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:
May. 01, 2018
Filed:
Sep. 23, 2015
Derek William Thompson, Knightdale, NC (US);
Brian Marshall Burney, Wake Forest, NC (US);
Bryant James Deakins, Raleigh, NC (US);
Corey Spencer Martin, Raleigh, NC (US);
Michael Jones, Raleigh, NC (US);
Steven Craig Israel, Durham, NC (US);
Derek William Thompson, Knightdale, NC (US);
Brian Marshall Burney, Wake Forest, NC (US);
Bryant James Deakins, Raleigh, NC (US);
Corey Spencer Martin, Raleigh, NC (US);
Michael Jones, Raleigh, NC (US);
Steven Craig Israel, Durham, NC (US);
Other;
Abstract
A low-profile visual counting system is provided and designed to count pills or other small discrete objects. This technology is vision based, which allows a pharmacist or other user to pour pills onto a counting surface in a single layer, and then the device tells the user how many pills are on that surface. The present device places the camera and preferably an infrared light source below the counting surface. This offers the unique advantage of not having to mount a camera above the counting surface which reduces the size and improves the aesthetic characteristics of such a device. The image is captured and then processed to determine the number of pills on the surface. This system may be interfaced with other networks, terminals, and existing pharmacy management systems.