Medication Dispenser

Abstract

Disclosed is a method for providing medication according to a preset schedule, the method comprising: providing a disposable medication dispenser containing medication to a user; connecting one dispenser monitor to said medication dispenser; monitoring a state of said medication with said monitor; providing, via said monitor, signals with respect to said state of said medication to a health monitoring station; and monitoring the state of dispenser at the health monitoring station.

1 . A medication dispensing system comprising:
 a) a base   b) a box connected to said base, said box comprising at least two compartments, at least one first compartment configured to contain at least one first medication and at least one second compartment configured to contain at least one second medication;   c) at least two sensors connected to said base:
 at least one first sensor configured to provide at least one first state-indicating signal of said at least one first compartment; and 
 at least one second sensor configured to provide at least one second state-indicating signal of said at least one second compartment; 
   d) a housing connected to said base, said housing containing:
 i) a wireless transponder connected to said at least two sensors and configured to wirelessly receive and transmit signals to a wireless remote health monitoring station; 
 ii) an audiovisual output connected to said at least two sensors, said audiovisual output configured to provide at least one audiovisual display responsive so said at least one state-indicating signal; and 
 iii) a power supply operatively associated with at least one of:
 said wireless transponder; 
 said audiovisual output; and 
 said at least two sensors. 
 
   
   
   
       2 . The system according to  claim 1 , wherein said at least two compartments each include a hatch and said one state-indicating signal indicates whether said hatch has been opened. 
   
   
       3 . The system according to  claim 1 , wherein:
 said at least one first state-indicating signal; and   said at least one second state-indicating signal, indicate whether medication has been removed from at least one of said at least two compartments.   
   
   
       4 . The system according to  claim 3 , wherein said at least two sensors are sensitive to the weight of medication in said at least two compartments. 
   
   
       5 . The system according to  claim 3 , wherein said at least two sensors are sensitive to light and configured to sense changes in light intensity caused by medication contained in said at least two compartments. 
   
   
       6 - 7 . (canceled) 
   
   
       8 . The system according to  claim 1 , wherein said at least two sensors provide reflecting radiant beams from the group consisting of Ultrasound beams, laser beams, Split-light-beams; radar beams, infrared light beams and visible light beams. 
   
   
       9 . (canceled) 
   
   
       10 . The system according to  claim 1 , wherein said box is removably connected to said base. 
   
   
       11 . The system according to  claim 10 , wherein said box is configured to be disposed following consumption of said at least one first medication and said at least one second medication. 
   
   
       12 . The system according to  claim 10 , wherein said housing includes a data reader and said box includes medication consumption data configured to be read by said data reader. 
   
   
       13 . The system according to  claim 12 , wherein said medication consumption data comprises a bar code and said data reader comprises a bar code reader. 
   
   
       14 . The system according to  claim 13 , wherein said medication consumption data includes at least one of the following:
 a) a name of user;   b) a dosage;   c) a timing of dosage;   d) directions for consuming a medication   e) a medication appearance; and   f) a medication reaction symptom requiring health provider notification.   
   
   
       15 . The system according to  claim 1 , wherein said at least two compartments are configured to be filled at a remote location. 
   
   
       16 - 21 . (canceled) 
   
   
       22 . The system according to claim  20  wherein said audiovisual output is configured to display at least one of:
 a) a confirmation of a change in state of a compartment;   b) an alert to consume at least one medication;   c) an alert to remove said box from said base; and   d) an alert to connect another box to said base.   e) directions for consuming a medication;   f) a medication appearance; and   g) a medication reaction symptom requiring health provider notification.   
   
   
       23 - 29 . (canceled) 
   
   
       30 . The system according to  claim 1 , including a remote health monitoring station configured to wirelessly transmit medication consumption data to said wireless transponder. 
   
   
       31 - 35 . (canceled) 
   
   
       36 . The system according to  claim 30 , wherein said remote health monitoring station is configured to provide alert signals to a user through said wireless transponder in the absence of a change of state in said at least one compartment within a programmed period of time. 
   
   
       37 - 50 . (canceled) 
   
   
       51 . The system according to  claim 1 , including a local wireless relay station configured to communicate with said wireless transponder and to communicate with said wireless remote health monitoring station. 
   
   
       52 . The system according to  claim 51 , wherein said local wireless relay station includes a cellular telephone chip. 
   
   
       53 . The system according to  claim 51 , wherein said local wireless relay station communicates with said wireless transponder using at least one of Bluetooth communication, RF and infra-red communication. 
   
   
       54 - 110 . (canceled) 
   
   
       111 . A method for providing medication according to a preset schedule, the method comprising:
 a) providing a disposable medication dispenser containing medication to a user;   b) connecting one dispenser monitor to said disposable medication dispenser   c) monitoring a state of said disposable medication dispenser with said monitor;   d) providing via said monitor signals with respect to said state of said disposable medication dispenser to a health monitoring station; and   e) monitoring the state of disposable medication dispenser at said health monitoring station.   
   
   
       112 . The method according to  claim 111 , further including: providing alerts pertaining to a user condition communicated by a user health monitor. 
   
   
       113 - 115 . (canceled)