# US 8,464,932 B2 · Automated label verify systems and methods for dispensing pharmaceuticals

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- Number: US 8,464,932 B2
- Document ID: US8464932B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 13/487,842
- Filed: 2012-06-04
- Published: 2012-09-27
- Granted: 2013-06-18
- Earliest claimed: 2007-09-21
- Assignees: Omnicare, Inc.
- Applicants: Michael J. Szesko; Bradley Carson; Derek C. Campbell; Richard A. Lees
- Inventors: Michael J. Szesko; Bradley Carson; Derek C. Campbell; Richard A. Lees
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US8464932B2

## CPC

- G16H 20/13: delivered from dispensers
- B65C 9/44: by special means responsive to marks on labels or articles (feed control in wrapping B65B)
- G06Q 10/087: Inventory or stock management, e.g. order filling, procurement or balancing against orders
- G06Q 10/08741: {by picking of items from inventory for fulfillment}
- G07F 11/004: {Restocking arrangements therefor}
- G07F 17/0092: {for assembling and dispensing of pharmaceutical articles (medical dispensers for private use, A61J7/00)}
- B65C 9/46: Applying date marks, code marks, or the like, to the label during labelling (manually-controlled or operable apparatus having printing equipment B65C11/02; ticket printing and issuing G07B1/00 {; apparatus for ticket validating or cancelling G07B11/00})
- G06K 17/00: Methods or arrangements for effecting co-operative working between equipments covered by two or more of main groups G06K1/00 - G06K15/00, e.g. automatic card files incorporating conveying and reading operations
- Y10T 156/1089: of discrete laminae to single face of additional lamina
- G16H: HEALTHCARE INFORMATICS, i.e. INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY [ICT] SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR THE HANDLING OR PROCESSING OF MEDICAL OR HEALTHCARE DATA
- B65C: LABELLING OR TAGGING MACHINES, APPARATUS, OR PROCESSES (nailing or stapling in general B25C, B27F; applying labels for packaging purposes B65B; labels, name-plates G09F ){(series-printing machines B41L; containers for the storage or transport of packages B65D)}
- G06Q: INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY [ICT] SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR ADMINISTRATIVE, COMMERCIAL, FINANCIAL, MANAGERIAL OR SUPERVISORY PURPOSES; SYSTEMS OR METHODS SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR ADMINISTRATIVE, COMMERCIAL, FINANCIAL, MANAGERIAL OR SUPERVISORY PURPOSES, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
- G07F: COIN-FREED OR LIKE APPARATUS (coin sorting G07D3/00; coin testing G07D5/00; {handling coins or paper currencies apart from payment activated apparatus G07D; payment architectures, schemes or protocols G06Q20/00})
- G06K: GRAPHICAL DATA READING (image or video recognition or understanding G06V); PRESENTATION OF DATA; RECORD CARRIERS; HANDLING RECORD CARRIERS
- Y10T: TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER US CLASSIFICATION

## Abstract

Apparatus and methods for filling a customer order with plurality of products each containing a pharmaceutical. The apparatus and method automatically verify a product barcode on each of the product, print a patient label with a patient barcode for each product, apply the patient labels to at least some of the products, and independently verify that the product barcode matches the proper patient barcode.

## Claims

### Claim 1

An apparatus for filling a customer order with a plurality of products each containing a pharmaceutical and each marked with a machine-readable product marking, the apparatus comprising:
a conveyor defining a workflow path for processing the products;
a label application station in the workflow path of the conveyor and configured to print and apply a patient label onto each of the products;
a vision inspection station in the workflow path of the conveyor, the vision inspection station configured to read the machine-readable product marking and a machine-readable patient marking on the patient label; and
a controller coupled with the vision inspection station, the controller configured to verify that the machine-readable product marking on each of the products matches the machine-readable patient marking on the patient label after application to the product.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising:
a product loading station configured to receive batches of the products, the product loading station further configured to singulate the products in each of the batches.

### Claim 3 (depends on 2)

The apparatus of claim 2 wherein the product loading station includes a reader configured to read the machine-readable product marking on each of the products.

### Claim 4 (depends on 2)

The apparatus of claim 2 wherein the product loading station is configured to process products shaped with a card form factor, and the product loading station comprises:
a product induction magazine defining a feed chute configured to receive a stack of the products shaped with the card form factor;
a landing plate defining a bottom of the feed chute and configured to support the stack of the products shaped with the card form factor; and
a gripping device movable relative to the landing plate, the gripping device configured to cooperate with the product induction magazine to successively singulate each of the products from the stack.

### Claim 5 (depends on 2)

The apparatus of claim 2 wherein the product loading station is configured to process products shaped with a box form factor, and the product loading station comprises:
a load conveyor configured to move products shaped with the box form factor that have placed on the load conveyor;
an infeed conveyor arranged generally perpendicular to the load conveyor; and
a transfer arm configured to move the products from the load conveyor to the infeed conveyor.

### Claim 6 (depends on 5)

The apparatus of claim 5 wherein the box loading station further comprises:
a box rotation mechanism including a bracket configured to support at least a portion of one of the products moved by the infeed conveyor, a rotary actuator coupled to the bracket, a frame supporting the rotary actuator, and a linear actuator configured to move the frame vertically.

### Claim 7 (depends on 2)

The apparatus of claim 2 further comprising:
a transfer station configured to transfer the products from the product loading station to the conveyor.

### Claim 8 (depends on 7)

The apparatus of claim 7 wherein the controller is further coupled with the conveyor, the product loading station, the transfer station, and the label application station, the controller configured to control the filling of the customer order by the stations.

### Claim 9 (depends on 7)

The apparatus of claim 7 wherein the transfer station comprises:
at least one robot configured to pick the products up from the product loading station and place the products on the conveyor.

### Claim 10 (depends on 9)

The apparatus of claim 9 further comprising:
a reject bin positioned adjacent the conveyor, the at least one robot configured to pick the products up from the product loading station and place the products in the reject bin.

### Claim 11 (depends on 1)

The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising:
a card loading station configured to receive and singulate batches of the products shaped with a card form factor; and
a box loading station configured to receive and singulate batches of the products shaped with a box form factor.

### Claim 12 (depends on 1)

The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the label application station is configured to independently verify the machine-readable patient marking on the patient label before the patient label is applied to one of the products.

### Claim 13 (depends on 1)

The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the label application station comprises:
a label printer configured to print the patient labels;
an applicator configured to temporarily capture the patient labels from the label printer and move the patient labels along a path of motion toward the product being processed by the label application station; and
a reject plate selectively movable between a first position in the path of motion of the applicator and a second position out of the path of motion, the applicator configured to apply each of the patient labels to one of the products or to the reject plate.

### Claim 14 (depends on 13)

The apparatus of claim 13 wherein the applicator includes a tamp head having a window configured to be aligned with the machine-readable patient marking on the patient label, and wherein the label application station further comprises:
a reader configured to read the patient through the window before the patient label is applied to one of the products being processed or the reject plate.

### Claim 15 (depends on 13)

The apparatus of claim 13 wherein the products are shaped with at least two different form factors, and the applicator is configured to apply each of the patient labels to the products of the different form factors.

### Claim 16 (depends on 1)

The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising:
a label wipe station including a sensor configured to detect whether the product being processed is shaped with a box form factor and a pair of wiping fingers suspended above the conveyor, the wiping fingers being generally parallel to each other and movable toward the conveyor to further apply portions of each patient label on products shaped with the box form factor.

### Claim 17 (depends on 1)

The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the products are shaped with a card form factor or a box form factor, and the vision inspection station comprises:
a first reader configured to read the machine-readable product marking and the machine-readable patient marking on the products shaped with the card form factor;
a second reader configured to read the machine-readable product marking on the products shaped with the box form factor; and
a third reader configured to read the machine-readable patient marking on the products shaped with the box form factor.

### Claim 18 (depends on 1)

The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising:
a tote conveyor system configured to supply containers into which labeled and verified products are placed.

### Claim 19 (depends on 18)

The apparatus of claim 18 further comprising:
a tote handling system configured to manage the containers after the containers have been filled with labeled and verified products, the tote handling system including a loading conveyor configured to receive the containers from the tote conveyor system, a tote rack having shelves divided into lanes for storing the containers, and a robot configured to pick each container up from the loading conveyor and place the container in one of the lanes of the tote rack.

### Claim 20 (depends on 1)

The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising:
an unloading station in the workflow path of the conveyor and configured to transfer labeled and verified products away from the conveyor.

### Claim 21 (depends on 20)

The apparatus of claim 20 wherein the unloading station further comprises:
at least one robot configured to remove the products from the conveyor after the products have been labeled and verified.

### Claim 22

A method of filling a customer order with a plurality of products each containing a pharmaceutical, the products being loaded into a machine for processing, the method comprising:
verifying a machine-readable product marking on each of the products with the machine;
printing a patient label for each of the products processed in the machine;
after the machine-readable product marking is verified, applying the patient labels to the products processed in the machine;
after the patient label is applied to each of the products, reading the machine-readable product marking and a machine-readable patient marking on the patient label with a vision inspection station; and
verifying that the machine-readable product marking read from each product matches the machine-readable patient marking read from the patient label.

### Claim 23 (depends on 22)

The method of claim 22 further comprising:
singulating batches of the products loaded into the machine so that the products can be individually processed by the machine.

### Claim 24 (depends on 23)

The method of claim 23 wherein singulating batches of the products further comprises:
singulating batches of products shaped with a card form factor in a first product loading station; and
singulating batches of products shaped with a box form factor in a second product loading station.

### Claim 25 (depends on 22)

The method of claim 22 wherein verifying the machine-readable product marking on each of the products with the machine further comprises:
reading the machine-readable product marking on each of the products after each product has been loaded into a product loading station of the machine; and
comparing the machine-readable product marking to tracking data to verify that the product belongs in the customer order being filled.

### Claim 26 (depends on 25)

The method of claim 25 further comprising:
transferring products with a verified machine-readable product marking from the product loading station onto a conveyor that defines a workflow path for processing the products in the machine.

### Claim 27 (depends on 26)

The method of claim 26 further comprising:
transferring the products with a machine-readable product marking that fails verification from the product loading station into a reject bin positioned adjacent the conveyor.

### Claim 28 (depends on 26)

The method of claim 26 wherein transferring the products with the verified product further comprises:
picking the products up from the product loading station with a robot; and
placing the products onto a designated location on the conveyor.

### Claim 29 (depends on 22)

The method of claim 22 wherein the patient labels are printed by a label printer, and applying the patient labels further comprises:
temporarily capturing each patient label with an applicator after the patient label has been printed, the applicator being suspended above the product being processed; and
moving the applicator and the patient label captured by the applicator along a path of motion toward the product being processed.

### Claim 30 (depends on 29)

The method of claim 29 further comprising:
reading the machine-readable patient marking while the patient label is temporarily captured by the applicator to verify the patient label.

### Claim 31 (depends on 30)

The method of claim 30 further comprising:
applying patient labels with a machine-readable patient marking that fails verification onto a reject plate located in the path of motion of the applicator; and
moving the reject plate out of the path of motion when the patient label captured by the applicator has a verified machine-readable patient marking so that the patient label can be applied to the product being processed.

### Claim 32 (depends on 29)

The method of claim 29 wherein applying the patient labels further comprises:
retaining the patient labels on a tamp head with each patient label arranged so that the machine-readable patient marking is generally aligned with a window in the tamp head; and
reading the machine-readable patient marking through the window of the tamp head.

### Claim 33 (depends on 32)

The method of claim 32 wherein each patient label applied to the products shaped with the box form factor is applied to a front surface of the box with portions of the patient label projecting outwardly from the front surface above opposed sidewalls of the box, and the method further comprises:
wiping the projecting portions of the patient label onto the opposed sidewalls of the box with a pair of wiping fingers.

### Claim 34 (depends on 29)

The method of claim 29 wherein applying the patient labels to at least some of the products further comprises:
applying the patient labels with the applicator to at least one of the products shaped with a card form factor; and
applying the patient labels with the applicator to at least one of the products shaped with a box form factor.

### Claim 35 (depends on 22)

The method of claim 22 wherein reading the machine-readable product marking and the machine-readable patient marking on the patient label with a vision inspection station further comprises:
reading the machine-readable product marking and the patient barcode on each product with one or more readers;
comparing the machine-readable product marking read from each product to tracking data to verify that the product belongs in the customer order being filled; and
comparing the machine-readable patient marking read from each product to tracking data to verify that the correct patient label has been applied to the correct product.

### Claim 36 (depends on 35)

The method of claim 35 wherein reading the machine-readable product marking and the machine-readable patient marking on each product with one or more readers further comprises:
reading the machine-readable product marking and the patient on each product shaped with a card form factor with a first reader;
reading the machine-readable product marking on each product shaped with a box form factor with a second reader; and
reading the machine-readable patient marking on each product shaped with the box form factor with a third reader.

### Claim 37 (depends on 22)

The method of claim 22 further comprising:
transferring products with the machine-readable product marking and the machine-readable patient marking that have been independently verified after the patient label is applied from the machine into a container on a conveyor system.

### Claim 38 (depends on 37)

The method of claim 37 further comprising:
transferring products with the machine-readable patient marking or the machine-readable product marking that fail verification, after the patient label is applied, into a reject bin located in the machine.

### Claim 39 (depends on 37)

The method of claim 37 wherein transferring products with the machine-readable product marking and the machine-readable patient marking that have been independently verified further comprises:
picking the products up from a surface of the machine with a robot; and
placing the products into the container with a desired orientation.