Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
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System and Method for Integrated Personal Well-being Monitoring
FIELD OF INVENTION
The present invention relates generally to personal care systems and methods,
more particularly, to
interactive systems and methods for the monitoring and managing the personal
well-being and daily
healthcare functions.
BACKGROUND OF INVENTION
Seniors, widely categorized at age 65 and over, represent about 12 percent of
the populations in U.S.
and in Canada. This population is projected to increase dramatically in the
next two decades. Caring
for them is becoming an ever more critical issue, as majority of them choose
to live independently,
the concern that they may fall, become sick or injured are overwhelming. Many
seniors with
conditions like heart problems, osteoporosis, respiratory illness, diabetes
and arthritis need to be
able to follow a medical regimen and quickly summon emergency medical
assistance should
complications occur.
On the other hand, the advances in medicine, and self monitoring tools are
enhancing the quality of
people's lives. In many cases, ailments, or medical conditions can be
monitored and treated with
medicines by the patients themselves, provided they remember to take a test
and have a pill over
prescribed intervals, for example three times daily.
A patient may have difficulty remembering to take a test or medication, or if
he or she has already
taken a dose. It may pose grave consequences to the patient if a monitoring
test or a treatment dose
is skipped, and if a wrong or improper amount of medicine is taken. There
exists a need for
effective devices and methods for monitoring and assist prescribed medication
compliance.
There is a large number of devices designed to enhance medication compliance.
Devices available
in the prior art include timers, medicament containers and combinations of
timers and containers,
such as disclosed in US Patent No. 6529446 to de la Huerga.
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U.S. Patent No. 5,239,491 to Mucciacciaro describes a holder having a
plurality of recesses for
holding a plurality of medication containers, each fitting into a unique
recess. A sensor in each
recess signals the presence or absence of the dedicated container to a
microprocessor. The
microprocessor is programmed with the prescribed dose administration schedule
for each of the
different medications in the different containers. A real time clock
cooperates with the
microprocessor and the program to signal audibly and visibly by a light at the
appropriate container
when a particular pill is to be administered. The signals stop when the
appropriate container is
removed from its recess. A different, warning sound indicates when the wrong
container is lifted.
In US Patent No. 6294999 to Yarin et al., a Smart Tray is disclosed. It is
equipped with a processor
and radio frequency identification (RFID) reader that interrogates each
respective RFID tag to
identify medicament contained within each container. Using the retrieved
information, it provides
visual and/or audio signals to a patient to remind the patient when and how
much of various
medicaments to take. A Smart Tray also monitors, via the reader, when a
medication container is
removed. However, in order to removably receive and track a plurality of
medication containers, a
plurality of receptacles and antenna coils, or an array of RF coils are
required, increasing cost and
complexity in use.
In addition, various home health monitoring systems are also known in the
prior art. These systems
fall into a broad category of devices which offer in-home electronic
monitoring of various health
conditions. Some of these health monitoring systems transmit a log to a
central unit if a monitored
parameter is outside a predetermined range. Other systems monitor
predetermined health related
parameters in the environment of the user.
US Patent No. 6108685 to Kutzik describes a user monitoring system for
selected activities of daily
living for users requiring differing levels of monitoring or supervision. The
user monitoring system
monitors and provides interventions relating to movement around the home,
medication compliance
by the user, problems with usage of stoves or other potentially dangerous
appliances, and selected
auxiliary appliance control.
Unfortunately, existing devices for assisting patients in following medication
regimens can be
somewhat expensive and complex in design. Furthermore, existing devices for
assisting user in
medication management and home monitoring can be difficult to operate,
especially for elderly
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people living independently. For instance, some systems require attaching a
new label to the
medicine container or replacing the cap of the container with a special cap.
Others require empty of
the existing container and place the content into another special container or
containers. There is
also a lack of combined systems that can monitor the user's presence as well
as medical compliance,
both are significant for the well-being of the user.
A still further problem with designing an automated medication container is
that the expensive
automated components should be reusable. A reprogrammable radio frequency
transponder,
although cost is decreasing, should be conveniently reattachable to a new
medication container.
There is also a need for the container to be easily identifiable visually by
the user, instead of
depending on reading labels, particularly if the user is having several
medications or impaired
physical conditions, and if there are more than one users.
A still further problem in designing an automated medication systems is
compatibility issue with
conventional, non-automated medication containers used by the pharmaceutical
industry today. A
dramatic deviation from the conventional design and change in dispensing
system would inhibit the
adoption of the automated systems. A compatible design would enable the
pharmacist to continue
using conventional, non-automated containers, but would enable the pharmacist
to provide an
accessory or attachment to the existing containers for automated systems where
it is appropriate.
The present invention overcomes these and other limitations in existing
medication monitoring
products.
It is useful to provide an integrated system that can monitor user's well-
being by periodically
checking his/her presence in a living area and compare the log with an
established pattern and alert
his adult children or a care centre to intervene according to a predetermined
criteria, and at the same
time assisting the user manage his medical compliance. It is advantage also to
provide a power-
saving feature integrated with presence detection for the monitoring system.
SUMMARY OF INVENTION
The present invention provides system that includes one or more reusable base
units in the form of
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plastic holders embedded with radio frequency transponders that can be
removably mounted onto
the medicine containers or medical test apparatus to form an identification
package for reminder of
use, and consumption tracking. The user's presence monitoring, alert, and
power saving features are
also incorporated into the system to provide a general well-being monitoring
in a user's living area.
A desirable aspect of invention is that the user can conveniently attach the
medication identifier -
the holder - to a medicine container to form an identification package and
input his or her own
preferred schedule according to the instructions and place the package freely
onto the receptacle
plate of the apparatus to make it trackable by the radio frequency
interrogating device. The holder is
each uniquely colour coded or shaped for easy visual identification and can be
re-attached to a new
supply of the container should the medication runs out. It can be reused by
mounting to a new
medication container and reprogrammed.
By using a motion sensor activated power supply to the radio frequency
interrogating device
another aspect of invention is that the scanning of the medications is
actually shut off during user's
absence, saving a considerable amount of power and amount of electromagnet
energy being
transmitted. Therefore the motion sensor activated power supply serves two
purposes: cycle reduced
power supply for the interrogator and user's presence detection and
monitoring. This invention
reduces the system complexity and cost. Although the radio frequency
interrogating device works at
a lower cycle, the system controller constantly monitors user's presence by
indirectly sensing the
motion sensor activated power supply and logging this information. The system
controller also
tracks the time and healthcare related schedule, and always ready for alerting
user for following a
medical regimen. User's presence would activate the power supply and allow the
system controller
perform a scanning of the inventory and check for user's compliance to the
medical regimen.
The circuit and method of user presence detection and use it as an activation
mechanism integrated
with the radio frequency interrogator is disclosed. The user's presence or non-
presence is timely
monitored and recorded for absence analysis. The sensor's sensing field covers
a living area where
the user carnes out daily living activities including but not limited to,
having meals, performing a
medical monitoring test or taking medications. Therefore, a normal presence
pattern can be
established and it forms a basis for the user's well-being monitoring
analysis. The system can be
programmed to alert concerned third parties on the deviation of the user's
normal presence pattern,
or user's failing to present at a regular scheduled time, and perform a
scheduled healthcare function.
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Another aspect of this invention is that the medical compliance monitoring
could includes all user's
healthcare functions thanks to the introduction of the "holders" instead of
attaching tags directly on
to the containers. Holders with electronic labels can attach to various kinds
of objects that are of
medical or healthcare significance to the user, such as, test apparatus,
medicine vials, and a medical
appointment reminder card. In the case of a medical test apparatus, after the
test is taken, the user is
prompted to enter the test result or to initiate a communication between the
test device and the
system controller, allowing data to be supplied to a diagnosis program and
correlated with the
record. The result and a diagnosis report can be used to modify a medical
regimen, and further be
sent to a diagnostic/monitoring centre or doctor's office for further
evaluation.
In one embodiment according to the present invention, an identification
package comprises an radio
frequency transponder embedded in a plastic holder that encloses and supports
the concerned
medical related object. The radio frequency transponder has a memory that
stores object related
information which can be programmed by the user with the user interface. The
radio frequency
transponder as well as the radio frequency interrogating device have a built-
in anti-collision
function or algorithm to allow multiple radio frequency transponders to
communicate with one
radio frequency interrogating device.
The system controller comprises a timer which is programmed to generate
multiple timing signals
that control the monitoring functions. An additional feature of the embodiment
is that it further
comprises a weight sensor to measure the weight of the plate in order to
determine if a correct
dosage has been taken.
In another embodiment according to the present invention, the system has a
user reminder and a
remote alert generators and methods of communicating to the user and remote
care monitors
including the user's adult children, doctors, and patient care centre. The
user reminder generator
informs the user to administer a healthcare related function, such as taking a
dose of medication or
perform a medical test. The method comprises sending a reminder at a
prescribed time and issuing a
warning if incorrect procedure is performed via a visual display and/or
audible device. The remote
alert generator connects to a wide area network (WAIF such as cellular network
or Internet to alert
a user's care person or third party of the irregularities of the user's well-
being, such as: a missed
dose, a prolonged absence from the monitored living area, a abnormal medical
test result, or the
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emergency button has been pressed. In addition, the remote alert generator may
facilitate
prescription refills such that a patient receives a new prescription without a
lapse in medication
occurnng.
The present invention may facilitate compliance with medication regimens,
especially complex
regimens involving multiple healthcare functions and multiple users. As such,
the present invention
may reduce medication errors made by patients or administers in a care centre,
such as taking the
wrong drug, taking the wrong dose, taking a dose at the wrong time, or various
combinations
thereof. On the other hand, the present invention can be made portable, as
shown in one
embodiment of the invention.
The above summaries of the present invention are not intended to represent
each disclosed
embodiment, or every aspect, of the present invention. Other aspects and
example embodiments are
provided in the figures and the detailed description that follows.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
The invention may be more completely understood in consideration of the
following detailed
description of various embodiments of the invention, giving by way of example,
in connection with
the accompanying drawing, in which:
FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the holder and a medicine container embodying
the principles of the
present invention;
FIG. 2 depicts an identification package according to an embodiment of the
present invention;
FIG. 3 shows two prior art devices. The first one is a perspective view of
another device including a
conventional, non-automated cap that seals a vial with an interactive label,
and a sensing element
and cable that conveys information to a personal computer; and the second one
is a perspective
view of another device wherein multiple medication containers are removably
received within
respective receptacles. In addition, a blood pressure monitor is removably
received within another
receptacle.
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FIG. 4 illustrates schematic diagram of the system for monitoring and managing
the personal well-
being and daily healthcare functions;
FIG. 5 is a block diagram of a presence detection sensor activated power
supply section according
to the present invention;
FIG. 6 is a detailed schematic for the time delay and control, and a series
regulator of the preferred
embodiment of the presence detection sensor activated power supply circuit of
the invention;
FIG. 7 is a drawing of an integrated personal well-being monitor including
part of an RFID
interrogator within an embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 8 (a) is a perspective view of an integrated personal well-being monitor
according to an
embodiment of the present invention wherein a number of objects being tracked
on the plate.
FIG. 8 (b) is yet another embodiment of the present invention wherein the
device taking advantage
of a personal computer as a system controller.
FIG. 9 is a flow diagram schematically illustrating an embodiment of the
integrated personal well-
being and medical monitor.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
The present invention is a system and method that is directed to provide well-
being monitoring
functions for a user.
For assisting and monitoring user's medical compliance, the system includes
one or more reusable
base units in the form of plastic holders embedded with radio frequency
transponders that can be
removably mounted onto the medicine containers or medical test apparatus to
form an identification
package for reminder of use, and consumption tracking.
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As illustrated in FIG. 1, the identification package embodying the principles
of the present
invention comprises a plastic holder 18 and an associated object 10 in this
embodiment a
medication container, which is an object of a medical or healthcare
significance to the user. The
holder 18 has a bottom plate portion 13 and a depending annular wall portion
11, and a radio
frequency transponder 14 disposed at the bottom plate portion. The radio
frequency transponder, in
a form of a radio frequency identification (RFID) inlay, has readable and
writable memory that can
be programmed preferably using the system to store key information about the
object and relevant
regimen. For instance, it can contain the information on the container's label
16, being entered by
the user himself, or by the pharmacist when the drug is administered to the
user. The holder is each
uniquely colour coded or shaped for easy visual identification. Since each
RFID inlay has a unique
serial number, called ID code, once the package is formed by mounting the
container onto the
holder, the product can be identified among other objects electronically by
the system and visually
by the user. The holder 18 also has the means for retaining and securing the
object in place, as
illustrated as 15, such as creating friction or providing a locking mechanism,
so deliberate force is
required to separate the object from the holder.
FIG. 2 shows another embodiment of the invention wherein the identification
package 17 is
comprised of a holder 11' and a product package 10', in this case a medical
test apparatus, lancets
for performing a blood sugar test.
An RFID inlay usually includes an integrated circuit (IC) chip having a memory
more or less than a
few thousand bits, and an antenna formed by conductive traces laid on a
flexible material. The back
of the material may include an adhesive coating for easy affixing the inlay to
other surfaces.
Different RFID devices use different radio frequency bands to communicate,
such as low-frequency
(LF) using 125 KHz to 134.2 KHz, high-frequency (HF) using 13.56 MHz, and
ultra-high-
frequency (UHF) using 860 to 960 MHz. High-frequency RF signals are more able
to penetrate
liquids because the longer wavelengths of HF systems are less susceptible to
absorption. UHF's
shorter wavelengths are more susceptible to absorption by liquids. In
practical applications, HF
inlays are better suited for tagging liquid-bearing containers, such as some
medicines.
There are also different standards that specify details on the communication
protocols. For instance,
there are International Standard Organization (ISO) standards and Electronic
Product Code (EPC)
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standards. Some protocols support a so-called anti-collision algorithm or
procedure that facilitates
multiple simultaneous reading of transponders, or one interrogator to
communicate with multiple
transponders in a reading filed without causing interference. For example, in
the ISO/IEC-15693
contactless integrated circuit card/vicinity card standard an "Inventory"
command can be sent from
the interrogator to the transponders to collect all transponders ID codes in
the interrogator's sensing
field. In the EPCglobal standard there is a defined "Scro11Al1ID" command for
this purpose.
FIG. 3 shows two prior art devices. FIG.3(a) is a perspective view of a device
including a
conventional, non-automated cap that seals a vial with an interactive label,
and a sensing element
and cable that conveys information to a personal computer. The interactive
label 50 is electrically
linked to the separate personal or business computer 270 via a sensing element
280. The
information contained in the memory is electronically conveyed to computer 270
by sensing
element 280 which has sensors located on its inside surface in a pattern and
position similar to the
contacts of the memory strip that contains the information. The sensing
element 280 has an arcuate
shape to matingly engage the cylindrical wall of the vial 20 so that when the
sensing element is
aligned with and placed over the interactive label 50 its sensors 281 are in
electrical contact with the
contacts of the memory strip. The sensing element 280 includes a connecting
cable 282 with an
electronic connector adapted to be plugged into or otherwise electrically
communicate with the
computer 270.
FIG. 3(b) is a perspective view of another device wherein multiple medication
containers are
removably received within respective receptacles. Disposed within the surface
30 are a plurality of
receptacles 32 configured to removably receive a plurality of medication
containers 34 therein.
The illustrated Smart Tray 12 also includes a display 35, such as an LCD
(liquid crystal display),
located adjacent the plurality of receptacles 32.
It is an object of current invention to provide a receptacle plate that
multiple packages can be freely
placed and kept. FIG. 4 illustrates schematic diagram of the system for
monitoring and managing
the personal well-being and daily healthcare functions in accordance with an
embodiment of the
invention.
The system includes a system controller 410, and it includes a control
processor 411. The system
controller 410 may also include a variety of interface units and drives for
reading and writing data.
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In particular, the system controller includes a timing device 420, an audio
device 412, a display 413,
input devices such as a microphone and voice recognition module 414, an
emergency button 41 S
and other switches, and indicators. The system controller 410 may be connected
to a wide area
network, such as the Internet and a cellular network through a communication
interface 419.
The system has at least one channel to communicate with the user's contact or
care party 405, and
alert can be sent remotely to user's adult children, doctor's office, a
pharmacy, a security
monitoring centre or a medical assistance centre, etc. There is also an
interface 416 to communicate
with the data port of a personal medical test apparatus 406, including, but
not limited to, blood
pressure monitors, thermometers, pagers, glucometers, prothrombin and
coagulation monitors .
The system may contain weight sensors 407 attached to the receptacle plate 401
wherein the dosage
and consumption of the medication can be monitored. The weight sensors output
an analog signal
with an amplitude proportional to the weight of all items on the plate 401.
The electric analog signal
should be amplified and converted to digital signal by the A/D converter
device 417 before feeding
to the control processor 411.
A radio frequency interrogator 402 scans RFID transponders that are embedded
in packaging for the
medication. The scanning is done by sending a status request command from the
control processor
to the radio frequency interrogator via a communication interface 408. The
radio frequency
interrogator includes an antenna device 403 preferably formed by traces on a
printed circuit board
(PCB) that is disposed closely to the object holding plate 401. The radio
frequency interrogator 402
also includes a transmitter, a receiver, and a controller, and is capable of
reading and writing the RF
transponders. The information obtained from interrogator receiver is
transmitted also to the
communication interface 408. The communication interface 408 is selected from
common
interfaces such as a serial, a universal serial bus (USB) interface or a
TCP/IP interface.
The present invention may be implemented with RF transponders and
interrogators compatible with
standards such as EPC, ISO-15693, ISO-14443, and ISO-18000-3, etc.
Another innovation contained in the embodiment is that the user's presence
monitor has integrated
in the system therein. It is achieved by the provisioning of one or more
motion sensors in the
presence detection block in a power supply means 404 which provides operating
power to the radio
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frequency interrogator. Unlike conventional power supplies, the power supply
means 404 is not
constant. This configuration brings several advantages such as reduced power-
on cycles for the
radio frequency interrogator translate into power savings and reduction of
electromagnetic
interference (EMI) and radio frequency interference (RFI), as well as the
implementation of the
presence monitor with no extra interface cost to the system controller.
The operation of the well-being monitor and the remaining elements shown in
FIG. 4 will be
described in greater detail with reference to FIGS. 7-9.
The circuit and operation of the power supply means 404 and presence detection
can be described in
greater detail with reference to FIGS. 5 and 6.
FIG. 5 is a block diagram of a presence detection sensor activated power
supply section according
to the present invention. The circuit includes a motion sensor 51 l, and in a
preferred form, a
infrared detector, able to produce detection signals in response to infrared
radiation from the region
being monitored in the frequency spectrum emitted by the human body. The
signals produced by
the motion sensor 511 are passed through one or two stages of amplifier /
signal filter 512 where the
signals are amplified and filtered to remove spurious signal components
expected to come from
sources unrelated to a person or similar warm target entering the detectors'
field of view. Block 513
is a window comparator, which receives the signal and determines whether it is
of sufficient
magnitude to warrant triggering the presence detection. The window comparator
thus serves as
another method of avoiding false detections and determines whether a threshold
of magnitude has
been achieved. Infrared detectors suitable for use in motion detection devices
and circuits to
perform signal amplification and filtering are well known in the art.
The signal coming out of the window comparator 513 is passed to a time delay
and control block
503. It serves two purposes: first regardless how long a motion has been
remained in detection the
delay circuit provides a sufficient period of time (called hold period) during
which the power output
504 would be sustained to allow radio frequency interrogating device to update
inventory
information, and guarantee the control processor to obtain the user's presence
status. Secondly the
output of the block provides a control signal to a series regulator 502 to
adjust and maintain a stable
output voltage.
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An unregulated DC power 510 provides operating power for all the blocks shown.
It is preferable
that the radio frequency interrogating device receives a stable, regulated
power source, as it usually
consumes relatively large current for operating of the RF power amplifier, and
the current
requirement fluctuates depending on whether its transmitter is transmitting or
not.
A detailed schematic for the time delay and control block 503, and a series
regulator 502 of the
preferred embodiment of the invention is shown in FIG. 6. When in use, if
there is no motion
detected, the output of the window comparator 505 is almost zero, which is
connected to the base of
the transistor 514, therefore the transistor 514 is shut off. Since its
collector connects to the
inverting input of an op amp 515, it causes the op amp to turn off. There is
no current flows at the
base of the pass transistor 507 causing it to remain in turn-off state, so the
output line 504 is at zero.
When someone enters the sensing field of the motion sensor, the window
comparator SOS output
turns high and the transistor 514 is turned on, the capacitor in the RC timing
circuit 506 is getting
charged. At the same time the op amp 515 is turned on as the bias at the non-
inverting input is more
positive than the inverting input. The output of the op amp 51 S turns high
and through a current
limiting resistor 509 supplies current to the base of the pass transistor 507
causing it to turn on to
output a voltage at line 504. The base voltage is held constant by the zener
diode 508 therefore the
output voltage is regulated. Preferably when the power supply output voltage
is SV, the zener diode
508 is 1N5229, and the current limiting resistor 509 has a resistance
approximately 35 Ohm. To
improve power efficiency, the unregulated DC voltage can be chosen as 6V.
When no motion is detected the transistor 514 is turned off again. However
because the capacitor in
the RC timing circuit 506 is fully charged the voltage across it would not
change suddenly so the op
amp 51 S and the pass transistor 507 remain in turned-on state. The RC time
constant which is equal
to the product of value of the resistor and the value of the capacitor will
decide how long the voltage
will hold. At the end of the hold period, as the capacitor is discharged the
voltage level at the
inverting input of the op amp 515 rises to be more positive than the bias
voltage at the non-
inverting input of the op amp and causes it to flip. Normally this hold period
of time can be selected
as 15 to 20 seconds, sufficient for the radio frequency interrogating device
to complete its task of
inventory updating. The capacitor can be selected as 100 micro Farad and the
total resistance of
resistor and the potentiometer can be selected as approximately 800 k Ohm. The
time constant is
adjustable with the potentiometer.
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FIG. 7 is a drawing of a personal well-being monitor including part of an RF
interrogator within an
embodiment of the present invention. There is illustrated a partial cross
sectional view of an
integrated personal well-being monitor system 700 including a lens unit for
the motion sensor 416
for presence detection. The system also includes a receptacle plate 401 made
of a non-shielding
material to radio frequency, such as plastics; a printed circuit board (PCB)
710 for the RF
interrogator and the antenna 403; a transmitter 711, a receiver 712, a
duplexer or antenna matching
circuit 713, and a control processor 710 for the RF interrogator . According
to a feature of the
present invention, the elements 403, 71 l, 712, and 713 are mounted inside the
housing of the
personal well-being monitor 700 on a single PCB 710. The PCB may include other
elements of the
system (not shown). The motion activated power supply means to an RF
interrogator concept of
present invention may be advantageously utilized on any electronic product
requiring the
transmission and/or reception of radio frequency signals.
In the preferred embodiment, the antenna of the present invention is formed by
conductive traces on
the PCB and laid around other elements to save space. The antenna is
approximately about the same
size as the plate. The parallel laying and proximity between the antenna 403
of the RF interrogator
and that of the RF transponder allow maximum coupling between the two antennae
and good
reception of radio transmissions in data exchange.
FIG. 8 illustrates two embodiments of the present invention. While the
invention is susceptible of
embodiments in many different forms, there are shown in the drawings and will
herein be described,
several forms of the invention with the understanding that the present
disclosure is to be considered
as an exemplification of the principles of the invention, and is not intended
to limit the broad
aspects of the invention to the embodiments illustrated.
FIG. 8 (a) is a perspective view of an integrated personal well-being monitor
according to an
embodiment of the present invention wherein a number of objects being tracked
on the plate.
Referring to the FIG. 8 (a), the use of the system is illustrated in more
detail. It includes a
microphone and voice recognition module 414, an emergency button 415, an audio
device 412 and
a display device 413, preferably a touch screen LCD. The system also includes
some other switches,
indicators and a plate 401, and according to a feature of the present
invention, it acts as a receptacle
CA 02509279 2005-06-16
for holding objects of medical and healthcare significance. As can be
ascertained from FIGS. 8 (a),
a number of identification packages such as 17 are placed on the plate.
FIG. 8 (b) is yet another embodiment of the present invention wherein the
device takes use of a
personal computer as a system controller. The more portable, compact device
800 includes a
housing which is of a generally rectangular, relatively flat box-like
structure. A personal computer
(PC) 801 having a communication cable 802 connected with the device 800. The
system is
simplified because many of functions and elements in the system controller are
performed and
housed in the PC.
Medication or other object 10 is inserted into or mounted on the holder 18 to
form an identification
package 17. The system will prompt the user to program the transponder if the
package is placed on
the plate 401, communication established and the data in the memory appears to
be unformatted.
When a medication is dispensed by the pharmacy, a pharmacist or a staff worker
can perform the
above steps with an integrated system. Alternately, a patient can do the same
on a embodiment of
the invention.
The memory on the RF transponder contains a variety of information.
Programming the RF
transponder is simply to transmit the information related to the medication
from the pharmacist's
system to specific memory locations on the RF transponder. Patient can input
his own preference on
certain schedule related items. For instance, if the medication is to be taken
three times daily, the
patient can select 10 PM, 7 AM and 3 PM to take medication, and this schedule
would be written
into the memory. The contents of the information includes prescription
information such as
information defining the dosing regimen and the number of pills or capsules to
be consumed per
dosing.
As stated above and preferably a user can do transponder programming with this
system, and the RF
transponder will only be programmed with some rudimentary regimen related
information, as an
alternative. With the interactive tools the system equips, such as microphone
and voice recognition
module 414, audio device 412, display device 413, preferably a touch screen
LCD, and other
buttons and indicators, the user can conveniently enter the following
information, shown in Table 1,
some of it coming from the label for the medication, as an example:
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Table 1.
Last Name of Patient : Jones
First Name of Patient: Tom
Colour of the Holder : Blue
Pills in the Bottle : 50
Dosage : 1
Frequency : 3
Preferred Schedule: 7:00; 15:00; 22:00.
The frequency of dosage indicates the pills should be taken 3 times per day.
The preferred schedule
is an option, and when not selected, the system controller would automatically
schedule instead
according to the one time entered by the patient of his choice. Once this is
complete and the
packages are being placed on the plate, at the next scheduled time the system
would alert the user as:
"Tom, it is now 15:00, the time to take the medicine in the bottle on BLUE
holder. Take 1 pill."
When the user removed a wrong package the system would alert the user as:
"Tom, you have taken a wrong bottle. The right one is with a BLUE holder.
Please return the one
with a YELLOW holder."
When the user removed a correct package the system would acknowledge it as:
"Tom, you have taken the correct bottle, please take 1 pill, and return the
bottle to the plate."
When the user returned the package the system would acknowledge it as:
"Tom, you have taken 1 pill, and returned the bottle to the plate. Next dose
is at 22:00. If you wish
to send a message to your doctor, press the green button. For any emergency
press the red button.
Goodbye."
The information included in Table 1 can be grouped as first level, or basic
information group, with
which some basic medical compliance monitoring can be performed. The second
level, or an
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enhancement information group could include the following information:
medication name, serial
number, expiry date, pharmacy contact information, etc. This group of
information could provide
further compliance monitoring functions. Since software would perform certain
functions only if
valid data can be drawn from certain memory locations, it is no harm if the
memory of the RF
transponder has not been fully programmed.
As Table 1 illustrated, predetermined portions of information stored in the
memory of the RF
transponder are compared with the real-time clock from the timing device to
compute the next
prescribed time for taking a dosage of medication and activate an alert signal
or otherwise
communicate that information to the user when that time occurs. The prescribed
dosing regimen
information is also conveyed to the user.
Referring back to FIG. 8, the control processor informs the user that it is
time to take a dose of
medication via the display 413 or an audio device 412. These devices and other
indicators are also
indicative to the user that the objects are removed from the plate 401, dosage
and other instructions
for taking a medicine or a test, time for the next medication, whether a
correct or wrong medication
has been lifted and returned, whether the consumption is correct and whether
to send a test result to
a remote party.
By pressing button 415, the patient is able to send an electrical signal to
the control processor which
would further summon emergency help from a remote party or parties. Additional
buttons and
indicators are to enable the user to communicate with the control processor in
response to a question
shown on the display 413 or given to an audio device 412 to indicate an action
to be taken. One
button is provide for navigating the system in different operating modes,
including: automatic;
administration; and setting preferences. "automatic" mode is the system's mode
of operation during
which the main control loop is executed. Further details will be described
with reference to FIG. 9.
"administration" refers the mode when a new object is being administered,
including issuing or
programming a new RFID inlay, changing a medical regimen, etc. "setting
preferences" will help
the user to specify default settings and preferences for the system use. It
will also allow the user to
specify ways to contact third parties.
By comparing the quantity of medication in the package, as stored in the
memory of the RF
transponder, against the number of times the package was removed and the
number of pills to be
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1g
consumed in each dosage, the control processor can compute the inventory or
remaining quantity
information corresponding to the amount or number of doses of medication in
the container, when
the prescription should be refilled and alert the patient or send refill
request to the pharmacy. The
number of times the package is removed, returned and the numbers of doses
consumed is updated
by the control processor. The control processor may also validate this
information by taking a
weight measurement each time a package is accessed.
As stated, as the user completed a medical monitoring test the result stored
in a medical test
apparatus can be transmitted to the device using a wired or wireless link, by
equipping the device
with a proper interface. The transmission is started by pressing one of the
additional buttons. There
is also an option that the result be analyzed by diagnostic program. According
to a predetermined
criteria the control processor will decide whether to forward the result or
the preliminary conclusion
to a remote third party.
FIG. 9 is a detailed flow chart representation of a method for monitoring
user's well-being while the
system is in "automatic" operation mode.
As previously described, using the system controller, RFID technology and
motion detection the
personal well-being monitoring system can determine, for example, whether
users follow a regular
living schedule in their homes and whether they are having difficulty managing
their medications. If
the well-being monitoring system detects any of these or other problems it can
provide a reminder
or warn the user about the medications, or other detected problems. The system
may send a remote
message to user's care person.
The system uses a timing device, preferably real-time clock and software
timer(s), to pace some
critical functions and tasks. The main task, initiated by the control
processor, is to check whether
the user is present and what, if any, medication package has been removed.
When first time a
programmed identification package is placed on the plate, an inventory list is
amended to add new
entry. Real time clock is checked against the schedule information of every
entry in the inventory
list and if they match, a reminder will be sent to the user to perform a
medical function. Otherwise,
the control processor would send a status request command to the RF
interrogating device and set a
timer for a timeout period, usually more than sufficient for the response to
come back, such as 30
micro seconds. The status request command will actually direct RF
interrogating device to transmit
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a command packet to all RF transponders in its sensing field to report their
ID codes. Therefore the
setting of the timeout period should take into considerations of other factors
such as: speed and
protocols of the interface connecting the control processor and the RF
interrogating device, speed
and protocols of the air interface between the RF interrogating device and
transponders. Typically
the control processor is expected to receive the response packet and compare
the inventory with
stored inventory list while the RF interrogating device is in operation.
>=Iowever, the control processor would not always get a response within the
timeout period. This is
the innovative feature of the system that with user's absence the RF
interrogating device would not
get power to operate, saving some power and at the same time indicating the
non-presence status.
Thus the control processor would calculate how long the user has been absence
and update a
presence log. A pattern analysis routine can be called to see if the user has
been absent for too long,
missed out some scheduled event, or if the absence contradicts to an
established pattern. For
instance, it can be concluded that the user does not appear at regular
breakfast time at 8 am; or
contrary to an established pattern that the user normally took 30 minutes to
finish breakfast and left
the area it appears that a trend is developed that the user emerges later and
later, and takes longer to
finish the breakfast. It may potentially indicate that the user has
experienced some sleep problems,
or other medical conditions. The system can be programmed to alert concerned
third parties on the
deviation of the user's normal pattern, or user's failing to present at a
regular scheduled time.
On the other hand, however, when a presence has been detected, the RF
interrogating device got the
power, started interrogating and returned a current inventory information to
be used against stored
inventory list. Then the control processor would go through a list to find out
if there is any removal
of any packages, and if yes, if the removal is according to schedule?
Interactive signals will be sent
to the user and guide user to the correct completion.
Referring to FIG. 9, the flow chart also includes a block to check whether a
test result from
performing a medical parameter measurement is required for further analysis.
The test that can be
performed by the user at home includes blood pressure, blood sugar, blood
clotting times,
cholesterol, etc. The system can prompt the user to enter a test result using
user interface means
such as a touchscreen LCD and voice recognition. The system can also instruct
the user to set up a
wired or wireless link between the test apparatus and the system controller.
By pressing a button the
test result can be retrieved and entered into a diagnostic program, in which
it is compared and
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evaluated against normal range and previous personal history and pattern. Many
new models of test
apparatus and meters include a wireless data port using wireless communication
protocols such as
infrared, WiFi, Bluetooth, and ZigBee.
An abnormal test and preliminary diagnostic result can be forwarded to a third
party for further
diagnosis and care. The third party includes analysis physicians, pharmacies,
care centres and others.
The "automatic" mode executes an infinite loop as shown in FIG. 9 as the
processor iterates
scanning functions. By pressing a mode button can interrupt the execution and
switch the system to
other modes of operations.
Although the preferred embodiments indicate for personal use, the present
invention can be well
used in a group care environment where a plurality of users medication can be
administered.
Therefore the foregoing is illustrative of the present invention and is not to
be construed as limiting
thereof. Although a few exemplary embodiments of this invention have been
described, those
skilled in the art will readily appreciate that many modifications are
possible in the exemplary
embodiments without materially departing from the novel teachings and
advantages of this
invention.
