Wireless Tag Apparatus and Related Medication Compliance Monitoring Techniques

Abstract

A wireless tag apparatus and related medication compliance monitoring techniques are disclosed. In some embodiments, the apparatus may include a motion detector configured to detect at least one of a movement of and an impact to the apparatus. The apparatus also may include a sensing circuit configured to scan, in response to the detection by the motion detector, a sensor array associated with a medication dispenser external to the apparatus to determine whether contents of at least one medication compartment of the medication dispenser have been expelled. The apparatus further may include a transmitter configured to transmit, in response to the detection by the motion detector, a signal including data pertaining to whether the contents of the at least one medication compartment have been expelled, wherein the signal is a radio frequency signal. In some embodiments, the apparatus may be configured for use, for example, in monitoring medication compliance.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A wireless tag apparatus comprising:
 a sensing circuit configured to scan a sensor array associated with a medication dispenser external to the wireless tag apparatus to detect a change to an electrical circuitry of the sensor array corresponding to expulsion of contents of at least one medication compartment of the medication dispenser, wherein the change to the electrical circuitry comprises a breakage of an electrically resistive element of the sensor array associated with the at least one medication compartment; and   a transmitter configured to transmit a first signal including data pertaining to whether the electrical circuitry of the sensor array has so changed, wherein the first signal is a radio frequency (RF) signal.   
     
     
         2 . The wireless tag apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the electrically resistive element comprises at least one of a carbon resistor and an electrically resistive ink. 
     
     
         3 . The wireless tag apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the electrically resistive element is disposed over the at least one medication compartment. 
     
     
         4 . The wireless tag apparatus of  claim 3 , wherein the medication dispenser comprises a blister pack. 
     
     
         5 . The wireless tag apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the sensing circuit is further configured to scan the sensor array to determine whether each individual electrically resistive element of the sensor array is operational; and   the first signal further includes data pertaining to whether each individual electrically resistive element is operational.   
     
     
         6 . The wireless tag apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the sensing circuit is configured to scan the sensor array at a fixed time interval. 
     
     
         7 . The wireless tag apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the sensing circuit is further configured to detect when the wireless tag apparatus is operatively coupled with the sensor array. 
     
     
         8 . The wireless tag apparatus of  claim 1 , further comprising a timer configured to output a second signal periodically, in response to which the sensing circuit scans the sensor array. 
     
     
         9 . The wireless tag apparatus of  claim 8 , wherein the timer is native to a processing element of the wireless tag apparatus. 
     
     
         10 . The wireless tag apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the first signal further includes data pertaining to at least one of:
 an identification of the wireless tag apparatus;   whether the wireless tag apparatus is operational;   whether the sensor array is operational;   whether the wireless tag apparatus and the sensor array are operatively coupled with one another;   a size of the sensor array;   a power level of a battery of the wireless tag apparatus; and   a signal strength of the first signal.   
     
     
         11 . The wireless tag apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the first signal is at least one of a Wi-Fi signal and a Bluetooth signal. 
     
     
         12 . The wireless tag apparatus of  claim 11 , wherein the first signal is of a frequency in an ISM band of between 2.4-2.485 GHz. 
     
     
         13 . The wireless tag apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the transmitter is configured to transmit the first signal at least one of:
 periodically;   after each scan of the sensor array by the sensing circuit;   after multiple consecutive scans of the sensor array by the sensing circuit; and   after detection of the change to the electrical circuitry of the sensor array by the sensing circuit.   
     
     
         14 . The wireless tag apparatus of  claim 1 , further comprising a sensor configured to detect at least one of a movement of the wireless tag apparatus and an impact to the wireless tag apparatus. 
     
     
         15 . The wireless tag apparatus of  claim 14 , wherein the sensing circuit is configured to scan the sensor array:
 at a first scan rate when the sensor has detected the at least one of the movement of the wireless tag apparatus and the impact to the wireless tag apparatus; and   at a second scan rate that is lower than the first scan rate when the sensor has not detected at least one of the movement of the wireless tag apparatus and the impact to the wireless tag apparatus.   
     
     
         16 . The wireless tag apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the wireless tag apparatus is configured to clip onto at least one of the sensor array, the medication dispenser, and the at least one medication compartment. 
     
     
         17 . The wireless tag apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the wireless tag apparatus is configured to slide onto at least one of the sensor array, the medication dispenser, and the at least one medication compartment. 
     
     
         18 . The wireless tag apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the wireless tag apparatus is configured to operatively interface with a housing of the medication dispenser. 
     
     
         19 . A method of monitoring a medication dispenser, the method comprising:
 scanning a sensor array associated with the medication dispenser to detect a change to an electrical circuitry of the sensor array corresponding to expulsion of contents of at least one medication compartment of the medication dispenser, wherein the change to the electrical circuitry comprises a breakage of an electrically resistive element of the sensor array associated with the at least one medication compartment; and   transmitting a first signal including data pertaining to whether the electrical circuitry of the sensor array has so changed, wherein the first signal is a radio frequency (RF) signal.   
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 19 , wherein:
 the method further comprises scanning the sensor array to determine whether each individual resistor of a plurality of resistors of the sensor array is operational; and   the first signal further includes data pertaining to whether each individual resistor of the plurality of resistors is operational.   
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 19 , wherein scanning the sensor array occurs at a fixed time interval. 
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 19 , wherein the first signal is at least one of a Wi-Fi signal and a Bluetooth signal. 
     
     
         23 . The method of  claim 22 , wherein the first signal is of a frequency in an ISM band of between 2.4-2.485 GHz. 
     
     
         24 . The method of  claim 19 , wherein transmitting the first signal occurs at least one of:
 periodically;   after each scan of the sensor array;   after multiple consecutive scans of the sensor array; and   after detection of the change to the electrical circuitry of the sensor array.   
     
     
         25 . The method of  claim 19 , wherein:
 the scanning is performed utilizing a sensing circuit of a wireless tag apparatus configured to operatively interface with the medication dispenser; and   the transmitting is performed utilizing a transmitter of the wireless tag apparatus.