Patent application number | Description | Published |
20100249997 | SYSTEM, METHOD AND CORRESPONDING APPARATUS FOR DETECTING PERFORATIONS ON A UNIT DOSE BLISTER CARD - A method, system and corresponding apparatus are provided for determining a perforation location on a blister card comprising at least one unit dose blister of medication. In particular, a data extraction operation with respect to a surface of the blister card may be performed and perforation location information defining a location of at least one perforation adjoining two unit dose blisters on the blister card may be determined based on the data extracted. | 09-30-2010 |
20110024444 | System, Method and Corresponding Apparatus for Storing, Retrieving and Delivering Unit Dose Blisters - A system, method and corresponding apparatus are provided for storing, retrieving and delivering unit dose blisters in their natural, raw state (i.e., without over-wrapping or repackaging). In particular, a plurality of unit dose blister mounts are configured to position a corresponding plurality of different types of unit dose blisters in a predetermined, repeatable orientation, so that they can be retrieved and delivered using, for example, an automated retrieval system. The storage apparatus (or unit dose blister mount) may include a cavity that is configured to receive a unit dose medication or medication cavity of the unit dose blister in such a way that the unit dose blister lies substantially flat in the horizontal plane, enabling any identification information displayed on the underside of the unit dose blister (i.e., the side opposite the unit dose medication, or medication cavity) to be viewed. | 02-03-2011 |
20130079924 | SYSTEMS, METHODS AND COMPUTER PROGRAM PRODUCT FOR STREAMLINED MEDICATION DISPENSING - Methods, apparatuses and computer program products are provided for facilitating the expedited dispensing of medications from an automated medication storage device. In this regard, a method may cooperate with the first device to facilitate the presentation of various displays that include features to reduce number of user interactions to dispense medications safely and effectively. | 03-28-2013 |
20130139662 | SYSTEM, METHOD AND CORRESPONDING APPARATUS FOR DETECTING PERFORATIONS ON A UNIT DOSE BLISTER CARD - A method, system and corresponding apparatus are provided for determining a perforation location on a blister card comprising at least one unit dose blister of medication. In particular, a data extraction operation with respect to a surface of the blister card may be performed and perforation location information defining a location of at least one perforation adjoining two unit dose blisters on the blister card may be determined based on the data extracted. | 06-06-2013 |
20130248547 | AUTOMATED DISPENSING SYSTEM AND METHOD - Automated dispensing systems and mechanisms for queuing output from an automated dispensing system are provided for the dispensing of articles. The automated dispensing system may increase efficiency of the automated dispensing system by reducing cycle time, increasing throughput, and reducing the time required for the unloading process. A system for dispensing articles may include a carousel including a plurality of stations, a plurality of carrier holders , each configured to be received at a respective station, and a robot configured to retrieve a carrier holder from the carousel. The robot may further be configured to move the carrier holder proximate the location of a first article, load the first article onto the carrier holder, and return the carrier holder to a station of the carousel. | 09-26-2013 |
20130261791 | ITEM DISPENSING UNIT - Systems, methods, apparatus, and computer program products are provided for dispensing items. In one embodiment, a magazine defining a channel adapted to store a plurality of items of substantially similar size in a uniform manner is provided. The magazine may also define (a) a rake element path adapted to allow one item of the plurality of items to be engaged and (b) a dispensing opening adapted to allow the engaged item to be urged out of the dispensing opening. In such an embodiment, a receptacle may also be provided. The receptacle may comprise a storage cavity and a rake element, wherein the rake element is adapted to (a) pass through the rake element path of the magazine to engage the item and (b) urge the item out of the dispensing opening of the magazine into the storage cavity of the receptacle. | 10-03-2013 |
20130262002 | MONITORING AND MATCHING BATTERIES AND BATTERY POWERED DEVICES - Provided herein are systems, methods and computer readable media for matching one or more batteries that were charged in a charging station with a remote device that is depleting its availble battery power. In providing such matching functionality, the system can be configured to, for example, monitor the amount of power the remote device, such as a rechargeable battery-powered device used in a hospital, requires over one or more periods of time, monitor the health of a number of batteries, match one or more of the batteries to the rechargeable battery-powered device, and then convey to a user which rechargeable battery-powered device should have its depleted battery replaced with a remotely-charged battery. | 10-03-2013 |
20140002245 | System, Methods, Apparatuses, And Computer Program Products For Detecting That An Object Has Been Accessed | 01-02-2014 |
20140108028 | APPARATUSES, SYSTEMS, AND METHODS FOR ANTICIPATING AND DELIVERING MEDICATIONS FROM A CENTRAL PHARMACY TO A PATIENT IN A HEALTHCARE FACILITY - Provided herein are various apparatuses, systems, and methods for improving the efficiency of medication distribution within a healthcare facility. In particular, embodiments may provide for dispensing medications needed and medications anticipated to be needed to an authorized medical person for administration to a patient in a healthcare facility. A method may include anticipating, by a processor, the need for one or more unit dose medications for a patient; directing the one or more unit dose medications to be placed into a patient specific overpack; directing the patient-specific overpack to be staged at a first location; receiving a request for the one or more unit dose medications; and causing the one or more unit dose medications to be dispensed to an authorized medical person in response to receiving the request. | 04-17-2014 |
20150066205 | METHOD, APPARATUS, AND COMPUTER PROGRAM PRODUCT FOR THE PACKAGING AND VERIFICATION OF MEDICATION INFORMATION - Example embodiments of the present invention may provide an efficient method of identifying unit doses of medication, and more specifically, to dispensing, identifying, packaging, and labeling unit doses of medication for distribution. In particular, methods may include receiving medication information, causing identifying information related to the medication information to be printed to a web of material, where the identifying information is printed at regular intervals, and preparing a medication unit dose to be dispensed to a container. Methods may further include verifying that the medication unit dose corresponds to the identifying information printed to the web of material, and joining the web of material to the container in response to the dispensed unit dose corresponding to the identifying information. | 03-05-2015 |
Patent application number | Description | Published |
20100214106 | METHODS, APPARATUSES, AND COMPUTER PROGRAM PRODUCTS FOR MONITORING A VOLUME OF FLUID IN A FLEXIBLE FLUID BAG - A method, apparatus, and computer program product are provided for monitoring a volume of fluid in a flexible fluid bag. A flexible fluid bag according to the invention may include a first and second side wall opposing each other, an outlet through which fluid contained in the fluid bag is evacuated, a signaling tag carried by the first side wall, and an inducer carried by the second side wall. The signaling tag and inducer may be positioned such that when a volume of fluid in the fluid bag is less than a predefined threshold, the signaling tag and inducer come into sufficient proximity due to flexation of at least a portion of the sidewalls of the fluid bag as fluid is evacuated from the fluid bag to trigger a state of a signal emitted by the signaling tag to change. | 08-26-2010 |
20100228392 | Medication Storage And Dispensing Unit Having A Vial Dispenser - A medication storage and dispensing unit is provided which includes a support platform and a vial dispenser supported by the support platform. The vial dispenser may include a chute configured to store a plurality of vials of medication and a gate configured to be alternately positioned in a closed position in which the vials remain within the chute and an open position in which a vial is dispensed from the chute. The medication storage and dispensing unit may be computer controlled so as to include a computing device configured to receive user input regarding dispensation of a vial. The computing device may be further configured to actuate the gate to thereby permit the gate to move to the open position such that the vial is dispensed from the chute. | 09-09-2010 |
20100239169 | System And Method For Determining The Orientation Of A Unit Dose Package - A method and system are provided for determining an orientation of a unit dose package, such as by determining whether the cavity that houses the medication is facing upwards or downwards. As a result of the determination of the orientation of the unit dose package, a method and system may also be provided for selectively picking a unit dose package, thereby enabling automated restocking of singulated unit dose packages by taking into account the orientation of the unit dose packages. | 09-23-2010 |
20100245056 | METHODS, APPARATUSES, AND COMPUTER PROGRAM PRODUCTS FOR MONITORING A TRANSFER OF FLUID BETWEEN A SYRINGE AND A FLUID RESERVOIR - A method, apparatus, and computer program product are provided for monitoring a transfer of fluid between a syringe and a fluid reservoir. A syringe may include a chamber for holding fluid transferred between the syringe and a fluid reservoir, a distal end comprising a point of attachment for a needle enabling transfer of fluid between the syringe and the fluid reservoir, and a first signaling tag carried by the syringe. The first signaling tag may be positioned to enable the first signaling tag to come within a sufficient proximity of a second signaling tag carried by the fluid reservoir to trigger a state of a signal emitted by at least one of the first signaling tag or second signaling tag to change when the needle is inserted through a membrane of the fluid reservoir. | 09-30-2010 |
20150085109 | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR DETERMINING THE ORIENTATION OF A UNIT DOSE PACKAGE - A method and system are provided for determining an orientation of a unit dose package, such as by determining whether the cavity that houses the medication is facing upwards or downwards. As a result of the determination of the orientation of the unit dose package, a method and system may also be provided for selectively picking a unit dose package, thereby enabling automated restocking of singulated unit dose packages by taking into account the orientation of the unit dose packages. | 03-26-2015 |