Metal detector apparatus, system, and method

1. A method comprising:

receiving a sensor-enabled dose form through a metal detector in a predetermined orientation relative to the metal detector;

generating a detection signal by the metal detector in response to receiving the sensor-enabled dose form through the metal detector;

comparing the detection signal to a predetermined threshold; and

determining the presence of a metal contaminant in the sensor-enabled dose form based on the comparison of the detection signal and the predetermined threshold.

2. The method of claim 1 , comprising generating a control signal indicative of detecting the metal contaminant when the detection signal exceeds the predetermined threshold.

3. The method of claim 1 , comprising orienting the sensor-enabled dose form in any one of a horizontal orientation, vertical orientation, and any combination thereof.

4. The method of claim 3 , comprising locating the sensor-enabled dose form in a guide comprising a track having a horizontal slot and a vertical slot for positioning the sensor-enabled dose form in a horizontal orientation when the sensor-enabled dose form is located in the horizontal slot and positioning the sensor-enabled dose form in a vertical orientation when the sensor-enabled dose form is located in the vertical slot.

5. The method of claim 1 , comprising receiving the sensor-enabled dose form in any one of a center, left, or right position relative to the metal detector.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the predetermined orientation is configured to minimize a detection signal resulting from a sensor of the sensor-enabled dose form.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the predetermined orientation comprises a first predetermined orientation, the detection signal comprises a first detection signal, and the predetermined threshold comprises a first predetermined threshold, the method further comprising:

receiving the sensor-enabled dose form through the metal detector in a second predetermined orientation relative to the metal detector, the second predetermined orientation configured to maximize a second detection signal resulting from the sensor of the sensor-enabled dose form;

generating the second detection signal in response to receiving the sensor-enabled dose form through the metal detector;

comparing the second detection signal to a second predetermined threshold; and

determining the presence of the sensor in the sensor-enabled dose form based on the comparison of the second detection signal and the second predetermined threshold.

8. The method of claim 7 , comprising:

generating a first control signal indicative of detecting the metal contaminant based on the first detection signal relative to the first predetermined threshold; and

generating a second control signal indicative of detecting the sensor based on the second detection signal relative to the second predetermined threshold.

9. The method of claim 1 , wherein the sensor-enabled dose form comprises an ingestible event indicator system comprising dissimilar metals positioned on different sides of a framework and a control device secured to the framework, wherein the ingestible event indicator system is configured to generate a voltage potential when in contact with a conductive fluid suitable to activate the control device and generate an electrical current through the conductive fluid.

10. An apparatus, comprising:

a guide to position a sensor-enabled dose form in a predetermined orientation;

a metal detector configured to receive an oriented sensor-enabled dose form therethrough in the predetermined orientation, the metal detector configured to generate a detection signal when the sensor-enabled dose form passes through the metal detector; and

a comparator circuit configured to compare the detection signal to a predetermined threshold to determine whether a metal contaminant is present in the sensor-enabled dose form.

11. The apparatus of claim 10 , wherein the metal detector comprises at least one coil.

12. The apparatus of claim 11 , wherein the metal detector comprises at least two coils, wherein at least one coil is configured to generate a field and the other coil is configured to detect a fluctuation signal in response to receiving the sensor-enabled dose form through the metal detector.

13. The apparatus of claim 10 , wherein the guide comprises a track with a slot to position the sensor-enabled dose form in the predetermined orientation.

14. The apparatus of claim 13 , wherein the slot comprises a horizontal slot to position the sensor-enabled dose form in a horizontal orientation.

15. The apparatus of claim 14 , wherein the slot comprises a vertical slot to position the sensor-enabled dose form in a vertical orientation.

16. The apparatus of claim 10 , wherein the sensor-enabled dose form comprises an ingestible event indicator system comprising dissimilar metals positioned on different sides of a framework and a control devices secured to the framework, wherein the ingestible event indicator system is configured to generate a voltage potential when in contact with a conductive fluid suitable to activate the control device and generate an electrical current through the conductive fluid.

17. A system, comprising:

an apparatus for detecting a metal contaminant in a sensor-enabled dose form, the apparatus comprising:

a guide to position a sensor-enabled dose form in a predetermined orientation;

a metal detector configured to receive the sensor-enabled dose form therethrough in the predetermined orientation, the metal detector configured to generate a detection signal when the sensor-enabled dose form passes through the metal detector; and

a comparator circuit configured to compare the detection signal to a predetermined threshold to determine when a metal contaminant is present in the sensor-enabled dose form; and

a controller coupled to the comparator circuit.

18. The system of claim 17 , wherein the comparator circuit generates a control signal based on the detection signal.

19. The system of claim 18 , wherein the controller is configured to reject contaminated sensor-enabled dose forms based on the control signal.

20. The system of claim 17 , wherein the metal detector comprises at least one coil disposed about an aperture configured to receive the sensor-enabled dose therethrough.

21. The system of claim 20 , wherein metal detector comprises at least two coils, wherein at least one coil is configured to generate a field and the other coil is configured to detect a fluctuation signal in response to receiving the sensor-enabled dose form through the aperture of the metal detector.

22. The system of claim 17 , wherein the guide comprises a track with a slot to position the sensor-enabled dose form in a predetermined orientation.

23. The system of claim 22 , wherein the slot comprises a horizontal slot to position the sensor-enabled dose form in a horizontal orientation.

24. The system of claim 23 , wherein the slot comprises a vertical slot to position the sensor-enabled dose form in a vertical orientation.

25. The system of claim 17 , wherein the sensor-enabled dose form comprises an ingestible event indicator system comprising dissimilar metals positioned on different sides of a framework and a control devices secured to the framework, wherein the ingestible event indicator system is configured to generate a voltage potential when in contact with a conductive fluid suitable to activate the control device and generate an electrical current through the conductive fluid.

26. A method comprising:

receiving a sensor-enabled dose form in a first predetermined orientation through a metal detector;

generating a first detection signal by the metal detector in response to the sensor-enabled dose form passing through the metal detector in the first predetermined orientation;

receiving the sensor-enabled dose form in a second predetermined orientation through the metal detector;

generating a second detection signal by the metal detector in response to the sensor-enabled dose form passing through the metal detector in the second predetermined orientation;

comparing the first and second detection signals; and

determining when a metal contaminant is present in the sensor-enabled dose form based on the difference between the first and second detection signals relative to a predetermined threshold.

27. The method of claim 26 , wherein orienting the sensor-enabled dose form in the first predetermined orientation includes orienting the sensor-enabled dose form in a horizontal orientation and orienting the sensor-enabled dose form in the second predetermined orientation includes orienting the sensor-enabled dose in a vertical orientation.

28. The method of claim 27 , comprising locating the sensor-enabled dose form in a guide comprising a horizontal slot to position the sensor-enabled dose form in the horizontal orientation and a vertical slot to position the sensor-enabled dose form in the vertical orientation.

29. The method of claim 26 , comprising receiving the sensor-enabled dose form in any one of a center, left, or right position relative to the metal detector.

30. The method of claim 26 , wherein the sensor-enabled dose form comprises an ingestible event indicator system comprising dissimilar metals positioned on different sides of a framework and a control devices secured to the framework, wherein the ingestible event indicator system is configured to generate a voltage potential when in contact with a conductive fluid suitable to activate the control device and generate an electrical current through the conductive fluid.