The present invention generally relates to a monitoring system for wirelessly monitoring a number of dispensing devices. The present invention more particularly relates to a monitoring system that is configured to wirelessly monitor if a prescribed dose of a medicine or dietary supplement is not taken as directed by the users of the dispensing device(s).

Prior art

Patient compliance with medication dosing schedules is one severe problem of the healthcare system. According to some studies more than half of prescribed medication is not taken as directed. This leads to worsening illness, hospitalisation and in severe cases death, causing tremendous human and financial costs.

When medication is dispensed inside and outside hospitals and care homes, significant errors in selection of the correct type and appropriate dose of pills increase the morbidity and mortality. The errors among elderly patients and patients taking multiple medications at different dosing schedules are further increased due to the fact that they have difficulty remembering to take the medications at the scheduled times. It is known to apply medical dispensing systems for prompting a patient to take medication. Some of the known systems are medication dispensers incorporating a timer and programmable alarm or dispensing means operable from the timer. US 4223801 discloses an automated medication dispenser equipped with an alarm for alerting a patient when medication is to be taken. A remote control automated alarm generates an alarm signal upon reception of a paging signal by the dispenser indicating when it is time to take the medication. The alarm signal is terminated when the medication is removed from the dispenser.

Other medication dispensers are configured to send an alert to a server in case that the medications of a patient is not taken properly at the scheduled times. The prior art systems incudes a so-called call centre with personal that needs to be accessed in order to be updated with information about the status of all users. Accordingly, the prior art systems are expensive to run and expensive to use for the users. These,. prior art devices do not permit a simple monitoring of the dispensing schedule of a large number of dispensers.

One of the drawbacks of the prior art monitoring systems is that they are required to be used together with one dispenser.

Therefore, it is an object of the present invention to provide a monitoring system capable of being used together with different types of medication dispensers. It is also an object of the invention to provide an alternative, simple and reliable system capable of monitoring of the dispensing schedule of a large number of medication dispensers.

Moreover, it is an object of the present invention to provide a monitoring system that makes it possible to monitor different types of medication and that is more user-friendly than the prior art monitoring systems.

Summary of the invention

The object of the present invention can be achieved by a medical monitoring system as defined in claim 1. Preferred embodiments are defined in the dependent sub claims and explained in the following description and illustrated in the accompanying drawings. The monitoring system according to the invention is a monitoring system for monitoring a dispensing device, which monitoring system comprises a communication unit, where the communication unit comprises communication means configured to communicate wirelessly with a data management device or a central data management unit, where the communication unit comprises means for acknowledging and registering when a prescribed dose of a medicine or a dietary supplement has been taken. The monitoring system is a separate unit configured to be used with a separate dispensing device and the separate unit comprises the communication unit and means for being detachably attached to the dispensing device.

Hereby it is achieved that the monitoring system capable of being used together with different types of medication of dietary supplement dispensers. In this way it is possible to use the communication units independently of the dispensing devices. Furthermore, it is possible to detach the communication unit from the dispensing device and hereby apply the monitoring system without the dispensing device (or exchange a standard dispensing device with a smaller one in order to reduce the space taken up by the monitoring system). This may be an advantage on a trip.

The dispensing devices may be any types of dispensing devices capable of storing medications or dietary supplements in a manner in which the medication or dietary supplement can be dispensed by using the dispensing devices. The dispensing device may be a box having an inner space configured to store medications. The medication or dietary supplement may take form as pills, paste, liquid or powder and the dispensing devices may comprise compartments configured to receive the medication or dietary supplement. The dispensing devices may also be configured to receive medication or dietary supplement stored in sachets, e.g. sachets that contain the medication or dietary supplement and are rolled up in chronological date and time order. The communication units may be any suitable type of communication units capable of sending Short Message Service notifications or other types of notifications/communication to a data management device or a central data management unit. The means for acknowledging and registering when a prescribed medication or dietary supplement has been taken may be any suitable means e.g. shaped as a press bottom that has to be pressed by the user of the dispensing device. The communication means may be comprise means for reporting an alert condition by sending a Short Message Service or another notification/communication to the data management device or the central data management unit. The communication means may be a module configured to use the Global System for Mobile Communications (GSM) standard, a so-called "GSM module" e.g. integrated in the communication unit.

The communication means may be a module configured to use general packet radio service (GPRS) mobile data service or other suitable means such as Wi-Fi or SMS.

It may be an advantage that the communication units comprise means for reporting an alert condition by sending a SMS or another message/information to the data management device when a prescribed medication or dietary supplement according to a defined schedule has not been acknowledged. Hereby it is possible to provide an automatic administration of the medication of the plurality of users of the dispensing devices and make sure that the medication is taken according to the schedules. It is beneficial that the monitoring system comprises a communication unit and a dispensing device configured to be detachably attached to the communication since it makes it possible to apply the monitoring system with a corresponding dispensing device and to use the monitoring system with another dispensing device if desired.

It may be advantageous that the monitoring system is battery driven and portable.

Hereby the field of application of the monitoring system is enlarged significantly. The user of the monitoring system may be travel with the monitoring system and bring it along when going to work or going on a trip by way of example. The monitoring system does not require connection to the mains. It is however, an advantage to apply a battery unit that is chargeable via connection to the mains.

It may be an advantage that the monitoring system comprises means for charging the battery by using a standard plug connection such as a universal serial bus (USB) plug or a mini/micro-USB plug. It may be advantageous that the monitoring system has a volume less than 5 liter, preferably less than 4 liter such as 3 liter or less.

A small sized monitoring system of this type is user-friendly and may be brought along in a small bag of the user.

On the other hand the storage capacity of the monitoring system advantageously exceeds a lower volume quantity corresponding to e.g. medication for one week, two weeks or another predefined time period. It may be advantageous that the dispensing device is a container constituting a bottom member and that the communication unit is a lid member detachably attached to the dispensing device. Hereby the dispensing device and the communication constitute a closable receptacle configured to store medications and to allow for monitoring that the medications of a patient is taken properly at the scheduled times. It may be beneficial that the lid member is configured to be rotably attached to the dispensing device.

Hereby it is possible to provide a robust, simple and reliable attachment of the lid member to the dispensing device and at the same time provide an easy way of accessing the medication stored in the dispensing device.

It may be beneficial that the communication unit comprises a medicine indicator configured to indicate when primarily medicine or dietary supplement has to be taken and/or that the communication unit comprises a supplementary medicine indicator configured to indicate when supplementary medicine or dietary supplement has to be acknowledged. It may be beneficial that the dispensing device is box-shaped.

Hereby it is possible to store box-shaped medication objects (e.g. boxes with pills) in the dispensing device in an optimum manner. Moreover, the same dispensing device may be applied to store pre-packed medication sachets.

It may be advantageous that the dispensing device is box-shaped and that the communication unit is a lid member configured to be rotably attached to the dispensing device at its upper periphery.

Hereby, the lid member can be opened to a maximum extent and a complete closure can be provided.

It may be beneficial that the lid member is rectangular and fits the opening of the dispensing device.

It may be an advantage that the monitoring system comprises locking means for locking and unlocking the lid member to the dispensing device.

Hereby it is possible to lock and unlock the monitoring system when desired.

It may be advantageous that the monitoring system comprises a plurality of boxes each comprising a plurality of compartments. Hereby it is possible to provide predefined medicine packages (e.g. pills stored in the compartments) in the dispensing device.

It may be an advantage that the monitoring system comprises a plurality of communication units that are configured to communicate to a central data management unit in such a manner that the central data management unit can be accessed by a single data management device and that the single data management device can be used to monitor a plurality of dispensing devices at the same time.

Hereby it is possible to keep track of a plurality of users by monitoring a plurality of dispensing devices at the same time.

It may be advantageous that the central data management unit is a server. It may be beneficial that central data management unit is a server and that the data management device has access to the server and the data received from the dispensing device(s) of the monitoring system.

It may be advantageous that the data management device has a memory device and that the data management device is configured to automatically synchronize the memory device of the data management device so that the data received from the dispensing device(s) of the monitoring system is available on the data management device.

It may be beneficial that the data management device is configured to indicate an alert status when a prescribed dose of a medicine or dietary supplement according to a defined schedule has not been acknowledged by one or more users and that the data management device is configured to change an alert status to a non-alert status.

Hereby it is possible for health care personal to manually change a status. This may in particular be advantageous when a user has "forgotten" to acknowledge and register when a prescribed dose of a medicine or a dietary supplement has been taken.

It may be an advantage that the communication unit(s) comprises means for reporting an alert condition by sending a Short Message Service (SMS) or another type of wireless data to the data management device or central data management unit when a prescribed dose of a medicine or dietary supplement according to a defined schedule has not been acknowledged. It may be an advantage that the means for reporting an alert condition by sending a Short Message Service or another type of wireless data to the data management device is configured to transmit a Short Message Service another type of wireless data containing information including data identifying the dispensing devices.

This information may be an identification numbers (ID) of the users. In this way the dispensing devices and the users of them can easily be identified.

It may be beneficial that the communication units are configured to wireiessly receive information from the data management device so that the data management device can be used to change settings in each of the communication units.

It may be an advantage that the communication units are configured to communicate the status of the dietary supplement or medicine and the time to next required refill.

It may be an advantage that the communication units comprise a medicine indicator configured to indicate when primarily medicine or dietary supplement has to be acknowledged. It may be an advantage that the communication units are configured to send several SMS notifications or other types of wireless communication to several different receivers when a prescribed medicine according to a defined schedule has not been acknowledged. It may be an advantage that the communication units are configured to provide audio and/or visual notifications to the users of the dispensing devices when the medication has to be taken.

It may also be beneficial that the communication units are configured to send a SMS to the users of the dispensing devices when the medication has to be taken.

It may be an advantage that the each communication unit is provided with a GSM module.

It may be an advantage that the communication units or the body members comprising the communication units are configured to receive the Subscriber Identity Module, commonly known as the "SIM card" of the GSM modules.

It may be beneficial that the communication units comprise a medicine indicator configured to indicate when primarily medicine has to be taken. The medicine indicator may be audio or visual or both.

It may be advantageous that the communication units comprise a supplementary medicine indicator configured to indicate when supplementary medicine has to be taken.

It may be an advantage that each of the communication units comprise a refill indicator configured to indicate when a refill of medication or dietary supplement (e.g. medication sachets, pills or liquid medicine) is required.

These indicators may assist the users of the dispensing devices to administrate the medication.

It may be an advantage that the communication units are configured to send several SMS notifications to several different receivers when a prescribed medication or dietary supplement according to a defined schedule has not been acknowledged.

Hereby it is possible to, at the same time, warn the care taker and notify a relative or another person when a prescribed medication or dietary supplement according to a defined schedule has not been acknowledged. Description of the Drawings

The invention will become more fully understood from the detailed description given herein below. The accompanying drawings are given by way of illustration only, and thus, they are not limitative of the present invention. In the accompanying drawings:

Fig. 1 shows a schematic perspective view of a medical monitoring system according to the invention;

Fig. 2 shows a schematic view of another medical monitoring system according to the invention;

Fig. 3 shows a schematic perspective view of a communication unit and a dispensing device according to the invention; Fig. 4 shows a schematic view of a medical monitoring system according to the invention that comprises a plurality of dispensing device and communication units;

Fig. 5 shows a schematic view of how a data management device according to the invention is used to manage information from a plurality of communication units;

Fig. 6 shows a schematic view of communication unit and a dispensing device according to the invention in a assembled state (Fig. 6 a) and disassembled state (Fig. 6 b).

Fig. 7 shows different schematic perspective views of a communication unit and a dispensing device according to the invention and

Fig. 8 shows different schematic perspective views of the communication unit and a dispensing device shown in Fig. 7.

Detailed description of the invention

Referring now in detail to the drawings for the purpose of illustrating preferred embodiments of the present invention, one embodiment of a medical monitoring system 2 of the present invention is illustrated in Fig. 1.

Fig. 1 is a schematic perspective view of a medical monitoring system 2 according to the invention. The medical monitoring system 2 comprises a basically cylindrical body member 52 comprising a dispensing device 4 and a communication unit 50 arranged on the top of the dispensing device 4. The dispensing device 4 is detachable attached to the communication unit 50.

The dispensing device 4 is configured to receive and contain sachets (not shown) that contain the medication and are rolled up in chronological date and time order. The medication sachets provide easy access the medication. The dispensing device 4 may be configured to cut the medication sachets.

The communication unit 50 is configured to communicate wirelessly with a data management device (e.g. a smart phone or a tablet, see Fig. 2, Fig. 4 or Fig. 5). The communication may be carried out via the Internet e.g. by using a server (see Fig. 5).

The communication unit 50 comprises a flat portion 24 equipped with a display 26 provided with a digital clock showing that the time is 08:00 (eight o'clock in the morning). The flat portion 24 also comprises a battery indicator 28 showing the status of a battery (not shown) of the communication unit 50.

The flat portion 24 moreover comprises a medicine indicator 34 configured to indicate when the primarily medicine has to be taken. The flat portion 24 is also provided with a supplementary medicine indicator 30 configured to indicate when (if any) supplementary medicine has to be taken. Besides the flat portion 24 comprises a refill indicator 36 configured to indicate when a refill of medicine (e.g. medication sachets, pills or liquid medication) is required, e.g. when there are three medication sachets left in the dispensing device 4. The status of the medication sachets may be controlled by using any suitable visual or mechanical detecting methods.

The flat portion 24 moreover comprises a connection indicator 38 configured to indicate the status of the network connection. The flat portion 24 also comprises a register bottom 32 that is used when a medication has been taken. The bottom 32 is a press bottom for acknowledging and registering when a prescribed (according to a defined schedule) medicine has been taken.

The medical monitoring system 2 provides assistance to anyone who requires support in managing their medications. The medical monitoring system 2 is configured to alerting a relative or a caregiver when the register bottom 32 has not been pushed according to the schedule or in case of another adverse event. The alert includes reporting an alert condition by sending a Short Message Service or another type of information to a data management device (see Fig. 4 or Fig. 6) or to a data management unit (see Fig. 4). The alert is sent by using wireless communication means 6 integrated within the communication unit 50.

It should be noted that the dispensing device 4 may have a different shape. The dispensing device 4 may be box-shaped like illustrated in Fig. 7 and Fig. 8. Likewise the communication unit 50 may be shaped differently. The communication unit 50 may have a basically rectangular shape like illustrated in Fig. 7 and Fig. 8.

Fig. 2 illustrates a schematic view of a medical monitoring system 2 according to the invention. The medical monitoring system 2 comprises a dispensing device 4 and a communication unit 50. The communication unit 50 is detachable attached to the dispensing device 4. When attached to each other the dispensing device 4 and the communication unit 50 constitute a body member 52.

The communication unit 50 is configured to communicate with a mobile phone 40 by sending an alert in the form of a SMS (or another type of information) 10' to the mobile phone in the event the register bottom 32 has not been pushed according to the schedule.

The communication unit 50 is configured to communicate with a data management device 8 by sending a SMS notification (or another type of information) 10 to the data management device 8 if the register bottom 32 has not been pushed according to the schedule. The data management device 8 may be a tablet, a mobile phone or any other device capable of receiving a SMS notification (or another type of information) 10. Instead of sending a SMS notification (or the other type of information) 10 the data management device 8 the SMS notification (or the other type of information) 10 may alternatively be sent to a server 46 configured to forward the information to a data management device 8. The communication unit 50 is also configured to send information 12 via the Internet 42 so that the information 12 may be reached by using a laptop 44 or a server 46. The information 12 may be an e-mail or any another suitable type of information. The data management device 8 shows that a user, Ann Philips living in in Room 81 and having identification number (ID) 1234 has not pushed the register bottom 32 on Friday the 24 ^th of January 2014 at ten o'clock in the evening (at 22:00). This adverse event is indicated with an alert symbol 54.

It can be seen that the register bottom 32 has been pushed according to the previous schedules the same day (Friday the 24 ^th of January 2014 at five o'clock in the evening (at 17:00), at twelve o'clock (at 12:00) and at eight o'clock in the morning (at 08:00). Similarly, the register bottom 32 has been pushed according to the previous schedules the day before (Thursday the 23 ^th of January 2014) at ten o'clock in the evening (at 22:00) and at five o'clock in the evening (at 17:00).

The data management device 8 shows that there remains three days until the next required refill of medicine. This information may very important for care giver or other personal having responsibility for monitoring the user of the dosing device 4.

The dispensing device 4 may be box-shaped like illustrated in Fig. 7 and Fig. 8. Similarly, the communication unit 50 may have a basically rectangular shape like illustrated in Fig. 7 and Fig. 8.

Fig. 3 illustrates a schematic perspective view of another medical monitoring system 2 according to the invention. The medical monitoring system 2 comprises a communication unit 50 and a dispensing device 4 that are separated from each other.

The communication unit 50 comprises the same elements as the communication unit 50 shown in Fig. 1. The communication unit 50 comprises communication means 6 integrated within the communication unit 50 and a register bottom 32 having the same function and technical features as the one explained with reference to Fig. 1. However, the text "OK" has been added to the register bottom 32.

The communication unit 50 is configured to be used together with the dispensing device 4 that comprises four boxes 56, 56', 56", 56"' each having four compartments 48. Each box 56, 56', 56", 56"' represents a day while each compartment 48 represents each dose times e.g. 08:00, 12:00, 17:00 and 22:00. For illustration purpose, the compartments 48 are open; however, it may be an advantage to provide the compartments 48 with lids.

It is an advantage that the dispensing device 4 of the medical monitoring system 2 can be replaced with another dispensing device if desired.

The communication unit 50 may have a basically rectangular shape like illustrated in Fig. 7 and Fig. 8. Fig. 4 illustrates a schematic view of a medical monitoring system 2 according to the invention. The medical monitoring system 2 comprises five dispensing devices 4, 4', 4", 4"', 4"" each integrated with a corresponding communication unit 50, 50', 50", 50"', 50"" each configured to send SMS notifications 10, 10', 10", 10"', 10"" to a central data management unit 58, from which a data management device 8 can receive data so that the data management device 8 can be used to monitor a plurality of dispensing devices 4, 4', 4", 4"', 4"" at the same time. This may be a huge advantage at care homes and hospitals by way of example.

The SMS notifications 10, 10', 10", 10"', 10"" are received by a mast 14 and the data 12 is further transmitted wirelessly to a central data management unit 58 that may be a server. The data management device 8 is configured to receive information from the central data management unit 58.

The communication units 50, 50', 50", 50"', 50"" may be used together with separate dispensing devices e.g. of the type illustrated in Fig. 3. The communication units 50, 50', 50", 50"', 50"" may also be configured to send additional SMS notifications to additional personal or relatives. Such SMS notification could read: "You mother did not take her medicine at 17:00 today. Please give her a call". The SMS notifications may be transmitted with a predefined time delay or in real time so that the care giver or relative is informed about an adverse event in real time. The data management device 8 may be configured to send information wirelessly to the communication units 50, 50', 50", 50"', 50"" via the central data management unit 58 that may be a server. Hereby, the data management device 8 may be used to change settings (e.g. dosing times or the number to which an additional SMS notification has to be sent) in the communication units 50, 50', 50", 50"', 50"" by way of example.

The dispensing devices 4, 4', 4", 4"', 4"" may be box-shaped like illustrated in Fig. 7 and Fig. 8. Similarly, the communication units 50, 50', 50", 50"', 50"" may have a basically rectangular shape like illustrated in Fig. 7 and Fig. 8.

Fig. 5 illustrates a schematic view of a medical monitoring system 2 according to the invention. The medical monitoring system 2 comprises a data management device 8 that is applied to manage information from a plurality of communication units 50, 50', 50", 50"'. Each of the communication units 50, 50', 50", 50"' is provided with a register bottom 32 like the communication units 50, 50', 50", 50"' illustrated in Fig. 1, Fig. 2 and Fig. 3.

Each of the communication units 50, 50', 50", 50"' is integrated with a corresponding dispensing device 4, 4', 4", 4"'. The communication units 50, 50', 50", 50"' are configured to send SMS notifications 10, 10', 10", 10"' to the data management device 8 via the Internet 42. It is preferred that the communication include a server (not shown) that received the information 10, 10', 10", 10"' sent from the communication units 50, 50', 50", 50"'. The data management device 8 shows the status of four users of the dispensing devices 4, 4', 4", 4"'. In the first line 16 a user Peter Jackson living in Room 94 and having identification number (ID) 3245 is shown. Everything is all right with this user. The same is the case for the user Jack Phillips living in Room 28 and having ID 1124 shown in the third line 20 and for the user Laura Lewis living in Room 4 and having ID 3245 shown in the fourth line 20.

The user, Ann Nolan having ID 1842 and living in Room 102, illustrated in the second line 18 marked with a grey box, did not press the register bottom 32. Accordingly, an alert symbol 54 is shown in line two 18.

Even though only four users are indicated in the display of the data management device 8, it is possible to monitor more users e.g. 20, 50, 120 or 200 users with the data management device 8. Accordingly, the medical monitoring system 2 according to the invention makes it possible to monitor all inmates in a care home or a department in a hospital with one data management device 8. The notifications 10, 10', 10", 10"' may be updated on a server that can be accessed by the data management device 8. The monitoring system 2 according to the invention is configured to monitor storage and dispensing of medication or a dietary supplement for a plurality of user by using a single data management device 8.

Please note that the dispensing devices 4, 4', 4", 4"' may be box- shaped like illustrated in Fig. 7 and Fig. 8. Similarly, the communication units 50, 50', 50", 50"' may have a basically rectangular shape like illustrated in Fig. 7 and Fig. 8.

Fig. 6 a) illustrates a perspective exploded view of a communication unit 50 and a dispensing device 4 according to the invention. It can be seen that the communication unit 50 and a dispensing device 4 are configured to be detachably attached to each other.

Fig. 6 b) illustrates another perspective exploded view of a communication unit 50 and a dispensing device 4 according to the invention. The communication unit 50 and the dispensing device 4 attached to each other.

The monitoring system 2 according to the invention is configured to be used together with a dispenser that is adapted to dispense packing the pre-packed medication e.g. provided in sachets, e.g. sachets that contain the medication and are rolled up in chronological date and time order.

At the same time the monitoring system 2 according to the invention is also configured to be used to monitor other types of medication medication or dietary supplement provided as pills, paste, liquid or powder.

Fig. 7 a) illustrates a perspective view of a communication unit 50 and a dispensing device 4 according to the invention. The communication unit 50 and the dispensing device 4 are separated from each other.

The dispensing device 4 is box-shaped and is equipped with a locking means 60 for locking the dispensing device 4 to the communication unit 50 that functions as a lid. The dispensing device 4 is furthermore equipped with attachment means 66 for detachably and rotably attaching the communication unit 50 to the dispensing device 4.

The communication unit 50 fits the opening of the dispensing device 4.

Fig. 7 b) illustrates a front view of the communication unit 50 and the dispensing device 4 shown in Fig. 7 a). The communication unit 50 and the dispensing device 4 are separated from each other and the communication unit 50 is arranged above the dispensing device 4.

It can be seen that the dispensing device 4 is provided with attachment means 66 configured to engage with corresponding with attachment means 44 provided at the communication unit 50.

Fig. 7 c) illustrates a side view of the communication unit 50 and the dispensing device 4 shown in Fig. 7 a). The communication unit 50 and the dispensing device 4 are separated from each other and the communication unit 50 is arranged above the dispensing device 4.

It can be seen that the dispensing device 4 is provided with attachment means 66 configured to engage with corresponding with attachment means provided at the communication unit 50. Hereby it is possible to rotably and detachably attach the communication unit 50 to the dispensing device 4.

Moreover, the dispensing device 4 is provided with locking means 60 configured to engage with corresponding with locking means 62 provided at the communication unit 50. Hereby it is possible to lock the monitoring system (comprising the dispensing device 4 and the communication unit 50) when the communication unit 50 (the lid) is closed. Fig. 8 a) illustrates a perspective view of the communication unit 50 and the dispensing device 4 shown in Fig. 7. The communication unit 50 is rotably and detachably attached to the dispensing device.

The dispensing device 4 is provided with attachment means (not shown) that engage with the corresponding attachment means provided at the communication unit. By means of these attachment means, the communication unit 50 is rotably mounted to the dispensing device 4. Fig. 8 b) illustrates a perspective view of the communication unit 50 and the dispensing device 4 (shown in Fig. 8 a) in a closed state. Thus, the communication unit 50 is fixed to the dispensing device by means of the locking means (not shown).

Fig. 8 c) illustrates a side view of the communication unit 50 and the dispensing device 4 shown in Fig. 8 a) and Fig. 8 b). The communication unit 50 is ratably attached to the dispensing device 4 It can be seen that the dispensing device 4 is provided with locking means 60 configured to engage with corresponding with locking means 62 provided at the communication unit 50. Hereby it is possible to fix the communication unit 50 to the dispensing device 4. Fig. 8 d) illustrates a front view of the communication unit 50 and the dispensing device 4 shown in Fig. 8 a), Fig. 8 b) and Fig. 8 c). The communication unit 50 is locked to the dispensing device 4 by means of the locking means 60, 62. Fig. 8 e) illustrates a side view of the communication unit 50 and the dispensing device 4 shown in Fig. 8 a), Fig. 8 b), Fig. 8 c) and Fig. 8 d). The communication unit 50 is locked to the dispensing device 4 by means of the locking means 60, 62.

List of reference numerals

2 - Monitoring system

4, 4' , 4", 4"', 4"" - Dispensing device

6 - Communication means

8 - Data management device

10, 10', 10", 10"', 10"" - Short Message Service (SMS)

12 - Information

14 - Mast

16 - Line 1

18 - Line 2

20 - Line 3

22 - Line 4

24 - Flat portion

26 - Display

28 - Battery indicator

30 - Supplementary medicine indicator 32 - Register bottom

34 - Medicine indicator

36 - Refill indicator

38 - Connection indicator

40 - Mobile phone

42 - Internet

44 - Laptop

46 - Server/computer

48 - Compartment

50, 50', 50", 50"', 50"" - Communication unit

52 - Body member

54 - Alert symbol

56, 56', 56", 56"' - Box

58 - Central data management unit

60, 62 - Locking means

64, 66 - Attachment member