Verification system for a pharmacy packaging system

Abstract

A pharmacy packaging system configured to dispense pharmaceuticals into a pharmaceutical pouch formed by a feed roll and including a verification system. The verification system includes a camera system configured to capture images in a visible spectrum and an infrared spectrum, a first light source configured to output an infrared spectrum light, a second light source configured to output a visible spectrum light, and a processor. The processor is operable to activate the first light source to illuminate the pharmaceutical pouch and capture a first image of the pharmaceutical pouch while illuminated by the first light source. The processor is also operable to activate the second light source to illuminate the pharmaceutical pouch and capture a second image of the pharmaceutical pouch while illuminated by the second light source. The processor is further operable to generate a third image based on the first image and the second image.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A pharmacy packaging system comprising:
 a frame;   a plurality of dispensing bases provided on the frame and configured to receive a plurality of canisters and dispense medications from the plurality of canisters;   packaging equipment provided in the frame and configured to receive the dispensed medications from the plurality of dispensing bases and package the dispensed medications into pouch packages to provide filled pouch packages; and   a verification unit including a camera system configured to capture images of the filled pouch packages for verification after the pouch packages are filled with the dispensed medications, wherein the image shows the medications packaged into the one or more of the filled pouch packages, wherein the packaging equipment and the verification unit are interoperably coupled such that the filled pouch packages move from the packaging equipment directly to the verification unit.   
     
     
         2 . The pharmacy packaging system of  claim 1 , wherein the verification unit is attached to and positioned on the frame below the plurality of dispensing bases. 
     
     
         3 . The pharmacy packaging system of  claim 1 , wherein the verification unit is positioned downstream of the packaging equipment that packages the pouch packages. 
     
     
         4 . The pharmacy packaging system of  claim 1 , wherein the filled pouch packages pass through the verification unit prior to being dispensed from the pharmacy packaging system. 
     
     
         5 . The pharmacy packaging system of  claim 1 , wherein the verification unit forms a verification enclosure separate from an enclosure of the frame such that the filled pouch packages pass through the verification enclosure prior to being dispensed. 
     
     
         6 . The pharmacy packaging system of  claim 1 , wherein the verification unit includes one or more rollers configured to receive the filled pouch packages from the packaging equipment and configured to move the filled pouch packages through the verification unit. 
     
     
         7 . The pharmacy packaging system of  claim 1 , further comprising a processor communicatively coupled to the camera system and configured to generate a dashboard to simultaneously display the images from a plurality of filled pouch packages. 
     
     
         8 . The pharmacy packaging system of  claim 7 , wherein the processor is further configured to provide a first indication around the image when the corresponding filled pouch package is correctly filled. 
     
     
         9 . The pharmacy packaging system of  claim 8 , wherein the image is a first image and wherein the processor is further configured to display a second image including individual medications from the first image arranged in rows or columns. 
     
     
         10 . The pharmacy packaging system of  claim 1 , wherein the verification unit is attached to and positioned on the frame below the plurality of dispensing bases,
 wherein the verification unit is positioned downstream of the packaging equipment that packages the pouch packages,   wherein the filled pouch packages pass through the verification unit prior to being dispensed, and   wherein the verification unit includes one or more rollers configured to receive the filled pouch packages from the packaging equipment and configured to move the filled pouch packages through the verification unit.   
     
     
         11 . A pharmacy packaging system comprising:
 a frame;   packaging equipment provided in the frame and configured to package medications into pouch packages to provide filled pouch packages; and   a verification unit including a camera system configured to capture images of the filled pouch packages for verification after the pouch packages are filled with the dispensed medications, wherein the image shows the medications packaged into the one or more of the filled pouch packages, wherein the verification unit is configured to automatically commence image capture of the filled pouch packages when the filled pouch packages are dispensed to the verification unit from the packaging equipment.   
     
     
         12 . The pharmacy packaging system of  claim 11 , wherein the verification unit is positioned downstream of the packaging equipment that packages the pouch packages. 
     
     
         13 . The pharmacy packaging system of  claim 11 , wherein the filled pouch packages pass through the verification unit prior to being dispensed from the pharmacy packaging system. 
     
     
         14 . The pharmacy packaging system of  claim 11 , wherein the verification unit forms a verification enclosure separate from an enclosure of the frame such that the filled pouch packages pass through the verification enclosure prior to being dispensed. 
     
     
         15 . The pharmacy packaging system of  claim 11 , wherein the verification unit includes one or more rollers configured to receive the filled pouch packages from the packaging equipment and configured to move the filled pouch packages through the verification unit. 
     
     
         16 . The pharmacy packaging system of  claim 11 , further comprising a processor communicatively coupled to the camera system and configured to generate a dashboard to simultaneously display the images from a plurality of filled pouch packages. 
     
     
         17 . The pharmacy packaging system of  claim 16 , wherein the processor is further configured to provide a first indication around the image when the corresponding filled pouch package is correctly filled. 
     
     
         18 . The pharmacy packaging system of  claim 17 , wherein the image is a first image and wherein the processor is further configured to display a second image including individual medications from the first image arranged in rows or columns. 
     
     
         19 . The pharmacy packaging system of  claim 11 , wherein the verification unit is positioned downstream of the packaging equipment that packages the pouch packages,
 wherein the filled pouch packages pass through the verification unit prior to being dispensed, and   wherein the verification unit includes one or more rollers configured to receive the filled pouch packages from the packaging equipment and configured to move the filled pouch packages through the verification unit.   
     
     
         20 . The pharmacy packaging system of  claim 11 , wherein the verification unit is positioned downstream of the packaging equipment that packages the pouch packages,
 wherein the verification unit forms a verification enclosure separate from an enclosure of the frame such that the filled pouch packages pass through the verification enclosure prior to being dispensed, and   wherein the verification unit includes one or more rollers configured to receive the filled pouch packages from the packaging equipment and configured to move the filled pouch packages through the verification unit.