Home medication manager

Abstract

A self medication management system and method comprising at least a plurality of receptacles, a scanner, a display screen, and a processor to acquire medication information from a medication container, determine whether the medication information exists in a first database, if the medication information does not exist in the first database, associate the medication information with a location information comprising a receptacle and store the medication information and the location information in the first database, indicate the location information, and confirm placement of the medication container in the associated receptacle, notify a user to administer the medication held in the medication container, and request the user to scan the medication container of the notified medication, detect retrieval of an incorrect medication container from the plurality of receptacles, and issue a warning of the detection, and provide instructions for administering the medication.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A self medication management system, comprising:
 a base comprising:
 a plurality of receptacles, a receptacle having at least a sensor, a visual indicator, and a securing mechanism; 
 a scanner; 
 a display screen; and 
 a power source; 
   a memory device;   a storage device; and   a hardware processor coupled to the memory device and couple-able to the storage device, the processor configured to:
 acquire, using the scanner, medication information from a medication container holding a medication, the medication information comprising at least an administration time; 
 determine whether the medication information exists in a first database residing on the storage device; 
 if the medication information does not exist in the first database, associate the medication information with a location information comprising at least a receptacle and store the medication information and the location information in the first database; 
 indicate, using the receptacle visual indicator, the location information, and confirm, using the receptacle sensor, placement of the medication container in the associated receptacle in accordance with the securing mechanism; 
 notify a user to administer the medication held in the medication container based on the administration time, and request the user to scan, at the scanner, the medication container of the notified medication; 
 detect, based on the scan of the medication container, retrieval of an incorrect medication container from the plurality of receptacles, and issue a warning of the detection; and 
 provide instructions on the display screen for administering the medication, the instructions based on the medication information. 
   
     
     
         2 . The self medication management system according to  claim 1 , the processor further configured to track administering of the medications in a second database residing on the storage device. 
     
     
         3 . The self medication management system according to  claim 2 , the processor further configured to send information from the second database to an external source. 
     
     
         4 . The self medication management system according to  claim 1 , the processor further configured to acquire additional medication information from an external source. 
     
     
         5 . The self medication management system according to  claim 1 , further comprising a lid attachable to the base. 
     
     
         6 . The self medication management system according to  claim 1 , further comprising a power supply couple-able to the power source, the power supply being one of a battery and power receptacle. 
     
     
         7 . The self medication management system according to  claim 6 , wherein the battery is a rechargeable battery. 
     
     
         8 . The self medication management system according to  claim 1 , the base further comprising a buzzer,
 wherein one or both of notify and issue a warning is performed using the buzzer.   
     
     
         9 . The self medication management system according to  claim 1 , the base further comprising a speaker,
 wherein notification is provided using one or more of the visual indicator, the display screen and the speaker.   
     
     
         10 . A self medication management method for managing medications using an apparatus comprising a plurality of receptacles, a receptacle having at least a sensor, a visual indicator and a securing mechanism, a scanner, a display screen, and a storage device, the method comprising:
 acquiring, using the scanner, medication information from a medication container holding a medication, the medication information comprising at least an administration time;   determining whether the medication information exists in a first database residing on the storage device;   if the medication information does not exist in the first database, associating the medication information with a location information comprising at least a receptacle and storing the medication information and the location information in the first database;   indicating, using the receptacle visual indicator, the location information, and confirming, using the receptacle sensor, placement of the medication container in the associated receptacle in accordance with the securing mechanism;   notifying a user to administer the medication held in the medication container based on the administration time, and requesting the user to scan, at the scanner, the medication container of the notified medication;   detecting, in accordance with the scanner, retrieval of an incorrect medication container from the plurality of receptacles, and issuing a warning of the detection; and   providing instructions on the display screen for administering the medication, the instructions based on the medication information.   
     
     
         11 . The self medication management method according to  claim 10 , further comprising tracking administering of the medications in a second database residing on the storage device. 
     
     
         12 . The self medication management method according to  claim 11 , further comprising sending information from the second database to an external source. 
     
     
         13 . The self medication management method according to  claim 10 , further comprising acquiring additional medication information from an external source. 
     
     
         14 . The self medication management method according to  claim 10 , wherein the step of notifying is performed using one or more of a buzzer, a speaker, the display screen and the visual indicator. 
     
     
         15 . The self medication management method according to  claim 10 , wherein the step of issuing a warning is performed using one or more of a buzzer, a speaker, the display screen and the visual indicator. 
     
     
         16 . A computer program product for using a self medication management system, the computer program product comprising a non-transitory storage medium readable by a processing circuit and storing instructions run by the processing circuit for performing method steps for dynamic, semi-supervised clustering, comprises:
 acquiring medication information from a medication container holding a medication, the medication information comprising at least an administration time;   determining whether the medication information exists in a first database residing on a storage device;   if the medication information does not exist in the first database, associating the medication information with a location information comprising at least a receptacle having at least a visual indicator, a sensor and a securing mechanism, and storing the medication information and the location information in the first database;   indicating, using the receptacle visual indicator, the location information, and confirming, using the receptacle sensor, placement of the medication container in the associated receptacle in accordance with the securing mechanism;   notifying a user to administer the medication held in the medication container based on the administration time, and requesting the user to scan, at the scanner, the medication container of the notified medication;   detecting, in accordance with the scanner, retrieval of an incorrect medication container, and issuing a warning of the detection; and   providing instructions on the display screen for administering the medication, the instructions based on the medication information.