Pharmaceutical pill recognition and verification system

A method of determining whether a type of medication dispensed into a container, such that the dispensed medication lacks any predetermined orientation or position within the container, corresponds to an expected type of medication in accordance with a prescription therefor, the method incorporating an examination device to identify the type of contents, the method comprising:

• a. the examination device obtaining an image of the medication as dispensed into the container;
• b. processing the image to isolate a unit of the medication;
• c. processing the image of the isolated unit to extract multiple characteristic features of that unit, said features being selected from the group consisting of:
• (a) color;
• (b) patterns of color;
• (c) three-dimensional shape;
• (d) three-dimensional size;
• (e) surface finish;
• (f) surface texture;
• (g) surface markings;
• (h) surface scoring;
• and (i) surface reflectivity;
• and
• d. comparing one or more of the isolated features to a set of reference features representative of what type of medication should be dispensed, said comparison ensuring that the extracted features are not confused with any other set of reference features for other possible types of medication which could be dispensed into the container.

A method of determining whether a type of medication in pill form dispensed into a container such that the dispensed pills lack any predetermined orientation or position within the container, corresponds to an expected type medication in accordance with a prescription therefor, the method incorporating an examination device to identify the type of contents, the method comprising:

• a. the examination device obtaining an image of the pills as dispensed into the container;
• b. processing the image to isolate a unit of the pills;
• c. processing the image of the isolated unit to extract multiple characteristic features of that unit, said features being selected from the group consisting of:
• (a) color;
• (b) patterns of color;
• (c) three-dimensional shape;
• (d) three-dimensional size;
• (e) surface finish;
• (f) surface texture;
• (g) surface markings;
• (h) surface scoring;
• and (i) surface reflectivity;
• and
• d. comparing one or more of the isolated characteristic features to a set of reference features representative of what type of medication the dispensed medication should be, said comparison ensuring that the extracted features are not confused with any other set of reference features for other possible types of which could be dispensed into the container.

A method of dispensing one of a plurality of possible medications and verifying the identity of the medication comprising:

• dispensing a plurality of medication units from a first container to a second container such that the medication units have no predetermined location or orientation;
• obtaining an image of the plurality of medication units within the second container;
• processing the image to obtain an image of a single medication unit from the plurality of medication units within the second container;
• processing the isolated unit to extract multiple characteristic features of that unit, said features being selected from the group consisting of:
• color, patterns of color, three-dimensional shape, three-dimensional size, surface finish, surface texture, surface markings, surface scoring, and surface reflectivity;
• and
• comparing one or more of the isolated features to a set of reference features representative of known content types to identify the type of contents of the container.

A method of dispensing one of a plurality of possible medications and verifying the identity of the medication comprising:

• dispensing a plurality of medication units from a first container to a second container such that the medication units have no predetermined location or orientation;
• obtaining an image of the plurality of medication units within the second container;
• processing the image to isolate a single unit from the plurality of medication units within the second container;
• processing the isolated unit to extract multiple characteristic features of that unit, said features being selected from the group consisting of:
• color, patterns of color, three-dimensional shape, three-dimensional size, surface finish, surface texture, surface markings, surface scoring, and surface reflectivity;
• and
• comparing one or more of the isolated features to a set of reference features representative of known content types to route the second container to either
• an area for second containers whose contents are positively confirmed as correct;
• an area for second containers whose contents are positively confirmed as incorrect;
• an area for second containers whose contents cannot be positively identified as correct or incorrect.

A method of dispensing one of a plurality of available medications and verifying the identity of the medication comprising:

• dispensing a plurality of medication units from first container containing a requested one of the plurality of available medications into a second container such that the medication units have no predetermined location or orientation;
• obtaining an image of the plurality of medication units within the second container;
• processing the image to isolate a single unit from the plurality of medication units within the second container;
• processing the isolated unit to extract multiple characteristic features of that unit, the features being selected from the group consisting of:
• color, patterns of color, three-dimensional shape, three-dimensional size, surface finish, surface texture, surface markings, surface scoring and surface reflectivity;
• and
• comparing one or more of the features to a set of reference features representative of the available medications;
• verifying that the isolated unit matches the reference features of the requested one of the plurality of available medications.