METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR BACKING UP POWER FAILURE FOR AUTOMATIC MEDICINE PACKING MACHINE

• US 20080114818A1
• Filed: 01/26/2007
• Published: 05/15/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 11/13/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: JVM Company Limited
• Original Assignee: JVM Company Limited
• Inventors: Kim, Jun Ho
• Granted Patent: US 8,239,214 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 707/204
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/1441 Resetting or repowering

Abstract

A method for backing up power failure for an automatic medicine packing machine includes steps of creating backup file from prescription data, storing backup file, deleting backup file for which packing of corresponding medicine is completed, detecting power recovery, and performing backup operation. In the step of creating backup file, when prescription data are received, the prescription data are arranged in preparation order and classified into one or more packing units, and a backup file is created for each of the packing units. An apparatus for the method includes a controller, a storage unit that stores backup files and a power recovery detecting unit that detects power recovery after power failure.

Claims

1. A method for backing up power failure for an automatic medicine packing machine comprising steps of:

a) creating backup file, wherein a backup file is created from a prescription data;

b) storing backup file, wherein the backup file created in the step of creating backup file is stored;

c) deleting backup file, wherein the backup file, for which packing of corresponding medicine is completed according to the prescription data, is deleted;

d) detecting power recovery, wherein power recovery after power failure is detected; and

e) performing backup operation, wherein backup operation of the automatic medicine packing machine is performed when power recovery is detected.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein in the step of creating backup file, when prescription data are received, the prescription data are arranged in preparation order and classified into one or more packing units, and a backup file is created for each of the packing units.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the packing unit comprises a unit that is classified for each patient.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein in the step of storing backup file, the backup file is stored in a storage unit that is separately provided.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein in the step of performing backup operation, medicine packing is performed according to the backup file(s) stored in the storage unit.

6. The method of claim 4, wherein in the step of performing backup operation, whether there is a backup file in the storage unit is searched, wherein if there is no backup file in the storage unit, new prescription data are input from a server computer.

7. The method of claim 4, wherein in the step of performing backup operation, whether there is a backup file in the storage unit is searched, wherein if there are one or more backup files found by the search, a situation, in which packing is performed in continuation to a packing just before the power failure, is displayed on a server computer.

8. An apparatus for backing up power failure for an automatic medicine packing machine, wherein the medicine packing machine comprises a plurality of tablet cassettes that contain medicine, a printing unit that prints data on packing envelopes that contain medicine and a sealing unit that seals the packing envelopes, the apparatus comprising:

a) a controller for the automatic medicine packing machine, which controls the tablet cassettes, the printing unit and the sealing unit of the automatic medicine packing machine according to prescription data that are input from a server computer;

b) a storage unit that is connected to the controller and stores backup files that are input into the controller; and

c) a power recovery detecting unit that detects power recovery after power failure in the automatic medicine packing machine;

wherein the controller creates backup files with the prescription data that are input from the server computer, stores them in the storage unit, and loads the backup files and performs packing operation according to the backup files stored in the storage unit when power recovery is reported from the power recovery detecting unit.

9. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the power recovery detecting unit detects voltage applied to the controller.

10. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the controller comprises a backup file creation module that arranges the prescription data input from the server computer in preparation order, classifies the prescription data for each packing unit, creates a backup file for each classified packing unit, and stores the created backup files in the storage unit, and a backup file deletion module that deletes the backup file, for which corresponding medicine has already been packed, for each packing unit.

11. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the controller further comprises a backup file search module that searches whether a backup file exists in the storage unit after power recovery is reported from the power recovery detecting unit.

12. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein if a backup file is not found, a new prescription data is requested to the server computer, wherein if one or more backup files are found, the searched backup files are loaded promptly to the controller.

13. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the controller further includes a continued packing display module that displays continued packing status on the server computer when a backup file is found by searching with the backup file search module.

14. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the storage unit comprises a hard disk drive.