METHODS AND APPARATUS FOR DISPENSING SOLID PHARMACEUTICAL ARTICLES USING CAPACITIVE LEVEL SENSORS
First Claim
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1. An apparatus for dispensing solid pharmaceutical articles, the apparatus comprising:
- a dispensing bin having a solid pharmaceutical article storage chamber therein;
a sensor in the storage chamber, the sensor comprising first and second electrodes defining a plurality of interlocking fingers having respective gaps therebetween, wherein the sensor is configured to generate, a detection signal; and
a controller coupled to the sensor and configured to detect a presence of one or more solid pharmaceutical articles in the storage chamber based on the detection signal.
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Abstract
An apparatus for dispensing solid pharmaceutical articles includes a dispensing bin having a solid pharmaceutical article storage chamber therein, and a sensor system. The sensor system includes a sensor having first and second electrodes in the storage chamber, and a controller coupled to the sensor. The sensor is configured to generate a detection signal indicative of a capacitance. The controller is configured to detect a presence of one or more solid pharmaceutical articles in the storage chamber based on the capacitance indicated by the detection signal. Related methods and computer program products are also discussed.
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Citations
21 Claims
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1. An apparatus for dispensing solid pharmaceutical articles, the apparatus comprising:
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a dispensing bin having a solid pharmaceutical article storage chamber therein; a sensor in the storage chamber, the sensor comprising first and second electrodes defining a plurality of interlocking fingers having respective gaps therebetween, wherein the sensor is configured to generate, a detection signal; and a controller coupled to the sensor and configured to detect a presence of one or more solid pharmaceutical articles in the storage chamber based on the detection signal. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
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11. A method for dispensing solid pharmaceutical articles, the method comprising:
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generating, by a sensor comprising first and second electrodes defining a plurality of interlocking fingers having respective gaps therebetween in a solid pharmaceutical article storage chamber, a detection signal; and detecting, by a controller coupled to the sensor, a presence of one or more solid pharmaceutical articles in the storage chamber based on the detection signal. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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21. A computer program product, comprising:
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a computer readable storage medium having computer readable program code embodied in the storage medium, wherein the computer readable program code, when executed by a processor, causes the processor to; receive a detection signal from a sensor comprising first and second electrodes defining a plurality of interlocking fingers having respective gaps therebetween in a solid pharmaceutical article storage chamber; and detect a presence and/or fill level of solid pharmaceutical articles in the storage chamber based on the detection signal.
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Specification