Abstract:
The invention relates to a method for detecting incorrect storage of medicament packages in a pharmacy order-picking device. Such incorrect storage can occur in the event that manual removal of medicament packages becomes necessary due to a malfunction. The pharmacy order-picking device comprises a series of shelves comprising a plurality of shelf compartments and at least one movable operating device in front of the row of shelves, wherein the operating device has a gripping device as well as a sensor. In order to detect incorrect storage, shelf compartments with potential incorrect storage of medicament packages are detected; the operating device is moved to a prescribed shelf position if a shelf compartment is detected; with the sensor switched on, the operating device moves across a detected shelf compartment in a horizontal direction, detects the storage depths at various X positions using the sensor and creates a virtual image of the actual situation on the basis of the detected storage depths; the image of the actual situation is then compared with a target image of the shelf compartment.

Description:
BACKGROUND 
       [0001]    In some pharmacy order-picking devices, a large number of various and differently dimensioned medication packages (piece goods) may be stored chaotically and in a space-optimized manner on elongated shelf bases. These shelf bases form, together with the shelf walls, the shelf compartments, wherein a large number of medication packages is stored per shelf compartment, or per shelf base. 
         [0002]    During the storage of medication packages in a shelf compartment, each medication package may be assigned a storage space and this, with other items of information on a medication package, is stored in a control unit. With the aid of the items of information stored in the control unit, the medication package can be accessed using the operating device for a retrieval or relocation which is possibly to be performed of a specific medication package. 
       SUMMARY 
       [0003]    The present disclosure relates to a method for operating a pharmacy order-picking device. In particular, the present disclosure relates to a method for ascertaining, and if desired, remedying incorrect storage of medication packages in a pharmacy order-picking device having at least one row of shelves having in each case a plurality of shelf bases extending in a horizontal direction (X axis) and a plurality of shelf walls extending in a vertical direction, wherein the shelf bases and shelf walls form a plurality of shelf compartments, at least one operating device which is horizontally and vertically movable in front of the row of shelves, wherein the operating device includes a gripping device for storing and/or retrieving medication packages on or from, respectively, the shelf bases, and a sensor, and a control unit which is coupled to the operating device. 
         [0004]    The storage or retrieval typically runs completely automatically, without a user having to intervene, except by inputting various instructions. However, if disturbances occur in the pharmacy order-picking device, for example, a power failure, or a mechanical or electrical defect, a user may perform the retrieval of the required medication packages manually, wherein the user is guided to the appropriate shelf compartment, at which the medication package to be removed is stored, via a user guide of the pharmacy order-picking device. 
         [0005]    Diverse errors can occur during the manual retrieval; for example, the wrong medication package can be removed, adjacent medication packages can be shifted during the removal, or a medication package which lies in the path of that to be removed can be relocated into another shelf compartment and forgotten therein. This has the result that incorrect storage of medication packages can occur in the manually operated shelf compartment (and possibly further compartments, if medication packages were relocated). When the pharmacy order-picking device is changed back to fully automatic operation after the disturbance is remedied, depending on the type of the incorrect storage, medication packages may not be removable or there may be a delay in removing medication packages from shelf compartments having incorrect storage. 
         [0006]    It is therefore the object of the present disclosure to provide a method for ascertaining and possibly remedying incorrect storage of medication packages in a pharmacy order-picking device. 
         [0007]    The pharmacy order-picking device used in a method described herein includes at least one row of shelves having in each case a plurality of shelf bases extending in a horizontal direction (X direction, X axis) and a plurality of shelf walls extending in a vertical direction, wherein the shelf bases and the shelf walls form a plurality of shelf compartments, which are typically elongated (in the X direction). Furthermore, the pharmacy order-picking device includes an operating device, which is movable horizontally and vertically in front of the row of shelves, and a control unit coupled to the operating device, wherein the operating device itself includes a gripping device for storing and/or retrieving medication packages on or from the shelf base, and a sensor. 
         [0008]    In the scope of this application, the term “medication package” is to be interpreted as “at least one medication package”; it also includes the retrieval of a plurality of (successively) stored medication packages. 
         [0009]    The sensor may be a distance sensor having a unit for emitting measurement beams and for receiving measurement beams, wherein the two units can be combined into one unit. During the distance determination, the sensor can detect the direction or runtime of an actively emitted signal which is reflected on a surface (of a medication package or a component of the pharmacy order-picking device). The distance determination can also be carried out capacitively or on the basis of the parallax or a stereo image of an electronic camera. 
         [0010]    In pharmacy order-picking devices, laser distance sensors, which operate according to the principle of laser triangulation, are typical. In this case, a laser beam is oriented onto a surface (see above) and observed using the receiving unit (for example, camera, photodiode, diode array) located in the sensor. If the distance of the surface from the sensor changes, the angle at which the light spot is observed, and therefore the position of the image on the receiver of the receiving unit, also changes. For example, if a diode array is used, the diode which detects the reflected light beam changes with the distance. The distance of the surface from the sensor can be calculated from the position change. 
         [0011]    For reasons of cost, the distance measurement is generally carried out as a “single-point measurement.” That is, the measurement beam is emitted at a constant angle and is incident, without movement of the operating device, on the same point (single point). The reflected beam may be detected using a diode array. 
         [0012]    The distance measurement can be carried out in this case so that only the detection at a specific diode (or a diode bundle) of the array is differentiated from the detection outside this diode or the diode bundle. The distance measurement then only recognizes two states (“binary distance measurement” hereafter). 
         [0013]    To detect incorrect storage, shelf compartments having possible incorrect storage of medication packages are ascertained, for example, in that they are marked as such by a user. For example, in the case of a manual removal when medication packages may be shifted, every shelf compartment in which a manual engagement was made should be marked. The operating device is then moved to a predefined shelf position at an ascertained shelf compartment. This shelf position may be the left or right corner (in relation to the corner of shelf space/shelf wall). 
         [0014]    Using the operating device, with activated sensor, the shelf compartment is traveled in the horizontal direction (X axis), beginning at the approached shelf position, and the storage depth is ascertained at various X positions using the sensor. To what extent and at which, or at how many positions, the storage depth is determined results from the type of the sensor used and therefore the manner in which the storage depth is determined. For example, if a sensor for single-point measurement is used, the shelf compartment may be traveled completely in the horizontal direction, at least in the region in which an incorrect storage can occur. In another example, if a sensor having a camera is used, it may be sufficient to ascertain the storage depths at a number of X positions dependent on the width of the shelf compartment, wherein then point storage depths are not determined, but rather the storage depth is determined for an entire section. 
         [0015]    A virtual actual image of the shelf compartment is prepared on the basis of the ascertained storage depths, wherein the data ascertained by the sensor are used to prepare this actual image. The actual image (AB I ) thus prepared is compared to a target image (AB S ) of the shelf compartment and deviations between the target image and the actual image are analyzed. If multiple shelf compartments are marked as shelf compartments having possible incorrect storage, this operation is repeated for the remaining shelf compartments. 
         [0016]    An incorrect storage in the shelf compartment may be concluded on the basis of the analysis of the deviations between the target image of a shelf compartment and the actual image; for this purpose, the storage depth, which can be ascertained using the sensor, at various X positions of a shelf compartment is used. If a medication package is stored at an arbitrary X position (typically in contact with the shelf rear wall), the storage depth is different than if no or multiple medication packages were stored. The storage depth expected for a specific X position is known, since the dimensions thereof were stored with storage of each medication package; these items of information are absolutely necessary for the space-optimized storage of the medication packages. 
         [0017]    In a method described herein, only known items of information are thus used; storage of additional items of information is not necessary. The method may be carried out using the “typical” components, installation of additional components is not necessary. The method described herein may therefore be implemented cost-effectively and rapidly. 
         [0018]    Shelf compartments having possible incorrect storage can be ascertained, in that they are marked as such by a user or automatically after a manual retrieval of medication packages. A corresponding marking of shelf compartments restricts the number of the compartments to be examined, and the processing time of the method decreases. 
         [0019]    After a disturbance of the pharmacy order-picking device, shelf compartments affected by the disturbance (which may be all of the shelf compartments) can be marked as shelf compartments having possible incorrect storage. All of the storage compartments may be marked if retrievals or storages may have occurred, but were not noted in the theoretical inventory (for example, as a result of a malfunction of the operating device or the identification unit). Marking all shelf compartments for an examination is also advisable if an “inventory” is to be carried out. 
         [0020]    The target image of a shelf compartment can be calculated, in a preferred embodiment of the disclosure, on the basis of the target occupation of the shelf compartment for the comparison to the prepared actual image. During the storage of medication packages, the control unit stores all items of information, (inter alia, placement space, dimensions) which are necessary for the calculation of a target image. The calculation of the target image “on-demand” has the advantage that the required computing power is first requested when it is actually required. Also, the target image of the shelf compartment can be prepared or updated during the storage and/or retrieval of medication packages in or from, respectively, the shelf compartment, stored in a memory of the control unit, and loaded from a memory of the control unit for the comparison. This embodiment has the advantage that the recognition can be carried out particularly rapidly, since the target image does not have to be calculated, but rather is already present in the memory of the control unit. 
         [0021]    For example, if the automatic retrieval is not possible in the event of a system failure of the operating device, medication packages may possibly be retrieved manually by the user. The user may be guided, for example, via a corresponding menu guide to the shelf compartment and the storage space of the medication package. In the case of the automatic retrieval, the medication package is automatically erased from the theoretical inventory and the storage space is released for renewed storage (the storage space was blocked for further storage during storage of the retrieved medication package). Because of time pressure, in the event of a manual retrieval, the user may forget receipt for the medication package; the theoretical inventory and the theoretically free storage space then deviate from the actual ones. To avoid this, in a preferred embodiment, if the analysis of the deviations between the target image and the actual image has the result that a medication package is missing in the shelf compartment, it is erased from a theoretical inventory stored in the storage unit. 
         [0022]    In the case of manual removal, it can also occur that an operator may first relocate another medication package to retrieve a specific medication package and this package then remains in the shelf compartment into which it was relocated. As a result, one medication package in excess is located in this shelf compartment, which is not recorded in the theoretical inventory for this shelf compartment. In a preferred embodiment, if the analysis of the deviations between the target image and the actual image has the result that a medication package which is not recorded in the theoretical inventory is stored in the shelf compartment, it is retrieved or identified and stored again. 
         [0023]    In the case of the manual removal of a package, as a result of the proximity of the packages to one another, it can occur that one or more adjacent medication packages are shifted. That is, these are no longer located as is expected according to the storage. In the scope of this application, the term “displaced” is to comprise not only medication packages moved in parallel to an axis, but rather also those which are only or also pivoted (about the central axis on a shelf base). 
         [0024]    On the basis of the incorrect storage of the medication package(s), in a preferred exemplary embodiment, it is then checked whether the shifted medication package can be retrieved using the gripping device. If this is possible, which is dependent in particular on the inclination of the medication package and the package density on the shelf space, this medication package is retrieved and stored again. 
         [0025]    If a retrieval is not possible using the gripping device (for example, as a result of the excessively small spacing to adjacent medication packages), it is first checked whether the medication package can be unambiguously assigned to a theoretically present medication package. If this is the case and it is known which package it is, but it cannot be retrieved without disturbing the adjacent medication packages, in one embodiment, the surrounding medication packages are retrieved (except for the medication package having incorrect storage), which can be accessed without disturbing the adjacent packages, and then the remaining medication package is retrieved and stored again. 
         [0026]    If the medication package cannot be unambiguously assigned to a theoretically present medication package, in one embodiment, it is ascertained (on the basis of the actual image, the target image, and the theoretical occupation) which adjacent medication packages can be assigned to theoretically present medication packages (and can also be retrieved). Then, all those medication packages which can be assigned to theoretically present medication packages are retrieved. Subsequently, the remaining medication packages are retrieved, identified again, and then stored again. In this exemplary embodiment, it is necessary, as a result of the lack of a possibility of assigning shifted medication packages, to identify them before the renewed storage. In all of the above-mentioned exemplary embodiments, the retrieval, relocation, and further storage are accompanied by a continuous update of the theoretical occupation. 
         [0027]    For example, if during the analysis of the deviations, it is determined that medication packages cannot be retrieved using the gripping device, the user is informed accordingly and prompted to perform manual removal. 
         [0028]    In a preferred exemplary embodiment, the shelf compartment is checked once again after the correction of the incorrect storage, and in the event of a positive result of this check (all medication packages are stored at the theoretically provided storage space), the shelf compartment is released for further storage/retrieval. For this purpose, the shelf compartment is traveled once again completely in the horizontal direction (X axis) and the storage depth is ascertained at various X positions using the sensor. A virtual actual image of the shelf compartment is prepared on the basis of the ascertained storage depths and the prepared actual image is compared to a target image of the shelf compartment and deviations between the target image and the actual image are analyzed. If the shelf compartment was previously blocked for a further storage, it is released again for storage in the event of a positive analysis. 
         [0029]    A method described herein will be described in greater detail hereafter on the basis of preferred embodiments illustrated in the drawings. In the figures of the drawings: 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0030]      FIG. 1  illustrates a side view of a row of shelves of a pharmacy order-picking device. 
           [0031]      FIG. 2   a  illustrates a top view of a schematically illustrated shelf compartment and a schematic illustration of the operating device, which is movable in front of the shelf compartment. 
           [0032]      FIG. 2   b  illustrates a front view of the shelf compartment shown in  FIG. 2   a.    
           [0033]      FIG. 2   c  illustrates the actual image ascertained using the sensor of the shelf compartment illustrated in  FIG. 2   a  in comparison to the calculated target image. 
           [0034]      FIG. 3   a  illustrates a top view of a shelf compartment having incorrect occupation. 
           [0035]      FIG. 3   b  illustrates a comparison between the target image according to  FIG. 2   a  and the actual image of the shelf compartment shown in  FIG. 3   a.    
           [0036]      FIG. 4   a  illustrates a top view of a shelf compartment having incorrect occupation. 
           [0037]      FIG. 4   b  illustrates a comparison between the target image according to  FIG. 2   a  and the actual image of the shelf compartment shown in  FIG. 4   a.    
           [0038]      FIG. 5   a  illustrates a top view of a shelf compartment having incorrect occupation. 
           [0039]      FIG. 5   b  illustrates a comparison between the target image according to  FIG. 2   a  and the actual image of the shelf compartment shown in  FIG. 5   a.    
           [0040]      FIG. 6   a  illustrates a top view of a shelf compartment having incorrect occupation. 
           [0041]      FIG. 6   b  illustrates a comparison between the target image according to  FIG. 2   a  and the actual image of the shelf compartment shown in  FIG. 6   a.    
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0042]      FIG. 1  illustrates a side view of a row of shelves  10  of a pharmacy order-picking device. The row of shelves  10  includes a plurality of vertical shelf walls  12  and a plurality of horizontal shelf bases  11 , which are typically glass bases or bases made of a comparable material. The shelf bases  11  and the shelf walls  12  form in each case shelf compartments  15 , in which the medication packages are stored, wherein only one medication package  30  is shown as an example in  FIG. 1 . 
         [0043]    An operating device  20 , which includes a sensor  23  and a gripping device  22 , on a guide, which includes two horizontal guide rails  13   a,    13   b  and one vertical guide rail  14 , is movable in front of the row of shelves  10 . The operating device  20  is coupled to a control unit  40 , which has a memory  41 , inter alia. 
         [0044]      FIG. 2   a  illustrates a top view of a shelf compartment  15 , which is only schematically illustrated, and which is formed by two shelf walls  12 , a shelf rear wall  16 , and the shelf base  11 . A plurality of such rows of shelves (or shelf compartments) is arranged per row of shelves  10  in the pharmacy order-picking device. The dimensions of the individual compartments are dependent on the overall construction of the pharmacy order-picking device. Because of the type of the storage and the fully automatic storage and retrieval, the shelf compartments are typically elongated, wherein the longitudinal axis corresponds to the X axis of the pharmacy order-picking device. The medication packages are in turn stored in rows in the shelf compartments, wherein multiple medication packages can also be stored per row. 
         [0045]    In the exemplary embodiment shown, four rows of packages PR 1 -PR 4  are present in the shelf compartment  15 , wherein the row of packages PR 2  includes two medication packages  31 ,  31 . 
         [0046]    The medication packages are typically stored, if only one medication package is arranged per row of packages, flush on the shelf rear wall  16 . If multiple medication packages are stored in one row of packages, these medication packages are stored flush on one another. 
         [0047]    To ascertain incorrect storage in a shelf compartment, it is marked as a shelf compartment having possible incorrect storage. For example, a user may mark the shelf compartment as having possible incorrect storage, or the shelf may be automatically marked after a manual retrieval. The operating device  20 , which is not shown to scale in  FIG. 2 , is moved to a predefined shelf position at the ascertained shelf compartment. This shelf position may lie on the outside on the left or right, to be able to carry out the method as rapidly as possible (if the single point measurement is used, for which the description of the method is referred to). 
         [0048]    With activated sensor  23 , the shelf compartment is then completely traveled in the horizontal direction using the operating device. The movement direction is unimportant in this case. The travel of the shelf can also start in the middle, for example, wherein further paths are then to be covered, however. It is only important that the shelf is completely traveled in the X direction using the sensor and the storage depth is ascertained at various X positions in this case. It is unimportant for the method according to the disclosure how the storage depths are detected in detail and this does not require more detailed description; it is important that the distance from sensor to medication package/shelf rear wall is ascertained at a plurality of points. 
         [0049]    The sensor is to be aligned in this case, so that it is not oriented on to the end side of the shelf base or over several of the medication packages, but rather can detect the end face of all medication packages stored in the shelf compartment, insofar as this is possible as a result of their arrangement in front of or behind one another. 
         [0050]      FIG. 2   b  illustrates a front view of the shelf compartment  15  shown in  FIG. 2   a , wherein the path of the measurement beam during the travel along the shelf compartment is illustrated using the dotted line. The point of incidence of the measurement beam is selected (distance X 1  to the shelf base  11 ) so that the end faces of all “visible” medication packages can be detected. The starting point during the generation of the depth profile or distance profile is indicated with “U”. 
         [0051]    During the travel along the shelf compartment in the X direction, on the basis of the X positions and the storage depths, an actual image AB I  of the shelf compartment is prepared, which reproduces the depth profile and which is schematically shown in  FIG. 2   c  as a jagged line (the jagged line is to indicate measurement uncertainties). In dependence on the width and the type of the stored medication packages, a continuous measurement, as shown in  FIG. 2   b , does not have to be carried out. Rather, it may be sufficient for the distance measurement only to be carried out at points. For example, the point intervals may be one measurement per millimeter. Furthermore, the target image AB S  of the theoretical occupation of the shelf compartment  15 , determined from the stored items of information about the individual medication packages, is illustrated in  FIG. 3   c . As can be recognized, the actual image, except for deviations based on measurement uncertainties or measurement variations, essentially corresponds to the target image. 
         [0052]      FIG. 3   a  illustrates the shelf compartment  15  having an occupation, in which, in comparison to the shelf occupation from  FIG. 2   a , additionally one medication package  32  is arranged in the row of packages PK 3 . 
         [0053]      FIG. 3   b  illustrates (as a jagged line), the virtual actual image AB I  of the shelf compartment  15  occupied according to  FIG. 3   a , which is obtained on the basis of the ascertained storage depths. Furthermore, the target image AB S  of the occupation of the shelf compartment shown in  FIG. 2   a  is illustrated in  FIG. 3   b  (as a dotted line). 
         [0054]    In a method described herein, the target image and the actual image are compared to one another and deviations between the target image and the actual image are analyzed. The comparison has the result in the present case that the actual image has an area in the row of packages PK 3 , which should not be present according to the target image. Based on analysis of this deviation, it is determined that a medication package is stored in the shelf compartment  15 , which should not be present there according to the theoretical occupation of the shelf compartment. 
         [0055]    This medication package  32  is retrieved and then optionally newly identified and stored to reproduce the theoretical occupation of the shelf compartment  15 . 
         [0056]      FIG. 4   a  illustrates the shelf compartment  15  having an occupation in which, in comparison to the compartment occupation from  FIG. 2   a , medication packages  33 ,  34  in rows of packages PK 3  and PK 4  are shifted (the original storage spaces are indicated with  33 ′ and  34 ′). 
         [0057]      FIG. 4   b  illustrates (as a jagged line), the virtual actual image AB I  of the shelf compartment  15  occupied according to  FIG. 4   a , which was obtained on the basis of the ascertained storage depths. Furthermore, the target image AB S  of the occupation of the shelf compartment shown in  FIG. 2   a  is illustrated in  FIG. 4   b  (as a dotted line). 
         [0058]    Based on analysis of the comparison of target image/actual image, it is determined that two medication packages  33 ,  34  are shifted. Furthermore, it is determined that the medication packages  34  are shifted such that (specifically by the same amount to the “right”) they can still be gripped using the gripping device  22 . The medication packages  33 ,  34  are accordingly moved using the gripping device back to their storage space corresponding to the theoretical state. For this purpose, the medication packages can be shifted on the shelf base  11  or retrieved and stored again. 
         [0059]      FIG. 5   a  illustrates the shelf compartment  15  having an occupation in which, in comparison to the compartment occupation from  FIG. 2   a , medication package  34  in the row of packages PK 4  is shifted, and specifically such that the medication package no longer presses against the shelf rear wall  16 . 
         [0060]      FIG. 5   b  illustrates (as a jagged line) the virtual actual image AB I  of the shelf compartment  15  occupied according to  FIG. 5   a , which is prepared on the basis of the ascertained storage depths. Furthermore, the target image AB S  of the occupation of the shelf compartment shown in  FIG. 2   a  is illustrated in  FIG. 5   b  (as a dotted line). 
         [0061]    Based on analysis of the comparison of target image/actual image, it is determined that the medication package  34  is shifted. Furthermore, it is determined that the medication package  34 , in spite of the shifting, can be assigned to a medication package which is theoretically present in the inventory, and it can still be grasped using the gripping device  22  (there is sufficient distance between the medication package  34  and the adjacent medication package or shelf wall both on the left and also on the right to carry out a retrieval using the gripping device). The medication package  34  is retrieved using the gripping device and stored again. Merely displacing it on the shelf base is not possible as a result of the inclination. 
         [0062]      FIG. 6   a  illustrates the shelf compartment  15  having an occupation in which, in comparison to the shelf occupation from  FIG. 2   a , two medication packages  31 ,  34  in the rows of packages PK 2  and PK 3  are shifted or pivoted. 
         [0063]      FIG. 6   b  illustrates (as a jagged line) the virtual actual image AB I  of the shelf compartment  15  occupied according to  FIG. 6   a , which is obtained on the basis of the ascertained storage depths. Furthermore, the target image AB S  of the occupation of the shelf compartment shown in  FIG. 2   a  is illustrated in  FIG. 6   b  (as a dotted line). 
         [0064]    Based on analysis of the comparison of target image/actual image, it is determined that the medication packages  31 ,  33  are shifted or pivoted. The analysis does not permit unambiguous conclusions about the medication package  30  located in the same row of packages as a result of the pivoting or shifting of the medication package  31 . 
         [0065]    The packages cannot be retrieved without problems, without the hazard existing that surrounding medication packages located on the theoretically provided storage space will also possibly be shifted. Specifically, it cannot be unambiguously detected in the actual image where the medication packages  31 ,  33  end, since the end faces thereof, which are detectable by the sensor, overlap during the detection of the storage depths. 
         [0066]    Furthermore, it is determined that the medication packages  31 ,  33  (and also  30 ) can no longer be unambiguously assigned to medication packages which are theoretically present in the inventory. For example, it is not possible to exclude that the medication packages  31 ,  33  were confused during the manual retrieval, etc. 
         [0067]    In such a case, it is checked which adjacent medication packages can be assigned to theoretically present medication packages (medication packages  29 ,  34  here). All or at least a part of the medication packages which can be assigned to those theoretically present, are then retrieved or relocated and then the remaining medication packages are retrieved. At this point in time, the shelf compartment is substantially cleared out around the imperfection and the gripping device can separate the medication packages as needed until the medication packages can be retrieved using the gripping device; the storage depth and therefore an actual image of the shelf compartment (or of the affected section) may possibly still be ascertained once again for this purpose for the remaining and possibly separated medication packages. After retrieval of the medication packages, they are identified and then stored again.