Patents by Inventor William B. Pattison
William B. Pattison 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).
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Patent number: 11941938Abstract: Provided herein is a system for automated dispensing of articles. Systems may include: a robotic arm; an end-of-arm tool attached to the robotic arm; a scanning device proximate the end-of-arm tool; and a controller to control the robotic arm and the end-of-arm tool. The end-of-arm tool may include a body and two or more vacuum cups extending from the body, where the controller controls a level of suction provided to each of the two or more vacuum cups individually. Each of the two or more vacuum cups extending from the body may be movable between a retracted position proximate the body, and an extended position away from the body of the end-of-arm tool in response to instruction from the controller. Suction may be provided only to the vacuum cups of the two or more vacuum cups that are disposed in the extended position.Type: GrantFiled: March 24, 2022Date of Patent: March 26, 2024Assignee: OMNICELL, INC.Inventors: Shawn T. Greyshock, Patrick Joseph Braun, William B. Pattison
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Publication number: 20220215712Abstract: Provided herein is a system for automated dispensing of articles. Systems may include: a robotic arm; an end-of-arm tool attached to the robotic arm; a scanning device proximate the end-of-arm tool; and a controller to control the robotic arm and the end-of-arm tool. The end-of-arm tool may include a body and two or more vacuum cups extending from the body, where the controller controls a level of suction provided to each of the two or more vacuum cups individually. Each of the two or more vacuum cups extending from the body may be movable between a retracted position proximate the body, and an extended position away from the body of the end-of-arm tool in response to instruction from the controller. Suction may be provided only to the vacuum cups of the two or more vacuum cups that are disposed in the extended position.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 24, 2022Publication date: July 7, 2022Inventors: Shawn T. GREYSHOCK, Patrick Joseph BRAUN, William B. PATTISON
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Patent number: 11315381Abstract: Provided herein is a system for automated dispensing of articles. Systems may include: a robotic arm; an end-of-arm tool attached to the robotic arm; a scanning device proximate the end-of-arm tool; and a controller to control the robotic arm and the end-of-arm tool. The end-of-arm tool may include a body and two or more vacuum cups extending from the body, where the controller controls a level of suction provided to each of the two or more vacuum cups individually. Each of the two or more vacuum cups extending from the body may be movable between a retracted position proximate the body, and an extended position away from the body of the end-of-arm tool in response to instruction from the controller. Suction may be provided only to the vacuum cups of the two or more vacuum cups that are disposed in the extended position.Type: GrantFiled: January 29, 2020Date of Patent: April 26, 2022Assignee: OMNICELL, INC.Inventors: Shawn T. Greyshock, Patrick Joseph Braun, William B. Pattison
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Publication number: 20200168023Abstract: Provided herein is a system for automated dispensing of articles. Systems may include: a robotic arm; an end-of-arm tool attached to the robotic arm; a scanning device proximate the end-of-arm tool; and a controller to control the robotic arm and the end-of-arm tool. The end-of-arm tool may include a body and two or more vacuum cups extending from the body, where the controller controls a level of suction provided to each of the two or more vacuum cups individually. Each of the two or more vacuum cups extending from the body may be movable between a retracted position proximate the body, and an extended position away from the body of the end-of-arm tool in response to instruction from the controller. Suction may be provided only to the vacuum cups of the two or more vacuum cups that are disposed in the extended position.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 29, 2020Publication date: May 28, 2020Inventors: Shawn T. GREYSHOCK, Patrick Joseph BRAUN, William B. PATTISON
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Patent number: 10586418Abstract: Provided herein is a system for automated dispensing of articles. Systems may include: a robotic arm; an end-of-arm tool attached to the robotic arm; a scanning device proximate the end-of-arm tool; and a controller to control the robotic arm and the end-of-arm tool. The end-of-arm tool may include a body and two or more vacuum cups extending from the body, where the controller controls a level of suction provided to each of the two or more vacuum cups individually. Each of the two or more vacuum cups extending from the body may be movable between a retracted position proximate the body, and an extended position away from the body of the end-of-arm tool in response to instruction from the controller. Suction may be provided only to the vacuum cups of the two or more vacuum cups that are disposed in the extended position.Type: GrantFiled: September 29, 2017Date of Patent: March 10, 2020Assignee: Omnicell, Inc.Inventors: Shawn T. Greyshock, Patrick Joseph Braun, William B. Pattison
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Publication number: 20190102965Abstract: Provided herein is a system for automated dispensing of articles. Systems may include: a robotic arm; an end-of-arm tool attached to the robotic arm; a scanning device proximate the end-of-arm tool; and a controller to control the robotic arm and the end-of-arm tool. The end-of-arm tool may include a body and two or more vacuum cups extending from the body, where the controller controls a level of suction provided to each of the two or more vacuum cups individually. Each of the two or more vacuum cups extending from the body may be movable between a retracted position proximate the body, and an extended position away from the body of the end-of-arm tool in response to instruction from the controller. Suction may be provided only to the vacuum cups of the two or more vacuum cups that are disposed in the extended position.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 29, 2017Publication date: April 4, 2019Inventors: Shawn T. Greyshock, Patrick Joseph Braun, William B. Pattison
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Patent number: 9884695Abstract: Storage units are described for storing articles. The storage units include a number of compartments, and the compartments include a receptacle, a lid, and a holding member. The receptacle receives the article via an opening, and the lid may move into and out of engagement with the opening so as to define an open position and a closed position. The holding member may be disposed on the lid and may be configured to releasably secure the article to the lid. Thus, in the closed position, the holding member and an article secured to the lid via the holding member may be received within the receptacle, whereas in the open position the article may be at least partially removed from the receptacle. Thus, when the lid is opened, the article is automatically presented to the user for dispensing the article from the compartment.Type: GrantFiled: March 28, 2013Date of Patent: February 6, 2018Assignee: Aesynt IncorporatedInventors: William B. Pattison, Jeffrey Thompson
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Publication number: 20150272824Abstract: Provided herein are various apparatuses, systems, and methods for enclosing or substantially enclosing a product within a package, and more particularly, to enclosing medication in a packaging with at least a portion that can be transitioned between a substantially transparent state and a substantially opaque state. In particular, a medication package is provided that includes an enclosure, a medication disposed within the enclosure, and indicia carried by the enclosure. The enclosure may include a variable transparency material, wherein the material transparency is configured to vary from a substantially transparent state to a substantially opaque state. The indicia may be visible in response to the variable transparency material being in the substantially transparent state and the indicia may not be visible in response to the variable transparency material being in the substantially opaque state.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 25, 2014Publication date: October 1, 2015Applicant: AESYNTInventors: Robert Jaynes, William B. Pattison
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Publication number: 20150091705Abstract: A system, method, apparatus, and computer program product are provided for tracking and controlling inventory with a container. A container that defines a cavity may include an access detection system configured to detect when the cavity of the container is accessed, a radio frequency identification reader configured to be activated in response to the access detection system detecting that the cavity has been accessed, and a communications interface configured to transmit a signal identifying the contents of the cavity in response to the radio frequency identification reader identifying a change in contents of the cavity. The container may also include a lid movable between an open position in which the cavity is accessible, and a closed position in which the cavity is inaccessible, where the access detection system is configured to detect when the lid is moved to the open position.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 27, 2013Publication date: April 2, 2015Applicant: McKesson Automation Inc.Inventors: Ashley Banegas, Kevin Brown, Greg Moore, William B. Pattison, Amirtha Raman, Jeffrey Thompson, Celine Ramoni
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Publication number: 20140290189Abstract: Storage units are described for storing articles. The storage units include a number of compartments, and the compartments include a receptacle, a lid, and a holding member. The receptacle receives the article via an opening, and the lid may move into and out of engagement with the opening so as to define an open position and a closed position. The holding member may be disposed on the lid and may be configured to releasably secure the article to the lid. Thus, in the closed position, the holding member and an article secured to the lid via the holding member may be received within the receptacle, whereas in the open position the article may be at least partially removed from the receptacle. Thus, when the lid is opened, the article is automatically presented to the user for dispensing the article from the compartment.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 28, 2013Publication date: October 2, 2014Applicant: McKesson Automation Inc.Inventors: William B. Pattison, Jeffrey Thompson
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Patent number: 8723674Abstract: Systems, methods, apparatus, and computer program products are provided for tracking the inventory of items. In one embodiment, a compartment comprises a plurality of sensors disposed proximate a surface of the compartment. A container storing items can be disposed above the surface of the compartment. Then, the sensors can detect the presence or absence of items from the container.Type: GrantFiled: March 7, 2011Date of Patent: May 13, 2014Inventors: Louis S. Conley, William B. Pattison, Kirk Young
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Publication number: 20140108028Abstract: Provided herein are various apparatuses, systems, and methods for improving the efficiency of medication distribution within a healthcare facility. In particular, embodiments may provide for dispensing medications needed and medications anticipated to be needed to an authorized medical person for administration to a patient in a healthcare facility. A method may include anticipating, by a processor, the need for one or more unit dose medications for a patient; directing the one or more unit dose medications to be placed into a patient specific overpack; directing the patient-specific overpack to be staged at a first location; receiving a request for the one or more unit dose medications; and causing the one or more unit dose medications to be dispensed to an authorized medical person in response to receiving the request.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 15, 2013Publication date: April 17, 2014Inventors: Patrick J. Braun, Shawn T. Greyshock, William A. Meyer, William B. Pattison, Gregoire Aby-Eva
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Publication number: 20120229279Abstract: Systems, methods, apparatus, and computer program products are provided for tracking the inventory of items. In one embodiment, a compartment comprises a plurality of sensors disposed proximate a surface of the compartment. A container storing items can be disposed above the surface of the compartment. Then, the sensors can detect the presence or absence of items from the container.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 7, 2011Publication date: September 13, 2012Inventors: Louis S. Conley, William B. Pattison, Kirk Young