Dynamic control containment unit

• US 20030117281A1
• Filed: 07/31/2002
• Published: 06/26/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 12/21/2001
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Mobile Aspects
• Original Assignee: Mobile Aspects
• Inventors: Mandava, Suneil, Rahim, Muhammad, Le, Khang, Kardono, Pribadi, Sriharto, Timur
• Application Number:
  US10/209,348
• Publication Number:
  US 20030117281A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/568.1
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/087 Inventory or stock management, e.g. order filling, procurement or balancing against orders
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/203 Inventory monitoring
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/28 the pass enabling tracking or indicating presence
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 9/026 for alarm, monitoring and auditing in vending machines or means for indication, e.g. when empty
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/1427 with transmitter-receiver for distance detection
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/2457 Lending systems using EAS tags wherein the tags are reusable, e.g. they can be activated and deactivated more than once, e.g. for a library
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/2462 Asset location systems combined with EAS inventory, tracking, logistic G06Q10/00; entrance control systems G07C9/00
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/0227 System arrangements with a plurality of child units
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/0294 Display details on parent unit

Abstract

The present invention is a dynamic control containment unit for holding a plurality of discrete items, including a signal emitting mechanism associated with each of the plurality of discrete items, an enclosed housing having at least one receptacle accessible by a user and having at least one of the plurality of items contained therein, a passive signal receiving mechanism in communication with the receptacle for receiving signals emanating from the signal emitting mechanism and a securement system configured to prevent unauthorized access to the dynamic control containment unit. A controller is in communication with the signal receiving mechanism and initiates actions based upon the signal content.

Claims

1. A dynamic control containment unit for holding a plurality of discrete items, comprising:

a signal emitting mechanism associated with each of the plurality of discrete items;

an enclosed housing having at least one receptacle accessible by a user, at least one of the plurality of items contained therein;

a passive signal receiving mechanism in communication with the at least one receptacle and configured to receive signals emitted from the signal emitting mechanism; and

a controller in communication with the signal receiving mechanism and configured to initiate an action based upon the signal content; and

a securement system configured to prevent unauthorized access to the dynamic control containment unit.

2. The dynamic control containment unit of claim 1, wherein the receptacle is a drawer slidable with respect to the housing, such that the receptacle may be slid open, thereby providing access to the at least one item contained in the receptacle.

3. The dynamic control containment unit of claim 1, wherein the signal receiving mechanism is an antenna configured to receive radio frequency signals emitted by the signal emitting mechanism and the signal emitting mechanism is a radio frequency identification transponder.

4. The dynamic control containment unit of claim 1, wherein the signal emitted by the signal emitting mechanism is a signal having a characteristic unique to one of the at least one plurality of items and a group of related items.

5. The dynamic control containment unit of claim 1, wherein the signal receiving mechanism is positioned immediately adjacent the at least one receptacle and dedicated to receiving signals emanating from an assigned receptacle.

6. The dynamic control containment unit of claim 1, wherein the signal receiving mechanism comprises two antenna mechanisms positioned immediately above and immediately below the at least one receptacle and dedicated to receiving signals emanating from an assigned receptacle.

7. The dynamic control containment unit of claim 1, further comprising a tuning mechanism configured to set a frequency parameter of the signal receiving mechanism.

8. The dynamic control containment unit of claim 1, wherein the controller comprises:

a multiplexor mechanism in communication with the signal receiving mechanism and configured to provide an output signal corresponding to the signal received by the signal receiving mechanism;

a signal reader mechanism in communication with the multiplexor mechanism and configured to provide an output signal corresponding to the signal received by the multiplexor mechanism;

an input/output mechanism in communication with at least one of the multiplexor mechanism and the signal reader mechanism and configured to translate at least one output signal into at least one digital output signal; and

a central control device in communication with the input/output mechanism and configured to receive, process and transmit signals and initiate an action based upon the at least one digital output signal received from the input/output mechanism.

9. The dynamic control containment unit of claim 8, wherein the controller includes a power control module in communication with the input/output mechanism and configured to provide specified power outputs at specified power levels.

10. The dynamic control containment unit of claim 9, further comprising a backup power module in communication with the input/output mechanism and configured to supply power in the event of an electronic power failure.

11. The dynamic control containment unit of claim 8, wherein the central control device is one of a programmable microchip, a microcontroller, a personal computer, a hand-held computer, a terminal and a networked computing device.

12. The dynamic control containment unit of claim 1, further comprising a switch mechanism in operable communication with the receptacle, such that, when the receptacle is moved away from the switch mechanism, a signal is transmitted to the controller, which instructs the signal receiving mechanism to begin reading a signal emanating from the signal emitting mechanism.

13. The dynamic control containment unit of claim 1, further comprising a display mechanism in communication with the controller and configured to provide a visual display to a user corresponding to one of an action initiated by the controller, a use history, an item history, a user history, user data, item data, inventory data, receptacle data, control containment unit data, a receptacle inventory and a control containment unit inventory.

14. The dynamic control containment unit of claim 1, further comprising a printer mechanism in communication with the controller and configured to provide a visual printout corresponding to one of an action initiated by the controller, a use history, an item history, a user history, user data, item data, inventory data, receptacle data, control containment unit data, a receptacle inventory and a control containment unit inventory.

15. The dynamic control containment unit of claim 1, wherein the signal receiving mechanism is at least one antenna configured to receive radio frequency signals emanating from the signal emitting mechanism.

16. The dynamic control containment unit of claim 1, wherein the signal receiving mechanism comprises:

at least one antenna configured to receive radio frequency signals emanating from the signal emitting mechanism;

a central panel element configured to removably position the antenna adjacent the receptacle; and

a shielding element positioned adjacent the central panel element and configured to prevent signals from passing through the shielding element.

17. The dynamic control containment unit of claim 1, further comprising an input mechanism in communication with the controller and configured to receive user input and transmit user input signals to the controller.

18. The dynamic control containment unit of claim 17, wherein the input mechanism is one of a keypad, a touch display, a personal computing device, a hand-held computing device, a magnetic reading device, a radio frequency identification reading device, a bar code reading device, a light pen, a keyboard, a mouse, a terminal, a voice activation/verification system, and a biometric device.

19. The dynamic control containment unit of claim 1, wherein the securement system includes a lock mechanism configured to prevent access to the receptacle based upon an action signal emitted from the controller.

20. The dynamic control containment unit of claim 19, wherein the receptacle is a drawer slidable with respect to the housing, such that the receptacle may be slid open, thereby providing access to the at least one item container in the drawer;

and wherein the lock mechanism comprises a magnet element configured to attract a portion of the drawer, thereby preventing the drawer from sliding.

21. The dynamic control containment unit of claim 1, wherein the signal emitting mechanism is one of a tag and a label affixed to each item and configured to emit a unique signal corresponding the identity of the item.

22. The dynamic control containment unit of claim 1, further comprising a plurality of shielding elements associated with the receptacle and configured to prevent signals emanating from the signal emitting mechanism to pass through the plurality of shielding elements.

23. The dynamic control containment unit of claim 1, further comprising a plurality of shielding elements positioned adjacent at least one receptacle surface and at least one housing surface and configured to prevent signals emanating from the signal emitting mechanism to pass through the plurality of shielding elements.

24. The dynamic control containment unit of claim 1, wherein the housing is in the form of a cabinet having a plurality of receptacles, each of the plurality of receptacles is a drawer slidable with respect to the housing, such that the drawer may be slid open, thereby providing access to the at least one item contained in the drawer.

25. The dynamic control containment unit of claim 1, further comprising a recognition signal receiver in communication with the controller and configured to receive initial input signals corresponding to the plurality of items.

26. The dynamic control containment unit of claim 1, wherein the controller includes a control program configured to receive, process and transmit signals and initiate actions based upon the signal content.

27. The dynamic control containment unit of claim 1, wherein the plurality of items are medical items.

28. The dynamic control containment unit of claim 27, wherein the medical items are one of a container of medicine and a medical device.

29. The dynamic control containment unit of claim 1, wherein the receptacle is a shelf positioned within the housing and at least partially positioned behind a cover, thereby providing access to the at least one item contained in the receptacle via access through the cover.

30. The dynamic control containment unit of claim 29, wherein the cover is a door hingedly connected to a portion of the housing, such that the door is openable and closeable with respect to the housing.

31. The dynamic control containment unit of claim 29, wherein at least one cover is positioned to prevent access to at least one shelf.

32. The dynamic control containment unit of claim 29, wherein the securement system includes a lock mechanism in communication with the cover and configured to prevent access to the receptacle based upon an action signal emitted from the controller.

33. The dynamic control containment unit of claim 32, wherein the lock mechanism comprises a magnet element configured to attract a portion of the cover, thereby preventing the cover from moving.

34. The dynamic control containment unit of claim 1, wherein the housing is in the form of a cabinet having a plurality of receptacles, each of the plurality of receptacles is a shelf positioned within the housing, and each of the plurality of receptacles is at least partially obstructed by a moveable cover, thereby providing access to the at least one item contained on the shelf only upon appropriate access through the cover.