Classifications

• • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
  • A61—MEDICAL OR VETERINARY SCIENCE; HYGIENE
  • A61J—CONTAINERS SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR MEDICAL OR PHARMACEUTICAL PURPOSES; DEVICES OR METHODS SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR BRINGING PHARMACEUTICAL PRODUCTS INTO PARTICULAR PHYSICAL OR ADMINISTERING FORMS; DEVICES FOR ADMINISTERING FOOD OR MEDICINES ORALLY; BABY COMFORTERS; DEVICES FOR RECEIVING SPITTLE
  • A61J7/00—Devices for administering medicines orally, e.g. spoons; Pill counting devices; Arrangements for time indication or reminder for taking medicine
  • A61J7/04—Arrangements for time indication or reminder for taking medicine, e.g. programmed dispensers
  • A61J7/0409—Arrangements for time indication or reminder for taking medicine, e.g. programmed dispensers with timers
  • A61J7/0481—Arrangements for time indication or reminder for taking medicine, e.g. programmed dispensers with timers working on a schedule basis
• • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
  • A61—MEDICAL OR VETERINARY SCIENCE; HYGIENE
  • A61J—CONTAINERS SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR MEDICAL OR PHARMACEUTICAL PURPOSES; DEVICES OR METHODS SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR BRINGING PHARMACEUTICAL PRODUCTS INTO PARTICULAR PHYSICAL OR ADMINISTERING FORMS; DEVICES FOR ADMINISTERING FOOD OR MEDICINES ORALLY; BABY COMFORTERS; DEVICES FOR RECEIVING SPITTLE
  • A61J2200/00—General characteristics or adaptations
  • A61J2200/30—Compliance analysis for taking medication
• • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
  • A61—MEDICAL OR VETERINARY SCIENCE; HYGIENE
  • A61J—CONTAINERS SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR MEDICAL OR PHARMACEUTICAL PURPOSES; DEVICES OR METHODS SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR BRINGING PHARMACEUTICAL PRODUCTS INTO PARTICULAR PHYSICAL OR ADMINISTERING FORMS; DEVICES FOR ADMINISTERING FOOD OR MEDICINES ORALLY; BABY COMFORTERS; DEVICES FOR RECEIVING SPITTLE
  • A61J2200/00—General characteristics or adaptations
  • A61J2200/70—Device provided with specific sensor or indicating means
• • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
  • A61—MEDICAL OR VETERINARY SCIENCE; HYGIENE
  • A61J—CONTAINERS SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR MEDICAL OR PHARMACEUTICAL PURPOSES; DEVICES OR METHODS SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR BRINGING PHARMACEUTICAL PRODUCTS INTO PARTICULAR PHYSICAL OR ADMINISTERING FORMS; DEVICES FOR ADMINISTERING FOOD OR MEDICINES ORALLY; BABY COMFORTERS; DEVICES FOR RECEIVING SPITTLE
  • A61J2205/00—General identification or selection means
  • A61J2205/20—Colour codes
• • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
  • A61—MEDICAL OR VETERINARY SCIENCE; HYGIENE
  • A61J—CONTAINERS SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR MEDICAL OR PHARMACEUTICAL PURPOSES; DEVICES OR METHODS SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR BRINGING PHARMACEUTICAL PRODUCTS INTO PARTICULAR PHYSICAL OR ADMINISTERING FORMS; DEVICES FOR ADMINISTERING FOOD OR MEDICINES ORALLY; BABY COMFORTERS; DEVICES FOR RECEIVING SPITTLE
  • A61J2205/00—General identification or selection means
  • A61J2205/60—General identification or selection means using magnetic or electronic identifications, e.g. chips, RFID, electronic tags
• • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
  • A61—MEDICAL OR VETERINARY SCIENCE; HYGIENE
  • A61J—CONTAINERS SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR MEDICAL OR PHARMACEUTICAL PURPOSES; DEVICES OR METHODS SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR BRINGING PHARMACEUTICAL PRODUCTS INTO PARTICULAR PHYSICAL OR ADMINISTERING FORMS; DEVICES FOR ADMINISTERING FOOD OR MEDICINES ORALLY; BABY COMFORTERS; DEVICES FOR RECEIVING SPITTLE
  • A61J2205/00—General identification or selection means
  • A61J2205/70—Audible labels, e.g. for pre-recorded info or messages
• • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
  • A61—MEDICAL OR VETERINARY SCIENCE; HYGIENE
  • A61J—CONTAINERS SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR MEDICAL OR PHARMACEUTICAL PURPOSES; DEVICES OR METHODS SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR BRINGING PHARMACEUTICAL PRODUCTS INTO PARTICULAR PHYSICAL OR ADMINISTERING FORMS; DEVICES FOR ADMINISTERING FOOD OR MEDICINES ORALLY; BABY COMFORTERS; DEVICES FOR RECEIVING SPITTLE
  • A61J7/00—Devices for administering medicines orally, e.g. spoons; Pill counting devices; Arrangements for time indication or reminder for taking medicine
  • A61J7/04—Arrangements for time indication or reminder for taking medicine, e.g. programmed dispensers
  • A61J7/0409—Arrangements for time indication or reminder for taking medicine, e.g. programmed dispensers with timers
  • A61J7/0418—Arrangements for time indication or reminder for taking medicine, e.g. programmed dispensers with timers with electronic history memory

Definitions

• the present invention relates to a package-companion-user interactive system facilitating and providing a comprehensive means of product authentication, registration as well as facilitating proper & effective consumption and / or usage of packaged product for effective compliance, with user real-time feedback vide an interactive means and further capturing the product-user feedback information to provide value added services to the user by support services providers.
• Product related information is generally printed on the package and /or is given in the product information sheet inside the package. It is not uncommon to get packages with the essential information such as date of manufacture, name of the manufacturer, expiry date, price, etc printed or inscribed in an illegible manner making the authentication of the product difficult. Counterfeiting and spurious products continue to be an undesirable social menace. It is estimated that 5-7% of world trade is in counterfeits, which is in the region of 250-350 billion dollars and is growing fast. In the period1990 - 1995 the world trade grew by 47% whereas in contrast counterfeits grew by 150% (Briefing on Counterfeiting, AIM® Paper 1999)...
• a desirable feature would also be to provide the user an easy means to record his feedback as and when he/she has used or consumed the product or any observations he/she makes regarding the product reaction on him, or any indications that he/she may like to convey to the professional for further advice.
• US patent no. 6961285 discloses a drug delivery management system to guide users / patients to take their medication and to assist third parties to collect information with regard to the patient medication intake.
• the system includes 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.
• This prior art details a monitoring system more specifically for use in medication monitoring, which has medication packaged in a specific blister format and the said blister having capability of monitoring access to medication and relaying it to a separate monitor.
• the system is not capable of authenticating the packaged medication product nor is it capable of capturing user-feedback on real-time basis w.r.t. his / her observations, indications and feelings on the consumed product, etc.
• US patent no. 5412372 discloses a portable medication dispenser aid which monitors dispensing times including regimen-conforming use of medications provided in standard as- marketed blister packages.
• a standard blister package and a separate, disposable sensor sheet are loaded onto a compact housing containing supervisory electronics, visual indicators, and an audible alarm.
• the sensor sheet consists of electrical or optical sensing regions corresponding to each individual compartment of the blister package.
• An electrically conductive or optical connector in the dispenser housing allows periodic scanning of the sensor sheet circuitry by the control circuitry in the dispenser housing without adding connector components to disposable sensor sheet.
• an electrical or optical parameter associated with a corresponding region of the sensor sheet is altered, thereby permitting the control circuitry to monitor the dispensing event.
• Stored patient compliance data may then be reported remotely through an optical or electrical interface between the dispenser and an external system for review by the pharmacist/physician.
• the system addresses the issue of reminding the user of when to take a medication from a specific unit dose package containing the medication but is not capable of authenticating the product, capturing user interaction and feedback.
• the system is specific to a type of package and lacks the desired flexibility for use in diverse types of packages containing different types, forms, sizes and shapes of medication.
• US patent nos.: 6839304 and 6411567 describes a drug delivery management system for managing delivery of pharmaceutical drugs from a blister package that includes a plurality of cells arranged in a grid. Each of the cells is sealed by a breakable wall and holds a unit-dose of medication. A user gains access to the medication in a given cell by puncturing the breakable wall associated with the given cell. A severable conductor is positioned proximate to each breakable wall. The severable conductor associated with a given cell ruptures upon puncturing of the breakable wall associated with the given cell. A computer chip is electrically connected to the severable conductors. The computer chip senses the puncturing of each cell in the grid by monitoring the rupturing of each of the severable conductors.
• An RF transmitter is coupled to the computer chip.
• the RF transmitter sends information corresponding to usage of each of medications stored in the blister package to a remote information transceiver.
• the system is specific to blister type packages.
• the key limitation results from the use of non-insulating layer to incorporate the severable conductors. As the non-insulating layer is in direct touch with the medication, it becomes imperative to get the material approved by the regulatory authorities prior to its use. The manufacturing process also gets complicated
• the system also is limited to and focused on user- compliance but lacks the aspects of capturing the much desired user interaction and feedback. Incorporating remote devices on the package for receiving and transmitting makes the pack unwieldy and unviable for commercial exploitation.
• the other limitation of this system is that it does not address authentication of the product package through a customized encoding which becomes unique for that specific package. It may be noted that the drug delivery management systems disclosed above primarily focus on monitoring / tracking delivery / dosing of medication to patients and assisting patients to medical compliance. Provision of authentication of the product in the existing package / container and customized end user feed back facility is not provided in systems disclosed in the prior art. Further, the devices disclosed in the prior art are specific to packages of specific size /shape of the packaging and therefore cannot be exploited in a general manner in diverse packages containing diverse products.
• the systems are dedicated to specific types of packages in terms of their size and shapes without provision for interaction with end user, authenticating the end user and without user-friendly interactive input devices for the end user and communicating means to transmit the user based information to service providers
• Circuitry may require additional layer / laminate / insulating material needing regulatory clearances, thereby limiting their applications;
• the present invention addresses the shortcomings of the prior art and provides a novel multidimensional package-companion-user interactive system that can be used effectively for any packaged product which is supported by a unique companion device system, which enables any user to orient the companion exclusively and provide himself/herself with all the key features which would enable effective usage of the product along with the effective real-time capture of his/her feedback for own use or optionally for communicating the same for better management by the related service providers. .
• the main object of the invention is to provide package-companion-user interactive system facilitating and providing user a means for his/her registration with the companion device, authentication, registration of the product package with his real-time feedback vide an interactive means and capturing the product-user feedback information
• Another object of the invention is to provide a system that is functional without limitations on the packages in terms of their size and shapes.
• Another object of the invention is to provide a system with provision for interaction with end user, authenticating the end user and with user-friendly interactive input devices for the end user and communicating means to transmit user based information to service providers
• the said system comprises: A package-companion-user interactive system comprising: a companion device comprising a housing with a package holding provision; an array of signal generating means with corresponding signal sensing means provided in the said device to receive and reflect signal generated by the said signal generating means; user interactive and/or user input means; powered time tracking means; data decoding means, data processing, data storage means so configured to register user, authenticate, register product package when housed / located in the said housing and optionally carry out transient data collection or user feed back or a combinations thereof wherein the product package is affixed / embedded with a smart data processor encoded with product details using unique protocol wherein user registration data is stored in the said processing means followed by displaying the user, information regarding his / her registration of the device for optional exclusive use; authentication decoding means of the said companion device which decodes unique identification protocol in the pre-encoded data from the said smart processor of the product package and the said data is authenticated in the said data processing means of the said companion device; said memory stores
• FIG 1 Schematic of the package-companion-user interactive system (sheet 1)
• the system as described in Fig. 1 comprising companion device and the package is illustrated in Figure 1.
• the device comprises of a provision 5 formed between portion 1 and portion 2 to receive the product package 20.
• An array of signal generating means 3 is provided in the portion 1.
• the portion 2 is provided with signal receiving and reflecting means 4 including mechanical signal sensing device/s. Signal generated by 3 is received and reflected by 4.
• a decoding device 10 is positioned in portion 2.
• Package 20 as shown in the Figure 1 (a) to (c) may be in the form of a bottle, pouch, wrapper, but is not limited to these & may be of any shape or size.
• the said package contains product 23 in the form of solid, liquid, gas or combination of the same.
• a smart chip 24 is affixed or embedded on the package surface.
• the said smart chip is pre-encoded offline or online during packaging of the said product with information such as manufacturer source, date, batch of manufacture and information regarding the product etc.
• the decoding process of the encoded data in the said smart chip 24 gets initiated in 10 and the decoded data being sent via signal 11 to the processing unit 6 from 10.
• the said decoded data is processed for authentication in 6 and appropriate message is displayed on the display means 12.
• the placement of the package 20 in the cavity / slot / provision 5, results in interception of the signal generated from 3.
• the reception and corresponding reflection of the signal from 4 depends on the quantity of the product inside the package. Thus, if a product is accessed from the package, particular signal pattern is generated.
• the real time measuring means 7 connected to data storage device (memory) 8 facilitates transient data collection of product accession. Memory 8 facilitates data storage of the product accession details with respect to time. Further, data related to frequency of accession is stored in memory 8.
• the user interaction means 16 is linked to the memory 8. Timely alarm on product accession is conveyed to the user in the form of a signal by 16. Further, the end user can feed in data in regard to effects, symptoms, observations etc related to product accession via a user input means 13 which also includes user identification means for user registration. Memory 8 is connected to 6 through connector 9 to facilitate data processing.
• the processing unit 6 is further linked to connectivity means 15.
• End user interactive audio / visual / biometrics device 14 is provided on the portion 1 to facilitate registration of the user with the companion device.
• the receptor 17 is positioned in the proximity of the cavity 5 to facilitate data accession from the package.
• Power source 18 comprises of an uninterrupted power source for real time device along with a rechargeable battery.
• provision 5 comprises of a means to lock and/ or sense the placement of the package and further display a signal to prompt the user for a password.
• the present invention facilitates authentication of the product package along with optional features of user feed back and transient data collection.
• the package comprises of product containment portion / holding cavity formed / made using laminate / material and optional closure.
• the package comprises of (components such as) mono or multi layered laminated structure / material with single or plurality of formed cavities / receptacle for holding / containing product and a closure for the said cavities/ receptacle in the form of lamina/ layer / sheet appropriately attached.
• the material of construction of the said components (cavity and closure) is same or different.
• the said package is fitted / attached with a device / provision which may be press-fitted to the companion device while placing the said package in the provision 5 so that the package gets locked thereby preventing dislodging while handling of the companion device and requires external force for removal .
• the receptacle and / or closure is thermoformed and / or cold formed.
• the receptacle and / or closure is made by a process of wrapping using cold / hot seal.
• the said package is enclosed / contained / encased in another enclosure.
• the package comprises of product containment / holding cavity in the form of a container and closure.
• a portion of the closure is of appropriate shape so that it can be press-fitted to the companion device while placing the said package in the provision 5 so that the package gets locked thereby preventing dislodging while handling of the companion device and requires external force for removal
• the package comprises of product containment / holding cavity formed by flexible laminate / material wherein part / portion/s of the same laminate / material is sealed to form a pouch wherein a portion of the said pouch optionally is provided with gusset / shaping device / stiffener so that it gives rigid structure which can be press fitted to the provision 5 of the companion device.
• the said pouch is provided with a closure for repetitive access / opening and closing of the pouch.
• the package is provided with a device comprising a speaker, battery, optional switch and an audio signal generator to provide information on branding, product identity etc.
• the smart chip is a crypto memory device, a secured memory device or a microcontroller based memory chip.
• the smart chip is a RFID device.
• the authentication is facilitated for both covert and overt identification systems by use of molecular markers, or special ink markers In yet another embodiment the authentication is facilitated by use of disorder technologies in the from of tags
• the sensors generate electrical signals such as current, voltage, capacitance, frequency etc.
• the sensors generate optical signals.
• signal receiving means is selected from spring loaded mechanical device or strain gauges.
• input means is selected from a touch screen device, key board, Braille compatible keyboard.
• user interactive means is a voice recognition device; biometrics system, audio and / or visual signal indicating system, vibration generating means.
• chip is affixed to the package.
• power source is a rechargeable battery.
• independent / matrix conductive systems are positioned / printed / placed on the closure area of the receptacles of the package.
• product containment portions and / or closure of the package is /are made up of polymers or metals or paper or other environmentally friendly materials coated with peelable and or heat sealable coatings made of various acrylic natural gum base or synthetic based coatings to ensure a sealed / hermetically sealed system compatible to external and environmental factors; and a combination thereof.
• the package is made from mono or multi special packaging materials for providing a range of features and product related functional properties such as antimicrobial, preservation, change indication, barrier to moisture, light, UV / IR radiations, gases or selective barrier properties to moisture, gases which allows specific diffusion properties for product liberated moisture / gases.
• product related functional properties such as antimicrobial, preservation, change indication, barrier to moisture, light, UV / IR radiations, gases or selective barrier properties to moisture, gases which allows specific diffusion properties for product liberated moisture / gases.
• data in the processing means is modulated in bit pattern such that it is suitable for transmission at 2.4 GHz by using Bluetooth, ZigBee.
• data is processed in the processing means so that it can be transmitted through standard call service provider using modem.
• the synergistic combination of the companion device comprising user input means including user identification means to facilitate user identification, display means configured with data decoding means, data processing, data storage device, time tracking means and the product package affixed with the pre-encoded smart chip when positioned in / on the said companion device facilitates authentication and registration of the product package with a facility to authenticate and register plurality of the same product packages every time a new package of the said same product is inserted / positioned in the said companion device after complete use / consumption of the product from the preceding package and without limitations on the packages in terms of their size and shapes as well as package materials and along with optional feed back, transient product accession data collection features provide the user a comprehensive means of ease of authentication and effective use of a product along with the capability of capturing real-time feedback more specifically related to facilitation of authentication and effective compliance by the user of a product ensuring the safety, quality, efficacy and potency of product with an effective feedback interaction between the user and the companion for further value added use of the

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• Health & Medical Sciences (AREA)
• Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
• Medical Informatics (AREA)
• Life Sciences & Earth Sciences (AREA)
• Animal Behavior & Ethology (AREA)
• General Health & Medical Sciences (AREA)
• Public Health (AREA)
• Veterinary Medicine (AREA)
• Storage Device Security (AREA)
• Medical Preparation Storing Or Oral Administration Devices (AREA)
• Electrophonic Musical Instruments (AREA)
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• 2007
  • 2007-01-31 GB GB0807835A patent/GB2448244B/en not_active Expired - Fee Related
  • 2007-01-31 WO PCT/IN2007/000040 patent/WO2007096898A2/en active Search and Examination
  • 2007-01-31 EP EP20070736512 patent/EP1986586A4/de not_active Withdrawn
  • 2007-02-02 TW TW96103972A patent/TWI393558B/zh not_active IP Right Cessation
  • 2007-02-06 AR ARP070100473 patent/AR059323A1/es active IP Right Grant
  • 2007-02-06 SA SA7280026A patent/SA07280026B1/ar unknown

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