Drug Delivery Management System

Abstract

The present invention relates to assisting patients in the taking of medication, and to assisting third parties in accumulating information regarding patient medication intake. The invention may be embodied a system including a portable medication monitor used in association with an instrumented medication package to provide intake data acquisition and patient support functions. The system may further be connected to a computer or computer network allowing information distribution between the medication monitor and third parties, such as physicians or pharmacists.

1 . An instrumented medication package, comprising:
 a plurality of medication containments, each of said plurality of medication containments having a closure, each closure having a severable connector;   an instrumented medication package transponder for transmitting a response signal in response to a trigger signal; and   the instrumented medication package transponder further comprising passive radio frequency identification circuitry utilizes the energy of the trigger signal to transmit the response signal.   
     
     
         2 . The instrumented medication package according to  claim 1 , wherein said circuitry modifies said response signal dependant upon a package identifier. 
     
     
         3 . The instrumented medication package according to  claim 2 , wherein said package identifier comprises a package identification code identifying an individual responding package. 
     
     
         4 . The instrumented medication package according to  claim 2 , wherein said package identifier comprises a package identification code identifying a production information associated with medication contained in said instrumented medication package. 
     
     
         5 . The instrumented medication package according to  claim 2 , wherein said package identifier comprises a package identification code identifying an expiration date associated with medication contained in said instrumented medication package. 
     
     
         6 . The instrumented medication package according to  claim 1 , wherein said passive radio frequency identification circuitry generates a response signal dependant upon a condition of at least one severable connector associated with said instrumented medication package. 
     
     
         7 . The instrumented medication package according to  claim 1 , further comprising active radio frequency identification circuitry and a power supply. 
     
     
         8 . The instrumented medication package according to  claim 7 , wherein said instrumented medication package further comprises a means for activating said active radio frequency identification circuitry. 
     
     
         9 . The instrumented medication package according to  claim 8 , wherein said switch further comprises a means for disabling said passive radio frequency identification circuitry when said power supply is connected to said active radio frequency identification circuitry. 
     
     
         10 . A portable medication monitor, comprising:
 a portable general purpose computer;   a transceiver for transmitting to and receiving signals from an instrumented medication package;   a network connection for communicably connecting said portable medication monitor to at least one remote computer; and   software for monitoring an instrumented medication package associated with said portable medication monitor.   
     
     
         11 . The portable medication monitor according to  claim 10 , wherein said network connection is wireless. 
     
     
         12 . The portable medication monitor according to  claim 10 , wherein said software comprises instructions which when executed attempt communication with the remote computer via said network connection in accordance with a predetermined schedule, said communication attempts being repeated until said communication is successful. 
     
     
         13 . The portable medication monitor according to  claim 10 , wherein communication comprises information associated with a patient's accessing of medication contained in the instrumented medication package associated with said portable medication monitor. 
     
     
         16 . The portable medication monitor according to  claim 13 , wherein the communication comprises time information associated with a patient's accessing of medication contained in the instrumented medication package associated with said portable medication monitor. 
     
     
         17 . The portable medication monitor according to  claim 16 , wherein the communication comprises dosage info information associated with a patient's accessing of medication contained in the instrumented medication package associated with said portable medication monitor. 
     
     
         18 . The portable medication monitor according to  claim 17 , wherein the communication comprises patient information associated with a patient's accessing of medication contained in the instrumented medication package associated with said portable medication monitor. 
     
     
         19 . The portable medication monitor according to  claim 18 , wherein the communication comprises medication information associated with a patient's accessing of medication contained in the instrumented medication package associated with said portable medication monitor. 
     
     
         20 . The portable medication monitor according to  claim 19 , wherein the at least one remote computer verifies the time, the dosage, the patient and the medication information and transmits a response to the portable medication monitor.