Systems for dispensing medical products

• US 7,006,893 B2
• Filed: 10/16/2002
• Issued: 02/28/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 09/22/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: ArXium, Inc. (Van Humbeck Family)
• Original Assignee: Telepharmacy Solutions, Inc. (Cencora, Inc.)
• Inventors: Liff, Harold J., Berube, Arthur A., Hart, Brian T., Hart, Richard D., Dowling, James, Stout, Scott G., Piantedosi, Steve
• Primary Examiner(s): Tran, Khoi H.
• Application Number:
  US10/272,516
• Publication Number:
  US 20030216831A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,231 Days
• Field of Search: 700/231, 700/232, 700/235
• US Class Current: 700/235
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 20/66 Trinkets, e.g. shirt buttons or jewellery items recognising microscopic objects G06V20/69
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/0092 for assembling and dispensing of pharmaceutical articles medical dispensers for private use, A61J7/00
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 5/18 specially adapted for controlling several coin-freed apparatus from one place
• 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 9/001 Interfacing with vending machines using mobile or wearable devices
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 9/002 Vending machines being part of a centrally controlled network of vending machines
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 10/60 for patient-specific data, e.g. for electronic patient records
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 15/00 ICT specially adapted for medical reports, e.g. generation or transmission thereof
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 20/13 delivered from dispensers
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 40/63 for local operation
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 40/67 for remote operation
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 70/60 relating to pathologies

Abstract

Systems and methods for the remote dispensing of packaged and non-packaged medical products using networked communications systems. A preferred embodiment of the invention utilizes a network to provide for the secure delivery of confidential patient information and the sending of dispense instructions to a remote dispensing station. A preferred embodiment of the present invention relates to systems and methods of dispensing samples of drugs or other medical products. Another preferred embodiment of the invention provides a system and method for dispensing non-prescription medications.

Claims

1. A system for automated dispensing of pharmaceuticals comprising:

a dispenser housing having a plurality of bins, each bin storing a plurality of packages containing pharmaceuticals;

a computer that controls dispensing of packages;

an electronic controller within the housing that generates a dispense signal in response to a request signal from the computer;

at least one dispenser associated with the bins that controls dispensing of packaged pharmaceuticals from one of the bins; and

a label writing system carried within the dispenser housing for printing a label on the dispensed packaged pharmaceutical, the label writing system comprising;

a laser for projecting a beam onto the label to create an image;

a label locator for locating the label on the package; and

a controller for receiving signals from the computer and controlling the laser and processing data from the label locator.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the label writing system further comprises a package handler for positioning the package prior to printing the label.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the laser beam is projected from a head unit which is movable relative to the label.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein the controller modulates the laser beam to generate the image.

10. The system of claim 1, wherein the image comprises prescription information.

11. The system of claim 1, wherein the image comprises an image of the pharmaceutical contained in the package.

3. A method of printing a label on a dispensed packaged pharmaceutical within a housing having a plurality of pharmaceuticals, the method comprising the steps of:

locating an orientation marker on the packaged pharmaceutical; and

projecting a beam at a label on the packaged pharmaceutical to create an image.

4. The method of claim 3, further comprising orienting the packaged pharmaceutical such that the label is in position to receive the beam.

5. The method of claim 3, wherein the projecting step further includes the step of modulating the beam to create the image.

6. The method of claim 3, wherein the image comprises prescription information.

7. The method of claim 3, wherein the image comprises an image of the pharmaceutical in the package.

12. A system for automated dispensing of pharmaceuticals comprising:

a dispenser housing having a plurality of storage locations, each storage location being adapted to store at least one packaged pharmaceutical;

a computer that controls dispensing of packages;

an electronic controller associated with the housing that generates a dispense signal in response to a request signal from the computer;

at least one dispenser associated with the storage locations that controls dispensing of a package from one of the storage locations; and

a laser adapted to project a beam toward a package and to generate an image associated with the package.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein the laser is adapted to project the beam onto a label associated with the package and to generate the image thereon.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein the package is a dispensed package.

15. The system of claim 13, further comprising:

a locator adapted to locate the label on the package; and

a controller for receiving signals from the computer, controlling the laser and processing data from the label locator.

16. The system of claim 15, wherein the laser beam is projected from a head unit and the head unit is movable relative to the label.

17. The system of claim 15, wherein the controller modulates the laser beam to generate the image on the label.

18. The system of claim 13, wherein the image comprises prescription information.

19. The system of claim 13, wherein the image comprises an image of the pharmaceutical contained in the package.

20. The system of claim 13, wherein the image comprises machine-readable code.