Patent · US9639668B2 · B2 · US

Systems and methods for a check / exception station

(11) Publication number

US9639668B2

(21) Application number

14/803,009

(22) Filing date

2015-07-17

(30) Priority date

2014-07-23

(43) Publication date

2017-05-02

(45) Date of grant

2017-05-02

(51) IPC

B25J 9/00; G05B 15/02; G16H 20/13; G16H 40/20; G16Z 99/00

(52) CPC

G16H Healthcare informatics, i.e. information and communication technology [ICT] specially adapted for the handling or processing of medical or healthcare data: 20/13, 20/10, 40/20
B25J Manipulators; chambers provided with manipulation devices: 11/00, 9/0093
B65G Transport or storage devices, e.g. conveyors for loading or tipping, shop conveyor systems or pneumatic tube conveyors: 1/1373, 1/1378
G05B Control or regulating systems in general; functional elements of such systems; monitoring or testing arrangements for such systems or elements: 15/02
G06F Electric digital data processing: 19/3456, 19/3475
G06Q Information and communication technology [ICT] specially adapted for administrative, commercial, financial, managerial or supervisory purposes; systems or methods specially adapted for administrative, commercial, financial, managerial or supervisory purposes, not otherwise provided for: 10/0832, 30/018
G16Z Information and communication technology [ICT] specially adapted for specific application fields, not otherwise provided for: 99/00

(73) Assignee

Express Scripts Inc

(72) Inventors

Jonathan W. Joplin

(54) Title

Systems and methods for a check / exception station

(57) Abstract

A system comprising a holding area, a manual section, a distribution section, and at least one conveyor. The manual section may include a handling area enabled for pill counting, pharmacist verification, exception handling, or combinations thereof. The distribution section may be disposed proximate the handling area and the manual section, and may include a robot and a scanner. The at least one conveyor may enable transportation of a container between said distribution section and said manual section. The robot may be adapted to pick a container from the holding area and move the container to the scanner for scanning. The robot may also be further adapted to place the container onto the conveyor to direct the container to a handling area which is enabled for an action based on the scan.

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Claims (17)

A system comprising: a holding area; a manual section, wherein the manual section includes a plurality of handling areas each enabled for pill counting, pharmacist verification, exception handling, or combinations thereof; a distribution section disposed proximate the manual section, the distribution section including a robot and a scanner, wherein the robot is adapted to pick a container from the holding area and to move the container to the scanner for scanning; and at least one conveyor to enable transportation of a container between the distribution section and the manual section; wherein the robot is further adapted to place the container onto the at least one conveyor to direct the container to a first handling area of the plurality of handling areas, wherein at least one handling area of the plurality of handling areas includes an evaluation device, and wherein the evaluation device configured to: determine a second handling area being enabled for the determined action with respect to the container, determine workloads of the first handling area and the second handling area; and select a handling area from the first handling are and the second handling area with a lower workload to receive the container.
The system of claim 1, further comprising: a guiderail positioned so as to define a lane on the at least one conveyor, wherein the lane leads to one of the plurality of handling areas.
The system of claim 1, further comprising: an additional conveyor to enable transportation of at least one container between the distribution section and the manual section; wherein: the at least one conveyor extends between the first handling area and the distribution section; and the additional conveyor extends between the second handling area and the distribution section.
The system of claim 1, further comprising: a feed conveyor to feed containers to the plurality of holding areas, wherein the feed conveyor is reachable by the robot.
The system of claim 1, wherein the evaluation device is configured to allow a pharmacist to enable the handling area for pill counting, pharmacist verification, exception handling, or combinations thereof.
The system of claim 1, wherein at least one of the plurality of handling areas includes a pill counter.
The system of claim 1, further comprising: the distribution section is further configured to determine whether the scanned container requires exception handling and to generate a third command to send the scanned container to a third holding area of the plurality of holding areas associated with exception handling based on the determination, wherein the robot is further adapted to place the container onto the at least one conveyor to direct the container to the third handling area based on receiving the third command from the distribution section.
The system of claim 1, further comprising a processor configured to: determine whether the scanned container requires pharmacist verification, determine whether the scanned container requires pill counting, generate a first command to send the scanned container to the first handling area of the plurality of handling areas associated with pharmacist verification based on the determination that the scanned container requires pharmacist verification, and generate a second command to send the scanned container to the second handling area of the plurality of handling areas associated with pill counting based on the determination that the scanned container requires pill counting.
The system of claim 1, wherein the evaluation device is configured to provide a pharmacist operating one of the plurality of handling areas with information relating to the container during evaluation.
The system of claim 9 wherein the distribution section is further configured to cause the evaluation device to provide the pharmacist with the information relating to the container being evaluated.
A method comprising: enabling a plurality of handling areas for a plurality of available actions via an evaluation device, wherein the available action includes pill counting, pharmacist verification, and exception handling; selecting a container from a holding area; scanning the container via a scanner; determining an action among the available actions to be taken with respect to the container by the evaluation device, wherein determining an action among the available actions includes determining whether the scanned container requires pharmacist verification, or the scanned container requires pill counting and generates a command based on the determination; determining that a first handling area of the plurality of handling areas is enabled for the determined action with respect to the container by the evaluation device; placing the container on a conveyor leading to the one of the plurality of handling areas; determining by the evaluation device that a second handling area is enabled for the determined action with respect to the container; determining workloads of the first handling area and the second handling area by the evaluation device; and selecting the handling area with a lower workload to receive the container by the evaluation device.
The method of claim 11, wherein when scanning of the container results in an unreadable label, further comprising: flagging the container for an exception handling action based on the unreadable label.
The method of claim 11, wherein determining the action among the available actions includes determining whether the scanned container require exception handling.
The method of claim 11, further comprising: performing the determined action to the container at the first handling area; and transporting the container from the first handling area to the holding area once the determined action has been completed.
The method of claim 14, further comprising: providing information relating to the container to an evaluation device of the first handling area.
The method of claim 11, further comprising: picking a container from a holding area, via a robot, for scanning, wherein the robot places the container on the conveyor leading to the first handling area.
The method of claim 16, further comprising: performing the determined action to the container at the first handling area; transporting the container from the first handling area to the robot once the determined action has been completed; picking the container; re-scanning the container; determining whether any additional actions are to be taken with respect to the container; when no additional actions are to be taken, placing the container on an outbound conveyor; and where an additional action is to be taken, determining that one of the plurality of handling areas is enabled for the additional action with respect to the container and placing the container on a conveyor leading to the one of the plurality of handling areas.

Description

The present application relates generally to the technical field of automated filling centers. In a specific example, the present application may relate to a high volume fulfillment center, e.g., a high volume pharmacy and to systems and devices used in filling prescriptions and prescription orders at a high volume pharmacy.

A high-volume pharmacy may process and fill a large number of prescriptions and prescription orders. Automated systems may be used by a high volume pharmacy to process and fulfill prescriptions.

Frequently, more than one prescription drug is required to complete a prescription order. Portions of the prescription order may be fulfilled in different areas of the high-volume pharmacy. After fulfillment, the fulfilled prescriptions may be gathered into a complete prescription order for shipping.

FIG. 1 is a block diagram of an example system, according to an example embodiment;

FIG. 2 is a block diagram of an example order processing device that may be deployed within the system of FIG. 1, according to an example embodiment;

FIG. 3A is a schematic plan view of a check and exception center that may be deployed within the system of FIG. 1, according to an example embodiment;

FIG. 3B is a schematic elevation view of the check and exception center that may be deployed within the system of FIG. 1, according to an example embodiment;

FIG. 4 is a schematic perspective view of a handling area of a check and exception center according to an example embodiment;

FIG. 5 is a block diagram of a control unit that may be deployed within the manual fill center of FIGS.

Citations (17)

US5771657A
USRE40510E1
US20050143857A1
US6892512B2
US20060074521A1
US20030125836A1
US20050171813A1
US7853355B1
US20110313567A1
US8406917B2
US7765776B1
US20120245728A1
US20110282476A1
US8571700B2
US8861816B2
US9122783B2
US20150128532A1

Record as JSON

{
  "publication_number": "US9639668B2",
  "country": "US",
  "kind": "B2",
  "title": "Systems and methods for a check / exception station",
  "abstract": "A system comprising a holding area, a manual section, a distribution section, and at least one conveyor. The manual section may include a handling area enabled for pill counting, pharmacist verification, exception handling, or combinations thereof. The distribution section may be disposed proximate the handling area and the manual section, and may include a robot and a scanner. The at least one conveyor may enable transportation of a container between said distribution section and said manual section. The robot may be adapted to pick a container from the holding area and move the container to the scanner for scanning. The robot may also be further adapted to place the container onto the conveyor to direct the container to a handling area which is enabled for an action based on the scan.",
  "claims": [
    "1. A system comprising: a holding area; a manual section, wherein the manual section includes a plurality of handling areas each enabled for pill counting, pharmacist verification, exception handling, or combinations thereof; a distribution section disposed proximate the manual section, the distribution section including a robot and a scanner, wherein the robot is adapted to pick a container from the holding area and to move the container to the scanner for scanning; and at least one conveyor to enable transportation of a container between the distribution section and the manual section; wherein the robot is further adapted to place the container onto the at least one conveyor to direct the container to a first handling area of the plurality of handling areas, wherein at least one handling area of the plurality of handling areas includes an evaluation device, and wherein the evaluation device configured to: determine a second handling area being enabled for the determined action with respect to the container, determine workloads of the first handling area and the second handling area; and select a handling area from the first handling are and the second handling area with a lower workload to receive the container.",
    "2. The system of claim 1, further comprising: a guiderail positioned so as to define a lane on the at least one conveyor, wherein the lane leads to one of the plurality of handling areas.",
    "3. The system of claim 1, further comprising: an additional conveyor to enable transportation of at least one container between the distribution section and the manual section; wherein: the at least one conveyor extends between the first handling area and the distribution section; and the additional conveyor extends between the second handling area and the distribution section.",
    "4. The system of claim 1, further comprising: a feed conveyor to feed containers to the plurality of holding areas, wherein the feed conveyor is reachable by the robot.",
    "5. The system of claim 1, wherein the evaluation device is configured to allow a pharmacist to enable the handling area for pill counting, pharmacist verification, exception handling, or combinations thereof.",
    "6. The system of claim 1, wherein at least one of the plurality of handling areas includes a pill counter.",
    "7. The system of claim 1, further comprising: the distribution section is further configured to determine whether the scanned container requires exception handling and to generate a third command to send the scanned container to a third holding area of the plurality of holding areas associated with exception handling based on the determination, wherein the robot is further adapted to place the container onto the at least one conveyor to direct the container to the third handling area based on receiving the third command from the distribution section.",
    "8. The system of claim 1, further comprising a processor configured to: determine whether the scanned container requires pharmacist verification, determine whether the scanned container requires pill counting, generate a first command to send the scanned container to the first handling area of the plurality of handling areas associated with pharmacist verification based on the determination that the scanned container requires pharmacist verification, and generate a second command to send the scanned container to the second handling area of the plurality of handling areas associated with pill counting based on the determination that the scanned container requires pill counting.",
    "9. The system of claim 1, wherein the evaluation device is configured to provide a pharmacist operating one of the plurality of handling areas with information relating to the container during evaluation.",
    "10. The system of claim 9 wherein the distribution section is further configured to cause the evaluation device to provide the pharmacist with the information relating to the container being evaluated.",
    "11. A method comprising: enabling a plurality of handling areas for a plurality of available actions via an evaluation device, wherein the available action includes pill counting, pharmacist verification, and exception handling; selecting a container from a holding area; scanning the container via a scanner; determining an action among the available actions to be taken with respect to the container by the evaluation device, wherein determining an action among the available actions includes determining whether the scanned container requires pharmacist verification, or the scanned container requires pill counting and generates a command based on the determination; determining that a first handling area of the plurality of handling areas is enabled for the determined action with respect to the container by the evaluation device; placing the container on a conveyor leading to the one of the plurality of handling areas; determining by the evaluation device that a second handling area is enabled for the determined action with respect to the container; determining workloads of the first handling area and the second handling area by the evaluation device; and selecting the handling area with a lower workload to receive the container by the evaluation device.",
    "12. The method of claim 11, wherein when scanning of the container results in an unreadable label, further comprising: flagging the container for an exception handling action based on the unreadable label.",
    "13. The method of claim 11, wherein determining the action among the available actions includes determining whether the scanned container require exception handling.",
    "14. The method of claim 11, further comprising: performing the determined action to the container at the first handling area; and transporting the container from the first handling area to the holding area once the determined action has been completed.",
    "15. The method of claim 14, further comprising: providing information relating to the container to an evaluation device of the first handling area.",
    "16. The method of claim 11, further comprising: picking a container from a holding area, via a robot, for scanning, wherein the robot places the container on the conveyor leading to the first handling area.",
    "17. The method of claim 16, further comprising: performing the determined action to the container at the first handling area; transporting the container from the first handling area to the robot once the determined action has been completed; picking the container; re-scanning the container; determining whether any additional actions are to be taken with respect to the container; when no additional actions are to be taken, placing the container on an outbound conveyor; and where an additional action is to be taken, determining that one of the plurality of handling areas is enabled for the additional action with respect to the container and placing the container on a conveyor leading to the one of the plurality of handling areas."
  ],
  "description_excerpt": "The present application relates generally to the technical field of automated filling centers. In a specific example, the present application may relate to a high volume fulfillment center, e.g., a high volume pharmacy and to systems and devices used in filling prescriptions and prescription orders at a high volume pharmacy.\n\nA high-volume pharmacy may process and fill a large number of prescriptions and prescription orders. Automated systems may be used by a high volume pharmacy to process and fulfill prescriptions.\n\nFrequently, more than one prescription drug is required to complete a prescription order. Portions of the prescription order may be fulfilled in different areas of the high-volume pharmacy. After fulfillment, the fulfilled prescriptions may be gathered into a complete prescription order for shipping.\n\nFIG. 1 is a block diagram of an example system, according to an example embodiment;\n\nFIG. 2 is a block diagram of an example order processing device that may be deployed within the system of FIG. 1, according to an example embodiment;\n\nFIG. 3A is a schematic plan view of a check and exception center that may be deployed within the system of FIG. 1, according to an example embodiment;\n\nFIG. 3B is a schematic elevation view of the check and exception center that may be deployed within the system of FIG. 1, according to an example embodiment;\n\nFIG. 4 is a schematic perspective view of a handling area of a check and exception center according to an example embodiment;\n\nFIG. 5 is a block diagram of a control unit that may be deployed within the manual fill center of FIGS.",
  "cpc": [
    "G16H 20/13",
    "B25J 11/00",
    "B25J 9/0093",
    "B65G 1/1373",
    "B65G 1/1378",
    "G05B 15/02",
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    "G06F 19/3475",
    "G06Q 10/0832",
    "G06Q 30/018",
    "G16H 20/10",
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    "G16H 20/13",
    "G16H 40/20",
    "G16Z 99/00"
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  "assignees": [
    "Express Scripts Inc"
  ],
  "inventors": [
    "Jonathan W. Joplin"
  ],
  "filing_date": "2015-07-17",
  "publication_date": "2017-05-02",
  "grant_date": "2017-05-02",
  "priority_date": "2014-07-23",
  "application_number": "US-201514803009-A",
  "family_id": "55166939",
  "cited_by_count": 14,
  "citations": [
    "US5771657A",
    "USRE40510E1",
    "US20050143857A1",
    "US6892512B2",
    "US20060074521A1",
    "US20030125836A1",
    "US20050171813A1",
    "US7853355B1",
    "US20110313567A1",
    "US8406917B2",
    "US7765776B1",
    "US20120245728A1",
    "US20110282476A1",
    "US8571700B2",
    "US8861816B2",
    "US9122783B2",
    "US20150128532A1"
  ]
}

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