POINT OF SALE VERIFICATION SYSTEM

• US 20150169843A1
• Filed: 02/24/2015
• Published: 06/18/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 08/24/2012
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: PerceptiMed, Inc.
• Original Assignee: PerceptiMed, Inc.
• Inventors: Jacobs, Alan Jeffrey, Gershtein, Eugene, Jacobs, Jennifer A.L.
• Application Number:
  US14/630,306
• Publication Number:
  US 20150169843A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: A61J 1/03 for pills or tablets containers for pills or tablets with special dispensing means therefor B65D83/04
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 25/20 External fittings of containers made by folding or erecting blanks made of paper B65D5/44
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 33/06 Handles forming part of the closing arrangement B65D33/16
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 33/16 End- or aperture-closing arrangements or devices valves of valve bags B65D31/14 ; removable stoppers or caps B65D39/00, B65D41/00; closures of filled bags B65D77/10; closing filled bags in association with packaging B65B7/00, B65B51/00
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 55/02 Locking devices; Means for discouraging or indicating unauthorised opening or removal of closure B65D41/32 takes precedence; protective covers for bottles B65D23/08; protective cap-like outer covers for bottle or jar closures B65D41/62; pressure-applying means B65D45/00; closures with means for discouraging unauthorised opening or removal of closures B65D50/00
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/0833 Tracking
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/087 Inventory or stock management, e.g. order filling, procurement or balancing against orders
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/20 Point-of-sale [POS] network systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0637 Approvals
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 10/60 for patient-specific data, e.g. for electronic patient records
• 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 prescription management system receives prescription information and manages containers filled with the prescription. The prescription is stored in the container and the container is attached to a tracking device storing prescription information. The tracking device is managed by the prescription management system and a tracking device, located on the container, that stores prescription information. Prior to dispensing the prescription to the customer, the prescription information stored on the container is verified with the customer by the prescription management system to ensure the correct container was retrieved.

Claims

1. A method for managing a customer order, the method comprising:

receiving a customer order designating a product for a customer associated with a customer identifier;

receiving an indication that a container associated with a tracking device is filled with the product;

associating the tracking device with product;

transmitting the customer identifier to the tracking device for storage;

receiving input customer information from a data entry unit;

responsive to receiving the input customer information, identifying the tracking device associated with that product based on the customer identifier;

accessing the identified tracking device to retrieve the product;

verifying the retrieved product associated with the identified tracking device matches the input customer information; and

providing a verification response on a display based on the verification.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising activating an indicator on the identified tracking device responsive to verifying a match between the retrieved stored customer information and the input customer information.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising sending a lock command to the container after receiving the indication that the container is filled with the product;

and sending an unlock command to the container after the input customer information is verified.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the verifying and providing are performed responsive to sensing the identified tracking device at a point-of-sale station.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising identifying another tracking device associated with the input customer information, wherein product associated with the other tracking device is verified to match the input customer information.

6. A method for managing a customer order, the method comprising:

receiving a customer order designating a product associated with customer information;

receiving an indication that a container associated with a tracking device is filled with the product;

associating the tracking device with the customer order;

receiving input customer information from a data entry unit; and

responsive to receiving the input customer information, identifying the customer order associated with the input customer information and a desired tracking device associated with that order;

sensing a retrieved tracking device;

verifying whether the retrieved tracking device matches the desired tracking device; and

providing a verification response on a display based on the verification.

7. The method of claim 6, further comprising:

responsive to verifying a match, transmitting a signal to the retrieved tracking device to activate a first indicator indicating a positive verification.

8. The method of claim 7, further comprising, responsive to failing to verify a match, transmitting a signal to the retrieved tracking device to activate a second indicator indicating a negative verification.

9. The method of claim 6, wherein the input customer information does not include personally identifiable information about a customer.

10. The method of claim 6, further comprising sending a store command to the tracking device to store the customer information associated with the customer order in the tracking device.

11. The method of claim 6, further comprising sending a lock command to the container after receiving the indication that the container is filled and sending an unlock command to the container after verifying the retrieved tracking device.

12. A system for customer verification for a plurality of customer orders, the system comprising:

a plurality containers for containing customer orders, each container including a locking mechanism and being associated with a plurality of indicators;

a container communication module for communicating with a plurality tracking devices on the plurality of the containers; and

a customer verification module for checking that customer information provided by a customer matches customer information stored in one of the plurality of tracking devices, the customer verification module configured to control the locking mechanism of the container to provide access to the prescription based on the results of the comparison.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein the customer verification module is configured to unlock the container based on a match between the customer information provided by a customer and the customer information stored in one of the plurality of tracking devices.

14. The system of claim 12, wherein the customer verification module is configured to keep the locking mechanism locked based on a determination that the customer information provided by a customer and the customer information stored in one of the plurality of tracking devices do not match.

15. The system of claim 14, wherein the indicator is configured to provide an alert in response to the determination that the information does not match.

16. The system of claim 12, wherein the customer verification module is further configured to transmit activation commands to activate a plurality of indicators on a plurality of containers simultaneously.

17. The system of claim 12, wherein the tracking device comprises a clip that is attachable to one of the containers.

18. The system of claim 12, wherein the tracking device is a system that is integrated into a portion of the container.