Patent ID: 8712163

Claim:
A computer-implemented method of pill analysis comprising the steps of: a computer acquiring a pill image having an image frame; the computer detecting contrast shifts within the image frame, thereby locating at least one object having an object outline defining an enclosed contrast shift region; the computer determining a first value for the at least one object, the first value selected from the group consisting of an area, a position, a length, a width, an angle, a color, a brightness, a code, a shape, a crystal pile size, a crystal geometry, a substance identity, and a character identity; the computer searching within the enclosed contrast shift region for additional contrast shifts, thereby determining contents of the enclosed contrast shift region; the computer determining for the contents of the enclosed contrast shift region at least one second value selected from the group consisting of an area, a position, a length, a width, an angle, a color, a brightness, a code, a shape, a crystal pile size, a crystal geometry, a substance identity, and a character identity; the computer outputting a result to a user based on the first value and the second value.