Method and System for Preparing a Set of Paired Identification Labels

• US 20090184510A1
• Filed: 08/25/2008
• Published: 07/23/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 06/27/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Qmeds Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Quiq, Inc.
• Inventors: Frankel, Mark E.
• Granted Patent: US 7,930,222 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 283/81
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/087 Inventory or stock management, e.g. order filling, procurement or balancing against orders
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/0092 for assembling and dispensing of pharmaceutical articles medical dispensers for private use, A61J7/00
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 7/00 Mechanisms actuated by objects other than coins to free or to actuate vending, hiring, coin or paper currency dispensing or refunding apparatus
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 9/026 for alarm, monitoring and auditing in vending machines or means for indication, e.g. when empty
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 20/13 delivered from dispensers
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 40/20 for the management or administration of healthcare resources or facilities, e.g. managing hospital staff or surgery rooms

Abstract

A system and method for preparing a set of paired identification label based a plurality of characters that identify an inventory item. The method includes a step of assigning a predetermined numerical value to each of the plurality of characters. Mathematical operations are performed on the assigned numerical values to obtain a mapping of the plurality of characters to a corresponding non-textual visual indicator. A label is generated which label includes the plurality of characters and the visual indicator. The visual indicator may be a color or a graphic indicator such as an alignment designation bar or a combination and variation thereof.

Claims

1. A method for generating an identification label based on a plurality of characters that identify an inventory item, said method comprising the steps of:

assigning a predetermined numerical value to each of said plurality of characters, wherein each of unique character is assigned a corresponding unique numerical value;

performing mathematical operations on said assigned numerical values to obtain a mapping of said plurality of characters to a corresponding non-textual visual indicator; and

generating a label including said plurality of characters and said visual indicator.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the performing step includes:

calculating values of a plurality of components of a color model based on the plurality of characters; and

wherein the visual indicator comprises a first color defined by said calculated components of the color model.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising a step of selecting a first color from a set of pre-determined colors based on the plurality of characters, and wherein the visual indicator comprises said first color.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein said visual indicator is an alignment designation bar.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein said alignment designation bar comprises a straight line, said line having a starting point and an end point based on said plurality of characters.

6. The method of claim 4, wherein said alignment designation bar comprises a series of symbols, said series having a starting point and an end point based on said plurality of characters.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein said plurality of characters are arranged in a plurality of rows and wherein the performing step comprises adding said assigned numerical values corresponding to each of said plurality of characters in each of said plurality of rows to obtain a row total for each of said plurality of rows.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein said performing step comprises performing a plurality of mathematical operations on said row totals to obtain said non-textual visual indicator.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the performing step comprises obtaining values for a plurality of variables by performing the following mathematical operations:

First Variable=Row total of first row;

Second Variable=Row total of second row;

Third Variable=Row total of third row;

Nth Variable=Row total of nth row.

10. The method of claim 4, wherein said visual indicator comprises a first color and a second color;

wherein said alignment designation bar divides said label into a first part and a second part;

wherein said first and second parts of said label are printed in said first color and said second color respectively.

11. A method for matching a deliverable unit with an information sheet using a set of paired identification labels, said method comprising the steps of:

affixing a set of identification labels on the deliverable unit, said set generated based on a plurality of characters included thereon, said plurality of characters being indicative of the content of the deliverable unit, said set comprising;

a first label having said plurality of characters included thereon;

a first visual indicator printed adjacent to at least one edge of said first label;

a second label in having said plurality of characters included thereon;

a second visual indicator printed adjacent to at least one edge of said second label, said second label being identical to said first label, wherein said second label is removably superimposed on said first label;

generating an information sheet, said information sheet further comprising;

a label image complementary to said first label, and wherein said label image has a third visual indicator printed adjacent to at least one edge of said label image, wherein said third visual indicator is adapted to align or match with said second visual indicator; and

a blank space adjacent to said label image;

removing said second label from said deliverable unit; and

affixing said second label in said blank space adjacent to said label image,

wherein said second label and said label image are printed in the first color,

wherein said second and third visual indicators align or match with each other at adjacent edges of said second label and said label image, and

wherein said second label and said label image have printed thereon the plurality of characters, wherein the plurality of characters are indicative of content in the deliverable unit and indicative of a content to be delivered to a bearer of said information sheet.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein said visual indicator comprises a first color, said first color generated based on the plurality of characters.

13. The method of claim 11, wherein said visual indicator comprises an alignment designation bar, the attributes of said alignment designation bar being based on the plurality of characters.

14. The method of claim 11, wherein said visual indicator comprises:

a first color, said first color generated based on the plurality of characters; and

an alignment designation bar, the attributes of said alignment designation bar being based on the plurality of characters.

15. The method of claim 11, wherein said second label has a coating of adhesive on the surface to be affixed to said blank space.

16. The method of claim 11, wherein said first label has a coating on the surface whereon said plurality of characters are included, said coating capable of preventing permanent adhesion of said second label to said first label.

17. The method of claim 11, wherein a plurality of deliverable units are matched with said information sheet, wherein each of said plurality of deliverable units comprises a set of identification labels, wherein each of said sets comprises a removably affixed label, wherein each of said removably affixed label comprises a visual indicator, adapted to align or match with a visual indicator on said label image on the information sheet.

18. A set of paired identification labels comprising:

a first label having a plurality of characters printed thereon;

a first alignment designation bar printed across said first label;

a second label having said plurality of characters printed thereon; and

a second alignment designation bar printed across said second label;

wherein when said first and second labels are located adjacent to each other, said first and second alignment designation bars align with each other at the edges of said first and second labels.

19. The set of paired identification labels of claim 18, wherein said first and second labels are printed in a first color.

20. The set of paired identification labels of claim 18, wherein said first alignment designation bar divides said first label into first and second parts,

wherein said second alignment designation bar divides said second label into third and fourth parts,

wherein said first and third parts are printed in a first color;

and

wherein said second and fourth parts are printed in a second color.

21. The set of paired identification labels of claim 20, wherein said first and third parts are adjacent to each other and said second and fourth parts are adjacent to each other.