System and method for obtaining information from a bar code for use with a healthcare system

• US 20030141368A1
• Filed: 05/31/2002
• Published: 07/31/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 01/29/2002
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Baxter International Inc.
• Original Assignee: Baxter International Inc.
• Inventors: Pascual, Florante, Wilkes, Gordon J., Acharya, Meetali, Paul, Eric S.
• Application Number:
  US10/160,565
• Publication Number:
  US 20030141368A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 235/462.07
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/1408 the method being specifically adapted for the type of code
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 10/60 for patient-specific data, e.g. for electronic patient records
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 20/10 relating to drugs or medications, e.g. for ensuring correct administration to patients
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 40/40 for the management of medical equipment or devices, e.g. scheduling maintenance or upgrades
• CPC Class Codes: G16Z 99/00 Subject matter not provided for in other main groups of this subclass
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/126 the source of the received data

Abstract

A method or system for obtaining information from a bar code comprising the steps of maintaining a database of a plurality of algorithms for decoding a bar code, scanning a bar code associated with a particular item, determining the length of the bar code, identifying algorithms from said database for decoding a bar code of the determined length, applying the identified algorithms to the scanned bar code, and verifying one of the identified algorithms as a correct algorithm for obtaining and utilizing information or data from the scanned bar code. The verifying step can be determining if a segment of the scanned bar code contains a portion of the information of the scanned bar code within an expected range for the chosen segment.

Claims

1. A method of obtaining information from a bar code when the manufacturer or repackager of an item associated with the bar code is not known, the method comprising the steps of:

maintaining a database of a plurality of algorithms for decoding bar codes;

determining a length of a bar code associated with an item;

identifying all algorithms from said database for decoding a bar code having said length;

applying each identified algorithm to said bar code; and

,

verifying a portion of information from said bar code determined from each said identified algorithm.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising generating an error message if said length of said bar code is less than a predetermined length.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein said identifying step comprises identifying a first algorithm, and said applying step comprises parsing said bar code into a plurality of segments as required by said first algorithm, each segment containing a portion of said information contained in said bar code.

4. The method of claim 3 wherein said verifying step comprises determining if one of said plurality of segments contains a portion of information within a predetermined range of information associated with said segment.

5. The method of claim 4 wherein said one segment is associated with information concerning a date of said item.

6. The method of claim 5 wherein said verifying step comprises determining if said one segment is a valid date.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein said identifying step comprises identifying a first algorithm and a second algorithm.

8. The method of claim 7 wherein said verifying step includes:

parsing said bar code into a first plurality of segments as required by said first algorithm and determining for one of said first plurality of segments whether said one segment is within a predetermined range of values;

parsing said bar code into a second plurality of segments as required by said second algorithm and determining for one of said second plurality of segments whether said one segment from said second plurality of segments is within a predetermined range value; and

,

selecting one of said first and second algorithms having a verified segment.

9. The method of claim 7 further comprising generating a drop down menu for selection of one of said first and second algorithms by a user when said verifying steps verifies both said first algorithm and said second algorithm as valid algorithms for said bar code.

10. The method of claim 3 wherein said verifying step includes determining if valid interdependencies exist between a first segment of said plurality of segments and a second segment of said plurality of segments.

11. The method of claim 1 further comprising using information supplied from a verified algorithm.

12. The method of claim 8 further comprising using information supplied from said selected algorithm.

31. The method of claim 4 wherein said one segment is associated with information relating to an identification code for a drug.

32. The method of claim 31 wherein said verifying step comprises determining if said segment is a valid drug identification code.

13. A method of obtaining information from a bar code comprising the steps of:

maintaining a database of algorithms for decoding bar codes;

scanning said bar code with a bar code reader;

determining a length of said bar code;

generating an error code when said length is less than a predetermined length;

identifying all algorithms from said database for decoding a bar code having said length when said length is greater than said predetermined length;

applying each identified algorithm to said bar code;

verifying a portion of information from said bar code determined from each said identified algorithm; and

,

selecting a verified algorithm to obtain said information.

14. The method of claim 13 wherein said identifying step identifies a first algorithm from said plurality of algorithms and a second algorithm from said plurality of algorithms.

15. The method of claim 14 wherein said verifying step comprises:

parsing said bar code into a first plurality of segments as required by said first identified algorithm and determining for one of said first plurality of segments whether said one segment is within a predetermined range of values; and

,

parsing said bar code into a second plurality of segments as required by said second identified algorithm and determining for one of said second plurality of segments whether said one segment from said second plurality of segments is within a predetermined range value.

16. The method of claim 15 wherein said selecting step comprises picking one of said first and second algorithms having a verified segment.

17. The method of claim 13 wherein said verifying step comprises parsing said bar code into a plurality of segments as required by one of said identified algorithms, and determining if valid interdependencies exist between a first segment of said plurality of segments and a second segment of said plurality of segments.

18. The method of claim 15 further comprising providing a drop down menu for selection of one of said first and second algorithms by a user when said verifying steps verifies both said first algorithm and said second algorithm as valid algorithms for said bar code.

19. The method of claim 13 further comprising obtaining information from said bar code utilizing said selected algorithm.

20. A method of obtaining information from an item having a bar code comprising the steps of:

maintaining a first database of algorithms for decoding bar codes for use when a manufacturer of an item is known;

maintaining a second database of algorithms for decoding bar codes for use when a manufacturer of an item is not known;

scanning a bar code from an item;

utilizing an algorithm from said first database when said manufacturer of said item is known to obtain information from said scanned bar code; and

,

utilizing an algorithm from said second database when said manufacturer of said item is not known to obtain information from said bar code.

21. The method of claim 20 wherein said utilizing an algorithm from said second database comprises the steps of:

determining a length of said scanned bar code;

identifying all algorithms from said second database for decoding a bar code having said length;

applying each identified algorithm to said bar code;

verifying a portion of information from said bar code determined from each said identified algorithm; and

,

selecting a verified algorithm to obtain said information.

22. The method of claim 21 wherein said identifying step identifies a first algorithm from said second database and a second algorithm from said second database.

23. The method of claim 22 wherein said verifying step comprises:

parsing said bar code into a first plurality of segments as required by said first identified algorithm and determining for one of said first plurality of segments whether said one segment is within a predetermined range of values; and

,

parsing said bar code into a second plurality of segments as required by said second identified algorithm and determining for one of said second plurality of segments whether said one segment from said second plurality of segments is within a predetermined range value.

24. The method of claim 23 wherein said selecting step comprises picking one of said first and second algorithms having a verified segment.

25. The method of claim 21 wherein said verifying step comprises parsing said bar code into a plurality of segments as required by one of said identified algorithms, and determining if valid interdependencies exist between a first segment of said plurality of segments and a second segment of said plurality of segments.

26. The method of claim 23 further comprising providing a drop down menu for selection of one of said first and second algorithms by a user when said verifying steps verifies both said first algorithm and said second algorithm as valid algorithms for said bar code.

27. The method of claim 21 further comprising obtaining information from said bar code utilizing said selected algorithm.

28. A system for obtaining information from a bar code comprising:

a bar code scanner for scanning a bar code associated with an item;

a program maintained on a computer readable medium for decoding a bar code scanned by said bar code scanner, said program including

a first code segment for maintaining a database of a plurality of algorithms for decoding bar codes;

a second code segment for determining a length of a bar code associated with an item;

a third code segment for identifying all algorithms from said database for decoding a bar code having said length;

a fourth code segment for applying each identified algorithm to said bar code; and

,

a fifth code segment for verifying a portion of information from said bar code determined from each said identified algorithm.

29. The system of claim 28 wherein said program further comprises a sixth code segment for generating an error message if said scanned bar code length is less than a predetermined value.

30. A program maintained on a computer readable medium for obtaining information from a bar code comprising:

a first code segment in said program for maintaining a database of a plurality of algorithms for decoding bar codes;

a second code segment in said program for determining a length of a bar code associated with an item;

a third code segment in said program for identifying all algorithms from said database for decoding a bar code having said length;

a fourth code segment in said program for applying each identified algorithm to said barcode; and

,

a fifth code segment in said program for verifying a portion of information from said bar code determined from each said identified algorithm.