Patent Publication Number: US-7720568-B2

Title: System and method for monitored delivery of products

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
   The invention pertains to monitored product delivery systems. More particularly, the invention pertains to monitored medication delivery systems. 
   BACKGROUND 
   In circumstances where it is desirable or important to be able to dispense products, for example, daily in a timely manner, manual reminders such as notes and the like can be used to remind the individual or individuals who are supposed to access the products as to the schedule. At times, even in the best of the circumstances, it is difficult to remember such schedules. One particular example where many individuals interface with such schedules is in connection with taking medication. Particularly, as individuals age, they may have a medication schedule which runs from day to day on a repetitive basis, but which may require taking one or more prescription drugs in accordance with that schedule. 
   At times, the individual or individuals may be alone. Care givers may not be present during the times and/or days when the medications are to be taken. Nevertheless, it would be desirable to be able to track the individual&#39;s adherence to the respective schedule. 
   There thus continues to be a need for systems and methods of tracking adherence to product delivery schedules. Preferably, such systems and methods could carry out the desired tracking function automatically and transparently where the schedule is consistently being adhered to. In instances where there is a deviation from a preset schedule, follow up could preferably be provided relatively promptly. 

   
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       FIG. 1  is a perspective view of a product dispensing unit in accordance with the invention; and 
       FIG. 2  is a block diagram of an electronic system which can incorporate a plurality of the dispensing units of  FIG. 1 . 
   

   DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
   While this invention is susceptible of embodiment in many different forms, there are shown in the drawing and will be described herein in detail specific embodiments thereof with the understanding that the present disclosure is to be considered as an exemplification of the principles of the invention and is not intended to limit the invention to the specific embodiments illustrated. 
   A disclosed embodiment of a product delivery station incorporates a plurality of compartments for temporary storage of the respective product or products. Compartments can be associated with days of the week and/or times of the day. When the schedule calls for a product to be accessed, the accessing individual opens the appropriate compartment to obtain the product. 
   In a disclosed embodiment, when a compartment is opened, a signal or message can be sent, via either a wired or wireless medium, to a monitoring station indicating which compartment has been opened and the time of day. A schedule database at the monitoring station can be used to either automatically or manually compare the data received and the signal or the message to a prerecorded schedule associated with that individual. A determination can be made if the individual is operating in compliance with the schedule. 
   If non-compliance is detected, the individual can be contacted either in person or for example, by telephone or via the internet to check on the status and if need be provide a schedule reminder to the individual. Data can be collected at the monitoring station as to the individual&#39;s compliance or non-compliance with the pre-established schedule. Trends can be identified. 
   The product delivery apparatus, in a disclosed embodiment, can be periodically loaded with appropriate products, for example, on a weekly basis. Representative types of product could include tickets which are to be dispensed for a flight, such as airline tickets, prescription medications, access key cards and the like, all without limitation. 
   The compartments of the dispensing unit can be covered with an openable lid or member. In one embodiment, the lid or member can be held closed by a lock until access is appropriate with the predetermined schedule. Compartments are equipped with one or more sensors indicating when the compartment has been opened or accessed by an individual. 
   A plurality of dispensing units or stations can be in wired or wireless communication with a common monitoring system. Signals indicating product access can be communicated to the common monitoring system. 
   Received signals can be compared with prestored schedules to ascertain whether the individual or individuals have appropriately accessed the product or products in accordance with the prestored schedule. Optional feedback can be provided from the monitoring station to the individual or individuals inquiring as to the status thereof, whether the product is going to be accessed as expected, and/or offering suggestions or help as needed. 
     FIG. 1  is a perspective view of a dispensing apparatus  10  in accordance with the invention. The apparatus  10  includes a housing  12  which defines a plurality of internal containers, compartments or regions such as  14   a ,  14   b , . . .  14   p . Each of the internal containers or compartments is closed with a cover or lid such as  16   a ,  16   b  . . .  16   e  . . .  16   p.    
   Each of the compartment covers, such as representative cover  16   e  can be opened, illustrated in phantom in  FIG. 1 , for access to the respective compartment. The compartments can be used to temporarily store a plurality of different products, such as I 1 , I 2  . . . I 1 . It will be understood that the nature, shape, size and the like of the products are not limitations of the present invention. Representative products could include tickets, such as airline tickets, cards, such as dispensable value carrying cards or access cards, prescription medications and the like, all without limitation. 
   If desired, the various compartments such as  14   a, b  . . . could each carry a reminder of day and time indicia indicated generally at  20   a  . . .  20   k  . . .  20   n  all without limitation. The day and time indicia, if desired, could be color coded. 
   Additional indicia could be provided on an underside of the respective covers, such as indicia  22   e  of compartment  14   e . The supplemental or additional indicia  22   e  would be viewable only when the respective container was opened, as illustrated in  FIG. 1 . 
   Dispensing unit  10  includes an electronic section  26 , circuitry for which is best seen in  FIG. 2 . The unit  10  can be energized off of utility supplied power, via cord and plug  28 . The utility supplied power can be supplemented with a battery backup. 
   Representative circuitry  26 , relative to  FIG. 2 , can include dispensing unit control circuitry  30   a , which could be implemented at least in part with a processor and prestored instructions. The control circuits  30   a  can also incorporate a time and day clock  30   b  for locally checking times of access. 
   Each of the units  10 - 1 , - 2 , - n  (which correspond to unit  10 ) can also include a power supply with battery back-up  32 . A plurality of optional cover latches  34  can individually release (under control of processor  32   a ) each of the covers  16  to provide access to the respective member of the plurality  14 . 
   Each of the compartments  14   a  . . .  14   p  includes at least one cover position sensor which generates a respective output signal, S 1 , S 2  . . . Sp, which is coupled to the control circuitry  30   a . The signals S 1  . . . Sp provide day and time information to the control circuits  30   a  as to when the respective compartment has been accessed. Access information as to when one or more of the respective compartments  14   i  has been accessed can be coupled via a wired or wireless medium to a displaced monitoring console  40 . The received signals or messages can be compared to an appropriate prestored scheduled stored in a database  42 . 
   Control software and/or circuitry at the console  40  can then provide indicia, perhaps via graphical output device  44  to an operator O as to the relationship between when the respective compartment or compartments has been accessed and the prestored schedule. Additionally, the operator O can be informed by console  40  of instances where a product was expected to be dispensed in accordance with a prestored schedule and no access signal was received from the respective dispensing unit, such as the unit  10 . In such an event, the operator O can follow up either by arranging for a personal visit to the location R 1  of the unit, such as the unit  10 - 1  or by telephone call using telephone T or a combination of both as required. 
   In accordance with the invention, a plurality of units  10 - 1 , - 2 , - m  (all of which are substantially identical to the unit  10  of  FIG. 1 ) can be positioned at a plurality of locations R 1 , R 2  . . . Rm where products are to be dispensed in accordance with pre-established schedule. The units  10 -I can communicate as described above, with the control console  40 . 
   It will be understood that neither the exact nature of the schedules stored at the database  42  nor the nature of the products being dispensed are limitations of the present invention. Additional schedules can be added via the control console  40  as needed. Obsolete schedules can be deleted in the normal course of operation. 
   The dispensing units, such as the dispensing unit  10 , can be provided with one or more of a variety of additional features as may be convenient and desirable. For example, unit  10  could incorporate an audio output transducer, such as a speaker  50  for the purpose of enunciating prestored or pre-recorded reminder or alert messages. These could include, without limitation, a message that it is an appropriate day and time to access a product from one of the containers and/or one or more confirmatory responses indicating that the appropriate compartment has been accessed at an appropriate day and time in accordance with a pre-stored schedule. The control circuits  30   a  can incorporate storage for the purpose of storing one or more product delivery schedules as might be convenient and desirable. Such schedules could be downloaded, for example, from control console  40  or could be entered locally if desired. Unit  10  could also include speech synthesis circuitry as would be understood by those of skill in the art. 
   Unit  10  could also incorporate a plurality of inputs  52  which could include manual means to control the volume of any audible outputs from speaker  50 , a microphone for recording one or more reminder and/or confirmatory messages, a switch or keyboard or other form of manually operable input device to disable the audible outputted messages, set the unit  10  for recording messages or schedules or the like, all without limitation. 
   One of more visual displays  54  can be carried on unit  10  for providing a time of day and day of the week output off of clock  30   b , light emitting diodes or other visual indicators as to status, for example, that it is time and an appropriate date to open a container. If desired, the number of the appropriate container could also be presented on display  54  as an aid to the person using the unit  10 . The control circuits  30   a  could also provide control signals to a plurality of light emitting diodes or other output indicators  60   a,b . . . p  associated with respective containers to illuminate an indicator identifying a compartment or a container to be opened. 
   Additionally, control circuits  30   a  could detect, based on inputs from sensors S 1  . . . Sp, when unit  10  has dispensed all of the prestored product and it is necessary to refill same. Appropriate messages can be forwarded to control console  40  in this regard. Additional features can be added, all without limitation. 
   From the foregoing, it will be observed that numerous variations and modifications may be effected without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. It is to be understood that no limitation with respect to the specific apparatus illustrated herein is intended or should be inferred. It is, of course, intended to cover by the appended claims all such modification as fall with the scope of the claims.