Portable management and monitoring system for eye drop medication regiment

Abstract

Systems and methods for medication management are provided. Some embodiments provide for a portable medication management and monitoring system for eye drop instillation in ocular chronic conditions. At least one embodiment includes a device having one or more of the following elements: (a) a jacket that goes around an eye drop bottle; (b) tactile sensors to detect the user's fingers and generate data to activate the system; (c) motion sensors to detect the motion of the medication bottle when it is grabbed and moved by the user; (d) a wireless communication module to send and receive data to a computer and portable communication devices; and/or (e) a compartment for holding the electronic components.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An apparatus comprising:
 a jacket adapted to hold a medication bottle containing a medication;   a motion sensor engaged with said jacket and adapted to generate motion data regarding at least one of a position of said medication bottle, an orientation of said medication bottle, and a motion of said medication bottle;   a medication sensor engaged with said jacket and adapted to generate medication data regarding said medication leaving said medication bottle;   at least one of:
 a storage medium; 
 a wireless communication module; 
   a processor adapted to:
 determine said at least one of said position of said medication bottle, said orientation of said medication bottle, and said motion of said medication bottle based on said motion data; 
 activate said medication sensor responsive to said least one of said position of said medication bottle, said orientation of said medication bottle, and said motion of said medication bottle based on said motion data; 
 determine that said medication has left said medication bottle based on said medication data; 
 in response to determining that said medication has left said medication bottle, at least one of: 
 store that said medication has left said medication bottle in said storage medium; and 
 communicate that said medication has left said medication bottle via said wireless communication module with an external system. 
   
     
     
         2 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 an electronic compartment adapted to be engaged with said jacket.   
     
     
         3 . The apparatus of  claim 2 , wherein:
 at least one of said motion sensor, said medication sensor, said at least one of said storage medium and said wireless communication module, and said processor are disposed within said electronic compartment.   
     
     
         4 . The apparatus of  claim 2 , wherein:
 said electronic compartment is adapted to be removably engaged with said jacket.   
     
     
         5 . The apparatus of  claim 2 , wherein:
 said apparatus comprises a plurality of said jackets each adapted to hold at least one of a plurality of said medication bottles.   
     
     
         6 . The apparatus of  claim 5 , wherein:
 said electronic compartment is adapted to be removably engaged with any of said plurality of jackets.   
     
     
         7 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a tactile sensor engaged with said jacket and adapted to generate tactile data regarding a touch from a user to said jacket.   
     
     
         8 . The apparatus of  claim 7 , wherein said processor is adapted to:
 determine said touch based on said tactile data; and   activate said motion sensor responsive to said touch.   
     
     
         9 . The apparatus of  claim 7 , wherein said processor is adapted to determine from said tactile data at least one of:
 an amount of pressure on said tactile sensor;   a length of said touch; and   a pattern of said touch.   
     
     
         10 . The apparatus of  claim 7 , wherein said tactile sensor is adapted to provide a touch interface. 
     
     
         11 . The apparatus of  claim 7 , wherein said processor is adapted to determine from said tactile data at least one of a pulse of said user and a heart rate of said user. 
     
     
         12 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a pressure sensor engaged with said jacket and adapted to generate pressure data regarding an insertion of said medication bottle into said jacket;   wherein said processor is adapted to determine said insertion of said medication bottle into said jacket based on said pressure data.   
     
     
         13 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein:
 said processor is adapted to determine a quantity of said medication that has left said medication bottle based on said medication data.   
     
     
         14 . A method, comprising:
 disposing a medication bottle within a jacket;   generating, by a motion sensor engaged with said jacket, motion data regarding at least one of a position of said medication bottle, an orientation of said medication bottle, and a motion of said medication bottle;   determining, by a processor engaged with said jacket, said at least one of said position of said medication bottle, said orientation of said medication bottle, and said motion of said medication bottle based on said motion data;   responsive to determining said at least one of said position of said medication bottle, said orientation of said medication bottle, and said motion of said medication bottle, activating a medication sensor engaged with the jacket;   generating, by said medication sensor, medication data regarding said medication leaving said medication bottle;   determining, by said processor engaged with said jacket, that said medication has left said medication bottle based on said medication data;   responsive to determining that said medication has left said bottle, performing at least one of:
 storing in a storage medium engaged with said jacket that said medication has left said medication bottle; and 
 communicating with an external system engaged with said jacket that said medication has left said medication bottle via a wireless communication module. 
   
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein:
 at least one of said motion sensor, said medication sensor, said at least one of said storage medium and said wireless communication module, and said processor are disposed within said electronic compartment;   the method further comprising:   prior to generating said motion data, removably engaging said electronic compartment with said jacket.   
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 15 , further comprising:
 prior to engaging said electronic compartment with said jacket, disengaging said electronic compartment from a previous jacket.   
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 14 , further comprising:
 generating, by a tactile sensor engaged with said jacket, tactile data regarding a touch from a user to said jacket.   
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 17 , further comprising:
 determining, by said processor, said touch based on said tactile data; and   responsive to determining said touch, activating said motion sensor.   
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 17 , further comprising:
 determining, by said processor and based on said tactile data, at least one of:   an amount of pressure on said tactile sensor;   a length of said touch; and   a pattern of said touch.   
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 17 , further comprising:
 determining, by said processor, at least one of a pulse of said user and a heart rate of said user based on said tactile data.   
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 14 , further comprising:
 generating, by a pressure sensor engaged with said jacket, pressure data regarding an insertion of said medication bottle into said jacket;   determining, by said processor, said insertion of said medication bottle into said jacket based on said pressure data.   
     
     
         22 . A method, comprising:
 providing a plurality of jackets, each jacket being adapted to hold at least one of a plurality of medication bottles therein;   providing a motion sensor adapted to be engaged with said jacket and adapted to generate motion data regarding at least one of a position of a held medication bottle of said plurality of said medication bottles, an orientation of said held medication bottle, and a motion of said held medication bottle;   providing a medication sensor adapted to be engaged with said jacket and adapted to generate medication data regarding a medication leaving said held medication bottle;   providing at least one of:
 a storage medium; 
 a wireless communication module; 
   providing a processor adapted to be engaged with said jacket and adapted to:
 determine said at least one of said position of said held medication bottle, said orientation of said held medication bottle, and said motion of said held medication bottle based on said motion data; 
 activate said medication sensor responsive to said least one of said position of said held medication bottle, said orientation of said held medication bottle, and said motion of said held medication bottle based on said motion data; 
 determine that said medication has left said held medication bottle based on said medication data; 
 at least one of:
 store that said medication has left said medication bottle in said storage medium; and 
 communicate that said medication has left said medication bottle via said wireless communication module with an external system; 
 
   providing an electronic compartment adapted to be removably engaged with each of said jackets, at least one of said motion sensor, said medication sensor, said at least one of said storage medium and said wireless communication module, and said processor being disposed within said electronic compartment.   
     
     
         23 . The method of  claim 22 , wherein:
 said plurality of medication bottles exhibit different sizes.