Patent US5713485A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
US5713485A
Expired / Lapsed
US
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Drug dispensing system
Assignee: Telepharmacy Solutions Inc
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Filing: 1995-10-18
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Granted: 1998-02-03
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Expires: 2015-10-18
Abstract
Abstract An automated drug dispensing system includes a cabinet adapted to store a variety of prepackaged pharmaceuticals in a plurality of bins for filling patient prescriptions. Each bin stores a particular variety of packaged multiple-dose pharmaceutical. Each variety of pharmaceutical is associated with a particular code. A controller receives request signals and in response generates dispense signals. Each bin includes a dispenser coupled to the controller for dispensing the packaged pharmaceuticals therefrom in response to a dispense signal sent from the controller. After a package is dispensed, a code reader determines the code of the dispensed package and verifies whether the code on the dispensed package matches the code of the requested package.
Inventors
- 👤 Harold J. Liff
- 👤 Brian T. Hart
- 👤 Robert L. Wallace
- 👤 Arthur A. Berube
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-07 21:23
CPC Classifications
G; G07; G07F; G07F11/00; G07F11/62; G07F17/00; G07F17/0042; G07F17/0092; G16; G16H; G16H20/00; G16H20/10; G16H20/13; G06; G06Q; G06Q10/00; G06Q10/10; G16H10/00; G16H10/20; G16H10/60; G16H70/00; G16H70/40
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 40
Claim 1
Independent Claim
110 words
A system for automated dispensing of a packaged pharmaceutical comprising: an electronic controller for generating a dispense signal in response to a request signal; a housing having a plurality of bins, each bin storing a coded plurality of bottled pharmaceuticals, each of said bins having a bottle dispenser actuated by said electronic controller and that dispenses a bottled pharmaceutical therefrom in response to said dispense signal; a computer electrically connected to the electronic controller, the computer having a memory; and a code reader electrically connected to said computer for reading the code of a dispensed bottle, such that the computer records in the memory that the bottle has been dispensed.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
110 words
A system for automated dispensing of a packaged pharmaceutical comprising: an electronic controller for generating a dispense signal in response to a request signal; a housing having a plurality of bins, each bin storing a coded plurality of bottled pharmaceuticals, each of said bins having a bottle dispenser actuated by said electronic controller and that dispenses a bottled pharmaceutical therefrom in response to said dispense signal; a computer electrically connected to the electronic controller, the computer having a memory; and a code reader electrically connected to said computer for reading the code of a dispensed bottle, such that the computer records in the memory that the bottle has been dispensed.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
17 words
The system of claim 1 wherein said bins comprise columns, said bottles being gravity-fed in the columns.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
23 words
The system of claim 1 wherein said code reader comprises a bar code reader and the pharmaceutical bottles are coded with bar codes.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
11 words
The system of claim 1 wherein said controller comprises a computer.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
18 words
The system of claim 1 further comprising sensors coupled to said controller for monitoring inventory of said bottles.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
22 words
The system of claim 1 further comprising a label printer for printing a prescription label for attaching to said dispensed pharmaceutical bottle.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
22 words
The system of claim 6 wherein the printed prescription label includes a printed picture of the pharmaceutical contained in the dispensed bottle.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
19 words
The system of claim 1 further comprising a document printer for printing instructions specific to said dispensed pharmaceutical bottle.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
32 words
The system of claim 1 wherein said housing is adapted for mounting on a wall and the code reader for reading the code of a dispensed bottle is carried by the housing.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
35 words
The system of claim 1 further comprising a ramp for delivering said dispensed pharmaceutical to a dispensing area and the code reader is adjacent the dispensing area for reading the code of a dispensed bottle.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
21 words
The system of claim 10 wherein said ramp is sloped such that gravity delivers said dispensed pharmaceutical to said dispensing area.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
26 words
The system of claim 1 wherein the code reader comprises a code reader mounted to the housing such that the code reader reads a dispensed bottle.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
15 words
The system of claim 1 wherein the code reader comprises a hand held code reader.
Claim 15
Independent Claim
117 words
A system for automated dispensing of a packaged pharmaceutical comprising: a controller for generating a dispense signal in response to a request signal; a housing having a plurality of bins, each bin storing a coded plurality of packaged pharmaceuticals, each of said bins having a dispenser coupled to said controller for dispensing said packaged pharmaceutical therefrom in response to said dispense signal; a plurality of valves actuated by a corresponding plurality of solenoids, said solenoids being sequentially activated such that a single package is dispensed from a column per request; and a code reader coupled to said controller for reading the code of a dispensed package, such that the controller records that the package has been dispensed.
Claim 16
Independent Claim
117 words
A system for automated dispensing of a packaged pharmaceutical comprising: a controller for generating a dispense signal in response to a request signal; a housing having a plurality of bins, each bin storing a coded plurality of packaged pharmaceuticals, each of said bins having a dispenser coupled to said controller for dispensing said packaged pharmaceutical therefrom in response to said dispense signal; a plurality of valves actuated by a corresponding plurality of solenoids, said solenoids being sequentially activated such that a single package is dispensed from a column per request; and a code reader coupled to said controller for reading the code of a dispensed package, such that the controller records that the package has been dispensed.
Claim 17
Independent Claim
92 words
A method for automated dispensing of a packaged pharmaceutical comprising: storing an encoded plurality of packaged pharmaceuticals in a bin, a plurality of the bins being contained in a housing; receiving request signals at a controller; generating dispense signals in response to the received request signals; dispensing a packaged pharmaceutical from a bin in response to the dispense signal; reading the code of a dispensed package with a code reader; and verifying that the requested package was dispensed by comparison of the code read by the code reader to a reference code.
Claim 18
Independent Claim
92 words
A method for automated dispensing of a packaged pharmaceutical comprising: storing an encoded plurality of packaged pharmaceuticals in a bin, a plurality of the bins being contained in a housing; receiving request signals at a controller; generating dispense signals in response to the received request signals; dispensing a packaged pharmaceutical from a bin in response to the dispense signal; reading the code of a dispensed package with a code reader; and verifying that the requested package was dispensed by comparison of the code read by the code reader to a reference code.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
25 words
The method of claim 15 further comprising the step of printing a prescription label at a label printer for attaching to the dispensed pharmaceutical package.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
20 words
The method of claim 16 further comprising the step of printing a picture of the pharmaceutical pill on the label.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
39 words
The method of claim 15 further comprising the step of delivering said dispensed pharmaceutical to a dispensing area with a ramp and the reading the code of a dispensed package with the code reader occurring at the dispensing area.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
16 words
The method of claim 15 further comprising providing a plurality of multi-dose pills in each package.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
15 words
The method of claim 15 further comprising providing each packaged pharmaceutical in a plastic bottle.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
13 words
The method of claim 15 further comprising providing a fluid within each package.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
17 words
The method of claim 14 further comprising providing a computer connected to the controller with a modem.
Claim 26
Independent Claim
83 words
A method for automated dispensing of a packaged pharmaceutical comprising: storing an encoded plurality of packaged pharmaceuticals in a bin, a plurality of the bins being contained in a housing; receiving request signals at a controller; generating dispense signals in response to the received request signals; dispensing a packaged pharmaceutical with a dual valve dispenser from a bin in response to the dispense signal; reading the code of a dispensed package with a code reader; and verifying that the requested package was dispensed.
Claim 27
Independent Claim
83 words
A method for automated dispensing of a packaged pharmaceutical comprising: storing an encoded plurality of packaged pharmaceuticals in a bin, a plurality of the bins being contained in a housing; receiving request signals at a controller; generating dispense signals in response to the received request signals; dispensing a packaged pharmaceutical with a dual valve dispenser from a bin in response to the dispense signal; reading the code of a dispensed package with a code reader; and verifying that the requested package was dispensed.
Claim 28
Independent Claim
82 words
A method for automated dispensing of a packaged pharmaceutical comprising: storing an encoded plurality of packaged pharmaceuticals in a bin, a plurality of the bins being contained in a housing; receiving request signals at a controller; generating dispense signals in response to the received request signals; dispensing a packaged pharmaceutical with a gas ejector from a bin in response to the dispense signal; reading the code of a dispensed package with a code reader; and verifying that the requested package was dispensed.
Claim 29
Independent Claim
82 words
A method for automated dispensing of a packaged pharmaceutical comprising: storing an encoded plurality of packaged pharmaceuticals in a bin, a plurality of the bins being contained in a housing; receiving request signals at a controller; generating dispense signals in response to the received request signals; dispensing a packaged pharmaceutical with a gas ejector from a bin in response to the dispense signal; reading the code of a dispensed package with a code reader; and verifying that the requested package was dispensed.
Claim 30
Independent Claim
83 words
A method for automated dispensing of a packaged pharmaceutical comprising: storing an encoded plurality of packaged pharmaceuticals in a bin, a plurality of the bins being contained in a housing; receiving request signals at a controller; generating dispense signals in response to the received request signals; dispensing a packaged pharmaceutical from a bin in response to the dispense signal; reading the code of a dispensed package with a code reader; verifying that the requested package was dispensed; and conducting a clinical drug trial.
Claim 31
Independent Claim
83 words
A method for automated dispensing of a packaged pharmaceutical comprising: storing an encoded plurality of packaged pharmaceuticals in a bin, a plurality of the bins being contained in a housing; receiving request signals at a controller; generating dispense signals in response to the received request signals; dispensing a packaged pharmaceutical from a bin in response to the dispense signal; reading the code of a dispensed package with a code reader; verifying that the requested package was dispensed; and conducting a clinical drug trial.
Claim 32
Dependent Claim
30 words
The method of claim 25 further comprising loading the housing with a first plurality of packages of a selected drug and a second plurality of packages of a selected placebo.
Claim 33
Independent Claim
126 words
A method for automated dispensing of a packaged pharmaceutical and of loading the packaged pharmaceutical from a housing comprising: storing an encoded plurality of packaged pharmaceuticals in a bin, a plurality of the bins being contained in the housing; receiving request signals at a controller; generating dispense signals in response to the received request signals; dispensing a packaged pharmaceutical from a bin in response to the dispense signal; reading the code of a dispensed package with a code reader; verifying that the requested package was dispensed; monitoring an amount of packages within the housing; generating a reload signal; opening the housing; scanning packages with a bar code reader as the packages are loaded into the housing; and recording data in a memory regarding the loaded packages.
Claim 34
Independent Claim
126 words
A method for automated dispensing of a packaged pharmaceutical and of loading the packaged pharmaceutical from a housing comprising: storing an encoded plurality of packaged pharmaceuticals in a bin, a plurality of the bins being contained in the housing; receiving request signals at a controller; generating dispense signals in response to the received request signals; dispensing a packaged pharmaceutical from a bin in response to the dispense signal; reading the code of a dispensed package with a code reader; verifying that the requested package was dispensed; monitoring an amount of packages within the housing; generating a reload signal; opening the housing; scanning packages with a bar code reader as the packages are loaded into the housing; and recording data in a memory regarding the loaded packages.
Claim 35
Dependent Claim
16 words
The method of claim 27 further comprising scanning the packages with a hand-held bar code reader.
Claim 36
Dependent Claim
16 words
The method of claim 27 further comprising monitoring the packages in a bin with a sensor.
Claim 37
Independent Claim
107 words
A method for automated dispensing of a packaged pharmaceutical comprising: storing an encoded plurality of packaged pharmaceuticals in a bin, a plurality of the bins being contained in a housing; receiving request signals at a controller; generating dispense signals in response to the received request signals; dispensing a packaged pharmaceutical from a bin in response to the dispense signal, the packaged pharmaceutical having been separated from other packaged pharmaceuticals in the bin, by dropping the packaged pharmaceutical from the bin to a dispensing area on the housing; subsequently reading the code of a dispensed package with a code reader; and verifying that the requested package was dispensed.
Claim 38
Independent Claim
107 words
A method for automated dispensing of a packaged pharmaceutical comprising: storing an encoded plurality of packaged pharmaceuticals in a bin, a plurality of the bins being contained in a housing; receiving request signals at a controller; generating dispense signals in response to the received request signals; dispensing a packaged pharmaceutical from a bin in response to the dispense signal, the packaged pharmaceutical having been separated from other packaged pharmaceuticals in the bin, by dropping the packaged pharmaceutical from the bin to a dispensing area on the housing; subsequently reading the code of a dispensed package with a code reader; and verifying that the requested package was dispensed.
Claim 39
Dependent Claim
25 words
The method of claim 30 further comprising the step of printing a prescription label at a label printer for attaching to the dispensed pharmaceutical package.
Claim 40
Dependent Claim
39 words
The method of claim 30 further comprising the step of delivering said dispensed pharmaceutical to a dispensing area with a ramp and the reading the code of a dispensed package with the code reader occurring at the dispensing area.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 2001-02-02 | 2001-08-04 | 2002-02-03 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2005-02-02 | 2005-08-04 | 2006-02-03 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2009-02-02 | 2009-08-04 | 2010-02-03 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |