CA3001033A1

CA3001033A1 - System and method for transporting drugs

Info

Publication number: CA3001033A1
Application number: CA3001033A
Authority: CA
Inventors: Dwaine Mcneil
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2018-04-11
Filing date: 2018-04-11
Publication date: 2019-10-11
Also published as: WO2019195919A1; CA3095225A1

Description

SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR TRANSPORTING DRUGS
FIELD
[0001] This invention is in the field of transportation containers, and more specifically to secure transportation of pharmaceuticals or drugs.
BACKGROUND
[0010] U.S. Pat. No. 9,600,636 to Xu et al. describes a medication compliance cap system, cap assembly, and associated methodology enhance compliance of a user's prescribed or scheduled medication regimen. A "smart" or intelligent medication cap assembly that communicates wirelessly with a remote medication compliance application or software executable via a personal computing device. A power source and signal-generating circuitry are housed within an inner cap housing and an outer cap housing, which circuitry is selectively switched on and/or off via engagement with an upper container rim of a medication container. The medication compliance application schedules medication-taking events and alerts the user when a medication-taking event is due. The user may stop the alert by removing the medication cap assembly from a medication container, at which time an alert cessation signal is transmitted to the medication compliance application.
[0011] U.S. Pat. No. 9,597,262 to Morgan et al. discloses a medication administration tracker that includes a medication container. A lid is releasably securable to the bottle and may include at least one indicator configured to produce an indication when prompted. A
time keeper and a processor are integrated into the lid. The time keeper keeps time and the processor is operatively 2223557v1

2 connected to the indicator and the time keeper. The processor is programmable to receive at least a dosage time and activate the indicator when the time keeper reaches the dosage time.
[0012] U.S. Pat. No. 7,081,807 to Lai et al. describes a user-friendly electronic pill reminder devices that converts regular conventional pill bottles to automatic reminder pill bottles. When the user closes the pill bottle cap on the bottle container, the electronic timer, with factory predetermined time interval, is automatically activated. That activated timer generates alert signals not only to remind user when the last pill has taken but also to remind the user to take his/hers next dose at time-out. The reminder device and alert signals are automatically deactivated and reset when the user opens the pill bottle cap (to take contents from the bottle container).
SUMMARY
[0013] The aspects as described herein in any and all combinations.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0014] While the aspects are claimed in the concluding portions hereof, example aspects are provided in the accompanying detailed description which may be best understood in conjunction with the accompanying diagrams where like parts in each of the several diagrams are labeled with like numbers, and where:
[0015] Figure 1 is a side view of a transportation container;
[0016] Figure 2 is a front view of a remote; and 2223557v1 100171 Figure 3 is a schematic view of an example electronic system for the transportation container.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
100181 Drug impaired driving is a significant concern for both prescription drugs and, with the legalization of cannabis, drug impaired driving is expected to increase in areas where cannabis has become legalized. Drug impaired driving may be more difficult to enforce as few testing systems exists for determining impairment. The detection of drug impaired driving involves extensive training of law enforcement officers and the criteria is not objectively measured. The lack of objective measurements makes drug impaired driving more susceptible to being challenged in court.
[00191 With control of drunk driving, alcohol is detectible through a breathalyzer that determines the blood alcohol level. The blood alcohol level may be strongly correlated to the impairment of an individual, such as 0.08 percent blood alcohol content (%BAC). With drug impaired driving, this type of standard measurement does not yet exist or is difficult to measure objectively. The measurement and/or length of impairment may also vary depending on the type of drug. The impairment may also be influenced if the person is under multiple types of medication that may collectively impair a driver more than taken individually.
As described herein, cannabis may be the example drug, but the aspects described may be equally applicable to other types of drugs that are known to impair a person.
[0020] In the example of cannabis, a level of tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) may be detectable in a person for days, weeks, and/or sometimes months before a blood test or a saliva test shows zero usage. This detection time may far exceed a time period of impairment (e.g. an impairment 2223557v1 time) making such measurements only indicative of cannabis use but not of impairment.
Cannabis may also have inconsistent THC strengths between strains leading to varying impairment times. Civil liberties may also be a concern as demanding blood tests and saliva tests is considered by many to be intrusive without reasonable grounds to do so. The aspects described herein may provide a suitable resolution for one or more of these problems addressed.
[0021] With reference to FIG. 1, a transportation container 100 may have a cap 102 configured to couple to a housing 106. The cap 102 and housing 106 define an interior volume for storing pharmaceuticals, drugs, etc. (collectively referred to as drugs herein) and/or other paraphernalia for administering the drugs. In this aspect, the cap 102 may be coupled to the housing 106 using threads 104. In some aspects, the cap 102 may be coupled to the housing 106 in such a manner that the cap 102 forms an air tight seal with the housing 106. By being air tight, a smell of the cannabis may be reduced or eliminated within a vehicle or otherwise. The drug would also be protected from water damage. Present on the threads 104 may be a switch 110 or other detector configured to determine if the cap 102 has been opened and/or closed as described in more detail below.
[0022] The cap 102 and the housing 106 may have a lock 108 for maintaining the cap 102 and the housing 106 together. In this aspect, the lock comprises a pair of loops 108 for receiving a shackle (not shown) of a padlock (not shown). The lock 108 may prevent unauthorized use of the transportation container 100.
[0023] The transportation container 100 may have a timer 112 within either the cap 102 or the housing 106. The timer 112 may be set to the impairment time of the drug(s) present within the container 100 and once the transportation container 100 is closed, the timer 112 may count to 2223557v1 zero. The impairment time may be set by a computer of a pharmacist and/or other drug dispensary. In an aspect, the impairment time may be set by a manufacturer of the transportation container 100 and/or may be based on a government regulation. In another aspect, the timer 112 may reset to zero when the container 100 is opened, and the timer 112 may count upwards indicating when the person last took a dose.
[0024] The transportation container 100 may have a tracking sensor 114 configured to transmit and/or receive an indication signal from a remote shown in FIG. 2. The indication signal may be received from the remote 200 in order to indicate the presence of the transportation container 100. A law enforcement officer may then know that the transportation container 100 is present and the office may ask the person when the last dose was taken. In some aspects, the remote 200 may receive a value on the timer 112. The remote 200 may comprise a housing 202 for holding electronic components. A power control 204 may control power supplied to a processor 352 within the remote 200. When the power is supplied, a power indicator 206 may be lit. The remote 200 may also comprise a signal strength indicator 208 comprising a distance to the transportation container 100. In this aspect, a number of light emitting diodes (LEDs) may correlate to a distance to the transportation container 100. In other aspects, the remote 200 may comprise a mobile phone having a display.
[0025] In some aspects, the remote 200 may have an elapsed time indicator that indicates the time elapsed since the container 100 was last opened. This elapsed time indicator may be .. indicated by a color of light. For example, a red light may indicate the detected container 100 was opened less than 2-hours ago. A green light may indicate the detected container 100 has been closed for over 2-hours. A white light may indicate the container 100 is detected in a 15-foot range.
2223557v1 [0026] Turning to FIG. 3, a processing structure 300 of the transportation container 100 and a processing structure 350 of the remote 200 are presented. The processing structure 300 may comprise a processor 302 executing instructions from a memory 304 (e.g. a tangible computer-readable medium). The memory 304 may comprise random access memory and read-only memory. The processor 302 may receive the signal from the switch 110 indicating when the transportation container 100 has been opened or closed. On receiving the signal from the switch 110, the processor 302 may reset a counter within the memory 304. The processor 302 may receive time signals from a clock 308 in order to decrement and/or increment the counter in memory 304. A battery 306 may provide electrical power to the processing structure 300.
[0027] The processing structure 350 may comprise a processor 352 executing instructions from a memory 354 (e.g. a tangible computer-readable medium). The memory 354 may comprise random access memory and read-only memory. The processor 352 may receive a power signal from the power switch 204 and provide a power on signal to the power indicator 206. A signal strength may be provided by the processor 352 on the signal strength indicator 208. A battery 306 may provide electrical power to the processing structure 350.
[0028] The processing structure 300 may comprise a wireless transceiver 314 for communication with one or more remotes 200. In some aspects, the transceiver 314 may be a Bluetooth transceiver or other form of tracker. The remote processing structure 352 may transmit a beacon broadcast to any transportation containers 100 within a predetermined distance (e.g. 1-15 feet).
When the container processing structure 300 receives the beacon from the remote processing structure 352 via a transceiver 364, the container processing structure 300 may respond with a signal strength and/or the timer 112. The remote processing structure 352 may then display this signal strength on the signal strength indicator 208.
2223557v1 [0029] In another aspect, the computer of the pharmacist and/or drug dispensary may communicate with the processing structure 300 via the transceiver 314. The computer (not shown) may comprise a processor, memory, long term storage, and a transceiver.
The computer may comprise a database of impairment times for one or more drugs. The computer may provide the processing structure 300 with the impairment time via the transceiver 314.
The processing structure 300 may then store the impairment time within the memory 304. In some aspects having more than one drug, a plurality of impairment times may be provided to the processing structure 300. The processing structure 300 may store all of the impairment times or may store a maximum impairment time within the memory 304.
[0030] In an example use, a user may open the container 100, remove a dose of the drug from the container 100 and the timer may reset to zero. The user may then be able to look at the timer 112 and know when the last dose of the drug was taken. When the impairment time is complete, responsible users may then know that they are reasonably certain they are no longer impaired.
[0031] This container 100 may allow officials to determine if cannabis is being transported in a vehicle using the locator/tracking system as described. As the official approaches the vehicle, the official's remote 200 that may locate the container 100 within a 15-foot range. The remote 200 may indicate the presence of the container 100 by an auditory, visual, and/or vibration. This indication may be before communicating with the driver of the vehicle. The official may be able to question the driver to determine if the driver is being evasive and/or provides false .. information.
[0032] The officials may be able to determine if the container 100 was opened since the container 100 was provided to the user. For example, if the user was provided with the container 2223557v1 100 at a dispensary, the official would know based on the timer 112 that the container 100 was opened before the user reached their home.
[0033] According to some aspects, the remote 200 may present a list of containers 100 within a predetermined range (e.g. 1-15-feet).
[0034] According to some aspects, the remote 200 may comprise password protection in order to restrict use of the remote 200 to authorized officials. In some aspects, the communication between the remote processing structure 350 and the transportation container processing structure 300 may be encrypted. In yet more aspects, the memories 304, 354 may be encrypted to prevent tampering.
.. [0035] Although the aspect described herein demonstrates the cap 102 being threadably coupled to the housing 106, other aspects may have the cap 102 friction-fitted. In yet another aspect, the housing may comprise a plastic bag and the bag may be closed using a slidable seal, such as provided under the trademark Ziploc .
[0036] In some aspects, the switch 110 may be a pressure activated switch. In other aspects, the .. switch 110 may require electrical conductivity between the cap 102 and the housing 106. In some aspects, the switch 110 may be located in another location other than the threads 104 so long as the switch 110 is activated when the cap 102 and housing 106 become coupled.
[0037] In another aspects, the cap 102 may be locked (e.g. physically or magnetically) to the housing 106 until the impairment time has passed. When the impairment time has passed, the processing structure 300 may unlock the cap 102 from the housing 106.
2223557v1 [0038] Although the aspects herein present the timer 112 on the cap 102, other aspects may have the timer 112 on the housing 106. In other aspects, when the timer 112 reaches the impairment time, an auditory indicator and/or a visual indicator may provide indication to the person that the person should no longer be impaired.
.. [0039] Although a particular size of the transportation container 100 are presented herein, other aspects may have larger or smaller containers 100, such as a pocket-sized container or a container large enough to hold a large amount.
[0040] The foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles of the invention.
Further, since numerous changes and modifications will readily occur to those skilled in the art, .. it is not desired to limit the invention to the exact construction and operation shown and described, and accordingly, all such suitable changes or modifications in structure or operation which may be resorted to are intended to fall within the scope of the claimed invention.
2223557v1

Claims

What is claimed is at least:

1. A container and a method as described herein, in any and all aspects, in any and all consistent combinations.