System, method, and apparatus for dispensing oral medications

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9400873-B2
Application number	US-201213723235-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 21, 2012
Priority date	Dec 21, 2011
Publication date	Jul 26, 2016
Grant date	Jul 26, 2016

Abstract

A pill dispenser includes a housing, a pill-dispensing mechanism, a receptacle, a pill-viewing camera, an identifying camera, one or more processors, and a storage medium (e.g., a memory). The pill-dispensing mechanism is coupled to an opening of the housing. The first pill-viewing camera is positioned to capture an image of the receptacle, and the identifying camera is positioned to capture an image of an area adjacent to the housing. The one or more processors are in operative communication with the pill-dispensing mechanism, the pill-viewing camera, and the identifying camera. The storage medium stores processor-executable instructions for: instructing the pill-dispensing mechanism to dispense a pill; instructing the pill-viewing camera to capture a first image of the pill to determine a presence of the pill; instructing the pill-viewing camera to capture a second image to determine an absence of the pill; and instructing the identifying camera to capture a third image.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A pill dispenser, comprising:
a housing defining an opening;
a pill-dispensing mechanism disposed within the housing and operatively coupled to the opening;
a receptacle operatively coupled to the housing;
a first pill-viewing camera positioned to view the receptacle;
an identifying camera positioned to view an area adjacent to the housing;
at least one processor in operative communication with the pill-dispensing mechanism, the first pill-viewing camera, and the identifying camera;
a button operatively coupled to the housing, wherein the button is in operative communication with the at least one processor; and
a non-transitory storage medium for storing processor executable instructions configured for execution by the at least one processor for providing instructions to the pill dispenser, the instructions comprising the steps of:
instructing the pill-dispensing mechanism to dispense a pill;
instructing the first pill-viewing camera to capture a first image of the pill,
determining a presence of the pill within the first image;
instructing the first pill-viewing camera to capture a second image;
determining an absence of the pill within the second image; and
instructing the identifying camera to capture a plurality of images including a third image in accordance with a predetermined schedule when the button is pressed.

2. The pill dispenser according to claim 1 , wherein the storage medium further comprises processor executable instructions configured for execution by the at least one processor for providing instructions to the pill dispenser, the instructions comprising the step of determining compliance has occurred if the first image includes an image of the pill and the second image does not include another image of the pill.

3. The pill dispenser according to claim 1 , wherein the storage medium further comprises processor executable instructions configured for execution by the at least one processor for providing instructions to the pill dispenser, the instructions comprising the step of instructing the identifying camera to capture the third image after a predetermined amount of time after the pill is dispensed by the pill-dispensing mechanism.

4. A pill dispenser, comprising:
a housing defining an opening;
a pill-dispensing mechanism disposed within the housing and operatively coupled to the opening;
a receptacle operatively coupled to the housing;
a first pill-viewing camera positioned to view the receptacle;
an identifying camera positioned to view an area adjacent to the housing;
at least one processor in operative communication with the pill-dispensing mechanism, the first pill-viewing camera, and the identifying camera;
a button disposed on the housing; and
a non-transitory storage medium for storing processor executable instructions configured for execution by the at least one processor for execution by the at least one processor for providing instructions to the pill dispenser, the instructions comprising the steps of:
instructing the pill-dispensing mechanism to dispense a pill;
instructing the first pill-viewing camera to capture a first image of the pill,
determining a presence of the pill within the first image;
instructing the first pill-viewing camera to capture a second image;
determining an absence of the pill within the second image; and
instructing the identifying camera to capture a series of images including the third image until the at least one processor identifies a presence of at least one face in a captured image of the series of captured images when the button is pressed.

5. The pill dispenser according to claim 1 , wherein the storage medium further comprises processor executable instructions configured for execution by the at least one processor for providing instructions to the pill dispenser, the instructions comprising the steps of:
storing the third image in the storage medium; and
encrypting the third image within the storage medium.

6. The pill dispenser according to claim 5 , wherein the stored third image is encrypted using a public key of a pair of asymmetrical encryption keys.

7. The pill dispenser according to claim 6 , further comprising a communication component in operative communication with the at least one processor, wherein the storage medium further comprises processor executable instructions configured for execution by the at least one processor for providing instructions to the pill dispenser, the instructions comprising the step of operatively communicating the encrypted third image to a server via the communication component.

8. The pill dispenser according to claim 1 , wherein the storage medium further comprises processor executable instructions configured for execution by the at least one processor for providing instructions to the pill dispenser, the instructions comprising the steps of:
determining whether a face within the third image is an authorized user; and
communicating the third image to a server with an indication of whether the face within the third image is authorized.

9. The pill dispenser according to claim 1 , further comprising a speaker disposed within the housing, wherein the at least one processor is in operative communication with the speaker; and wherein the storage medium further comprises processor executable instructions configured for execution by the at least one processor for providing instructions to the pill dispenser, the instructions comprising the step of instructing the speaker to audibly sound a reminder when the second image includes the pill and a predetermined amount of time has elapsed.

10. The pill dispenser according to claim 1 , further comprising a scale integrated into the receptacle, wherein the at least one processor is in operative communication with the scale and receives a weight therefrom, wherein the storage medium further comprises processor executable instructions configured for execution by the at least one processor for providing instructions to the pill dispenser, the instructions comprising the step of identifying the pill based upon an estimated weight of the pill using the scale.

11. The pill dispenser according to claim 10 , wherein the at least one processor estimates the weight of the pill by subtracting an estimated weight of a cup disposed within the receptacle.

12. The pill dispenser according to claim 1 , further comprising a second pill-viewing camera positioned to capture an image of the pill through a transparent cup bottom.

13. The pill dispenser according to claim 12 , wherein the second pill-viewing camera is one of: disposed within the receptacle and coupled to the receptacle.

14. The pill dispenser according to claim 13 , wherein the storage medium further comprises processor executable instructions configured for execution by the at least one processor for providing instructions to the pill dispenser, the instructions comprising the steps of:
instructing the second pill-viewing camera to capture a fourth image of the pill; and
identifying the pill using the first and fourth images.

15. The pill dispenser according to claim 14 , wherein the at least one processor identifies the pill using at least one of a color of the pill, a shape of the pill, characters on the pill, and a plurality of colors of the pill as determined using the first and fourth images.

16. The pill dispenser according to claim 14 , wherein the storage medium further comprises processor executable instructions configured for execution by the at least one processor for providing instructions to the pill dispenser, the instructions

Assignees

• Deka Products Lp

Inventors

• Kamen Dean
• Turner James G
• Sabin Erik N
• Rivinius Gregg W
• Collins David E
• Zaslow Benjamin
• Zobro Jonathan
• Therrien Alexander R
• Farlow Jared N

Classifications

• H04N23/57

  Mechanical or electrical details of cameras or camera modules specially adapted for being embedded in other devices · CPC title

• G16H20/13 Primary

  delivered from dispensers · CPC title

• G16H20/17

  delivered via infusion or injection · CPC title

• G16H10/60

  for patient-specific data, e.g. for electronic patient records · CPC title

• G16H40/63

  for local operation · CPC title