Patent Application
20140309772
The disclosure generally relates to pill dispensing systems and methods, especially to an automatic pill dispensing system and method.
It is common for the elderly or infirm to ingest many different pills according to a schedule. The scheduling can be complex and involve taking medication in different amounts at different times. Such complexities can be difficult to remember and can result in dangerous mistakes.
Many aspects of the embodiments can be better understood with reference to the following drawings. The components in the drawings are not necessarily drawn to scale, the emphasis instead being placed upon clearly illustrating the principles of the embodiments. Moreover, in the drawings, like reference numerals designate corresponding parts throughout the several views.
The disclosure is illustrated by way of example and not by way of limitation in the figures of the accompanying drawings in which like references indicate similar elements. It should be noted that references to “an” or “one” embodiment in this disclosure are not necessarily to the same embodiment, and such references mean “at least one.”
The data center 10 can include one or more cloud servers 20 and a fire wall 30. The fire wall 30 can be used to protect the cloud servers 20 from being infiltrated or accessed by unauthorized users.
The network 40 can be internet network, an local area network, another communication network, or a combination thereof.
The cloud server 20 can assign an internet protocol address for the automatic pill dispenser 50, access the automatic pill dispenser 50, and authorize the automatic pill dispenser 50 to access the cloud server 20.
The cloud server 20 can store a patient's information, such as the patient's name, age, height, weight, visual acuity, disease status, media case history, pill schedule, and identification information, for example.
The automatic pill dispenser 50 can access the cloud server 20 and retrieve the patient's information from the cloud server 20.
The information input apparatus 53 can be used to input the patient's identification information. In one embodiment, the information input apparatus 53 is an USB receiver. The patient's identification information can be stored in a USB apparatus. The USB apparatus can be inserted in the information input apparatus 53 to input the patient's identification information into the automatic pill dispenser 50. The automatic pill dispenser 50 then transmits the patient's identification information to the cloud server 20. In another embodiment, the patient's identification information can be stored in a mag-card, and the input apparatus 53 can be a mag-card receiver to receive the mag-card.
The cloud server of the data center can find the patient's pill schedule according to the patient's identification information, and controls the automatic pill dispenser 50 to select corresponding pills according to the patient's pill schedule. The selected pills can be dispensed from the pill dispensing opening 52. The cloud server 20 also can control a height and an angle of the screen 51 according to the patient's height and visual acuity. Further, a font size shown on the screen 51 can be adjusted based on the patient's visual acuity. For the patient whose visual acuity is very low, the speaker 54 can be controlled to broadcast the patient's information. Further, the speaker 54 can broadcast some music to please the patient.
In S301, the information input apparatus reads out the patient's identification information, and sends the patient's identification information to the cloud server.
In S302, the cloud server gets the patient's information based on the patient's identification information, the cloud server controls a height and an angle of the screen 51 and a font size shown on the screen according to the patient's height and visual acuity. For the patient whose visual acuity is very low, the speaker can be controlled to broadcast the patient's information.
In S303, the cloud server controls the automatic pill dispenser to select corresponding pills according to the patient's pill schedule, and outputs the selected pills from the pill dispensing opening.
In another embodiment, all of the patient's information can be stored in the USB apparatus. Therefore, the automatic pill dispenser can read out the patient's information directly from the USB apparatus to dispense pills for the patient.
In another embodiment, a camera can be mounted on the automatic pill dispenser. The camera can recode the patient's action on the automatic pill dispenser.
It is to be understood, however, that even though numerous characteristics and advantages of the embodiments have been set forth in the foregoing description, together with details of the structure and functions of the embodiments, the disclosure is illustrative only, and changes may be made in detail, especially in the matters of shape, size, and arrangement of parts within the principles of the present disclosure to the full extent indicated by the broad general meaning of the terms in which the appended claims are expressed.
| Number | Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| 102112996 | Apr 2013 | TW | national |
