Storage container with inventory control

• US 10,038,857 B2
• Filed: 07/07/2015
• Issued: 07/31/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 03/26/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: 3 Strike LLC
• Original Assignee: 3 Strike LLC
• Inventors: Bashkin, Leonard M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Wilder, A Hunter
• Application Number:
  US14/793,203
• Publication Number:
  US 20150326795A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,120 Days
• Field of Search: 705 28, 720639, 720657
• CPC Class Codes: A47B 81/00 Cabinets or racks specially adapted for other particular purposes, e.g. for storing guns or skis
• CPC Class Codes: A47B 96/02 Shelves movable shelves coupled to doors A47B96/16
• CPC Class Codes: A47F 10/02 for self-service type systems, e.g. supermarkets A47F10/06 takes precedence; hand-carts B62B; baskets B65D
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 2211/00 Anti-theft means
• CPC Class Codes: E05B 65/46 for drawers
• CPC Class Codes: E05B 65/462 for two or more drawers
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/087 Inventory or stock management, e.g. order filling, procurement or balancing against orders
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 40/70 Multimodal biometrics, e.g. combining information from different biometric modalities
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 33/08 Insulation or absorption of undesired vibrations or sounds
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/90 Arrangement of cameras or camera modules, e.g. multiple cameras in TV studios or sports stadiums
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/181 for receiving images from a plurality of remote sources

Abstract

Systems and methods of the invention relate to managing an inventory of items within a storage container. A storage container can house one or more items for distribution among one or more users such as, for instance, employees. The storage container discussed herein provides authentication of a user, tracking of the inventory each user removes or returns, video/image capture of user during access of the storage container, wireless tracking of items housed within the storage container, among others.

Claims

1. An inventory system, comprising:

a storage container having an interior volume with a first shelf and a second shelf, the storage container houses items on the first shelf or the second shelf, wherein the first shelf is above the second shelf;

the storage container includes a first door and a second door providing access to the interior volume, wherein the first door is hinged on a side of the storage container and the second door is hinged on an opposite side of the side of the storage container;

a lock mechanism for the storage container that secures an access to the interior volume through the first door and the second door based upon a verification of an input from the user;

a camera system that comprises;

a first camera that is affixed to an exterior surface of the storage container, the first camera focused outwardly toward a location in front of the first door and the second door configured to capture image data of the user;

a second camera that is affixed to an interior side of the first door for movement with the first door, wherein the second camera is positioned on a corner of the interior side of the first door, is focused on the first shelf or the second shelf, and is activated based on release of the lock mechanism; and

a third camera that is affixed to an interior side of the second door for movement with the first or the second door, wherein the third camera is focused on the first shelf or the second shelf and activated based on release of the lock mechanism; and

a controller component that is configured to record media from the first camera, the second camera, and the third camera upon release of the lock mechanism;

wherein the first door and the second door respectively include motion limiting devices for respectively assisting the second camera and the third camera to maintain focus on the first shelf or the second shelf when the first door or the second door is open.

2. The inventory system of claim 1, further comprising a verification component that is configured to receive a portion of data as the input from a user to complete a verification of the input from the user.

3. The inventory system of claim 2, wherein the portion of data received by the verification component is at least one of a biometric data of the user, a barcode, an identification badge, a number, a code, a face detection of the user, a fingerprint of the user, or a wireless communication from the user.

4. The inventory system of claim 1, further comprising a scanning device that provides a scan of a portion of a first item supported by the first shelf or the second shelf or a portion of a second item supported by the first shelf or the second shelf, wherein the scan of the portion of the first item or the portion of the second item indicates a removal from the storage container.

5. The inventory system of claim 4, wherein the controller component monitors at least one of a first amount of the first item or a second amount of the second item based on at least one of the scan or recorded media.

6. The inventory system of claim 5, further comprising:

a scale system that measures a weight associated with at least one of the first item or the second item to determine at least one of the first amount or the second amount; and

a signal representing the at least one of the first amount or the second amount is transmitted after the weight remains stable for a preset time.

7. The inventory system of claim 1, wherein the controller component stores at least one of the portion of data, the scan, or the recorded media.

8. The inventory system of claim 1, further comprising a notification component that is configured to communicate a notification via a network based upon the status of the storage container, the first item, or the second item.

9. An inventory container system, comprising:

a container defining an interior volume with an open side;

a first door moveably hinged on a first side of the open side of the container to provide access to the interior volume through the open side;

a second door moveably hinged on a second side of the open side, opposed to the first side, to provide access to the interior volume through the open side;

a locking component that secures the first door and the second door;

a verification component that selectively activates and deactivates the locking component with respect to at least one of the first door and the second door based on a verification input;

a camera system that comprises;

a first camera that is affixed to an exterior surface of the container and focuses at a position in front of the first door and the second door to capture image data of the user;

a second camera that is affixed to an interior side of the first door, wherein the second camera is positioned on a corner of the interior side of the first door and is focused on a first portion of the interior volume; and

a third camera that is affixed to an interior side of the second door, wherein the third camera is focused on a second portion of the interior volume; and

a controller component that is configured to record media from one or the first camera, the second camera, or the third camera;

wherein the first door and the second door respectively include motion limiting devices for respectively assisting the second camera and the third camera to maintain focus on the first or second portion of the interior volume when the first door or the second door is open.

10. The inventory container system of claim 9, further comprising a first power source and a second power source, wherein at least one of the first power source and the second power source is a battery backup.

11. The inventory container system of claim 9, wherein at least one of the first door and the second door is at least partially transparent.

12. The inventory container system of claim 9, further comprising a remote access component that provides remote control of at least one of the verification component, the lock mechanism, the camera system, the controller component, or the scanning device.

13. The inventory container system of claim 9, wherein the verification input is at least one of a biometric data of the user, a barcode, an identification badge, a number, a code, a face detection of the user, a fingerprint of the user, or a wireless communication from the user.

14. The inventory system of claim 9, further comprising:

the first door and the second door are movable in a first direction to open the storage container and a second direction to close the storage container;

the first direction is a swinging outward motion away from the storage container; and

the second direction is a swinging inward motion toward the storage container.

15. An inventory system, comprising:

a storage container having an interior volume with a first shelf, a second shelf, and a third shelf that hold one or more items;

a first door and a second door that provide access to the interior volume, wherein the first door is hinged on a side of the storage container and the second door is hinged on an opposite side of the side of the storage container, the first door and the second door are movable in a first direction to open the storage container and a second direction to close the storage container;

the first door is rectangular-shaped and includes an interior surface and an exterior surface, wherein the first door includes a transparent portion to view the one or more items on the shelves and a non-transparent portion on a perimeter of the first door;

the second door is rectangular-shaped and includes an interior surface and an exterior surface, wherein the second door includes a transparent portion to view the one or more items on the shelves and a non-transparent portion on a perimeter of the second door;

a first camera that is affixed to an interior top-side of the storage container, wherein the first camera is focused outwardly and generally toward the first direction in which the first door and the second door are moveable to open the storage container;

a second camera that is affixed to an interior side of the first door to image at least a first portion of the interior volume, wherein the second camera is positioned on the non-transparent portion of the first door and on a top corner of the interior side of the first door;

a third camera that is affixed to the interior side of the first door to image at least a second portion of the interior volume, wherein the third camera is positioned on the non-transparent portion of the first door and on a bottom corner of the interior side of the first door;

a fourth camera that is affixed to an interior side of the second door to image at least a third portion of the interior volume;

at least one of the first camera, the second camera, the third camera, or the fourth camera are activated to record an imagery based on a verification of a user input; and

a data storage component that stores imagery from at least one of the first camera, the second camera, the third camera, or the fourth camera;

wherein at least the first door includes a motion limiting device for assisting the second camera and the third camera to maintain focus on the respective first and second portions of the interior volume when the first door is open.

16. The inventory system of claim 15, wherein the first shelf is fixed and positioned above and parallel to the second shelf that is fixed.

17. The inventory system of claim 15, further comprising a notification component affixed to an exterior of the storage container that is illuminated for service by a signal.