Abstract: In an automated prescription pill dispensing system, a multiplicity of pill dispensers are provided each operable to count out and dispense pills from supply hoppers. The dispensers are controlled by a computer which selects up to five of the dispensers to operate and control the selected pill dispensers to count out pills simultaneously. The pill dispensers dispense the pills into the first set of output hoppers, from which the pills can be released into a second output hopper under the control of the computer. The computer will release the pills from the second output hopper corresponding to a selected pill dispenser through a snout into a pill vial in response to sensing the presence of a pill vial at the snout. The computer controls a prescription label printer to print prescription labels for the pill vials. The computer also controls indicator lights to indicate which dispensing cell is selected and ready to have pills released from the second output hopper corresponding thereto.

Abstract: In an automatic prescription dispensing system, a multiplicity of pill dispensers dispensing the pills of different prescriptions are arranged in columns and rows. A conveyer organizes open and labeled pill bottles in columns corresponding to the columns of the pill dispensers and carries the columns of pill bottles severally past and beneath the pill dispensers in the array. The pill bottles are carried in bottle carriers which in turn are carried by pallets on a conveyer. When a pill bottle gets to a pill dispenser containing the pills to be dispensed for the prescription of a pill bottle, the pills are released from the dispenser into the pill bottle, whereby a plurality of pill bottles passing under the array of dispensers are filled simultaneously. The pill dispensers count the pills out one at a time and accumulate the pills of a prescription before the pill bottle to receive such prescription reaches the dispenser and then releases the pills en masse into the pill bottle.

Abstract: In a drug labeling and prescription filing system, a multiplicity of files of data are maintained, each file of data representing in color a graphic illustration of a different prescription drug. When a prescription drug is filled, the corresponding file of data is automatically selected and used to control a color printer to print a graphic illustration of the drug of the prescription on the label applied to the container and containing the prescription data.