Automated use of a vision system to unroll a label to capture and process drug identifying indicia present on the label

An automated medication preparation system including preparation and dispensing of a drug product that is initially stored in a drug container having a label containing medication identifying indicia disposed on an outer surface of the drug container, the system comprising:

• an automated device for preparing and dispensing a prescribed unit dose of medication;
• and
• a vision system for detecting and processing the medication identifying indicia that is found on the label, the vision system including:
• a rollout camera for producing a rollout image of the label;
• an optical device including first software for reading medication identifying indicia other than a bar code from the rollout image of the label, the optical device including second software for reading a bar code that is present on the rollout image of the label;
• and
• a controller in communication with the vision system such that when an occurrence of a prescribed event is detected by the vision system, the controller prevents the unit dose from being delivered from the drug container to an intended drug storage member.

An automated medication preparation system including preparation and dispensing of a drug product that is initially stored in a drug container having a label containing medication identifying indicia disposed on an outer surface of the drug container and is later dispensed into a drug product container, the system comprising:

• an automated device for preparing and dispensing a prescribed unit dose of medication;
• and
• a vision system for detecting and processing the medication identifying indicia that is found on the label, the vision system including:
• an optical device for producing a rollout image of the entire landscape of the label as the drug container is rotated on a turntable and an optical recognition system for reading a particular coordinate location of the rollout image and for detecting and recognizing characters that at least represent an expiration date and lot number information of the drug vial, the optical device including software for reading a bar code that is part of the rollout image of the label;
• and
• a controller in communication with the vision system and being configured to compare product information read from the bar code with inputted product information and to compare the expiration date with a present date and the lot number with a drug recall list such that at least when one of (a) the read product information is different from the inputted product information;
• (b) the expiration date is early than or within a prescribed number of days from the present date;
• or (c) the lot number is on the recall list, than the controller prevents the unit dose from being automatically delivered from the drug container to the drug product container.

An automated medication preparation system including preparation and dispensing of a drug product that is initially stored in a drug container having a label containing medication identifying indicia disposed on an outer surface of the drug container, the system comprising:

• an automated device for preparing and dispensing a prescribed unit dose of medication;
• and
• a vision system for optically unrolling a label to produce a rollout image of the label and to capture and process medication identifying indicia that is present on the label;
• and
• a controller in communication with the vision system for preventing the unit dose from being automatically delivered from the drug container to the syringe when a prescribed event occurs.

A method for automated preparation and dispensing of a unit dose of medication to a drug product container from a drug container in which a base medication is initially stored, wherein a label containing medication identifying indicia is disposed about an outer surface of the drug container, the method comprising the steps of:

• providing a fluid delivery device for delivering a prescribed unit dose of medication to the drug product container;
• placing the drug container on a rotatable turntable and rotating the drug container;
• disposing a vision system proximate the rotating drug container, the vision system including a rollout camera that faces the drug container;
• producing a rollout image of the label as the drug container is rotated;
• processing the rollout image and detecting, with an optical character recognition system, any characters that are present in a select coordinate target zone of the label, the characters being part of the medication identifying indicia;
• and
• preventing the drug container from being delivered to a downstream station where the unit dose of medication is withdrawn therefrom upon the occurrence of a prescribed event.

A method for automated preparation and dispensing of a unit dose of medication to a drug product container from a drug container in which a base medication is initially stored, wherein a label containing medication identifying indicia is disposed about an outer surface of the drug container, the method comprising the steps of:

• providing a fluid delivery device for delivering a prescribed unit dose of medication to the drug product container, wherein the fluid delivery device is adapted to aspirate reconstituted medication from the drug container into a main fluid conduit and later discharge the reconstituted medication into the drug product container;
• placing the drug container on a rotatable turntable and rotating the drug container;
• disposing a vision system proximate the rotating drug container for detecting and processing the medication identifying indicia that is found on the label, the vision system including an optical device including a rollout camera and associated character recognition software;
• producing, with the rollout camera, a rollout image of the label as the drug container is rotated on the turntable;
• reading, with the optical device, a bar code that is disposed on an outer surface of the drug container;
• processing the rollout image by overlaying a coordinate map defined by map coordinates to assist in identifying particular zones of the label;
• reading a particular coordinate location of the rollout image to optically detect and recognize characters that at least represent an expiration date and lot number information of the drug container;
• comparing medication information read from the bar code with inputted medication information;
• comparing the expiration date with a present date and the lot number with a drug recall list;
• and
• preventing the unit dose from being automatically delivered from the drug container to the syringe upon the occurrence of at least one of the following events (a) the read medication information is different from the inputted medication information;
• (b) the expiration date is earlier than or within a prescribed number of days from the present date;
• or (c) the lot number is on the recall list.