AUTOMATED PRESCRIPTION FILLING SYSTEM/METHOD WITH AUTOMATED LABELING AND PACKAGING SYSTEM/METHOD AND AUTOMATED ORDER CONSOLIDATION SYSTEM/METHOD
First Claim
1. A system for filling at least one order, comprising:
- at least one order consolidation station configured to receive at least one bottle containing pills individually counted and at least one package containing pharmaceutical products without having been pre-designated for the at least one order when the at least one package was created, wherein the at least one bottle is specifically designated for the at least one order and wherein the at least one order includes at least one prescription for the at least one package, and the order consolidation station being further configured to combine automatically the at least one bottle and the at least one package to send the combined the at least one bottle and the at least one package to at least one recipient corresponding to the at least one order, to thereby fill the one of at least one order.
6 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
Computer assisted systems, methods and mediums for filling one or more orders. One embodiment of the present invention is a system that includes an order consolidation station configured to receive at least one bottle containing pills individually counted and/or at least one package containing pharmaceutical products without having been designated for any of the orders when the package was created and/or at least one literature pack optionally including patient specific information. The order consolidation station is further configured to combine automatically the received bottle and/or package and/or literature pack into a container to be sent to a recipient including, for example, mail order pharmacies, wholesalers and/or central fill dealers for subsequent distribution or sale including retailer distribution or sale. The bottle is specifically designated for the order, and the order generally includes at least one prescription for the package.
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Citations
91 Claims
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1. A system for filling at least one order, comprising:
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at least one order consolidation station configured to receive at least one bottle containing pills individually counted and at least one package containing pharmaceutical products without having been pre-designated for the at least one order when the at least one package was created, wherein the at least one bottle is specifically designated for the at least one order and wherein the at least one order includes at least one prescription for the at least one package, and the order consolidation station being further configured to combine automatically the at least one bottle and the at least one package to send the combined the at least one bottle and the at least one package to at least one recipient corresponding to the at least one order, to thereby fill the one of at least one order. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 58, 59)
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13. A system for filling at least one order, comprising:
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a bottle handling station configured to store and dispense at least one bottle containing pills individually counted, wherein the at least one bottle is specifically designated for the at least one order;
a package handling station configured to store and dispense at least one package containing pharmaceutical products without having been pre-designated for the at least one order when the at least one package was created, wherein the at least one order includes at least one prescription for the at least one package; and
an order consolidation station configured to combine the at least one bottle and the at least one package to send the combination of the at least one bottle and the at least one package to at least one recipient corresponding to the at least one order, to thereby fill the at least one order. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 60, 61)
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24. A system for filling a plurality of orders, comprising:
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a package handling station configured to store a plurality of packages containing pharmaceutical products without having been designated for any of the plurality of orders when the plurality of packages is created, a literature handling station configured to store a plurality of literature packs each containing printed literature relating to one of the plurality of orders and configured to coordinate the literature packs with respect to corresponding orders;
a computer system configured to monitor the package handling and literature handling stations and configured to cause the package handling station to dispense the plurality of packages in coordination with the dispensing of the plurality of literature packs by the literature handling station; and
an order consolidation station configured to receive the packages and the literature packs coordinated with respect to the corresponding orders and configured to combine the packages and the literature packs belonging to the corresponding orders. - View Dependent Claims (25, 26, 27, 62, 63, 64, 65)
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28. A method for filling at least one order, the method comprising the steps of:
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receiving at least one bottle containing pills individually counted and at least one package containing pharmaceutical products without having been pre-designated for the at least one order when the at least one package was created, wherein the at least one bottle is specifically designated for the at least one order and wherein the at least one order includes at least one prescription for the at least one package, and automatically combining the at least one bottle and the at least one package to send the at least one bottle and the at least one package to at least one recipient corresponding to the at least one order, to thereby fill the at least one order. - View Dependent Claims (29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37)
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38. A method for filling at least one order, the method comprising the steps of:
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storing and dispensing at least one bottle containing pills individually counted, wherein the at least one bottle is specifically designated for the at least one order;
storing and dispensing at least one package containing pharmaceutical products without having been designated for any of the at least one order when the at least one package was created, wherein the at least one order includes at least one prescription for the at least one package; and
combining the at least one bottle and the at least one package to send the at least one bottle and the at least one package to at least one recipient corresponding to the at least one order, to thereby fill the at least one order. - View Dependent Claims (39)
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40. A system for filling at least one order, comprising:
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at least one order consolidation means for receiving at least one bottle containing pills individually counted and at least one package containing pharmaceutical products without having been pre-designated for the at least one order when the at least one package was created, wherein the at least one bottle is specifically designated for the at least one order and wherein the at least one order includes at least one prescription for the at least one package, and the order consolidation means being further configured for automatically combining the at least one bottle and the at least one package into a container to be sent to at least one recipient corresponding to the at least one order, to thereby fill the one of at least one order. - View Dependent Claims (41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50)
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51. A system for filling at least one order, comprising:
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a bottle handling means for storing and dispensing at least one bottle containing pills individually counted, wherein the at least one bottle is specifically designated for the at least one order;
a package handling means for storing and dispensing at least one package containing pharmaceutical products without having been designated for any of the at least one order when the at least one package was created, wherein the at least one order includes at least one prescription for the at least one package; and
an order consolidation means for combining the at least one bottle and the at least one package into a container to be sent to at least one recipient corresponding to the at least one order, to thereby fill the at least one order. - View Dependent Claims (52)
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53. A system for filling a plurality of orders, comprising:
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package handling means for storing a plurality of packages containing pharmaceutical products without having been designated for any of the plurality of orders when the plurality of packages is created;
literature handling means for storing a plurality of literature packs each containing printed literature relating to one of the plurality of orders and configured to coordinate the literature packs with respect to corresponding orders;
a computer system configured to monitor the package handling and literature handling means and for controlling the package handling means to dispense the plurality of packages in coordination with the dispensing of the plurality of literature packs by the literature handling means; and
order consolidation means for receiving the packages and the literature packs coordinated with respect to the corresponding orders and for combining the packages and the literature packs belonging to the corresponding orders. - View Dependent Claims (54, 66, 67, 68, 69)
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55. A bottle storage apparatus, comprising:
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a plurality of storage locations, each storage location having a top side and a bottom side;
a stoppage mechanism disposed on the bottom side of each of the plurality of tubes, the stoppage mechanism having an open position and a closed position;
a first gantry mechanism having a means for obtaining a bottle and feeding the bottle to one of the plurality of storage locations via the top side thereof, wherein the bottle is held by the one of the plurality of tubes when the stoppage mechanism is in the closed position;
a second gantry mechanism having a means for moving the stoppage mechanism from the closed position to the open position; and
a computer system coupled to the first and second gantry mechanisms and capable of identifying a storage location, wherein the computer system is configured to instruct the first gantry mechanism to pick up one or more bottles belonging to a order and to feed the one or more bottles to one or more of the plurality of storage locations, wherein the computer system is further configured to instruct the second gantry mechanism to control the stoppage mechanism of the one or more of the plurality of storage locations from the close position to the open position when all of the one or more bottles belonging to the order has been fed to the one or more of the plurality of storage locations. - View Dependent Claims (56)
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57. A system of filling a plurality of order, comprising:
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a belt mechanism including a plurality of locations each of which is capable of carrying a pack of printed material belong to a order;
a bottle storage table including a plurality of tubes to store at least one bottle belonging to the order;
a first conveyor located to receive the at least one bottle from the bottle storage table and having a moving surface to move the at least one bottle received from the bottle storage table;
means for receiving and holding the at least one bottle;
a plurality of shelf locations, wherein each shelf location contains at least one package belonging to the order;
a first robot mechanism having an end effector to obtain the at least one package and a means to release the at least one package;
a second conveyor having a moving surface to move the at least one package received from the first robot mechanism;
a second robot mechanism having an end effector to pick up the at least one package;
a packager to open and hold a container; and
a computer system configured to instruct the belt mechanism to convey at least one pack of printed material and discharge the at least one pack into the container, instruct the bottle storage table to release the at least one bottle, instruct the first conveyor to move the at least one bottle and dispose the at least one bottle into the container, instruct the first robot mechanism to obtain the at least one package and release the at least one package onto the second conveyor, instruct the second conveyor to move the at least one package, and instruct the second robot mechanism to obtain and dispose the at least one package into the container.
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70. A system for filling at least one order, comprising:
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at least one order consolidation station configured to receive at least one literature pack containing printed literature relating to the at least one order and comprising patient specific information associated with the at least one order, and configured to receive at least one package containing pharmaceutical products without having been pre-designated for the at least one order when the at least one package was created, wherein the at least one package is specifically designated for the at least one order, and wherein the at least one order includes at least one prescription for the at least one package, and the order consolidation station being further configured to combine automatically the at least one literature pack and the at least one package to send the combined the at least one literature pack and the at least one package to at least one recipient corresponding to the at least one order, to thereby fill the at least one order. - View Dependent Claims (71, 72, 73, 74, 75, 76, 77, 78, 79, 80, 81)
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82. A method for filling at least one order, the method comprising the steps of:
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receiving at least one literature pack containing printed literature relating to the at least one order and patient specific information and at least one package containing pharmaceutical products without having been pre-designated for the at least one order when the at least one package was created, and wherein the at least one order includes at least one prescription for the at least one package, and automatically combining the at least one literature pack and the at least one package to send the at least one literature pack and the at least one package to at least one recipient corresponding to the at least one order, to thereby fill the at least one order. - View Dependent Claims (83, 84, 85, 86, 87, 88, 89, 90, 91)
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Specification