Prescription Bottle Imaging System for Remote Quality Verification
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing automated prescription dispensing systems require physical handling of bottles for quality control, leading to human error, increased security risks, and the need for pharmacists to be present during filling, which defeats the purpose of automation and introduces inefficiencies.
Innovation Solution
A prescription imaging system that captures and stores images of pill contents and bottle labels using a pill camera and label camera, allowing verification without handling bottles, with a computer system for image retrieval and display, and a bottle lift and rotate mechanism for automated image capture, enabling remote quality checks and improved record-keeping.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If pharmacists physically handle bottles to scan bar codes and inspect contents, then quality control can be performed, but human error increases and security risks are introduced
Solution Approach 1:
The system creates digital copies (photographs) of prescription bottles and their contents, storing them in a database. Pharmacists can then review these digital copies remotely without physically handling the bottles, eliminating human error and security risks associated with physical handling while maintaining quality control accuracy
Solution Approach 2:
The system introduces an intermediary mechanism (automated imaging and digital display system) between the pharmacist and the physical bottles. The imaging system captures photographs, and the display system presents them to the pharmacist, allowing quality control to be performed without direct physical contact with the bottles
2Reliability
If pharmacists are present during automated bottle filling to physically inspect bottles, then quality control is possible, but the benefit of automation is reduced and inefficiency increases
Solution Approach 1:
Digital photographs of bottles are captured during the automated filling process and stored in a database. Pharmacists can review these images at any time and location, eliminating the need to be physically present during filling operations while maintaining verification accuracy
Solution Approach 2:
The system captures and stores digital images of bottles during the automated filling process before the pharmacist needs to verify them. This preliminary capture of information allows the pharmacist to review details at their convenience without being present during the time-critical filling operation
3Loss of information
If detailed bottle information is stored for later review, then quality control and record-keeping improve, but system complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system creates and stores digital copies (photographs) of prescription bottles in a database, preserving all visual information for later review. This digital copying approach maintains complete information while using standard, relatively simple technologies for capture and storage
Data Source
AI summary
The invention is directed to a prescription imaging system for capturing, storing and displaying images of prescription bottles during the prescription fulfillment process to monitor the quality of the fulfillment process. The system includes one or more pill cameras for capturing images of pills dispensed into one or more prescription bottles and one or more label cameras for capturing images of the bottle labels. The images are stored on a storage device in a database record. The images can be used to verify that the pills in each bottle correspond with the associated prescription.