Image acquisition for medical dose preparation system

1. A work station for use in a system for medical dose preparation management, the work station comprising:

an imaging device having an imaging field encompassing a medical dose preparation staging region, the imaging device being operable to output digital image data of the imaging field including the medical dose preparation staging region;

a processor in operative communication with the imaging device to receive the digital image data of the imaging field;

a display in operative communication with the processor to receive the digital image data of the imaging field and display a corresponding image of the imaging field, wherein the processor is operable to process the digital image data to identify at least one region of interest within the imaging field corresponding to at least one medication receptacle disposed in the medical dose preparation staging region, wherein the region of interest is visually differentiated in relation to said corresponding image on the display;

a user control device in operative communication with the processor to initiate the capture of medical dose preparation image data from the displayed digital image data, wherein the medical dose preparation image data includes image data corresponding to at least a portion of the region of interest that is visually differentiated in relation to said corresponding image on the display, and that excludes other image data corresponding with another portion of the imaging field; and

a memory in operative communication with the processor to receive and store the medical dose preparation image data.

2. The work station according to claim 1 , further comprising: a printer to print labels in association with fulfillment of medical dose orders.

3. The work station according to claim 1 , said user control device comprising one of the following:

a foot pedal;

a button;

a touch screen;

a mouse; and,

a keyboard.

4. The work station according to claim 1 , wherein the digital image data comprises a video data stream, and wherein the processor is operable to analyze a predetermined subset of the digital image data of the video data stream to identify the region of interest.

5. The work station according to claim 1 , wherein the processor is operable to analyze a predetermined subset of the digital image data to identify the region of interest.

6. The work station according to claim 5 , wherein the analysis includes comparing the predetermined subset of the digital image data to a corresponding subset of a background image of the medical dose preparation staging region that does not include any medication receptacle in the medical dose preparation staging region.

7. The work station according to claim 6 , wherein the imaging device is positionable in a plurality of different positions, and wherein said background image is a corresponding one of a plurality of different background images corresponding with the plurality of different positions.

8. The work station according to claim 6 , wherein the predetermined subset of the digital image data corresponds to a plurality of pixels of the digital image data that extend across the digital image data in at least a first direction.

9. The work station according to claim 8 , wherein the plurality of pixels extend across the digital image data in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction.

10. The work station according to claim 9 , wherein the plurality of pixels form a grid over the digital image data, and wherein the grid comprises grid lines that are spaced in relation to a known size of medication receptacles.

11. The work station according to claim 10 , wherein the at least one region of interest is defined by a bounding area on the display.

12. The work station according to claim 11 , wherein said bounding area is defined by a plurality of edges that are each disposed at an identified location of the predetermined subset of the digital image data at least partially based on a threshold difference between the digital image data and the background image at the identified location.

13. The work station according to claim 12 , wherein the processor is operable to calculate intensity data for each pixel of the predetermined subset of the digital image data and for each pixel of the corresponding predetermined subset of the background image.

14. The work station according to claim 13 , wherein said intensity data is processed utilizing frequency domain processing.

15. The work station according to claim 13 , wherein said intensity data undergoes at least one of high pass filtering and low pass filtering.

16. The work station according to claim 12 , wherein the threshold difference comprises a predetermined difference in intensity data between the predetermined subset of the digital image data and the corresponding subset of the background image.

17. The work station according to claim 12 , wherein each pixel of the predetermined subset of the digital image data is compared to a plurality of adjacent corresponding pixels from the corresponding subset of the background image.

18. The work station according to claim 12 , wherein the identified location corresponds to one of a minimum or maximum threshold difference along the grid lines in the first direction or in the second direction.

19. The work station according to claim 12 , wherein the identified location is selected to correspond to the next most remote grid line of the grid exterior to the threshold difference in the first direction and in the second direction along the grid line.

20. The work station according to claim 11 , wherein the bounding area is represented by at least one of a superimposed box, and has an area displayed in a manner different than that of an area outside of the bounding area.