Container with electronically controlled interlock

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9796576-B2
Application number	US-201414469381-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 26, 2014
Priority date	Aug 30, 2013
Publication date	Oct 24, 2017
Grant date	Oct 24, 2017

Abstract

The apparatus and methods of the current invention utilize a container having an interlock that prevents filling the container, dispensing from the container, or both, as well as a detecting mechanism that senses a unique identifier associated with a particular product allowing its use in conjunction with the container.

First claim

What is claimed:

1. An apparatus, comprising:
a first container defining a first opening, wherein the first container comprises:
a sensor configured to sense a unique identifier (UID) value;
an interlock device configured to control transferability of content through the first opening; and
a controller communicatively coupled to the sensor and the interlock device;
a memory storing a plurality of UID values acceptable to the first container; and

a second container, comprising:
a first UID value capable of being sensed by the sensor; and
contents transferrable through the first opening of the first container;

wherein the controller of the first container is programmed to:
receive the first UID value from the sensor;
determine whether the first UID value matches one of the plurality of acceptable UID values stored in the memory; and
instruct the interlock device to transfer the contents through the first opening of the first container based on a match between the first UID value and an acceptable UID value.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the second container further comprises:
a cap comprising the first UID value.

3. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the first container is a bottle.

4. The apparatus of claim 3 , wherein the second container is a bottle.

5. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the second container further comprises:
a removable adhesive comprising the first UID value.

6. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the controller of the first container is further programmed to:
instruct the interlock device to prevent the transfer of the contents through the first opening of the first container based on a mismatch between the first UID value and an acceptable UID value.

7. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the transfer of the contents through the first opening comprises at least one of:
fill the first container with the contents from the second container; or
dispense the contents from the first container.

8. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the contents comprise a liquid or a pourable solid.

9. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the first UID value is an optically readable code and the sensor is an optical code reader.

10. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the first UID value is a RFID chip identifier and the sensor is an RFID reader.

11. An apparatus, comprising:
a first container defining a first opening, wherein the first container comprises:
a sensor configured to sense a unique identifier (UID) value;
a memory storing at least one set of UID values including a first set of UID values comprising a plurality of UID values acceptable to the first container;
an interlock device configured to control transferability of content through the first opening; and
a controller communicatively coupled to the sensor, the memory, and the interlock device; and

a second container, comprising:
a first UID value; and
contents transferrable through the first opening of the first container;

wherein the controller of the first container is programmed to:
receive the first UID value from the sensor;
determine whether the first UID value matches one of the acceptable UID values of the first set of UID values;
provide an instruction to the interlock device associated with a transfer of the contents through the first opening of the first container; and
store the first UID value in the memory.

12. The apparatus of claim 11 , wherein the at least one set of UID values further comprises a second set of UID values comprising a plurality of UID values previously sensed by the sensor, and wherein the controller is programmed to store the first UID value in the memory as one of the second set of UID values.

13. The apparatus of claim 12 , wherein the controller is further programmed to:
determine whether the first UID value matches one of the previously sensed UID values of the second set of UID values based on a match between the first UID value and an acceptable UID value of the first set of UID values;
wherein, providing the instruction comprises transmitting an instruction to permit the transfer of the contents through the first opening of the first container based on a mismatch between the first UID value and a previously sensed UID value of the second set of UID values; and
wherein, providing the instruction comprises transmitting an instruction to prevent the transfer of the contents through the first opening of the first container based on a match between the first UID value and a previously sensed UID value of the second set of UID values.

14. The apparatus of claim 13 , wherein the first UID value is associated with a limit comprising a use limit, a time limit, or a combination thereof.

15. The apparatus of claim 14 , wherein the controller is further programmed to:
determine that the limit associated with the first UID has not been met.

16. The apparatus of claim 11 , wherein the second container further comprises:
a cap comprising the first UID.

17. The apparatus of claim 16 , wherein the first container further comprises a sensing port configured to receive the cap of the second container to sense the first UID.

18. The apparatus of claim 11 , wherein the transfer of the contents through the first opening comprises at least one of:
the contents from the second container entering the first container; or
the contents exiting the first container.

19. The apparatus of claim 18 , wherein the contents comprise a liquid or a pourable solid.

20. An apparatus, comprising:
a first container defining a first opening, wherein the first container comprises:
a sensor positioned to sense a unique identifier (UID);
an interlock device connected to the first opening, wherein the interlock device is configured to control transferability of content through the first opening; and
a controller;

a memory communicatively coupled to the controller, wherein the memory stores a plurality of UIDs acceptable to the first container; and
a second container, comprising:
a first UID; and
contents transferrable through the first opening of the first container;

wherein the controller of the first container is programmed to:
receive the first UID from the sensor;
determine that the first UID matches an acceptable UID stored in the memory; and
activate the interlock device to allow a transfer of the contents through the first opening of the first container.

Assignees

• Proteus Digital Health Inc

Inventors

• Thompson Andrew

Classifications

• B67D7/34 Primary

  Means for preventing unauthorised delivery of liquid · CPC title

• B67D3/0061

  of liquid containers, e.g. filling, emptying, closing or opening means · CPC title

• B65D49/00

  Arrangements or devices for preventing refilling of containers (for initial filling and for preventing subsequent refilling B65D47/02) · CPC title

• B65D55/14 Primary

  Applications of locks, e.g. of permutation or key-controlled locks · CPC title