System and method for packaged medicament inspection

Abstract

A unit-dose medicament inspection system and method provide for the obtainment of an image of a receptacle after a corresponding filling operation in which a predetermined unit-dose medicament was to have been located in the receptacle. The image may be processed to extract image data that may be compared with stored data corresponding with a predetermined unit-dose medicament. Size, configuration and other features of objects located within a receptacle may be included with the extracted image data and compared with corresponding stored data to determine whether a given receptacle includes the intended medicament and/or whether the medicament located within the receptacle is in an acceptable condition. Receptacle attributes may also be inspected for compliance with predetermined configuration parameters.

1 . A method for use in handling a plurality of receptacles for separately containing different corresponding ones of a plurality of unit-dose medicaments, comprising:
 obtaining at least one separate image of each different one of said plurality of receptacles;   processing said at least one separate image of each different one of said plurality of receptacles to extract corresponding image data; and,   comparing said corresponding image data for each given one of said plurality of receptacles to stored data corresponding with at least one of a predetermined attribute of said given one of said plurality of receptacles or a predetermined attribute of said corresponding predetermined one of said plurality of unit-dose medicaments.   
     
     
         2 . A method as recited in  claim 1 , further comprising:
 sealably closing said plurality of receptacles, wherein for each given one of said plurality of receptacles said sealably closing step is completed prior to said obtaining step.   
     
     
         3 . A method as recited in  claim 1 , wherein for each given one of said plurality of receptacles said obtaining step comprises:
 illuminating one side of said given one of said plurality of receptacles; and,   capturing said at least one separate image on another side of said given one of said plurality of receptacles during at least a portion of said illuminating step.   
     
     
         4 . A method as recited in  claim 1 , wherein for each given one of said plurality of receptacles said corresponding image data comprises at least one of a contents-related group consisting of:
 data relating to a presence of an object within said given one of a plurality of receptacles;   data relating to a number of objects within said given one of a plurality of receptacles;   data relating to a shape of an object within said given one of a plurality of receptacles; and,   data relating to a size of an object within said given one of a plurality of receptacles.   
     
     
         5 . A method as recited in  claim 4 , wherein for each given one of said plurality of receptacles said comparing step comprises:
 first comparing said corresponding image data to stored data corresponding with at least one predetermined medicament attribute of said corresponding predetermined one of said plurality of unit-dose medicaments, wherein said at least one predetermined medicament attribute is one of a first predetermined group consisting of:
 a predetermined number of physically discrete units comprising said corresponding predetermined one of said plurality unit-dose medicaments; 
 a predetermined shape of each physically discrete unit comprising said corresponding predetermined one of said plurality of unit-dose medicament; and, 
 a predetermined size of each physically discrete unit comprising said corresponding predetermined one of said plurality of unit-dose medicament. 
   
     
     
         6 . A method as recited in  claim 4 , wherein for each given one of said plurality of receptacles said corresponding image data comprises at least one of a receptacle-related group consisting of:
 data relating to a shape of a predetermined sealed region of said given one of said plurality of receptacles;   data relating to a shape of a predetermined edge portion of said given one of said plurality of receptacles; and,   data relating to a light transmissivity of a predetermined region of said given one of said plurality of receptacles.   
     
     
         7 . A method as recited in  claim 6 , wherein for each given one of said plurality of receptacles said comparing step comprises:
 second comparing said corresponding image data to stored data corresponding with at least one predetermined receptacle attribute of said given one of said plurality of receptacles, wherein said at least one predetermined receptacle attribute is one of a second predetermined group consisting of:
 a predetermined shape of said predetermined sealed region of said given one of said plurality of receptacles; 
 a predetermined shape of said predetermined edge portion of said given one of said plurality of receptacles; and, 
 a predetermined light transmissivity of said predetermined region of said given one of said plurality of receptacles. 
   
     
     
         8 . A method as recited in  claim 7 , wherein for each given one of said plurality of receptacles said obtaining step comprises:
 first obtaining at least a first image for use in said processing step and said first comparing step; and,   second obtaining at least a second image for use in said processing step and said second comparing step.   
     
     
         9 . A method as recited in  claim 8 , wherein for each given one of said plurality of receptacles said first obtaining step and said second obtaining step are completed at different locations. 
     
     
         10 . A method as recited in  claim 1 , wherein for each given one of said plurality of receptacles said comparing step comprises:
 identifying said given one of said plurality of receptacles as being non-compliant when a discrepancy between said corresponding image data and said corresponding stored data exceeds a predetermined range.   
     
     
         11 . A method as recited in  claim 10 , further comprising:
 discarding each given one of said plurality of receptacles identified as being non-compliant.   
     
     
         12 . A method as recited in  claim 11 , further comprising:
 locating separately each of said plurality of receptacles at a predetermined fill location for intended receipt of said corresponding predetermined one of said plurality of unit-dose medicaments, said locating step being completed before said obtaining step.   
     
     
         13 . A method as recited in  claim 12 , wherein for each given one of said plurality of receptacles said locating step comprises:
 initiating a fill operation intended to insert said corresponding predetermined one of said plurality of unit dose medicaments into said given one of said plurality of receptacles.   
     
     
         14 . A method as recited in  claim 13 , further comprising:
 closing separately each of said plurality of receptacles, wherein for each given one of said plurality of receptacles the closing step is completed after said locating step and prior to said obtaining step.   
     
     
         15 . A method as recited in  claim 14 , wherein said closing step is completed at a predetermined closure location. 
     
     
         16 . A method as recited in  claim 15 , wherein said obtaining step is completed at said predetermined closure location. 
     
     
         17 . A method as recited in  claim 16 , further comprising:
 providing a machine-readable marking on each of said plurality of receptacles, wherein for each given one of said plurality of receptacles a corresponding machine-readable marking comprises data relating to said corresponding predetermined one of said plurality of unit-dose medicaments;   verifying the presence and accuracy of the corresponding machine-readable marking for each of said plurality of receptacles, wherein any of said plurality of receptacles that is not verified is identified as non-verified; and   removing any non-verified receptacles.   
     
     
         18 . A method as recited in  claim 17 , wherein each of said obtaining, processing, comparing, identifying, discarding, locating, initiating, closing, providing, verifying and removing steps is at least partially automated. 
     
     
         19 . A method as recited in  claim 1 , further comprising:
 collecting said image data and comparison data resulting from said comparing step to generate historical data; and,   utilizing said historical data to modify said stored data.   
     
     
         20 . A method as recited in  claim 1 , further comprising:
 storing said stored data in a data base at a facility where said medicament dispensary is located; and   providing data from a remote data base to modify said stored data, wherein said remote data base comprises data collected from a plurality of medicament dispensaries employing said method.   
     
     
         21 . A method as recited in  claim 1 , further comprising:
 generating said stored data corresponding with at least one predetermined attribute of each given one of said plurality of unit-dose medicaments for using in said comparing step, wherein for each given one of said plurality of the unit-dose medicaments the generating step includes:
 obtaining at least a first image for each of a corresponding plurality of test samples thereof; 
 extracting test image data from each said first image for each of said corresponding plurality of test samples; 
 inspecting said corresponding plurality of test samples in one of an automated manner using at least one software algorithm, a manual manner, and a partially automated and partially manual manner, to identify acceptable ones of said samples; and 
 using said test image data corresponding with said acceptable ones of said plurality of test samples to generate said stored data corresponding with said given one of said plurality of unit-dose medicaments. 
   
     
     
         22 . A method as recited in  claim 21 , wherein for each given one of said plurality of the unit-dose medicaments said stored attribute data comprises pattern data indicative of at least one acceptable shape for the given unit-dose medicament. 
     
     
         23 . A method as recited in  claim 21 , wherein for each given one of said plurality of the unit-dose medicaments said stored data attribute comprises pattern data indicative of a plurality of acceptable shapes for the given unit-dose medicament. 
     
     
         24 . A method as recited in  claim 21 , wherein for each given one of said plurality of the unit-dose medicaments said stored attribute data comprises physical attribute data indicative of at least one acceptable physical measure for the given unit-dose medicament. 
     
     
         25 . A method as recited in  claim 21 , wherein for each given one of said plurality of the unit-dose medicaments said stored attribute data comprises physical attribute data indicative of a plurality of acceptable physical measures for the given unit-dose medicament. 
     
     
         26 . A method as recited in  claim 21 , wherein for each given one of said plurality of the unit-dose medicaments said using step comprises:
 performing statistical analyses of said test image data corresponding with said acceptable ones of said plurality of test samples to establish a corresponding acceptance range for use in said comparing step.   
     
     
         27 .- 36 . (canceled)