 hours is suitable for examining the drug interaction with the same medication or a different medication because acute adverse effects are most likely to be visible during the next 24 hours after the consumption of the medication. It may also be suitable for patients&#39; privacy or security concerns that data not be transmitted wirelessly, and not be available to be forcibly extracted or disclosed without proper authorization or under improper circumstances. The log may be overwritten or cleared every twenty-four hours, or at any other suitable fixed period of time. The record keeping log may comprise basic information such as whether a medication has taken on a certain day so that the system can keep a record. The clock of the drug dispenser system may be used to control and keep track of the duration of the dispensing log. 
     In some instances, a lock-out code may be programmed onto a medication disc&#39;s microchip to lock-out prospective dispensing of medication from other medication discs based upon a superseding prescribing/dispensing date of newer prescriptions of the same medication, medications within the same class, or for other reasons, such as law enforcement-related, reasons. The lock-out command could be written from the dispenser device to each new medication disc with that same identification, such as for a same patient&#39;s name, and thereby propagate itself to all medication discs associated with that patient&#39;s name that have contact with a dispenser device that has received the lock-out command, either directly or indirectly, such as through medication disks. As such, any subsequent prescriptions (of any medication dispensed via Medication Discs) may serve to prevent drug abuse by locking out future dispensing from a common dispenser device. In some instances, the lock-out command could even be stored to a “secure enclave” of the dispenser&#39;s memory and be maintained for more than 24-hours or other security/privacy type memory restriction. The lock-out command may even serve to activate the auto-spoilage mechanism upon the first insertion of a verboten medication disc into the dispenser device that has received the lock-out command. As such, propagation of a lock-out command may be securely communicated without unreasonably endangering patient privacy/security. 
     While the above approach may be available for devices that are restricted from wireless communications, such as for security/privacy reasons, internet connected dispenser devices, may receive internet or wireless enabled commands or stop orders. 
     As mentioned herein, in some instances a dispenser device will not keep any memory/log beyond a certain period, such as 24-hours, to limit exposure and liability to release of medical information from the memory/log. In other instances, the dispenser device may keep a memory/log for longer than 24-hours, such as for lock-out codes, or only for lock-out codes, associated with given individuals, the memory/log being stored to a permanent (or at least long-duration) memory on the dispenser device itself. Then, when a new medication disc is inserted into the dispenser device, the dispenser device will read the new disc, check the patient&#39;s identity against any lock-out codes stored on the dispenser&#39;s “Secure Enclave” and only if there is a code associated with that patient present in memory will the dispenser device check those code(s) against the medication disc to see if a lock-out of that medication, that class of medications, or all controlled substance prescriptions are in effect. 
       FIG. 3  shows a flow chart of a user using a drug dispenser system. The user pushes a medication cartridge into a drug dispenser machine ( 502 ). The medication cartridge engages with the drug dispenser machine ( 504 ). The user presses the user interface  212 , e.g., a button, requesting to dispense a medication and the drug dispenser machine conducts a safety check ( 506 ). Depending on the result of the safety check, the drug dispenser machine indicates that the medication is safe to be dispensed ( 508 ) or unsafe to be dispensed ( 510 ). If the safety check is passed, the drug dispenser system may set the indicator  220  to a safe mode, e.g., setting the indicator  220  to green, indicating the medication is safe to be dispensed and start the dispensing process ( 508 ). If the safety check is not passed, the drug dispenser machine may indicate the medication is unsafe to be taken at the request time by setting the indicator  220  at a warning mode, e.g. setting the indicator to red ( 510 ). In some embodiments, the drug dispenser machine may display through the display  206  how long the user needs to wait before the medication is dispensed. Once the wait time has elapsed, the drug dispenser machine may start the dispensing process  508 , which may occurs after, or only after, a user requests dispensing of the medication, for example. Both elapsed wait time and a user request may prevent automatic or undesired dispensing when no user is present or ready for medication. In some embodiments, the drug dispenser machine may indicate the medication unsafe to be dispensed at the request time if the user had an allergy or an adverse reaction to the medication in the past. The drug dispenser machine may display, through the display  206 , information about the allergy or the adverse reaction. After the drug dispenser system starts the dispensing process, the medication is dispensed ( 512 ). The next time when the user requests the medication to be dispensed ( 506 ), the safety check process ( 506 - 512 ) starts again. 
     In some embodiments, the drug dispenser machine is configured to receive more than one medication cartridges.  FIGS. 4A and 4B  show an example drug dispenser system  1100  comprising a drug dispenser machine  1200  configured to receive multiple medication cartridges  300 . The medication cartridges may be loaded with the same or different medications.  FIG. 4A  shows an example drug dispenser system  1100 .  FIG. 4B  shows the example drug dispenser system  1100  with the cover  1220  of the drug dispenser machine  1200  removed to shown the inside of the drug dispenser machine  1200 . The drug dispenser machine  1200  comprises a turntable  1222 . The turntable  1222  comprises one or more cartridge slots  1224  configured to receive medication cartridges  300 . The medication cartridge  300  may comprise a placement marker  302 . The drug dispenser machine  1200  may comprise a centering marker  1226  disposed on the center of the turntable  1222 . In loading medication cartridges  300  into the drug dispenser machine  1200 , the placement marker  302  is aligned with the centering marker  1226  so that the medication cartridges all start at the same starting points. In the example drug dispenser system  1100 , shown in  FIGS. 4A and 4B , multiple cartridge slots  1224  (such as six cartridge slots) are provided and up to six medication cartridges  300  may be loaded onto the system. A person of ordinary skill in the art will appreciate that any desirable number of cartridges may be used, such as 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, or more. In some instances, cartridges will be of a same uniform size, and in other instances they may vary in size. In some instances, the multiple cartridges may be arranged in a turntable configuration, as illustrated for example in  FIG. 4B . In other instances, the cartridges may be vertically stacked one above another, such as with a front-loading arrangement, and may be similar to the arrangement shown in  FIG. 1B . 
     A user can request, through the user interfaces  212 , the medications in the medication cartridges be dispensed. In some embodiments, the drug dispenser system  1100  may comprise a user interface  212   b  for each medication cartridge, or a single interface for more than one medication cartridge, including all the cartridges. The user interface  212   b  may be combined with the indicator  220  so that, when a user presses on a user interface  212   b  for a specific medication cartridge, the user interface  212   b /indicator  220  indicates whether the medication in the specific medication cartridge is safe to be dispensed at the request time. In some embodiments, the drug dispenser system may comprise a user interface  212   a  that allow the user to inquire the safety of the medications in all medication cartridges at the same time. In some embodiments, the user interface allows the user to inquire about subsets of issues of the medications using subsets of the user interface. 
       FIG. 5  shows an example flow chart of using a multi-cartridge dispenser system. First, multiple cartridges are loaded onto the drug dispenser machine ( 602 ). In loading the medication cartridges, the medication cartridges are aligned ( 604 ). In aligning the medication cartridges  300 , the placement marker  302  on each medication cartridge  300  aligns to the centering marker  1226  on the turntable  1222  such that the medication cartridges all start at the same points. Once the cartridges are loaded, the drug dispenser system is ready for use by a user ( 606 ). A user may inquire about the medications in the medication cartridges and the medications may be dispensed ( 608 ). Because each medication cartridge  300  may be individually dispensed, the drug dispenser machine  1200  may be loaded with medication cartridges  300  having different medications, especially medications with different dosage frequencies or medications having different adversely-indicated windows with themselves or other medications. 
     An example medication cartridge  300  is shown in  FIG. 6  with the pill cover  304  pulled away from the pill opening  306  for the purpose of illustration.  FIGS. 7A-7D  show various views and parts of a medication cartridge  300 ,  301 .  FIG. 7A  and  FIG. 7B  show a medication cartridge  300 ,  301  with the top protective plate  310   a  removed.  FIG. 7C  shows a cross-section view of the medication cartridge  300 .  FIG. 7  shows a label plug  308  by itself 
     The foot print of the medication cartridge  300 ,  301  may be circular or polygonal ( FIG. 7B ). The foot print may be substantially circular such that the foot print of the medication cartridge  300 ,  301  roughly follows a circle ( FIGS. 6, 7A, and 7B ). When the foot print of the medication cartridge is a curve, the foot print is substantially circular when the distances between points on the foot print and corresponding points on the closest circle to the foot print are in the range of 0-5%, 2-10%, or 1-20% of the radius of the closest circle. If the foot print is polygonal, 75-100%, or 60-100%, or 85-100% of the vertexes of the polygon formed by the foot print are on the closest circle of the foot print. The medication cartridge may be in other shapes, such as cube, cuboid, cylinder, or prism. The size of a medication cartridge may be in a range of 15-45 cm long, 10-40 cm wide, and 1.5-35 cm thick, or of any other suitable dimension according to a number and size of pills to be dispensed. While the description describes medication doses with respect to pills or capsules, other forms of disbursing appropriate doses are also contemplated herein, such as dosages dispensed as liquids or syrups. 
     The medication cartridge  300 ,  301 ,  1300  may comprise a label plug  308 ,  1308 , at least one pill chamber  316 , and at least one protective plate  310  that covers a majority of the at least one pill chamber  316  ( FIGS. 6-10B ). The label plug  308 ,  1308  is configured to couple to and drive the pill chambers  316 . When the safety check is passed, the controller may send out a dispending command and control the drive system to engage with and drive the label plug and, in turn, the label plug may move the pill chambers to dispense medications. Medication cartridges may be formed of plastic, metal, wood, or other material known to a person skilled in the art. 
     The protective plate or part of the protective plate may be translucent so that a user may see through the protective plate to check if the medication cartridge has any medication left. The medication cartridge  300 ,  301 ,  1300  may further comprise a side  322  ( FIGS. 7A-7D ). The side  322  may be tension fitted into the recess  324  on the bottom protective plate  310   b.  The protective plate  310  may comprise a pill opening  306 . The medication cartridge  300 ,  301 ,  1300  may further comprise a pill cover  304 . The pill cover  304  may cover the pill opening  306 . In some embodiments, the medication cartridge may comprise a top protective plate  310   a  and a bottom protective plate  310   b  to cover the medication loaded inside ( FIGS. 6 and 7C ). A medication cartridge having both a top protective plate and a bottom protective plate may be convenient for a multi-layered medication cartridge configuration, where one medication cartridge may be placed on top of another and, during dispensing of medications, all of the pill openings on the protective plates are lined up so that the medication on the top layer may be dispensed through the pill openings. 
     The medication cartridge  300 ,  301 ,  1300  may comprise a carousel  314 ,  1314  ( FIGS. 7A-7C, and 10B ). A carousel  314 ,  1314  comprises one or more pill chambers  316 . The pill chambers may be arranged around a hub  318 . In some embodiments, each pill chamber  316  is connected to the hub through a channel  320 . The channel may be used to release spoilage chemical into the pill chambers when the medication cartridge is tampered or the auto-spoilage mechanism is deployed. 
     A label plug  308 ,  1308  may be inserted into the medication cartridge  300 ,  301 ,  1300 . In some embodiments, the label plug  308 ,  1308  is inserted into the hub  318  of the carousel  314 ,  1314  ( FIGS. 7A, 7B, 7C, and 10B ). A label plug is used to drive the carousel and may also be used to deploy the auto-spoilage mechanism.  FIGS. 7D and 10B  show an example label plug  308 ,  1308  with its sleeve  326  removed (an example sleeve  326  is shown in  FIG. 8A ). 
     The label plug  308 ,  1308  may comprise one or more locking bars  344  disposed on the sides of the label plug  308 ,  1308 . The locking bars  344  are used to secure the label plug into the hub  318  of the carousel  314 ,  1314  by engaging into the cover recesses  346  in the protective plates  310 . A label plug  308  may comprise a catching device  328  configured to be driven by the drive system  204  of the drug dispenser machine  200 ,  1200 , and one or more drive arm  330 ,  1330   a,    1330   b  coupled to the catching device  328 . Each of the drive arm  330 ,  1330   a ,  1330   b  may engage with a recess  332  on a pill chamber  316  so that, when the drive system  204  engages with the catching device  328 , the drive system  204  drives the pill chamber  316  through the drive arms  330 ,  1330   a,    1330   b.  The label plug  308 ,  1308  may further comprise a catching device cover  334  and a cover actuator  336 . The catching device cover  334  may be used to cover the catching device  328  to restrict the catching device  328  from being engaged with the drive system  204 . The cover actuator  336  may control the movement of the catching device cover  334 . A non-limiting embodiment of a cover actuator may be a solenoid that magnetically attracts, or loses the attraction of, the catching device cover when electric current is turned on or off. 
     The label plug  308 ,  1308  may further comprise a pill cover activating bar  338 ,  1338  which may push the pill cover  304  away from the pill opening  306  so that medications may be dispensed through the pill opening  306 . The label plug  308 ,  1308  may further comprise a communication device  340 . The communication device  340  may, and in some cases will, be a radio-frequency identification chip, a microchip, or other devices that contains electronically stored information. The communication device  340  may comprise dispensing data. By comprising a radio-link or other suitable connection, the communication device  340  may continue to function without interruption, and without a loss of system integrity, in the case of power loss or power interruptions interruption. The label plug  308 ,  1308  may further comprise a read/write device connector  342 . The communication device  340  is operably coupled to the read/write device  214  of the drug dispenser machine  200 ,  1200 . The coupling between the communication device  340  and the read/write device  214  may be through the read/write device connector  342 . The communication device  340  may directly communicate with the read/write device  214 . For example, in some instances the read/write device  214  may directly read or write from the communication device  340  through a direct connection and not wirelessly, to prevent hacking or security compromises to the medical/dispensing history. In other instances, communication may be done wirelessly. 
     The label plug  308 ,  1308  may further comprise a spoilage chemical reservoir  348 ,  1348  stored with spoilage chemical  350  ( FIGS. 7C, 7D, and 10B ). In some embodiments, the spoilage chemical may be light sensitive such that, if the medication cartridge is tampered and light enters inside the medication cartridge, the spoilage chemical is activated. The spoilage chemical  350  may be contained in a membrane  368 . The membrane may be formed of plastics. The label plug  308 ,  1308  may further comprise one or more pins  352 . When auto-spoilage mechanism is deployed either because the auto-spoilage check has failed or because the drug dispenser machine  200 ,  1200  is tampered, the pins  352  are pushed toward and puncture the membrane  368 . As a result, the spoilage chemical  350  flows through the trough  366  and through the channel  320  into each pill chamber  316  to render the medications useless. The spoilage chemical may neutralize or sequester the active ingredients in the medication. The spoilage chemical may render the medication so unpalatable that a person would not take the medication. The spoilage chemical may be a chemical heater and incinerate the medication. 
     The label plug  308 ,  1308  may further comprise a moisture sensor  360  that senses the moisture level inside the label plug ( FIGS. 7C, 7D and 10B ). The signal of the moisture sensor is transmitted to the communication device  340 . If the moisture sensor  360  senses the moisture level is too high due to the presence of spoilage chemical spilled outside the spoilage chemical reservoir, that means the auto-spoilage mechanism may have been deployed and the medications inside the medication cartridge  300 ,  301 ,  1300  is not usable. In such a situation, the communication device  340  may override the command to dispense medications sent from the drug dispenser machine  200 ,  1200 , and keep the catching devices  328 ,  1328   a ,  1328   b  covered by the catching device cover  334  so that medications are not dispensed. 
     The label plug  308 ,  1308  may come as separated from the carousel  314 ,  1314 .  FIGS. 8A and 8B  show an example label plug  308  being fitted into a hub  318  of a carousel  314 . First, the label plug  308  may be inserted into the hub  318  by aligning the sleeve marker  356  (e.g., an arrow) on the sleeve  326  with a corresponding hub marker  358  (e.g., a corresponding arrow) on the hub  318  of the carousel  314  ( FIG. 8A ). The sleeve marker may be a projection or a recess. The hub marker may be a corresponding recess or a corresponding projection. Once the sleeve marker  356  is fitted into the corresponding hub marker  358 , the sleeve  326  may be pulled out and, as a result, the locking bars  344 , the drive arm  330 , and the pill cover activating bars  338  are released and engage with the carousel  314  ( FIG. 8B ). 
     In some embodiments, the medication cartridge may be premanufactured by a manufacturer, such as a pharmaceutical company or a medication packaging company. The medication cartridge may be packaged by the manufacturer with medication included inside and the label plug has been inserted into the medication cartridge. When a pharmacy fulfills a prescription for a patient, the pharmacy may give the patient the premanufactured medication cartridge, without loading medications into the medication cartridge at the pharmacy. In some embodiments, the pharmacy may assemble a medication cartridge for a patient by loading the medications into a medication cartridge and inserting the label plug into the medication cartridge to secure the medications from being tampered, overdosed, or other improper uses. The manufacturer or the pharmacy may write to the communication device of the medication cartridge with information about the medication loaded inside, such as dosage, dosage frequency, potential adverse reaction with itself or other medications, or the patient&#39;s allergy or adverse reaction history. The pharmacy may also write to the communication device with patient-specific information, such as the patient&#39;s name and date of birth, to help synchronize the dispensing of medications and reconcile the dispensing logs. 
     To dispense medications, the drive system  204  of the drug dispenser machine  200 ,  1200  may engage with the label plug  308 ,  1308  and, in turn, removes the pill cover  304  away from the pill chamber  316  in the carousel  314 ,  1314  to dispense the medications in the pill chamber  316 . The drug dispenser machine  200 ,  1200  also communicates with the label plug  308 ,  1308  to update the dispensing data about the medication cartridge  300 ,  301 ,  1300 . 
       FIGS. 9A-9F  show an example process of the drive system  204  engaging with the top portion  309  of the label plug  308  to dispense medications.  FIG. 9A  shows the top  309  of the label plug  308  at a resting state, where the catching device cover  334  covers the catching device  328 .  FIG. 9B  shows a top view of the medication cartridge  300  at the resting state, where the pill cover  304  covers the pill opening  306  and the pill opening  306  is not aligned with the next pill chamber  316  that holds the medications  354  to be dispensed next. Once the drug dispenser machine  200 ,  1200  has started a dispensing process, the drug dispenser machine  200 ,  1200  sends a command to dispense medications to the communication device  340  of the label plug  308 . The communication device  340  then sends a command to the cover actuator  336 , the cover actuator  336  retracts the catching device cover  334 , and the catching device  328  becomes accessible to the drive system  204  ( FIG. 9C ). The drive system  204  may come into contact and engage with the catching device  328  ( FIG. 9D ). In some embodiments, the drive system  204  rotates the catching device  328 , the label plug  308 , the carousel  314 , and the pill chamber  316 . In some embodiments, the drive system  204  comprises a sear  222 , such as a bar or part of a trigger mechanism, which is recessed within the shaft  224  of the drive system  204  when the drive system  204  is not activated, but when the drug dispenser machine activates the auto-spoilage mechanism, the sear emerges from the shaft  224  to engage with the label plug  308  ( FIG. 9D ) and the auto-spoilage mechanism by collapsing the springs restraining the pins from collapsing the spoilage chemical reservoir. The read/write device  214  may also engage with the communication device  340 . In some embodiments, the read/write device  214  engages with the communication device  340  through the read/write device connector  342 . The read/write device  214  reads and/or writes dispending data, such as the dispensing log, from and/or to the communication device  340 . After the carousel is moved, the pill opening  306  aligns with the pill chamber  316  and, then the pill cover  304  is retracted to allow the medications to be dispensed ( FIG. 9E ). Once the medications are dispensed, the drive system  204  and the read/write device  214  retract from the label plug  308 , the communication device  340  issues a command to the cover actuator  336  to return to the pre-dispensing state, and the cover actuator  336  pushes the catching device cover  334  out to cover the catching device  328  ( FIG. 9F ). The catching device  328  becomes inaccessible to the drive system  204 . 
     A medication cartridge  1300  may have a multi-layered carousel  1314  ( FIGS. 10A-10B ).  FIG. 10A  shows an example medication cartridge  1300  with a carousel  1314  having two layers  1302 ,  1304 . The number of layers is not limited to two as shown in  FIG. 10A . Medication cartridges having multiple layers of carousels may be used to dispense medications that last a long duration, e.g., two weeks or longer, without replacing the medication cartridge from the drug dispenser machine. 
       FIG. 10B  shows the cross-section view a multi-layered medication cartridge  1300 . The medication cartridge  1300  comprises a multi-layered carousel  1314  and a label plug  1308  driving the carousel  1314 . The carousel  1314  may comprise a first layer  1302  and a second layer  1304 . The first layer  1302  may be placed on top of the second layer  1304 . The first layer  1302  may have the same structure as, or similar structure to, the second layer  1304 , sharing the protective plate  310  and the pill cover  304  between the layers. The label plug  1308  may comprise a first catching device  1328   a  configured to couple with the first layer  1302  of the carousel  1314 , and a second catching device  1328   b  configured to couple with the second layer  1304  of the carousel  1314 . The label plug  1308  may comprise a first drive arm  1330   a,  a second drive arm  1330   b,  and two or more pill cover activating bar  1338 . Once the label plug  1308  is primed by being inserted into the hub  318  and the sleeve  326  being off the label plug  1308 , the first drive arm  1330   a  or the second drive arm engages with the recesses  332  on the pill chambers  316 , and the pill cover activating bars  1338  engage with the pill covers  304 . 
     The label plug  1308  may further comprise a spoilage chemical reservoir configured to couple with both layers  1302 ,  1304  of the carousel  1314 . When the label plug  1308  is primed, the channel lip  362  connects the channel  320  leading to the pill chamber  316  with the trough opening  364  of the trough  366  in the label plug  1308 . When the auto-spoilage mechanism is deployed, the pins  352  punctures the membrane  368  containing the spoilage chemical  350  and the spoilage chemical  350  flows to the trough  366  and further to the pill chambers  316  through the channels  320  to spoil the medications held in the pill chambers. The pill chamber or the bottom protective plate may comprise a speedbump for the spoilage chemical to have sufficient time to react with the medications in the pill chamber. The speedbump may conform to the shape of the pill chamber outline. 
     The drive system  204  of a drug dispenser machine  200  may have a variable-depth spindle  1320  ( FIGS. 10C and 10D ). When the drive system  204  is driving the first layer  1302  of the carousel  1314  to dispense medications held in the first layer  1302 , the spindle  1320  of the drive system  204  engages with the first catching device  1328   a  of the label plug  1308  at a first depth ( FIG. 10C ). When the drive system  204  is driving the second layer  1304  to dispense medications held in the second layer  1304 , the spindle  1320  of the drive system  204  moves to a second depth and engages with the second catching device  1328   b  of the label plug  1308  ( FIG. 10D ). In the multi-layered medication cartridge  1300 , dispensing medications may start from the second layer  1304 , or may start from the first layer  1302  if the pill chamber  316   a  to be dispensed next in the first layer  1302  will line up with an empty pill chamber  316   b  in the second layer  1304  during the dispensing process ( FIG. 10A ). 
     To increase the number of the layers in a multi-layered medication cartridge, more catching devices may be added below the existing catching devices, or a mirrored label plug may be disposed at the underside of the existing label plug so that the mirrored label plug may be accessed from below. 
     The drug dispenser system may be for single use, similar to a single-use camera. The pharmacy or the manufacturer delivers one or more medication cartridges within a drug dispenser machine to a user. The single-use drug dispenser system is configured to be difficult for the user to take out the medication cartridge without taking apart the drug dispenser machine. A single-use drug dispenser system offers a cheap and convenient alternative for a user. 
     A dispenser machine may be used by multiple users. The dispensing logs are coordinated among the users, but individual information may be recorded separately. 
     The drug dispenser system may comprise a synching terminal  226  ( FIG. 1B ). In some instances, a patient may have more than one drug dispenser system. The synching terminal  226  may synchronize the drug dispenser systems of the patient to manage all of the patient&#39;s medication needs. 
     Unlike conventional drug dispenser systems, the drug dispenser system disclosed herein conducts a safety check before medications stored in the medication cartridges are dispensed. The safety check comprises checking any potential adverse reaction between doses of the same medication or between different medications, or checking against the user&#39;s own history of allergy or adverse medication reactions. If the safety check has failed, the drug dispenser system does not dispense medications. The safety check may comprise an auto-spoilage check, e.g., checking whether the medications have expired or passed the prescribed time. The drug dispenser system may initiate an auto-spoilage mechanism when the auto-spoilage check has failed or when the drug dispenser system is tampered with. The medication cartridges may be returned to the pharmacy. The pharmacy may reuse or refill the medication cartridges. The pharmacy may read the data on the medication cartridge and check the usage compliance of the medication. The safety check and the auto-spoilage mechanism may limit overdose, misuse, or prescription drug abuse problems that have caused a public health crisis in the U.S. 
     This disclosure, its aspects and implementations, are not limited to the specific components or assembly procedures disclosed herein. Many additional components and assembly procedures known in the art consistent with the intended drug dispenser systems and methods of dispensing medications will become apparent for use with implementations of the apparatus and methods in this disclosure. In places where the description above refers to particular implementations of drug dispenser systems, it should be readily apparent that a number of modifications may be made without departing from the spirit thereof and that these implementations may be applied to other drug dispenser systems. The presently disclosed implementations are, therefore, to be considered in all respects as illustrative and not restrictive, the scope of the disclosure being indicated by the appended claims rather than the foregoing description. All changes that come within the meaning of, and range of equivalency of, the description are intended to be embraced therein. Accordingly, for example, although particular drug dispenser systems and methods of dispensing medications are disclosed, such apparatus, methods, and implementing components may comprise any shape, size, style, type, model, version, class, grade, measurement, concentration, material, quantity, or the like as is known in the art for such apparatus, methods, and implementing components, and/or the like consistent with the intended operation of the drug dispenser systems and methods of dispensing medications may be used.