Medicine photographing device
Inventors
Assignees
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Publication Number
US-10969218-B2
Publication Date
2021-04-06
Expiration Date
Abstract
Provided is a medicine identifying system which enables automatization of medicine identification. A medicine identifying system is constituted of a medicine photographing device and a computer. Medicine identifying software is installed in the computer. At the time of performing medicine identification, a user first sets a medicine to be identified in the medicine photographing device. Next, the medicine photographing device starts to photograph the medicine by using an operation of the user with respect to the computer as a trigger. A photographed image of the medicine is transmitted to the computer as data. Then, the medicine identifying software refers to a database based on this image data to search the medicine.
Core Innovation
A medicine identifying system is provided that includes a medicine photographing device and a computer running medicine-identifying software. The medicine photographing device photographs an image of a medicine while controlling reflections on the medicine to improve imaging results. The device includes a placing part with a first camera on an upper side and a second camera on a lower side of the placing part, together with an upper light source on the upper side and a lower light source on the lower side.
A placing item consisting of a transparent bottom and a wall around the bottom is set in the placing part. A non-transparent ring is provided in the vicinity of an inner wall in the bottom of the placing item and is configured to prevent the medicine from being rolled toward the inner wall so as to reduce diffuse reflection of illumination light on the medicine caused by the inner wall.
The software captures multiple images using the upper and lower cameras under different lighting, performs calibration-based correction to align camera coordinates, segments a medicine region, and associates upper and lower views to determine tablet/capsule. The software extracts engraved marks and/or prints including a secant line and representative color, narrows candidates using these attributes, and performs template matching against database template images with scoring to generate candidate rankings.
The system supports staged identification with engraved marks and a displayed candidate list, provides a magnifier function and light switching, groups the same medicines, and includes an automatic learning function to prioritize previously selected medicines. Additional workflows cover identifying medicines in packaging paper using combined results from actual medicine and sample-print images.
Claims Coverage
The independent claim identified is clm-00001. The main inventive features are a medicine photographing device with two cameras on opposite sides, upper and lower illumination, and a placing item with a transparent bottom plus a non-transparent anti-roll ring to reduce diffuse reflection.
Two-sided camera photographing on placing part
A medicine photographing device for photographing an image of a medicine comprising a placing part; a first camera on an upper side of the placing part; and a second camera on a lower side of the placing part.
Upper and lower light sources for illumination
A medicine photographing device comprising an upper light source provided on the upper side of the placing part and a lower light source provided on the lower side of the placing part.
Transparent bottom and wall placing item
A placing item consisting of a transparent bottom and a wall provided around the bottom is set in the placing part.
Non-transparent anti-roll ring to reduce diffuse reflection
A non-transparent ring provided in the vicinity of an inner wall in the bottom of the placing item and configured to prevent the medicine from being rolled toward the inner wall so as to reduce diffuse reflection of illumination light on the medicine caused by the inner wall.
The claim coverage centers on a two-sided medicine photographing device using upper and lower cameras and light sources, together with a transparent-bottom placing item and a non-transparent ring configured to prevent rolling and reduce diffuse reflection from an inner wall.
Stated Advantages
Reduces diffuse reflection of illumination light on the medicine caused by the inner wall.
Documented Applications
Identifying medicines in packaging paper using combined results from actual medicine and sample-print images.
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