System and method for providing information regarding a status of an item

• US 10,217,077 B2
• Filed: 12/28/2015
• Issued: 02/26/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 12/07/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: St Engineering Aethon Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Aethon
• Inventors: Wellington, Robert John, Curren, Brian R., Wolfe, David G., Seip, Kevin F.
• Primary Examiner(s): Chein, Allen C
• Application Number:
  US14/979,936
• Publication Number:
  US 20160110684A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,156 Days
• Field of Search: None
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06 Resources, workflows, human or project management; Enterprise or organisation planning; Enterprise or organisation modelling
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/0833 Tracking
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/087 Inventory or stock management, e.g. order filling, procurement or balancing against orders
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 20/13 delivered from dispensers

Abstract

A system. A system includes a computing system. The computing system includes a processor, a first module, a second module, and a third module. The first module is communicably connected to the processor and is configured for receiving chain of custody information associated with an item. The second module is communicably connected to the processor and is configured for determining a status of the item based on the received chain of custody information. The third module is communicably connected to the processor and is configured for arranging data into a specified format. The data includes the status of the item and the chain of custody information. The third module is also configured for transmitting the data.

Claims

1. A system, comprising:

an apparatus configured for transporting an item from a first location to a second location within a facility, wherein the item comprises a medication;

at least one automated device proximate to and in wireless communication with the apparatus at the first or second location, wherein the at least one automated device comprises at least one automated medicine dispenser;

an interface connected to the apparatus, the interface being configured to wirelessly communicate with the at least one automated device, wherein when the apparatus is proximate to the at least one automated device the interface transmits an instruction to the at least one automated device to display a list of items that requires replenishment; and

a computing system wirelessly connected to the apparatus, wherein the computing system comprises;

a processor;

a first module communicably connected to the processor, wherein the first module is configured for receiving, from the apparatus, chain of custody information associated with the item;

a second module communicably connected to the processor, wherein the second module is configured for determining a delivery status of the item based on the received chain of custody information; and

a third module communicably connected to the processor, wherein the third module is configured for;

arranging data into a specified format, wherein the data comprises the delivery status of the item and the chain of custody information; and

transmitting the data.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the chain of custody information comprises:

item information identifying the item being transported by the apparatus;

identification information associated with one or more persons who have gained access to the item; and

location information associated with the apparatus which transports the item from the first location to the second location within the facility.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein the location information comprises at least one of:

the first location of the apparatus;

the second location of the apparatus;

one or more locations of the apparatus other than the first location and the second location;

a first time when the apparatus starts moving away from the first location; and

a second time when the apparatus arrives at the second location.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the item information further comprises at least one of:

a name of the item; and

an amount of the item.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the identification information further comprises at least one of:

a name of the one or more persons who gained access to the item; and

a time the one or more persons gained access to the item.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the computing system further comprises a storage device communicably connected to the processor.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the apparatus is configured for securely transporting the item from the first location to the second location.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the apparatus comprises a cart.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein the delivery status comprises:

waiting at the first location to be delivered at a first point in time;

in transit between the first and second locations at a second point in time; and

delivered to the second location at a third point in time.

10. The system of claim 1, wherein the apparatus automatically determines its location based on a map of the facility stored in the apparatus.

11. The system of claim 1, wherein the apparatus automatically determines its location based on certain landmarks within the facility.

12. The system of claim 1, wherein the apparatus automatically determines its location based on its passing RFID tags positioned throughout the facility.

13. A method, comprising:

providing an apparatus for transporting an item from a first location to a second location within a facility, the apparatus in wireless communication with at least one automated device at the first or second location, the at least one automated device comprising at least one automated medicine dispenser, the apparatus transmitting chain of custody information associated with the item, wherein;

the item comprises a medication;

an interface is connected to the apparatus, the interface being configured to wirelessly communicate with the at least one automated device; and

when the apparatus is proximate to the at least one automated device the interface transmits an instruction to the at least one automated device to display a list of items that requires replenishment;

receiving, at a first module of a computing device wirelessly connected to the apparatus, the transmitted chain of custody information associated with the item;

determining, at a second module of the computing device, a delivery status of the item based on the chain of custody information,

arranging, at a third module of the computing device, data into a specified format, wherein the data comprises the delivery status of the item and the chain of custody information; and

transmitting, at the third module of the computing device, the data from the computing device.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein receiving the chain of custody information comprises receiving:

item information identifying the item being transported by the apparatus;

identification information associated with one or more persons who have gained access to the item; and

location information associated with the apparatus which transports the item from the first location to the second location within the facility.

15. The method of claim 13, wherein receiving the item information comprises receiving at least one of:

a name of the item; and

an amount of the item.

16. The method of claim 13, wherein receiving the identification information comprises receiving at least one of:

a name of the one or more persons who gained access to the item; and

a time the one or more persons gained access to the item.

17. The method of claim 13, wherein receiving the location information comprises receiving at least one of:

the first location of the apparatus;

the second location of the apparatus;

one or more locations of the apparatus other than the first location and the second location;

a first time when the apparatus starts moving away from the first location; and

a second time when the apparatus arrives at the second location.

18. The method of claim 13, further comprising storing, at the computing device, the delivery status of the item and the chain of custody information.

19. The method of claim 13, wherein the apparatus automatically determines its location based on a map of the facility stored in the apparatus.

20. The method of claim 13, wherein the apparatus automatically determines its location based on certain landmarks within the facility.

21. The method of claim 13, wherein the apparatus automatically determines its location based on its passing RFID tags positioned throughout the facility.

22. The method of claim 13, wherein the apparatus comprises a cart.

23. The method of claim 13, wherein the delivery status comprises:

waiting at the first location to be delivered at a first point in time;

in transit between the first and second locations at a second point in time; and

delivered to the second location at a third point in time.

24. A system, comprising:

an apparatus configured for transporting an item from a first location to a second location within a facility, wherein the item comprises a medication;

at least one automated device proximate to and in wireless communication with the apparatus at the first or second location, wherein the at least one automated device comprises a lockbox;

an interface connected to the apparatus, the interface being configured to wirelessly communicate with the at least one automated device, wherein when the apparatus is proximate to the at least one automated device the interface transmits an instruction to the at least one automated device to display a list of items that requires replenishment; and

a computing system wirelessly connected to the apparatus, wherein the computing system comprises;

a processor;

a first module communicably connected to the processor, wherein the first module is configured for receiving, from the apparatus, chain of custody information associated with the item;

a second module communicably connected to the processor, wherein the second module is configured for determining a delivery status of the item based on the received chain of custody information; and

a third module communicably connected to the processor, wherein the third module is configured for;

arranging data into a specified format, wherein the data comprises the delivery status of the item and the chain of custody information; and

transmitting the data.