Patent ID: 7896192

Claim:
A medication dispenser for permitting access to medication doses by a patient only after a minimum dosing interval between consecutive doses, the medication dispenser comprising: a medication tray comprising medication retention areas, wherein prior to dispensing any medication doses, medication retention areas carrying a medication dose alternate with empty medication retention areas; a cover disposed over the medication tray, the cover defining a dose opening therein through which a dose in a retention area can be accessed when the dose opening is aligned with a medication retention area carrying a medication dose; an indicator for indicating when the minimum dosing interval has elapsed; an authenticating element responsive to patient identification information for authenticating the patient to access a medication dose, the authenticating element operable to authenticate the patient only after the minimum dosing interval has elapsed; and a controller for aligning the dose opening and a retention area carrying a medication dose to present a medication dose through the dose opening after the patient has been authenticated, the medication dose available through the dose opening for a predetermined time, after the predetermined time the controller for moving the medication tray to align the dose opening with an empty retention area; wherein responsive to a failed patient authentication attempt or lack of an authentication attempt, the controller does not rotate the tray to align the dose opening with a retention area carrying a medication dose.