Patents by Inventor Stephen Frederick Eckel

Stephen Frederick Eckel has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Methods, systems, and computer readable media for automated assessment of aseptic technique of compounding in a compounding hood
    Patent number: 12620458
    Abstract: A method for automated assessment of aseptic technique of compounding in a compounding hood includes collecting, using sensors positioned in or around a compounding hood, data from which positions, orientations, and movements of objects used in an aseptic compounding task can be determined. The method further includes feeding the data into an automated aseptic technique evaluator. The method further includes identifying, using the automated aseptic technique evaluator and from the data, phases of the aseptic compounding task. The method further includes automatically detecting, by the automated aseptic technique evaluator, errors occurring during at least some of the phases. The method further includes generating and displaying, by the automated aseptic technique evaluator, output indicative of the errors.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 25, 2025
    Date of Patent: May 5, 2026
    Assignee: THE UNIVERSITY OF NORTH CAROLINA AT CHAPEL HILL
    Inventors: Stephen Frederick Eckel, Robert Charles Hubal, Adam Charles Kiefer, Ryan Patrick MacPherson, Colin Thomas Cabelka
  • METHODS, SYSTEMS, AND COMPUTER READABLE MEDIA FOR AUTOMATED ASSESSMENT OF ASEPTIC TECHNIQUE OF COMPOUNDING IN A COMPOUNDING HOOD
    Publication number: 20250174309
    Abstract: A method for automated assessment of aseptic technique of compounding in a compounding hood includes collecting, using sensors positioned in or around a compounding hood, data from which positions, orientations, and movements of objects used in an aseptic compounding task can be determined. The method further includes feeding the data into an automated aseptic technique evaluator. The method further includes identifying, using the automated aseptic technique evaluator and from the data, phases of the aseptic compounding task. The method further includes automatically detecting, by the automated aseptic technique evaluator, errors occurring during at least some of the phases. The method further includes generating and displaying, by the automated aseptic technique evaluator, output indicative of the errors.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 25, 2025
    Publication date: May 29, 2025
    Inventors: Stephen Frederick Eckel, Robert Charles Hubal, Adam Charles Kiefer, Ryan Patrick MacPherson, Colin Thomas Cabelka