US 6,610,973 B1 · Pill counting aid using a planar light diffusing panel for receipt and retention of the pills

Abstract

A vision based pill counting aid and method that rely on an electronic camera and a source of detectable radiation to detect pill/capsule image or silhouette and thereby, through the use of appropriate software, provide an accurate pill/capsule count. According to a preferred embodiment of the present invention low cost, inexpensive, low power, and cool LED radiation sources are utilized as the imaging radiation source. A preferred CMOS camera that incorporates a vision chip detects the number of pixels of radiation interrupting the radiation from the LEDs reaching the CMOS camera. Through the use of appropriate software, the number of pills/capsules present in the field of view of the CMOS camera is determined and communicated to an operator through a display device.

Claims17

Dependent claims

A pill/capsule counting aid comprising:

a) a radiation detector including image digitizing capability;
b) an array of radiation sources that emit radiation capable of detection by said radiation detector;
c) a planar light diffusing panel between said radiation detector and said array of radiation sources for receipt and retention of pills/capsules deposited thereon;
d) a processor connected to said radiation detector for receiving digitized images from said radiation detector and including software for determining the number of pills/capsules deposited on said planar light diffusing panel when radiation emitted by said array of radiation sources through said planar light diffusing panel having pills/capsules deposited thereon is captured by said radiation detector;
and
e) an output device connected to said processor for communicating the number of pills/capsules deposited on said planar light diffusing panel to an operator.

3 more elements

A method for counting pills and/or capsules comprising;

A) depositing the pills/capsules to be counted on the planar light diffusing surface of a pill/capsule counting aid comprising:
a) a radiation detector including image digitizing capability;
b) an array of radiation sources that emit radiation capable of detection by said radiation detector;
c) a planar light diffusing panel between said radiation detector and said array of radiation sources for receipt and retention of pills/capsules deposited thereon in direct contact with said light diffusing panel;
d) a processor connected to said radiation detector for receiving digitized images from said radiation detector and including software for determining the number of pills/capsules deposited on said planar light diffusing panel when radiation emitted by said array of radiation sources through said planar light diffusing panel having pills/capsules deposited thereon is captured by said radiation detector;
and
e) an output device connected to said processor for communicating the number of pills/capsules deposited on said planar translucent panel to an operator;
B) emitting radiation from said array of radiation sources, through said planar light diffusing panel to said radiation detector;
C) collecting images of said radiation detected by said radiation detector;
D) digitizing said images and transmitting said images to said processor;
E) determining the number of pills/capsules deposited on said planar light diffusing panel using software operated by said processor;
and
F) transmitting said number to said display device for communication to said operator.

10 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Pill counting aid using a planar light diffusing panel for receipt and retention of the pills

Life of this patent

Pill counting aid using a planar light diffusing panel for receipt and retention of the pills

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims17