IP Library Granted Patent US 10,964,418
Granted Patent B2
US 10,964,418 · App. 16/216,499 · Granted Mar 30, 2021

Technology for processing prescription medications for pickup by individuals

Inventors: Igor Gershfang (Chicago, IL); Nimesh S. Jhaveri (Kildeer, IL); Mohsin Ovais Ansari (Highland Park, IL); Fauzia Somani (Glencoe, IL); Adam Robert Snopek (Chicago, IL)
Assignee: WALGREEN CO.
G16H20/10G06K7/1413G06K7/1417G16H20/13G16H80/00G16H40/67
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 10,964,418
App. No.
16/216,499
Granted
Mar 30, 2021
Kind
B2
Abstract

Systems and methods may be provided that may enable an individual to retrieve one or more prescription products (e.g., product refills) from a self-service retrieval location such as a counter, drive-thru, drop box, or kiosk. A unique-machine readable code may be associated with a particular one or more prescription products (e.g., associated with a medical prescription of a patient). The unique machine-readable code may be provided to a computing device of the individual, along with an anticipated time of preparedness of the one or more products for retrieval at the retrieval location. Identification of the unique machine-readable code may result in dispensing of the one or more prescription products associated at the retrieval location.

Claims (37)

1. A computer implemented method for identifying one or more products according to a unique machine-readable code, the method comprising:

generating, via one or more processors, a unique machine-readable code associated with one or more prescription products to be provided to an individual at a point of retrieval;

upon generation of the unique machine-readable code, providing, via the one or more processors and via an application executing at a mobile computing device associated with the individual, (i) the unique machine-readable code, (ii) an anticipated time of preparedness of the one or more prescription products for retrieval at the point of retrieval, and (iii) an indication of one or more prerequisite tasks associated with the one or more prescription products, the one or more prerequisite tasks comprising a payment for the one or more prescription products, the one or more prerequisite tasks requiring completion by the individual prior to the retrieval at the point of retrieval;

subsequent to providing the unique machine-readable code and the indication of the one or more prerequisite tasks, receiving, via the one or more processors, payment information associated with the one or more prescription products from the mobile computing device;

subsequent to the receiving of the payment information, detecting, via a scanning device of a computing system physically located at the point of retrieval, the scan of the unique machine-readable code;

identifying, via the computing system at the point of retrieval, based upon the detected scan of the unique machine-readable code, the one or more prescription products to be provided at the point of retrieval;

determining, via the computing system at the point of retrieval, that the one or more indicated prerequisite tasks associated with the one or more prescription products have been completed, wherein determining that the one or more prerequisite tasks have been completed comprises determining that the payment information was received from the mobile computing device subsequent to the providing of the unique machine-readable code; and

responsive to determining that the one or more indicated prerequisite tasks have been completed, facilitating, via the computing system at the point of retrieval, a dispensing of the one or more prescription products at the point of retrieval.

2. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , wherein the unique machine-readable code comprises a two-dimensional matrix barcode.

3. The computer-implemented method of claim 2 , wherein the unique machine-readable code further comprises an alphanumeric code.

4. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , wherein the scan is detected via a scanning of the mobile computing device.

5. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , wherein facilitating the dispensing includes causing, via the one or more processors, the one or more prescription products to be dispensed subsequent to the receiving of the payment information.

6. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , wherein receiving the payment information comprises receiving at least a portion of the payment information via a mobile computing device associated with the individual.

7. A computing system comprising:

one or more processors; and

one or more memories storing non-transitory computer-executable instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the computing system to:

generate, via the one or more processors, a unique machine-readable code associated with one or more prescription products to be provided to an individual at a point of retrieval;

upon generation of the unique machine-readable code, provide, via the one or more processors and via an application executing at a mobile computing device associated with the individual, (i) the unique machine-readable code, (ii) an anticipated time of preparedness of the one or more prescription products for retrieval at the point of retrieval, and (iii) an indication of one or more prerequisite tasks associated with the one or more prescription products, the one or more prerequisite tasks comprising a payment for the one or more prescription products, the one or more prerequisite tasks requiring completion by the individual prior to the retrieval at the point of retrieval;

subsequent to providing the unique machine-readable code and the indication of the one or more prerequisite tasks, receive, via the one or more processors, payment information associated with the one or more prescription products from the mobile computing device;

subsequent to the receiving of the payment information, detect, via a scanning device of a computing subsystem of the computing system physically located at the point of retrieval of the one or more prescription products, the scan of the unique machine-readable code;

identify, via the computing subsystem at the point of retrieval, based upon the detected scan of the unique machine-readable code, the one or more prescription products to be provided at the point of retrieval;

determine, via the computing subsystem at the point of retrieval, that the one or more indicated prerequisite tasks associated with the one or more prescription products have been completed, wherein determining that the one or more prerequisite tasks have been completed comprises determining, that the payment information was received from the mobile computing device subsequent to the providing of the unique machine-readable code; and

responsive to determining that the one or more indicated prerequisite tasks have been completed, facilitate a dispensing of the one or more prescription products via the computing subsystem at the point of retrieval.

8. The computing system of claim 7 , wherein the unique machine-readable code comprises a two-dimensional matrix barcode.

9. The computing system of claim 8 , wherein the unique machine-readable code further comprises an alphanumeric code.

10. The computing system of claim 7 , wherein the individual is a patient having a medical prescription corresponding to at least one of the one or more prescription products.

11. The computing system of claim 7 , wherein the computing system is configured to receive at least a portion of the payment information via a mobile computing device associated with the individual.

12. The computing system of claim 7 , wherein the computing subsystem is configured to detect the scan via a scanning of the mobile computing device.

13. One or more computer-readable media storing non-transitory computer-executable instructions that, when executed via a computing system computing system to:

generate, via one or more processors, a unique machine-readable code associated with one or more prescription products to be provided to an individual at a point of retrieval;

upon generation of the unique machine-readable code, provide, via the one or more processors and via an application executing at a mobile computing device associated with the individual, (i) the unique machine-readable code, (ii) an anticipated time of preparedness of the one or more prescription products for retrieval at the point of retrieval, and (iii) an indication of one or more prerequisite tasks associated with the one or more prescription products, the one or more prerequisite tasks comprising a payment for the one or more prescription products, the one or more prerequisite tasks requiring completion by the individual prior to the retrieval at the point of retrieval;

subsequent to providing the unique machine-readable code and the indication of the one or more prerequisite tasks, receive, via the one or more processors, payment information associated with the one or more prescription products from the mobile computing device;

subsequent to the receiving of the payment information, detect, via a scanning device of a computing subsystem of the computing system physically located at the point of retrieval of the one or more prescription products, the scan of the unique machine-readable code;

identify, via the computing subsystem at the point of retrieval, based upon the detected scan of the unique machine-readable code, the one or more prescription products to be provided at the point of retrieval;

determine, via the computing subsystem at the point of retrieval, that the one or more indicated prerequisite tasks associated with the one or more prescription products have been completed, wherein determining that the one or more prerequisite tasks have been completed comprises determining that the payment information was received from the mobile computing device subsequent to the providing of the unique machine-readable code; and

responsive to determining that the one or more indicated prerequisite tasks have been completed, facilitate a dispensing of the one or more prescription products via the computing subsystem at the point of retrieval.

14. The one or more computer-readable media of claim 13 , wherein the unique machine-readable code comprises a two-dimensional matrix barcode.

Assignments (3)
INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded Aug 28, 2025
From: WALGREEN CO.
To: SIXTH STREET LENDING PARTNERS, AS COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 072606/0878 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Aug 28, 2025
From: WALGREEN CO.; DUANE READE; WALGREENS SPECIALTY PHARMACY LLC; WALGREENS BOOTS ALLIANCE, INC.
To: WELLS FARGO BANK, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, AS COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 072679/0926 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Dec 12, 2018
From: GERSHFANG, IGOR; JHAVERI, NIMESH S.; ANSARI, MOHSIN OVAIS; SOMANI, FAUZIA; SNOPEK, ADAM ROBERT
To: WALGREEN CO.
Reel/Frame 047751/0073 →