Controller for dispensing products

• US 20040133705A1
• Filed: 08/08/2003
• Published: 07/08/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 08/09/2002
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: McKesson Automation Incorporated (Omnicell Inc)
• Original Assignee: McKesson Automation Incorporated (Omnicell Inc)
• Inventors: Jankowski, Stanley, Nichols, Lynn D., Inabnet, Joseph, Broussard, Brian
• Application Number:
  US10/637,768
• Publication Number:
  US 20040133705A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 710/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/4015 using location information
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/00 Information and communication technology [ICT] specially adapted for implementation of business processes of specific business sectors, e.g. utilities or tourism healthcare informatics G16H
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 11/24 Rotary or oscillatory members
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 11/42 the articles being delivered by motor-driven means
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 11/44 in which magazines the articles are stored in bulk
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 11/54 about vertical axes
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 11/62 in which the articles are stored in compartments in fixed receptacles
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/0092 for assembling and dispensing of pharmaceutical articles medical dispensers for private use, A61J7/00
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 5/18 specially adapted for controlling several coin-freed apparatus from one place
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 5/26 Interlocks, e.g. for locking the doors of compartments other than that to be used
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 9/001 Interfacing with vending machines using mobile or wearable devices
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 9/002 Vending machines being part of a centrally controlled network of vending machines
• 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: G16H 20/13 delivered from dispensers

Abstract

A controller is disclosed for use in a product dispensing system of the type having dispensing locations and validation devices. The controller comprises a memory containing linked information and containing a plurality of drivers, and a processor responsive to the input device and the memory for selecting an address based on the received information and the linked information. The processor (i) elects a driver from the plurality of drivers if the address corresponds to an automated dispensing device and (ii) produces an output responsive to the address if the address corresponds to a non-automated dispensing device.

Claims

1. A controller, comprising:

an input device for receiving information;

a memory containing linked information and containing a plurality of drivers; and

a processor responsive to said input device and said memory for selecting an address based on said received information and said linked information, said processor (i) electing a driver from said plurality of drivers if said address corresponds to an automated dispensing device and (ii) producing an output responsive to said address if said address corresponds to a non-automated dispensing device.

2. The controller of claim 1 wherein said input device includes at least one of a communications link, keyboard, a mouse, a touch screen, a bar code scanner, an RF tag reader, an image scanner, a personal digital assistant, a fingerprint scanner, a retinal scanner, and a microphone.

3. The controller of claim 1 wherein said input device receives at least one of dispensing information, user information, product information, inventory control information, validation information, and maintenance information.

4. The controller of claim 1, said processor further electing a driver from said plurality of drivers if said address corresponds to a validation device.

5. The controller of claim 1 further comprising a graphical user interface representative of at least one of said automated dispensing device and said non-automated dispensing device.

6. The controller of claim 1 wherein said memory comprises an internal flash memory portion and a removable flash memory portion and wherein said memory can be updated without re-booting said controller.

7. The controller of claim 1 further comprising a power supply back-up.

8. The controller of claim 1 further comprising a plurality of graphical user interfaces each representative of at least one of said dispensing devices.

9. The controller of claim 1 further comprising a graphical user interface representative of at least one of dispensing information, user information, product information, inventory control information, validation information, maintenance information and said linked information.

10. A system, comprising:

a plurality of dispensing devices; and

a controller comprising;

an input device for receiving information;

a memory containing linked information and containing a plurality of drivers; and

a processor responsive to said input device and said memory for selecting one of said dispensing devices based on said received information and said linked information, said processor (i) electing a driver from said plurality of drivers if said selected dispensing device is an automated dispensing device and (ii) producing an output identifying said dispensing device if said selected dispensing device corresponds to a non-automated dispensing device.

11. The system of claim 10 further comprising a validation device, said processor further selecting one of a dispensing device and said validation device, said processor electing a driver from said plurality of drivers if said selected device corresponds to said validation device.

12. The system of claim 10 wherein said input device includes at least one of a communications link, a keyboard, a mouse, a touch screen, a bar code scanner, an RF tag reader, an image scanner, a personal digital assistant, a fingerprint scanner, a retinal scanner, and a microphone.

13. The system of claim 10 wherein said input device receives at least one of dispensing information, user information, product information, inventory control information, validation information, and maintenance information.

14. The system of claim 10 wherein said controller further comprises a plurality of graphical user interfaces each representative of at least one of said dispensing devices.

15. The system of claim 10 wherein said controller further comprises a graphical user interface representative of at least one of dispensing information, user information, product information, inventory control information, validation information, maintenance information, and said linked information.

16. The system of claim 10 further comprising:

a database manager responsive to said processor; and

a data storage device having a database responsive to said database manager, said database having stored therein at least one of dispensing information, user information, product information, inventory control information, validation information, and maintenance information.

17. The system of claim 16 wherein said data storage device has stored thereon a graphical user interface representative of dispensing information, user information, product information, inventory control information, validation information, maintenance information and said linked information.

18. The system of claim 16 wherein said database includes at least one of dispensing information, site information, product information, archive information, and history information.

19. The system of claim 10 wherein said memory comprises an internal flash memory portion and a removable flash memory portion and wherein said memory can be updated without re-booting said controller.

20. The system of claim 10 further comprising a power supply back-up internal to said controller.

21. A method, comprising:

receiving information;

selecting a dispensing device with a processor, said selecting being based on said received information and stored information; and

if said selected dispensing device is an automated dispensing device, electing a driver from a plurality of drivers; and

if said selected dispensing device is a non-automated dispensing device, producing an output identifying said dispensing device.

22. The method of claim 21 wherein said receiving includes receiving information from one of a keyboard, a mouse, a touch screen, a bar code scanner, an RF tag reader, an image scanner, a personal digital assistant, a finger print scanner, a retinal scanner, and a microphone.

23. The method of claim 21 wherein said receiving includes receiving at least one of dispensing information, user information, product information, inventory control information, validation information, and maintenance information.

24. The method of claim 21 wherein said processor further selects one of a dispensing device and a validation device, and if said selected device is said validation device, electing a driver from said plurality of drivers.

25. The method of claim 21 wherein said receiving, selecting, electing, and producing are performed concurrently in response to receiving information for more than one dispensing event.

26. The method of claim 21 wherein said receiving information includes receiving information identifying a product to be dispensed, and wherein said selecting includes comparing said product to be dispensed to said stored information.

27. The method of claim 21 additionally comprising:

operating said automated dispensing device with said elected driver.

28. A method, comprising:

assigning an address to each dispensing location within a dispensing system, said dispensing locations including at least one of an automated dispensing device and a non-automated dispensing device, said automated dispensing device being responsive to one or more drivers elected by a controller having a plurality of drivers; and

linking the addresses of dispensing locations to products.

29. The method of claim 28 further comprising using a graphical user interface for at least one of said assigning and said linking.

30. The method of claim 28 wherein said assigning an address to each dispensing location comprises:

assigning a station address to each dispensing location, wherein each station includes one or more dispensing locations therein and wherein each dispensing location within the same dispensing station is assigned the same station address; and

assigning a local address to each dispensing location, wherein each dispensing location within the same dispensing station is assigned a unique local address.

31. The method of claim 30 wherein said linking further comprises:

selecting a station having free dispensing locations; and

associating the local address of said free dispensing location to a product.

32. The method of claim 28 additionally comprising:

stocking a product within its linked dispensing location.

33. The method of claim 28 wherein said linking further comprises:

assigning a product identifier to each of said products; and

associating the address of each dispensing location to the product identifier of a product stocked therein.

34. A method comprising automatically:

receiving product dispensing information for a dispensing location;

determining if said dispensing location requires replenishment; and

if said dispensing location contains an automated dispensing device, electing a driver; and

if said dispensing location contains a non-automated dispensing device, outputting replenishment information.

35. The method of claim 34 further comprising:

placing a known amount of a product within said dispensing location requiring replenishment; and

adding said amount of product replenished to a current inventory amount.

36. The method of claim 34 wherein said determining comprises:

retrieving an inventory baseline amount for said product;

calculating a current inventory amount for said product, wherein said current inventory amount is equal to the inventory baseline minus the amount of product dispensed plus the amount of product replenished; and

comparing said current inventory amount to a predetermined value.

37. The method of claim 34 additionally comprising:

placing a known amount of a product within a free dispensing location; and

storing said known amount as an inventory baseline.

38. The method of either claim 35 or claim 37 wherein said placing a known amount comprises:

determining a first weight, said first weight representing the combined weight of a container and said product contained therein;

transferring at least a portion of said product from said container into a dispensing location;

determining a second weight, said second weight representing the combined weight of said container and the amount of said product remaining therein; and

calculating the amount of product transferred to said free dispensing location by subtracting said second weight from said first weight.

39. The method of claim 38 wherein said calculating further comprises dividing the difference of said second weight and said first by a piece weight of said product.

40. A method, comprising:

determining a status of a dispensing location; and

if said dispensing location contains an automated dispensing device, electing a driver; and

if said dispensing location contains a non-automated dispensing device, outputting information related thereto.

41. The method of claim 40 wherein determining a status includes determining if maintenance is needed and if an adjustment to inventory is needed.