Method and System for Preparing a Set of Paired Identification Labels

• US 20110226412A1
• Filed: 03/24/2011
• Published: 09/22/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 06/27/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Qmeds Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Quiq, Inc.
• Inventors: Frankel, Mark E.
• Granted Patent: US 8,195,534 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 156/249
• 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 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.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein said visual indicator comprises a first color, said first color generated based on the plurality of characters.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein said visual indicator comprises an alignment designation bar, the attributes of said alignment designation bar being based on the plurality of characters.

4. The method of claim 1, 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.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein said second label has a coating of adhesive on the surface to be affixed to said blank space.

6. The method of claim 1, 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.

7. The method of claim 1, 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.

8. 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.

9. The set of paired identification labels of claim 8, wherein said first and second labels are printed in a first color.

10. The set of paired identification labels of claim 8, 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.

11. The set of paired identification labels of claim 10, wherein said first and third parts are adjacent to each other and said second and fourth parts are adjacent to each other.