Prescription order packaging system and method
AssigneeExpress Scripts, Inc.
InventorMichael L. Mahar
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A system for automatically packaging prescription orders composed of one or more prescription containers. The system includes a printer for generating literature associated with each order and a packer for packing the prescription containers and the associated literature into a package. The packer has a scale or other means for determining the weight of the prescription containers. A packer controller calculates package weight information based on the container weight information. The package weight information is transmitted to a mail manifest system, which generates shipping information comprising postage. A labeler applies the shipping information to the package. The packer also includes a loading mechanism for inserting the prescription containers and the literature into the package.
Claims19
A system for automatically packaging prescription orders, each order comprising one or more prescription containers, the system comprising:
- (a) a printer subsystem for generating literature associated with each order, determining document weight information relating to the weight of the literature associated with each order, and transmitting the document weight information;
- and
- (b) a packer subsystem for receiving prescription containers composing each order and the literature associated with each order and packing the prescription containers and the literature into a package, the packer subsystem comprising:
- (i) a means for determining the weight of the prescription containers and transmitting container weight information;
- (ii) a packer controller in communication with the means for determining the weight of the prescription containers and the printer subsystem, the packer controller receiving the container weight information from the means for determining the weight of the prescription containers and receiving the document weight information from the printer subsystem, the packer controller calculating package weight information based at least in part on the container weight information and the document weight information;
- (iii) a mail manifest system in communication with the packer controller, the mail manifest system receiving the package weight information and generating shipping information comprising postage;
- (iv) a labeler in communication with the mail manifest system, the labeler receiving the shipping information and applying the shipping information to the package;
- and
- (v) a loading mechanism for inserting the prescription containers and the literature into the package.
A system for automatically packaging prescription orders, each order comprising one or more prescription bottles, wherein each bottle has a machine-readable code thereon containing coded information comprising a prescription identifier associated with one of the orders, the system comprising:
- (a) a host computer having access to a database comprising a plurality of order identifiers, each order identifier being associated with order information for one of the orders, the order information comprising an identification of the shipping name and address and one or more associated prescription identifiers identifying one or more prescriptions;
- (b) a sorter for sorting prescription bottles into orders;
- (c) a printer subsystem for generating literature associated with each order, the printer subsystem comprising a print controller in communication with the host computer, wherein the printer controller generates weight information relating to the weight of literature associated with each order;
- and
- (d) a packer subsystem for receiving bottles composing each order and the literature associated with each order and packing the bottles and the literature into a package, the packer subsystem comprising:
- (i) a code reader for reading the machine-readable code on each bottle;
- (ii) a scale for weighing the bottles and transmitting bottle weight information;
- (iii) a packer controller in communication with the code reader, scale host computer, and print controller, wherein the packer controller:
- a. receives the coded information from the code reader and transmits the prescription identifier to the host computer;
- and
- b. receives the bottle weight information from the scale and document weight information from the printer controller and calculates package weight information based at least in part on the bottle weight information and document weight information;
- (iv) a mail manifest system in communication with the packer controller and the host computer, the mail manifest system receiving the package weight information and at least a portion of the order information and generating shipping information comprising postage;
- (v) a labeler in communication with the mail manifest system, the labeler receiving the shipping information and applying the shipping information to the package;
- and
- (vi) a loading mechanism for inserting the bottles and the literature into the package;
- and
- wherein the host computer prompts the printer subsystem to print literature associated with an order once one or more of the bottles associated with the order have been received by the packer.
A system for automatically packaging prescription orders, each order comprising one or more prescription containers, the system comprising:
- (a) a printer subsystem for generating literature associated with each order, the printer subsystem comprising a printer controller for transmitting data relating to the weight of the literature;
- and
- (b) a packer subsystem for receiving prescription containers composing each order and the literature associated with each order and packing the prescription containers and the literature into a package, the packer subsystem comprising:
- (i) a means for determining the weight of the prescription containers and transmitting container weight information;
- (ii) a packer controller in communication with the means for determining the weight of the prescription containers and the printer controller, the packer controller receiving the container weight information and data relating to the weight of the literature and calculating package weight information based at least in part on the container weight information;
- (iii) a mail manifest system in communication with the packer controller, the mail manifest system receiving the package weight information and generating shipping information comprising postage;
- (iv) a labeler in communication with the mail manifest system, the labeler receiving the shipping information and applying the shipping information to the package;
- and
- (v) a loading mechanism for inserting the prescription containers and the literature into the package.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.