Pharmaceutical recordkeeping system

• US 5,774,875 A
• Filed: 11/12/1996
• Issued: 06/30/1998
• Est. Priority Date: 08/20/1993
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: ABB Automation GmbH (ABB Limited)
• Original Assignee: Base Ten Systems, Inc. (CommScope Holding Company, Inc.)
• Inventors: Gaburo, Louis M., Hartkopf, Stewart E., Medeiros, Joel E.
• Primary Examiner(s): Hayes, Gail O.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Tkacs, Stephen R.
• Application Number:
  US08/747,175
• Time in Patent Office: 595 Days
• Field of Search: 705/1, 705/22, 705/28, 705/29, 235/375, 235/376, 235/383, 235/385, 235/431, 346/33 ME, 346/33 TP, 364/468.01, 364/468.15, 364/468.16, 364/468.17, 364/468.22, 364/468.23, 364/478.01, 364/478.03, 364/478.13, 364/496, 364/497, 364/130, 422/62, 422/67
• US Class Current: 705/28
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/087 Inventory or stock management, e.g. order filling, procurement or balancing against orders
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 3/00 Registering or indicating the condition or the working of machines or other apparatus, other than vehicles

Abstract

A recordkeeping method comprises assigning serialized portable memory devices to individual lots of material and manufacturing process batches, writing identification and requirements data into the portable memory devices, writing manufacturing and test data into the portable memory devices during the process and writing the manufacturing and test data from one portable memory device into another by first reading the identification data from the both portable memory devices, comparing the identification data read from the two portable memory devices and writing the manufacturing and test data into the other portable memory device if the comparison is favorable.

Claims

1. A method for recordkeeping comprising the steps of:

(a1) providing a first portable memory with a unique serial number recorded therein, for a first lot of raw material to be received and tested;

(a2) writing raw material identification and test requirements data into the first portable memory relating to the first raw material lot;

(a3) providing a second portable memory with a unique serial number recorded therein, for a sample from the first raw material lot;

(a4) writing said raw material identification, test requirements, and the serial number from the first portable memory into the second portable memory;

(a5) testing the sample and writing test data into the second portable memory; and

(a6) writing the test data and the serial number from the second portable memory into the first portable memory by first reading the identification data from the both the first and second portable memories, comparing the identification data read from the first and second portable memories and writing the test data and the serial number of the second portable memory into the first portable memory if the comparison is favorable; and

(a7) repeating steps (a1) through (a6) using additional first and second memories, for additional lots of raw material.

2. The method according to claim 1, further comprising the steps of:

(b1) providing a third portable memory with a unique serial number recorded therein, for a first lot of packaging material to be received and tested;

(b2) writing packaging material identification and test requirements data into the third portable memory relating to the first packaging material lot;

(b3) providing a fourth portable memory with a unique serial number recorded therein, for a sample from the first packaging material lot;

(b4) writing said packaging material identification, test requirements, and the serial number from the third portable memory into the fourth portable memory;

(b5) testing the sample and writing test data into the fourth portable memory; and

(b6) writing the test data and the serial number from the fourth portable memory into the third portable memory by first reading the identification data from both the third and fourth portable memories, comparing the identification data read from the third and fourth portable memories and writing the test data and the serial number of the fourth portable memory into the third portable memory if the comparison is favorable; and

(b7) repeating steps (b1) through (b6), using additional third and fourth memories, for additional lots of packaging material.

3. The method according to claim 2, further comprising the steps of:

(c1) providing a fifth portable memory with a unique serial number recorded in the memory, for a first lot of labeling material received and to be tested;

(c2) writing labeling material identification and test requirements data into the fifth portable memory relating to the first labeling material lot;

(c3) providing a sixth portable memory with a unique serial number recorded in memory, for a sample from the first labeling material lot;

(c4) writing said labeling material identification, test requirements, and the serial number from the fifth portable memory into the sixth portable memory;

(c5) testing the sample and writing test data into the sixth portable memory;

(c6) writing the test data and the serial number from the sixth portable memory into the fifth portable memory by first reading the identification data from the both the fifth and sixth portable memories, comparing the identification data read from the fifth and sixth portable memories and writing the test data and the serial number into the fifth portable memory if the comparison is favorable; and

(c7) repeating steps (c1) through (c6), using additional fifth and sixth memories for additional lots of labeling material.

4. A method according to claim 3, further comprising the steps of:

(d1) providing a seventh portable memory with a unique serial number recorded therein, for a first product to be produced from a plurality of lots of raw material;

(d2) writing product identification, process and test requirements data into the seventh portable memory relating to the first product to be produced;

(d3) providing an eighth portable memory with a unique serial number recorded in the memory, for the first product to be produced from the plurality of lots of raw material;

(d4) writing product identification and product raw material component requirements data into the eighth portable memory relating to the first product to be produced;

(d5) writing the serial number from the seventh portable memory into the eighth portable memory by first reading the identification data from both the seventh and eighth portable memories, comparing the identification data read from the seventh and eighth portable memories and writing the serial number if the comparison is favorable;

(d6) writing the serial number from the eighth portable memory into the seventh portable memory if the identification data comparison is favorable;

(d7) obtaining a portion of the first lot of material for the first product to be produced and writing material lot data and serial number from the first portable memory into the eighth portable memory by first reading the material identification data from the first portable memory and the material component requirements data from the eighth portable memory, comparing the material identification and requirements data read from the first and eighth portable memories and writing the material lot data and serial number into the eighth portable memory if the comparison is favorable;

(d8) writing the product batch data and serial number from the eighth portable memory into the first portable memory if the comparison is favorable;

(d9) writing the material lot data from the eighth portable memory into the seventh portable memory by first reading the product identification data from both the seventh and eighth portable memories, comparing the product identification data read from the seventh and eighth portable memories and writing the material lot data into the seventh portable memory if the comparison is favorable; and

(d10) repeating steps (d7) through (d9) for each raw material component of the first product to be produced.

5. The method according to claim 4, further comprising the steps of:

(e1) providing a ninth portable memory with a unique serial number recorded therein, for a sample from the first product batch;

(e2) writing product identification, test requirements, and the serial number from the seventh portable memory into the ninth portable memory;

(e3) testing the sample and writing test data into the ninth portable memory; and

(e4) writing the test data and the serial number from the ninth portable memory into the seventh portable memory by first reading the identification data from both the seventh and ninth portable memories, comparing the identification data read from the seventh and ninth portable memories and writing the test data and the serial number of the ninth portable memory into the seventh portable memory if the comparison is favorable.

6. The method according to claim 5, further comprising the steps of:

(f1) providing a tenth portable memory with a unique serial number recorded therein, for a portion of the first product to be packaged and labeled;

(f2) writing packaged product identification, and packaging and labeling process and test requirements data into the tenth portable memory relating to the packaged portion of the first product;

(f3) providing an eleventh portable memory with a unique serial number recorded in the memory, for a portion of the first product to be packaged and labeled;

(f4) writing packaged product identification, and the packaging and labeling material component requirements data into the eleventh portable memory relating to the packaged portion of the first product;

(f5) writing the serial number from the tenth portable memory into the eleventh portable memory by first reading the packaged product identification data from both the tenth and eleventh portable memories, comparing the packaged product identification data read from the tenth and eleventh portable memories and writing the serial number if the comparison is favorable;

(f6) writing the serial number from the eleventh portable memory into the tenth portable memory if the packaged product identification data comparison is favorable;

(f7) obtaining a portion of the first product to be packaged and labeled, and writing product batch data and serial number from the seventh portable memory into the eleventh portable memory by first reading the product identification data from the seventh portable memory and the packaging product requirements data from the eleventh portable memory, comparing the product identification and requirements data read from the seventh and eleventh portable memories and writing the product batch data and serial number into the eleventh portable memory if the comparison is favorable;

(f8) writing the packaged product lot data and serial number from the eleventh portable memory into the seventh portable memory if the comparison is favorable;

(f9) writing the product batch data from the eleventh portable memory into the tenth portable memory by first reading the packaged product identification data from both the tenth and eleventh portable memories, comparing the packaged product identification data read from the tenth and eleventh portable memories and writing the packaged material lot data into the tenth portable memory if the comparison is favorable.

7. The method according to claim 6, further comprising the steps of:

(g1) obtaining a portion of the first packaging material for the first product to be packaged and labeled, and writing packaging material lot data and serial number from the third portable memory into the eleventh portable memory by first reading the packaging material identification data from the third portable memory and the packaging material requirements data from the eleventh portable memory, comparing the packaging material identification and requirements data read from the third and eleventh portable memories and writing the packaging material lot data and serial number into the eleventh portable memory if the comparison is favorable;

(g2) writing the packaged product lot data and serial number from the eleventh portable memory into the third portable memory if the comparison is favorable;

(g3) writing the packaging material lot data from the eleventh portable memory into the tenth portable memory by first reading the packaged product identification data from both the tenth and eleventh portable memories, comparing the packaged product identification data read from the tenth and eleventh portable memories and writing the packaging material lot data into the tenth portable memory if the comparison is favorable; and

(g4) repeating steps (g1) through (g3) for each packaging material component of the first product to be packaged.

8. The method according to claim 7, further comprising the steps of:

(h1) obtaining a portion of the first lot of labeling material for the first product to be packaged and labeled, and writing labeling material lQt, data and serial number from the fifth portable memory into the eleventh portable memory by first reading the labeling material identification data from the fifth portable memory and the labeling material requirements from the eleventh portable memory, comparing the labeling material identification and requirements data read from the fifth and eleventh portable memories and writing the labeling material lot data and serial number into the eleventh portable memory if the comparison is favorable;

(h2) writing the packaged product lot data and serial number from the eleventh portable memory into the fifth portable memory if the comparison is favorable;

(h3) writing the labeling material lot data from the eleventh portable memory into the tenth portable memory by first reading the packaged product identification data from both the tenth and eleventh portable memories, comparing the packaged product identification data read from the tenth and eleventh portable memories and writing the labeling material lot data into the tenth portable memory if the comparison is favorable; and

(h4) repeating steps (h1) through (h3) for each labeling material component of the first product to be packaged and labeled.

9. The method according to claim 8, further comprising the steps of:

(i1) providing a twelfth portable memory with a unique serial number recorded therein, for a sample from the first product packaged and labeled;

(i2) writing the packaged product identification, test requirements, and the serial number from the tenth portable memory into the twelfth portable memory;

(i3) testing the sample and writing test data into the twelfth portable memory; and

;

(i4) writing the test data and the serial number from the twelfth portable memory into the tenth portable memory by first reading the packaged product identification data from the both the tenth and twelfth portable memories, comparing the packaged product identification data read from the tenth and twelfth portable memories and writing the test data and the serial number of the twelfth portable memory into the tenth portable memory if the comparison is favorable.

10. The method of claim 9, further comprising reading data and serial numbers from the portable memories and writing the data and serial numbers into a main computer database.

11. A method for recordkeeping, comprising the steps of:

(a) providing a first portable memory with a unique serial number recorded therein, for a first lot of packaging material to be received and tested;

(b) writing packaging material identification and test requirements data into the first portable memory relating to the first packaging material lot;

(c) providing a second portable memory with a unique serial number recorded therein, for a sample from the first packaging material lot;

(d) writing said packaging material identification, test requirements, and the serial number from the first portable memory into the second portable memory;

(e) testing the sample and writing test data into the second portable memory; and

(f) writing the test data and the serial number from the second portable memory into the first portable memory by first reading the identification data from both the first and second portable memories, comparing the identification data read from the first and second portable memories and writing the test data and the serial number of the second portable memory into the first portable memory if the comparison is favorable;

(g) repeating steps (a) through (f), using additional first and second memories, for additional lots of packaging material.

12. The method of claim 11, further comprising reading data and serial numbers from the portable memories and writing the data and serial numbers into a main computer database.

13. A method for recordkeeping comprising the steps of:

(a) providing a first portable memory with a unique serial number recorded therein, for a first lot of labeling material received and to be tested;

(b) writing labeling material identification and test requirements data into the first portable memory relating to the first labeling material lot;

(c) providing a second portable memory with a unique serial number recorded in memory, for a sample from the first labeling material lot;

(d) writing said labeling material identification, test requirements, and the serial number from the first portable memory into the second portable memory;

(e) testing the sample and writing test data into the second portable memory;

(f) writing the test data and the serial number from the second portable memory into the first portable memory by first reading the identification data from the both the first and second portable memories, comparing the identification data read from the first and second portable memories and writing the test data and the serial number of the second portable memory into the first portable memory if the comparison is favorable; and

(g) repeating steps (a) through (f), using additional first and second memories, for additional lots of labeling material.

14. The method of claim 13, further comprising reading data and serial numbers from the portable memories and writing the data and serial numbers into a main computer database.

15. A method for recordkeeping comprising the steps of:

(a) providing a first portable memory with a unique serial number recorded therein, for a first product to be produced from a plurality of lots of raw material;

(b) writing product identification, process and test requirements data into the first portable memory relating to the first product to be produced;

(c) providing an second portable memory with a unique serial number recorded in the memory, for the first product to be produced from the plurality of lots of raw material;

(d) writing product identification and product raw material component requirements data into the second portable memory relating to the first product to be produced;

(e) writing the serial number from the first portable memory into the second portable memory by first reading the identification data from both the first and second portable memories, comparing the identification data read from the first and second portable memories and writing the serial number if the comparison is favorable;

(f) writing the serial number from the second portable memory into the first portable memory if the identification data comparison is favorable;

(g) obtaining a portion of the first lot of material for the first product to be produced and writing material lot data and serial number from a third portable memory into the second portable memory by first reading the material identification data from the third portable memory and the material component requirements data from the second portable memory, comparing the material identification and requirements data read from the third and second portable memories and writing the material lot data and serial number into the second portable memory if the comparison is favorable;

(h) writing the product batch data and serial number from the second portable memory into the third portable memory if the comparison is favorable;

(i) writing material lot data from the second portable memory into the first portable memory by first reading the product identification data from both the first and second portable memories, comparing the product identification data read from the first and second portable memories and writing the material lot data into the first portable memory if the comparison is favorable; and

(j) repeating steps (a) through (i) for each raw material component of the first product to be produced.

16. The method according to claim 15, further comprising the steps of:

(k) providing a fourth portable memory with a unique serial number recorded therein, for a sample from the first product batch;

(l) writing product identification, test requirements, and the serial number from the first portable memory into the fourth portable memory;

(m) testing the sample and writing test data into the fourth portable memory; and

(n) writing the test data and the serial number from the fourth portable memory into the first portable memory by first reading the identification data from both the first and fourth portable memories, comparing the product identification data read from the first and fourth portable memories and writing the test data and the serial number of the fourth portable memory into the first portable memory if the comparison is favorable.

17. The method of claim 16, further comprising reading data and serial numbers from the portable memories and writing the data and serial numbers into a main computer database.

18. The method for recordkeeping comprising the steps of:

(a) providing a first portable memory with a unique serial number recorded therein, for a portion of the first product to be packaged and labeled;

(b) writing packaged product identification, and packaging and labeling process and test requirements data into the first portable memory relating to the packaged portion of the first product;

(c) providing a second portable memory with a unique serial number recorded in the memory, for a portion of the first product to be packaged and labeled;

(d) writing packaged product identification, and the packaging and labeling material component requirements data into the second portable memory relating to the packaged portion of the first product;

(e) writing the serial number from the first portable memory into the second portable memory by first reading the packaged product identification data from both the first and second portable memories, comparing the packaged product identification data read from the first and second portable memories and writing the serial number if the comparison is favorable;

(f) writing the serial number from the second portable memory into the first portable memory if the packaged product identification data comparison is favorable;

(g) obtaining a portion of the first product to be packaged and labeled, and writing product batch data and serial number from a third portable memory into the second portable memory by first reading the product identification data from the third portable memory and the packaging product requirements data from the second portable memory, comparing the product identification and requirements data read from the third and second portable memories and writing the product batch data and serial number into the second portable memory if the comparison is favorable;

(h) writing the packaged product lot data and serial number from the second portable memory into the third portable memory if the comparison is favorable;

(i) writing the product batch data from the second portable memory into the first portable memory by first reading the packaged product identification data from both the first and second portable memories, comparing the packaged product identification data read from the first and second portable memories and writing the packaged material lot data into the first portable memory if the comparison is favorable.

19. The method according to claim 18, further comprising the steps of:

(j) obtaining a portion of the first packaging material for the first product to be packaged and labeled, and writing packaging material lot data and serial number from a fourth portable memory into the second portable memory by first reading the packaging material identification data from the fourth portable memory and the packaging material requirements data from the second portable memory, comparing the packaging material identification and requirements data read from the second and fourth portable memories and writing the packaging material lot data and serial number into the second portable memory if the comparison is favorable;

(k) writing the packaged product lot data and serial number from the second portable memory into the fourth portable memory if the comparison is favorable;

(l) writing the packaging material lot data from the second portable memory into the first portable memory by first reading the packaged product identification data from both the first and second portable memories, comparing the packaged product identification data read from the first and second portable memories and writing the packaging material lot data into the first portable memory if the comparison is favorable; and

(m) repeating steps (j) through (l) for each packaging material component of the first product to be packaged.

20. The method according to claim 19, further comprising the steps of:

(n) obtaining a portion of the first lot of labeling material for the first product to be packaged and labeled, and writing labeling material lot data and serial number from a fifth portable memory into the second portable memory by first reading the labeling material identification data from the fifth portable memory and the labeling material requirements from the second portable memory, comparing the labeling material identification and requirements data read from the fifth and second portable memories and writing the labeling material lot data and serial number into the second portable memory if the comparison is favorable;

(o) writing the packaged product lot data and serial number from the second portable memory into the fifth portable memory if the comparison is favorable;

(p) writing the labeling material lot data from the second portable memory into the first portable memory by first reading the packaged product identification data from both the first and second portable memories, comparing the packaged product identification data read from the first and second portable memories and writing the labeling material lot data into the first portable memory if the comparison is favorable; and

(q) repeating steps (n) through (p) for each labeling material component of the first product to be packaged and labeled.

21. The method according to claim 20, further comprising the steps of:

(r) providing a sixth portable memory with a unique serial number recorded therein, for a sample from the first product packaged and labeled;

(s) writing the packaged product identification, test requirements, and the serial number from the first portable memory into the sixth portable memory;

(t) testing the sample and writing test data into the sixth portable memory; and

;

(u) writing the test data and the serial number from the sixth portable memory into the first portable memory by first reading the packaged product identification data from the both the first and sixth portable memories, comparing the packaged product identification data read from the first and sixth portable memories and writing the test data and the serial number of the sixth portable memory into the first portable memory if the comparison is favorable.

22. The method of claim 21, further comprising reading data and serial numbers from the portable memories and writing the data and serial numbers into a main computer database.