Systems and methods for competency training and use authorization for dispensing an agent

Abstract

Systems and methods for competency training and use authorization for dispensing an agent are described, which include: an agent-dispensing device configured to dispense one or more agents to a user, and including a controllable agent-dispensing mechanism and a receiver configured to receive a signal and to activate or deactivate a locking mechanism coupled to the controllable agent-dispensing mechanism; a computing device having a display and a user interface; and a web-based interactive tool accessible on the computing device, the web-based interactive tool including a training module to provide training to the user in proper use of the agent-dispensing device, a verification module to verify a competency of the user in the proper use of the agent-dispensing device, and an activation module responsive to the verification module and operable to provide an activation signal to deactivate the locking mechanism to allow dispensing of the one or more agents after verifying the competency of the user.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A system for competency training and use authorization for dispensing an agent, comprising:
 an agent-dispensing device configured to dispense one or more agents to a user, the agent-dispensing device including a controllable agent-dispensing mechanism; the agent-dispensing device including a receiver configured to receive a signal and to activate or deactivate a locking mechanism coupled to the controllable agent-dispensing mechanism;   a computing device having a display and a user interface; and   a web-based interactive tool including stored text, images, audio, or video accessible to the user on the computing device, the web-based interactive tool including
 a training module to provide training to the user in proper use of the agent-dispensing device; 
 a verification module to verify a competency of the user in the proper use of the agent-dispensing device; and 
 an activation module responsive to the verification module and operable to provide an activation signal to the receiver to deactivate the locking mechanism to allow dispensing of the one or more agents from the agent-dispensing device after verifying the competency of the user. 
   
     
     
         2 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the web-based interactive tool further includes an authorization module including circuitry configured to authenticate the user as an authorized user of the web-based interactive tool. 
     
     
         3 . The system of  claim 2 , wherein the authorization module of the web-based interactive tool includes circuitry configured to
 receive an authorization input from the user;   compare the received authorization input from the user with a set of approved authorization inputs; and   unlock access to at least one of the training module, the verification module, or the activation module if the received authorization input from the user satisfies a requirement of at least one of the set of approved authorization inputs.   
     
     
         4 .- 5 . (canceled) 
     
     
         6 . The system of  claim 2 , wherein the authorization module of the web-based interactive tool includes circuitry configured to authenticate the user as an authorized user of the agent-dispensing device. 
     
     
         7 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the one or more agents are stored and dispensed from at least one reservoir incorporated into the agent-dispensing device. 
     
     
         8 .- 15 . (canceled) 
     
     
         16 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the controllable agent-dispensing mechanism includes at least one of an inhalation dispensing mechanism, an injection dispensing mechanism, a liquid dispensing mechanism, a transdermal dispensing mechanism, or a pill dispensing mechanism. 
     
     
         17 .- 19 . (canceled) 
     
     
         20 . The system of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a training device configured to simulate use of the agent-dispensing device.   
     
     
         21 . The system of  claim 20 , wherein the training device is incorporated into the agent-dispensing device. 
     
     
         22 .- 25 . (canceled) 
     
     
         26 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the training module of the web-based interactive tool includes one or more instructions for proper use of the agent-dispensing device. 
     
     
         27 .- 40 . (canceled) 
     
     
         41 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the web-based interactive tool includes circuitry configured to send a report to a care-giver regarding a level of competency of the user in the proper use of the agent-dispensing device. 
     
     
         42 .- 46 . (canceled) 
     
     
         47 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein at least one of the training module, the verification module, or the activation module of the web-based interactive tool is updateable. 
     
     
         48 . A method of verifying user competency of an agent-dispensing device, comprising:
 providing a web-based interactive tool to a user through a computing device, the web-based interactive tool including stored text, images, audio, and/or video, and
 a training module to provide training to the user in proper use of the agent-dispensing device, 
 a verification module to verify a competency of the user in the proper use of the agent-dispensing device, and 
 an activation module responsive to the verification module and operable to provide an activation signal to deactivate a locking mechanism of the agent-dispensing device; 
   training the user in the proper use of the agent-dispensing device using the training module of the web-based interactive tool;   verifying the competency of the user in the proper use of the agent-dispensing device using the verification module of the web-based interactive tool; and   activating the agent-dispensing device with the activation module of the web-based interactive tool by providing the activation signal to deactivate the locking mechanism to allow dispensing of one or more agents from the agent-dispensing device after verifying the competency of the user in the proper use of the agent-dispensing device.   
     
     
         49 . The method of  claim 48 , further comprising:
 authenticating the user as an authorized user of the web-based interactive tool using an authorization module of the web-based interactive tool, the authorization module including circuitry configured to authenticate the user as an authorized user of the web-based interactive tool; and   authorizing access to one or more of the training module, the verification module, or the activation module of the web-based interactive tool.   
     
     
         50 . The method of  claim 48 , wherein authenticating the user as an authorized user of the web-based interactive tool includes
 receiving an authorization input from the user with a user interface coupled to the computing device;   comparing the received authorization input from the user with a set of approved authorization inputs stored in the authorization module; and   unlocking access to at least one of the training module, the verification module, or the activation module if the authorization input from the user satisfies a requirement of at least one of the set of approved authorization inputs.   
     
     
         51 .- 73 . (canceled) 
     
     
         74 . A computer-implemented method for authorizing use of an agent-dispensing device following competency training, the method comprising:
 connecting a user to a web-based interactive tool through a bi-directional communication network link;   receiving authorization information associated with the user through the bi-directional communication network link;   authenticating the user as an authorized candidate for competency training;   selecting a training module from the web-based interactive tool corresponding to the competency training which the user is authorized to access;   executing a set of at least one skill-based simulated training software corresponding to the training module selected from the web-based interactive tool;   generating a set of training results for the user upon completion of the training module;   certifying the user is competent to use the agent-dispensing device if the set of training results for the user meets or exceeds a pre-defined performance threshold; and   issuing over the bi-directional communication network link an authorization key to the user to allow the user to deactivate a locking mechanism associated with a controllable agent-dispensing mechanism of the agent-dispensing device.   
     
     
         75 . The system of  claim 3 , wherein the authorization input includes at least one of an authorization code or one or more biometric parameters. 
     
     
         76 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the agent-dispensing device includes at least one of
 a housing with at least one docking site sized for accepting at least one cartridge configured for storing and dispensing the one or more agents; cartridge identification circuitry configured to read a cartridge identification code from the at least one cartridge;   a power source and a microprocessor, the microprocessor operably connected to the power source, and at least one of the receiver, the locking mechanism, and the controllable agent-dispensing mechanism;   a transmission unit including an antenna;   a user-device interface;   user identification circuitry configured to receive user identification input from a user-device interface, compare the received user identification input with a set of stored authorized user identification inputs, and verify the user as an authorized user; or   switching circuitry configured to switch between a dispensing mode and a training mode.   
     
     
         77 . The system of  claim 26 , wherein the one or more instructions for proper use of the agent-dispensing device include at least one of
 one or more text-based instructions, one or more image-based instructions, one or more audio-based instructions, or one or more video-based instructions for proper use of the agent-dispensing device;   one or more instructions for at least one of operating the agent-dispensing device, dosing the one or more agents from the agent-dispensing device, recognizing one or more side effects of the one or more agents, anticipating interactions of the one or more agent with other agents, storing the agent-dispensing device, or cleaning the agent-dispensing device;   one or more instructions for administering the one or more agents from the agent-dispensing device to at least one other individual; or   one or more instructions for self-administering the one or more agents from the agent-dispensing device.   
     
     
         78 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the verification module of the web-based interactive tool includes at least one of
 circuitry configured to receive a user identification input to verify an identity of the user; a text-based questionnaire with one or more text-based questions regarding the proper use of the agent-dispensing device;   an audio-based questionnaire with one or more audio-based questions regarding the proper use of the agent-dispensing device;   circuitry configured to receive at least one image of the user training with the agent-dispensing device from an image capture device operably coupled to the computing device and to compare the received at least one image with one or more reference images to verify the competency of the user in proper use of the agent-dispensing device; or   circuitry configured to receive at least one signal from the agent-dispensing device, the at least one signal including information regarding a proper or improper use of the agent-dispensing device.   
     
     
         79 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the verification module of the web-based interactive tool includes circuitry configured to receive at least one signal from the agent-dispensing device, the at least one signal including information regarding a proper or improper use of the agent-dispensing device, and wherein the agent-dispensing device includes at least one of
 circuitry configured to transmit at least one signal from the agent-dispensing device to the computing device, the at least one signal including the information regarding the proper or improper use of the agent-dispensing device;   at least one use sensor configured to monitor the proper or improper use of the agent-dispensing device;   at least one of an accelerometer, a timer, an actuator, a pressure sensor, a touch sensor, a temperature sensor, an image capture device, or an inclinometer; circuitry configured to monitor the proper or improper use of the agent-dispensing device while the agent-dispensing device is in at least one of a dispensing mode or a training mode; or   circuitry configured to generate a set of training results for the user upon completion of the training provided by the training module and certify the user to be competent to use the agent-dispensing device if the generated set of training results for the user meets or exceeds a pre-defined performance threshold.   
     
     
         80 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the verification module of the web-based interactive tool includes circuitry configured to generate a set of training results for the user upon completion of the training provided by the training module and certify the user to be competent to use the agent-dispensing device if the generated set of training results for the user meets or exceeds a pre-defined performance threshold; and wherein the web-based interactive tool includes circuitry configured to send a notification to a care-giver indicating whether or not the generated set of training results for the user meets or exceeds the pre-defined performance threshold. 
     
     
         81 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the activation module of the web-based interactive tool includes at least one of
 a stored activation code, the stored activation code provided to the user after verifying the competency of the user and configured to deactivate the locking mechanism when entered into the agent-dispensing device with a user-device interface connected to the agent-dispensing device;   a signal generator, the signal generator configured to transmit the activation signal to the receiver to deactivate the locking mechanism to allow dispensing of the one or more agents from the agent-dispensing device after verifying the competency of the user; or   circuitry configured to receive a user identification and to provide a user-specific activation signal.   
     
     
         82 . The method of  claim 48 , wherein the authorization input includes at least one of an authorization code, a biometric parameter, facial recognition, voice recognition, fingerprint recognition, retinal scan, or DNA scan. 
     
     
         83 . The method of  claim 48 , wherein providing the web-based interactive tool to the user through a computing device includes at least one of providing the web-based interactive tool to the user through a desktop computer, a laptop computer, a tablet computing device, a personal electronic device, or a dedicated computing device accessible to the user; providing the web-based interactive tool to the user through the computing device via the Internet; or providing the web-based interactive tool to the user through the computing device in communication with a remote server. 
     
     
         84 . The method of  claim 48 , wherein training the user in the proper use of the agent-dispensing device using the training module includes at least one of training the user with one or more of text-based training, image-based training, audio-based training, or video-based training associated with the training module; using the training module of the web-based interactive tool in combination with a training device; or using the training module of the web-based interactive tool in combination with a training device is incorporated into the agent-dispensing device. 
     
     
         85 . The method of  claim 48 , wherein training the user using the training module of the web-based interactive tool includes training the user to self-administer the one or more agents from the agent-dispensing device or training the user to administer the one or more agents from the agent-dispensing device to at least one other individual. 
     
     
         86 . The method of  claim 48 , wherein verifying the competency of the user in the proper use of the agent-dispensing device using the verification module includes at least one of
 administering a questionnaire to the user using the computing device, assigning a questionnaire score based on the user's answers to the questionnaire, and determining if the assigned questionnaire score meets or exceeds a pre-defined questionnaire score threshold stored in the verification module;   capturing one or more images of the user with an image capture device coupled to the computing device while the user is training with the agent-dispensing device, assigning a performance score based on comparing the captured one or more images with a set of reference images in the verification module, and determining if the assigned performance score meets or exceeds a pre-defined performance score threshold stored in the verification module;   activating a training mode on the agent-dispensing device, monitoring at least one operational step for use of the agent-dispensing device in the training mode with at least one use sensor on the agent-dispensing device, assigning a value for each of the monitored at least one operational step, transmitting a signal from the agent-dispensing device to the computing device with information regarding the assigned value for each of the monitored at least one operational step, and determining if the assigned value for each of the monitored at least one operational step meets or exceeds a pre-defined value threshold stored in the verification module; or   generating a set of training results for the user upon completion of the training module, and certifying the user is competent to use the agent-dispensing device if the set of training results for the user meets or exceeds a pre-defined performance threshold.   
     
     
         87 . The method of  claim 48 , wherein verifying the competency of the user in the proper use of the agent-dispensing device using the verification module includes generating a set of training results for the user upon completion of the training module, and certifying the user is competent to use the agent-dispensing device if the set of training results for the user meets or exceeds a pre-defined performance threshold; wherein the set of training results includes at least one of answers to one or more questions regarding the proper use of the agent-dispensing device; one or more images of the user performing one or more operational steps with the agent-dispensing device; or one or more values transmitted to the computing device from one or more use sensors associated with the agent-dispensing device, the one or more use sensors monitoring at least one operational step performed by the user with the agent-dispensing device. 
     
     
         88 . The method of  claim 48 , wherein activating the agent-dispensing device with the activation module of the web-based interactive tool by providing the activation signal to deactivate the locking mechanism includes at least one of providing an activation code; sending a wireless activation signal to deactivate the locking mechanism; or providing the activation signal dependent upon verifying an identity of the user. 
     
     
         89 . The method of  claim 48 , further comprising at least one of re-verifying a competency of the user in the proper use of the agent-dispensing device after a time interval, or re-verifying a competency of the user in the proper use of the agent-dispensing device in response to an event.