US 12,678,377 B2Granted

Method for providing a singling device of a storage and dispensing container

AssigneeBecton Dickinson Rowa Germany GmbH

InventorChristoph Hellenbrand

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Abstract

A system includes a storage and dispensing container for drug portions, a memory and a processor. The process executes instructions to detect by a first detection device rays of light transmitted past a drug portion by a first light emitting source in a first direction, to detect by a second detection device rays of light transmitted past the drug portion by a second light emitting source in a second direction different from the first direction, to generate, by the first and second detection devices, an image of the drug portion, to process the image using image analysis, to determine specified drug information for the drug portion and to identify, based on the determined drug information, a suitable singling device fitting the drug portions to be singularized and to be disposed within the storage and dispensing container. Additional systems for identifying a singling device are also provided.

Claims20

Dependent claims

A system, comprising:

a storage and dispensing container for drug portions;
a memory storing instructions;
and
at least one processor configured to execute the instructions to:
detect, by a first detection device disposed directly opposite a first light emitting source and above a drug portion of a specific drug type disposed on a top surface of the first light emitting source, rays of light transmitted past the drug portion by the first light emitting source in a first direction;
detect, by a second detection device disposed directly opposite a second light emitting source, rays of light transmitted past the drug portion by the second light emitting source in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction;
generate, by the first and second detection devices, an image of the drug portion;
process the image using image analysis;
determine specified drug information for the drug portion, the specified drug information comprising at least dimensions of the drug portion;
and
identify, based on the determined drug information, a suitable singling device fitting the drug portions to be singularized and to be disposed within the storage and dispensing container.

8 more elements

A system, comprising:

a storage and dispensing container for drug portions;
a memory storing instructions;
and
at least one processor configured to execute the instructions to:
generate, by a detection device, a plurality of images of a drug portion of a specific drug type, each successive image generated after physical rotation of the drug portion by a specified angular step;
process the plurality of images;
determine specified drug information for the drug portion, the specified drug information comprising at least dimensions of the drug portion;
and
identify, based on the determined drug information, a suitable singling device fitting the drug portions to be singularized and to be disposed within the storage and dispensing container,
wherein the detection device comprises a first detection device disposed directly opposite a first light emitting source and a second detection device disposed directly opposite a second light emitting source,
wherein an optical axis of the first detection device is aligned perpendicular to the first light emitting source and an optical axis of the second detection device is aligned perpendicular to the second light emitting source.

8 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 18/398,752Filed 28 Dec 2023 · continuation
Priority: 3 Jun 2016
Published: US 2024/0122809 A118 Apr 2024
Granted: 14 Jul 2026
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification18 codes

A61J 7/0084
Medicament distribution means: for multiple medicaments
B65D 83/0409
For dispensing annular, disc-shaped, spherical or like small articles, e.g. tablets or pills: the dispensing means being adapted for delivering…
G06F 18/24
Analysing: classification techniques
G06T 1/0007
General purpose image data processing: image acquisition

Family

Application15/172,382Parent of this continuation · filed 3 Jun 2016
Application16/280,863Parent of this continuation · filed 20 Feb 2019
US 10,255,524 B2Parent of this continuation · filed 9 Apr 2019
Application17/114,249Parent of this continuation · filed 7 Dec 2020
US 10,902,299 B2Parent of this continuation · filed 26 Jan 2021
US 2024/0122809 A1Pre-grant publication · published 18 Apr 2024
US 11,903,906 B2Parent of this continuation
US 2017/0351938 A1Published application
US 2019/0220707 A1Published application
US 2021/0089838 A1Published application
US 12,678,377 B2This patent

From the US filing history. Foreign family members aren’t listed.