Tablet packing device

Abstract

To provide an inspection assistance system which can assist the inspection task of a pharmacist and a tablet packing device.SOLUTION: An inspection assistance system (1) includes an inspection display processing part (211) which is configured to display, per unit of packing, a capture image of a tablet which is captured before the tablet dispensed from one or both of a tablet cassette (41) and a manual distribution unit (42) based on prescription data is packed into a packing material in a tablet packing device (4), and is configured to display a result of an inspection process which is executed based on the prescription data and identification information of the tablet included in the capture image of the tablet. Thus, it is possible to assist a pharmacist's inspection task carried out with respect to the tablets packed by the tablet packing device (4).SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to an inspection support system and a tablet packaging device that support the inspection of prescriptions made based on prescription data. [Background technology]

[0002] Generally, a tablet packaging device is known that is equipped with a plurality of tablet cassettes that contain predetermined types of tablets, and that can package the tablets contained in each of the tablet cassettes in dosage units based on prescription data (see, for example, Patent Document 1). Also, the tablet packaging device may be provided with a manual dispensing unit that dispenses tablets, which have been inserted in dosage units into a plurality of squares arranged in a matrix, in units of squares (see, for example, Patent Document 1). [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] JP 2011-104077 A Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] Incidentally, in medical facilities such as hospitals and pharmacies, pharmacists carry out an inspection task of confirming whether or not the tablets packaged by the tablet packaging device are appropriate and correspond to prescription data.

[0005] An object of the present invention is to provide an inspection support system and a tablet packaging device that can support the inspection work of pharmacists. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] The inspection support system of the present invention displays, in a tablet packaging device, images of tablets dispensed from either or both of a tablet cassette and a manual dispensing unit based on prescription data and taken before the tablets are packaged in packaging material, in package units (single package units), and is equipped with an inspection display processing unit that displays the results of an inspection process performed based on the prescription data and the tablet identification information contained in the photographed images of the tablets. Effect of the Invention

[0007] According to the present invention, it is possible to support pharmacists in their inspection work. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0008] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a diagram showing the configuration of an audit support system according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Diagram 2] FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram showing the configuration of the tablet packaging device according to the embodiment of the present invention. [Diagram 3] FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram showing the configuration of a tablet packaging device according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 4] FIG. 4 is a diagram showing an example of a tablet rotating section of the tablet packaging device according to the embodiment of the present invention. [Diagram 5] FIG. 5 is a diagram showing an example of a tablet rotating section of the tablet packaging device according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 6] FIG. 6 is a diagram showing an example of a packaging result by the tablet packaging device according to the embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 7] FIG. 7 is a flowchart showing an example of the procedure of an audit support process executed by the audit support system according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 8] FIG. 8 is a diagram showing an example of a display screen displayed by the audit support system according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 9] FIG. 9 is a diagram showing an example of a display screen displayed by the audit support system according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 10]FIG. 10 is a diagram showing an example of a display screen displayed by the audit support system according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 11] FIG. 11 is a diagram showing an example of a display screen displayed by the audit support system according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 12] FIG. 12 is a diagram showing an example of a display screen displayed by the audit support system according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 13] FIG. 13 is a diagram showing an example of a display screen displayed by the audit support system according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 14] FIG. 14 is a diagram showing an example of a display screen displayed by the audit support system according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 15] FIG. 15 is a diagram showing an example of a display screen displayed by the audit support system according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 16] FIG. 16 is a diagram showing an example of a display screen displayed by the audit support system according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 17] FIG. 17 is a diagram showing an example of a display screen displayed by the audit support system according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 18] FIG. 18 is a diagram showing an example of a display screen displayed by the audit support system according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 19] FIG. 19 is a diagram showing an example of a display screen displayed by the audit support system according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 20] FIG. 20 is a diagram showing an example of a display screen displayed by the audit support system according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 21] FIG. 21 is a diagram showing an example of a display screen displayed by the audit support system according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 22] FIG. 22 is a diagram showing an example of a display screen displayed by the audit support system according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 23] FIG. 23 is a diagram showing an example of a display screen displayed by the audit support system according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 24A]FIG. 24A is a diagram showing the transition of the area of ​​a tablet in an image captured by an inspection support system according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 24B] Figure 24B is a diagram showing the transition of the area of ​​a tablet in an image captured by an inspection support system according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Diagram 25] FIG. 25 is a diagram showing an example of a display screen displayed by the audit support system according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 26] FIG. 26 is a diagram showing an example of a display screen displayed by the audit support system according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 27] FIG. 27 is a diagram showing an example of a display screen displayed by the audit support system according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 28] FIG. 28 is a diagram showing an example of a display screen displayed by the audit support system according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 29] FIG. 29 is a diagram showing an example of a display screen displayed by the audit support system according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Diagram 30] FIG. 30 is a flowchart showing an example of the procedure of the information registration process executed in the audit support system according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Diagram 31] FIG. 31 is a diagram showing an example of selection setting information used in the audit support system according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Diagram 32] FIG. 32 is a flowchart showing an example of the procedure for the device selection process executed in the audit support system according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 33A] FIG. 33A is a diagram showing an example of a medicine package dispensed by the inspection support system according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 33B] FIG. 33B is a diagram showing an example of a medicine package dispensed by the inspection support system according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 33C] FIG. 33C is a diagram showing an example of a medicine package dispensed by the inspection support system according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Diagram 34]FIG. 34 is a flowchart showing an example of the procedure of an automatic audit processing executed by the audit support system according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 35A] FIG. 35A is a diagram showing an example of a display screen displayed by the audit support system according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 35B] FIG. 35B is a diagram showing an example of a display screen displayed by the audit support system according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Diagram 36] FIG. 36 is a diagram showing an example of a display screen displayed by the audit support system according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 37A] FIG. 37A is a diagram showing an example of a display screen displayed by the audit support system according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 37B] FIG. 37B is a diagram showing an example of a display screen displayed by the audit support system according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 38] FIG. 38 is a diagram showing an example of a display screen displayed by the audit support system according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 39A] FIG. 39A is a diagram showing an example of a display screen displayed by the inspection support system according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 39B] FIG. 39B is a diagram showing an example of a display screen displayed by the audit support system according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Diagram 40] FIG. 40 is a diagram showing an example of a display screen displayed by the audit support system according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Diagram 41] FIG. 41 is a diagram showing an example of a display screen displayed by the audit support system according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 42A] FIG. 42A is a diagram showing an example of a display screen displayed by the audit support system according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 42B] FIG. 42B is a diagram showing an example of a display screen displayed by the audit support system according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Diagram 43] FIG. 43 is a diagram showing a configuration of a packaging unit of a tablet packaging device according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Diagram 44] FIG. 44 is a diagram showing the configuration of a sealing device of a packaging unit of a tablet packaging device according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Diagram 45] FIG. 45 is a diagram showing the configuration of a sealing device of a packaging unit of a tablet packaging device according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 46] FIG. 46 is a diagram showing the configuration of a sealing device of a packaging unit of a tablet packaging device according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 47] FIG. 47 is a diagram showing an example of a medicine package dispensed from the tablet packaging device according to the embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 48] FIG. 48 is a diagram showing a configuration of a packaging unit of a tablet packaging device according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 49] FIG. 49 is a diagram showing a configuration of a packaging unit of a tablet packaging device according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 50A] FIG. 50A is a diagram showing an example of an image captured by the tablet packaging device according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 50B] FIG. 50B is a diagram showing an example of a captured image captured by the tablet packaging device according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 51] FIG. 51 is a flow chart showing an example of the procedure of a method for forming a sachet executed by the tablet packaging device according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 52] FIG. 52 is a flowchart showing an example of a subroutine procedure for the second vertical seal forming step executed in the tablet packaging device according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 53] FIG. 53 is a diagram showing an example of a display screen displayed by the audit support system according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 54] FIG. 54 is a diagram showing an example of a display screen displayed by the audit support system according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 55] FIG. 55 is a diagram for explaining an example of the pattern matching process. [Figure 56] FIG. 56 is a flowchart showing an example of the procedure of an image inspection process executed in an inspection support system according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 57] FIG. 57 is a flowchart showing an example of the procedure of a similar drug registration process executed in the inspection support system according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 58] FIG. 58 is a diagram showing an example of a display screen displayed by the audit support system according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 59] Figure 59 is a diagram showing an example of a normal image used in the inspection support system according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 60] FIG. 60 is a diagram showing an example of a normal image used in an inspection support system according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 61A] FIG. 61A is a diagram for explaining the capsule image processing function of the inspection support system according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 61B] Figure 61B is a diagram for explaining the capsule image processing function of the inspection support system according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 61C] FIG. 61C is a diagram for explaining the capsule image processing function of the inspection support system according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 61D] Figure 61D is a diagram for explaining the capsule image processing function of the inspection support system according to an embodiment of the present invention. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0009] Hereinafter, with reference to the accompanying drawings, an embodiment of the present invention will be described for the purpose of understanding the present invention. Note that the following embodiment is an example of the present invention, and is not intended to limit the technical scope of the present invention. In addition, it is possible to select and combine the configurations and processing functions of each of the following embodiments in any desired combination.

[0010] [First embodiment] 1, an audit support system 1 according to an embodiment of the present invention includes a server 2, one or more client terminals 3, one or more tablet packaging devices 4, and one or more dispensing devices 5. The server 2 alone may be regarded as the audit support system according to the present invention.

[0011] The server 2, the client terminal 3, the tablet packaging device 4, and the dispensing device 5 are each connected to a communication network N1 such as a LAN or the Internet so as to be able to communicate wirelessly or with a wire. A higher-level system 6 such as an electronic medical record system or a prescription input terminal that inputs prescription data to the server 2 is also connected to the server 2 via the communication network N1. It is also possible that the server 2 is capable of reading prescription data from a prescription, or that prescription data can be input to the server 2 by a user operation.

[0012] [Server 2] The server 2 is a personal computer including a control unit 21, a storage unit 22, a communication I / F 23, a display unit 24, an operation unit 25, a drive device 26, and a code reading unit 27. The server 2 is placed inside or outside the medical institution where the inspection support system 1 is used.

[0013] The control unit 21 has control devices such as a CPU, a ROM, a RAM, and an EEPROM (registered trademark). The CPU is a processor that executes various arithmetic processes. The ROM is a non-volatile storage unit in which information such as a control program for causing the CPU to execute various processes is stored in advance. The RAM is a volatile storage unit, and the EEPROM is a non-volatile storage unit. The RAM and the EEPROM are used as temporary storage memories (work areas) for the various processes executed by the CPU. The control unit 21 then uses the CPU to execute various processes in accordance with the various control programs stored in advance in the ROM, the EEPROM, or the storage unit 22.

[0014] The storage unit 22 is a storage unit such as a hard disk device or SSD (Solid State Drive) that stores various data. Specifically, the storage unit 22 stores in advance an audit support program for causing a computer such as the control unit 21 to execute an audit support process (see FIG. 7) described later.

[0015] The storage unit 22 also stores various databases such as a medicine master, a patient master, a cassette master, and a pharmacy master. The medicine master includes information about each medicine, such as a medicine ID, a medicine code, a medicine name, a YJ code, a JAN code (or an RSS code), a medicine bottle code, a classification (dosage form: powder, tablet, liquid medicine, external medicine, etc.), a tablet shape (capsule tablet, spherical tablet, flat tablet (disk-shaped tablet), etc.), a tablet size, a specific gravity, a medicine type (ordinary medicine, poison, narcotic, powerful drug, antipsychotic, therapeutic drug, etc.), a compounding change, an excipient, and a caution. The patient master includes information about a patient, such as a patient ID, a name, a sex, an age, a medical history, a prescription history, family information, a medical department, a ward, and a room. The pharmacy master includes information about a pharmacy, such as a pharmacy name, a pharmacist's name, and a pharmacist's ID. The cassette master is information indicating the correspondence between cassette identification information of each medicine cassette 41 (described later) included in the tablet packing device 4 and the tablets assigned to each medicine cassette 41.

[0016] Furthermore, the storage unit 22 stores a drug database in which information such as drug code, drug name, JAN code, RSS code, medicine bottle code, dosage form, unit, specific gravity, drug variety, compounding variation, excipient drug, cautions, allergy information, and package insert information is associated with each drug separately from the drug master. In particular, in the drug database, for tablets, information such as tablet identification information formed on the tablet, tablet shape, and tablet appearance image (front and back) is stored. The drug database is read from a recording medium such as a CD or DVD by the drive device 26, for example, or received from an external device via the communication network N1, and stored in the data storage unit 22. The drug database is used in the inspection support system 1 when information is imported into various masters such as the drug master, or when information on the package insert of each drug is referred to. For example, in the inspection support system 1, the drug database can be displayed in response to a user operation on the server 2 or the client terminal 3. The control unit 21 may be configured to be able to read out the medicine database from an external device or website via the communication network N1 as necessary.

[0017] The communication I / F 23 is a communication interface having a network card or the like that performs wireless or wired data communication between external devices such as the client terminal 2, the tablet packaging device 4, and the dispensing equipment 5 via the communication network N1 in accordance with a predetermined communication protocol.

[0018] The display unit 24 is a display unit such as a liquid crystal monitor that displays various information and operation screens according to control instructions from the control unit 21. The operation unit 25 is an operation unit such as a keyboard, mouse, and touch panel that accepts user operations, and inputs operation signals corresponding to user operations to the control unit 21. The operation unit 25 accepts various operation inputs, such as a selection operation of prescription data on a display screen displayed on the display unit 24, and an issuing operation of prescription data that requests the start of dispensing of the prescription data.

[0019] The drive device 26 is capable of reading the audit support program from a computer-readable recording medium 261 on which the audit support program is recorded. The recording medium 261 is a CD, DVD, BD, USB memory, etc., and the drive device 26 is a CD drive, DVD drive, BD drive, USB port, etc. In the server 2, the control unit 21 stores the audit support program read from the recording medium 261 using the drive device 26 in the storage unit 22.

[0020] The code reading unit 27 is a barcode reader capable of reading code information (such as a barcode or a two-dimensional code). For example, the code reading unit 27 is used to read prescription data from the code information written on a prescription. The prescription data read from the prescription is stored in the storage unit 22 by the control unit 21.

[0021] In the server 2 configured in this manner, the control unit 21 includes an inspection display processing unit 211, a list display processing unit 212, an operation display processing unit 213, and a re-execution processing unit 214. Specifically, the control unit 21 functions as the inspection display processing unit 211, the list display processing unit 212, the operation display processing unit 213, and the re-execution processing unit 214 by executing various processes according to the inspection support program. The control unit 21 also has a function of generating prescription data for dispensing (dispensing data) for executing dispensing processes such as packaging by the tablet packaging device 4 and the dispensing device 5 based on the prescription data, and inputting the prescription data to the tablet packaging device 4 and the dispensing device 5. As a result, the tablet packaging device 4 and the dispensing device 5 execute dispensing processes such as packaging based on the prescription data.

[0022] The inspection display processing unit 211 displays, on the client terminal 3 or the like, a photographed image of the tablets, which is photographed before the tablets dispensed from a tablet cassette 41 or a manual dispensing unit 42 described below based on prescription data in the tablet packaging device 4 are packaged in packaging materials such as packaging paper. The inspection display processing unit 211 also displays, on the client terminal 3 or the like, a result of an inspection process executed based on the prescription data and the identification information (characters or symbols, etc.) of the tablets included in the photographed image of the tablets. For example, in the inspection process, identification information recognized by character recognition processing from the photographed image of the tablets is compared with the identification information of the tablets included in the prescription data. In the inspection process, an image of the identification information included in the photographed image of the tablets may also be compared with a normal image registered in advance in correspondence with the identification information of the tablets included in the prescription data.

[0023] When the result of the inspection process is an error, the list display processing unit 212 displays a list of the cause of the error together with the date and time of taking the tablet that caused the error. For example, the list display processing unit 212 displays an NG list area A37 (see FIG. 11) in an inspection details screen D31 described later on the client terminal 3 or the like.

[0024] The operation display processing unit 213 displays an operation unit for individually re-executing a part or all of the dispensing process based on the prescription data executed by the tablet packing device 4 and the dispensing device 5 on a first display screen on which the inspection result of the medicine dispensed by the tablet packing device 4 and the dispensing device 5 is displayed or on a second display screen displayed after a predetermined operation on the first screen. More specifically, in this embodiment, the operation display processing unit 213 can display operation keys K33, K34, an input field K35, and K36 described later as the operation unit for re-executing a part or all of the dispensing process executed by the tablet packing device 4 on an inspection details screen D31 (see FIG. 11) described later, which is the first display screen on which the result of the inspection process is displayed by the inspection display processing unit 211.

[0025] The re-execution processing unit 214 causes the tablet packing device 4 and the drug dispensing device 5 to re-execute a part or all of the dispensing process executed by the tablet packing device 4 and the drug dispensing device 5 in response to a user operation on the operation unit displayed by the operation display processing unit 213. More specifically, in this embodiment, the re-execution processing unit 214 is capable of causing the tablet packing device 4 to re-execute a part or all of the packing process executed by the tablet packing device 4 in response to a user operation on the operation unit displayed by the operation display processing unit 213.

[0026] [Client terminal 3] On the other hand, the client terminal 3 is a personal computer equipped with a control unit 31, a storage unit 32, a communication I / F 33, a display unit 34, an operation unit 35, a drive device 36, and a code reading unit 37. Each of the client terminals 3 is an operation terminal that is installed in a medical institution where the inspection support system 1 is used, and is operated by a user such as a pharmacist.

[0027] The control unit 31 has control devices such as a CPU, a ROM, a RAM, and an EEPROM. The CPU is a processor that executes various arithmetic operations. The ROM is a non-volatile storage unit in which information such as a control program for causing the CPU to execute various processes is stored in advance. The RAM is a volatile storage unit, and the EEPROM is a non-volatile storage unit. The RAM and the EEPROM are used as temporary storage memories (work areas) for the various processes executed by the CPU. The control unit 31 uses the CPU to execute various processes in accordance with the various control programs stored in advance in the ROM, the EEPROM, or the storage unit 32.

[0028] The storage unit 32 is a non-volatile storage unit such as a hard disk or SSD in which various application programs and various data executed by the control unit 31 are stored. Specifically, application programs such as an operating system (OS) and browser software are stored in the storage unit 32. The browser software is application software that accesses the server 2 via the communication network N1 to display various operation screens and the like on the display unit 34, and transmits input operations on the operation screen using the operation unit 35 to the server 2. Specifically, when address information such as a URL (Universal Resource Locator) corresponding to the server 2 is input at a predetermined position on the operation screen displayed by the browser software, the control unit 31 accesses the server 2 based on the address information.

[0029] The communication I / F 33 is a communication interface having a network card or the like that executes wireless or wired data communication with an external device such as the server 2 via the communication network N1 in accordance with a predetermined communication protocol.

[0030] The display unit 34 is a display unit such as a liquid crystal display or an organic EL display that displays various information in accordance with control instructions from the control unit 31. The operation unit 35 is an operation unit operated by a user to input various information to the client terminal 3. Specifically, the operation unit 35 includes a keyboard and a mouse (pointing device) that accept input operations on various operation screens displayed on the display unit 34. The operation unit 35 may also include a touch panel that accepts touch operations on various operation screens displayed on the display unit 34, or a voice input device that accepts input of various information by voice recognition.

[0031] The drive device 36 is capable of reading the OS or the browser software from a computer-readable recording medium 361 on which the OS or the browser software is recorded. The recording medium 361 is a CD, a DVD, a BD, a USB memory, etc., and the drive device 36 is a CD drive, a DVD drive, a BD drive, a USB port, etc. In the client terminal 3, the control unit 31 stores the OS or the browser software, etc., read from the recording medium 361 using the drive device 36 in the storage unit 32.

[0032] The code reading unit 37 is a barcode reader capable of reading code information (such as a barcode or a two-dimensional code). For example, the code reading unit 37 is used to read the code information written on the medicine package 451.

[0033] In the audit support system 1, a server-client system is configured by the server 2 and the client terminal 3, and a case will be described in which the server 2 executes various processes in response to user operations of the client terminal 3. Therefore, "display," "operation," "selection," "input," and the like, which will be described below, are performed using the display unit 34 and the operation unit 35 of the client terminal 3. For example, the control unit 21 of the server 2 causes the client terminal 3 to display various screens by transmitting data described in a page description language such as HTML to the client terminal 3.

[0034] In addition, part or all of the inspection support program may be installed in one or more of the server 2, the client terminal 3, and the tablet packaging device 4, and the inspection support process described below may be executed in cooperation with the server 2, the client terminal 3, and the tablet packaging device 4.

[0035] As another embodiment, the inspection support system 1 may be provided with an inspection support system having an inspection support function that executes an inspection support process (see FIG. 7) described below, separate from the server 2. The inspection support system is an information processing device such as a personal computer or a tablet terminal, and is capable of communicating with the server 2, the client terminal 3, the tablet packaging device 4, and the dispensing device 5 provided in the inspection support system 1. The inspection support system may also be installed in a dispensing device such as the tablet packaging device 4.

[0036] [Tablet packaging device 4] The tablet packaging device 4 is a dispensing device used to dispense medicines. Specifically, as shown in Fig. 1 and Fig. 2, the tablet packaging device 4 includes a control unit 40, a tablet cassette 41, a manual dispensing unit 42, a separation unit 43, a rotation unit 44, a packaging unit 45, an image taking unit 46, and a passage detection unit 47. The tablet packaging device 4 can automatically dispense tablets from either or both of the tablet cassette 41 and the manual dispensing unit 42 based on the prescription data and package them in dosage units. The dashed line in Fig. 2 indicates the movement path of the tablets.

[0037] The photographing unit 46 includes cameras 461-467 provided on a tablet movement path from the tablet cassette 41 to the packaging unit 45 and on a tablet movement path from the manual distribution unit 42 to the packaging unit 45. The cameras 461-467 are used to photograph the tablets, one tablet at a time or multiple tablets at a time, before the tablets dispensed from the tablet cassette 41 or the manual distribution unit 42 are packaged in packaging paper by the packaging unit 45. The images photographed by the cameras 461-467 are color or monochrome. The images of the tablets photographed by the cameras 461-467 are stored in a storage unit 49, which is a storage device such as a hard disk provided in the tablet packaging device 4, and are also transmitted to the server 2 by the control unit 40.

[0038] As shown in FIG. 2, the camera 461 is used to photograph the tablets supplied from the tablet cassette 41 to the rotating unit 44. The cameras 462 and 463 are used to photograph different areas (e.g., the front and back) of the outer periphery of a tablet rotating in a tablet rotating section 441 (described later) provided in the rotating unit 44. The camera 464 is used to photograph the tablets stored in the manual distribution unit 42. The camera 465 is used to photograph the tablets supplied from the manual distribution unit 42 to the separation unit 43. The camera 466 is used to photograph the tablets supplied from the separation unit 43 to the rotating unit 44. The camera 467 is used to photograph tablets in dosage units (package units) stored in a storage section 443 (described later) provided in the rotating unit 44. In addition, when the tablet packaging device 4 does not include a storage section 443 described later, the camera 467 is used to photograph the tablets falling from the rotation unit 44 while they are falling. Alternatively, instead of the storage section 443, a medicine introduction section 80 (see Figures 48 and 49) that guides the tablets falling from the rotation unit 44 to the packaging material arranged below may be provided. In this case, the camera 467 may be placed at a position where it can photograph an imaging range including the medicine introduction section 80, the tablets, and the packaging material, instead of the tablets stored in the storage section 443.

[0039] The passage detection unit 47 also includes passage detection sensors 471-475, such as optical sensors, which detect the passage of the tablets on the tablet movement path from the tablet cassette 41 to the packaging unit 45 and on the tablet movement path from the manual distribution unit 42 to the packaging unit 45. Tablet detection signals by the passage detection sensors 471-475 are input to the control unit 40.

[0040] 2, the passage detection sensor 471 detects tablets dispensed from the tablet cassette 41, and the passage detection sensor 472 detects tablets dropping from the tablet cassette 41 to the rotation unit 44. The passage detection sensor 473 detects tablets dispensed from the manual distribution unit 42, and the passage detection sensor 474 detects tablets dropping from the separation unit 43 to the rotation unit 44. The passage detection sensor 475 detects tablets dropping from a tablet rotation section 441 (described later) to a storage section 443 in the rotation unit 44.

[0041] The control unit 40 has a processor such as a CPU and a storage unit such as a RAM and an EEPROM, and comprehensively controls the tablet packaging device 4. Specifically, the control unit 40 controls the operation of the tablet packaging device 4 based on the prescription data input from the server 2, thereby executing a packaging process for packaging one or more types of tablets corresponding to the prescription data for each dosage period.

[0042] The control unit 40 also executes an image capturing process in which the image capturing unit 46 captures an image in response to the timing of tablet detection by the passage detection unit 47. For example, when the tablet dropping from the tablet cassette 41 to the tablet rotation unit 441 is detected by the passage detection sensor 472, the camera 461 captures an image. The cameras 462 and 463 capture images at preset capture intervals (several ms) during the execution of the packaging process in the tablet packaging device 4. On the other hand, the camera 464 captures an image when an operation input is made to the manual distribution unit 42 indicating that the manual distribution work of tablets has been completed. When the tablet dispensed from the manual distribution unit 42 is detected by the passage detection sensor 473, the camera 465 captures an image, and when the tablet dropping from the separation unit 43 to the tablet rotation unit 441 is detected by the passage detection sensor 474, the camera 466 captures an image. When the tablet passing detection sensor 475 detects tablets corresponding to the number of tablets for one dose, the camera 467 captures an image. In addition, when the tablet packaging device 4 does not include the storage section 443, the camera 467 takes an image of the tablet dropping from the rotary unit 44 every time the passing detection sensor 475 detects the tablet dropping from the rotary unit 44, and the tablet dropping from the rotary unit 44 is photographed. The timing of taking images by the cameras 461 to 467 is not limited to the above, and may be set in advance according to the purpose of each captured image. In addition, in the tablet packaging device 4, the control unit 40 can determine the progress of the tablet dispensed from the tablet cassette 41 or the manual dispensing unit 42 to the packaging unit 45 based on the detection result by the passing detection sensors 471 to 475. Therefore, the control unit 40 can determine the position to which the tablet has moved and notify (display) the user when, for example, the tablet is not normally dispensed. In the tablet packaging device 4, an exterior member on the path along which the tablet moves is formed of a transparent or semi-transparent member, and a configuration is also conceivable in which the movement status of the tablet can be visually confirmed from the outside.

[0043] The control unit 40 can execute an automatic inspection process based on the image of the tablet taken by the camera 462 or the camera 463 and the prescription data. In the automatic inspection process, when the identification information of the tablet contained in the photographed image of the tablet is recognized, it is checked whether the identification information of the tablet matches the drug information contained in the prescription data. In this way, the control unit 40 inspects whether the packaging process has been properly performed based on the photographed image taken by the camera 462 or the camera 463 before the tablet is packaged in the drug bag 451 in the packaging process. Here, as the automatic inspection process for automatically inspecting the suitability of the packaging process, the control unit 40 when executing an image inspection process for collating the identification information of the tablet contained in the photographed image with the prescription data is an example of an image inspection processing unit. Note that, in the automatic inspection process, various conventional technologies such as a technology for reading the identification information by pattern matching are used as a method for acquiring the identification information of the tablet from the photographed image of the tablet. If the collation result is a match, it is determined to be correct, and if the collation result is a mismatch, it is determined to be an error.

[0044] In addition, when the control unit 40 executes the automatic inspection process using the identification information of the tablet acquired from the photographed image of the tablet, the control unit 40 transmits the original image of the photographed image of the tablet taken by the camera 462 or the camera 463 when the identification information is read from the tablet together with the result (match or error) of the automatic inspection process to the server 2. In addition, in the automatic inspection process, the control unit 40 may extract the area of ​​the tablet from the photographed image taken by the camera 462 or 463, and read the identification information of the tablet based on the extracted trimmed image. In this case, the control unit 40 transmits the trimmed image to the server 2 as the original image instead of or together with the photographed image.

[0045] The tablet cassette 41 is a cassette in which tablets of a predetermined type are accommodated, and the tablet packaging device 4 is provided with a plurality of the tablet cassettes 41. Then, in the tablet packaging device 4, tablets included in the prescription data are automatically dispensed from the tablet cassette 41.

[0046] The manual distribution unit 42 has cells arranged in a matrix, and tablets that are not suitable for dispensing from the tablet cassette 41, such as half tablets, are inserted into each of the cells. The manual distribution unit 42 is capable of dispensing the tablets contained in each of the cells in units of cells. The separation unit 43 is capable of separating the tablets dispensed from the manual distribution unit 42 one tablet at a time and supplying them to the rotation unit 44. The separation unit 43 may be configured in various ways, and may, for example, be configured to supply tablets arranged and placed in a V-shaped groove one tablet at a time from the tip of the groove by conveying the tablets by vibrating the groove.

[0047] As shown in Figures 2 and 3, the rotation unit 44 includes six tablet rotation parts 441, a unit rotation part 442, and a storage part 443. The unit rotation part 442 is rotatably supported by a base part (not shown). Figure 3 is a schematic diagram showing the rotation unit 44 as viewed from above.

[0048] Each of the tablet rotation units 441 can change the position of a tablet by rotating one tablet supplied from the tablet cassette 41 or the manual distribution unit 42. The unit rotation unit 442 has six tablet rotation units 441 arranged at 60° intervals around a predetermined rotation axis, and the unit rotation unit 442 can rotate the tablet rotation unit 441 around the predetermined rotation axis. Specifically, the unit rotation unit 442 can move each of the tablet rotation units 441 to six positions in order: a drop position P1 of the tablet from the separation unit 43, a drop position P2 of the tablet from the tablet cassette 41, a position P3 where the tablet can be photographed by the camera 462, a position P4 where the tablet can be photographed by the camera 463, a reserve position P5, and a drop position P6 into the storage unit 443.

[0049] In the tablet packaging device 4, as shown in Fig. 4, when one tablet 17 dispensed from the tablet cassette 41 falls into the tablet rotation section 441, or when one tablet 17 dispensed from the separation unit 43 falls into the tablet rotation section 441, the unit rotation section 442 rotates the tablet rotation section 441 by 60°. As a result, each tablet dispensed from the tablet cassette 41 or the manual distribution unit 42 moves in sequence from the drop position P1 or the drop position P2 to the drop position P6 while being individually placed on the tablet rotation section 441. Then, at the photographable position P3 and the photographable position P4, the tablet 17 is photographed by the camera 462 and the camera 463.

[0050] Thereafter, the tablet 17 placed on the tablet rotation section 441 falls from the fall position P6 into the storage section 443. The storage section 443 is used to temporarily store tablets in a dosage unit during the fall from the rotation unit 44 to the packaging unit 45. After the tablets in a dosage unit are stored in the storage section 443, the bottom surface is opened and the tablets in a dosage unit contained in the storage section 443 are supplied to the packaging unit 45.

[0051] As shown in FIG. 3, an illumination device 468 and an illumination device 469 are fixed above the rotation unit 44 to illuminate the tablet at a position where the camera 462 and the camera 463 can take pictures. The illumination devices 468 and 469 irradiate the tablet rotation unit 441 with light at different angles or with different illuminances so that the camera 462 and the camera 463 can take pictures of different lighting environments. For example, the illumination device 468 provides illumination suitable for reading the tablet identification information formed on the tablet by engraving, and may irradiate the tablet with light from the side or obliquely above so that the tablet identification information is clearly photographed. In addition, the illumination device 468 may irradiate the tablet with light from multiple directions. This is because, when the tablet identification information formed on the tablet is an engraving, the engraving creates unevenness on the surface of the tablet, and the way the identification information is captured in the captured image of the tablet may change depending on the angle of light irradiation to the unevenness. Here, the camera 462 and the lighting device 468 are an example of a first photographing unit. The lighting device 469 provides illumination suitable for reading the tablet identification information formed on the tablet by printing, and may be, for example, a device that irradiates the tablet from above so that the tablet identification information is clearly photographed. This is because, when the tablet identification information formed on the tablet is printed, the identification information is formed on the surface of the tablet by paint or developer, and therefore the tablet does not have unevenness and the way the identification information is captured in the photographed image of the tablet is unlikely to change. Here, the camera 463 and the lighting device 469 are an example of a second photographing unit. It is to be noted that whether the tablet identification information, such as characters or symbols, formed on the tablet is formed on the tablet by engraving or printing is registered in advance in the pharmaceutical master or the like. It is considered that the pharmaceutical master is stored not only in the memory unit 22 of the server 2 but also in the memory unit 49 provided in the tablet packaging device 4.For example, in the pharmaceutical master, it is considered that the engraving flag is set to "1" for tablets whose identification information is engraved, and the printing flag is set to "1" for tablets whose identification information is printed. In the pharmaceutical master, the engraving flag may be set to "1" for tablets whose identification information is engraved, and the engraving flag may be set to "0" for tablets whose identification information is printed. In the tablet packaging device 4, among the images captured by the cameras 462 and 463, the images suitable for the method of forming the identification information of the tablets (engraving or printing) are used for the automatic inspection process. As described above, the method of forming the identification information includes, for example, engraving in which the identification information is formed by unevenness on the surface of the tablet, and printing in which the identification information is formed by applying paint or developer to the surface of the tablet. In addition, among the images captured by the cameras 462 and 463, images with a high degree of match such as pattern matching when recognizing the identification information of the tablet, or images in which the identification information of the tablet is clearly captured may be used for the automatic inspection process.

[0052] In addition, in the storage unit 49, similar to the server 2, a drug database in which information such as drug code, drug name, JAN code, RSS code, medicine bottle code, dosage form, unit, specific gravity, drug variety, compounding variation, excipient drug, cautions, allergy information, and package insert information is associated with each drug is stored separately from the drug master. In particular, in the drug database, for tablets, information such as tablet identification information formed on the tablet, tablet shape, and tablet appearance image (front and back) is stored. The drug database is read from a recording medium such as a CD or DVD by a drive device (not shown) provided in the tablet packaging device, or is received from an external device such as the server 2 via the communication network N1 and stored in the storage unit 49. The control unit 40 may be configured to be able to read the drug database from an external device such as the server 2 or a website via the communication network N1 as needed.

[0053] Here, an example of the tablet rotation unit 441 will be described with reference to FIG. 4 and FIG. 5. As shown in FIG. 4 and FIG. 5, the tablet rotation unit 441 includes a pair of rotating rollers 100, a pair of support plates 101 that individually support each of the rotating rollers 100, and a spring 102 that biases the pair of support plates 101 in a direction toward each other. In addition, in the tablet rotation unit 441, arms 103 extend from both ends of each of the support plates 101, and gears 104 that mesh with each other are formed at the tip portions. As a result, in a normal state, the rotating rollers 100 are in a state where they are in close proximity to each other, and the tablet 17 can be supported by the pair of rotating rollers 100. On the other hand, the pair of rotating rollers 100 come into contact with each other and separate from each other in synchronization with the rotation of the gear 104, and in a state where they are in contact or close to each other, the drug 17 is rotatably supported, and in a state where they are separated, the drug 17 falls from the pair of rotating rollers 100 toward the storage unit 443.

[0054] In addition, a driven gear 100a is integrated with one end of the rotation shaft of each of the rotating rollers 100. A drive gear 106 integrated with one end of the drive shaft 105 is engaged with each of the driven gears 100a. A driven roller (not shown) is integrated with the other end of the drive shaft 105. The driven roller is composed of a magnet gear. In addition, in the rotation unit 44, when the tablet rotation part 441 moves to the photographable position P3 by the camera 462 or the photographable position P4 by the camera 463, a connecting magnet gear (not shown) connected to a predetermined drive motor is provided at a position directly below the tablet rotation part 441 and away from the tablet rotation part 441.

[0055] Then, when the tablet rotation unit 441 moves to the photographable position P3 of the camera 462 or the photographable position P4 of the camera 463, the driving force from the predetermined drive motor is transmitted to the driven roller via the connecting magnet gear. As a result, the driving force of the predetermined drive motor is transmitted to the pair of rotating rollers 100 via the driven roller and the drive shaft 105, and the pair of rotating rollers 100 rotate synchronously in the same direction. Therefore, when the tablet 17 is placed on the pair of rotating rollers 100, the tablet 17 rotates. Therefore, in the tablet rotation unit 441, it is possible to change the posture of the tablet 17 photographed by the camera 462 and the camera 463, and the outer peripheral surface of the tablet 17 can be photographed from different directions. That is, the tablet 17 rotated by the tablet rotation unit 441 is photographed intermittently or continuously by the camera 462 and the camera 463, so that the outer peripheral surface including the identification information formed on the tablet 17 by engraving or the like can be photographed.

[0056] The configuration of the tablet rotation unit 441 described here is merely one example, and the tablet rotation unit 441 may be configured to displace the tablet to a state where an image from which the tablet's identification information can be read can be captured by the camera 462, the camera 463, etc. However, it is desirable to capture the tablet in a state where the tablet's identification information is clearly shown in the captured image. In addition, the tablet packaging device 4 may be configured such that, as long as it is possible to capture an image of the outer circumferential surface of the tablet from different directions, the tablet is placed on a transparent loading plate and the tablet is photographed from the front side and the back side of the loading plate.

[0057] Incidentally, the control unit 40 may compare all the photographed images with the correct image associated with the tablet, or may attempt to read the identification information of the tablet from all the photographed images, but the processing load may be large or the accuracy of reading the identification information of the tablet may be low. On the other hand, when the tablet is a flat tablet, the accuracy of the automatic inspection process is improved by comparing the photographed image of the front and back surfaces of the flat tablet taken by the camera 462 or the camera 463 from a direction perpendicular to those surfaces with the correct image, or by reading the identification information of the tablet from the photographed image. This is because, when the tablet is a flat tablet, the identification information of the tablet is located on either or both of the front and back surfaces of the flat tablet. Therefore, when the tablet is a flat tablet, the control unit 40 may specify the photographed image to be compared with the correct image among the multiple photographed images, or the photographed image used to obtain the identification information of the tablet, according to the area of ​​the tablet included in the multiple photographed images.

[0058] First, the control unit 40 judges whether the tablet is a flat tablet according to the transition of the area of ​​the tablet in each of the captured images. For example, if the ratio of the maximum value and the minimum value of the area of ​​the tablet in each of the captured images is equal to or greater than a preset threshold value, that is, if the change in the area of ​​the tablet is large, it is considered that the tablet is judged to be a flat tablet. The control unit 40 may judge whether the tablet is a flat tablet based on the pharmaceutical master or the pharmaceutical database. Then, when the control unit 40 judges that the tablet is a flat tablet, it specifies a photographed image that is taken between two photographed images in which the area of ​​the tablet is maximum among the multiple photographed images and in which the area of ​​the tablet is equal to or greater than a preset threshold value.

[0059] For example, when the areas of the tablets in the respective photographed images are arranged in the order of photographing of the respective photographed images, the control unit 40 may specify the photographed image immediately before the photographed image in which the transition (slope) of the area of ​​the tablet has changed from an increase to a decrease as the photographed image in which the area of ​​the tablet is the largest. As a result, two photographed images in which the area of ​​the tablet is the largest are specified from the plurality of photographed images corresponding to one circumference of the outer peripheral surface of the tablet. That is, the two photographed images in which the area of ​​the tablet is the largest are the images in which the area of ​​the tablet is the top two among the photographed images corresponding to one circumference of the outer peripheral surface of the tablet photographed at a predetermined photographing interval. Then, between the two photographed images in which the area of ​​the tablet is the largest, the photographed image immediately before the photographed image in which the transition (slope) of the area of ​​the tablet has changed from a decrease to an increase in a state in which the area of ​​the tablet is equal to or greater than the threshold value is specified as an image capturing the front or back surface of the tablet from the front.

[0060] Here, FIG. 24A is a diagram showing the transition of the area of ​​the tablet when the state in which the flat tablet, which is the tablet, is rotated by the tablet rotation unit 441 is continuously photographed. As shown in FIG. 24A, the area of ​​the tablet in each of the photographed images transitions between the maximum area a1 and the minimum area a2 according to the rotation of the tablet in the tablet rotation unit 441. Specifically, when the front or back surface to which the identification information of the tablet is attached is slightly inclined with respect to the camera 462 or the camera 463 of the photographing unit 46, and the front or back surface of the tablet and the side surface of the tablet are photographed together, the area of ​​the tablet in the photographed image becomes the maximum area a1. Also, when only the side surface of the tablet is photographed, the area of ​​the tablet in the photographed image becomes the minimum area a2. Note that, here, the photographed images f1 to f9 shown in FIG. 24A are taken as an example, but in the tablet packaging device 4, one or more photographed images are also photographed between each of the photographed images f1 to f9.

[0061] As shown in FIG. 24A, the captured images f1, f3, f5, f7, and f9 corresponding to the times t1, t3, t5, t7, and t9 at which the area of ​​the tablet is the maximum area a1 include the front or back surface of the tablet and a part of the side surface. In addition, the captured images f2 and f6 corresponding to the times t2 and t6 at which the area of ​​the tablet is the minimum area a2 include only the side surface of the tablet. Furthermore, the captured images f4 and f8 corresponding to the times t4 and t8 at which the area of ​​the tablet is less than the area a1 and is equal to or greater than the area a3 predetermined for each type of tablet include the front or back surface of the tablet. That is, one of the captured images f4 and f8 is an image capturing the front surface of the tablet from the front, and the other is an image capturing the back surface of the tablet from the front. The area a3 is a value smaller than the area a1 and larger than the area a2, and is a value preset as an index value for distinguishing between the area of ​​the front or back surface of the tablet and the area of ​​the side surface of the tablet. For example, the area a3 is a value smaller than the area of ​​the front or back surface of the tablet when viewed from the front by a predetermined value.

[0062] The control unit 40 then extracts the captured image with the smallest area of ​​the tablet from among the captured images taken between the two captured images in which the area of ​​the tablet is the largest area a1 and in which the area of ​​the tablet is less than the area a1 and is equal to or greater than the area a3. Here, the control unit 40 specifies the captured image extracted odd-numbered among the extracted captured images as the captured image f4, and specifies the captured image extracted even-numbered as the captured image f8. The control unit 40 also specifies the captured image f4 as an image of the front surface of the tablet, and specifies the captured image f8 as the back surface of the tablet.

[0063] This allows the control unit 40 to compare the captured images f4 and f8 capturing the front and back surfaces of the tablet from the front with the normal image, or to read the identification information of the tablet from the captured images f4 and f8 with high accuracy. Note that the photographing time per tablet photographed by the cameras 462 and 463 in the packaging process may be set to be longer than the required time, for example, based on the tablet with the longest required time between the times t1 and t9 among various tablets registered in the pharmaceutical master. This allows at least one captured image f4 and one captured image f8 to be photographed as the captured images of the front and back surfaces of the tablet.

[0064] In addition, the control unit 40 may specify the image captured at the timing when the smoothed value of the tablet area peaks when the areas of the tablets in each of the captured images are arranged in the order of capture of the images, as the captured image of the front or back surface of the tablet. For example, the smoothed value is a simple moving average value of the tablet area in a plurality of captured images. Here, FIG. 24B is a diagram showing an example of the transition of the area of ​​the tablet when the state in which the flat tablet, which is the tablet, is rotated by the tablet rotation unit 441 is continuously captured. FIG. 24B shows the results of a total of 20 captures at the capture timings t11 to t30. In FIG. 24B, the solid line indicates the measured value of the area of ​​the tablet in the captured images captured at each of the capture timings t11 to t30, and the dashed line indicates the smoothed value of the area of ​​the tablet in the captured images captured at each of the capture timings t11 to t30. In the example shown in Figure 24B, since the smoothed value is a peak value at the shooting timing t19, the captured image captured at the shooting timing t19 is identified as a captured image of the front or back of the tablet. More specifically, the odd-numbered peak values ​​of the smoothed values ​​are identified as a captured image of the front of the tablet, and the even-numbered peak values ​​are identified as a captured image of the back of the tablet.

[0065] The packaging unit 45 is capable of packaging tablets in a dosage unit supplied from either one or both of the tablet cassette 41 and the manual distribution unit 42 via the rotation unit 44 in a medicine bag 451 which is a packaging material. Fig. 6 is a diagram showing an example of the medicine bag 451 dispensed from the tablet packaging device 4. As shown in Fig. 6, each medicine bag 451 contains a plurality of tablets in a dosage unit, and dotted cut lines (perforations) 452 are formed between each of the medicine bags 451 to easily separate each of the medicine bags 451.

[0066] The medicine packet 451 used for packaging in the packaging unit 45 or the packaging paper (roll paper) for forming the medicine packet 451 are consumables that are replenished or replaced as necessary. The tablet packaging device 4 has a function of detecting the remaining amount of the medicine packet 451 or the packaging paper, and the remaining amount is appropriately notified to the server 2 by the control unit 40. Meanwhile, in the tablet packaging device 4, a blister pack capable of containing tablets in a dosage unit may be used instead of the medicine packet 451. The blister pack is a packaging material in which a plurality of packaging sections that are closed are formed by joining a packaging member having a plurality of packaging areas with one side open to a flat member. In the tablet packaging device 4, the tablets contained in the tablet cassette 41 are also an example of consumables, and the tablet packaging device 4 has a function of detecting the remaining amount of the tablets contained in the tablet cassette 41, and the remaining amount is also appropriately notified to the server 2 by the control unit 40.

[0067] The packaging unit 45 is also provided with a printing unit 453 that prints information on each of the medicine packets 451, and the printing unit 453 can print information such as the patient's name, dosage time, prescribed drug, or prescribed amount on the surface of each of the medicine packets 451. The ink ribbon used for printing in the printing unit 453 is a consumable item that is replenished or replaced as necessary. The tablet packaging device 4 has a function of detecting the remaining amount of the ink ribbon, and the remaining amount is appropriately notified to the server 2 by the control unit 40.

[0068] [Pharmacy equipment 5] The dispensing device 5 is a device used when dispensing medicine based on prescription data, similar to the tablet packaging device 4. The dispensing device 5 includes, in addition to the tablet packaging device 4, a powder medicine packaging device, a liquid medicine dispensing machine, a sheet dispensing device, and a picking assistance device. The powder medicine packaging device has a plurality of powder medicine cassettes containing a plurality of types of powder medicine, and can automatically package the powder medicine contained in the powder medicine cassette in a predetermined amount according to the prescription data. The liquid medicine dispensing machine has a plurality of medicine bottles containing a plurality of types of liquid medicine, and dispenses the required amount of liquid medicine from the medicine bottle according to the prescription data. The sheet dispensing device dispenses from a plurality of sheet cassettes containing PTP sheets or heat seals in which tablets are packaged in advance according to the prescription data. The picking assistance device is used when a pharmacist manually dispenses medicine, and reads the name of a medicine from identification information (such as a barcode) attached to a medicine shelf or a medicine bottle, and compares the read medicine name with the medicine name included in the prescription data.

[0069] Incidentally, in medical facilities such as hospitals or pharmacies, pharmacists carry out an inspection task to check whether the tablets packaged by the tablet packaging device 4 are appropriate and correspond to the prescription data. In response to this, in the inspection support system 1, the inspection task of the pharmacist is supported by executing an inspection support process (see FIG. 7) described later.

[0070] [Audit support processing] An example of the procedure of the inspection support process executed by the control unit 21 of the server 2 in the inspection support system 1 will be described below with reference to Fig. 7. The inspection support process is executed when a login operation is performed on the client terminal 3 by a pharmacist with preset final inspection authority, or when an inspection start operation is performed to perform the final inspection process after the login operation. Note that the "display" and "operation" described below are performed using the display unit 33 and operation unit 34 of the client terminal 3 on which the login operation is performed.

[0071] <Step S11> First, in step S11, the control unit 21 displays an inspection waiting list screen D1 for displaying a list of prescription data to be inspected on the client terminal 3. Here, Fig. 8 is a diagram showing an example of the inspection waiting list screen D1.

[0072] 8, the inspection waiting list screen D1 displays a list display area A11 in which a list of prescription data to be inspected is displayed. Specifically, the list display area A11 displays the prescription ID (prescription identification information), patient name (patient identification information), medication start date, and number of days included in the prescription data, as well as status information of a plurality of dispensing devices, such as the tablet packaging device 4 and the dispensing device 5, connected to the inspection support system 1.

[0073] Here, as shown in FIG. 8, in the server 2, the powdered medicine packaging device and the sheet dispensing device are registered in advance as No. 1 and No. 3, respectively, among the dispensing devices 5, and the tablet packaging device 4 is registered in advance as No. 2. The status information is classified in advance into "packaging complete", "preparation complete", "packaging in progress", "operating", "waiting to start", and "out of stock". "Packaging complete" and "preparation complete" indicate that the drug preparation is complete, and the background or text is displayed in a first specific color such as a predetermined blue color. "Packaging in progress" and "operating" indicate that the drug preparation is being performed, and are displayed together with the waiting time until completion. "Waiting to start" is a waiting state until the drug preparation starts, and is displayed together with the waiting time until the start. "Out of stock" indicates that dispensing cannot begin because consumables such as the medicine, the medicine packet 451, the packaging paper, or the ink ribbon used in dispensing based on prescription data are out of stock, and the background or text is displayed in a second specific color such as red that has been determined in advance.

[0074] Furthermore, the inspection waiting list screen D1 displays operation keys K11 to K12 and the like for accepting user operations. The operation key K11 is an operation key for displaying an inspection history screen D2 for displaying the inspection history in the server 2, and the operation key K12 is an operation unit for displaying an inspection screen D3 (an example of a first display screen) for executing an inspection process in the server 2. That is, the control unit 21 is capable of starting inspection of the preparations made by a plurality of dispensing devices, such as the tablet packaging device 4 and the dispensing device 5, in response to an operation on the inspection waiting list screen D1.

[0075] <Step S12> In step S12, the control unit 21 determines whether or not a display operation of the inspection history screen D2 has been performed. Specifically, the control unit 21 determines that a display operation of the inspection history screen D2 has been performed when the operation key K11 on the inspection waiting list screen D1 has been operated. Then, when the control unit 21 determines that a display operation of the inspection history screen D2 has been performed (S12: Yes), it shifts the process to step S13, and when a display operation of the inspection history screen D2 has not been performed (S12: No), it shifts the process to step S14.

[0076] <Step S13> In step S13, the control unit 21 displays the inspection history screen D2 on the client terminal 3. In this manner, the control unit 21 can display the inspection history of the dispensing performed by a plurality of dispensing devices such as the tablet packaging device 4 and the dispensing device 5 in response to a user operation on the inspection waiting list screen D1.

[0077] FIG. 9 is a diagram showing an example of the inspection history screen D2. As shown in FIG. 9, the inspection history screen D2 displays a list display area A21 in which a list of prescription data for which inspection has already been completed is displayed. The list display area A21 displays information such as a prescription ID (prescription identification information), a patient name (patient identification information), a date of initiation of medication, an inspector, and an inspection date and time included in the prescription data. In addition, the list display area A21 displays, as an inspection result of the medicine dispensed by each of the tablet packaging device 4 and the dispensing device 5 connected to the inspection support system 1, "OK" indicating that the judgment result was appropriate, or "NG" indicating that the judgment result was an error. Specifically, the inspection result corresponding to the tablet packaging device 4 is the result of the automatic inspection process. Note that "OK" is displayed with a background or text in a third specific color, such as blue, which is predetermined, and "NG" is displayed with a background or text in a fourth specific color, such as red, which is predetermined. Furthermore, when "NG" is displayed, the content of the action taken in response to the judgment result being an error (for example, "corrected") is displayed.

[0078] In addition, the inspection history screen D2 displays an operation key K21 for selecting either "patient ID" or "period" as a search item, an input field K22 for inputting the search content of the item selected by the operation key K21, and an operation key K23 for executing the search. When the search content is input in the input field K22 and the "execute search" operation key is operated, the control unit 21 searches for prescription data corresponding to the search content and displays it in the list display area A21. In addition, the inspection history screen D2 displays an operation key K24 for displaying an inspection screen similar to an inspection screen D3 described later that displays details of the inspection history of the prescription data displayed in the list display area A21.

[0079] <Step S14> In step S14, the control unit 21 judges whether or not the inspection start operation has been performed. Specifically, the control unit 21 judges that the inspection start operation has been performed when the operation key K12 is operated with the prescription data selected on the inspection waiting list screen D1. Then, when the control unit 21 judges that the inspection start operation has been performed (S14: Yes), it shifts the process to step S15, and when the inspection start operation has not been performed (S14: No), it shifts the process to step S16.

[0080] <Step S15> In step S15, the control unit 21 causes the client terminal 3 to display the inspection screen D3 for inspecting the prescription data selected on the inspection waiting list screen D1. FIG. 10 is a diagram showing an example of the inspection screen D3. As shown in FIG. 10, the inspection screen D3 displays a basic information area A31, an inspection result area A32, and a device information area A33. The basic information area A31 displays information such as the prescription ID (prescription identification information), patient name (patient identification information), sex, age, date of taking, and usage included in the prescription data.

[0081] In the inspection result area A32, the contents of the prescription data selected in the inspection waiting list screen D1 and the inspection results for the prescription data are displayed for each record (Rp1 to Rp3). Specifically, in the inspection result area A32, the drug name, dosage, form, dispensing device number, dosage, and judgment result are displayed. Note that the judgment result is a judgment result of suitability in an automatic inspection process executed in each of the tablet packing device 4 and the dispensing device 5, such as the automatic inspection process executed in the tablet packing device 4, and is appropriately input from each of the tablet packing device 4 and the dispensing device 5 to the server 2. In addition, the automatic inspection process may be executed by the control unit 21 of the server 2 that acquires various information such as images from the tablet packing device 4 and the dispensing device 5. Specifically, in the server 2, the control unit 21 stores in the storage unit 22 the inspection results of the appropriateness of the dispensing process performed by each of the tablet packing device 4 and the dispensing device 5 in association with prescription identification information such as the prescription ID of the prescription data. The control unit 21 can display the inspection results of each of the tablet packing device 4 and the dispensing device 5 associated with the prescription ID of the prescription data together on one screen, such as the inspection result area A32 of the inspection screen D3. This allows the user to check the inspection results of the multiple dispensing devices 5, including the tablet packing device 4 that performs dispensing based on the prescription data, all together. For example, in the inspection screen D3 shown in FIG. 10, Rp1 is considered to be a drug dispensed by the tablet packing device 4, Rp2 is considered to be a drug dispensed by the powder packing device of the dispensing device 5, and Rp3 is considered to be a drug dispensed by the sheet dispensing device of the dispensing device 5.

[0082] The device information area A33 displays information on the remaining amount of consumables in the tablet packing device 4 and the dispensing device 5 connected to the server 2. The remaining amount information of the consumables displayed in the device information area A33 is appropriately input from each of the tablet packing device 4 and the dispensing device 5 to the server 2, or is read from each of the tablet packing device 4 and the dispensing device 5 by the server 2. This allows the user to easily check the remaining amount of consumables in the tablet packing device 4 and the dispensing device 5. For example, in the example shown in FIG. 10, the remaining amount of "packing paper" is small and the remaining amount of "ink ribbon" is sufficient as information on consumables of the tablet packing device 4 of "No. 2". Similarly, the remaining amount of "packing paper" is sufficient and the remaining amount of "ink ribbon" is small as information on consumables of the powdered medicine packing device of "No. 1". In this way, the control unit 21 can display, on the inspection screen D3, a list of information on consumables in a plurality of dispensing devices, such as the tablet packing device 4 and the dispensing device 5. Therefore, the user can easily manage all the consumables in the inspection support system 1. This allows the arrangement of the consumables to be done without any omissions, and enables continuous operation of a plurality of dispensing devices, such as the tablet packing device 4 and the dispensing device 5, even with a small number of people.

[0083] <Step S16> In step S16, the control unit 21 judges whether a detail confirmation operation has been performed to confirm details of the judgment result displayed on the inspection screen D3. Specifically, the control unit 21 judges that the detail confirmation operation has been performed when a display location of the judgment result corresponding to any of the records included in the prescription data displayed on the inspection screen D3 has been selected on the inspection screen D3. Here, if the control unit 21 judges that the detail confirmation operation has been performed (S16: Yes), it shifts the process to step S17, and if the detail confirmation operation has not been performed (S16: No), it shifts the process to step S18.

[0084] <Step S17> In step S17, the control unit 21 displays an inspection details screen D31 (an example of a second display screen) on which details of the judgment result displayed on the inspection screen D3 are displayed. Note that the display of the inspection screen D3 and the inspection details screen D31 is executed by the inspection display processing unit 211 of the control unit 21.

[0085] 11 is a diagram showing an example of the inspection details screen D31. As shown in FIG. 11, the inspection details screen D31 displays the basic information area A31, prescription information area A35, dispensing details area A36, and NG list area A37. The prescription information area A35 displays the name of the drug (drug identification information), the number of tablets for each dosing period, and an image of the drug as prescription information of the record corresponding to the judgment result.

[0086] The dispensing details area A36 displays the contents of the tablets packaged in the medicine packet 451 corresponding to the dosing time (the number of tablets for each dosing time) on each dosing date. More specifically, the control unit 21 displays the photographed images of the tablets in an arrangement format in which the dosing date is displayed on one side of a column or row and the dosing time is displayed on the other side in the dispensing details area A36 of the inspection details screen D31.

[0087] In particular, the control unit 21 displays the photographed images of the tablets in the package corresponding to each combination of the taking date and the taking time in a display area corresponding to the combination in a predetermined display order parallel to the order of the taking time. For example, the display order of the photographed images of the tablets is the same order as the order in which the photographed images of the tablets are displayed in the prescription information section A35. In the dispensing details area A36 displayed in this manner, photographed images of tablets of the same type are arranged in the order of the taking date (left and right direction in FIG. 11) if the judgment result of the automatic inspection process is appropriate. Therefore, the pharmacist can easily check whether each photographed image of the tablets is appropriate.

[0088] In addition, in the dispensing details area A36, when the result of the automatic inspection process is an error, the background of the display area of ​​the photographed image of the tablet that caused the error is displayed in a predetermined fifth specific color such as red. That is, the control unit 21 displays the photographed image of the tablet that caused the error in the dispensing details area A36 in an identifiable manner. This allows the photographed images of the tablets to be displayed in separate packets and the results of the automatic inspection process to be displayed, improving the efficiency of the inspection work of the pharmacist. In particular, the pharmacist can easily identify and confirm the photographed image of the tablet that caused the error by referring to the display of the fifth specific color.

[0089] The NG list area A37 displays a list of errors occurring in the dispensing details area A36. Specifically, when the result of the automatic inspection process is an error, the control unit 21 displays a list of the cause of the error together with the date and time of taking the tablet that caused the error. Here, this process is executed by the list display processing unit 212 of the control unit 21. As a result, the pharmacist can easily understand the cause of the error, the date and time of taking the tablet by referring to the list display. The cause of the error displayed in the NG list area A37 is identified in either the tablet packaging device 4, the dispensing device 5, or the server 2 based on the result of the automatic inspection process. For example, when tablets different from the tablets that should be packaged in the medicine package 451 according to the prescription data are contained in the medicine package 451, the cause of the error is identified as "mis-spreading". In addition, if there is a shortage of tablets that should be packaged in the medicine bag 451 and the missing tablets are contained in medicine bags 451 that are adjacent to the front and back of the medicine bag 451, the cause of the error is identified as ``backward shift.''

[0090] In addition, in the inspection details screen D31, the photographed images of the tablets contained in all of the medicine packages 451 are displayed in the dispensing details area A36, but it is also possible to display, for example, the date of administration, the time of administration, and photographed images of the tablets corresponding only to the medicine packages 451 for which the result of the automatic inspection process is an error, as in the NG list area A37, and not display information on the medicine packages 451 for which the result of the automatic inspection process is correct. This allows the user to easily grasp only the points that need to be confirmed by looking at the inspection details screen D31, and makes the inspection work more efficient.

[0091] In addition, the inspection details screen D31 displays operation units such as an operation key K33, an operation key K34, an input field K35, an operation key K36, and a check box K37 together with the dispensing details area A36. The operation unit is an example of an operation unit for individually re-executing a part or all of the dispensing process based on the prescription data executed by the tablet packaging device 4, and the display of the operation unit is executed by the operation display processing unit 213 of the control unit 21. Specifically, in the tablet packaging device 4, a packaging process is executed as the dispensing process, and the operation unit is an operation unit for re-executing a part or all of the packaging process.

[0092] The operation key K33 is an example of a first operation unit for re-executing all of the dispensing processes (packaging processes) corresponding to the record. The operation key K34 is an example of a second operation unit for re-executing a part of the dispensing processes (packaging processes) corresponding to the record that has been determined to be an error in the automatic inspection process. The input field K35 and the operation key K36 are an example of a third operation unit for re-executing a part of the dispensing processes (packaging processes) selected by a user operation on the input field K35 among the dispensing processes (packaging processes) corresponding to the record. In the input field K35, it is possible to specify the range (package number to package number) of the drug packages 451 to be subjected to the dispensing process re-execution, or to specify only a specific drug package 451. As a result, as described below, a pharmacist can selectively use two or three of the operation key K33, the operation key K34, the input field K35, and the operation key K36 to cause the tablet packaging device 4 to execute part or all of the packaging process at will.

[0093] The check box K37 is an operation key for setting that, if the cause of the error is "backwardness", the dispensing process of the medicine causing the error will not be re-executed. When the check box K37 is checked, the control unit 21 will not re-execute the medicine caused by the error "backwardness" even if the operation key K33, the operation key K34, or the operation key K36 is operated. This allows, for example, when a "backwardness" error occurs in the tablet packaging device 4, a pharmacist to manually move tablets between the front and rear medicine packages 451.

[0094] <Step S18> In step S18, the control unit 21 judges whether or not an approval operation of the result of the automatic inspection process of the prescription data has been performed. Specifically, the control unit 21 judges whether or not the approval key K31 displayed on the inspection screen D3 has been operated. Here, if the control unit 21 judges that the approval operation has been performed (S18: Yes), it shifts the process to step S19, and if the approval operation has not been performed (S19: No), it shifts the process to step S20.

[0095] <Step S19> In step S19, the control unit 21 executes an approval process for approving the result of the automatic inspection process of the prescription data. For example, in the approval process, the control unit 21 stores in the storage unit 22, in association with the prescription data, the fact that the result of the automatic inspection process of the prescription data has been approved and the identification information (name or ID) of the user who is the pharmacist who performed the approval operation, together with the result of the automatic inspection process.

[0096] <Step S20> Then, in step S20, the control unit 21 judges whether or not a full reissue operation has been performed on the inspection details screen D31. Specifically, when the operation key K33 displayed on the inspection details screen D31 is operated, the control unit 21 judges that the full reissue operation has been performed. Here, when the control unit 21 judges that the full reissue operation has been performed (S20: Yes), it shifts the process to step S21, and when the full reissue operation has not been performed (S20: No), it shifts the process to step S22.

[0097] <Step S21> In step S21, the control unit 21 transmits a control instruction to the tablet packaging device 4 or the dispensing device 5 that executed the dispensing process to re-execute all of the dispensing processes corresponding to the record corresponding to the determination result. For example, as the control instruction, prescription data for dispensing corresponding to the record is re-inputted to the tablet packaging device 4 or the dispensing device 5. As a result, in the tablet packaging device 4 or the dispensing device 5, all of the dispensing processes corresponding to the record are re-executed. For example, in the tablet packaging device 4, all of the tablet packaging processes corresponding to the record are re-executed.

[0098] <Step S22> In step S22, the control unit 21 determines whether or not an operation to reissue only NG packages has been performed on the inspection details screen D31. Specifically, when the operation key K34 displayed on the inspection details screen D31 is operated, it determines that an operation to reissue only NG packages has been performed. Here, when the control unit 21 determines that an operation to reissue only NG packages has been performed (S22: Yes), it shifts the process to step S23, and when an operation to reissue only NG packages has not been performed (S22: No), it shifts the process to step S24.

[0099] <Step S23> In step S23, the control unit 21 transmits a control instruction to the tablet packaging device 4 or the dispensing device 5 that executed the dispensing process to re-execute only the dispensing process (NG packaging) in which an error has occurred among the dispensing corresponding to the record corresponding to the judgment result. For example, as the control instruction, a part of the prescription data corresponding to the dispensing process in which the error has occurred among the prescription data for dispensing corresponding to the record is re-inputted to the tablet packaging device 4 or the dispensing device 5. As a result, in the tablet packaging device 4 or the dispensing device 5, only the part of the dispensing process in which the error has occurred is re-executed. For example, in the tablet packaging device 4, a part of the tablet packaging process corresponding to the record is re-executed.

[0100] <Step S24> In step S24, the control unit 21 determines whether or not an operation to reissue only the designated package has been performed on the inspection details screen D31. Specifically, when the operation key K36 displayed on the inspection details screen D31 is operated, it is determined that an operation to reissue only the designated package has been performed. Here, when the control unit 21 determines that an operation to reissue only the designated package has been performed (S24: Yes), it shifts the process to step S25, and when an operation to reissue only the designated package has not been performed (S24: No), it shifts the process to step S26.

[0101] <Step S25> In step S25, the control unit 21 transmits a control instruction to the tablet packaging device 4 or the dispensing device 5 that has executed the dispensing process to re-execute only the dispensing process (designated packaging) designated in the input field K35 among the dispensing corresponding to the record corresponding to the judgment result. For example, as the control instruction, a part of the prescription data corresponding to the dispensing process designated in the input field K35 among the prescription data for dispensing corresponding to the record is re-inputted to the tablet packaging device 4 or the dispensing device 5. As a result, in the tablet packaging device 4 or the dispensing device 5, only the part of the dispensing process designated in the input field K35 is re-executed. For example, in the tablet packaging device 4, a part of the tablet packaging process corresponding to the record is re-executed.

[0102] <Step S26> In step S26, the control unit 21 judges whether or not a preset inspection end operation for terminating the inspection support process has been performed. For example, the control unit 21 judges that the inspection end operation has been performed when an operation key corresponding to "End" on the inspection waiting list screen D1 is operated. Here, when the control unit 21 judges that the inspection end operation has been performed (S26: Yes), it terminates the inspection support process, and when the inspection end operation has not been performed (S26: No), it returns the process to step S12.

[0103] As described above, in the inspection support system 1, the control unit 21 executes the processes of steps S20 to S25, thereby making it possible to cause the tablet packing device 4 and the dispensing device 5 to individually re-execute a part or all of the dispensing process already executed in each of them. Here, such a process is executed by the re-execution processing unit 214 of the control unit 21. This can improve the work efficiency of pharmacists in hospitals, pharmacies, etc. where the inspection support system 1 is used.

[0104] For example, with respect to the tablet packaging device 4, the automatic inspection process is performed based on the prescription data and the identification information of the tablet read from the image of the tablet photographed by the photographing unit 46, or based on the image of the tablet photographed by the photographing unit 46 and the normal image, and the packaging process can be re-executed in units of the medicine packet 451 by an arbitrary operation of the user corresponding to the execution result of the automatic inspection process. Therefore, the effort of the pharmacist performing the final inspection of the medicine packet 451 dispensed from the tablet packaging device 4 can be eliminated, and the efficiency of the inspection work of the pharmacist can be improved.

[0105] In this embodiment, the control unit 21 has been mainly described as causing the tablet packing device 4 to re-execute dispensing. However, the control unit 21 can arbitrarily cause some or all of the dispensing performed by a plurality of dispensing devices, such as the tablet packing device 4 and the dispensing device 5, to be re-executed in response to a user operation on the inspection screen D3 or the inspection details screen D31 which is displayed in response to a user operation on the inspection screen D3.

[0106] For example, when the dispensing device 5 is a powdered medicine packaging device, the control unit 21 can re-execute a part or all of the powdered medicine packaging process performed by the powdered medicine packaging device. The powdered medicine packaging device includes a powdered medicine cassette in which powdered medicine is stored, a feeder that automatically dispenses a predetermined amount from the powdered medicine cassette, a distribution unit that distributes the powdered medicine dispensed from the powdered medicine cassette by the feeder for each administration time, and a packaging unit that packages the powdered medicine distributed by the distribution unit for each administration time in packaging paper. The distribution unit includes, for example, a rotating disk on which the powdered medicine supplied from the feeder is placed, and a scraping member that scrapes out the powdered medicine placed on the rotating disk in predetermined amounts. In the powdered medicine packaging device, for example, a predetermined amount of powdered medicine is supplied from the feeder while the rotating disk is stopped, and the powdered medicine is scraped out by the scraping member, so that packaging can be performed in units of one package.

[0107] [Other embodiments] Other functions of the audit support system 1 or other embodiments of the audit support system 1 will be described below.

[0108] [Repackaging verification function] As described in the embodiment, the control unit 21 can cause the tablet packing device 4 to re-execute a part or the whole of the packaging process corresponding to the record of the prescription data in response to a user operation on the inspection details screen D31. At this time, it is considered that the control unit 21 has a re-packaging collation function for collating the medicine package 451 re-executed by the tablet packing device 4.

[0109] For example, after requesting the tablet packing device 4 to re-execute the packing process, the control unit 21 may display a verification screen D32, which prompts the user to read code information (one-dimensional code or two-dimensional code) written on the medicine package 451 after the re-execution of the dispensing, superimposed on the inspection details screen D31 as shown in Fig. 12. Then, when the code information read from the medicine package 451 using the code reading unit 27 of the server 2 or the code reading unit 37 of the client terminal 3 is correct, the control unit 21 changes the dispensing result of the record to "corrected". As a result, when the inspection history screen D2 is displayed, "NG → Corrected" is displayed for the record.

[0110] For example, the suitability of the code information is determined depending on whether or not both the code information of the medicine package 451 before re-execution and the code information of the medicine package 451 after re-execution have been read. In addition, the suitability of the code information may be determined depending on whether or not the code information of the medicine package 451 corresponding to the front and rear of the medicine package 451 to be re-executed among the multiple medicine packages 451 obtained as a packaging result corresponding to the record has been read. This prevents mistakes in the replacement position of the medicine package 451 before and after re-execution. In addition, the suitability of the code information may be determined depending on whether or not both the code information printed on the first and / or last medicine package 451 before re-execution and the code information printed on the medicine package 451 after re-execution have been read.

[0111] [Progress monitor function] It is considered that the control unit 21 has a progress monitor function capable of appropriately checking photographed images of tablets taken along the path of tablets supplied from the tablet cassette 41 or the manual distribution unit 42 to the packaging unit 45, using the cameras 461-467 of the imaging unit 46 of the tablet packaging device 4. Specifically, the photographed images of the tablets taken by the imaging unit 46 are transmitted from the tablet packaging device 4 to the server 2 and stored in the memory unit 22 of the server 2.

[0112] The control unit 21 is capable of displaying on the client terminal 4 a progress monitor screen D4 which is displayed on an operation screen such as the inspection screen D3 or the inspection details screen D31 and which displays images of the tablets taken by the cameras 461 to 467 of the photographing unit 46 when an operation key (not shown) corresponding to a progress monitor function is operated.

[0113] This allows the user to easily confirm the location and cause of the error if an error occurs in dispensing by the tablet packaging device 4 by checking the images of the tablet taken by the photographing unit 46 at each point in time when the tablet is dispensed by the tablet packaging device 4.

[0114] Here, FIG. 13 is a diagram showing an example of the progress monitor screen D4. In the progress monitor screen D4 shown in FIG. 13, an image display area A41 and a guide display area A42 are displayed together with the basic information area A31 and the prescription information area A35. In the image display area A41, images of tablets taken by the cameras 461 to 467 of the photographing unit 46 are displayed in association with the identification codes of the cameras 461 to 467. Specifically, the image display area A41 includes a display area A411 in which an image of a tablet taken by the camera 461 is displayed, a display area A412 in which an image of a tablet taken by the cameras 464 to 466 is displayed, a display area A413 in which an image of a tablet taken by the cameras 462 and 463 is displayed, and a display area A414 in which an image of a tablet taken by the camera 467 is displayed. Further, in the guidance display area A42, guidance information for indicating the photographing locations of the cameras 461-467 in the tablet packing device 4 is displayed. This allows the user to easily grasp the position of the image displayed in the image display area A41.

[0115] When storing the captured images in the storage unit 22, the control unit 21 stores each captured image in association with prescription identification information such as the prescription ID of the prescription data that was the target of the packaging process when each captured image was captured. This allows the control unit 21 to display each captured image corresponding to a prescription ID of the prescription data when the prescription ID of the prescription data is designated even after the packaging process and the inspection support process are completed.

[0116] [Manual distribution check monitor function] The control unit 21 also has a manual distribution confirmation monitor function for confirming the state of tablets after the manual distribution operation in the manual distribution unit 42. Specifically, when tablets are packaged using the manual distribution unit 42, the tablet packaging device 4 captures an image of the manual distribution unit 42 by the camera 464 after the tablets are manually distributed to the manual distribution unit 42.

[0117] For example, in the tablet packaging device 4, when an operation key is operated to input information that the manual distribution work of tablets into the manual distribution unit 42 has been completed, the control unit 40 uses the camera 464 to take an image of the manual distribution unit 42. In addition, when the manual distribution unit 42 is configured to be pulled out of the tablet packaging device 4 when used and stored in the tablet packaging device 4 after tablets have been distributed, it is also possible that the camera 464 is provided inside the tablet packaging device 4 and the control unit 40 takes an image of the manual distribution unit 42 by the camera 464 at the timing when the manual distribution unit 42 is stored in the tablet packaging device 4.

[0118] Then, the tablet packing device 4 transmits the hand-prepared image photographed by the camera 464 to the server 2 together with information for identifying the prescription data. As a result, in the server 2, the control unit 21 causes the hand-prepared image to be stored in the storage unit 22 in association with the prescription data. Note that the dispensing management device 2 may be configured to read out the hand-prepared image stored in the tablet packing device 4.

[0119] On the other hand, when an operation key (not shown) corresponding to a manual preparation confirmation monitor function, which is displayed on an operation screen such as the inspection screen D3 or the inspection detail screen D31, is operated, the control unit 21 reads out the manual preparation image corresponding to the prescription data currently being displayed from the storage unit 22. Then, the control unit 21 causes the client terminal 3 to display a manual preparation confirmation screen D5 on which the manual preparation image is displayed. This enables the user to easily confirm whether or not the cause of the error is incorrect preparation of tablets into the manual preparation unit 42 by checking the manual preparation image captured by the camera 464 regarding the dispensing of tablets in the tablet packaging device 4, when an error occurs in dispensing by the tablet packaging device 4.

[0120] Here, Fig. 14 is a diagram showing an example of the manual distribution confirmation monitor screen D5. The manual distribution confirmation monitor screen D5 shown in Fig. 14 displays a manual distribution unit image area A51 and an operation instruction area A52 together with the basic information area A31 and the prescription information area A35. The manual distribution unit image area A51 displays the manual distribution image photographed from above the manual distribution unit 42 by the camera 464. This allows the user to check the state of the tablets immediately after they are manually distributed into the manual distribution unit 42.

[0121] In addition, the operation instruction area A52 displays an explanation of the operation content in the manual distribution unit image area A51. For example, the operation instruction area A52 displays, together with finger gestures and images, an explanation that an image is enlarged by a pinch out operation and that an image is reduced by a pinch in operation.

[0122] [Cassette filling monitor function] The control unit 21 also has a cassette filling monitor function for checking the state during the tablet filling operation into the tablet cassette 41. Specifically, the tablet packaging device 4 may include a work table for filling tablets into the tablet cassette 41, and a camera for taking an image of the tablet cassette 41 placed on the work table. The work table is provided in front of the tablet packaging device 4, and as shown in FIG. 15, is pulled out from the tablet packaging device 4 when tablets are filled into the tablet cassette 41, and can be stored in the tablet packaging device 4 when not in use. In the tablet packaging device 4, the control unit 40 uses the camera to take an image of the tablet cassette 41 when tablets are filled into the tablet cassette 41.

[0123] For example, when an operation key for inputting that the tablet filling operation into the tablet cassette 41 is completed is operated in the tablet packing device 4, the control unit 40 uses the camera to take an image of the tablet cassette 41. Then, the tablet packing device 4 transmits the cassette image taken by the camera to the server 2 together with medicine identification information such as a tablet name for identifying the tablet. As a result, in the server 2, the control unit 21 associates the cassette image with the tablet and stores it in the memory unit 22. Note that the dispensing management device 2 may be configured to read out the cassette image stored in the tablet packing device 4.

[0124] On the other hand, when a tablet to be displayed is selected on an operation screen such as the inspection screen D3 or the inspection details screen D31, and then an operation key (not shown) corresponding to a cassette filling monitor function displayed on the operation screen is operated, the control unit 21 reads out the cassette image corresponding to the tablet from the storage unit 22. Then, the control unit 21 causes a cassette filling monitor screen D6 on which the cassette image is displayed to be displayed on the client terminal 3. This allows a user to easily check whether or not the cause of the error is incorrect filling of tablets into the tablet cassette 41 by checking the cassette image captured by the camera when an error occurs in the packaging process by the tablet packaging device 4.

[0125] For example, when a specific tablet type is selected on an operation screen such as the inspection screen D3 or the inspection details screen D31, the control unit 21 displays the inspection results for the selected type of tablets in a pop-up screen D25 shown in FIG. 25. In addition, in the pop-up screen D25, tablets for which the inspection result is an error are displayed in an identifiable manner. For example, the background area A251 of a tablet for which the inspection result is an error is displayed in red. Then, when an operation key K251 corresponding to the cassette filling monitor function is operated in the pop-up screen D25, the control unit 21 displays a cassette filling monitor screen D6 that displays the cassette image corresponding to the tablet.

[0126] FIG. 15 is a diagram showing an example of the cassette filling monitor screen D6. In the cassette filling monitor screen D6 shown in FIG. 15, a cassette image area A61 is displayed together with the basic information area A31, the prescription information area A35, and the operation instruction area A52. In the cassette image area A61, the cassette image photographed from above the tablet cassette 41 by the camera is displayed. This allows the user to check the tablet filling state of the tablet cassette 41. FIG. 26 is a diagram showing a cassette filling monitor screen D26, which is another example of the cassette filling monitor screen D6. In the cassette filling monitor screen D26, the cassette image is displayed in the cassette image area A61 in the same manner as in the cassette filling monitor screen D6, and information such as the person who filled the tablet cassette 41 and the last filling date and time is also displayed.

[0127] [Another example of the audit screen] Here, as other examples of the inspection details screen D31 displayed on the client terminal 3 by the control unit 21, an inspection details screen D301 relating to a first display form and an inspection details screen D302 relating to a second display form will be described.

[0128] [First display form of the audit screen] 16 and 17 are diagrams showing an inspection details screen D301, which is another example of the inspection details screen D31. Note that Fig. 16 shows the inspection details screen D301 when the inspection result is appropriate, and Fig. 17 shows the inspection details screen D301 when an error has occurred in the inspection result.

[0129] As shown in Fig. 16 and Fig. 17, the inspection details screen D301 displays a basic information area A311, a dispensing details area A312, and an inspection result area A313. The basic information area A31 is an area in which patient information, prescription data, etc. are displayed, similar to the basic information area A31. The dispensing details area A312 is displayed in place of the dispensing details area A36, and displays the contents of tablets packaged in the drug package 451 in units of the drug package 451.

[0130] More specifically, in the dispensing details area A312 shown in FIG. 16 and FIG. 17, the drug name, type, result, and normal image are displayed. Specifically, the type is displayed so that it can be identified whether the tablet corresponding to the drug name was dispensed from the tablet cassette 41 or the manual dispensing unit 42. For example, if the tablet is dispensed from the tablet cassette 41, "C" or "Ka" is displayed as an identification code, and if the tablet is dispensed from the manual dispensing unit (Detachable Tablet Adapter) 45, "D" or "Hand" is displayed as an identification code. In addition, the result individually displays whether the inspection result for the tablet corresponding to the drug name is appropriate or not. The normal image is a registered image registered in advance in the drug master as a correct image of the tablet. For example, in the drug master, two images corresponding to the front and back of the tablet are registered as the registered images in association with each tablet. The registered image may be a single image of an area of ​​the outer circumferential surface of the tablet that includes the identification information of the tablet.

[0131] In addition, in the dispensing details area A312, photographed images of tablets photographed by the photographing unit 46 before being packaged in each of the medicine packets 451 are displayed in correspondence with each tablet. Here, the control unit 21 displays the photographed images of the tablets corresponding to each combination of the tablet names and the packaging order in an arrangement format in which the tablet names (medicine names) are displayed in one column or row and the packaging order (first package, second package, etc.) is displayed in the other column or row. Note that in the dispensing details area A312 shown in Figs. 16 and 17, the tablet names are displayed in a vertical direction and the packaging order is displayed in a horizontal direction. In this way, photographed images of the tablets of the same type are arranged in the packaging order arrangement direction, so that the pharmacist can easily check the suitability of each photographed image of the tablets.

[0132] In addition, the control unit 21 displays, for each tablet, a plurality of captured images corresponding to different outer peripheral surfaces of the tablet captured for each tablet by the tablet packaging device 4, including at least an original image in which the identification information of the tablet is read by the tablet packaging device 4 or an original image compared with the normal image. This allows a pharmacist to judge the suitability of the tablet by referring to a plurality of captured images of the tablet, for example, when it is difficult to judge the suitability of the tablet based on only one captured image of the tablet. In addition, in the dispensing details area A312, the normal image of the tablet and the captured image of the tablet are displayed side by side, so that a pharmacist can easily judge the suitability of the tablet by comparing the registered image of the tablet with the captured image of the tablet.

[0133] For example, in the dispensing details area A312 shown in Fig. 16, two photographed images of each of three tablets, "Transamin Capsule 250 mg," "Cepharanthine Tablet 1 mg," and "Reflex Tablet 15 mg," are displayed as photographed images of the tablets packed in the first medicine package 451. At this time, if the tablet is a flat tablet, two images of the front and back sides of the tablet are displayed, and if the tablet is in the shape of a capsule tablet or the like, two images of the side including the identification information of the tablet and the side not including the identification information of the tablet are displayed.

[0134] In addition, the control unit 21 acquires the identification information included in the photographed image of the tablet, detects the inclination of the characters included in the identification information, and rotates and corrects the photographed image of the tablet so that the top and bottom of the characters included in the identification information match the top and bottom of the inspection details screen D301, and displays the photographed image of the tablet in the dispensing details area A312. That is, the control unit 21 displays the photographed image of the tablet with the orientation of the characters of the identification information of the tablet aligned. This allows the user to easily check the identification information of the tablet together with the image of each tablet. The rotation and correction of the photographed image of the tablet may be performed by the tablet packaging device 4.

[0135] In addition, when the number of the medicine packets 451 exceeds the number that can be simultaneously displayed in the dispensing details area A312, a scroll key K311 is displayed in the dispensing details area A312, and the control unit 21 scrolls and displays information on the number of packets of the medicine packets 451 displayed in the dispensing details area A312 in response to an operation of the scroll key K311. In addition, in the dispensing details area A312, it is also possible to display the date and time of administration together with the packet number information such as 1st packet, 2nd packet, ... indicating the number of packets of the medicine packets 451, or instead of the packet number information.

[0136] In particular, as shown in Fig. 17, in the dispensing details area A312, if the result of the automatic inspection process is an error for a drug included in the record of the prescription data displayed on the inspection details screen D301, the background of one or more areas A314 corresponding to the drug is displayed in a sixth specific color such as a predetermined red. This allows the user to easily know the drug for which the result of the automatic inspection process is an error by checking the position of the area A314.

[0137] 17 shows a case where the display area for the name of the medicine, the photographed image of the tablet, and the order of the medicine packages 451 are set as the area A314. Furthermore, when the number of the medicine packages 451 exceeds the number that can be simultaneously displayed in the medicine details area A312 and there is a medicine for which the result of the automatic inspection process is an error, the control unit 21 automatically moves the scroll key K311 to display information corresponding to the medicine package 451 in which the error has occurred in the medicine details area A312.

[0138] The inspection result area A313 displays the results of the automatic inspection process for the dispensing of all medicines included in the prescription data record displayed on the inspection details screen D301. Specifically, in FIG. 16, "OK" indicating that the result of the automatic inspection process is appropriate is displayed against a background of a seventh specific color, such as a predetermined blue color, and in FIG. 17, "NG" indicating that the result of the automatic inspection process is an error is displayed against a background of an eighth specific color, such as a predetermined red color, different from the seventh specific color. This allows the user to easily understand whether the inspection results for the entire record are appropriate by checking the inspection result area A313.

[0139] In particular, in the dispensing details area A312, the results of the inspection process are displayed individually for each tablet included in the record of the prescription data. Specifically, in the example shown in FIG. 17, for "Transamin Capsules 250 mg" and "Cepharanthine Tablets 1 mg," "○" is displayed indicating that the results of the inspection process are appropriate, and for "Reflex Tablets 15 mg," "×" is displayed indicating that an error has occurred in the result of the inspection process. This allows the pharmacist to easily identify, for example, the tablet for which the result of the inspection process has caused an error.

[0140] When a selection operation of the photographed image of the tablet displayed in the dispensing details area A312 is performed, the control unit 21 can display on the client terminal 3 an enlarged screen D33 in which the photographed image of the tablet that is the target of the selection operation is enlarged and displayed as an enlarged image P331, as shown in FIG. 18. In addition, in the enlarged screen D33, an enlarged image obtained by enlarging the normal image corresponding to the tablet that is the target of the selection operation and the enlarged image P331 may be displayed side by side vertically or horizontally. In addition, the enlarged screen D33 displays the packing order (packet number) of the medicine package 451 in which the tablet selected by the selection operation is packaged, so that the user can easily understand which package number of the medicine package 451 the tablet being checked is packaged in. Furthermore, it is considered that the control unit 21 changes the tablets displayed on the enlarged screen D33 according to the packing order of the medicine package 451 in response to a predetermined user operation such as a flick operation in the vertical or horizontal direction on the enlarged screen D33. For example, when the seventh tablet packaged in the medicine package 451 is displayed on the enlarged screen D33, the sixth or eighth tablet packaged in the medicine package 451 is displayed in response to the predetermined user operation. It is also possible that the control unit 21 sequentially displays only the tablet causing the error in response to the predetermined user operation. It is also possible that the control unit 21 switches the medicine package 451 to be displayed in response to a flick operation in either the up-down or left-right direction on the enlarged screen D33, and switches the type of tablet to be displayed to another tablet packaged in the same package in response to the other flick operation.

[0141] [Second display form of the audit screen] 19 and 20 are diagrams showing an inspection details screen D302, which is another example of the inspection details screen D31. Note that Fig. 19 shows the inspection details screen D302 when the inspection result is appropriate, and Fig. 20 shows the inspection details screen D302 when an error has occurred in the inspection result.

[0142] As shown in Figures 19 and 20, the inspection details screen D302 displays the basic information area A311 and the inspection result area A313, which are similar to those of the inspection details screen D301, and also displays the dispensing details area A322 instead of the dispensing details area A312.

[0143] More specifically, in the dispensing details area A322 shown in FIG. 19 and FIG. 20, the drug name, type, result, and normal image are displayed, similarly to the dispensing details area A312. Meanwhile, unlike the dispensing details area A312, the dispensing details area A322 displays only one image including the identification information of the tablet as the photographed image of the tablet. This allows the number of packets that can be displayed simultaneously in the dispensing details area A322 to be increased. This is because, in general, the identification information of the tablet can be confirmed when the outer peripheral surface of the drug is viewed from one direction, and images of other outer peripheral surfaces are often not required.

[0144] In addition, when a selection operation of the photographed image of the tablet displayed in the dispensing details area A322 is performed, the control unit 21 can display an enlarged screen D34 for enlarging the photographed image of the tablet that is the target of the selection operation and displaying it as an enlarged image P341 on the client terminal 3, as shown in FIG. 21. In addition, the control unit 21 displays an enlarged image P342 obtained by enlarging an image including the identification information among the normal images corresponding to the tablet that is the target of the selection operation, together with the enlarged image P341 on the enlarged screen D34. The arrangement direction of the enlarged image P341 and the enlarged image P342 may be either the vertical direction or the horizontal direction. In addition, as the enlarged image P342, a plurality of images previously registered as the normal images corresponding to the tablet that is the target of the selection operation may be displayed.

[0145] In addition, in the dispensing details area A322, together with the package number information such as 1st package, 2nd package, etc. indicating the number of packages of the medicine package 451, or instead of the package number information, the date of taking the medicine and the time of taking the medicine may be displayed. In addition, the control unit 21 may alternately display a plurality of photographed images of the tablet (for example, a front image and a back image) in response to a selection operation of a photographed image of the tablet in the dispensing details area A322. This makes it possible to check the state of the tablet as viewed from a plurality of directions while suppressing the size of the display area in normal times.

[0146] Incidentally, as shown in Figs. 16, 17, 19, and 20, in the inspection details screen D301 relating to the first display form and the inspection details screen D302 relating to the second display form, the control unit 21 displays the photographed images of the tablets corresponding to the plurality of medicine packets 451 dispensed in a series of packaging processes in the order of 1st packet, 2nd packet, ... in package units. Here, it is considered that the control unit 21 can arbitrarily select the order of the medicine packets 451 to be displayed from a first arrangement (see Fig. 27) in which the tablets are arranged by the time of taking the medicine, and a second arrangement (see Fig. 28) in which the tablets are arranged by the date of taking the medicine and the time of taking the medicine, according to a user operation or the like. Note that the control unit 21 switches between the first arrangement and the second arrangement according to, for example, a setting operation in the initial setting of the server 2 or the tablet packaging device 4.

[0147] For example, consider a case where the medicine pack 451 corresponding to nine doses in the morning, afternoon, and evening between July 1 and July 3 is dispensed based on one record of the prescription data. In this case, in the first arrangement, as shown in Fig. 27, photographed images of tablets packaged in the medicine pack 451 are displayed in the order of morning of July 1, morning of July 2, morning of July 3, afternoon of July 1, afternoon of July 2, afternoon of July 3, evening of July 1, evening of July 2, and evening of July 3. On the other hand, in the second arrangement, as shown in Fig. 28, photographed images of tablets packaged in the medicine pack 451 are displayed in the order of morning of July 1, afternoon of July 1, evening of July 1, morning of July 2, afternoon of July 2, evening of July 2, morning of July 3, afternoon of July 3, and evening of July 3. This makes it possible to change the display mode of the inspection details screen D301 or D302 to suit the operations of the medical institution in which the inspection support system 1 is used, thereby realizing a system configuration with excellent versatility.

[0148] [Inspection mode switching function] In the embodiment, in the automatic inspection process of the tablet packaging device 4, the suitability of all the tablets in the medicine packets 451 dispensed based on the prescription data is determined. Meanwhile, the tablet packaging device 4 may be provided with, as inspection modes in the automatic inspection process, a first inspection mode in which the tablets in all the medicine packets 451 are inspected, and a second inspection mode in which the tablets in a predetermined part of the medicine packets 451 are inspected. Note that the control unit 21 switches the inspection mode in the automatic inspection process to either the first inspection mode or the second inspection mode in the initial setting of the tablet packaging device 4 performed in response to a user operation.

[0149] Here, the inspection target in the second inspection mode may be either the first or the last or both of the medicine packets 451 packaged based on the prescription data. Also, the inspection target in the second inspection mode may be either the first or the last or both of the medicine packets 451 corresponding to a change in the taking pattern in the prescription data. Furthermore, the inspection target in the second inspection mode may be the medicine packet 451 in which the source of the contained tablets is a preset source (e.g., the manual distribution unit 42 or a specific tablet cassette 41, etc.). For example, the second inspection mode is applied to the medicine packet 451 containing at least one type of tablet whose source is the manual distribution unit 42 or the specific tablet cassette 41. In this way, inspection can be performed without omission only on the medicine packets 451 that are particularly in need of inspection among the medicine packets 451, and the inspection work by the pharmacist can be made more efficient. Incidentally, the switching between the first inspection mode and the second inspection mode is not limited to the unit of the medicine packet 451, but may be the unit of a series of the medicine packets 451 that are packaged based on one piece of prescription data.

[0150] In addition, the second inspection mode has been described with reference to an example in which tablets in some of the medicine packages 451 are inspected. Meanwhile, as another example of the second inspection mode, when tablets are successively dispensed from the same tablet cassette 41 in the packaging process based on the prescription data, only the tablet that is first dispensed from the tablet cassette 41 may be inspected. Also, as another example of the second inspection mode, of the various tablets dispensed in the packaging process based on the prescription data, only the tablet that is first dispensed for each type may be inspected.

[0151] Furthermore, the tablet packaging device 4 may be provided with a third inspection mode in which the control unit 40 automatically switches between the automatic inspection process and non-automatic inspection process. In the third inspection mode, the automatic inspection process is not performed for tablets dispensed from the tablet cassette 41 in the packaging process, and the automatic inspection process is performed for tablets dispensed from the manual distribution unit 42. As a result, when the manual distribution unit 42, which is highly likely to cause human error, is used, the automatic inspection process is performed to suppress dispensing errors, and when the manual distribution unit 42 is not used and the tablet cassette 41 is used, the automatic inspection process is not performed to shorten the time required for the packaging process. Note that when the automatic inspection process is not performed, the photography of tablets by the camera 462 or 463 of the photography unit 46 may be performed or may be omitted.

[0152] In addition, in the third inspection mode, it is also conceivable that the inspection method is changed depending on whether the manual preparation unit 42 is used in the packaging process. For example, when the supply source of at least one type of tablet among the tablets included in the prescription data to be packaged is the manual preparation unit 42, that is, when the manual preparation unit 42 is used in the packaging process, the control unit 40 executes an image inspection process as the automatic inspection process, in which the identification information of the tablet acquired from the captured image is compared with the prescription data. Here, the control unit 40 when executing the image inspection process is an example of an image inspection processing unit. On the other hand, when the manual preparation unit 42 is not used in the packaging process but the tablet cassette 41 is used, the control unit 40 executes a counting inspection process in which the number of tablets dispensed is compared with the prescription data. Here, the control unit 40 when executing the counting inspection process is an example of a counting inspection processing unit.

[0153] Specifically, in the tablet packaging device 4, the control unit 40 detects the number of tablets contained in the medicine bag 451 for each medicine bag 451 using the passage detection sensor 475. The control unit 40 when detecting the number of tablets using the passage detection sensor 475 is an example of a tablet number detection unit. The passage detection sensor 475 is disposed at a position where the tablet is detected at a timing from when the tablet is dispensed from the rotating unit 44 to when the tablet is accommodated in the medicine bag 451. That is, the control unit 40 detects the number of tablets using the passage detection sensor 475 downstream in the tablet dispensing direction from the position where the tablet is photographed by the cameras 462 and 463. For example, it is also conceivable that the medicine bag 451 is photographed by a camera or the like after the tablet is accommodated in the medicine bag 451, and the control unit 40 detects the number of tablets contained in the medicine bag 451 from the photographed image. Then, the control unit 40 collates the number of tablets to be contained in the medicine bag 451 based on the prescription data with the number of tablets detected by the passage detection sensor 475 .

[0154] As a result, when the manual preparation unit 42, which is highly susceptible to human error, is used, the image inspection process is executed as the automatic inspection process, and dispensing errors are prevented with high accuracy. On the other hand, when the manual preparation unit 42 is not used and the tablet cassette 41 is used, the image inspection process is not executed, thereby shortening the time required for the packaging process, and the counting inspection process is executed, thereby preventing dispensing errors.

[0155] In addition, the tablet packaging device 4 may have a failure mode as one of the inspection modes in which the counting inspection process is executed without executing the image inspection process as the automatic inspection process when a malfunction occurs in a component such as the camera 462 or 463 used in the image inspection process. For example, when a malfunction occurs in a component used in the image inspection process, the control unit 40 may display an operation screen for selecting whether or not to switch to the malfunction mode, and execute whether or not to switch to the malfunction mode according to a user operation. As a result, even if a malfunction occurs in a component for executing the image inspection process of the tablet packaging device 4, it is possible to execute the normal packaging process using the tablet packaging device 4. The malfunction mode may be an inspection mode in which both the image inspection process and the counting inspection process are not executed.

[0156] [Display change function when front and back sides are the same] Incidentally, two photographed images are displayed for each tablet on the inspection details screen D301, and one photographed image is displayed for each tablet on the inspection details screen D302. Therefore, when displaying images of tablets corresponding to the same number of the medicine packages 451, the size of each of the photographed images is smaller on the inspection details screen D301 than on the inspection details screen D302.

[0157] In response to this, the control unit 21 may have a display change function that, even when displaying the inspection details screen D301, for tablets having the same identification information attached to the front and back sides, causes a captured image of one of the front and back sides of the tablet to be enlarged within the area in which the captured images of the front and back sides are displayed and displayed on the inspection details screen D301.

[0158] For example, the control unit 21 determines whether the identification information of the front and back of the tablet is the same by comparing the identification information of the tablet obtained from the front and back of the tablet, respectively. Also, it is conceivable that information on whether the front and back of the tablet are the same for each type of tablet is registered in advance in the drug master, and the control unit 21 determines whether the front and back of the tablet are the same based on the drug information of the tablet included in the prescription data as a tablet to be dispensed and the drug master.

[0159] According to this configuration, when the identification information attached to the front and back of the tablet is the same, the captured image corresponding to either the front or back of the tablet is enlarged and displayed, so that the identification information of the tablet can be easily confirmed. Note that, for tablets with different identification information attached to the front and back of the tablet, the control unit 21 displays the captured images corresponding to both the front and back of the tablet on the inspection details screen D301.

[0160] For example, among the tablets shown in FIG. 16 and FIG. 19, the identification information attached to the front and back of the "Cepharanthine Tablet 1 mg" is different, but the identification information attached to the front and back of a tablet such as the "Candesartan OD Tablet 2 mg" is the same. Therefore, when the tablet to be packaged is the "Candesartan OD Tablet 2 mg", only one of the front and back of the tablet is displayed on the inspection details screen D301 as shown in FIG. 29. In the example shown in FIG. 29, the front and back normal images of the tablet are displayed so that it can be confirmed that the identification information of the front and back of the normal image is the same. On the other hand, it is also possible that only one of the front and back of the tablet is displayed for the normal image.

[0161] [Image display function when an error occurs] As described above, in the inspection support system 1, the result of the automatic inspection process and the photographed image of the tablet are displayed on the inspection details screen D301 or the inspection details screen D302. In addition, on the enlarged screen D33 or the enlarged screen D34, an enlarged photograph of the photographed image of the tablet contained in each medicine package can be displayed.

[0162] On the other hand, the inspection support system 1 may be provided with an error image display function that displays multiple types of images taken from different angles of the tablet that is the subject of the error when the result of the automatic inspection process is an error. Below, first, a case where the server 2 is provided with the error image display function will be described, and later, a case where the tablet packaging device 4 is provided with the error image display function will be described.

[0163] Specifically, in the server 2, when the result of the automatic inspection process is an error, the control unit 21 is capable of displaying, for each tablet, a plurality of photographed images corresponding to different outer peripheral surfaces of the tablet photographed for each tablet by the tablet packaging device 4 as photographed images of the tablet that caused the error. Such display processing is executed by the inspection display processing unit 211 of the control unit 21.

[0164] Specifically, in the tablet packaging device 4, as described above, the cameras 462 and 463 take images at preset intervals (for example, at intervals of several ms). Therefore, as images of the tablet rotating by the tablet rotation unit 441 provided in the rotation unit 44, a plurality of images in which different regions on the outer circumferential surface of the tablet are taken are obtained. The image taking interval is a preset interval so that different regions on the outer circumferential surface of the tablet are taken by the cameras 462 and 463. Then, in the automatic inspection process in which the identification information of the tablet read from the captured images is used, the identification information of the tablet is read from any of the plurality of captured images of the tablet taken for each tablet, and it is determined whether or not the identification information matches the prescription data. For example, the pharmaceutical master has identification information formed by engraving or printing registered for each tablet, and in the automatic inspection process, the drug name of the tablet is identified based on the pharmaceutical master and the identification information of the tablet read from the captured images, and it is determined whether or not the drug name matches the drug name of the tablet included in the prescription data. In addition, in the automatic inspection process performed using the photographed image and the correct image, one of the multiple photographed images of the tablet taken for each tablet is compared with the correct image to determine whether or not they match, or the degree of match.

[0165] Then, when the result of the automatic inspection process is proper, the control unit 40 transmits one or more captured images including the original image when the tablet identification information is read from the tablet among the captured images of the tablet taken by the camera 462 or the camera 463, or the original image compared with the correct image, together with the result of the automatic inspection process to the server 2. On the other hand, when the result of the automatic inspection process is an error, the control unit 40 transmits a plurality of captured images of the tablet taken by the camera 462 or the camera 463, in which a plurality of different areas on the outer circumferential surface of the tablet are captured, together with the result of the automatic inspection process to the server 2. Note that all captured images of each tablet may be transmitted from the tablet packaging device 4 to the server 2.

[0166] The errors of the automatic inspection process include a first error in which the tablet identified by the identification information included in the photographed image does not match the tablet included in the prescription data, and a second error in which the identification information included in the photographed image does not match the identification information of all tablets registered in the pharmaceutical master. Therefore, the control unit 40 may transmit to the server 2, for tablets for which the result of the automatic inspection process is the first error, the photographed image of the tablet when the identification information is read, or the photographed image compared with the correct image, in the same manner as when the result of the automatic inspection process is correct. Then, for tablets for which the result of the automatic inspection process is the second error, the control unit 40 may transmit to the server 2 a plurality of photographed images of the tablet in which a plurality of different areas on the outer circumferential surface of the tablet are photographed.

[0167] In this way, by transmitting the photographed images from the tablet packaging device 4 to the server 2, the control unit 21 can display one or more photographed images of the tablets when displaying the inspection details screen D301 (see FIG. 17) or the inspection details screen D302 (see FIG. 20) on the display unit 24 of the server 2 or the display unit 34 of the client terminal 3. The control unit 21 stores each of the photographed images acquired from the tablet packaging device 4 in the memory unit 22 in association with the prescription data together with the result of the automatic inspection process.

[0168] Specifically, in the inspection details screen D301 or the inspection details screen D302, the control unit 21 may display at least the photographed image when the identification information of the tablet is read or the photographed image compared with the correct image for tablets for which the result of the automatic inspection process is correct or the first error, and may display any photographed image of the tablet for tablets for which the result of the automatic inspection process is the second error. For example, the control unit 21 may display either the first photographed image or the last photographed image of the tablet for tablets for which the result of the automatic inspection process is the second error, or both of the first photographed image and the last photographed image of the tablet for tablets for which the result of the automatic inspection process is the second error. In addition, the control unit 21 may display a photographed image of the tablet that includes identification information that has a high degree of pattern matching with the identification information of the tablet for tablets for which the result of the automatic inspection process is the second error, or may display a photographed image of the tablet in which characters are detected.

[0169] Furthermore, when a user operation is performed on the inspection details screen D301 or the inspection details screen D302 to select one of the photographed images of the tablet for which the result of the automatic inspection process is appropriate, the control unit 21 displays an enlarged image of the photographed image of the tablet on the enlarged screen D33 (see FIG. 18) and the enlarged screen D34 (see FIG. 21). Note that the user operation is, for example, an operation of selecting the photographed image of the tablet for which the result of the automatic inspection process is appropriate on the inspection details screen D301 or the inspection details screen D302.

[0170] On the other hand, when the user operation is performed on the inspection details screen D301 or the inspection details screen D302 to select one of the photographed images of the tablet for which the result of the automatic inspection process is an error, the control unit 21 displays an error details screen D35 on which multiple photographed images of the tablet are displayed. The user operation is, for example, an operation of selecting a photographed image of the tablet for which the result of the automatic inspection process is an error on the inspection details screen D301 or the inspection details screen D302. In addition, the control unit 21 may also display the enlarged screen D33 or the enlarged screen D34 for the tablet for which the result of the automatic inspection process is the first error, instead of the error details screen D35, in the same manner as when the result of the automatic inspection process is appropriate.

[0171] In addition, when the result of the automatic inspection process is an error, the control unit 21 may display on the error details screen D35 whether the error is the first error or the second error. For example, when the result of the automatic inspection process is the first error, the control unit 21 may display on the error details screen D35 a message such as "wrong drug type" indicating the first error, as well as a drug name of the tablet corresponding to the identification information read from the photographed image of the tablet. In addition, when the result of the automatic inspection process is the second error, the control unit 21 may display on the error details screen D35 a message such as "unknown drug type" indicating the second error.

[0172] Here, FIG. 22 is a diagram showing an example of the error details screen D35. As shown in FIG. 22, the error details screen D35 displays a plurality of captured images P351 to P353 of different areas on the outer circumferential surface of the tablet as captured images of the tablet for which the result of the automatic inspection process was an error, together with the drug name of the tablet selected on the inspection details screen D301 or the inspection details screen D302. At this time, the control unit 21 displays captured images of different areas on the outer circumferential surface of the tablet by displaying, on the error details screen D35, a predetermined number of captured images captured continuously at the capture interval, or a plurality of captured images corresponding to a predetermined interval, among the plurality of captured images corresponding to the tablet. In particular, the control unit 21 may display, on the error details screen D35, one or more captured images including the captured image when the identification information was read, or the captured image compared with the normal image, for the tablet for which the result of the automatic inspection process is the first error. This allows the pharmacist to judge whether the error is appropriate or not by referring to, for example, the multiple photographed images of the tablets displayed on the error details screen D35.

[0173] For example, it is conceivable that rotation correspondence information indicating the correspondence relationship between the rotation amount (rotation time) of the roller 100 in the tablet rotation unit 441 and the rotation amount of the tablet is stored in the storage unit 22, and the control unit 21 selects a plurality of captured images in which different areas of the outer peripheral surface of the tablet are captured based on the rotation correspondence information and the capture interval. Specifically, when the camera 462 or the camera 463 captures images every 1 ms, and it is known in the rotation correspondence information that the tablet rotates 10° every 10 ms, it is conceivable that the control unit 21 selects a plurality of captured images captured every 45 ms, or a plurality of captured images captured every 90 ms. As a result, the control unit 21 selects a plurality of captured images in which the tablet's posture differs every 45° or every 90° from the outer peripheral surface of the tablet. In addition, in the tablet packaging device 4, when the interval between photographing by the camera 462 or the camera 463 is 45 ms, the control unit 40 selects a plurality of consecutive photographed images, whereby a plurality of photographed images in which the rotation angle of the tablet differs by 45° are selected by the control unit 21.

[0174] In this way, in the inspection support system 1, when the result of the automatic inspection process includes an error, the control unit 21 can display the error details screen D35 on which multiple captured images of different areas of the outer circumferential surface of the tablet are displayed. Therefore, when the result of the automatic inspection process includes an error, the pharmacist can refer to the multiple captured images to understand the reason for the error.

[0175] In addition, in the error details screen D35 shown in FIG. 22, three photographed images P351 to P353 are displayed, but the number of photographed images displayed on the error details screen D35 is not limited to this. For example, it is conceivable that two photographed images in which different areas of the outer peripheral surface of the tablet are photographed are displayed, or four or more photographed images are displayed. Furthermore, it is conceivable that the control unit 21 sequentially displays a plurality of photographed images of the tablet one by one or multiple images in response to a flick operation in the left-right or up-down direction on the error details screen D35. It is also conceivable that a slide bar that can be slid in the left-right or up-down direction is displayed on the error details screen D35, and the control unit 21 sequentially displays a plurality of photographed images of the tablet one by one or multiple images in response to a slide operation of the slide bar.

[0176] In addition, when any of the photographed images displayed on the error details screen D35 is selected, the control unit 21 may display an enlarged screen D36 for enlarging and displaying the photographed image. Here, FIG. 23 is a diagram showing an example of the enlarged screen D36. Specifically, the enlarged screen D36 shown in FIG. 23 displays a photographed image P361 of a selected tablet and an enlarged image P362 of a normal image corresponding to the tablet, arranged vertically or horizontally, similar to the enlarged screen D34 (see FIG. 18). It is also possible that the enlarged image P362 is displayed together with the photographed images P351 to P353 on the error details screen D35.

[0177] As shown in Fig. 1, the control unit 21 includes a cancellation processing unit 215 that can cancel the error for the tablet in response to a user operation performed after the display of a photographed image of the tablet that caused the error in the automatic inspection process. Furthermore, the cancellation processing unit 215 can cancel the error and record the user's identification information at the time the user operation was performed in association with the prescription data. The control unit 21 functions as the cancellation processing unit 215 by executing various processes according to the inspection support program.

[0178] Specifically, as shown in Fig. 22 and Fig. 23, the error details screen D35 and the enlarged screen D36 display an error release key K351 for releasing an error resulting from the automatic inspection process. When the error release key K351 is operated, the control unit 21 releases an error occurring for the tablets in the currently displayed medicine package among the results of the automatic inspection process of the prescription data. As a result, when the pharmacist can confirm that there is no problem by referring to each of the photographed images of the tablets, for example, by operating the error release key K351, it becomes possible to normally end the inspection of the prescription data even if an error has occurred in the automatic inspection process of the prescription data.

[0179] Furthermore, when the error clearing key K351 is operated, the control unit 21 records in the storage unit 22 the fact that the error has been cleared and the identification information (name or ID) of the pharmacist who is the currently logged-in user, in association with the prescription data together with the result of the automatic inspection process. This enables the control unit 21 to output (display) information on the user who cleared the error from the results of the automatic inspection process for the prescription data. The control unit 21 may also record information such as the date and time when the error clearing key K351 was operated, or a comment on the reason for clearing the error, which is input arbitrarily, in association with the prescription data together with the result of the automatic inspection process in the storage unit 22.

[0180] It is also possible that when the error reset key K351 is operated, the control unit 21 does not reset the error, but instead records in the storage unit 22 the fact that a confirmation operation for the error has been performed (the user's judgment result) and the identification information of the pharmacist who performed the confirmation operation, together with the result of the automatic inspection process, in association with the prescription data. This enables the control unit 21 to output (display) information such as the result of the automatic inspection process in the tablet packaging device 4, the user's judgment result as to whether or not a confirmation operation has been performed by the pharmacist, and the identification information of the pharmacist who performed the confirmation operation.

[0181] In the inspection support system 1, the result of the automatic inspection process for the prescription data and the captured image data are stored in the storage unit 22 of the server 2. Here, the control unit 21 may erase, at the end of the inspection support process (see FIG. 7) (S26: Yes), the captured images of tablets whose errors have been cleared by operating the error clear key K351 or the like, among the captured image data stored in the storage unit 22. This may reduce the storage capacity required to be secured in the storage unit 22. In addition, the control unit 21 may accumulate, in the storage unit 22, only one or more captured images arbitrarily selected by a user operation on the error details screen D35 among the captured images of tablets whose errors have been cleared by operating the error clear key K351 or the like, and erase the other captured images.

[0182] Next, a case where the tablet packing device 4 has the error image display function will be described. Specifically, as shown in FIG. 1, the tablet packing device 4 has an operation display unit 48 such as a liquid crystal display and a touch panel, and a storage unit 49 such as a hard disk or SSD. The control unit 40 can display the inspection details screens D301 and D302, the enlarged screens D34 and D35, the error details screen D35, and the enlarged screen D36 on the operation display unit 48, similar to the control unit 21. That is, when the result of the automatic inspection process is an error, the control unit 40 can display the error details screen D35 on the operation display unit 48, in which a plurality of photographed images corresponding to different outer peripheral surfaces of the tablet photographed for each tablet in the tablet packing device 4 are displayed for each tablet, as a photographed image of the tablet that caused the error. Here, the control unit 40 when executing the relevant process is an example of an inspection display processing unit.

[0183] Furthermore, for tablets for which the result of the automatic inspection process is the first error, the control unit 40 may cause the operation display unit 48 to display, in the same manner as when the result of the automatic inspection process is correct, a photographed image of the tablet when the identification information was read, or a photographed image of the tablet compared with the correct image. For tablets for which the result of the automatic inspection process is the second error, the control unit 40 may cause the operation display unit 48 to display a plurality of photographed images of the tablet, in which a plurality of different regions on the outer circumferential surface of the tablet are photographed.

[0184] It is also possible that the control unit 40 sequentially displays the multiple captured images of the tablet one by one or multiple images in response to a left-right or up-down flick operation on the error details screen D35. It is also possible that a slide bar that can be slid left-right or up-down on the error details screen D35 is displayed, and the control unit 40 sequentially displays the multiple captured images of the tablet one by one or multiple images in response to a slide operation of the slide bar.

[0185] Furthermore, when the error clearing key K351 is operated, the control unit 40 records in the storage unit 49 a message indicating that the error has been cleared and the identification information (name or ID) of the pharmacist who is the user currently logged in to the tablet packaging device 4, in association with the prescription data together with the result of the automatic inspection process. Furthermore, when the control unit 40 transmits the result of the automatic inspection process and the photographed image of the tablet to the server 2, it also transmits a message indicating that the error has been cleared and the identification information of the pharmacist. This makes it possible for the server 2 to output (display) a message indicating that the error has been cleared and the identification information of the pharmacist, etc., when the control unit 21 outputs (displays) the result of the automatic inspection process on the prescription data.

[0186] In addition, when the error release key K351 is operated, the control unit 40 may record in the storage unit 49, without releasing the error, a message indicating that a confirmation operation for the error has been performed and the identification information of the pharmacist who performed the confirmation operation, in association with the prescription data together with the result of the automatic inspection process. This enables the control unit 40 to output (display) information such as the result of the automatic inspection process in the tablet packaging device 4, whether or not a confirmation operation has been performed by the pharmacist, and the identification information of the pharmacist who performed the confirmation operation. For example, when transmitting the result of the automatic inspection process and the photographed image of the tablet to the server 2, the control unit 40 also transmits a message indicating that a confirmation operation for the error has been performed and the identification information of the pharmacist.

[0187] In the tablet packaging device 4, the control unit 40 stores the result of the automatic inspection process for the prescription data and the data of the captured images in the storage unit 49. Therefore, it is considered that the control unit 21 erases, among the data of the captured images stored in the storage unit 22, the captured images of tablets for which the result of the automatic inspection process is normal and the captured images for which the error has been cleared by operating the error clear key K351 or the like at the end of the inspection support process (see FIG. 7) (S26: Yes). This makes it possible to reduce the storage capacity required to be reserved in the storage unit 22. It is also considered that the result of the automatic inspection process and the data of the captured images are accumulated in either the storage unit 22 of the server 2 or the storage unit 49 of the tablet packaging device 4, and the result of the automatic inspection process and the data of the captured images are erased from the other storage unit at the end of the inspection support process.

[0188] [Print inspection function] In the tablet packing device 4, the printing unit 453 may print text information such as the patient's name, the time of taking the medicine, the name of the drug, or the prescribed amount on the medicine package 451. Also, an inspection code for determining whether the packaging process is appropriate when the medicine package 451 is packaged may be printed as a one-dimensional code or a two-dimensional code on the medicine package 451. In response to this, the tablet packing device 4 may have a print inspection function for automatically inspecting whether the printing on the medicine package 451 by the printing unit 453 is performed normally.

[0189] Specifically, as shown in Fig. 1, the tablet packaging device 4 includes an image reading unit 50 that reads an image of the medicine packet 451. The image reading unit 50 is disposed downstream in the movement direction of the medicine packet 451 in the packaging unit 45 from a position where the printing unit 453 prints on the medicine packet 451. More specifically, the image reading unit 50 is disposed downstream in the movement direction of the medicine packet 451 from a position where the printing unit 453 prints on the medicine packet 451, at a position before the tablets are contained in the medicine packet 451. The image reading unit 50 may be disposed at a position after the tablets are contained in the medicine packet 451.

[0190] The image reading unit 50 includes an image sensor such as a CCD or CIS that reads an image from the medicine package 451. The control unit 40 acquires character information printed on the medicine package 451 by a well-known character recognition process (OCR) or the like based on the image read by the image reading unit 50. Furthermore, when the image read by the image reading unit 50 includes the medicine inspection code, the control unit 40 reads the medicine inspection information from the medicine inspection code.

[0191] Thereafter, the control unit 40 compares the character information or drug inspection information, which is the printed content of the medicine package 451 read by the image reading unit 50, with the character information or drug inspection information that should be printed on the medicine package 451. If the comparison result is not a match, the control unit 40 notifies the user by displaying the fact on the operation display unit 48, and records the result of the print inspection process in the memory unit 49 in association with the prescription data. This makes it possible to automatically find printing omissions or printing errors on the medicine package 451, and to support the pharmacist in inspecting the printed content of the medicine package 451.

[0192] The process of verifying the printed contents may be executed not only by the tablet packing device 4 but also by the server 2. Specifically, an image of the medicine package 451 read by the image reading unit 50 is input from the tablet packing device 4 to the server 2. Then, the control unit 21 of the server 2 judges whether the information printed on the medicine package 451 is appropriate based on the image of the medicine package 451 read by the image reading unit 50 in the tablet packing device 4 and the prescription data.

[0193] [Chemical recycling function] For the medicine package 451 containing tablets for which the inspection result by the automatic inspection process executed in the tablet packaging device 4 is an error, the packaging process needs to be re-executed in the tablet packaging device 4. At this time, if the medicine package 451 contains multiple tablets and the inspection result by the automatic inspection process is an error for only some of the tablets, the tablets for which the inspection result is correct will be wasted. Or, a task of returning the tablets for which the inspection result is correct to the tablet cassette 41 corresponding to the tablets is required. Therefore, it is considered that the tablet packaging device 4 has a medicine reuse function that can support the reuse of the tablets for which the inspection result is correct in the re-execution of the packaging process when the medicine package 451 contains multiple tablets and the inspection result by the automatic inspection process is an error for only some of the tablets.

[0194] Specifically, when the control unit 40 re-executes the packaging process for the medicine package 451 containing tablets for which the inspection result is an error, the control unit 40 judges whether or not the already packaged medicine package 451 contains tablets for which the inspection result is correct. If the medicine package 451 contains tablets for which the inspection result is correct, the control unit 40 causes the operation display unit 48 to display a guidance notice encouraging the user to insert the tablets into the manual distribution unit 42. For example, the guidance notice displays, by means of images or text, guidance as to which tablets contained in the medicine package 451 should be inserted into which positions.

[0195] Then, when the control unit 40 re-executes the packaging process for the medicine package 451, it executes the packaging process using the tablets distributed in the manual distribution unit 42. This allows the tablets for which the inspection result is proper to be used effectively without being wasted, and eliminates the need for the user to return the tablets to the tablet cassette 41. If the tablet cassette 41 corresponding to the tablets for which the inspection result is improper exists, the tablets are supplied from the tablet cassette 41. On the other hand, if the tablet cassette 41 corresponding to the tablets for which the inspection result is improper does not exist, the guidance notice displays a message indicating that the tablets are to be put into the manual distribution unit 42 together with the tablets for which the inspection result is proper, and the packaging process is executed using the manual distribution unit 42.

[0196] Incidentally, even when the packaging process is re-executed, the control unit 40 executes the automatic inspection process and transmits the inspection result of the automatic inspection process and the captured image to the server 2. In this case, in the server 2, the control unit 21 displays the inspection result of the automatic inspection process for the re-executed packaging process on the inspection details screen D31, D301, D302, etc. For example, it is considered that the control unit 21 can sequentially switch and display the inspection results of the automatic inspection process previously executed for the same prescription data on the inspection details screen D31, D301, D302, etc., automatically or in response to a user operation.

[0197] The control unit 21 may also rewrite and display only the inspection results of the past automatic inspection processes for tablets for which the packaging process has been re-executed, with the latest inspection results of the automatic inspection process. Even in this case, the control unit 21 may accumulate the inspection results of the automatic inspection process for the same prescription data and store them in the storage unit 22. This makes it possible to refer to the history of the inspection results of the automatic inspection process in the server 2.

[0198] [Capsule image processing function] When the tablets dispensed in the packaging process are capsule tablets, the automatic inspection process is executed based on the identification information attached to the two capsule pieces constituting the capsule tablets. However, when the identification information is engraved or printed on the two capsule pieces constituting the capsule tablets, the position of the identification information may be shifted in the circumferential direction.

[0199] Therefore, in the automatic inspection process, when the tablet is a capsule tablet, the control unit 40 is considered to have a capsule image processing function of acquiring photographed images (divided images) of each of the capsule pieces of the capsule tablet.

[0200] Specifically, the control unit 40 judges whether the tablet is a capsule tablet or not according to the transition of the area of ​​the tablet in the multiple captured images in which the tablet is captured. For example, when the ratio of the maximum value and the minimum value of the area of ​​the tablet in each of the captured images is equal to or less than a preset threshold value, that is, when the change in the area of ​​the tablet is extremely small, it is considered that the tablet is judged to be a capsule tablet. In addition, when a line segment that divides the tablet exists in the image of the tablet in each of the captured images, or when the colors of the left and right images of the tablet are different, it is also considered that the tablet is judged to be a capsule tablet. The control unit 40 may judge whether the tablet is a capsule tablet or not based on the pharmaceutical master or the pharmaceutical database.

[0201] Then, when the control unit 40 determines that the tablet is a capsule tablet, it divides the image of the capsule tablet in each of the captured images into the capsule pieces to obtain divided images. For example, the divided images are images obtained by dividing the captured image along a line segment indicating the boundary between the capsule pieces or along the center of the capsule tablet. After that, the control unit 40 checks the suitability of the capsule tablet based on the divided images of each of the capsule pieces in the automatic inspection process. Specifically, a divided correct image divided into two parts, left and right, or a divided correct image divided into four parts, top, bottom, left and right, is stored as a correct image of the capsule tablet in the pharmaceutical master, and the control unit 40 can check the divided correct image for each divided image divided into two parts, left and right, or divided into four parts, top, bottom, left and right. It is also possible to individually read the identification information of the tablet contained in the divided image and compare it with the identification information of the tablet contained in the divided correct image to check the suitability of the capsule tablet.

[0202] The control unit 40 also transmits to the server 2, together with the result of the automatic inspection process, at least the divided images of the capsule pieces that have been compared with the divided correct images, or the divided images when the identification information has been read. In the server 2, the control unit 21 may generate a composite image by synthesizing the divided images containing the identification information of each capsule piece of the capsule tablet as a photographed image of the capsule tablet, and display the composite image on the inspection details screen D302. This allows the user to check the identification information of each capsule piece of the capsule tablet on the inspection details screen D302 using the composite image.

[0203] In addition, when two images are displayed as in the inspection details screen D301, the control unit 21 may display an image of the capsule tablet with identification information on the right side of the capsule tablet and an image of the capsule tablet with identification information on the left side of the capsule tablet on the inspection details screen D301.

[0204] By the way, when the tablet dispensed in the packaging process is a capsule tablet, it is considered that the characters of the identification information are formed along the circumferential direction of the capsule tablet. Here, Fig. 61A is a diagram showing an example of a photographed image of a capsule tablet in which the characters of the identification information, "Altat 75" and "TZ321", are formed along the circumferential direction on each of the left and right capsule pieces. As shown in Fig. 61A, only a part of the characters of the identification information of the capsule tablet appears in each photographed image of the capsule tablet.

[0205] Therefore, for a capsule tablet in which the characters of the identification information are formed along the circumferential direction, the control unit 40 may generate a composite image by combining multiple captured images corresponding to different positions in the circumferential direction of the capsule tablet, and use the composite image to determine the suitability of the capsule tablet. This point will be described below. Here, it is assumed that a divided normal image including the characters "Altat 75" and a divided normal image including the characters "TZ321" are stored in the pharmaceutical master as the identification information corresponding to each capsule piece of the capsule tablet.

[0206] Specifically, the control unit 40 performs distortion correction processing, combination feature extraction processing, image combination processing, boundary removal processing, etc. on multiple images of the capsule tablet taken by the camera 462 or 463 during the packaging process.

[0207] First, since the capsule tablet is cylindrical, the characters of the identification information are distorted at the end of the short side perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the capsule tablet in the captured image. Therefore, in the distortion correction process, the control unit 40 corrects the distortion of the characters of the identification information by expanding each of the captured images in the short side direction of the capsule tablet. More specifically, the degree of contraction of the characters of the identification information in the short side direction increases as the capsule tablet approaches the end from the center in the short side direction of the capsule tablet. Therefore, in the distortion correction process, the control unit 40 executes a correction process of the captured image so that the degree of expansion of the characters of the identification information in the short side direction increases as the capsule tablet approaches the end from the center in the short side direction of the capsule tablet according to a weighting preset based on the diameter of the capsule tablet, etc. For example, the control unit 40 may set target points at intervals that gradually narrow from the center to the end of the short side direction of the capsule tablet in the captured image, and then expand the captured image so that the target points are equidistant. As a result, for example, as shown in FIG. 61B, a captured image in which distortion of the characters of the identification information has been corrected is obtained.

[0208] Next, in the combined feature point extraction process, the control unit 40 trims a predetermined necessary range of images including the identification information from each of the captured images after the distortion correction process, and extracts feature points for each of the cropped captured images to combine the captured images. Then, in the image combination process, the control unit 40 generates a composite image by superimposing and combining the captured images based on the feature points. As a result, a composite image in which the captured images are combined is obtained, for example, as shown in FIG. 61C. In addition, in the boundary removal process, the control unit 40 executes a process for removing a boundary line generated by combining the captured images from the composite image. For example, in the boundary removal process, the boundary line is removed using a known gradient domain method. As a result, a captured image in which the distortion of the characters of the identification information is corrected is obtained, for example, as shown in FIG. 61D.

[0209] Then, the control unit 40 executes the image inspection process using the composite image as the captured image to determine the suitability of the capsule tablet. Specifically, the control unit 40 extracts character areas (e.g., areas A41 and A42 in FIG. 61D) from the composite image, and determines the suitability of the characters of the identification information by matching each image of the character areas with the divided correct images. This makes it possible for the tablet packaging device 4 to determine the suitability of the capsule tablet by the image inspection process, even for capsule tablets in which identification information characters are formed in the circumferential direction.

[0210] [Abbreviated display function] In addition, the control unit 21 may have a function of omitting display of at least one of the two photographed images of the tablet on the inspection details screen D301 when the identification information of the tablet is not included in the photographed image, and enlarging and displaying the other photographed image. In particular, it may be possible to exclude information of specific identification information set in advance from each photographed image of the tablet on the inspection details screen D301, and to determine the presence or absence of the identification information in each photographed image.

[0211] Specifically, it is considered that in the pharmaceutical master, the manufacturer name or mark of the tablet is set as the specific identification information and stored in the storage unit 22. Meanwhile, the control unit 21 acquires information of the tablet identification information acquired from the photographed image of the tablet, excluding the specific identification information, as the tablet identification information. As a result, when the photographed image of the tablet contains only the specific identification information, the tablet identification information is not acquired from the photographed image of the tablet.

[0212] Then, the control unit 21 displays the captured images of the front and back sides of the tablet on the inspection details screen D301 if the captured images of the front and back sides of the tablet contain identification information. On the other hand, when the captured images of either the front or back sides of the tablet do not contain identification information on the inspection details screen D301, the control unit 21 omits the display of the captured images that do not contain the identification information and displays only the captured images that contain the identification information. At this time, the control unit 21 enlarges and displays the captured images within the area in which the captured images of the front and back sides are displayed. Note that, when only the specific identification information exists on both the front and back sides of the tablet, only the captured images of either the front or back side of the tablet are enlarged and displayed.

[0213] As a result, if only the specific identification information is present on either the front or back surface of the tablet, the image of the side on which only the specific identification information is present is omitted and the image of the other side is enlarged, allowing the pharmacist to easily check the identification information of the tablet.

[0214] [Information registration function] In the inspection support system 1, images of various tablets preregistered in the pharmaceutical master are used for collation and result display in the automatic inspection process. However, for new drugs not registered in the pharmaceutical master, it is necessary to appropriately register information such as images of the new drugs in the pharmaceutical master. Therefore, in the inspection support system 1, the tablet packaging device 4 has an information registration function that supports the registration work for registering the identification information and shape information of the tablets in the pharmaceutical master. The pharmaceutical master information registered by the tablet packaging device 4 is also transmitted to the server 2 and is used by the server 2.

[0215] Specifically, the information registration function is realized by executing an information registration process by the control unit 40. In the information registration process, the identification information of the tablet is acquired from a photographed image that satisfies a preset condition among a plurality of photographed images of the tablet, and the identification information of the tablet is registered in the pharmaceutical master or the like as matching source data corresponding to the type of the tablet. Specifically, the matching source data includes an image of the tablet that includes at least an area of ​​the identification information of the tablet among the photographed images as the correct image, and in the image inspection process, the suitability of the tablet is determined by matching the correct image with the photographed image. In addition, the identification information of the tablet registered as the correct image may be an image of the entire area of ​​the photographed image, not limited to an image of a part of the area in which the identification information is included in the photographed image. Note that the control unit 40 when executing the information registration process is an example of a registration processing unit.

[0216] 30 is a flow chart showing an example of the procedure of the information registration process executed by the control unit 40. For example, the control unit 40 can execute the information registration process as part of an initial setting process in the tablet packaging device 4. Furthermore, the control unit 40 may execute the information registration process automatically or in response to a user request when information on tablets included in the prescription data to be packaged is not registered in the pharmaceutical master, or when an error occurs as an inspection result of the automatic inspection process, etc.

[0217] <Step S31> First, in step S31, the control unit 40 executes a process of acquiring a plurality of photographed images capturing the outer circumference of the tablet from different directions. Specifically, the control unit 40 dispenses the tablet from the tablet cassette 41 or the manual distribution unit 42 in which the tablet to be registered is accommodated. Then, the control unit 40 photographs the tablet being rotated by the rotation unit 44 a plurality of times using the cameras 462 and 463 of the photographing unit 46, in the same manner as when the packaging process is executed. Here, the control unit 40 when executing the photographing process is an example of an imaging processing unit.

[0218] More specifically, the control unit 40 causes the operation display unit 48 to display a selection screen for allowing the user to select whether the tablet's identification information is formed on the tablet by engraving or printing before photographing the tablet. Next, the control unit 40 specifies whether the tablet's identification information is engraved or printed in response to a user's selection operation on the operation display unit 48. Here, the control unit 40 when executing the specification process is an example of a specification processing unit. Note that when a tablet to be registered is designated from the medicine database by a user operation and a method for forming the tablet's identification information is registered in the medicine database, the control unit 40 can also specify whether the tablet's identification information is engraved or printed based on the medicine database.

[0219] Then, the control unit 40 selects either the first photographing unit including the camera 462 and the lighting device 468 or the second photographing unit including the camera 463 and the lighting device 469 according to the formation method of the identification information, and photographs the tablet. Specifically, when the identification information of the tablet is specified as an engraving, the tablet is photographed using the first photographing unit suitable for the engraving, and when the identification information of the tablet is specified as a print, the tablet is photographed using the second photographing unit suitable for the printing. In this way, when the control unit 40 registers the normal image as the matching source data, it selects the first photographing unit or the second photographing unit suitable for the formation method (engraving or printing) of the identification information of the tablet and photographs the tablet. Therefore, a normal image to be registered in the medicine master as the matching source data of the tablet is obtained from a photographed image in which the identification information of the tablet is clearly photographed. As a result, in the image inspection process, the accuracy of the matching process performed using the normal image is improved.

[0220] In addition, when the packaging process has already been performed and a plurality of photographed images of the tablet have been acquired in the automatic inspection process, the control unit 40 may read out the plurality of photographed images corresponding to the tablet from the storage unit 49 as photographed images of the tablet to be registered. That is, the control unit 40 may register the tablet information in the pharmaceutical master as a series of processes during the packaging process, not only when the information registration process is performed before the packaging process is performed. In this case, the control unit 40 may cause both of the cameras 462 and 463 to photograph the tablet in the packaging process, and may read out the photographed image taken by the camera 462 or 463 suitable for the engraving or printing selected by the user operation as described above, as the photographed image of the tablet to be registered.

[0221] Incidentally, when the photographed image of the tablet is acquired in the step S31, the tablet may rotate in the tablet rotation section 441 of the rotation unit 44 in a state where the side of the tablet faces the camera 462 or 463 (hereinafter referred to as "vertical rotation state"). In this case, the front or back of the tablet, on which the identification information of the tablet exists, is not photographed by the camera 462 or 463. Therefore, the control section 40 judges whether the tablet is in the vertical rotation state, and if it is in the vertical rotation state, executes a process of vibrating the tablet to change the orientation of the tablet. The control section 40 executes a similar process not only in the information registration process but also when photographing the tablet using the camera 462 or 463 during the packaging process.

[0222] Specifically, when the photographing of the tablet image is performed in step S31, it is determined whether or not the tablet is rotating in the vertical rotation state based on the photographed image by the camera 462 or 463. Here, the control unit 40 when performing the relevant process is an example of a tablet determination processing unit. For example, the control unit 40 determines whether or not the aspect ratio of the tablet in a predetermined number or more of the photographed images among the plurality of photographed images is a predetermined ratio or more. Specifically, when the predetermined number is 5 and the predetermined ratio is 1.2, the control unit 40 determines that the tablet is rotating in the vertical rotation state when the length / width value of the tablet is 1.2 or more in 5 or more of the photographed images. In addition, when the camera 462 or 463 is positioned to photograph the tablet rotation section 441 from a direction perpendicular to the axial direction of the rotating roller 100, the horizontal direction of the tablet is parallel to the axial direction of the rotating roller 100, and the vertical direction of the tablet is perpendicular to the opposing direction of the rotating roller 100 and the camera 462 or 463 and the axial direction of the rotating roller 100.

[0223] Then, when the control unit 40 judges that the tablet is rotating in the vertical rotation state, it executes a process for vibrating the tablet placed on the tablet rotation unit 441 to change the orientation of the tablet. Here, the control unit 40 when executing the process is an example of a vibration processing unit. Specifically, the rotation unit 44 or the tablet rotation unit 441 is provided with a vibration unit that vibrates the tablet by vibrating the rotation unit 44 or the tablet rotation unit 441, and the control unit 40 can be considered to drive the vibration unit so that the tablet falls. Note that the vibration unit, for example, applies vibration in the axial direction of the rotating roller 100 to the tablet rotation unit 441. In addition, the control unit 40 can be considered to execute a rocking process that reciprocates the rotation unit 44 by a predetermined width using the unit rotation unit 442 of the rotation unit 44. As a result, the tablet is fallen in the tablet rotation unit 441 to change the orientation of the tablet, and the front and back sides of the tablet are photographed by the camera 462 or 463.

[0224] Thus, in step S31, the tablet orientation may be changed using the vibration unit, and the control unit 40 does not allow the rotation unit 442 to rotate the tablet rotation unit 441 to the next step until the images necessary for acquiring the front and back images of the tablet are captured. Then, the control unit 40 ends the capture when a preset number of captured images or more are acquired without determining that the tablet is rotating in the vertical rotation state based on the captured images by the camera 462 or 463, and causes the rotation unit 442 to rotate the tablet rotation unit 441 to the next step. Note that, when the control unit 40 determines that the tablet is rotating in the vertical rotation state based on the captured images by the camera 462 or 463, it is also possible to report an error and interrupt the process.

[0225] <Step S32> The control unit 40, every time step S32 is executed, sequentially selects a captured image to be processed in steps S33 to S35 from among the plurality of captured images corresponding to the tablet. Then, in steps S33 to S35, various processes are executed for the captured image selected in step S32.

[0226] <Step S33> In step S33, the control unit 40 identifies the tablet area in which the tablet exists from the captured image. For example, if the color of the rotating roller 100 provided in the tablet rotation unit 441 is black, the background area of ​​the tablet in the captured image will be black. In this case, the control unit 40 can acquire the area of ​​the captured image excluding black as the tablet area. Specifically, the control unit 40 uses the black color of the rotating roller 100 in the captured image as a reference color (threshold value) and acquires an area that is lighter in color than the reference color as the tablet area. For example, the reference color is represented by each component value of R (red), G (green), and B (blue).

[0227] <Step S34> In step S34, the control unit 40 acquires the area value of the tablet area identified from the captured image. If a plurality of tablet areas are identified in step S33, the control unit 40 selects the circumscribing area of ​​the tablet area having the largest area value among the tablet areas as the tablet area corresponding to the tablet.

[0228] <Step S35> In step S35, the control unit 40 acquires an index value such as the average value or standard deviation value of the gray values ​​in the tablet region. The gray values ​​are values ​​when expressing the color of each pixel included in a grayscale image in multiple gradations such as 256 gradations or 65536 gradations from white to black. For example, the gray value "0" is white, and the gray value "255" is black. Also, the gray value "255" is white, and the gray value "0" is black.

[0229] Specifically, when the captured image is a color image, the control unit 40 converts the captured image into a grayscale image and obtains the index value of the gray value of the tablet area of ​​the captured image after conversion. The index value is used to extract identification information such as printed characters or markings in the tablet area.

[0230] For example, in the tablet region, the ratio of the area occupied by the identification information on the front or back surface of the tablet is considered to be small. Therefore, for example, when the gray value "0" is white and the gray value "255" is black, and the color of the tablet is closer to black than the identification information, the average value of the gray value is larger than the gradation value of the identification information. Therefore, when the average value of the gray value is equal to or greater than a predetermined threshold value, the control unit 40 can extract the area of ​​the tablet region in which the gray value is smaller than the average value as the identification information.

[0231] Also, for example, when the gray value "0" is white and the gray value "255" is black, and the color of the tablet is closer to white than the identification information, the average value of the gray value is smaller than the gradation value of the identification information. Therefore, when the average value of the gray value is less than a predetermined threshold, the control unit 40 can extract, as the identification information, an area of ​​the tablet area where the gray value is greater than the average value.

[0232] <Step S36> In step S36, the control unit 40 judges whether or not the processing of steps S33 to S35 has been completed for all the captured images corresponding to the tablet. If it is judged that the processing has been completed (S36: Yes), the process proceeds to step S37, and if it is judged that the processing has not been completed (S36: No), the process proceeds to step S32.

[0233] <Step S37> In step S37, the control unit 40 specifies one or more images containing the identification information of the tablet among the multiple captured images corresponding to the tablet as a registration image. If the tablet is a flat tablet, in step S37, the registration image is specified for each of the front and back surfaces of the tablet. As described above, the control unit 40 may determine that the odd-numbered captured images among the multiple captured images specified as the captured images f4 or f8 capturing the front and back surfaces of the tablet from the front as shown in FIG. 24A are images of the front surface, and the even-numbered captured images are images of the back surface. Then, the processing of steps S38 to S39 described later is performed for one or more of the registration images corresponding to the front surface of the tablet and one or more of the registration images corresponding to the back surface of the tablet, respectively.

[0234] For example, the control unit 40 acquires the edge amount contained in the tablet region of each of the captured images, and specifies the reference captured image with the largest edge amount among the captured images as the registration image. The edge amount is obtained by counting the number of edges in which the difference in gradation value between adjacent pixels is equal to or greater than a preset threshold value. Thereafter, if there is a captured image among the multiple captured images in which the ratio of the edge amount of the captured image to the edge amount of the reference captured image is equal to or greater than a preset threshold value (e.g., 80% or 90%), the control unit 40 also specifies the captured image as the registration image.

[0235] The control unit 40 may register the reference image in the medicine master as a normal image of the tablet. The reference image registered as the normal image is transmitted to the server 2 by the control unit 40 and is also registered in the medicine master stored in the storage unit 22 of the server 2. This allows the server 2 to display the reference image as the normal image in the inspection support process.

[0236] In another embodiment, the control unit 40 may register a photographed image selected by a user operation from among the plurality of photographed images corresponding to the tablet as the normal image in the medicine master. For example, in step S37, the control unit 40 displays the plurality of photographed images corresponding to the tablet on the operation display unit 48, accepts the selection of the photographed image by a user operation using the operation display unit 48, and registers the photographed image in the medicine master.

[0237] Furthermore, when the control unit 40 registers the normal image in the medicine master in step S37, it is considered that the control unit 40 registers the correct orientation of the normal image specified by a user operation in the medicine master. Specifically, in step S37, the control unit 40 displays the photographed image to be registered as the normal image on the operation display unit 48, and accepts the designation of the upward position in the photographed image (the correct orientation of the identification information) by the user operation using the operation display unit 48. Then, the control unit 40 rotates the photographed image so that the upward position specified by the user operation is at the top, and registers it in the medicine master as the normal image. That is, the orientation of the normal image, which is the matching source data, indicates the correct position as the upward position in the normal image. As a result, the normal image rotated so that the upward position in the photographed image is at the top is registered in the medicine master as the matching source data, and the control unit 40 can compare the normal image and the photographed image in the state where the orientation of the identification information included in the normal image is correct, and determine the appropriateness of the identification information in the image inspection process. It is also possible that the control unit 40 registers the photographed image as the normal image without rotating it, and registers information such as coordinates indicating the upward position as part of the matching source data in association with the normal image. In this way, even when information indicating the upward position in the normal image is registered in the medicine master as part of the matching source data, the control unit 40 can compare the normal image and the photographed image in the image inspection process with the orientation of the identification information included in the normal image being correct, and determine whether the identification information is appropriate.

[0238] It is also possible that the initial normal image of the tablet, which is photographed in the correct orientation of the identification information of the tablet, is prestored in the medicine database. In this case, it is also possible that the control unit 40 determines the upward position in the normal image (the correct orientation of the identification information) based on the initial normal image stored in the medicine database, not based on the user's operation. For example, the control unit 40 executes a matching process in which the normal image and the initial normal image in each rotation state are matched while gradually rotating the normal image. Then, according to the result of matching between the normal image and the initial normal image, the control unit 40 determines that the state in which the difference between the normal image and the initial normal image is the smallest is the correct state of the normal image, and registers the normal image in that state in the medicine master. It is also possible that the control unit 40 registers the photographed image as the normal image without rotating it, according to the result of matching between the normal image and the initial normal image, and registers information such as coordinates indicating the upward position as part of the matching source data by associating it with the normal image. In addition, the control unit 40 is capable of registering information registered in the drug database as initial information in the drug master, and for tablets that are not subject to registration in the information registration process, it is also possible that the initial correct image in the drug database may be registered in the drug master as the correct image.

[0239] <Step S38> In step S38, the control unit 40 identifies the shape of the tablet based on the registration image, and creates tablet model data corresponding to the shape. The tablet model data includes information used to identify the shape of the tablet, such as the height, width, and area of ​​the tablet. The tablet model data also includes information such as the position and range of the identification information included in the tablet.

[0240] In particular, the control unit 40 registers information on the front and back of the tablet in the tablet model individually. Specifically, the control unit 40 creates a tablet model corresponding to the front of the tablet based on one or more of the registration images corresponding to the front extracted in step S37, and creates a tablet model corresponding to the back of the tablet based on one or more of the registration images corresponding to the back extracted in step S37. The data of the tablet model is used, for example, to check whether the shape or size of the tablet is appropriate in the automatic inspection process, or to identify the area in the captured image where the identification information of the tablet exists in the automatic inspection process.

[0241] In addition, when a plurality of registration images are specified in step S37, the control unit 40 may acquire information such as the position and range of the identification information on the tablet based on the plurality of registration images. For example, a value obtained by averaging values ​​indicating the position and range of the identification information specified based on each of the registration images is created as the tablet model. In addition, the tablet model may be created by taking into consideration a preset weighting corresponding to the ratio of the edge amount of the registration image to the edge amount of the reference captured image, which is a value indicating the position and range of the identification information specified based on each of the registration images. This allows the control unit 40 to create a highly accurate tablet model even if there is a missing part of the identification information in the registration image.

[0242] <Step S39> In step S39, the control unit 40 acquires the identification information of the tablet from the reference photographed image or the registration image, and registers it in the drug master in association with the drug identification information such as a drug name or drug code indicating the type of the tablet. As a result, the identification information of the tablet acquired in the information registration process is registered in the drug master as the reference data for the identification information of the tablet in the automatic inspection process. For example, the control unit 40 acquires the identification information of the front surface of the tablet based on one or more of the registration images corresponding to the front surface, and acquires the identification information of the back surface of the tablet based on one or more of the registration images corresponding to the back surface.

[0243] <Step S40> In step S40, the control unit 40 acquires the minimum and maximum area values ​​of the tablet from one or more of the registration images. For example, the minimum and maximum area values ​​of the tablet are used to acquire the tablet area from the captured image in the automatic inspection process, or are used to calculate the circumference length of the tablet. Note that the minimum and maximum area values ​​of the tablet may be acquired from multiple captured images, not limited to the registration image.

[0244] <Step S41> In step S41, the control unit 40 acquires the minimum and maximum values ​​of each color component of the tablet from one or more of the registration images. For example, the control unit 40 acquires the minimum and maximum values ​​for each color component of RGB. Note that the minimum and maximum values ​​of each color component of the tablet may be acquired from multiple captured images, not limited to the registration image.

[0245] <Step S42> In step S42, the control unit 40 registers the shape information of the tablet that is the subject of the information registration process in the drug master in association with the drug identification information such as a drug name or drug code indicating the type of the tablet. Specifically, the shape information of the tablet includes the height, width, and area value of the tablet identified in step S38, the minimum and maximum values ​​of the area value of the tablet acquired in step S39, and the minimum and maximum values ​​of each color component of the tablet acquired in step S40.

[0246] When the shape information of the tablet is registered in the pharmaceutical master in this way, it is considered that the control unit 40 of the tablet packaging device 4 judges the suitability of the tablet based on the photographed image of the tablet and the shape information of the tablet in the automatic inspection process. More specifically, in the automatic inspection process, the control unit 40 compares the shape of the tablet included in the photographed image with the shape of the tablet included in the tablet model corresponding to the tablet included in the prescription data. Then, if the comparison result of the shape of the tablet based on the tablet model is a match, the control unit 40 subsequently compares the identification information of the tablet included in the photographed image with the identification information of the tablet registered in the information registration process.

[0247] On the other hand, when the comparison result of the shape of the tablet based on the tablet model is not consistent, the control unit 40 determines that the inspection result of the automatic inspection process is an error without judging the suitability of the tablet based on the identification information included in the captured image. That is, in the automatic inspection process, the suitability of the tablet is judged based on the identification information of the tablet only when the comparison result of the shape of the tablet is appropriate. Therefore, in the tablet packaging device 4, it is possible to omit as much as possible the processing with a high load, such as the processing of acquiring the identification information from the captured image and the matching of the tablet based on the identification information.

[0248] [Device selection function] As described above, a plurality of the tablet packaging devices 4 may be connected to the inspection support system 1. Therefore, the control unit 21 has a device selection function for selecting, based on preset conditions, the tablet packaging device 4 that performs the packaging process based on the prescription data. The device selection function will be described below with reference to Figs. 31 and 32.

[0249] Here, the plurality of tablet packaging devices 4 connectable to the inspection support system 1 may include a tablet packaging device 4 capable of executing the packaging process and the image inspection process (hereinafter referred to as a first tablet packaging device 401), and a tablet packaging device 4 capable of executing the packaging process but not the image inspection process (hereinafter referred to as a second tablet packaging device 402). For example, the second tablet packaging device 402 may not have the photographing unit 46. In addition, when the first tablet packaging device 401 is capable of executing the image inspection process and can switch between enabling and disabling the image inspection process, the tablet packaging device 4 in which the execution of the image inspection process is set to be disabled is recognized by the server 2 as the second tablet packaging device 402. In the following, the first tablet packaging device 401 and the second tablet packaging device 402 are collectively referred to simply as "tablet packaging device 4".

[0250] The memory unit 22 of the server 2 stores selection setting information D11 used to select the tablet packaging device 4. FIG. 31 shows an example of the selection setting information D11. As shown in FIG. 31, the selection setting information D11 includes items for setting an automatic inspection function and a sorting function. The selection setting information D11 is input from the first tablet packaging device 401 to the control unit 21 of the server 2, or is read from the first tablet packaging device 401 by the control unit 21 of the server 2.

[0251] In the item of the automatic inspection function setting, the enable / disable of the automatic inspection process is stored in association with each tablet packaging device number, which is identification information for identifying the tablet packaging device 4. Note that, as described above, when the automatic inspection process can be switched between enabled and disabled, the setting state of the automatic inspection process, enabled or disabled, is stored.

[0252] The sorting function setting items include a first priority condition and a second priority condition that are set in advance. The first priority condition is a condition for determining whether or not to execute the automatic inspection process, and the second priority condition is a condition for selecting the tablet packaging device 4 regardless of whether or not the automatic inspection process is required. In the inspection support system 1, in an initial setting process or the like, the control unit 21 can set each of the first priority conditions to either enabled or disabled according to a user operation. In addition, the control unit 21 can set a priority level in a plurality of the second priority conditions for each of the second priority conditions according to a user operation.

[0253] The first priority condition includes the items of "DTA hit priority", "tablet number condition priority", and "high risk drug priority". "DTA hit priority" is a condition in which the first tablet packaging device 401 is selected when the manual packing unit 42 is used in the packaging process. "Tablet number condition priority" is a condition in which the first tablet packaging device 401 is selected when the number of tablets per package is equal to or greater than a preset threshold value in the packaging process. "High risk drug priority" is a condition in which the first tablet packaging device 401 is selected when the drug to be packaged in the packaging process is a preset high risk drug. In the example shown in FIG. 31, "DTA hit priority" and "high risk drug priority" are set to be enabled, and "tablet number condition priority" is set to be disabled.

[0254] The second priority condition includes the items of "implementation hit rate priority", "free buffer rate priority", and "arbitrary designation priority". "Implementation hit rate priority" is a condition in which the tablet packaging device 4 having the largest number of types of drugs filled in the tablet cassette 41 among drugs to be packaged in the packaging process is selected. "Free buffer rate priority" is a condition in which the tablet packaging device 4 having the smallest amount of prescription data waiting as a target for packaging process is selected. "Arbitrary designation priority" is a condition in which the tablet packaging device 4 arbitrarily designated by the user is selected. In the example shown in FIG. 31, the priority of "arbitrary designation priority" is set to "1", the priority of "implementation hit rate priority" is set to "2", and the priority of "free buffer priority" is set to "3". The second priority condition is not limited to one in which the priority is set, and may be one selected alternatively.

[0255] Then, the control unit 21 executes a device selection process for selecting the tablet packaging device 4 that executes the packaging process corresponding to each of the prescription data based on at least one of the contents of the prescription data and the contents of the packaging process and the selection setting information D11. Note that the control unit 21 when executing the device selection process is an example of a selection processing unit. Here, Fig. 32 is a flowchart showing an example of the device selection process. The control unit 21 executes the device selection process for prescription data that requires the packaging process using the tablet packaging device 4 among the prescription data.

[0256] <Step S51> First, in step S51, the control unit 21 judges whether or not at least one of the contents of the prescription data and the contents of the packaging process satisfies any of the first priority conditions. If the control unit 21 judges that any of the first priority conditions is satisfied, the control unit 21 shifts the process to step S511, and if the control unit 21 judges that all of the first priority conditions are not satisfied, the control unit 21 shifts the process to step S52.

[0257] Here, the first priority conditions, "DTA hit priority" and "high risk drug priority", are set to be valid. Therefore, when the manual preparation unit 42 is used in the packaging process for the prescription data, or when the drug to be packaged is a high risk drug, it is determined that the first priority condition is met.

[0258] <Step S511> In step S511, the control unit 21 selects the first tablet packaging device 401 capable of executing the image inspection processing as the tablet packaging device 4 that executes the packaging processing based on the prescription data, and transmits the prescription data to the selected tablet packaging device 4. That is, when at least one of the first priority conditions is satisfied, the first tablet packaging device 401 is selected. Therefore, when it is desirable to execute the image inspection processing, it becomes possible to execute the packaging processing using the first tablet packaging device 401.

[0259] <Step S52> If it is determined in step S51 that the first priority condition is not satisfied, the tablet packaging device 4 is selected in accordance with the second priority condition in the subsequent steps S52-53. Specifically, in step S52, the control unit 21 adds 1 to the value of a counter N used to identify the priority value of the second priority condition. The initial value of the counter N is 0, and is reset to 0 at the start or end of the device selection process.

[0260] <Step S53> In step S53, the control unit 21 determines whether or not any of the tablet packaging devices 4 can be selected based on the second priority condition of counter N, which is a preset priority value among the second priority conditions. For example, when there is only one tablet packaging device 4 that meets the second priority condition, the control unit 21 determines that the tablet packaging device 4 is selectable. Here, when the control unit 21 determines that the tablet packaging device 4 is selectable (S53: Yes), it transitions the process to step S54, and when it determines that the tablet packaging device 4 is not selectable (S53: No), it returns the process to step S52.

[0261] Note that even if the value of counter N is the same as the number of the second priority conditions (here, "3"), if it is determined that the tablet packaging device 4 is not selectable, it is considered that a specific tablet packaging device 4 set in advance is selected from the tablet packaging devices 4. Also, if the value of counter N is the same as the number of the second priority conditions, if it is determined that the tablet packaging device 4 is not selectable, it is considered that the tablet packaging device 4 with the maximum or minimum tablet packaging device number is selected from the tablet packaging devices 4.

[0262] <Step S54> In step S54, the control unit 21 selects the tablet packaging device 4 that will execute the packaging process based on the second priority condition, whose priority is the value of counter N, and transmits the prescription data to the selected tablet packaging device 4. As a result, the packaging process is executed by the tablet packaging device 4 selected in accordance with the priority of the second priority condition.

[0263] Also, in the step S54, it is also conceivable that the first tablet packaging device 401 is not selected. That is, in the step S54, it is conceivable that the control unit 21 selects one of the second tablet packaging devices 402 based on the second priority condition in which the priority is the value of the counter N. As a result, when all of the first priority conditions are not satisfied, the second tablet packaging device 402 in which the image inspection process is not executed is used, and the dispensing process based on the prescription data is quickly performed.

[0264] In the image inspection process, the result of the packaging process is inspected for suitability by judging whether the result of the packaging process is appropriate or not by judging whether the type of each tablet matches the type of tablet included in the prescription data based on the image taken by the camera 462 or the camera 463 before the tablets are packaged in the medicine bag 451. That is, in the image inspection process, the suitability of the medicine bag 451 obtained as the result of the packaging process is judged by judging whether the tablets before being packaged in the medicine bag 451 were appropriate or not. On the other hand, the image inspection process is not limited to this, and for example, a photographing unit that photographs the medicine bag 451 after the tablets are packaged in the medicine bag 451 may be provided, and it may be judged whether the result of the comparison between the type of each tablet and the type of tablet included in the prescription data matches based on the photographed image taken by the photographing unit. Furthermore, in the image inspection process, it may be judged whether the result of the comparison between the number of each tablet and the number of tablets included in the prescription data matches based on the photographed image of the tablet. In other words, the image inspection process may be any process that determines whether or not some or all of the steps in the packaging process have been performed appropriately based on a captured image of the tablet or the medicine bag 451.

[0265] [Inspection record function] Incidentally, when the packaging process is performed by the first tablet packaging device 401, the automatic inspection process is performed by the first tablet packaging device 401, so the burden of the inspection work of the packaging process by the pharmacist is reduced. However, even when either the first tablet packaging device 401 or the second tablet packaging device 402 is selected by the device selection function to perform the packaging process, the pharmacist cannot see the medicine package 451 and recognize whether the medicine package 451 has been processed by the first tablet packaging device 401 or not.

[0266] Therefore, it is considered that the tablet packaging device 4 has an inspection recording function for recording whether or not the image inspection process has been performed as the automatic inspection process on the first or last medicine package 451 of a series of medicine packages 451 dispensed in the packaging process. For example, as shown in FIG. 2, it is considered that the first tablet packaging device 401 is provided with a stamp unit 454 capable of recording whether or not the image inspection process has been performed on the medicine package 451 after the packaging process, separate from the printing unit 453. The stamp unit 454 is capable of recording inspection information such as characters or images indicating that the image inspection process has been performed on the medicine package 451 by stamping. For example, as shown in FIG. 33A and FIG. 33B, the inspection information includes a character string "Automatic check target" indicating that the image inspection process is a check target, or "CH" which is the initial letter of CHECK indicating that the image inspection process has been checked.

[0267] Furthermore, the stamp unit 454 may be provided with a stamp for recording "Automatic Check Target" or "CH" as described above, and a stamp for recording "NG" as the inspection information on the medicine package 45 as shown in FIG. 33C. If the result of the image inspection process is OK, "Automatic Check Target" or "CH" is recorded on the medicine package 451 as described above, and if the result of the image inspection process is an error, "NG" is recorded on the medicine package 451 as the inspection information. The fact that the image inspection process has not been performed is indicated by the fact that the inspection information such as "Automatic Check Target", "CH", or "NG" is not recorded on the medicine package 451.

[0268] The control unit 40 may also use the printing unit 453 to print "Automatic check target" or "CH" on the medicine package 451 as information indicating whether or not the medicine package 451 is a target for the image inspection process. Furthermore, a configuration may be considered in which the image inspection process for the tablets already packaged in the medicine package 451 is completed at the timing when the printing unit 453 can record the inspection information on the medicine package 451. In this case, the control unit 40 may use the printing unit 453 to print "Automatic check target" or "CH" on the medicine package 451 as the inspection information when the result of the image inspection process is OK, and print "NG" as the inspection information when the result of the image inspection process is an error.

[0269] [Second embodiment] Next, an inspection support system 1 according to a second embodiment of the present invention will be described. Note that configurations not described here are the same as those of the first embodiment. In the following, an example of the procedure of the automatic inspection process executed by the tablet packaging device 4 in the inspection support system 1 according to this embodiment will be described, and then other display examples in the inspection support process executed by the server 2 will be described.

[0270] [Automatic inspection function] As described above, the tablet packaging device 4 has an automatic inspection function for executing the automatic inspection process for determining the suitability of the tablets contained in the medicine package 451 packaged in the packaging process. Here, a specific example of the automatic inspection process will be described.

[0271] First, when the packaging process based on the prescription data is executed by the control unit 40, the tablets are photographed by the cameras 461 to 467 of the photographing unit 46. When the packaging process is executed, the control unit 40 counts the number of tablets detected by the passage detection sensor 475 of the passage detection unit 47 for each medicine package 451. The control unit 40 when counting the number of tablets is an example of a tablet number detection unit. Then, when the packaging process is completed, the control unit 40 executes the automatic inspection process according to the processing procedure shown in FIG. 34, for example, to determine whether the tablets contained in each medicine package 451 packaged by the packaging process are appropriate. The automatic inspection process is executed for each medicine package 451. The control unit 40 may execute the automatic inspection process and the packaging process in parallel.

[0272] <Step S61> First, in step S61, the control unit 40 judges whether or not it is necessary to execute the image inspection process, and if it is judged that it is necessary to execute the image inspection process (S61: Yes), the control unit 40 transitions to step S62. For example, the control unit 40 judges whether or not to execute the image inspection process according to the current inspection mode (any of the first inspection mode to the third inspection mode) that is switched by the inspection mode switching function. Note that if the image inspection process is always executed by the tablet packaging device 4, step S61 is omitted.

[0273] <Step S62> Then, in steps S62 to S65, the control unit 40 executes an image inspection process to compare tablet identification information obtained from the captured image for each tablet contained in the medicine bag 451 with tablet identification information included in the prescription data.

[0274] More specifically, the control unit 40 judges whether the shape of the tablet matches the shape of the tablet registered in the medicine master in association with the tablet included in the prescription data. Then, the control unit 40 judges that the matching result is a mismatch if the shapes of the tablets do not match. On the other hand, if the shapes of the tablets match, the control unit 40 executes an image inspection process to acquire identification information of the tablet from the captured image and match the identification information with the identification information of the tablet registered in the medicine master in association with the tablet included in the prescription data. Here, the control unit 40 when executing such a process is an example of an image inspection processing unit. For example, in the image inspection process, the control unit 40 extracts an image of the tablet including the identification information of the tablet from the captured image, and executes a matching process between the image of the tablet in the captured image and the image of the identification information of the tablet in the normal image. Also, the characters of the identification information may be recognized from the captured image by a well-known character recognition process (OCR), and matching may be performed using the characters of the identification information. As described above, when the tablet is a flat tablet having a front and back surface, the control unit 40 identifies the captured images f4 and f8 corresponding to the front and back surfaces of the tablet as shown in Fig. 24A, and acquires the identification information from the captured images f4 and f8. When the tablet is a capsule tablet, the control unit 40 acquires the identification information from the left and right capsule pieces of the capsule tablet.

[0275] <Step S63> In step S63, if the comparison result in step S62 is a match (S63: Yes), the control unit 40 shifts the process to step S64, and if the comparison result is a mismatch (S63: No), the control unit 40 shifts the process to step S631.

[0276] <Step S64> In step S64, the control unit 40 records in the storage unit 49 that the inspection result of the tablet in the prescription data is proper. That is, the control unit 40 determines that the inspection result of the image inspection process is proper when the shape and identification information of the tablet match the shape and identification information of the tablet registered in the medicine master.

[0277] <Step S631> In step S631, the control unit 40 judges whether or not a type of other tablet not included in the prescription data is detected as the type of the tablet. For example, if the type of the tablet is not detected, there may be a defect in the identification information attached to the tablet. In addition, since the image inspection process cannot be performed on a tablet to which the identification information is not attached, the type of the other tablet will not be detected even if the identification information is not attached to the tablet. On the other hand, if the type of the other tablet is detected, the tablet is obviously incorrect. Therefore, in step S631, if the type of the other tablet is detected (S631: Yes), the process proceeds to step S632, and if the type of the other tablet is not detected (S631: No), the process proceeds to step S633. For tablets to which the identification information is not attached, it is judged whether the appearance of the tablet, such as the shape, size, and color, registered in the pharmaceutical master is consistent, and if the appearance is consistent, the process proceeds to step S632, and if the appearance is inconsistent, the process proceeds to step S633. In addition, when a matching process is executed in step S62, in step S631, it is determined whether the degree of match (matching rate) obtained as a result of the matching process is less than a predetermined threshold, and if it is less than the threshold, the process proceeds to step S632.

[0278] <Step S632> Then, in step S632, the control unit 40 records the fact that the inspection result of the image inspection process for the tablet is an error in the storage unit 49. That is, the control unit 40 determines that the inspection result of the image inspection process is an error when the identification information of the tablet is clearly different from the identification information of the tablet registered in the medicine master.

[0279] <Step S633> On the other hand, in step S633, the control unit 40 records in the storage unit 49 as the inspection result of the tablet that the inspection result of the image inspection process for the tablet may be inappropriate and that a visual check is necessary. That is, the control unit 40 determines that the inspection result of the image inspection process requires checking unless the identification information of the tablet is clearly different from the identification information of the tablet registered in the pharmaceutical master. Note that, in the image inspection process, even if the degree of agreement in the collation result of the identification information of the tablet is equal to or less than a predetermined value set in advance, it is considered that the inspection result of the image inspection process requires checking.

[0280] <Step S65> Next, in step S65, if the control unit 40 determines that the image inspection process has been completed for all tablets in the medicine bag 451 (S65: Yes), it transitions the process to step S66, and if not completed (S65: No), it returns the process to step S62.

[0281] <Step S66> In step S66, the control unit 40 executes a counting inspection process to determine whether or not the number of tablets detected by the passage detection sensor 475 in the packaging process matches the number of tablets to be packaged in the medicine bag 451 in the prescription data. Specifically, the passage detection sensor 475 (see FIG. 2) is disposed downstream of the position where the tablets are photographed by the cameras 462 and 463, and at a position where the tablets can be detected before the tablets are contained in the medicine bag 451. Thereby, in the counting inspection process, the appropriateness of the number of tablets counted at least downstream of the position where the tablets are photographed until the medicine bag 451 is sealed is determined. Here, the control unit 40 when executing the counting inspection process is an example of a counting inspection processing unit.

[0282] <Step S67> In step S67, if the comparison result in step S66 is a match (S67: Yes), the control unit 40 shifts the process to step S68, and if the comparison result is a mismatch (S67: No), the control unit 40 shifts the process to step S671.

[0283] <Step S68> In step S68, the control unit 40 records in the memory unit 49 a record indicating that the inspection result of the counting inspection process for the tablet is appropriate, in association with the tablet that was the subject of comparison in step S66.

[0284] <Step S671> In step S671, the control unit 40 records in the memory unit 49 a message indicating that the inspection result of the counting inspection process for the tablet is an error, in association with the tablet that was the subject of comparison in step S66.

[0285] In this way, when the execution of the image inspection process is set to enabled, in the automatic inspection process, both the image inspection process and the counting inspection process are executed, and if the results of both inspections are correct, the inspection result of the automatic inspection process is judged to be correct, and if either of the inspection results is an error, the inspection result of the automatic inspection process is determined to be an error.

[0286] Then, when the automatic inspection process has been executed for all of the tablets in the medicine package 451 packaged in the packaging process, the control unit 40 transmits the result of the image inspection process together with the photographed images to the server 2. The number of tablets used in the counting inspection process is also transmitted to the server 2 by the control unit 40. This makes it possible for the server 2 to display the result of the image inspection process, the result of the counting inspection process, the photographed images, and the like as necessary in the inspection support process executed by the control unit 21.

[0287] [Display example for audit support processing] Specifically, in the audit support process (see FIG. 7) executed by the control unit 21, various display screens are displayed as described above. Here, other examples of the various display screens displayed in the audit support process will be described.

[0288] 35A, 36, and 37A are diagrams showing an audit detail screen D303, which is another example of the audit detail screen D302 (see Figs. 19 and 20). Specifically, Fig. 35A is a display example when the audit result by the automatic audit process is appropriate, Fig. 36 is a display example when the audit result by the automatic audit process is erroneous, and Fig. 37A is a display example when the audit result by the automatic audit process requires checking.

[0289] As shown in Fig. 35A, when the inspection result by the automatic inspection process is appropriate, "Waiting for approval" is displayed in the inspection result area A313 of the inspection details screen D303 as the inspection result of the automatic inspection process. Also, in the inspection details screen D303, the result display field A323 showing the result of the automatic inspection process for each tablet in the dispensing details area A322 is blank. Furthermore, the inspection details screen D303 displays an approval key K311 for approving the displayed inspection result.

[0290] When the approval key K311 is operated on the inspection details screen D303, the control unit 21 accepts approval of the inspection result of the automatic inspection process and stores it in association with the prescription data. Also, as shown in FIG. 35B, the control unit 21 displays "approval OK" as the inspection result of the automatic inspection process in the inspection result area A313 on the inspection details screen D303. Furthermore, as shown in FIG. 35B, the control unit 21 displays "○" indicating that the inspection result of the automatic inspection process is appropriate in the result display field A321 on the inspection details screen D303. Note that, as shown in FIG. 35B, when the inspection result by the automatic inspection process is "approval OK", the approval key K311 is displayed as being inoperable by being grayed out or the like.

[0291] On the other hand, as shown in FIG. 36, when the inspection result by the automatic inspection process is an error, "NG" is displayed in the inspection result area A313 of the inspection details screen D303, indicating that the inspection result of the automatic inspection process is an error. Also, as shown in FIG. 37A, when the inspection result by the automatic inspection process is a check required, "CHECK" is displayed in the inspection result area A313 of the inspection details screen D303, indicating that the inspection result of the automatic inspection process is a check required. In particular, when the control unit 21 cannot obtain the identification information of the tablet in the image inspection process, that is, when there is no character printing or engraving on the tablet like the tablet "Tick Tack" shown in FIG. 37B, it displays that all the medicine packages 451 containing the tablets are check required. In addition, if the inspection result of the automatic inspection process indicates that checking is required, it is possible to operate the approval key K311 as shown in Figures 37A and 37B. However, if the inspection result of the automatic inspection process indicates an error, the approval key K311 becomes inoperable, for example by being grayed out, as shown in Figure 36.

[0292] Furthermore, operation keys K312 to K314 are displayed on the inspection details screen D303. The operation key K312 is an operation key for re-executing the packaging process for one or more of the medicine packages 451. When the reissue key K312 is operated, the control unit 21 displays a reissue operation screen D304 for setting a method for re-executing the packaging process. Here, FIG. 38 is a diagram showing an example of the reissue operation screen D304.

[0293] As shown in FIG. 38, in the reissue operation screen D304, "all packages", "only CHECK packages", "only NG packages", "CHECK, NG packages", and "designated packages" can be selected as targets for re-execution of the packaging process. When "all packages" is selected, all of the medicine packages 451 are targeted, and when "only CHECK packages" is selected, only the medicine packages 451 whose inspection results require checking are targeted. When "only NG packages" is selected, the medicine packages 451 whose inspection results are errors are targeted, and when "CHECK, NG packages" is selected, the medicine packages 451 whose inspection results are errors and the medicine packages 451 whose inspection results require checking are targeted. Furthermore, in "designated packages", the medicine packages 451 whose inspection results are errors and the medicine packages 451 whose inspection results require checking can be arbitrarily specified, for example, consecutive or individual specification is possible. As described below, if the drug package 451 to be the target of re-executing the packaging process has already been specified on another screen, identification information such as the drug package number of the specified drug package 451 is displayed in the input field for the specified package.

[0294] A reissue key K315 for starting execution of reissue is displayed on the reissue operation screen D304, and the control unit 21 transmits, in response to operation of the reissue key K315, a control instruction for re-executing the packaging process of the specified medicine package 451 to the tablet packaging device 4. As a result, in the tablet packaging device 4, the packaging process of the medicine package 451 specified on the reissue operation screen D304 is re-executed in accordance with the control instruction.

[0295] The operation key K313 is an operation key for displaying the manual preparation confirmation screen D5. The operation key K313 is operable when the manual preparation unit 42 is used in the packaging process, and is inoperable by being grayed out or the like when the manual preparation unit 42 is not used in the packaging process. When the operation key K313 is operated, the control unit 21 displays the manual preparation confirmation screen D5 (see FIG. 14) on which the manual preparation image is displayed.

[0296] The operation key K314 is an operation unit for changing the display size of the list display of the inspection results on the inspection details screen D303. When the display size is changed by operating the operation key K314, the control unit 21 changes the number of the drug packages 451 displayed simultaneously on the inspection details screen D303. The operation key K314 allows the user to arbitrarily select four display sizes, namely, "large", "medium", "small", and "extra small". This allows the user to select a display mode according to the purpose, such as enlarging and checking each captured image or grasping the overall result of the automatic inspection process, when referring to the result of the automatic inspection process.

[0297] As described above, when a photographed image of a specific tablet in a specific medicine bag 451 is selected on the inspection details screen D303, the control unit 21 displays the enlarged screen D34 corresponding to the tablet. Here, in Figs. 39A and 39B, an enlarged screen D341 is shown as another example of the enlarged screen D34. As shown in Figs. 39A and 39B, the enlarged screen D341 displays the enlarged image P342 corresponding to the normal image and the enlarged image P343 of the photographed image corresponding to the selected tablet side by side. The control unit 21 may display the enlarged screen D34 only for photographed images of tablets whose inspection results in the automatic inspection process are an error or require check, but may be capable of displaying the enlarged screen D34 for photographed images of all tablets.

[0298] In addition, the control unit 21 can display the enlarged image P343 displayed on the enlarged screen D341 by sequentially switching between a plurality of captured images corresponding to the tablet at a predetermined interval, as shown in, for example, Figs. 39A and 39B. More specifically, when the enlarged screen D341 is displayed, the control unit 21 starts switching the enlarged image P343. This allows the user to judge the suitability of the tablet by referring to a plurality of captured images obtained by capturing the outer periphery of the tablet from different angles.

[0299] Then, operation keys K361 to K364 are displayed on the enlarged screen D341. When the operation key K361 is operated, the control unit 21 suspends the automatic switching of the enlarged image P343, and when the operation key K361 is operated again, the control unit 21 resumes the automatic switching of the enlarged image P343. Note that it is also conceivable that the control unit 21 may start the automatic switching of the enlarged image P343 in response to the operation of the operation key K361 after the enlarged screen D341 is displayed.

[0300] In addition, when the operation key K362 is operated in a case where the inspection result of the automatic inspection process of the displayed tablet is a check required or an error, the control unit 21 records that the tablet is judged to be proper by visual confirmation as the inspection result of the tablet. Furthermore, when the operation key K363 is operated, the control unit 21 selects and records the medicine bag 451 in which the displayed tablet is contained as the object of the reissue. Here, for the tablet or the medicine bag 451 selected as the object of the reissue, additional information A324 such as characters or a design indicating that it is the object of the reissue may be displayed in association with the tablet or the medicine bag 451 on the inspection details screen D303 as shown in FIG.

[0301] Furthermore, when the operation key K364 is operated, the control unit 21 records that a procedure such as manually replacing tablets contained in the medicine packet 451 including the displayed tablet will be executed. In this case, as shown in Fig. 37A, it is considered that additional information A325 such as characters or a design indicating that the tablet is the target of the manual procedure will be displayed in association with the tablet selected as the target of the manual procedure on the inspection details screen D303.

[0302] Furthermore, when the inspection result of the automatic inspection process for the tablet displayed on the enlarged screen D341 indicates that check is required, the control unit 21 may display a similar drug list P361 on the enlarged screen D341, which shows information on one or more types of tablets whose identification information is similar to that of the tablet, as shown in FIG. 40. If the tablet displayed on the enlarged screen D341 does not have identification information, the control unit 21 displays information on one or more types of tablets whose shape is similar to that of the tablet in the similar drug list P361. In this way, by displaying the similar drug list P361, the user can easily determine whether the tablet is appropriate by referring to the similar drug list P361. As shown in FIG. 40, the operation key K362 may include an operation key that simultaneously accepts an operation of switching the tablets to be displayed on the enlarged screen D341 back and forth in sequence and an operation of inputting that the tablets are appropriate by visual confirmation.

[0303] Incidentally, as shown in FIG. 36 and FIG. 37A, when the inspection result of the automatic inspection process includes an error or a check required, the control unit 21 displays both tablets whose inspection result of the automatic inspection process is OK and tablets whose inspection result is an error or a check required on the inspection details screen D303. On the other hand, as shown in FIG. 41, when the inspection result of the automatic inspection process includes an error or a check required, the control unit 21 may display only tablets whose inspection result of the automatic inspection process is an error or a check required on the inspection details screen D303. That is, the display of tablets whose inspection result of the automatic inspection process is appropriate is omitted. This allows the user to easily grasp only the inspection results that need to be confirmed, and the confirmation work of the inspection result of the automatic inspection process is made more efficient. In addition, if an error tablet is included as an inspection result of the automatic inspection process, "NG" is displayed in the inspection result area A313, and if an error tablet is not included as an inspection result of the automatic inspection process but a tablet that needs to be checked is included, "CHECK" is displayed in the inspection result area A313. Also, as shown in FIG. 37A, the result display field A323 corresponding to the tablet whose inspection result is a check-required tablet displays a "△" mark indicating that it needs to be checked. In addition, the result display field A323 corresponding to the tablet whose inspection result is an error displays an "X" mark indicating that it is an error, and the result display field A323 corresponding to the tablet whose inspection result is correct displays an "○" mark indicating that it is correct.

[0304] Also, the inspection details screen D303 shown in Figures 35A, 36, and 37A displays the image inspection process. In response to this, the control unit 21 may display an inspection details screen D305 in which the inspection results of the image inspection process and the counting inspection process are both displayed, instead of the inspection details screen D303. Here, Figures 42A and 42B are diagrams showing an example of the inspection details screen D305.

[0305] Specifically, in the inspection details screen D305 shown in Figures 42A and 42B, the counting inspection process is executed for all medicine packages 451 by the automatic inspection process, and the image inspection process is executed only for the first medicine package 451 for each administration period, and the inspection results are displayed in the first array (see Figure 27). In the inspection details screen D305, a part or all of the image inspection process is omitted, and a "number mode" indicating that the counting inspection process is being executed is displayed in the display area A327.

[0306] In particular, in the inspection details screen D305 shown in FIG. 42A, the control unit 21 displays the captured image used in the image inspection process for only the first medicine package 451 for each administration period. That is, for tablets in the medicine package 451 for which the image inspection process has not been executed, images are captured by the cameras 462 and 463, but the captured images of the tablets are not displayed. This allows the user to easily understand whether the image inspection process has been executed. The captured image used in the image inspection process is an image that has been actually cropped to extract the area of ​​the tablet from the captured image captured by the cameras 462 and 463.

[0307] In addition, in the inspection details screen D305 shown in Fig. 42B, the control unit 21 displays the captured image used in the image inspection process for the first medicine package 451 for each administration period. On the other hand, for tablets for which the image inspection process has not been executed, the control unit 21 displays the captured image that was actually captured by the cameras 462 and 463 and was not cropped when the image inspection process was executed. This allows the user to easily understand whether the image inspection process has been executed or not.

[0308] Meanwhile, since the count inspection process has been executed for all the medicine packages 451, the control unit 21 displays in the tablet number display area A326 on the inspection details screen D305 the number of tablets used in the count inspection process for each of the medicine packages 451. This allows the user to easily understand that there is no problem with the number of tablets detected in the count inspection process.

[0309] The control unit 21 can also display the inspection results of the image inspection process and the tablet number inspection process on the inspection details screen D305. Specifically, when an error occurs in the image inspection process, the background of the captured image of the tablet in which the error occurs is displayed in the sixth specific color, such as red, indicating that the result of the automatic inspection process is an error. When an error occurs in the counting inspection process, the medicine package 451 in which the error occurs is displayed in the sixth specific color, such as red, indicating that the background of the display area of ​​the tablet number is an error.

[0310] Incidentally, if the tablet packaging device 4 is provided with a camera for photographing the medicine package 451 after the tablets have been packaged in the packaging unit 45, it is also possible that the control unit 21 displays the photographed image after packaging taken by the camera on the detail screen D305. For example, the photographed images after packaging are displayed in a line below the tablet count display area A326.

[0311] [Backwardness detection function] In the tablet packaging device 4, for example, when a plurality of tablets are packaged in the medicine package 451 in the packaging process executed by the packaging unit 45, there is a risk of some of the tablets being packaged in a shifted position into the next medicine package 451. To address this issue, it is considered that the tablet packaging device 4 has a shift detection function for detecting the shift.

[0312] Specifically, the tablet packaging device 4 is provided with a detection unit 476 for detecting whether or not a tablet to be contained in the medicine bag 451 when the medicine bag 451 is closed is present downstream of the medicine bag 451 to be closed. Then, the control unit 40 detects a backward shift of the tablet to be contained in the medicine bag 451 based on the detection result by the detection unit 476. Hereinafter, the backward shift detection function will be described with reference to Figs. 43 to 52.

[0313] As shown in FIG. 43, the packaging unit 45 is provided below the rotating unit 44, and can package tablets M dispensed from the rotating unit 44 one package at a time. The packaging unit 45 has a packaging paper supply section 450A and a packaging mechanism 450B. The packaging paper supply section 450A is a mechanism that pays out packaging paper S wound around a roll shaft 450C and sends it to the packaging mechanism 450B side. The packaging paper S is a sheet-like, long, heat-sealable sheet that is folded in half in the short direction and wound around the roll shaft 450C. The packaging mechanism 450B has a sheet support section 450D, a guide member 450E, and a sealing device 450F. The packaging mechanism 450B can package the medicine M supplied from the rotating unit 44 side by crimping the packaging paper S sent from the packaging paper supply section 450A to form a bag shape.

[0314] More specifically, the guide member 450E functions as a guide for guiding the packet paper S sent from the packet paper supply unit 42. The sealing device 50 can crimp a portion of one end (downstream side) in the longitudinal direction of the packet paper S that has been supplied while being guided by the guide member 44b to form a half-bag shape, or can crimp and close an open portion of the packet paper S that has become a half-bag shape to form a bag shape. More specifically, by crimping the packet paper S with the sealing device 50, a medicine package 451 containing a medicine M can be formed as shown in FIG. 47. The sealing device 450F forms a vertical seal (first vertical seal AS1 or second vertical seal AS3) that closes the downstream portion of the packet paper S in the traveling direction in the medicine package 451 to be created in the short direction of the packet paper S, and also forms a horizontal seal WS2. As a result, a half-bag-shaped packet paper S (medicine package 451) having an open portion on the upstream portion of the traveling direction of the packet paper S is formed. In this state, after the medicine M is poured into the half-bag-shaped packaging paper S (medicine package 451), the open portion is closed by the sealing device 450F. In other words, if a portion of the horizontal seal WS2 is unsealed, the unsealed portion is closed by the sealing device 450F, and a vertical seal (second vertical seal AS3) that closes the width direction of the packaging paper S on the upstream side in the traveling direction of the packaging paper S is formed and sealed.

[0315] As shown in Fig. 44, the sealing device 450F is mainly composed of a pair of roller frames 450a, 450b. In the sealing device 450F, a protective cover 450c is provided on the roller frame 50a side, but when the protective cover 450c is removed, the roller frames 50a, 50b are butted against each other and are substantially symmetrical as shown in Fig. 45.

[0316] As shown in FIG. 45 and other figures, roller frames 450a and 450b are formed of metal frames that are substantially U-shaped (gate-shaped) when viewed from the front. Roller frames 450a and 450b are provided with a vertically extending support shaft 450d, to which vertical seal member 450e and horizontal seal member 450f are attached. Vertical seal member 450e and horizontal seal member 450f are attached so as to be rotatable about support shaft 450d. Vertical seal member 450e and horizontal seal member 450f are connected to separate power sources (not shown) via separate power transmission mechanisms (not shown), and are rotatable independently of each other. The bag length of drug package 451 can be changed by changing the rotation speed of vertical seal member 450e and horizontal seal member 450f.

[0317] The vertical seal member 450e is made of metal, and as shown in FIG. 45, has a substantially linear shape in front view. As shown in FIG. 46, the vertical seal member 450e has a disk-shaped lower end 450i and a plate-shaped heating section 450k. The heating section 450k is located between the upper end 450g and the lower end 450i of the horizontal seal member 450f described later, and is substantially perpendicular to both. On both sides of the heating section 450k, a heater 450h and a cut line forming section 450j are linearly arranged from the upper end 450g side toward the lower end 450i side. The heaters 450h, 450h are capable of thermally fusing the packaging paper S. Therefore, by rotating the vertical seal members 450e, 450e arranged in parallel and passing the packaging paper S folded in half between them, a seal (vertical seal) extending in the short direction of the packaging paper S can be formed.

[0318] Further, the cut line forming section 450j is capable of forming perforations in the packing paper S. In this embodiment, the cut line forming section 450j on the roller frame 450b side is configured with a cutter for forming perforations, and the cut line forming section 450j on the roller frame 450a side is configured with a receiving blade provided corresponding to the cutter.

[0319] As shown in Fig. 45, horizontal seal member 450f includes upper end portion 450g and heater 450m described above. Upper end portion 450g is a disk-shaped member provided above heating portion 450k of vertical seal member 450e. Heater 450m is provided around the entire outer periphery of upper end portion 450g. Therefore, by rotating horizontal seal members 450f, 450f arranged in parallel and passing the folded packing paper S between upper end portions 450g, 450g, a seal (horizontal seal) extending in the longitudinal direction of packing paper S can be formed.

[0320] 45, in sealing device 450F, vertical seal members 450e, 450e and horizontal seal members 450f, 450f are arranged substantially parallel with a predetermined clearance in a substantially square-shaped (rectangular) area surrounded by roller frames 450a, 450b. Sealing device 450F can form medicine package 451 by rotating vertical seal members 450e, 450e and horizontal seal members 450f, 450f and passing packaging paper S through the clearance to form horizontal and vertical seals.

[0321] As shown in FIG. 48, the rotating unit 44 is provided with a medicine introduction section 80 for supplying tablets M individually dispensed from the rotating unit 44 to the packaging unit 45. The medicine introduction section 80 may be any one capable of supplying tablets M into the packaging paper S, but in this embodiment, it is configured by a hopper. As shown in FIG. 48 and FIG. 49, the medicine introduction section 80 is inserted into an open portion of an unsealed medicine package 451 formed of the packaging paper S by the sealing device 450F, and can introduce tablets M into the medicine package 451. Specifically, the medicine introduction section 80 is arranged so that a base end faces the rotating unit 44 side and a tip end is inserted into an unsealed medicine package 451 being formed by the sealing device 450F. That is, the medicine introduction section 80 is inserted inside the packaging paper S folded in half on the upstream side of the conveying direction of the packaging paper S with respect to the sealing device 450F.

[0322] In addition, in the tablet packaging device 4, the medicine bag 451 contained in the medicine bag 451 may be affected by the heat from the heaters 450h and 450m. Therefore, as shown in FIG. 49, the tablet packaging device 4 is provided with a blower fan 51 capable of blowing air to the packaging paper S at a position where the tablets are supplied from the medicine introduction section 80 to the packaging paper S. As a result, the packaging paper S is cooled by the air blown from the blower fan 51, and the influence of the heat from the heaters 450h and 450m is suppressed. Specifically, as shown in FIG. 49, the blower fan 51 is disposed above the passage path of the packaging paper S, and can blow air from the opening of the packaging paper S to the inside of the packaging paper S. In addition, the blower fan 51 may be disposed at a position where it can blow air from other directions, such as below the passage path of the packaging paper S.

[0323] As shown in FIG. 48 and FIG. 49, the packaging unit 45 is provided with a detection unit 476 that detects the presence of the tablet M in the introduction path of the tablet M by the medicine introduction unit 80. As shown in FIG. 48, the detection unit 476 includes a camera 476a and an illumination device 476b that can capture an image of the introduction path of the tablet M by the medicine introduction unit 80. The camera 476a is disposed so as to be able to capture (detect) an image of the inside of the packaging paper S upstream of the sealing device 450F in the conveying direction of the packaging paper S. In this embodiment, the camera 476a is disposed from the base end side toward the tip end side of the medicine introduction unit 80. As described above, the medicine introduction unit 80 is located upstream of the sealing device 450F. Therefore, the camera 476a is disposed so as to be able to capture (detect) an image of an area upstream of the sealing device 450F in the conveying direction of the packaging paper S. The illumination device 476b includes a light source such as a light-emitting diode or a light bulb. The lighting device 476b is disposed so as to be able to illuminate the internal region of the drug introduction section 80 from the base end side to the tip end side of the drug introduction section 80, similar to the camera 476a. The control section 40 stores the image captured by the camera 476a in the storage section 22 and also transmits it to the server 2.

[0324] In the tablet packaging device 4, the control unit 40 is able to determine, based on the detection data input from the detection unit 476, that a packaging failure has occurred due to the tablets M overflowing from the medicine packet 451 in which the tablets M should be packaged.

[0325] Next, there will be described a method for forming medicine bag 451 by sealing device 450F in tablet packaging device 4, and a method for determining packaging defects performed in the process of forming medicine bag 451. In the following explanation, first, the method for forming medicine bag 451 will be outlined with reference to Figure 51, and then a subroutine for the process of forming the second vertical seal will be explained with reference to Figure 52.

[0326] [About the formation method of the drug pack 451] Control unit 40 forms medicine package 451 in accordance with the control flow shown in Fig. 51. Specific operations and controls will be described below with reference to Fig. 51.

[0327] <Step S71> When forming the medicine package 451, first in step S71, a vertical seal (hereinafter also referred to as a "first vertical seal AS1") for closing the upstream end of the medicine package 451 is formed by vertical seal members 450e, 450e at the leading position in the traveling direction of the packaging paper S (see FIG. 47). Thereafter, the control flow proceeds to step S72.

[0328] <Step S72> In step S72, a horizontal seal WS2 (see FIG. 47) is formed to close the end of the packaging paper S, which is supplied folded in half, on the opposite side to the fold. Specifically, the horizontal seal members 450f, 450f are rotated and the packaging paper S is passed between them to form the horizontal seal.

[0329] <Step S73> In step S73, it is confirmed whether or not the horizontal seal WS2 has been formed until the packaging paper S reaches a position (sealing position) where the medicine package 451 is to be sealed. If it is determined that the horizontal seal WS2 has reached the sealing position (step S73: YES), the control flow proceeds to step S74, and if it is determined that the sealing position has not been reached (step S73: NO), the control flow returns to step S72.

[0330] <Step S74> In step S74, a vertical seal (hereinafter also referred to as "second vertical seal AS3") for closing the end of the medicine packet 451 downstream in the traveling direction of the packaging paper S is formed in accordance with a subroutine of FIG. 52, which will be described in detail later. Here, the second vertical seal AS3 also functions as the first vertical seal AS1 of the medicine packet 451 to be formed next. Therefore, the second vertical seal AS3 functions as a seal forming the boundary of the medicine packet 451 that is continuously formed in the longitudinal direction of the packaging paper S. Once the second vertical seal AS3 has been formed, the control flow proceeds to step S75.

[0331] <Step S75> In step S75, it is confirmed whether the medicine package 451 sealed with the second vertical seal AS3 in step S74 is the final one. If the medicine package 451 sealed in step S74 is not the final one (step S75: NO), the control flow returns to step S72, and if it is the final one (step S75: YES), the series of control flows is completed.

[0332] [About the formation process of the second vertical seal AS3] Next, the subroutine for the step of forming the second vertical seal AS3 in step S74 described above will be described in detail with reference to FIG.

[0333] <Step S74-1> In step S74-1, in order to form the second vertical seal AS3, the vertical seal members 450e, 450e start to rotate so that the heating portions 450k, 450k are positioned opposite each other. Thereafter, the control flow proceeds to step S74-2.

[0334] <Step S74-2> In step S74-2, as shown in FIG. 6, it is confirmed whether the time (contact start timing) has been reached when the heating parts 450k, 450k of the vertical seal members 450e, 450e start to contact the packaging paper S. Here, whether the contact start timing has been reached can be confirmed by various methods. Specifically, for example, a method of providing a timer that starts timing from the timing when the rotation of the vertical seal members 450e, 450e is started in step S74-1 and confirming that a predetermined time has elapsed using this timer, a method of providing a rotation detection device capable of detecting the amount of rotation of the vertical seal members 450e, 450e and confirming that the detected amount of rotation has reached a predetermined amount, or a method of providing a detection device capable of detecting the angle or posture of the vertical seal members 450e, 450e and confirming that the angle or posture at which the heating parts 450k, 450k of the vertical seal members 450e, 450e start to contact is reached, and the like are possible methods. If it is confirmed by these methods that the contact start timing has been reached (step S74-2: YES), the control flow proceeds to step S74-3; if not (step S74-2: NO), the control flow continues at step S74-2.

[0335] <Step S74-3> In step S74-3, the rotation of the vertical seal members 450e, 450e is temporarily stopped. As a result, the vertical seal members 450e, 450e are temporarily stopped in a position where the heating parts 450k, 450k start to contact each other. After that, the control flow proceeds to step S74-4.

[0336] <Step S74-4> In step S74-4, the detection unit 476 detects the presence or absence of the tablet M in the internal region of the medicine introduction unit 80 and in the region inside the packaging paper S and upstream of the vertical seal (first vertical seal AS1 or second vertical seal AS3) already formed by the sealing device 450F in the conveying direction (sealing detection). At this time, the illumination device 450b is turned on, and the internal region of the medicine introduction unit 80 is illuminated. The detection data by the detection unit 476 is input to the control unit 40. The detection data may be any data that is effective for determining the presence or absence of the tablet M, but in this embodiment, image data taken by the camera 467a is input to the control unit 40 as the detection data. Specifically, when the tablet M is not present, an image of only the medicine introduction unit 80 is acquired as shown in FIG. 50A, and when the tablet M is present, an image containing the tablet M is acquired as shown in FIG. 50B. Such image data is input to the control unit 40 as the detection data. Thereafter, the control flow proceeds to step S74-5.

[0337] <Step S74-5> In step S74-5, the judgment unit 102 of the control unit 40 judges whether or not the tablet M is present based on the detection data (image data) acquired by the sealing detection performed in step S74-4. In this embodiment, since image data is acquired as the detection data, the judgment of whether or not the tablet M is present is performed by a method utilizing the image data such as image analysis. The judgment of whether or not the tablet M is present may be performed by any method, but for example, an image obtained by the camera 92 when the tablet M is not present may be prepared as a master image, and the presence or absence of the tablet M may be judged using the image actually obtained by the camera 476a and the master image. In addition, when the judgment is performed using the master image as described above, if the sachet paper S is reflected in the image obtained by the camera 476a, it is desirable to prepare different master images according to the type of the sachet paper S. Specifically, the sachet paper S is folded in half and supplied with two sides overlapping each other, but the sachet paper S may be transparent on both sides, or one side may be transparent but the other side may have an opaque portion (for example, a band having a color such as white). It is clear that there will be a difference in the image captured by camera 476a when the former type of packaging paper S is used and when the latter type of packaging paper S having opaque parts is used. Therefore, it is desirable to prepare a master image according to the type of packaging paper S in order to deal with the difference in the packaging paper S. After the tablet M is determined as described above, the control flow proceeds to step S74-6.

[0338] <Step S74-6> In step S74-6, it is confirmed whether or not the tablet M has been detected as a result of the judgment in step S74-5. Here, if the tablet M has not been detected (step S74-6: YES), it is assumed that the tablet M to be packaged has been packaged without leaking out of the medicine bag 451. In this case, it is judged that the tablet M has been packaged normally, and the control flow proceeds to step S74-7. On the other hand, if the tablet M has been detected (step S74-6: NO), as shown in FIG. 48, it is highly likely that the tablet M to be packaged has leaked out of the medicine bag 451 to be packaged in the previous medicine bag 451 (the medicine bag 451a on the lower side in the figure) and moved to the medicine bag 451 to be formed later (the medicine bag 451b being formed on the upper side in the figure). In this case, it is judged that a packaging failure has occurred, and the control flow proceeds to step S74-9.

[0339] <Step S74-7> In step S74-7, control is performed to resume the rotation of the vertical seal members 450e, 450e that was temporarily stopped in step S74-3. As a result, the heating parts 450k, 450k of the vertical seal members 450e, 450e begin to come into surface contact with each other, and the second vertical seal AS3 is formed.

[0340] <Step S74-8> In step S74-8, it is confirmed whether the formation of the second vertical seal AS3 is completed. If it is determined that the formation of the second vertical seal AS3 is completed (step S74-8: YES), the series of control flows is completed. On the other hand, if it is determined that the formation of the second vertical seal AS3 is not completed (step S74-8: NO), the control of step S74-8 continues.

[0341] <Step S74-9> In step S74-9, a process (processing at the time of defective packaging) is performed to deal with the fact that leakage of tablets M was confirmed in the above-mentioned step S74-6. Specifically, the process at the time of defective packaging includes a process of notifying the occurrence of the defective packaging by a sound, an image display, or a lamp lighting, etc. This completes the series of control flows shown in FIG. 52.

[0342] As described above, in the tablet packaging device 4 of this embodiment, it is determined that a packaging defect has occurred on the condition that the detection unit 476 detects the presence of the tablets M during the period from the timing when sealing of the medicine package 451 into which the tablets M have been introduced starts until the timing when the tablets M to be packaged in the next medicine package 451 are introduced. In this manner, a packaging defect caused by the tablets M overflowing from the medicine package 451 that should have been packaged can be detected with high accuracy, and the effort required for inspection can be minimized.

[0343] In addition, in the above-mentioned tablet packaging device 4, the timing when the vertical seal member 450e comes into contact with the packaging paper S to form the second vertical seal AS3 is set as the timing when sealing of the medicine package 451 into which the tablets M have been introduced begins, and at this timing, the joining of the packaging paper S by the sealing device 450F is interrupted and the tablets M are detected by the detection unit 476. This makes it possible to detect packaging defects caused by the tablets M leaking out when the medicine package 451 is sealed with even greater accuracy. Also, it is possible to prevent problems such as the tablets M leaking out of the medicine package 451 becoming caught between the vertical seal members 450e, 450e.

[0344] In the present embodiment, the timing when the vertical seal member 450e contacts the packaging paper S to form the second vertical seal AS3 is regarded as the timing when the sealing of the medicine bag 451 starts, and the tablet M is detected by the detection unit 476. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and other timing may be regarded as the timing when the sealing of the medicine bag 451 starts, and similar processing may be performed. In addition, in the present embodiment, the tablet M is detected by the detection unit 476 at the timing when the sealing of the medicine bag 451 starts, but the present invention is not limited to this, and the presence of the tablet M may be detected at any timing (for example, after sealing) within the period from the timing when the sealing of the medicine bag 451 starts to the timing when the sealing is completed. Furthermore, in the present embodiment, the sealing by the vertical seal member 450e is temporarily stopped at the timing when the tablet M is detected by the detection unit 476, but the present invention is not limited to this. Specifically, when the detection section 476 detects the presence or absence of the tablet M, the sealing by the vertical seal member 450e may not be stopped, or the seal forming speed by the vertical seal member 450e may be reduced.

[0345] In the present embodiment, in order to be able to handle medicine packages 451 of different lengths, an example is shown in which roller-shaped vertical seal members 450e, 450e and horizontal seal members 450f, 450f can be driven and controlled individually as sealing device 450F, but the present invention is not limited to this. That is, if the bag length of medicine package 451 is required to be constant, sealing device 450F may be configured so that vertical seal members 450e, 450e and horizontal seal members 450f, 450f are driven integrally.

[0346] In this embodiment, an example is shown in which the packet paper S is sandwiched and sealed using roller-shaped vertical sealing members 450e, 450e and horizontal sealing members 450f, 450f to form the medicine bag 451, but the present invention is not limited to this, and the packet paper S may be sealed in other forms and methods to form the medicine bag 451.

[0347] In addition, in this embodiment, an example is shown in which the medicine package 451 is formed by folding the packaging paper S in half and sealing the doubled portion, but the present invention is not limited to this. Specifically, the medicine package 451 may be formed by supplying two sheets of packaging paper S, overlapping and joining them.

[0348] In this embodiment, the detection unit 476 is exemplified as a detection device for detecting the tablet M by the camera 476a, but the present invention is not limited thereto, and any device capable of detecting the presence of the tablet M may be used. Specifically, the detection unit 476 may be provided with an optical sensor or an infrared sensor capable of detecting the presence or absence of the tablet M inside the packing paper S and upstream of the sealing device 450F in the conveying direction of the packing paper S. When an optical sensor or the like is used as the detection unit 476, it is preferable to take measures to obtain sufficient detection accuracy in consideration of the characteristics of these sensors. Specifically, if the detection distance of the optical sensor or the like is set short, there is a concern that the detection accuracy of the presence of a small tablet M will decrease. That is, when the size of the tablet M is small, the distance between the optical sensor or the like and the surface of the tablet M will be greater than when the size of the tablet M is large. Therefore, if the detection distance of the optical sensor or the like is set short, there is a concern that the detection accuracy of the small tablet M will decrease. On the other hand, if the detection distance of the optical sensor or the like is set long, there is a concern that the vertical seal member 450e or the like will be detected as the tablet M. Therefore, when an optical sensor or the like is employed for the detection unit 476, it is preferable to take measures such as setting the detection distance in consideration of the size of the tablets M to be handled.

[0349] Furthermore, the detection unit 476 may be disposed at any position inside the packaging paper S, as long as it is a position capable of detecting the presence of the tablet M upstream of the sealing device 450F in the transport direction of the packaging paper S. Specifically, as shown by the two-dot chain line in Figure 49, a detection unit 476X similar to the detection unit 476 may be disposed at the tip side of the medicine introduction unit 80, or a detection unit 476Y may be disposed further upstream of the medicine introduction unit 80.

[0350] Furthermore, in order to improve the detection accuracy of whether the tablets M have been accurately packaged, other sensors or the like may be provided in addition to the detection unit 476. Specifically, a drop sensor for detecting the drop of the tablets M may be provided in the medicine introduction unit 80 or the like. If the determination condition is that the tablets M are detected by the drop sensor and that leakage of the tablets M is not detected based on the detection result by the detection unit 476, it is possible to detect with even greater accuracy whether the tablets M dispensed for packaging have been accurately packaged.

[0351] In the present embodiment, the detection unit 476 is used to detect whether the tablets M have been accurately packaged at the time when the medicine package 451 is sealed. However, the detection unit 476 may be used for other purposes. Specifically, the detection unit 476 may detect the presence of the tablets M at the time when the tablets M to be packaged should be introduced from the medicine introduction unit 80 into the packaging paper S. That is, the detection unit 476 may be used not only for the above-mentioned sealing detection, but also for introduction detection that detects the introduction of the tablets M into the packaging paper S by the medicine introduction unit 80. In this case, the detection unit 476 can be effectively used to confirm whether the tablets M have been supplied into the packaging paper S. Therefore, it is possible to confirm both that there is no leakage of the tablets M when the packaging paper S is sealed (the medicine package 451 is formed) by the above-mentioned sealing detection, and that the tablets M have been reliably supplied by the introduction detection. Only when both are confirmed, it is determined that the tablets M have been properly packaged, and thus the accuracy of determining whether the tablets M have been accurately packaged can be further improved.

[0352] In this embodiment, an example is shown in which the detection unit 476 detects the presence or absence of tablet M at the timing when the formation of the second vertical seal AS3 is started, but the present invention is not limited to this. That is, the detection unit 476 may detect tablet M at any timing within a period (hereinafter also referred to as a "detectable period") from the timing when the sealing of the medicine package 451 into which tablet M has been introduced is started and before the timing when tablet M to be divided into the medicine package 451 to be formed next is introduced through the medicine introduction section 80. Specifically, the detection of tablet M by the detection unit 476 may be performed within a period from the completion of sealing of the medicine package 451 into which tablet M has been introduced (after the formation of the second vertical seal AS3) and before the timing when tablet M to be divided into the medicine package 451 to be formed next is introduced. In addition, the detection by the detection unit 476 may not only be performed at a predetermined timing (point in time) within the above-mentioned detection period, but may also be performed continuously over a predetermined period included in the above-mentioned detectable period, or may be performed intermittently within the detectable period.

[0353] In this embodiment, a roller-shaped member consisting of vertical sealing members 450e, 450e and horizontal sealing members 450f, 450f that can sandwich and join the packet paper S has been exemplified as sealing device 450F, but the present invention is not limited to this, and a member that can join the packet paper S by another method can be used in place of sealing device 450F. Specifically, a pair of plate-shaped heating elements having a flat shape such as a T-shape and that can sandwich and join the packet paper S between the heating elements may be used in place of sealing device 450F of this embodiment.

[0354] [Packaging view display function] Incidentally, in the process (see FIG. 52) executed to realize the rearward deviation detection function, an image is captured by the camera 476a when the heating portions 450k, 450k of the vertical seal members 450e, 450e reach a point in time (contact start timing) at which they start to contact the packaging paper S. In response to this, it is considered that the control portion 40, separately from the contact start timing, captures an image using the camera 476a when the medicine is introduced from the rotation unit 44 through the medicine introduction portion 80 into the medicine package 451 formed by the packaging unit 45.

[0355] Here, the input timing of the tablet is considered to be the timing of detection of the tablet by the passage detection sensor 475. The input timing is a timing set in advance as the timing at which the tablet dispensed from the paper feed cassette 41 or the manual dispensing unit 42 in the tablet packaging device 4 is input from the rotation unit 44 to the medicine introduction section 80. As a result, the photographing range of the camera 476a includes the medicine introduction section 80, the tablet, and the medicine bag 451. If the rearward deviation does not occur, the image taken at the input timing captures the tablet input into the medicine introduction section 80 or the medicine bag 451, but the image taken at the contact start timing captures the tablet because the tablet moves downstream of the vertical seal member 450e.

[0356] Then, the control unit 40 stores the image captured by the camera 476a in the storage unit 22 and transmits it to the server 2. Thereby, in the tablet packaging device 4 or the server 2, the control unit 40 or the control unit 21 can realize a packaging view display function of displaying the captured image.

[0357] For example, in the server 2, when medicine package identification information such as a medicine package number for identifying the medicine package 451 is selected on the inspection details screens D301 to D303, the control unit 21 displays an individual medicine package information screen D306 showing a list of tablets contained in the medicine package 451. Here, Fig. 53 is a diagram showing an example of the individual medicine package information screen D306.

[0358] 53, the individual medicine package information screen D306 displays the drug name, normal image, photographed image, etc. of each tablet contained in the third medicine package 451 in the packaging process. Also, on the individual medicine package information screen D306, for tablets contained in the medicine package 451 being displayed and for which the inspection result of the automatic inspection process is an error, the background of the display area for the photographed image is displayed in the sixth specific color such as red, which indicates that the result of the automatic inspection process is an error.

[0359] In addition, an operation key K371 is displayed on the individual medicine package information screen D306, and the control unit 21 displays a packaging screen D307 on which a photographed image of the tablets contained in the medicine package 451 taken by the detection unit 476 is displayed in response to operation of the operation key K371.

[0360] Here, Fig. 54 is a diagram showing an example of the packaging screen D307. As shown in Fig. 54, the packaging screen D307 displays the captured images of the tablets captured by the detection unit 476 in the order of capture each time the tablets fall from the rotating unit 44 through the medicine introduction unit 80 toward the medicine package 451. As described above, the capture range captured in the captured image includes the tablet introduction unit 80, the tablets, and the medicine package 451. This allows the user to easily understand the state of each tablet when it falls into the medicine package 451 by referring to the packaging screen D307.

[0361] The control unit 21 may display an image captured at the contact start timing in the packaging view D307 instead of or together with the image captured at the insertion timing. In addition, when the occurrence of rearward shift is detected by the rearward shift detection function, the control unit 21 may display a message indicating the occurrence of rearward shift and the image captured at the contact start timing in the packaging view D307.

[0362] Incidentally, the configurations and functions described in the first and second embodiments can be arbitrarily combined. In addition, the entities having the configurations and processing functions described in the first and second embodiments are not limited to those described here, and may be at least one of the server 2, the client terminal 3, and the tablet packaging device 4 included in the inspection support system 1. For example, it is conceivable that a process equivalent to the automatic inspection process is executed by the control unit 21 in the server 2, and a process equivalent to the inspection support process is executed by the control unit 40 in the tablet packaging device 4.

[0363] [Third embodiment] Next, an audit support system 1 according to a third embodiment of the present invention will be described. Note that configurations that are not described here are similar to those of the first or second embodiment.

[0364] As described in the first or second embodiment, in the inspection support system 1, the control unit 40 executes an image inspection process in which the tablet identification information acquired from the captured image is compared with the tablet identification information corresponding to the type of tablet included in the prescription data using an image. Specifically, in the image inspection process, a matching process is executed in which an image corresponding to the tablet identification information included in the captured image is compared with the correct image registered in advance in correspondence with the tablet identification information included in the prescription data by image comparison. The correct image corresponding to the tablet identification information included in the prescription data is a registered image registered in advance in the pharmaceutical master as the correct image of the tablet corresponding to the identification information.

[0365] First, with reference to FIG. 55, a case where the image inspection process is performed using a method of the first matching process that detects the amount of overlapping parts in two images as the degree of agreement will be described. Here, as shown in FIG. 55, a case where the identification information of the tablet to be inspected in the image inspection process is "ABC111", a normal image P11 corresponding to the tablet is registered in the medicine master, and a photographed image P12 of a tablet with identification information "ABC114" is photographed as the photographed image will be described as an example. In this case, in the first matching process, the normal image P11 and the photographed image P12 are compared to detect the degree of agreement (matching ratio), and if the degree of agreement is equal to or greater than a preset threshold, the collation result is determined to be a match. For example, the normal image P11 is used as a reference, and the number of black pixels included in the photographed image P12 out of the black pixels included in the normal image P11 is counted, and the ratio of the number of black pixels included in the photographed image P12 out of the total number of black pixels in the normal image P11 is calculated as the degree of agreement. Therefore, when the captured image P12 contains a large portion of the correct image P11, the degree of match may be high and the comparison result may be a match even if the captured image P12 contains extra black pixels.

[0366] For example, the composite image P13 in Fig. 55 is an image obtained by combining the normal image P11 and the photographed image P12. As shown in Fig. 55, in the composite image P13, the identification information "ABC111" in the normal image P11 and the identification information "ABC114" in the photographed image P12 differ by one character, but the only areas of the normal image P11 that are not included in the photographed image P12 are areas P21 and P22. Therefore, there is a risk that the degree of match will be high and the collation result will be a match.

[0367] In contrast, in the inspection support system 1 according to this embodiment, the control unit 40 of the tablet packaging device 4 executes an image inspection process (see FIG. 56) described below, thereby realizing highly accurate image inspection processing. For example, in the second embodiment, the image inspection process is executed in place of steps S62 to S64 in the automatic inspection process (see FIG. 34). As described above, the image inspection process may be executed by the control unit 21 of the server 2.

[0368] In addition, in the audit support system 1 according to the present embodiment, the drug master is stored in the storage unit 49, and in the drug master, similar tablets are previously stored in association with each other as similar drugs. For example, tablets whose identification information differs by only one character are mutually associated as similar drugs. Specifically, in the drug master, the same similar group code is set for similar tablets. Furthermore, when the similar group code is set, a portion of the tablet that is similar to other tablets is previously set as a similar portion. In this embodiment, the same similar group code is set for a tablet corresponding to the identification information "ABC111" and a tablet corresponding to the identification information "ABC114", and the first digit area corresponding to the characters "1" and "4" that are different between them is set as the similar portion. The similar group code and the similar portion are registered in the drug master by the control unit 40 in response to a user operation using, for example, the operation display unit 48.

[0369] [Image inspection processing] Hereinafter, an example of the image inspection process executed by the inspection support system 1 according to the present embodiment will be described with reference to FIG. 56. As described above, in the inspection support system 1, before the image inspection process is executed, a photographed image of the tablet to be packaged is acquired in the packaging process executed by the tablet packaging device 4. In addition, when acquiring the photographed image in the packaging process, the control unit 40 also judges whether the tablet is in the vertically rotated state, and if it is in the vertically rotated state, executes a process for changing the orientation of the tablet. Then, the control unit 40 specifies, from among the photographed images, one or both of the photographed images of the front and back of the tablet in which the identification information of the tablet exists, as the photographed image to be used in the image inspection process. The photographed image to be used in the image inspection process is an image that includes at least the identification information of the tablet among the images photographed by the camera 462 or 463, and is, for example, an image in which a part of the photographed image is cropped, or the photographed image itself.

[0370] <Step S81> First, in step S81, the control unit 40 executes a first matching process to match the entire captured image with the normal image. Specifically, the control unit 40 executes the first matching process on the normal image registered in the pharmaceutical master in association with the tablet that is the subject of the image inspection process, and the captured image of the tablet captured in the packaging process, thereby acquiring the degree of agreement. Note that the objects to be matched in the first matching process may be predetermined identification information areas in which the identification information exists in each of the normal image and the captured image.

[0371] <Step S82> In step S82, the control unit 40 judges whether the degree of agreement acquired in step S81 is equal to or greater than a first threshold value set in advance. The first threshold value is a value set in advance for judging that the collation result of the first matching process is an agreement. If it is judged that the degree of agreement is equal to or greater than the first threshold value (S82: Yes), the process proceeds to step S83, and if it is judged that the degree of agreement is less than the first threshold value (S82: No), the process proceeds to step S821.

[0372] <Step S821> In step S821, the control unit 40 determines whether the degree of agreement acquired in step S81 is equal to or greater than a second threshold value set in advance. The second threshold value is a value lower than the first threshold value and is a value set...

Claims

1. A first processing unit that acquires a plurality of photographed images corresponding to each tablet obtained by photographing each tablet multiple times; A second processing unit displays only one of the plurality of photographed images of a tablet corresponding to a combination of a tablet identification information displayed in one of the columns or rows and a package unit identification information displayed in the other column or row, at a position corresponding to the combination; An audit support system that includes the following:

2. The plurality of photographed images corresponding to one of the tablets include a plurality of photographed images in which the photographed areas on the periphery of the tablet are different from each other, 2. An audit support system according to claim 1.

3. The second processing unit displays an enlarged image of the captured image in response to a selection operation of the captured image displayed at a position corresponding to the combination.

2. An audit support system according to claim 1.

4. The second processing unit, in response to a selection operation of the photographed image displayed at a position corresponding to the combination, displays an enlarged image of the photographed image and a normal image previously registered in association with the identification information of the tablet. The audit support system according to claim 3.

5. The second processing unit, in response to a selection operation of the photographed image displayed at a position corresponding to the combination, displays an enlarged image of the photographed image and a plurality of normal images previously registered in association with the identification information of the tablet. The audit support system according to claim 4.

6. The second processing unit switches between and displays a plurality of photographed images of the tablet in response to a selection operation of the photographed image displayed at a position corresponding to the combination. An audit support system according to any one of claims 1 to 5.

Images