The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Nov. 15, 2011
Filed:
Jan. 05, 2006
Joseph H. Boyer, Johnson City, NY (US);
James G. Mcgonigal, Binghamton, NY (US);
Bruce Edward Holtje, Berkshire, NY (US);
Timothy William Limer, Vestal, NY (US);
James Patrick Boyer, Endicott, NY (US);
Mark Andrew Fisher, Apalachin, NY (US);
Todd Edward Bower, Endicott, NY (US);
Michael J. Hostetler, Vestal, NY (US);
Joseph H. Boyer, Johnson City, NY (US);
James G. McGonigal, Binghamton, NY (US);
Bruce Edward Holtje, Berkshire, NY (US);
Timothy William Limer, Vestal, NY (US);
James Patrick Boyer, Endicott, NY (US);
Mark Andrew Fisher, Apalachin, NY (US);
Todd Edward Bower, Endicott, NY (US);
Michael J. Hostetler, Vestal, NY (US);
Innovation Associates, Inc., Johnson City, NY (US);
Abstract
There is provided an automated prescription filling system using a robotic arm in combination with an automatic pharmaceutical dispenser having a plurality of individual pill-counting units, each under the control of its own microprocessor. The automatic pharmaceutical dispensers are modified for use with the robotic arm. Because tablet counting is completely independent of the robotic arm, system throughput is higher than in systems of the prior art. Unlike systems of the prior art, each individual pill-counting unit can be removed from behind the pharmaceutical dispenser so that the system need not be stopped for such service. The fact that counting operations are divorced from robotic arm movements allows the arm movements to be optimized and multiple prescriptions to be processed simultaneously. Controller software optimizes movement of the robotic arm based upon such factors as the fullness of the vial being transported.