AND METHOD TECHNICAL FIELD

[0001] The present disclosure relates to medicament prescription and dispensing, and in particular, to a medicament prescription and dispensing management system and method.

BACKGROUND

[0002] Different kinds of nonfood medicaments are controlled in different ways. Some medicaments, such as intoxicants, are controlled by age. For example, alcohol can be purchased by anyone of the proper age, and typically there is no limit on the amount of alcohol that one can purchase. Additionally, there typically is no tracking or any other kind of information stored about the way alcohol is purchased with respect to the purchaser.

[0003] Other medicaments, such as those commonly known as over-the-counter pharmaceuticals, are also typically unmonitored.

[0004] However, some over-the-counter pharmaceuticals, which can be used in the production of other drugs, are monitored. In such cases, a purchaser may be required to show a driver's license, or another form of identification in order to purchase the item(s), and the amount of the item that the purchaser obtains is also monitored and in some instances, recorded.

[0005] Prescription drugs or medicaments are monitored in various ways. Some drugs known as "controlled medicaments" are highly monitored, while other drugs only require a prescription. In the United States, the Medical Industry operates with procedures that are established and regulated by the American Medical Association (AMA) to prevent over medication and abuse.

[0006] In general, prescriptions are usually handled by a doctor or assistant who writes a prescription, a patient then takes the prescription to a pharmacist who then fills the prescription, with limited refills before the patient is required to visit the doctor for a re-examination and/or new prescription. The prescribed medicament is dispensed according to the prescription written by the specialist/physician or, in other words, a prescribing entity, to treat or provide the patient with a degree of relief for a given condition for which the patient was originally referred. Prescription drugs are, in most instances, exactly specified by the prescribing entity, including the amount, the dosage, and the specific drug that is used. Furthermore, in such a system, the pharmacist or dispensary is directly compensated by the patient or a health insurer in exchange for filling the prescription.

[0007] This background information is provided to reveal information believed by the applicant to be of possible relevance. No admission is necessarily intended, nor should be construed, that any of the preceding information constitutes prior art.

SUMMARY

[0008] The following presents a simplified summary of the general inventive concept(s) described herein to provide a basic understanding of some aspects of the invention. This summary is not an extensive overview of the invention. It is not intended to restrict key or critical elements of the invention or to delineate the scope of the invention beyond that which is explicitly or implicitly described by the following description and claims. [0009] A need exists for a medicament prescription and dispensing management system and method that overcomes some of the drawbacks of known systems, or at least, provides the public with a useful alternative. The below described embodiments provide examples of such systems and methods.

[00010] For example, some of the embodiments disclosed herein describe a medicament prescribing system that uses a personal identification device associated with a patient identifier to allow patients to purchase and, in some embodiments pay for, medicament that was prescribed or recommended.

[00011] For example, in one such embodiment the prescribing of the medicament is carried out on to a computer-readable card or medium, such as a smart card, a magnetic strip card, a machine-readable card (e.g. bar code or QR coded card), a portable communication device operating a dedicated or supported system application configured to graphically render and/or transmit a machine readable prescription identifier, or other forms of computer-readable prescription media. The prescription medium is provided or otherwise electronically transferred (e.g. in the context of a digital file or prescription transferrable to a patient's portable device) to the patient to correlate the prescription with this given patient and to identify a suggestion or recommendation of what is to be obtained, with or without complete specificity of the medicament or its quantities. The prescription medium can then be used by the patient to obtain the medicament and also to facilitate monitoring of both the type or strain and the quantities of the medicament ultimately obtained by the patient. In one such embodiment, the computer-readable prescription medium is further required by the patient to obtain the medicament, since the prescription has been placed on or otherwise associated with this medium. [00012] As noted above, the prescription medium may be, for example a smart card, or can be a barcoded card where the intelligence resides in a remote database, for example; the prescription medium may alternatively be an electronic fob or can take the form of a local application or digital signature encoded and operated from a phone or tablet, for example using a dedicated or shared application resources or other information stored on the phone.

[00013] Other embodiments may further allow for electronically monitoring the prescription medium to monitor the strain or derivative and quantity of medicament dispensed to a given patient, possibly upon the patient filing the prescription at a selected one of multiple different medicament sources or dispensaries, while using information readable from the prescription medium to direct payment to this selected source or dispensary for the medicament.

[00014] Another aspect may include a prescription for a medicament given by a medical professional (e.g. a prescribing entity) that provides patient discretion as part of the prescription filling, yet monitors the way in which the actual prescription is filled, and stores such information as part of a database on a centralized computer. This system and method can provide a patient with some leeway in the prescription with regard to the strain or derivative of the medicament dispensed provided that the dispensed medicament is within a given class of medicaments, for example. The system can thus automatically keep track of what is actually dispensed to the patient using that prescription thereby indicating a patient preference for a given strain or derivative of the medicament. For example, in some instances the patient may have a preference with respect to whether a branded pharmaceutical or a generic pharmaceutical is dispensed within a given class of medicaments. As a non-limiting example, medications know a "rescue inhalers" are prescribed by a prescribing entity for acute treatment of asthma symptoms. Such rescue inhalers are produced by both branded and generic pharmaceutical companies, however, certain patients may have preference for one or the other and such a system allows for a prescribing entity to prescribe the medication, yet the patient, when filling the prescription may choose either the branded or generic product. Additionally the patient may be given the choice as to the type of delivery mechanism they prefer, such as, for example, a pressurized inhaler or a non-pressurized (Turbohaler®). Such patient leeway in choosing a preference for the medicament dispensed to fill a prescription may also be applicable to medications and treatments for other aliments.

[00015] In accordance with another aspect, patients may be required to use the computer-readable prescription medium in order to purchase the prescribed medicament. For example, by requiring the patients to use a prescription card or the like, the prescribing entity can more closely monitor how much of the prescription was filled, and how much was used and how the user changed the medicament so as to conform to the patient preference for a given strain of medicament within a given class of medicaments. In some such embodiments, intelligence stored in the card may be used to allow the card to be used offline, with the requirement that the card be eventually synchronized with a remote database to allow for prescription tracking and/or monitoring. Such an embodiment may enforce synchronization at specified intervals so as to prevent the card from being used if synchronization is not carried out at those intervals, for example, and thus promoting greater prescription monitoring regularity.

[00016] In another aspect and in some embodiments described herein, the system and method for filling a prescription may also encompass a payment system. As disclosed herein, a patient or prescribing entity may update an account balance for the purchase of a quantity of the prescribed medicament. The account balance for a particular patient is stored in memory on a third-party system. The patient or the prescribing entity is able to access the account information for the particular patient and add to the balance of funds in the account by several means, including credit card payments, for example. When the patient fills at least a portion of the prescription either at a dispensary or via an online request through access to their account, the third-party system is updated as to the quantity and type of medicament dispensed to the patient and the third-party provides payment to the dispensary. Such a system would also allow for the dispensary's inventory of a particular medicament to be updated reflective of the quantity of a particular medicament dispensed.

[00017] In accordance with one aspect there is provided a medicament prescription management system comprising: a non-transitory computer-readable prescription medium for each patient using the system, each said prescription medium having respectively associated therewith a medicament prescription recommendation for a medicament within a given medicament class, and a respective patient identifier; a centralized computer having a processor and memory to record said medicament prescription recommendation in association with each said patient identifier, and further to record, in response to a given patient filling the medicament prescription recommendation at a remote medicament dispensary, a filled quantity and a filled strain or derivative of the medicament dispensed to the given patient, wherein said filled strain or derivative is selected from at least two distinct medicament strains or derivatives belonging to said medicament class.

[00018] In accordance with one aspect, said medicament prescription recommendation comprises a recommended strain of the medicament, and wherein said at least two distinct medicament strains or derivatives comprise said recommended strain and at least one other strain within said medicament class.

[00019] In accordance with one aspect, said centralized computer provides an indication to a prescribing entity as to whether said filled strain is different from said recommended strain.

[00020] In accordance with one aspect, said prescription medium is read by a computerized dispensary reader in communication with said centralized computer to authenticate each of said prescription medium and thereby authorize prescription filling at the dispensary.

[00021] In accordance with one aspect, said medicament prescription recommendation comprises an allowable quantity of medicament so prescribed, and wherein said processor and memory further record said allowable quantity in association with each said patient identifier.

[00022] In accordance with one aspect, said patient identifier is stored on said prescription medium and wherein said prescription medium is readable by a dispensary reader to access at least said allowable quantity from said centralized computer in filling the prescription.

[00023] In accordance with one aspect, said centralized computer is capable of receiving information and authorizing prescription filling from more than one computerized dispensary reader, each of said computerized dispensary readers located at a different location.

[00024] In accordance with one aspect, said prescription recommendation is stored on said prescription medium and readable by a dispensary reader in filling the prescription. [00025] In accordance with one aspect, said allowable quantity is dynamically stored on said prescription medium and updated as a function of said filled quantity.

[00026] In accordance with one aspect, said updated allowable quantity is synchronizable with said centralized computer using said updated prescription medium, and wherein a subsequent prescription filling is only authorized upon confirmation of centralized computer synchronization.

[00027] In accordance with one aspect, said prescription medium is a computer- readable card.

[00028] In accordance with one aspect, said card is a smart card, an electronic fob, a smartphone application, a QR coded card or a bar coded card.

[00029] In accordance with one aspect, each said prescription medium has respectively associated therewith payment information to execute payment for said filled quantity.

[00030] In accordance with one aspect, said payment information comprising an account balance associated with said prescription medium, and wherein said prescription medium is accessible by at least one of said patient or a prescribing entity for adding to the account balance.

[00031] In accordance with one aspect, said payment is executed by drawing payment for the dispensary from said balance and inventory of said dispensary is updated reflective of said filled quantity.

[00032] In accordance with another aspect, there is provided a computer- implemented method for managing patient prescriptions for a medicament having multiple strains or derivatives, the method comprising: recording in a database a distinct identifier for each patient; responsive to issuance of a given prescription recommendation from a prescribing entity to a given patient, electronically associating said prescription recommendation with said identifier; responsive to said given patient filling said given prescription recommendation at an accredited medicament dispensing source, recording in said database a filled quantity and a filled strain or derivative of the medicament dispensed to said given patient; and tracking said filled quantity and said filled strain or derivative against said prescription recommendation in said database.

[00033] In accordance with one aspect, electronically associating said prescription recommendation with said identifier comprises electronically associating a recommended strain defined by said prescription recommendation.

[00034] In accordance with one aspect, the method further comprises informing the prescribing entity of the filled strain or derivative.

[00035] In accordance with one aspect, the method further comprises enabling electronic authentication of said given prescription recommendation with said database prior to said given prescription recommendation being filled by said accredited dispensing source.

[00036] In accordance with one aspect, electronically associating said prescription recommendation with said identifier further comprises electronically associating a quantitative measure of medicament defined by said prescription recommendation.

[00037] In accordance with one aspect, the method further comprises enabling dynamic writing of said quantitative measure to a portable computer-readable prescription medium; and updating said quantitative measure as a function of said filled quantity.

[00038] In accordance with one aspect, the method further comprises enabling electronic writing of said quantitative measure a portable computer-readable prescription medium; and enabling electronic reading of said quantitative measure at said accredited source in filling said given prescription recommendation.

[00039] In accordance with one aspect, the method further comprises enabling electronic writing of said identifier to a portable computer-readable prescription medium; and enabling electronic reading of said identifier at said accredited source to access at least said quantitative measure from said database in filling the prescription recommendation.

[00040] In accordance with one aspect, the method further comprises associating a patient account balance, accessible by at least one of said patient or said prescribing entity, with each of said identifier responsive to a patient or prescribing entity electronic monetary transaction; and enabling payment for said filled quantity from said balance to said accredited source.

[00041] In accordance with one aspect, the method is automatically implemented by a server-based computer system centrally operating said database and communicatively interfacing with local computing devices operated by accredited prescribers and medicament sources.

[00042] In accordance with another aspect, there is provided a computer-readable medium having statements and instructions stored thereon for implementation by a processor of a computing system in managing patient prescriptions for a medicament having multiple strains or derivatives by: recording in a database a distinct identifier for each patient; responsive to issuance of a given prescription recommendation to a given patient, electronically associating said given prescription recommendation with said identifier; responsive to said given patient filling said given prescription recommendation at an accredited medicament source, recording in said database a filled quantity and a filled strain or derivative of the medicament dispensed to said given patient; and tracking said filled quantity and said filled strain or derivative.

[00043] In accordance with one aspect, electronically associating said prescription recommendation with said identifier comprises electronically associating a recommended strain defined by said prescription recommendation.

[00044] In accordance with one aspect, the computer-readable medium further comprises statements and instructions for: enabling electronic authentication of said given prescription with said database prior to said given prescription being filled by said accredited source.

[00045] In accordance with one aspect, the computer-readable medium further comprises statements and instructions for informing a prescribing entity of the filled strain.

[00046] In accordance with one aspect, electronically associating said prescription recommendation with said identifier further comprises electronically associating a quantitative measure of medicament defined by said prescription recommendation.

[00047] In accordance with one aspect, the computer-readable medium further comprises statements and instructions for: enabling dynamic writing of said quantitative measure to a portable computer-readable prescription medium; and updating said quantitative measure as a function of said filled quantity.

[00048] In accordance with one aspect, the computer-readable medium further comprises statements and instructions for: enabling electronic writing of said quantitative measure to a portable computer-readable prescription medium; and enabling electronic reading of said quantitative measure at said accredited source in filing said given prescription. [00049] In accordance with one aspect, the computer-readable medium further comprises statements and instructions for: enabling electronic writing of said identifier to a portable computer-readable prescription medium; and enabling electronic reading of said identifier at said accredited source to access at least said quantitative measure from said database in filling the prescription recommendation.

[00050] In accordance with one aspect, the computer-readable medium further comprises statements and instructions for associating a patient account balance with each said identifier responsive to a patient or prescribing entity electronic monetary transaction; and enabling payment for said filled quantity from said balance to said accredited source.

[00051] Other aims, objects, advantages and features of the invention will become more apparent upon reading of the following non-restrictive description of specific embodiments thereof, given by way of example only with reference to the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

[00052] In order that the invention may be better understood, exemplary embodiments will now be described by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein:

[00053] Figure 1 is a schematic diagram of a medicament dispensing system and prescription management system, in accordance with one embodiment of the invention;

[00054] Figure 2 is a block diagram of an exemplary medicament prescription and filling process, in accordance with one embodiment of the invention; and [00055] Figure 3 is a block diagram of a prescription management system in accordance with the embodiment of Figure 2.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[00056] As noted above, certain medicaments are regulated, prescribed and monitored differently. One such medicament may be, for example, cannabis or, in other words, medical marijuana, whereas another medicament may be methadone. Some states such as California, and other jurisdictions around the world have legalized medical marijuana under certain circumstances. However, there are certain logistical problems associated with the dispensing of special medicaments such as medical marijuana or other highly controlled medicaments. Additionally, it may be desirable to more closely monitor the dispensing of various medicaments which have a tendency to used by persons other than those to whom the medicament has been prescribed

[00057] As explained herein, these problems may also occur with other kinds of medicaments that are prescribed, or may be otherwise regulated. For example, different kinds of previously illegal drugs are being legalized as the government realizes that the war on drugs can be very costly or medical benefits from such previously illegal medicaments become realized and accepted by the medical profession.

[00058] Other drugs or pseudo-drugs can also be medicaments, when they are intended to have little or no ongoing supervision by a medical professional; however it may be desirable to monitor the totality of the use. One of these examples of this kind of drug is human growth hormone or HGH.

[00059] Despite the fact that the state of California, and other jurisdictions have made medical marijuana legal, clinics have been prevented from conducting business with banks, to establish bank or merchant accounts to accept credit and debit cards as payment by patients. This means that the industry is forced to work on a cash basis. Because it remains a cash business, transactions can remain largely unreported. The system and method described herein seeks, in some embodiments, to alleviate certain problems associated with payment systems for various medicaments such as medical marijuana, as well as provide an alternative payment system for medicament to that conventionally used where the dispensary is directly paid for filling a medicament prescription.

[00060] For example, medicaments such medical marijuana, and other medicaments are prescribed differently by the medical profession. Generally, medical professionals do not provide leeway on the type of the drug ("species" or "strain") within a given class of medicaments or the length of time for or between which a patient may obtain a certain quantity of medicament from a dispensary. For example, it would not be proper for a medical professional to prescribe an "opiate" for back pain, and to allow a patient to take as many as they want. In such a case, the prescription generally has a limited number of refills, ultimately resulting in a certain quantity of the medicament being dispensed for each prescription in a given period of time.

[00061] The present application teaches, in accordance with some embodiments, a different way of prescribing, wherein the patient is given authorization on an identification card, or other type of computer-readable prescription medium, to obtain a medicament, and may be given guidance or recommendation on a species, or strain of the medicament as part of the prescription. While the patients are given discretion in how to use the medicament, the prescription can be associated with the prescription medium so that the patient is required to use the electronic card or other such medium in order to fill the prescription. When the patient uses the card to fill the prescription, the patient's actions can be monitored, thereby providing information regarding the quantity of the prescription filled at a given time and the patients preference as to a particular medicament or delivery system for such medicament within a prescribed class of medicaments. Such information can then be provided back to the prescribing entity, for example, for monitoring, tracking and/or simply as a basis for follow-up consultations.

[00062] In some embodiments, the same prescription medium used for prescribing a certain medicament along with a recommendation as to a particular strain thereof, can or must also be used for purchasing at a dispensary, and can ultimately be used to relay prescription filling information through the prescription system for monitoring patient activities, such as medicament consumption frequency, patterns, preferences, and the like.

[00063] As noted above, a prescription medium is generally referred to herein as a prescription card, or the like, though it will be appreciated that other prescription media may also be considered without departing from the general scope and nature of the present disclosure. Namely, and as discussed above, a prescription card or medium may encompass a passive data storage and computer-readable medium (e.g. smart card such as contact or contactless smart cards, magnetic strip cards, etc.), an active data storage and computer-readable medium (e.g. such as those available when implementing the prescription medium on a portable communication device such as a smart phone or the like), printed media (e.g. barcoded or QR coded card), and other such media. For instance, a passive or printed card may have encoded therein or thereon a unique serial number or identifier used to identify the patient, a prescription quantity, a prescribed medicament, a recommended strain of the prescribed medicament, and/or payment information, which information may be read by an automated card reader at a given dispensary to retrieve this information in filling the prescription. As noted above, where limited information is encoded on the card (e.g. a unique prescription or patient identifier), further information related to and required to fill the prescription may be unlocked or retrieved from a local or remote patient database (e.g. managed by the given dispensary, an affiliated group of dispensaries, a regional, statewide, province-wide or country-wide medicament prescription system, or again one operated and/or managed by a group or association of prescribing entities, and other such organizations) using the identifier stored or printed on the card. On the other hand, an active prescription medium such as enabled by an application operating on the patient's portable communication device, may encompass the same information and use active functions and features of the device to communicate required information to, and/or interface with, a dispensary/prescription system to fill the prescription. For simplicity, in the instant application, all forms of computer readable media and methods for storing and relaying unique prescription/patient information and/or identifiers to manage medicament prescriptions, for example while interfacing with a remote patient and/or prescription database or the like, are contemplated and interchangeably referred to herein and the forgoing text as a "card" or "prescription medium". The card, for example, may be a smart card, or can be a barcoded card where the intelligence resides in a centralized database, or the card can be a phone, phablet or tablet, using an application or other information in the phone which provides the patient, the prescribing entity and a dispensary with access to a given patient account via a patient identifier. In the context of an application residing on the patient's portable communication device, the prescription medium may also incorporate and/or interface with an electronic "wallet" type app, or the like, to support account management and/or prescription payment options. [00064] In some cases, each of the patient, the prescribing entity and the dispensary may have limited abilities/permissions to amend information associated with the patient's account. For example, the patient may be given access to add additional funds to the account and change personal information pertaining to the patient, whereas the prescribing entity may be given permission to amend or add an additional quantity of the medicament to the patient account available for filling by the dispensary as well revise the suggested medicament strain. The dispensary may be given permission to amend the amount of the prescription actually filled at a given time and to provide information regarding the patient's preference for a particular strain of the medicament dispensed.

[00065] With reference to Figure 1, and in accordance with one embodiment, a prescription management system, generally referred to using the numeral 10, will now be described. In this embodiment, the system generally comprises a prescriber interface 12 for interfacing with distinct remote prescriber terminals 14, a dispensary interface 16 for interfacing with multiple distinct remote dispensary (or medicament source) terminals 18, and an optional user interface 22 for interfacing with respective patient terminals (not shown). The system 100 further comprises a prescription tracking engine 24 operatively associated with a central patient database 26 to record, track and facilitate the filing of respective patient prescriptions and/or recommendations, for instance tracking patient identification information (e.g. name, contact details, medical history, condition, unique patient identifier, etc.), prescription preferences and/or recommendations (e.g. prescriber recommendation as to a selected strain or derivative of a prescribed medicament(s), identified user preferences, etc.), and prescription history (e.g. prescribed medicament(s), recommended strain(s)/derivative(s) vs. filled strain(s)/derivative(s), prescribed quantity(ies) vs. filled quantity(ies), prescription filling frequency and or patterns, etc.). The system further comprises, in this embodiment, an account transaction engine 28 operatively associated with an accounts database 30 which illustratively stores and manages patient account information such as account balances, transaction records and credentials usable, for example, in executing financial transactions with external financial institutions (e.g. banks, credit cards, etc.).

[00066] It will be appreciated that while the patient and accounts databases are shown as distinct databases for illustrative purposes, these may be operated as a common database or any number of related and/or interfacing data storage structures and media without departing from the general scope and nature of the present disclosure.

[00067] As introduced above and further detailed below, the system is further configured to interface with a prescription medium 32, in this embodiment illustrated as a smart card or the like, onto which patient, prescription and/or account information may be recorded to link each registered patient with its respective prescription information to facilitate issuance, filling and tracking of medicament-related prescriptions.

[00068] For example, in one embodiment, the prescription medium is issued by a prescribing entity to a given patient and prescription information related to this patient is both recorded on the issued prescription medium and stored via prescriber interface 12 and prescription tracking engine 24 to the system's patient database 26. In some embodiments, only a subset of the prescription information is recorded on the prescription medium 32, such as a unique patient or prescription identifier, sufficient to link the prescription medium 32 to the detailed prescription or recommendations (e.g. prescribed medicament, quantity and recommended strain and/or derivative) stored in the patient database 26 upon the patient presenting, and the prescription medium 32 being read under operation of a dispensary terminal 18 at a selected dispensary. Information related to the filled prescription, such as filled quantity and filled strain and/or derivative of the medicament, which may differ from the optionally recommended strain or derivative, may then be relayed to the patient database via dispensary interface 16 and tracking engine 24, or again written to the prescription medium 32 itself to be synchronized with the patient database 26 at a later time (e.g. via prescriber interface 12 and/or user interface 22).

[00069] In another configuration, the prescription medium may be issued by a government or central agency, for example, and originally configured to store information about the patient only (e.g. unique patient identifier). This patient identifier may then be linked to a particular prescription recommendation by a prescribing entity via the prescriber interface 12 without necessarily writing any further prescription information to the prescription medium, but nonetheless allowing a dispensary to access the prescription information using the unique patient identifier accessed from the prescription medium. Under such configuration, it will be appreciated that the prescription medium may double as a standard identification card (e.g. state, provincial or national health card, insurance card, etc.) issued by a governing body, but nonetheless usable in linking the patient with the herein described medicament prescription management system. These and other such permutations are intended to form part of the present disclosure, as further detailed in the below examples.

[00070] As introduced above, the prescription medium may further double as a transaction medium, or again provide appropriate linkage with the system's account transaction engine 28 and database 30 to facilitate the exchange of funds from the patient to a selected dispensary upon a prescription being filled. In one embodiment, the prescription medium may be purchased from a prescribing entity upon the prescription being issued, the funds to be held in a centralized account of the system and associated with the patient. Upon filling the prescription using the prescription medium, funds may be transferred from the centralized account to a dedicated dispensary account. The user may also, or otherwise add funds to the centralized account in association with a unique patient identifier and/or prescription medium via the user interface 22, for example. Accordingly, funds transferred in relation to a particular transaction are not executed between the patient and dispensary directly, but rather, via the centralized prescription system. Other examples will be described below.

[00071] As described herein, the prescribing entity may provide different levels of prescription details depending on the implementation of the embodiments described herein, and optionally, as a function of local or regional regulations. For example, a prescription recommendation may be limited to a singular recommendation that the patient acquire and consume some form of a given medicament (e.g. cannabis) for treatment of an identified condition or ailment, allowing the patient to select a particular strain and/or derivative of the prescribed medicament, and/or select a particular dosage or quantity to consume. In other configurations, the prescribing entity may also recommend a particular strain, while nonetheless allowing the patient to select a strain that is distinct from the recommended strain, or again select a particular medicament derivative (e.g. oil extract, spray, pill or other product or consumable such as a food item or candy containing the prescribed medicament, etc.), which selection may be equally tracked by the system and relayed to the prescribing entity or other governing body for monitoring, tracking and/or study. In these or other embodiments, the prescribed recommendation may include a recommended or imposed quantity of medicament to be made available to the patient, which quantity may be tracked against a filled quantity which may, in some embodiments, involve a cumulative quantity filled by the patient over time, for instance in satisfying a particular dosage or consumption over a given time period (e.g. grams per week or month, etc.).

[00072] With reference to Figure 2, and in accordance with one embodiment, an exemplary prescription system operational flow will now be described. In this particular embodiment, a patient, 102 who has a medical condition, first seeks advice from a prescribing entity 104. The prescribing entity can be for example a doctor, a nurse practitioner, a clinic, or the like. The prescribing entity 104 diagnoses the patient 102, and based on the diagnosis, enters information in a system database 106 about a medicament to be given to the patient.

[00073] The prescribing entity 104 then provides the authorization 108 for the patient 102 to obtain the medicament 112 and prescription information to a centralized database 106 of the medicament prescription management system 100 which can be accessed by patient 102 or dispensary 114a/b using a card 110 of the type described above associated with a patient identifier. When the prescription medium, or in other words, the card 110, does not itself have intelligence, the prescription information is also provided to a centralized database 106. The prescription information may in any case be provided directly to the centralized database 106, or the card 110 can provide the prescription information 112 to the centralized database 106 during subsequent synchronization.

[00074] According to an embodiment, the card 110 is a smart card which has electronics including a memory that stores information pertaining to the patient 102 therein including the information 116 provided by the prescribing entity 104. The information, or in other words, the prescription 116 may include authorization for the medicament 112, as well as a suggestion of a specific type of medicament that should be used. For example, in the case where there are different forms or types of medicament, the suggestion may provide guidance on the kind of medicament that should be used. Note however the difference between this and a basic medical prescribing system, where the latter is much more specific. The instant system does not simply provide guidance, but allows the user to try different forms of the medication in order to see which one works best. Since this kind of medicament prescription system 100 allows patient improvisation, there are special advantages with respect to monitoring what the patient 102 actually does after receiving the prescription.

[00075] The patient 102 may either have the card 110, or may be given the card by the prescribing entity 104. The card 110 may include appropriate encryption so that it cannot be "hacked". For example, the prescribing entity 104 may sign cryptographically both the authorization and the suggestion or may cryptographically sign only some parts.

[00076] The cryptographic signature is made in a way such that the cryptographic signature can be verified at a selected dispensary 114a, 114b as being legitimate. Patients without the cryptographic signature will not be able to provide the authorization. For example, the cryptographic signature can be a hash value added to the authorization that uses a one-way function that can be verified as being authentic. An alternative uses a private/public key encryption system, where the prescribing entity 104 encrypts using their private key, but anyone can verify that key is authentic using a public key.

[00077] Another embodiment operates to require verification of the prescription 112 using a network connection to the centralized computer 106 before dispensing.

This embodiment does not allow off-line use of the card, but does not require cryptography.

[00078] In an alternative embodiment, the prescribing entity 104 writes a prescription for the patient who takes it to the dispensary 114a where the medicament is dispensed, as prescribed. In one embodiment, the prescription can have limited refills before returning to the prescribing entity 104 for a re-examination and/or new prescription. In some embodiments, as shown in Figure 2, the patient 102 may request that the prescription 112 be filled by a second dispensary 114b via the centralized computer 106 or at the second dispensary 114b. The centralized computer 106 is then updated regarding the quantity and strain of medicament filled such that the prescription information 116 is updated accordingly.

[00079] Various other information can also be provided by the prescribing entity 104, including dates and other information as part of the prescription information 116 and stored in a memory in the card 110, in addition to or in the alternative in a memory within the centralized computer 106. The prescription information 112 can be updated at the centralize computer 106 from either the dispensary 114a or the second dispensary 114b such that prescription information regarding the quantity and strains filled remains constant for the prescription 112 as it is filled.

[00080] The prescription medium 110 may also include other information, such as payment information 120 including an associated patient payment account, which can be a prepaid authorization that is obtained by the patient 102 and/or the prescribing entity 104 by paying money into an account maintained under control of the centralized computer 106 operated by a third-party so as to increase a balance of funds in the patient's account. Alternatively, this can be a credit line, secured against either a credit card or general credit. As another alternative, the payment information 120 can be a cryptographic currency such as bitcoin. When the card 110 has intelligence (smart card or phone), a wallet-style app can be used wherein funds are added to the payment information 120 via said app. [00081] Usage information may be stored by the system in the centralized computer 106 at the time the patient uses the card to obtain the medicament, or again updated at a later time upon subsequent prescription medium synchronization with the centralized database.

[00082] With reference to Figure 2, when the patient 102 orders a quantity of the prescription 112 to be filled by the dispensary 114a (or 114b), the usage information associated with the prescription 112 on the centralized computer 106 can be updated. Additionally, the centralized computer 106 may also track the inventory for a particular medicament of a given dispensary thereby allowing a third-party entity associated with the centralized computer 106 to monetarily compensate the dispensary for the filled prescription. The third-party then accordingly deducts the appropriate funds from the patient's payment information account (30 in figure 1) associated with this particular patient 102.

[00083] For example, in some embodiments, the card 110 is then taken by the patient 102 to the dispensary 114a/b. The dispensary 114a checks the authorization with the card 110 having a patient identifier associated therewith, either by checking cryptographically the authorization or checking the authorization on a network based centralized computer 106 or by using a written prescription associated with a patient to provide information for the dispensary 114a/b access the patient information such that the patient's entitlement to a quantity and particular class of medicament can be verified by the dispensary 114a/b. Upon detecting the proper use and the patient's entitlement to having the prescription filled, the dispensary provides the patient with a quantity of medicament based on the authorization from the centralized computer 106. Should the centralized computer 106 provide the required authorization, the actual medicament 112 within a prescribed medicament class is then provided to the patient 102 and the centralized computer 106 associated with the particular patient is updated accordingly with information pertaining to the quantity and strain of medicament provided to the patient. Thus information about the specific medicament that has been provided, both in quantity and specific strain, is stored in the centralized computer 106 and can be relayed to the prescribing entity 104 as shown at 118. In some embodiments where the card 110 is provided with intelligence, the card 110 itself may also be updated accordingly and this can later be synchronized with the centralized computer 106. Accordingly usage information and medicament filled information is also synchronized, either at the time of purchase, or at some later time, in the centralized computer 106. For example, in one embodiment, synchronization is required at a given interval if medicament is to be periodically dispensed. Synchronization, for example may be required once a week (or more or less frequently) or the card is rendered unusable to obtain more medicament until the synchronization is carried out. This enforces getting the information to the centralized computer 106 on a regular basis. The third-party associated with the centralized computer 106 can then provide payment to the appropriate dispensary that provided medicament to the patient 102.

[00084] For example, the embodiment described above may allow for off-line usage of the card 110, since the card will be later synchronized to the centralized computer 106. The information that is sent to the database located on the centralized computer 106 may include the prescribing entity's 104 recommended strain of medicament within a given class of medicaments, along with the actual usage information so as to update the centralized computer 106 and track the quantity of the prescription filled and the patient's medicament preferences. The central database on the centralized computer 106 then obtains information about what patients actually did which can be stored as a function of the suggestion that was given by the prescribing entity 104, or as a function of the medical condition that led to the prescribing of the medicament. The updated information regarding the patient's medicament preference and quantity of the prescription filled is then relayed back to that prescribing entity 104 from the centralize computer 106 at 118. When the patient goes back to the dispensary again at some later time, the information is again obtained. This forms a trend which indicates what the user does so as to provide the prescribing entity 104 or other entity with the patient's preferences. For example if the patient obtains the same species of medicament multiple times, this may indicate that a particular species is working well for the patient.

[00085] In one embodiment, the card 110 may also store various kinds of security information. The security information, for example, can include information about how long it has been since the card 110 communicated directly to the centralized computer 106. The communication to the centralized computer 106 for authorization may ensure that the card has not been hacked or otherwise interfered with, and that the information is up-to-date, including that the usage information has been communicated to the centralized computer 106 for tracking and monitoring the dispensing of medicament to the patient, and that the payment information has been appropriately backed up.

[00086] According to one embodiment, the payment information can be prepaid data that is stored in the payment information of the accounts 30, as shown in figure 1. This can also be a credit account that either directly debits against credit or debit cards, or does so through an intermediary, thus allowing credit card access via the intermediary. As noted above, when at least a portion of the prescription is filled the dispensary informs the third-party maintaining the centralized computer 106 of the quantity and strain of the medicament 112 provided to the patient 102 and the third-party provides monetary compensation to the dispensary 114a/b.

[00087] The prescribing of the prescription 116 starts with the patient's doctor (the prescribing entity 104), who can either prescribe directly or recommend the patient to a Specialist, providing the Specialist with the patient's medical history whereupon the Specialist reviews and determines appropriate treatment. In such a case, the Specialist may be come the prescribing entity 104.

EXAMPLE

[00088] The following provides one exemplary use of the system as described herein. Once it is determined that the patient 102 qualifies for medicament 112, an account, here referred to as a "CalKard™" account is created to facilitate the treatment prescribed by the Specialist 104 for the patient 102, including weekly limits, specific strains of medicament 112 for particular ailments, and a feedback loop 118 for the Specialist 104 to monitor and provide further recommendations based on industry results and averages tracked and reported by CalKard' s™ patients.

[00089] CalKard™ software, running on the centralized computer 106, ties all patient data and sales reporting functions together, in order to operate safely within Federal and State regulations.

[00090] Medicine 112 is obtained by a patient 102 through a dispensary 114a/b with a closed series of medicaments. The medicaments 112 obtained through the dispensary can include medical marijuana, anti-aging, weight-loss, HGH, and others, and may be dispensed by a licensed Pharmacist or Pharmatech on duty at the dispensary 114a/b.

[00091] For example, one medicament can be Hormone 6 therapies, such as HGH that have been forecast to grow into a $150 Billion a year segment within 3-years. [00092] Around the age of thirty, human production of HGH, a common term for human growth hormone, which is not only responsible for height development in children and teens but for cell regeneration throughout the body, begins to decline.

[00093] Declining HGH translates into slower recovery from injuries and the daily damage humans sustain to one's body is simply not replacing damaged cells as comprehensively as it did in one's youth. If levels of HGH are low replacing HGH can have great anti-aging benefits, including:

a) Improvement in lean muscle mass and strength;

b) Decreased ratio of fat to muscle, especially in the abdomen;

c) More youthful skin due to increased elasticity and blood flow;

d) Decreased healing time from injuries;

e) Elevated mood, sense of calm, well-being; and

f) Restoration of liver and kidney size and function.

[00094] The body does continue to produce HGH even after its levels begin to decline in adult life, but usually in short bursts during deep sleep, intense exercise, and when the hormone Insulin is low.

[00095] Although HGH does not arrest the aging process altogether, it can suppress the symptoms of aging. Many people take HGH when experiencing symptoms of decreased cardiac function, a decrease in muscle or bone density, an increase in central body fat, depleted or decreased immune function, a decrease in energy, drive, and motivation levels, mood swings, and a decrease in sexual drive or function.

[00096] Use of the CalKard™ system stores information related to patients, including the quantity and recommended strain of medicament 112 into a database on the centralized computer 106. Each patient 102 has an individualized associated account and patient identifier. The Calkard™ system also provides a patient administration system that ties together prescriptions with patient consumption, as well as sales reporting and industry monitoring. This can also protect against abuse. For example, in one embodiment, the dispensaries 114a break down medicine into weekly amounts that may be dispensed.

[00097] In one embodiment, the centralized computer 106 verifies the patient's prescription via the patient identifier, including type of medicine, weekly/monthly quantity to be dispensed, and the current status of the patient's medication received as a percentage of the maximum allowed per week/month.

[00098] With reference to Figure 3, the CalKard™ system includes a management system 200. This provides different information for each patient 102, doctor 104, and pharmacist 114a/b. The patient 102 is given limited access to add funds to their payment account 120 on client server 202 and a prescribing entity 104, such as a doctor, can also access the patient's account to add information relating to the quantity and strain of medicament 112 suggested on the doctor/dispensary server 206, both of which using a patient identifier, in which a dispensary 114a/b can fill for the patient 102. In some embodiments, the prescribing entity 104 may also add funds to the patient's account. This information is backed-up at 204 in a secondary back-up database. The doctor/dispensary server 206 is in communication with centralized computer 106.

[00099] The patient management system's 200 limited patient access allows the patient to see prescription information, including limits, expiration dates, account balance, and medicine consumption balance, yet the patient 102 may not revise the actual prescription. [000100] Doctors 104, as part of their access to the patient management system 200 are able to see patient medical history, treatments, limits, consumption and trended results. The doctor's platform also links to the appropriate ICD (International Classification of Diseases) code and provides the applicable range of codes for the doctor to assign and properly classify the patient. The doctor's access 104 allows the doctor to revise the prescription and provide suggestions as to a particular strain of the medicament.

[000101] Pharmacists/Dispensers 114a/b are able to see the patient's 102 prescription along with consumption patterns and available balance; plus their own e-account balance.

[000102] In one embodiment, the card 110 providing the patient with a patient identifier is obtained when the patient 102 logs on to the client server 202, completes a registration via certain kinds of information which is fed to the centralized computer 106, and adds a funding source to add funds to the patient account 120. Patients can reload the funding as necessary and substantially described above. Personal information entered by the patient may also be added.

[000103] The doctors and pharmacies initialize the patient account with basic information via the doctor/dispensary server 206 which, through patient identifier correlation, such the client server 202 and the doctor/dispensary server 206 are able communicate with the centralized computer 106 regarding a specific patient.

[000104] CalKard™ utilizes a unique patient identification code, the patient identifier, to access an SQL database on the centralized computer 106 that stores personal data, account balances, transactional volume, research data and patient management tools. The database is accessible by the patient, prescriber or dispensary, and is used to monitor the individual patient. Treatment recommendations and medicine efficacy are updated and tracked through a constant feedback loop 118, shown in figure 1, that compares the doctor's recommendation with actual treatment results to optimize and improve future patient care.

[000105] In some embodiments, a patient visits a CalKard™-licensed doctor to receive a medical examination. To begin the process, the doctor visits the "Prescription Issuance" section of the "Doctor Portal" on the doctor/dispensary server 206 via the CalKard™ Website. This section requires the doctor to fill out the required information, including the patient's desired CalKard™ PIN, and take a photo of the patient. Upon successful entry, the doctor is given the ability to issue and print the patient's CalKard™ or to provide electronic authorization to an electronic card, the non-transitory computer- readable prescription medium 110.

[000106] In one embodiment, the CalKard™ photo ID card is given to the patient 102 with a unique patient identifier, medicine prescribed, weekly limits, and the renewal date provided by the prescribing entity 104. The patient 102 goes online using their unique identification information to complete the CalKard™ application forms and deposit funds from their credit card, bank account, via PayPal™ and/or via other such online transaction systems, to enable the card to purchase medicine 112 via the client server 202 accessed through a Patient Web Portal. Once at the dispensary 114a/b, the pharmacist swipes the patient's CalKard™ to read the data that is limited to the patient's prescription, and fulfills the order based on current status and funds available. Once a quantity of the prescription is filled dispensary 114a is compensated, not by the patient 102 directly, but rather through the third-party administering the management system 200.

[000107] Each time a patient 102 goes online to move funds from their credit card to their CalKard™ account and prepare to purchase more medicine, in some embodiments, they are asked for their feedback on recent treatment and product results with the intention of monitoring those results along with other patients with similar symptoms. In one embodiment, the information can be also given to test labs associated with making or distributing the medicament to allow those test labs to get more information about the medicament.

[000108] Upon any re-examination by the prescribing entity 104, the patient's results are compared with industry averages from all CalKard™ patients and the prescribing entity 104 may make adjustments to patient's prescription for improved patient care.

[000109] Another embodiment allows the online credentials to be used for the patients to shop online.

[000110] In preferred embodiments, CalKard™-licensed dispensaries 114a/b will require the CalKard™ 110 for every purchase. One embodiment can require that all payments use the CalKard™ 110. In such an embodiment, once a patient 102 is issued a CalKard™ 110, the patient 102 must load the card with funds in order to make purchases. Card loading, in some embodiments for example is performed through the "Add Funds" section of the password-protected "Patient Portal." Card loads may be available in predetermined denominations ($20, $40, $100, etc.) and transacted via ACH; this will results in a 1 (most cases) to 2-business day lead time before the respective funds become available in the patient's account for purchasing.

[000111] Online purchasing allows the patients to make purchases through the Patient Portal. For example, once a patient logs in, they select the "Make a Purchase" section at which point the Website shows the available inventory from the dispensaries 114a/b that service the patient's territory (geo-located by the ZIP code in the patient's account profile). Similar to any other e-commerce Website, the patient can add various items to a shopping cart and check out using their Identification #, expiration date, and PIN, similarly to how one uses a credit card to make purchases. Patients can also choose whether or not to have the shipment home-delivered or be notified when the order is available for pickup at the dispensary (the latter requiring identification and order# when picking up).

[000112] In-store pick-up of medicaments that were not pre-bought on the CalKard™ Website, require use of the physical CalKard™ for to obtain a filled prescription. The system utilizes the doctor/dispensary server 206 connected to the internet, and a reader for the CalKard™ 110 located at the dispensary 114a/b. When a patient picks up a pre-bought order or desires to make an in-store purchase, the pharmacist will log on to the password- protected "Pharmacy Portal" of the CalKard™ Website to complete the transaction. In the case of a pre-bought order, the pharmacist verifies the customer's CalKard™, ID and order number, them marks the order as "picked up."

[000113] In the case of in-store purchases, the pharmacist completes within the pharmacy portal of the doctor/dispensary server 206 a simplified purchase/check-out procedure. In this situation, the pharmacist must swipe the CalKard™ 110 using the provided card reader in order to complete the transaction.

[000114] In an exemplary embodiment, the physical CalKard™ 110 is similar to a driver's license in appearance. The front has identifying information such as the patient's name, photo, date of expiration (if any) and CalKard™ identification number. The rear side contains a magnetic stripe which also contains the patient's name, date of expiration (if any), and CalKard™ identification number (which is secure encoded). CalKard™ identification numbers are pre-printed on the card stock for inventory purposes and to deter fraudulent use. Additionally, each card is pre-printed with holographic images to deter card duplication and counterfeiting. Other embodiments may provide intelligence, e.g., electronics in the card. According to another embodiment, the card and its use is associated with a corporate a rewards program whereby customers can accumulate points tied to each dollar they spend through the CalKard™ system. These points can then be used to offset the cost of future purchases or to obtain rewards of some other type.

[000115] Another aspect requires monitoring the medicament card to monitor the actions at multiple different medicament sources 114a/b to obtain those points.

[000116] Another embodiment may store information in the card 110 about the specific medicament 112 that is available from different dispensaries 114a/b. In this case, the prescribing entity 104 may ask what dispensary the patient prefers. At that point, the prescribing entity 104 can determine what the options are for that dispensary, and store that as part of the recommended prescription. Then the information which is stored in the card may include information such as patient "X" was suggested to obtain medicament "VI", and patient "X" tried "VI", but eventually used more of medicament "V2" then they used of "VI", where both medicament "VI" and medicament "V2" belong to same medicament class, thus providing the patient with leeway to fill the prescription per their preferences. Such information is accumulated and tracked in the centralized computer 106.

[000117] Although only a few embodiments have been disclosed in detail above, other embodiments are possible and the inventors intend these to be encompassed within this specification. The specification describes certain technological solutions to solve the technical problems that are described expressly and inherently in this application. This disclosure describes embodiments, and the claims are intended to cover any modification or alternative or generalization of these embodiments which might be predictable to a person having ordinary skill in the art. For example, other kinds of medicaments can be dispensed using this system in this card. Moreover, other kinds of cards can be used, and off-line systems are intended to be included. Also, other forms and types of the card are encompassed.

[000118] Those of skill would further appreciate that the various illustrative logical blocks, modules, circuits, and algorithm steps described in connection with the embodiments disclosed herein may be implemented as electronic hardware, computer software running on a specific purpose machine that is programmed to carry out the operations described in this application, or combinations of both. To clearly illustrate this interchangeability of hardware and software, various illustrative components, blocks, modules, circuits, and steps have been described above generally in terms of their functionality. Whether such functionality is implemented as hardware or software depends upon the particular application and design constraints imposed on the overall system. Skilled artisans may implement the described functionality in varying ways for each particular application, but such implementation decisions should not be interpreted as causing a departure from the scope of the exemplary embodiments.

[000119] The various illustrative logical blocks, modules, and circuits described in connection with the embodiments disclosed herein, may be implemented or performed with a general or specific purpose processor, or with hardware that carries out these functions, e.g., a Digital Signal Processor (DSP), an Application Specific Integrated Circuit (ASIC), a Field Programmable Gate Array (FPGA) or other programmable logic device, discrete gate or transistor logic, discrete hardware components, or any combination thereof designed to perform the functions described herein. A general- purpose processor may be a microprocessor, but in the alternative, the processor may be any conventional processor, controller, microcontroller, or state machine. The processor can be part of a computer system that also has an internal bus connecting to cards or other hardware, running based on a system BIOS or equivalent that contains startup and boot software, system memory which provides temporary storage for an operating system, drivers for the hardware and for application programs, disk interface which provides an interface between internal storage device(s) and the other hardware, an external peripheral controller which interfaces to external devices such as a backup storage device, and a network that connects to a hard wired network cable such as Ethernet or may be a wireless connection such as a RF link running under a wireless protocol such as 802.11. Likewise, an external bus may be any of but not limited to hard wired external busses such as IEEE-1394 or USB. The computer system can also have a user interface port that communicates with a user interface, and which receives commands entered by a patient, and a video output that produces its output via any kind of video output format, e.g., VGA, DVI, HDMI, display port, or any other form. This may include laptop or desktop computers, and may also include portable computers, including cell phones, tablets such as the IP AD™ and Android platform tablet, and all other kinds of computers and computing platforms.

[000120] A processor may also be implemented as a combination of computing devices, e.g., a combination of a DSP and a microprocessor, a plurality of microprocessors, one or more microprocessors in conjunction with a DSP core, or any other such configuration. These devices may also be used to select values for devices as described herein.

[000121] The steps of a method or algorithm described in connection with the embodiments disclosed herein may be embodied directly in hardware, in a software module executed by a processor, using cloud computing, or in combinations. A software module may reside in Random Access Memory (RAM), flash memory, Read Only Memory (ROM), Electrically Programmable ROM (EPROM), Electrically Erasable Programmable ROM (EEPROM), registers, hard disk, a removable disk, a CD-ROM, or any other form of tangible storage medium that stores tangible, non transitory computer based instructions. An exemplary storage medium is coupled to the processor such that the processor can read information from, and write information to, the storage medium. In the alternative, the storage medium may be integral to the processor. The processor and the storage medium may reside in reconfigurable logic of any type.

[000122] In one or more exemplary embodiments, the functions described may be implemented in hardware, software, firmware, or any combination thereof. If implemented in software, the functions may be stored on or transmitted over as one or more instructions or code on a computer-readable medium. Computer-readable media includes both computer storage media and communication media including any medium that facilitates transfer of a computer program from one to another. A storage medium may be any available media that can be accessed by a computer. By way of example, and not limitation, such computer-readable media can comprise RAM, ROM, EEPROM, CD- ROM or other optical disk storage, magnetic disk storage or other magnetic storage devices, or any other medium that can be used to carry or store desired program code in the form of instructions or data structures and that can be accessed by a computer.

[000123] The memory storage can also be rotating magnetic hard disk drives, optical disk drives, or flash memory based storage drives or other such solid state, magnetic, or optical storage devices. Also, any connection is properly termed a computer-readable medium. For example, if the software is transmitted from a website, server, or other remote source using a coaxial cable, fiber optic cable, twisted pair, digital subscriber line (DSL), or wireless technologies such as infrared, radio, and microwave, then the coaxial cable, fiber optic cable, twisted pair, DSL, or wireless technologies such as infrared, radio, and microwave are included in the definition of medium. Disk and disc, as used herein, includes compact disc (CD), laser disc, optical disc, digital versatile disc (DVD), floppy disk and blu-ray™ disc where disks usually reproduce data magnetically, while discs reproduce data optically with lasers. Combinations of the above should also be included within the scope of computer-readable media. The computer readable media can be an article comprising a machine-readable non-transitory tangible medium embodying information indicative of instructions that when performed by one or more machines result in computer implemented operations comprising the actions described throughout this specification.

[000124] Operations as described herein can be carried out on or over a website. The website can be operated on a server computer, or operated locally, e.g., by being downloaded to the client computer, or operated via a server farm. The website can be accessed over a mobile phone or a PDA, or on any other client.

[000125] The website can use HTML code in any form, e.g., MHTML, or XML, and via any form such as cascading style sheets ("CSS") or other.

[000126] The computers described herein may be any kind of computer, either general purpose, or some specific purpose computer such as a workstation. The programs may be written in C, or Java, Brew or any other programming language. The programs may be resident on a storage medium, e.g., magnetic or optical, e.g. the computer hard drive, a removable disk or media such as a memory stick or SD media, or other removable medium. The programs may also be run over a network, for example, with a server or other machine sending signals to the local machine, which allows the local machine to carry out the operations described herein. [000127] The previous description of the disclosed exemplary embodiments is provided to enable any person skilled in the art to make or use the present invention. Various modifications to these exemplary embodiments will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art, and the generic principles defined herein may be applied to other embodiments without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention. Thus, the present invention is not intended to be limited to the embodiments shown herein but is to be accorded the widest scope consistent with the principles and novel features disclosed herein and claimed in the appended claims.

[000128] It is to be understood that the above description is intended to be illustrative, and not restrictive. Many other embodiments will be apparent to those skilled in the art, upon reviewing the above description. The scope of the invention should, therefore, be determined with reference to the appended claims, along with the full scope of equivalents to which such claims are entitled.

[000129] Although the present invention has been described with reference to specific exemplary embodiments, it will be evident that various modifications and changes may be made to these embodiments without departing from the broader spirit and scope of the disclosed subject matter as defined by the appended claims.