System and method for storing items and tracking item usage

• US 20070135965A1
• Filed: 12/09/2005
• Published: 06/14/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 12/09/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Carefusion 303 Incorporated (Becton, Dickinson & Co)
• Original Assignee: Cardinal Health 303 Incorporated (Cardinal Health, Inc.)
• Inventors: Nguyen, Thuy, Massey, Richard
• Granted Patent: US 7,630,791 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 700/231
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 50/10 Furniture specially adapted for surgical or diagnostic appliances or instruments
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 50/13 Trolleys, e.g. carts
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 90/96 using barcodes
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 90/98 using electromagnetic means, e.g. transponders
• CPC Class Codes: A61G 12/001 Trolleys for transport of medicaments, food, linen, nursing supplies carts specially adapted for surgery or diagnosis A61B50/13; hand carts B62B3/00
• CPC Class Codes: A61G 2205/10 Bar codes
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/087 Inventory or stock management, e.g. order filling, procurement or balancing against orders
• 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 9/0235 the arrangements being full-front touchscreens
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 40/63 for local operation

Abstract

A system and method for storing items and tracking usage of items in a user configurable medication dispensing cabinet is disclosed. Items are stored in a tray or drawer having user-adjustable storage spaces. A graphical user interface comprising a touch screen enables users to rapidly customize the layout of storage spaces, which allows a wide variety of shapes and sizes of items to be stored in the tray. A kit of items that are identified in advance may be removed more efficiently by ordering removal based on the location of the storage spaces in which the items are stored. Items not identified in advance may be removed and tracked more efficiently through the use of the graphical user interface or a scanner for reading machine-readable identification tags on the items or the storage spaces. Bar codes and RFID devices are contemplated for use as identification tags.

Claims

1. A system for storing items and tracking item usage comprising:

a drawer having a plurality of storage spaces adjustable to accommodate various sized items;

an input means for inputting drawer configuration information and storage space location information;

a control unit in operable communication with the drawer and programmed to receive inputs from a user to adjust the configuration of the drawers, including locations of the storage spaces;

a memory in operable communication with a processor to store storage space-specific information and item-specific information, the storage space-specific information including storage space location information and drawer configuration information;

a display screen in communication with the control unit, the display screen configured to display an image representative of the storage space-specific information stored by the control unit.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the image representative of the storage space-specific information includes a graphical representation of the drawer and locations of the storage spaces relative to one another.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the processor is further programmed to generate a transaction record when the user inputs storage space-specific information, the transaction record comprising at least a description and a numerical quantity of items placed into a selected storage space.

4. The system of claim 3, wherein the transaction record further comprises a description and a numerical quantity of items removed from the selected storage space.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the display screen is configured to display a preliminary image that is user-modifiable to communicate storage space-specific information to the control unit.

6. The system of claim 1, further comprising:

a machine-readable identification tag affixed to an item, and

a scanner in communication with the control unit, the scanner configured to read the tag.

7. The system of claim 6, wherein the machine-readable identification tag is configured to store and communicate item-specific information.

8. The system of claim 1, further comprising:

a machine-readable identification tag affixed to one of the plurality of storage spaces, and

a scanner in communication with the control unit, the scanner configured to read the tag.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein the machine-readable identification tag is configured to store and communicate item-specific information.

10. A system for storing items and tracking item usage comprising:

a tray having a plurality of storage spaces for storing items, one or more of the storage spaces having partitions that are user-adjustable;

a control unit configured to store storage space-specific information and item-specific information, and configured to generate transaction records; and

a graphical user interface in communication with the control unit, the graphical user interface including a user-defined touch-sensitive image representative of the storage space-specific information stored by the control unit and for inputting and editing storage space-specific information.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein the touch-sensitive image depicts a graphical representation of the tray and positions of the partitions contained therein.

12. The system of claim 10, wherein when the user touches a portion of the touch-sensitive image corresponding to a selected storage space on the tray, the control unit creates a transaction record comprising at least a description and a numerical quantity of items placed into the selected storage space.

13. The system of claim 10, wherein when the user touches a portion of the touch-sensitive image corresponding to a selected storage space on the tray, the control unit creates a transaction record comprising at least a description and a numerical quantity of items removed from the selected storage space.

14. The system of claim 10, wherein the graphical user interface is configured to display a preliminary image that is capable of being modified to communicate storage space-specific information to the control unit.

15. The system of claim 10, further comprising:

a machine-readable identification tag affixed to an item, and

a scanner in communication with the control unit, the scanner configured to read the tag.

16. The system of claim 15, wherein the machine-readable identification tag is configured to store and communicate item-specific information.

17. The system of claim 10, further comprising:

a machine-readable identification tag affixed to one of the plurality of storage spaces, and

a scanner in communication with the control unit, the scanner configured to read the tag.

18. The system of claim 17, wherein the machine-readable identification tag is configured to store and communicate item-specific information.

19. A method for storing items and tracking item usage comprising:

providing a graphical representation of a current drawer configuration, the graphical representation including at least one location where a storage space may be located;

identifying a first corner of a desired storage space location;

identifying a second corner of the desired storage space location;

updating the graphical representation to show an identified storage space location; and

storing the identified storage space location in a memory.

20. The method of claim 19, further comprising:

receiving storage space-specific information from a graphical user interface,

associating the storage space with a selected item to be stored in the storage space,

storing the selected item in the storage space,

dispensing the selected item from the storage space, and

generating a transaction record.

21. The method of claim 20, wherein receiving storage space-specific information comprises:

displaying a preliminary image on the graphical user interface, and

modifying the preliminary image on the graphical user interface into an image representative of the location of the storage space within the drawer.

22. The method of claim 20, wherein associating the storage space with the selected item to be stored in the storage space comprises scanning an identification tag on the storage space and scanning an identification tag on the selected item.

23. The method of claim 20, wherein dispensing the selected item comprises displaying on the graphical user interface a graphical image representative of the storage space-specific information and selecting a portion of the image.

24. The method of claim 20, wherein dispensing the selected item comprises scanning an identification tag on the selected item.

25. The method of claim 20, wherein dispensing the selected item comprises defining a kit of items to be dispensed and defining a sequence for removing the kit of items based on storage space locations of individual items within the kit.

26. The method of claim 25, wherein defining the kit of items to be dispensed comprises selecting individual items from the graphical user interface.

27. The method of claim 25, wherein defining the kit of items to be dispensed comprises selecting a predefined list of items from the graphical user interface.

28. The method of claim 20, wherein generating the transaction record comprises displaying on a graphical user interface a graphical image representative of the storage space-specific information and selecting a portion of the image.

29. The method of claim 20, wherein generating the transaction record comprises scanning an identification tag affixed on the selected item.