Method for operating a pharmacy order-picking system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11436662-B2
Application number	US-202016786760-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Feb 10, 2020
Priority date	Feb 29, 2012
Publication date	Sep 6, 2022
Grant date	Sep 6, 2022

Abstract

The present disclosure relates to a method for operating a pharmacy order-picking device. The present method reduces the susceptibility of the pharmacy order-picking device to disruption. To detect a positioning deviation of the control appliance in the horizontal direction, at least one desired value of at least one reference position is made available, the control appliance is brought to a position corresponding to the desired value in the horizontal direction and, when a signal characteristic of a reference position is detected, an actual value of this reference position is determined. A desired value is compared with a corresponding actual value, or two actual values are compared with each other, and a deviation is determined. If a deviation is determined that exceeds a limit value, a signal pointing to the need for a correction is output. Depending on the deviation, automatic correction of the position deviation can be performed.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A machine-implemented method for detecting a positioning deviation of an operating unit in a pharmacy order-picking system, the method comprising:
accessing a setpoint value corresponding to a reference position, the reference position comprising a physical location in the pharmacy order-picking system;
approaching, using the operating unit, in a horizontal direction, the reference position;
detecting a signal that is characteristic of the reference position;
ascertaining an actual value of the reference position;
comparing the setpoint value with the actual value;
determining a horizontal deviation based on the comparison of the setpoint value and the actual value; and
if the horizontal deviation exceeds a threshold value, outputting a signal indicating a need for a correction.

2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
accessing a second setpoint value corresponding to a second reference position;
approaching, using the operating unit, in a vertical direction, the second reference position;
detecting a second signal that is characteristic of the second reference position;
ascertaining a second actual value of the second reference position;
comparing the second setpoint value with the second actual value;
determining a vertical deviation based on the comparison of the second setpoint value and the second actual value; and
if the vertical deviation exceeds the threshold value, outputting a signal indicating the need for a correction.

3. The method of claim 2 , further comprising:
rotating the operating unit by a predefined value C on detection of a positioning deviation of the operating unit with respect to a vertical axis of rotation after detection of the horizontal deviation;
approaching, using the operating unit, a third reference position corresponding to a third setpoint value;
detecting a third signal that is characteristic of the third reference position;
ascertaining a third actual value of the third reference position;
comparing the third setpoint value with the third actual value;
determining a second horizontal deviation based on the third setpoint value and the third actual value; and
if the horizontal deviation and the second horizontal deviation exceed the threshold value, or if the horizontal deviation and the second horizontal deviation differ by a predefined value, outputting the signal indicating the need for the correction.

4. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
responsive to outputting the signal indicating correction is needed, transmitting a service query electronically to a service employee; and
shutting down the pharmacy-order picking system.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the pharmacy order-picking system comprises a control unit, and setpoint values are stored as predefined values in the control unit.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the pharmacy order-picking system comprises a control unit, and the method further comprises:
upon an initial startup of operation of the pharmacy order-picking system, approaching predefined reference positions;
detecting a signal that is characteristic of each of the predefined reference positions;
ascertaining a setpoint value; and
storing the ascertained value in the control unit.

7. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
approaching the reference position at a first speed until the setpoint value is reached; and
approaching the reference position at a second speed until the signal that is characteristic of the reference position is reached, wherein the second speed is lower than the first speed.

8. A method for operating a pharmacy order-picking system, the method comprising:
ascertaining an actual value of a reference position, the reference position comprising a physical location in the pharmacy order-picking system;
comparing the actual value of the reference position with a stored setpoint value corresponding to the reference position;
determining a horizontal deviation based on the comparison of the stored setpoint value and the actual value; and
if the horizontal deviation exceeds a threshold value, outputting a signal indicating correction is needed.

9. The method of claim 8 , further comprising:
ascertaining a second actual value of a second reference position;
comparing the second actual value with a second stored setpoint value corresponding to the second reference position;
determining a vertical deviation based on the comparison of the second stored setpoint value and the second actual value; and
if the vertical deviation exceeds a threshold value, outputting a signal indicating correction is needed.

10. The method of claim 8 , further comprising:
responsive to outputting the signal indicating correction is needed, transmitting a service query electronically to a service employee; and
shutting down the pharmacy-order picking system.

11. The method of claim 8 , wherein the pharmacy order-picking system comprises a control unit, and setpoint values are stored as predefined values in the control unit.

Assignees

• Carefusion Germany 326 Gmbh

Inventors

• Hellenbrand Christoph
• Klapperich Andreas
• Bause Andreas
• Reif Dennis

Classifications

• G06Q10/0836

  Recipient pick-ups · CPC title

• G06Q30/0633 Primary

  Managing shopping lists, e.g. compiling or processing purchase lists (shipping orders G06Q10/083; order filling G06Q10/087) · CPC title

• G16H40/20

  for the management or administration of healthcare resources or facilities, e.g. managing hospital staff or surgery rooms · CPC title

• B65G1/0421

  with control for stacker crane operations · CPC title

• G16H20/13

  delivered from dispensers · CPC title