Method for managing medicine taking by a user terminal in a system comprising the user terminal, a server, and a medicine container, and the user terminal performing the method

1. A method for managing medicine taking in a system comprising a user terminal, a server, and a medicine container, wherein the method is performed by the user terminal comprising a mobile terminal that comprises a controller operably coupled to a short range wireless communication unit, a detection unit, a communication unit, a memory, a display, and a microphone, the method comprising:

detecting, via the detecting unit, identification information of a medicine inscribed on the medicine container, the detecting unit comprising at least a camera or a bar code scanner;

transmitting, via the communication unit, the detected identification information to a server;

receiving, via the communication unit, medicine taking information corresponding to the detected identification information from the server;

transmitting, via the short range wireless communication unit, the received medicine taking information to the medicine container;

setting, by the controller, a medicine taking schedule of a user in accordance with the medicine taking information;

storing, in the memory, the set medicine taking schedule;

comparing, by the controller, a time for taking the medicine according to the set medicine taking schedule and average time at which the user has actually taken the medicine;

adjusting, by the controller, the set medicine taking schedule based on a difference between the time according to the set medicine taking schedule and the average time;

transmitting, via the communication unit or the short range wireless communication unit, the adjusted medicine taking schedule to the server and the medicine container;

displaying, via the display, a notification notifying time to take the medicine; and

determining, by the controller, that the user has taken the medicine in response to a user input or an output signal generated from a sensor of the medicine container, the output signal generated when a lid of the medicine container is open or closed, and the user input comprising a user input received via a user interface displayed on the display or a user's voice received via the microphone.

2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

outputting an alarm for informing the user of a time for taking the medicine in accordance with the set medicine taking schedule.

3. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

determining a presence or non-presence of the medicine taking of the user in accordance with the set medicine taking schedule.

4. The method of claim 3 , further comprising:

outputting a voice message for asking the user of the presence or non-presence of the medicine taking at a medicine taking time designated in accordance with the medicine taking schedule; and

determining the presence or non-presence of the medicine taking of the user by recognizing a voice of the user.

5. The method of claim 3 , further comprising:

recording, by the user terminal, information with regard to the presence or non-presence of the medicine taking of the user; and

transmitting, to the server, the information with regard to the presence or non-presence of the medicine taking of the user.

6. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

outputting an alarm for informing the user of an expiration date of the medicine.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the medicine container comprises a wireless communication unit configured to wirelessly communicate with the communication unit of the user terminal.

8. The method of claim 7 , wherein the medicine container further comprises a display.

9. The method of claim 8 , wherein the medicine container further comprises a speaker.

10. The method of claim 9 , wherein the medicine container further comprises a memory.

11. The method of claim 1 , wherein the mobile terminal comprises a smartphone, a laptop, or a tablet.

12. The method of claim 1 , wherein:

the user terminal directly communicates with the server and the medicine container; and

the server and the medicine container are not capable of communicating directly with each other.

13. The method of claim 1 , further comprising transmitting, via the communication unit, user identification information corresponding to the user to the server.

14. A mobile terminal configured to communicate with a medicine container and a server in a system comprising the mobile terminal, the medicine container, and the server, the mobile terminal comprising:

a display;

a detecting unit configured to detect identification information of a medicine inscribed on the medicine container, the detecting unit comprising at least a camera or a bar code scanner;

a communication unit configured to transceive information;

a short range wireless communication unit;

a memory;

a microphone; and

a controller operatively coupled to the display, the detecting unit, the short range wireless communication unit, the memory, the microphone, and the communication unit, the controller configured to:

cause the communication unit to transmit the detected identification information to the server;

cause the communication unit to receive, from the sever, medicine taking information corresponding to the detected identification information;

cause the short range wireless communication unit to transmit the received medicine taking information to the medicine container;

set a medicine taking schedule of a user in accordance with the medicine taking information;

cause the memory to store the set medicine taking schedule;

compare a time for taking the medicine according to the set medicine taking schedule and average time at which the user has actually taken the medicine;

adjust the set medicine taking schedule based on a difference between the time for taking the medicine according to the set medicine taking schedule and the average time;

cause the communication unit or the short range wireless communication unit to transmit the adjusted medicine taking schedule to the server and the medicine container;

cause the display to display a notification notifying time to take the medicine; and

determine that the user has taken the medicine in response to a user input or an output signal generated from a sensor of the medicine container, the output signal generated when a lid of the medicine container is open or closed, and the user input comprising a user input received via a user interface displayed on the display or a user's voice received via the microphone.