Patent ID: 9536369
Date: 2017-01-03
CPC Classifications: A61G,G06Q,G07F,G16H

Claim:
1. A method comprising the steps of: determining with a medication identification sensor whether a first medication is a correct or incorrect medication; producing a correct or incorrect medication indicator respectively depending on whether the first medication is the correct or incorrect medication in accordance with the step of determining; causing entry of the first medication into a medication container after the step of producing; sensing the entry with an entry sensor to verify that the first medication has entered the container; further comprising, after the steps of determining, producing, causing and sensing, the steps of determining with a medication identification sensor whether a second medication is a correct or incorrect medication; producing a correct or incorrect medication indicator related to the second medication respectively depending on whether the second medication is the correct or incorrect medication in accordance with the step of determining whether the second medication is a correct or incorrect medication; causing entry of the second medication into the container after the step of producing the indicator related to the second medication; and sensing the entry of the second medication with an entry sensor to verify that the second medication has entered the container; and further comprising the steps of providing a containment device which defines a filling position, wherein the containment device includes a wall which has inner and outer surfaces and defines an access opening extending from the inner surface to the outer surface above the filling position, wherein the wall carries a cover which is movable relative to the wall between an open position in which medications may pass through the access opening into the container and a closed position in which medications may not pass through the access opening into the container; positioning the container at the filling position under the wall and access opening by moving the medication container relative to the wall to insert the medication container into the filling position so that the access opening is above the medication container in the filling position; opening the access opening by moving the cover from the closed position to the open position while the container remains at the filling position; dropping the first medication through the opened access opening into the container to effect the step of causing entry of the first medication; closing the access opening, after the step of dropping and before the step of determining whether the second medication is a correct or incorrect medication, by moving the cover from the open position to the closed position; reopening the closed access opening after the step of producing the indicator related to the second medication by moving the cover from the closed position to the open position while the container remains at the filling position; dropping the second medication through the reopened access opening into the container while the container remains at the filling position to effect the step of causing entry of the second medication into the container; removing the container with the first and second medications therein from the filling position by moving the container relative to the wall; wherein the step of determining whether the first medication is a correct or incorrect medication comprises determining whether the first medication is a correct or incorrect medication by reading a first machine readable identifier connected to the first medication with a medication identification sensor mounted adjacent the wall and the access opening; the step of dropping the first medication comprises dropping the first medication with the first identifier connected thereto through the opened access opening into the container; the step of determining whether the second medication is a correct or incorrect medication comprises determining whether the second medication is a correct or incorrect medication by reading a second machine readable identifier connected to the second medication with a medication identification sensor mounted adjacent the wall and the access opening; and the step of dropping the second medication comprises dropping the second medication with the second identifier connected thereto through the reopened access opening into the container.