Disclosed are image based counting systems and methods. Image based counting systems and methods employ one or more imaging devices (e.g., one or more color cameras) and one or more illumination devices (e.g., one or more illumination sources to provide variable and/or dynamic lighting). In some examples, the image based counting system provides illumination to a tray upon which one or more items (e.g., pills) are placed. The illuminated items are then imaged by the one or more imaging devices based on one or more imaging techniques or processes to determine and/or present information associated with one or more properties of the item.

A pill counting device includes a step feeder having moveable slats interleaved with fixed slats. The movable slats are vertically offset from one another and are configured to move vertically between top platforms of adjacent fixed slats to carry pills vertically up the step feeder. A top movable slat orients a subset of the plurality of pills into a row of pills to be fed into a count chamber. A camera configured to capture an image of a pill of the individual pills as it falls through the count chamber. The device further includes a control system configured to control movement of the movable slats and to control capturing of images by the camera. The control system is further configured to calculate a characteristic of the pill from the image, and to increment a pill counter in response to the characteristic of the pill meeting predefined criteria.

A pill counting device includes a step feeder having moveable slats interleaved with fixed slats. The movable slats are vertically offset from one another and are configured to move vertically between top platforms of adjacent fixed slats to carry pills vertically up the step feeder. A top movable slat orients a subset of the plurality of pills into a row of pills to be fed into a count chamber. A camera configured to capture an image of a pill of the individual pills as it falls through the count chamber. The device further includes a control system configured to control movement of the movable slats and to control capturing of images by the camera. The control system is further configured to calculate a characteristic of the pill from the image, and to increment a pill counter in response to the characteristic of the pill meeting predefined criteria.

The present invention disclosed a full automatic medication dispensing system and methods of solid medication separation, comprising of a medication feeding device, a medication separation device, a medication distributing channel device, a medication supply device, a medication returning device and a central processing unit. The system has no requirement on the size, shape and weight of solid medications, the medications can be automatically and accurately dispensed into the sealed medication supply box according to the set parameters, and the excessive medications are automatically returned to the medication retrieving bottles. The system can remind a medication taking person to take the medication in time and supply the medications when confirmed. User can choose a portable medication box or a fixed medication box with a larger capacity. The system can be directly set, and parameters can also be set more conveniently through the mobile client and the reminding functions and the remote setting functions can be added. Medications can be taken in advance. The system can inform preset people when a dose of medications are not taken after a preset period of time, or more medications and medication dispensing are needed, The system can accurately dispense medications, and is convenient to clean, easy to use, and is of great economic, practical and medical value.

The present invention disclosed a full automatic medication dispensing system and methods of solid medication separation, comprising of a medication feeding device, a medication separation device, a medication distributing channel device, a medication supply device, a medication returning device and a central processing unit. The system has no requirement on the size, shape and weight of solid medications, the medications can be automatically and accurately dispensed into the sealed medication supply box according to the set parameters, and the excessive medications are automatically returned to the medication retrieving bottles. The system can remind a medication taking person to take the medication in time and supply the medications when confirmed. User can choose a portable medication box or a fixed medication box with a larger capacity. The system can be directly set, and parameters can also be set more conveniently through the mobile client and the reminding functions and the remote setting functions can be added. Medications can be taken in advance. The system can inform preset people when a dose of medications are not taken after a preset period of time, or more medications and medication dispensing are needed, The system can accurately dispense medications, and is convenient to clean, easy to use, and is of great economic, practical and medical value.

A device and method of dispensing and distributing materials, such as pills, capsules, and medication, are disclosed. A container of pills or other material may be placed in contact with or in proximity to the device, which may have a curved or contoured bottom surface. Material may be dispensed from the container into the device. An optional barrier may block movement and unintentional distribution or dispensing of the material. Material may be received in a retention area. The barrier may be moved so as to allow for passage of the material. Material may be dispensed from the dispenser and may be distributed onto other surfaces or into other volumes, such as daily, weekly, or monthly pill holders. The barrier may optionally be used to assist in moving the material and in dispensing or distributing the pills or other material.

An apparatus for sorting, managing, and storing a plurality of pills which provides a means to get pills from pharmacy bottles into weekly containers (that are common in the market place) without needing to pick up each individual pill. The sorting/dispensing tray may come with weekly pill containers (breakfast, lunch, dinner, and bedtime) and be designed to snap into the base tray for pill management. Keeping the pill containers free from the base tray may enable them to be easily transported in a purse or pants pocket if traveling for the day.

Provided are a medicine audit apparatus, a medicine audit method, and a program capable of detecting a state where recognition of a medicine is impossible from a captured image obtained by imaging the medicine and urging a user to pay attention in the case of the state where the medicine recognition is impossible. The medicine audit apparatus 10 comprises a medicine recognition unit 54 that specifies a type of the medicine by recognizing the medicine from the captured image obtained by imaging the medicine, a quantitative value calculation unit 50 that calculates a quantitative value for quantifying a quality of the captured image related to success or failure of the medicine recognition by the medicine recognition unit 54, a comparison determination unit 51 that compares the quantitative value calculated by the quantitative value calculation unit 50 with the threshold value to determine whether the recognition of the medicine is possible, and a warning output unit 58 that issues a warning in a case where the medicine recognition is determined to be impossible by the comparison determination unit 51.

Provided are a medicine audit apparatus, a medicine audit method, and a program capable of detecting a state where recognition of a medicine is impossible from a captured image obtained by imaging the medicine and urging a user to pay attention in the case of the state where the medicine recognition is impossible. The medicine audit apparatus 10 comprises a medicine recognition unit 54 that specifies a type of the medicine by recognizing the medicine from the captured image obtained by imaging the medicine, a quantitative value calculation unit 50 that calculates a quantitative value for quantifying a quality of the captured image related to success or failure of the medicine recognition by the medicine recognition unit 54, a comparison determination unit 51 that compares the quantitative value calculated by the quantitative value calculation unit 50 with the threshold value to determine whether the recognition of the medicine is possible, and a warning output unit 58 that issues a warning in a case where the medicine recognition is determined to be impossible by the comparison determination unit 51.

A tablet and capsule dispensing assembly, comprising a case including an inner circumferential surface having a first plurality of teeth a tablet disc having a plurality of tablets disposed circumferentially thereon, the tablet disc arranged to rotate within the case, and a lock arranged to engage with the first plurality of teeth to prevent rotation of the tablet disc in a first rotational direction during a first predetermined time interval.