Patent ID: 8453874

Claim:
A packaged pill dispensing apparatus comprising: at least one cartridge constructed and arranged to dispense individually packaged pills; a packaged pill dispenser constructed and arranged to removably receive at least one cartridge, the packaged pill dispenser having a pill collector constructed and arranged to collect individually packaged pills dispensed from the at least one cartridge; a low pill sensor constructed and arranged to sense a number of individually packaged pills remaining in the cartridge; a pill collector sensor constructed and arranged to signal when a patient has removed the individually packaged pill from the pill collector; and a controller constructed and arranged to control the rate and number of the individually packaged pills to be dispensed from the at least one cartridge to the pill collector, the controller comprising a timer having inputs for inputting the day and time of day for dispensing the individually packaged pills from the cartridge, the controller being in communication with the low pill sensor to provide an alert when the number of the individually packaged pills is low or last remaining individually packaged pill is present in the cartridge, the controller being in communication with the pill collector sensor to provide an alert when an individually packaged pill has remained in pill collector beyond a set time period, and the controller being constructed and arranged to provide an alert when the individually packaged pill is dispensed into the pill collector.