Pill count sensor for automatic medicament dispensing machine
US6592005B1 · kind B1 · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Jan 7, 2002 |
| Grant date | Jul 15, 2003 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Feb 16, 2022 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC G)Physics
- CPC primaryG07F17/0092
- WIPO fieldControl
- WIPO sectorInstruments
Abstract
A pill count sensor (10) comprises an electromagnetic energy emitting array (40) and an electromagnetic energy receiving array (42), with a pill detection zone (44) defined therebetween; a sensor amplifier (28); a control board (30) interfaced with a computing device (24); and interconnecting cabling (34, 36, 38). The electromagnetic energy emitting and receiving arrays (40,42) emit and receive, respectively, beams of electromagnetic energy (46) across the zone (44) such that any pill (50) entering the zone (44) is detected by a resulting disruption in received electromagnetic energy at the receiving array (42). The sensor amplifier (28) is operable to automatically self-calibrate in order to compensate for detected electromagnetic energy levels, and to generate a pill sense signal in response to a detected pill (50). The control board (30) is operable to increment a pill count.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.