Abstract:
A dispensing verification device which is capable of readily verifying the contents of dispensing. The dispensing verification device has a camera capturing a counter with a mark, an image management server storing the image captured by the camera, a determination means determining whether the mark is hidden by a prescription, a timer outputting a time information, a writing control means controlling the writing of the image to the image management server, a display displaying the image stored in the image management server, and a readout control means retrieving a written image and reading out the written image from the image management server and outputting the same to the display. If the determination means determines that the mark is hidden, the writing control means associates the image captured by the camera with the time information and writes the image to the image management server as a still image.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     This application is a 35 U.S.C. §371 national stage filing of International Application No. PCT/JP2012/052823, filed on Feb. 8, 2012, which claims the benefit of Japanese Patent Application No. 2011-028436, filed on Feb. 14, 2011, the entire contents of both of which are incorporated by reference in their entireties. 
     TECHNICAL FIELD 
     The present invention relates to dispensing verification device that is capable of readily verifying the contents of the medicine dispensed in pharmacies at a later date by using a moving image or a still image obtained from a camera. 
     BACKGROUND 
     At in-hospital pharmacies and out-of-hospital pharmacies, patients having received a medicine make inquiries at a later date as to whether the medicine received from the pharmacies corresponds to the number and type that a doctor has prescribed. 
     No system existed in the past that was capable of objectively checking this type of information. Thus, it was impossible to determine whether the medicine was correctly administered to the patient. 
     Patent Document 1 proposes a system that captures the scene of a pharmacist providing medicine by a camera and checks at a later date whether the medicine was provided as prescribed. 
     According to the aforesaid system, an RFID tag is attached on a bottom of a carrier in which the medicines are provided. If the RFID tag of the carrier is moved into a capture range of the camera, then the system starts to record a moving image. If the RFID tag of the carrier is moved out of the capture range of the camera, then the system ceases to record the moving image. Further, the recorded moving image is associated with a recording time and the system is capable of checking the requested dispensing action by retrieving the moving images by date and time. 
     If using the aforesaid system, it is possible to verify whether the medicine was correctly dispensed when the patient makes the aforementioned inquiries, by retrieving the moving images by date and time where dispensing had occurred. 
     Patent Document 1: Japanese Patent No. 4276654 
     SUMMARY 
     The aforesaid system starts or stops photographing by receiving signals from the RFID tag. 
     Further, in dispensing pharmacies, tablets are packed by means of a tablet packing machine or the like. The tablet packing machine performs the packing process by receiving signals from an RFID tag and then obtaining information on packing tablets. There are malfunction concerns when the signal of the RFID tag of the tablet packing machine interferes with the signal of another RFID. Thus, it is undesirable to use various RFID tags in dispensing pharmacies. 
     The present invention has been made in light of the foregoing circumstances. It is an object of the present invention to provide a dispensing verification device which is capable of readily verifying the contents dispensed at a later date without using an RFID tag. 
     The present invention provides a dispensing verification device comprising: a camera capturing a counter at which a work is performed; a storage means storing an image captured by the camera; a determination means determining whether a dispensing-related target object exists on the counter; a timer means outputting a time information; a writing control means controlling the writing of an image to the storage means in response to an output of the determination means; a display means displaying the image stored in the storage means; and a readout control means retrieving the written image and reading out the written image from the storage means and outputting the written image to the display means. If it is confirmed by the determination means that the dispensing-related target object exists, the writing control means associates the image captured by the camera with the time information of the timer means and writes the image captured by the camera to the storage means as a still image. While the dispensing-related target object exists, the writing control means writes a moving image or a time-serial image, which is obtained by recording serial works in time series as a plurality of still images, to the storage means. 
     According to the present invention, if the existence of the dispensing-related target object is confirmed by determining whether the target object exists, the image captured by the camera is associated with the time information of the timer and is written to the storage means as a still image. Further, while the target object exists, the image captured by the camera is written to the storage means as information of a moving image. Thus, the images, in which the situation of dispensing work is recorded, can be retrieved and displayed based on the time information, and the situation of the prescription and the handed medicine can be recognized. Accordingly, concordance and discordance between the prescription and the handed medicine can be readily determined at a later date. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a schematic diagram showing an overall configuration of a dispensing verification device of the present invention. 
         FIG. 2  is a functional block diagram of a dispensing verification device of the present invention. 
         FIG. 3  is a schematic diagram showing a capture area of a camera in a dispensing verification device of the present invention. 
         FIG. 4  is a schematic diagram showing a carrier used in a dispensing verification device of the present invention. 
         FIG. 5  is a diagram showing an example of a prescription. 
         FIG. 6  is a diagram showing a retrieval screen for identifying a patient. 
         FIG. 7  is a diagram showing an example of a medicine notebook. 
         FIG. 8  is a diagram showing an example of a medicine information. 
         FIG. 9  is a schematic diagram showing an example of a retrieved image. 
         FIG. 10  is a diagram showing correlation between a state of a counter, a camera image, an image management server and a terminal device. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     Descriptions will be made as to embodiments of the present invention with reference to the accompanying drawings. Like or corresponding components in the drawings are denoted by the same reference numeral and the description thereon will not be repeated in order to avoid repetitive description. 
       FIG. 1  is a schematic diagram showing the overall configuration of a dispensing verification device of the present invention. As shown in  FIG. 1 , to photograph a dispensing work performed on a counter  2 , a plurality of cameras  1   1 ,  1   2 ,  1   n  are installed in a ceiling. These cameras  1   1 ,  1   2 ,  1   n  comprise a WEB camera and are connected to a network  3 . In  FIG. 1 , the number of the installed cameras is n, but as many cameras as the number of medicine distribution locations of the counter  2  may be installed. That is, when one pharmacist distributes a medicine to a patient at one location, one camera may suffice. When a plurality of pharmacists can deal with patients at a plurality of locations at the same time, the cameras may be installed at each location where the pharmacist deals with the patient. 
     In this embodiment, a mark  21  for image recording is provided at the medicine distribution location of the counter  2 . The camera  1   1  . . . photographs the image recording mark  21  and an image data therefrom is given to an image management server  4  via a network  3 . 
     The image management server  4  is connected to the network  3 . The distribution of a medicine to a patient is stored in the image management server  4  in association with time as a still image and a moving image, as described below. The image management server  4  saves the images for every date and start time. 
     As described above, in this embodiment, if the mark  21  is covered and hidden by a prescription  6 , then it is determined that a dispensing-related target object exists on the counter. If it is determined that the dispensing-related target object exists on the counter, then an operation of allowing the image management server  4  (image recording device  41 ) to store the images captured by the camera  1  starts. That is, the image captured by the camera  1  is recognized. If the mark  21  is covered and hidden by the prescription  6  and thus an image excluding the mark  21  is recognized, it starts to record the image captured by the camera  1  as a still image for retrieval and a moving image, or to record the image captured by the camera in a time series as a plurality of still images, for example, in the format of a so-called slide show every second. 
     In this embodiment, the retrieval still image, the moving image file or the still image file of the format of a slide show is stored in the image management server  4  (image recording device  41 ). For example, component video signals captured by the camera  1  having a shooting speed of 30 frames/second are converted into digital signals and the digital signals are compressed in a predetermined format into said moving image file. The still image and the moving image are recorded as associated with the date and time of the recording. Herein, “still image” means one image frame and “moving image” means that a plurality of image frames are recorded in succession. The prescription and a scene of handing a medicine to a patient are recorded in the moving image or the still image of the format of a slide show. Regarding the image file, a retrieval still image file  411 , wherein an image file after a few seconds from the start (e.g., after five seconds for stabilization of the captured image) is set as a still image, and the moving image file  410  are stored as associated with each other. Further, depending upon the storage capacity of the image management server  4  and the user&#39;s demand, the images to be stored in the image management server  4  can be variously selected (e.g., the still image and the moving image, the still image and the slide show format still image) except the retrieval still image. Further, considering the storage capacity, the moving images recordings may be variously selected, for example, by sampling the image file of 10 frame/sec. 
     A terminal device  5 , which is configured to retrieve and display the corresponding information when a patient makes an inquiry, is connected to the network  3 . The terminal device comprises a personal computer. The terminal device  5  retrieves the retrieval still images stored in the image management server  4  based on the date and time information. Further, the terminal device  5  extracts and reads out the corresponding still image and then outputs the same to a display device  51  which comprises an LCD. The display device  51  displays the retrieval still image and the corresponding moving image. 
     Descriptions will be made as to the configuration of the dispensing verification device of the present invention with reference to a functional block diagram shown in  FIG. 2 . In  FIG. 2 , the image management server  4  is constructed as an information processing apparatus using a personal computer (PC), a workstation or the like. The image management server  4  comprises: the image recording device  41  including a hard disk; and a control device  40  having a control part comprising a CPU, an internal storage device including a ROM, a RAM, etc. The image management server includes: a display device comprising an LCD; an input device including a keyboard, a mouse or the like; and a network processing part connected to the network  3  and performing communication control, which are not shown in  FIG. 2 . The control device  40  in  FIG. 2  performs various functional operations by means of the programs stored in a ROM. In this embodiment, the functions of the control operations performed by the control device  40  are represented as functional blocks. 
     The camera  1  captures the distribution location of the counter  2  and the captured image data is given to the image management server  4  via the network  3 .  FIG. 2  shows only one camera  1 . In the case of using a plurality of cameras, however, the plurality of cameras are connected to the network  3 . Further, in the case of using a plurality of cameras, an ID is given to each camera so that each camera can be distinguished. Further, the image management server  4  is configured to recognize which of the cameras the image comes from. 
       FIG. 3  is a perspective view showing a portion of the counter  2 , the image of which is captured by the camera. The camera  1  photographs a work area  22  of the counter  2 . The mark  21  for recognizing image recording is provided in the central portion of the work area. The mark  21  is hidden by placing the prescription  6  on the mark  21 . 
     As described above, the counter  2  is provided with the mark for recognizing image recording. The image data obtained by capturing the mark  21  is given to the control device  40  of the image management server  4  via the network  3 . 
     The control device  40  introduces the image data, which is inputted from the network  3  to the image processing means  40   a . The image processing means  40   a  performs the following processes: buffering the input image data to the internal storage device; and converting the buffered image into a format suitable for recognition of an image pattern or into a data compression format suitable for image recording by correcting the buffered image by using distortion correction or an image processing technology. 
     The image file processed through the image processing means  40   a  is stored in the internal storage device. In this embodiment, as a determination means to determine whether the dispensing-related target object exists on the counter, a mark distinction means  21  is used to determine whether or not the captured image includes the mark  21 . The mark distinction means  40   b  reads out the captured image stored in the internal storage device and determines whether or not the captured image includes the mark  21 . The determination information from the mark distinction means  40   b  is given to a recording information control means  40   d . In the state where it is determined that the mark  21  is included, the recording information control means  40   d  does not give the image file from the camera  1 , which is processed through the image processing means  40   a , to the image recording device  41 , and thus recording in the image recording device  41  does not start. 
     The internal storage device of the image processing means  40   a  sequentially rewrites the image files sent from the camera  1 . 
     A timer  40   e  outputs a date and time information of the system. The date and time information is given to the recording information control means  40   d.    
     A recognition means  40   c  recognizes the image given from the image processing means  40   a . By way of example, when the image is a bar code, the recognition means recognizes the bar code and gives the information contained in the bar code to the recording information control means  40   d . Further, when the image is composed of characters, the recognition means  40   c  recognizes the characters and gives the recognition results, such as a patient&#39;s name, to the recording information control means  40   d . This embodiment is configured such that the recognition means  40   c  and the mark distinction means  40   b  are separate. However, the recognition means  40   c  may be configured to recognize the image of the mark  21  and the recording information control means  40   d  may be configured to start or stop recording based on this recognition result. This may eliminate the need to individually configure the mark distinction means  40   d.    
     A retrieval means  40   f  reads out the image file from the image recording device  41  based on the time information and the patient information associated with the image file stored in the image recording device  41 , and outputs the image file to the network  3  and gives the same to the terminal device  5 . 
     If the mark distinction means  40   b  does not recognize the mark  21 , that is, if the prescription  6  is placed on the mark  21 , then the mark distinction means outputs to the recording information control means  40   d  the information that the dispensing-related target object exists. 
     Upon obtaining the information that the dispensing-related target object exists from the mark distinction means  40   b , the recording information control means  40   d  performs the operation of allowing the image recording device  41  to store the image file. First, the still image file, after a few seconds (e.g. after five seconds for stabilization of captured image) from obtaining the information that the dispensing-related target object exists from the mark distinction means  40   b , is stored in the image recording device  41 . 
     When the time information, the patient&#39;s name information, etc., are recognized with respect to the still image file during recording in the image recording device  41 , the still image file is stored as associated with the recognized data. 
       FIG. 4  is a perspective view showing a carrier  7  in which the medicine  8  is placed. The medicine  8  is placed in the carrier  7  along the prescription  6  and the carrier  7  with the medicine placed therein are placed on the counter  2 . In accordance with the medicine information shown in  FIG. 8 , a pharmacist describes the prescribed medicine to the patient and puts the medicine in a medicine bag. The images in connection with these serial acts are recorded in the image recording device  41  of the image management server  4 . It starts to record the serial acts as a moving image or as a plurality of time-serial still images in the format of a so-called slide show. When the time information and the patient&#39;s name information are recognized with respect to the moving image file or the time-serial image file, the moving image file or the time-serial image file is recorded as associated with the recognized data. The prescription and the scene of handing the medicine to a patient are captured in the moving image file or the images wherein said serial acts are recorded as a plurality of time-serial still images in the format of a so-called slide show. If the medicine is handed to a patient and the mark distinction means  40   b  detects the mark  21 , then the result is given to the recording information control means  40   d . By the detection of the mark  21 , the recording information control means  40   d  ends recording and sending the image file to the image recording device  41 . 
     The still image file and the moving image file are saved in the image recording device  41  for each date and start time. Further, when specific information, such as a patient&#39;s name, exists through a reading of a bar code, the image recognition or the like, the still image file and the moving image file are stored as associated with the recognized information. 
     The terminal device  5  is constructed as a personal computer (PC). The terminal device comprises: a control device  50  comprising a control part having a CPU, an internal storage device including a ROM, a RAM, etc.; and a display device  51  comprising an LCD. The terminal device includes: an input device including a keyboard, a mouse or the like; and a network processing part connected to the network  3  and performing communication control, which are not shown in  FIG. 2 . The control device  50  in  FIG. 2  performs various functional operations by means of the programs stored in a ROM. In this embodiment, the functions of the control operations performed by the control device  50  are represented as functional blocks. 
     When a patient makes an inquiry, a retrieval means  50   a  creates a retrieval condition based on the information inputted through the input device, such as the time at which a pharmacy staff hands a medicine to the patient, the patient information, the date and time, etc. The retrieval condition is given to the image management server  4  via the network  3 . The image management server  4  reads out the corresponding still image file from the image recording device  41  according to the retrieval condition and the data related thereto is given to the terminal device  5  via the network  3 . The pharmacy staff searches for the prescription by the patient&#39;s testimony or by the patient&#39;s name. The pharmacy staff estimates the time when the medicine was handed to the patient based on the time printed on the prescription and then enters the same as the retrieval condition. 
     In the case where the patient brings the medicine information shown in  FIG. 7  when entering the retrieval condition, the retrieval condition is specified by identifying the date and estimating the time based on the data contained in the medicine information. 
     When receiving the corresponding still image file, the terminal device  5  edits a plurality of the retrieval still image files existing before and after the estimated time by using an image editing means  50   b  so that they can be displayed all at one time in chronological order, and then gives the plurality of the retrieval still image files to an image output means  50   c . The image output means  50   c  outputs the plurality of the retrieval still image files existing before and after the estimated time to the image display device  51  such that the patient information in the prescription is extracted and displayed. As shown in  FIG. 6 , a plurality of thumbnail images, wherein the area identified by at least the patient&#39;s name information and the date and time information is extracted and reflected, are displayed in the image display device  51 . 
     In the example shown in  FIG. 6 , the retrieval still images for fifteen persons are displayed. The time recording is started and the time recording is stopped are displayed below each still image. As such, the still images before and after the estimated time are displayed on the same screen. Thus, when an exact time cannot be identified, the image can be readily specified since the still images captured before and after the estimated time are displayed all at one time. Further, the number of the still images displayed on the image display device  51  is not limited to fifteen persons shown in  FIG. 6 . The number of the still images can be set to any number by the user, for example, four persons, twenty persons, etc. The size of the displayed still image may be appropriately changed depending upon the number of persons to be displayed. Further, when all the retrieval still images to be retrieved are not displayed in one screen, such still images may be displayed throughout several pages and such display may be switched by clicking on a previous page area in the screen or a next page area in the screen using a mouse. 
     Further, in the case where the still images displayed through retrieval do not relate to the corresponding patient, if the pharmacy staff dealing with the patient displays a first page of a retrieval time and then clicks on the previous page area, the retrieval still images, which are for a predetermined time prior to the estimated time for starting retrieval, may be displayed. Similarly, if the pharmacy staff dealing with the patient displays a final page of the retrieval time and then clicks on the next page area, the retrieval still images, which are for a predetermined time posterior to the estimated time for starting recording, may be displayed. With the above-described configuration, it is possible to retrieve the images for the corresponding patient without re-input of the estimated time. 
     When the retrieval still image capable of identifying the patient is found, an area of a moving image playback is clicked on and then the moving image file corresponding the still image are requested from the image management server  4 . By way of example, “B Kawa Jiro” in the image of 9:27:21 to 9:30:21 in the example shown in  FIG. 6  is the patient in question. The area related to said patient is specified and then the playback of the moving image file is requested. The image management server  4  outputs the requested moving image file or the still images of the plurality of time-serial still images (where the serial acts are recorded as a plurality of time-serial still images in the format of a so-called slide show) and then gives the same to the terminal device  5 . In the terminal device  5 , the display device  51  displays the state of the handover of the medicine to the patient. Thus, it can be judged whether the medicine was provided as it was prescribed. Further, where necessary, the image of the medicine handed to the patient may be displayed in the form of a still image, as shown in  FIG. 9 . Further, this image may be shown to the patient and the patient can recognize that there was no mistake in dispensing the medicine. As shown in  FIG. 9 , the imaging time information is simultaneously displayed in said image. By confirming the imaging time information, it can be more clearly determined that there was no mistake in the prescription of the medicine handed to the patient at that time. If there was any mistake in the prescription of the medicine, correctly dispensed medicine may be handed to the patient. Further, if the prescription is correct, the patient may be directed not to take several medicines by mistake. 
     Further, the ID of the pharmacist may be affixed to the prescription by a clip and the camera  1  may capture the prescription. Once reviewing the image file, the pharmacist in charge can be found. 
     When a bar code including date, time, receipt number, patient&#39;s ID, patient&#39;s name, birth date, etc., is printed on the prescription, the image file may be stored as associated with the information included in the bar code printed. If such association is made, then the information of a patient may be displayed all at one time in the form of a table instead of displaying the image files during retrieval in the terminal device  5 . Further, the information of a patient may be sorted by the patient&#39;s name and thereby the data related to the patient having an unclear date can be readily retrieved. 
     Next, descriptions will be made as to the operations of the dispensing verification device of the present invention with reference to  FIG. 10 . The camera  1  captures the camera-captured area of the counter  2 . If nothing is placed on the work area of the counter  2 , the camera  1  outputs the image of the mark  21  for image recording recognition (S 1 ). If the prescription  6  is placed on the mark  21  in the counter  2 , then the image of the prescription  6  (S 2 ) is outputted from the camera  1 . The mark distinction means  40   b  determines that the dispensing-related target object exists on the counter  2 , and gives the determination result to the recording information control means  40   d.    
     Upon obtaining the information that the dispensing-related target object exists from the mark distinction means  40   b , the recording information control means  40   d  of the image management server  4  starts recording and performs the operation of allowing the image recording device  41  to store the image file. First, a still image file is stored in the image recording device  41  after a few seconds from obtaining the information that the dispensing-related target object exists from the mark distinction means  40   b . If a time information, a patient&#39;s name information, etc., are recognized during recording in the image recording device  41 , the still image file is stored as associated with the recognized data. Subsequently, the camera  1  outputs the images related to the description of the medicine to be handed to the patient and putting the medicine in a medicine bag (S 5 ). The images related to those serial acts are recorded in the image recording device  41  of the image management server  4  as a moving image or as an image obtained by recording those serial acts in a time series as a plurality of still images in the format of a so-called slide show (S 6 ). If the time information or the patient&#39;s name information is recognized with respect to the moving image file or the image obtained by recording the serial acts in a time series as a plurality of still images in the format of a so-called slide show, the moving image file or the time-serial image is recorded as associated with the recognized data. 
     The medicine is handed to the patient and the camera  1  outputs the image of the mark (S 7 ). If the mark distinction means  40   b  detects the mark  21 , then the mark distinction means gives the determination result to the recording information control means  40   d , thereby ending the recording of the image file in the image recording device  41 . 
     When the patient makes an inquiry, the pharmacy staff inputs the time at which the medicine is handed to the patient, the patient information and the date and time by using the input device of the terminal device  5  (S 10 ). The retrieval condition is created based on the above-mentioned information and is given to the image management server  4  via the network  3  (S 11 ). The image management server  4  reads out the corresponding still image file from the image storage recording device  41  according to the retrieval condition (S 12 ) and the data related thereto is given to the terminal device  5  via the network  3 . 
     Upon receiving the corresponding still image file, the terminal device  5  edits a plurality of still image files existing before and after the estimated time by using an image editing means  50   b  so that they can be displayed all at one time in chronological order. The image display device  51  displays the still images as a plurality of thumbnail images, wherein the area identified by at least the patient&#39;s name information and the date and time information is extracted and reflected (S 13 ). 
     If the still image file capable of identifying the patient is found, then the moving image file corresponding to the still image file are requested from the image management server  4  (S 14 ). The image management server  4  outputs the requested moving image file or the image file obtained by recording the serial acts as a plurality of still images in a time series in the format of a so-called slide show, and gives the same to the terminal device  5  (S 15 ). Then, in the terminal device  5 , the display device  51  displays the delivery state of the medicine to the patient (S 16 ). 
     In the foregoing embodiment, as a determination means determining whether or not the dispensing-related target object exists on the counter  2 , the mark  21  for image recording is provided at the medicine distribution location of the counter  2  and the existence of the target object is determined based on whether or not the mark  21  is recognized. Further, writing the images of the camera  1  in the image management server  4  is controlled based on whether or not the mark  21  is recognized. However, the aforesaid determination means that determines whether or not the dispensing-related target object exists on the counter is not limited to the foregoing. For example, instead of providing the mark  21  on the counter  2 , the prescription  6  is placed in the work area  22  of the camera  1  and the image from the camera  1  may be recognized. If the recognition result is the prescription  6 , then it may be determined that the dispensing-related target object exists on the counter  2 , in which case the images from the camera  1  begins to be written in the image management server  4 . Further, if the images from the camera  1  relates to only the status of the counter  2  for at least a predetermined time, then it may be determined that the dispensing-related target object does not exist on the counter  2 , in which case the images from the camera  1  stops being written in the image management server  4 . 
     Further, as the determination means that determines whether or not the dispensing-related target object exists on the counter  2 , the determination of whether the dispensing-related target object exists on the counter  2  may be made by using a reflective type sensor instead of the images from the camera  1 . 
     Further, the pharmacist may push a record start button when the pharmacist hands a medicine to a patient and may push a record stop button when the handing over of the medicine is complete. In this way, it may be determined whether or not the dispensing-related target object exists on the counter  2 . 
     It should be understood that the embodiments disclosed herein are illustrative in all respects and is not in any way limiting. The scope of the present invention is defined by the appended claims rather than by the description of the foregoing embodiments, and is intended to cover all modifications falling within the meanings and scopes equivalent to the claims. 
     DESCRIPTION OF REFERENCE NUMERALS 
       1  Camera 
       2  Counter 
       21  Mark for image recording 
       3  Network 
       4  Image management server 
       5  Terminal device 
       6  Prescription