Optical sensing-based inventory control systems and methods

Inventors

Dattamajumdar, Anupam Kumar • Fisher, Herbert Lawson • D'Costa, John Alfred • Robin, Rupert P. • Arnold, Brian Richard • Sudhir, Sanandan • Jayeshbhai, Shah Sohil

Assignees

Omnicell Inc

Abstract

An inventory tracking system includes storage modules that hold one or more items. Each item is positionable at locations within the storage modules independent of physical characteristics of the item. Inventory monitoring modules are included to monitor storage modules for adding an item, retrieving an item, consuming of the item, returning an unused item, discarding at least a portion of a consumed item, or combinations thereof. Each act is used to determine information about items utilized in the act, including the location within the storage modules of the items. Each storage module updates a central inventory database about a location of the storage module, a revised inventory of the items stored within the storage modules, or both. The location of the storage modules, the revised inventory of the items stored within the storage modules, or both, is used to order a replenishment of the items held within the storage modules.

Core Innovation

The invention relates to a medication management workflow and control system that uses a support surface having two or more types of sensors configured to monitor use of an item. The sensor types are selected from a load sensor, an imaging device, a radio frequency reader, and an optical reader. At least one processor receives information from the two or more types of sensors and compares the information from the sensors.

The processor determines an identity of the item based on the compared information from the two or more types of sensors. In embodiments, the system uses load sensor-derived size information and/or a pressure map of contact points of the item, and compares those features to known item characteristics to determine the identity. The sensor data can include imaging, load/weight-related sensor data, and RF/RFID or optical reader outputs.

The workflow and control system further supports downstream actions tied to the determined identity, including automatically causing a label to be printed for the item. The system can also receive lot numbers and/or expiration dates of the item from the two or more types of sensors, and the processor can perform checks based on lot number and expiration date, including determining patient appropriateness, whether the lot was recalled, and whether the item has expired.

Claims Coverage

The independent claims cover a medication management workflow and control system in which a support surface with two or more sensor types monitors an item, a processor receives and compares sensor information, and determines an item identity; additional independent claim coverage adds automated label printing and computer-implemented method form. The main inventive features are centered on sensor fusion for identity determination and workflow control logic tied to the identified item.

Across the independent claims, the central coverage is identity determination from compared information received from two or more types of sensors on a support surface, with additional coverage for automatically printing a label when the identity is determined and for the computer-implemented method version of the workflow.

Stated Advantages

Documented Applications