Method and apparatus for handling packages
First Claim
Patent Images
1. For a plurality of packages in respective storage stations within an apparatus, each having a substantially planar outside surface bearing a symbol thereon, a method for each said package comprising:
- retrieving the package from the corresponding said storage station;
moving the package to an inspection station inside the apparatus;
rotating the package about an axis of the substantially planar outside surface such that it is generally perpendicular to;
an illumination of light emitted by a light source in the inspection station; and
a viewing axis of one of an image capture camera in the inspection station;
capturing an image of the symbol borne on the substantially planar outside surface of the package that is generally perpendicular to;
the illumination of light emitted by the light source in the inspection station; and
the viewing axis of the image capture camera in the inspection station;
reading the symbol in the captured image to identify source data;
encoding the source data to obtain first encoded data;
applying an identifying label bearing the first encoded data to the package;
retrieving the labeled package from the inspection station inside the apparatus; and
moving the labeled package to one of the storage stations inside the apparatus.
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Abstract
A vending machine. In a method and apparatus for handling a package in an automated dispensary, a package is positioned in an inspection station of the dispensary. Images are captured of the package and are read to identify data on labels or on the package itself. The data is encoded as source data in an identifying label which is applied to the package and is used subsequently in handling the package for dispensing and other inventory management procedures.
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Citations
20 Claims
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1. For a plurality of packages in respective storage stations within an apparatus, each having a substantially planar outside surface bearing a symbol thereon, a method for each said package comprising:
- retrieving the package from the corresponding said storage station;
moving the package to an inspection station inside the apparatus;
rotating the package about an axis of the substantially planar outside surface such that it is generally perpendicular to;
an illumination of light emitted by a light source in the inspection station; and
a viewing axis of one of an image capture camera in the inspection station;
capturing an image of the symbol borne on the substantially planar outside surface of the package that is generally perpendicular to;
the illumination of light emitted by the light source in the inspection station; and
the viewing axis of the image capture camera in the inspection station;
reading the symbol in the captured image to identify source data;
encoding the source data to obtain first encoded data;
applying an identifying label bearing the first encoded data to the package;
retrieving the labeled package from the inspection station inside the apparatus; and
moving the labeled package to one of the storage stations inside the apparatus. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11)
- retrieving the package from the corresponding said storage station;
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12. An apparatus having therein a plurality of packages in respective storage stations, each having a substantially planar outside surface bearing a symbol thereon, the apparatus comprising:
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a first mover module operable, for each said package, to; retrieve the package from the corresponding said storage station; and move the package to an inspection station inside the apparatus; an inspection module in the inspection station operable, for each said package, to rotate the package about the axis of the substantially planar outside surface such that it is generally perpendicular to; an illumination of light emitted by a light source in the inspection station; and a viewing axis of an image capture camera in the inspection station; an image capture module operable to capture an image of the substantially planar outside surface of the package that is generally perpendicular to; the illumination of light emitted by the light source in the inspection station; and the viewing axis of one of the image capture camera in the inspection station; a reading module operable to read the symbol in the captured image to identify source data; an encoding module operable to encode the source data to obtain first encoded data; a labeling module operable to apply the first encoded data as an identifying label to the retrieved package; a first retrieving module operable to retrieve the labeled package from the inspection station; and a second mover module operable to move the labeled package to one of the storage stations. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19)
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20. For an apparatus that is a node on a communications network and stores a plurality of packages in respective storage stations inside the apparatus, each said package having a substantially planar outside surface bearing a symbol thereon, a method, for each package, comprising:
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retrieving the package from the corresponding said storage station; moving the package to an inspection station inside the apparatus; rotating the package about one or more axes of the substantially planar outside surface such that it is generally perpendicular to; an illumination of light emitted by a light source in the inspection station, wherein the illumination of light emitted by the light source in the inspection station is an illuminating sub-system; and a viewing axis of an image capture camera in the inspection station that is a recording sub-system; recording a provisional image of the package with the recording sub-system; analyzing a quality of the provisional image; adjusting at least one of the illuminating sub-system and the recording sub-system to increase the quality of the provisional image; capturing, after said recording, analyzing and adjusting, an image of the symbol borne on the substantially planar outside surface of the package that is generally perpendicular to; the illumination of light emitted by the light source in the inspection station; and the viewing axis of the image capture camera in the inspection station; reading the captured image to identify source data; transmitting the captured image from the apparatus in a transmission addressed for delivery to a remote node on the network, whereby the captured image can be manually read at the remote node to derive a manually viewed part of the source data; encoding the source data to obtain first encoded data; measuring a physical property of the retrieved package to derive physical data; encoding the physical data to obtain second encoded data; applying the first and second encoded data as an identifying label to the package; retrieving the labeled package from the inspection station inside the apparatus; moving the labeled package to one of the storage stations inside the apparatus; receiving a written request from a user of the apparatus; optically scanning the written request to receive an optical image of the written request; retrieving one said labeled package from one said storage station inside the apparatus, wherein information in the optical image of the written request corresponds to the first encoded data on the identifying label on the retrieved one said labeled package; and dispensing the retrieved one said labeled package to the user of the apparatus.
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Specification