Automated will call system

• US 20060273168A1
• Filed: 08/11/2006
• Published: 12/07/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 10/29/1999
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Parata Systems, LLC (Becton, Dickinson & Co)
• Original Assignee: Parata Systems, LLC (Becton, Dickinson & Co)
• Inventors: Fellows, Eugene, Jordan, Michael, Denenberg, David
• Granted Patent: US 7,410,098 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 235/385
• CPC Class Codes: B65G 1/045 in a circular arrangement, e.g. towers
• CPC Class Codes: B65G 1/127 the circuit being confined in a vertical plane
• CPC Class Codes: B65G 1/137 with arrangements or automatic control means for selecting which articles are to be removed
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 17/00 Methods or arrangements for effecting co-operative working between equipments covered by two or more of main groups G06K1/00 - G06K15/00, e.g. automatic card files incorporating conveying and reading operations
• 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: G07F 11/54 about vertical axes
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/0042 for hiring of objects
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/0092 for assembling and dispensing of pharmaceutical articles medical dispensers for private use, A61J7/00
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 20/13 delivered from dispensers

Abstract

A will call system for automating the management of storage and retrieval of items, preferably medical prescriptions. The automated system provides informational control of all items in the system. The automated will call monitors the length of time an item remains in the system, and into which location an item is placed. An article sensor provides absolute confirmation that an item has been placed or removed from a designated location in the storage unites. The automated will call system uses a controller to permit users to monitor and optimize the storage and retrieval procedures.

Claims

1. A method of purging selected pharmaceutical prescriptions from a plurality of pharmaceutical prescriptions stored in a prescription storage unit, wherein information regarding the prescriptions is stored in a controller, the information including the location of the prescription within the prescription storage unit, the method comprising the steps of:

identifying via the controller prescriptions overdue for pick-up because they have exceeded a predetermined amount of time in the system;

identifying via the controller the locations of the overdue prescriptions within the prescription storage unit; and

purging the prescription storage area of the overdue prescriptions.

2. The method defined in claim 1, wherein the controller is in communication with the prescription storage unit.

3. The method defined in claim 2, further comprising generating a signal via the controller indicating the location of overdue prescriptions for pharmacy personnel.

4. The method defined in claim 3, wherein the prescription storage unit includes a plurality of individual storage locations, and wherein the step of generating a signal comprises indicating the individual storage location in which the overdue prescription is stored.

5. The method defined in claim 3, wherein indicating the storage location of an overdue prescription comprises illuminating a light associated with the storage location.

6. The method defined in claim 4, wherein the controller signals the prescription storage unit to convey the individual storage location that houses each overdue prescription to a position convenient for purging.

7. The method defined in claim 1, further comprising the step of clearing the storage location of the overdue prescription from the controller after the purging step.

8. A method of purging selected pharmaceutical prescriptions from a plurality of pharmaceutical prescriptions stored in individual storage locations within a prescription storage unit, wherein information regarding the prescriptions is stored in a controller, the information including the location of the prescription within the prescription storage area, the method comprising the steps of:

(a) identifying via the controller prescriptions overdue for pick-up because they have exceeded a predetermined amount of time in the system;

(b) identifying a first storage location that houses a first overdue prescription;

(c) purging the first storage location of the first overdue prescription; and

(d) repeating steps (b) and (c) on subsequent storage locations until the overdue prescriptions are purged.

9. The method defined in claim 8, further comprising the step of providing a signal designating the position of the first storage location to pharmacy personnel prior to step (c).

10. The method defined in claim 9, further comprising the step of illuminating an indicator associated with the first storage location.

11. The method defined in claim 8, further comprising the step of conveying the first storage location to a position convenient for purging prior to step (c).

12. The method defined in claim 8, further comprising the step of clearing the storage locations of the overdue prescriptions from the controller.

13. A method of grouping pharmaceutical prescriptions in a prescription storage unit with a plurality of storage locations, wherein information regarding the prescriptions comprising multiple parameters is stored in a controller, and wherein the controller is operatively associated with the prescription storage unit, the method comprising the steps of:

entering the information regarding a first prescription into the controller;

comparing via the controller the parameters comprising the information of the first prescription with parameters comprising the information of additional prescriptions already stored in the controller; and

storing the first prescription and other prescriptions having one or more identical parameters in the same storage location.

14. The method defined in claim 13, wherein the comparing step comprises comparing surnames and addresses associated with the prescriptions.

15. The method defined in claim 14, further comprising the step of identifying prescriptions with identical parameters that are not to be stored in the same storage location prior to the storing step.