Pharmacy pill counting vision system

• US 6,574,580 B2
• Filed: 02/08/2001
• Issued: 06/03/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 02/11/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: ScriptPro LLC
• Original Assignee: ScriptPro LLC
• Inventors: Hamilton, Rodney N.
• Primary Examiner(s): SHAH, KAMINI S
• Application Number:
  US09/779,290
• Publication Number:
  US 20010041968A1
• Time in Patent Office: 845 Days
• Field of Search: 702/128, 702/81, 382/281, 382/190-195, 382/128, 132/2, 356/407, 222/572
• US Class Current: 702/128
• CPC Class Codes: A61J 7/02 Pill counting devices
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 21/9508 Capsules; Tablets
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 18/00 Pattern recognition
• CPC Class Codes: G06M 1/101 by electro-optical means
• CPC Class Codes: G06M 11/00 Counting of objects distributed at random, e.g. on a surface
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 7/0004 Industrial image inspection
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 20/66 Trinkets, e.g. shirt buttons or jewellery items recognising microscopic objects G06V20/69
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/0324 With control of flow by a condition or characteristic of a fluid

Abstract

A semi-automated pill counting system (10) using digital imaging technology and image recognition software including a modified Hough Transform. The system (10) comprises a light source (12); a modified pharmacist'"'"'s tray (14); a digital camera (16); and a personal computer (PC) (18), with the PC (18) storing and executing the image recognition software. A roughly estimated number of pills are placed upon the tray (16) and illuminated by the light source (12), whereafter a digital image of the pills is produced by the camera (16) and sent via an interface to the PC (18). The image recognition software counts the pills present in the image and displays a count result. Based upon the count result, the pharmacist adds or removes pills to the tray (14), as appropriate, to complete the process.

Claims

1. A system for counting a quantity of pills, the system comprising:

a pharmacist'"'"'s tray upon which the quantity of pills may be arranged, wherein the pharmacist'"'"'s tray presents a background surface having a changeable color;

a digital camera operable to produce a digital image of the quantity of pills arranged upon the pharmacist'"'"'s tray;

a processor interfaced with the digital camera and operable to receive the digital image, execute a program to count the number of pills present in the digital image, and generate a count result; and

a display operable to communicate the count result.

2. The system as set forth in claim 1, wherein the program uses an image recognition algorithm based upon a Hough Transform.

3. The system as set forth in claim 2, wherein the Hough Transform is modified in that adjustments of scale are omitted.

4. The system as set forth in claim 1, further comprising a light source operable to illuminate the pharmacist'"'"'s tray.

5. The system as set forth in claim 1, wherein removable colored inserts are used to change the changeable color of the background surface.

6. A system for counting a quantity of pills, the system comprising:

a light source operable to illuminate the quantity of pills;

a pharmacist'"'"'s tray having a surface upon which the quantity of pills may be arranged, with the surface presenting a changeable color;

a digital camera operable to produce a digital image of the quantity of pills arranged upon the surface;

a computer interfaced with the digital camera and operable to receive the digital image, execute a program to count the number of pills present in the digital image, and generate a count result; and

a display operable to communicate the count result.

7. The system as set forth in claim 6, wherein the program uses an image recognition algorithm based upon a Hough Transform.

8. The system as set forth in claim 7, wherein the Hough Transform is modified in that adjustments of scale are omitted.

9. The system as set forth in claim 6, wherein removable colored inserts are used to change the changeable color of the surface.

10. A method of counting pills, the pills having one or more visually identifying characteristics, the method comprising:

(a) receiving a desired quantity input;

(b) adjusting a changeable background color based upon a pill color;

(c) producing a digital image of the pills;

(d) identifying and counting the pills present in the digital image based upon the visually identifying characteristics, and generating a count result; and

(e) displaying the count result.

11. The method as set forth in claim 10, further including the step of (e) displaying a number equal to a difference between the desired quantity input and the count result.

12. The method as set forth in claim 10, further comprising the step of (e) indicating, when the count result exceeds the desired quantity input, pills whose removal, based upon the digital image, would cause the count result to equal the desired quantity input.

13. A method of counting pills, the pills having one or more visually identifying characteristics, the method comprising:

(a) receiving a desired quantity input;

(b) determining the visually identifying characteristics, including a pill color and a pill shape;

(c) adjusting a changeable background color based upon the pill color;

(d) producing a digital image of the pills;

(e) identifying and counting the pills present in the digital image based upon the visually identifying characteristics, and generating a count result; and

(f) displaying the count result.

14. The method as set forth in claim 13, wherein step (b) is accomplished by receiving characteristics input defining the one or more visually identifying characteristics.

15. The method as set forth in claim 13, wherein step (b) is accomplished by retrieving from a database the one or more visually identifying characteristics.

16. The method as set forth in claim 13, wherein step (b) is accomplished by receiving and analyzing a digital image of a single representative pill.

17. The method as set forth in claim 13, further including the step of (g) displaying a number equal to a difference between the desired quantity input and the count result.

18. The method as set forth in claim 13, further comprising the step of (g) indicating, when the count result exceeds the desired quantity input, pills whose removal, based upon the digital image, would cause the count result to equal the desired quantity input.

19. A system for counting a quantity of items, the system comprising:

a pharmacist'"'"'s tray having a divided surface upon which the quantity of items may be arranged;

a digital camera operable to produce a digital image of the quantity of items arranged upon the divided surface;

a processor interfaced with the digital camera and operable to receive the digital image, execute a program to count the number of items present in the digital image, and generate a count result; and

a display operable to communicate the count result.

20. The system as set forth in claim 19, the items being selected from the group consisting of:

pills, coins, playing chips, fasteners.

21. A system for counting a quantity of different types of items, the system comprising:

a pharmacist'"'"'s tray having a divided surface upon which the quantity of different types of items may be arranged;

a digital camera operable to produce a digital image of the quantity of different types of items arranged upon the divided surface;

a processor interfaced with the digital camera and operable to receive the digital image, execute a program to identify and count the number and types of items present in the digital image, and generate a count result for each different type; and

a display operable to communicate the count results.

22. The system as set forth in claim 21, the items being selected from the group consisting of:

pills, coins, playing chips, fasteners.