Medicine sorting device
Inventors
Amano, Hirokazu • Sugimoto, Tomohiro • KONO, Tasuku • Kojima, Shinki • Tsuda, Hiromichi
Assignees
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Publication Number
US-12183442-B2
Publication Date
2024-12-31
Expiration Date
Abstract
Drugs can be sorted irrespective of whether or not drug data is registered. A drug sorting device includes a conveying/sorting unit configured to: accommodate drugs determined to have drug data corresponding to image data into a confirmed area of a second accommodating portion for each type; and accommodate drugs determined to have no drug data corresponding to the image data into a temporarily determined area.
Core Innovation
The disclosed invention relates to a drug sorting device that automatically recognizes a drug using an image and sorts the drug into a state of being sorted by type. The device includes a first accommodating portion configured to accommodate a plurality of types of drugs and a second accommodating portion configured to accommodate the plurality of types of drugs in a sorted state. After drugs are conveyed from the first accommodating portion, a sensor captures an image of the conveyed drug and a processor determines whether drug data corresponding to the captured image is present in previously stored drug data relating to each of the plurality of types of drugs.
In response to the determination, a sorting unit directs the drug into a first area of the second accommodating portion when the captured image includes drug data present in the previously stored drug data, and directs the drug into a second area different from the first area when the captured image is free of drug data in the previously stored drug data. For drugs determined to be free of drug data, the sorting unit sorts each such drug to a corresponding position in the second area based on at least one of a color or a shape of the drug and information attached to the drug in the captured image, thereby enabling sorting even when exact drug data is not registered.
The document further describes handling of drugs whose drug data is not available in the drug database, including user-assisted drug-data registration using captured images. A registration unit and display unit support registering missing drug data by extracting identification information from a captured image and showing the captured image together with the identification information, while registering the captured image when the displayed orientation of the extracted identification information matches a predetermined orientation.
Claims Coverage
The claims cover three inventive features in the independent claim and dependent features for registration and display.
Two-area routing based on drug data presence
A sorting unit directs a drug into a first area of the second accommodating portion when the captured image includes drug data present in previously stored drug data, and into a second area different from the first area when the captured image is free of drug data in the previously stored drug data.
Sorting drug-data-free cases by color/shape and attached information
For a drug determined to be free of drug data in the previously stored drug data, the sorting unit sorts the drug to a corresponding position in the second area based on at least one of a color or a shape of the drug and information attached to the drug in the captured image.
User registration of missing drug data
A register stores user-provided drug data associated with a captured image for a drug identified as having no drug data in previously stored records.
Registration assisted by displayed identification information and orientation matching
A processor extracts identification information from a captured image, uses the extracted identification information to identify the drug, and instructs a display to show both the captured image and the identification information, while registering the captured image when the displayed orientation of the extracted identification information matches a predetermined orientation.
Capsule-specific display of multiple images from multiple positions
A processor instructs a display to show multiple images captured from various positions around a capsule after determining the drug is a capsule.
Overall, the claims cover a drug sorting device that determines whether drug data corresponding to a captured image is present in previously stored drug data, routes drugs into different areas accordingly, and, when drug data is absent, sorts based on color/shape and attached information; additional dependent features provide user-assisted registration, registration display with orientation matching, and capsule-specific multi-position image display.
Stated Advantages
Enables sorting even when exact drug data is not registered.
Improved sorting discrimination by directing drugs based on whether captured-image drug data is present in previously stored drug data.
Enables grouping/positioning for drugs lacking stored drug data using at least one of color or shape and attached information in the captured image.
Supports user registration workflow for drugs without matching stored drug data.
Uses display-assisted orientation matching for registration.
For capsule drugs, provides multi-position image display.
Documented Applications
Automatic drug sorting using imaging for a plurality of types of drugs, including routing based on presence or absence of drug data in a previously stored drug database.
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