Solid contents verification systems and methods

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9513259-B2
Application number	US-201414274880-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 12, 2014
Priority date	Mar 4, 2011
Publication date	Dec 6, 2016
Grant date	Dec 6, 2016

Abstract

Solid contents verification systems and methods are provided. The system includes a contents sensor unit, a container-carrying unit and a control unit. The contents sensor unit has at least one contents sensor configured to send and receive sonic pulses to determine a state of contents in a container. The contents sensor unit is configured to send a signal communicating a state of the contents in a container. The container-carrying unit is configured to hold a container in substantial alignment with the contents sensors to expose the contents to the sonic pulses. The control unit is operatively connected to the contents sensor unit. The control unit is configured to receive the signal communicating the state of the contents and to compare the state of the contents with a desired state of the contents.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A system comprising:
a contents sensor unit including a contents sensor to send and receive sonic pulses to determine a state of contents in a container, the contents sensor unit to send a signal communicating the state of the contents in the container, the contents being a plurality of solids that form an irregular top surface in the container;
a container holding unit to hold the container in substantial alignment with the contents sensor to expose the contents to the sonic pulses;
a control unit operatively connected to the contents sensor unit, the control unit to receive the signal communicating the state of the contents and to compare the state of the contents with a desired state of the contents; and
a conveyor unit operatively connected to the container holding unit, the conveyor unit to move the container holding unit and stop the container holding unit at a verification point, which is proximal the contents sensor, to substantially align with the contents sensor.

2. The system of claim 1 , wherein the container holding unit includes a position sensor to signal that at least a portion of the container holding unit is at the verification point.

3. The system of claim 2 , wherein the container holding unit includes a position indicator disposed thereon to indicate a position of the portion of the container holding unit is at the verification point.

4. The system of claim 2 , wherein the control unit is configured to receive the signal from the position sensor, the control unit including a conveyor component configured to instruct the conveyor unit to stop movement of the container holding unit upon receipt of the signal from the position sensor.

5. The system of claim 4 , wherein the conveyor component is further configured to initiate movement in response to comparison of the state of the contents with the desired state of the contents.

6. The system of claim 1 , wherein the contents are multiple small, pellet-like materials, and wherein the contents sensor unit further includes a first image sensor configured and arranged to acquire an image of the contents in the container, the control unit being capable of analyzing the image to determine a shape of the contents, a color of the contents, or the shape and the color of the contents in the container and comparing the shape, the color, or the shape and the color respectively with the desired state.

7. The system of claim 6 , further comprising:
an additional image sensor configured and arranged to acquire an image of a label on an exterior surface of the container, the control unit being capable of analyzing the image of the label to determine characteristics of the contents to access the desired state based on container-specific information on the label.

8. The system of claim 1 , wherein the state of the contents includes a level of an upper surface of the contents of the container.

9. The system of claim 1 , wherein the state of the contents includes a quantity of the contents of the container.

10. The system of claim 1 , wherein the state of the contents includes a presence or no presence of the contents of the container.

11. The system of claim 1 , wherein the container holding unit includes a pallet in which the container is retained.

12. The system of claim 1 , wherein the content sensor is directed at an opening of the container when the container is held in substantial alignment with the content sensor.

13. A method comprising:
aligning an opening of a container with a content sensor at a verification point;
directing a plurality of sonic pulses at the opening of the container;
receiving a plurality of reflected sonic pulses by the content sensor from an irregular surface of solids in the container;
determining a state of a plurality of pharmaceutical solid contents in the container from the plurality of reflected sonic pulses;
comparing the state of the plurality of pharmaceutical solid contents with an expected state of the plurality of pharmaceutical solid contents to obtain a comparison result;
if the comparison result reflects that the state of the plurality of pharmaceutical solid contents is consistent with the expected state of the plurality of pharmaceutical solid contents then recording a verification of the container; and
if the comparison result does not reflect that the state of the plurality of pharmaceutical solid contents is not consistent with the expected state of the plurality of pharmaceutical solid contents then flagging the container as having failed to meet the verification of the container.

14. The method of claim 13 , further comprising:
when the container is flagged, separating the container from other containers for inspection.

15. The method of claim 14 , wherein aligning comprises:
moving the container toward the verification point and stopping the container with the opening in substantial alignment with the content sensor.

16. The method of claim 13 , further comprising:
acquiring an image of the plurality of pharmaceutical solid contents in the container;
analyzing the image to determine the shape and the color of the plurality of pharmaceutical solid contents of the container; and
comparing the determined shape and color with the expected state.

17. The method of claim 13 , the plurality of pharmaceutical solid contents includes a plurality of pills.

18. The method of claim 13 , wherein the plurality of reflected sonic pulses includes an ultrasonic pulse, a microwave signal pulse, or combinations thereof.

Assignees

• Express Scripts Inc

Inventors

• Joplin Jonathan W

Classifications

• G01N33/15 Primary

  Medicinal preparations {; Physical properties thereof, e.g. dissolubility} · CPC title

• G01N29/043 Primary

  in the interior, e.g. by shear waves · CPC title

• G01N29/12

  by measuring frequency or resonance of acoustic waves {(measuring frequency or resonant frequency of mechanical vibrations or acoustic waves in general G01H1/06, G01H3/04, G01H13/00; acoustic resonators G10K11/04; vibration or shock testing of structures G01M7/00)} · CPC title

• G01F23/2962

  Measuring transit time of reflected waves · CPC title

• G01N2291/011

  Velocity or travel time · CPC title