Patent ID: 9072652
Filing Date: 2015-07-07
Classification: A61J,G06M,G07F

Abstract:
1. A method for counting and dispensing pills, the steps comprising: a) providing a hopper for containing a plurality of pills; b) providing a transport tube for receiving pills dispensed from said hopper, said transport tube comprising a detector mechanism for detecting light generated from a source of electromagnetic energy; c) electrically connecting a microcontroller to said hopper, said transport tube, and said detector mechanism; d) recording blockage times and determining a pulse width signal and an amplitude signal of said detector mechanism for pills due to height, width, and depth as said pills are counted; e) classifying pill volumes between two predetermined thresholds as a single pill, volumes below the lower threshold of said two predetermined thresholds as pill fragments, and volumes above the upper threshold of said two predetermined thresholds as two pills; and f) self-calibrating said dispenser dynamically based only on information representative of said pulse width signal and said amplitude signal as said pills are counted dependent upon said classifying step (e) that categorizes single pills and pill fragments.