ITEM TRACKING SYSTEM

• US 20080088454A1
• Filed: 09/18/2007
• Published: 04/17/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 10/13/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: RFID Mexico SA de CV
• Original Assignee: RFID Mexico SA de CV
• Inventors: MATUS, Jose Adalberto Teran, ELIZONDO, Rafael Guillemo Ramos, RAMIREZ, Patricio Gerardo Trevino, FLORES, Eduardo Ruiz Esparza
• Granted Patent: US 7,932,824 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/572.4
• CPC Class Codes: B25H 3/00 Storage means or arrangements for workshops facilitating access to, or handling of, work tools or instruments containers or packages with special means for dispensing contents B65D83/00; nail dispensers B25C3/00
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/087 Inventory or stock management, e.g. order filling, procurement or balancing against orders
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 11/00 Arrangements, systems or apparatus for checking, e.g. the occurrence of a condition, not provided for elsewhere
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/00912 for safes, strong-rooms, vaults or the like
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/20 involving the use of a pass
• 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: G07G 1/009 the reader being an RFID reader
• 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

Abstract

An item tracking system which makes use RFID technology for automatically monitoring the taking and returning operations of items from one or more storage locations inside a working area which allows to have an “on line” status of each tool as well as the using history of each tool, furthermore, the system “knows” which item has been taken or stored from which storage area by which worker and when and synchronize and compile the information of all storage locations in one database and system for administering, reporting and sending alarms in order to have total tool control, accountability, tools service control (maintenance, calibration, repairs, and/or replacement), and administration of usage for the tools controlled by the system

Claims

1. An item tracking system for using in a working area having one or a plurality of storage boxes each having a plurality of drawers each including a plurality of item storage locations, each item storage location comprising an individually shaped recess for receiving a specific item which can be taken or returned, wherein the shape of the recess matches to the shape of the item, wherein the items can be taken and returned to a storage location by means of a taking and returning operation and wherein item tracking system of the present invention comprising:

a plurality of user identification means;

a plurality of storage boxes, each having;

a computer, including a database, information displaying means a and user identification reader means for reading the user identification means and a user interface;

automatic locking and unlocking means for each drawer controlled by the computer each including a sensor for detecting when the drawer is opened or closed;

a plurality of readable/writable RFID chips, each permanently joined to a respective item and having item information;

a plurality of RFID chip interrogators/scanners, each assigned to a respective storage location of a respective drawer of a respective storage box for specifically interrogating/scanning a respective RFID chip of one item, each interrogator/scanner connected to the computer;

a plurality of RFID chip recorders each assigned to a respective storage location of a respective drawer of a respective storage box for specifically recording a respective RFID chip of one item with item information and time and date information;

a server system connected to a computer network having a database;

wherein the computer of each storage box and the server system are capable of controlling the following operations;

item taking operations;

item returning operations;

control of items maintenance;

control of multiple items stored in one specific container;

control of item usage;

wherein each computer of each storage box is capable of interchanging information with the server system and vice versa for the synchronizing of information between them;

wherein the computer of each storage box and the server system are capable of providing reports including information about the items controlled by the system and information about system operations; and

wherein the system is capable to send alarms and reports to the users.

2. An item tracking system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the each of the user identification means have personalized identification information recorded comprising:

user name, user ID and user profiles selected from the group comprising normal user, administrator and maintenance.

3. An item tracking system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the computer and the server system each including a memory card reader/writer for synchronizing information by means of memory cards.

4. An item tracking system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the database of each storage box'"'"'s computer contains the following information:

users authorized to access each item box, drawers accessible to each user in each item box and privilege type which is selected from the group comprising;

user of items, administrator and maintenance person;

items assigned to the respective storage box represented by the following data;

Item description, Item ID, storage box ID, drawer ID, storage location ID;

items taken from the respective storage box, represented by the following data;

user name, privilege type, item description, Item ID, storage box ID, drawer ID, storage location ID, date and time of the taking operation;

items returned to a respective storage box before any new taking operation is performed represented by the following data;

User name, privilege type, item description, Item ID, storage box ID, drawer ID, storage location ID, date and time of the returning operation;

item'"'"'s status, user who changed status, privilege type, Item description, Item ID, storage box ID, drawer ID, storage location ID, status, date and time of the change of status operation.

5. An item tracking system as claimed in claim 1, wherein each RFID chip having the following memory types:

memory type #1;

including information that is permanently recorded in the chip comprising;

item ID, item description and serial number;

memory type #2;

including information that can only be modified by an authorized person which is assigned by an administrator, comprising;

ID of the company that owns the item, company branch ID and storage box ID; and

memory type #3 including information that is updated every time an user logs in to the system and said RFID chip corresponds to a item stored in the storage area of a drawer that said user is authorized to access, said information comprising the user ID and current time and date.

6. An item tracking system as claimed in claim 1, wherein each RFID chip having the following memory types:

memory type #1;

including information that is permanently recorded in the chip comprising;

item ID, item description and serial number;

memory type #2;

including information that can only be modified by an authorized person which is assigned by an administrator, comprising;

ID of the company that owns the item, company branch ID and storage box ID;

storage box drawer ID and storage location ID to which the item and storage box are assigned; and

memory type #3 including information that is updated every time an user logs in to the system and said RFID chip corresponds to a item stored in the storage area of a drawer that said user is authorized to access, said information comprising the user ID and current time and date.

7. An item tracking system as claimed in claim 1, wherein each RFID chip having the following memory types:

memory type #1;

including information that is permanently recorded in the chip comprising;

item ID, item description and serial number;

memory type #2;

including information that can only be modified by an authorized person which is assigned by an administrator, comprising;

ID of the company that owns the item, company branch ID and storage box ID;

storage box drawer ID and storage location ID to which the item and storage box are assigned;

memory type #3 including information that is updated every time an user logs in to the system and said RFID chip corresponds to a item stored in the storage area of a drawer that said user is authorized to access, said information comprising the user ID and current time and date; and

further including a item log, including information about the user ID of the last users of the item and the time and date in which a item was taken and returned.

8. An item tracking system as claimed in claim 1, wherein each RFID chip interrogator/scanner interrogates each RFID cheap at least one time per second.

9. An item tracking system as claimed in claim 1, wherein each RFID chip having the following memory types:

memory type #1;

including information that is permanently recorded in the chip comprising;

item ID, item description and serial number;

memory type #2;

including information that can only be modified by an authorized person which is assigned by an administrator, comprising;

ID of the company that owns the item, company branch ID and storage box ID;

storage box drawer ID and storage location ID to which the item and storage box are assigned;

memory type #3 including information that is updated every time an user logs in to the system and said RFID chip corresponds to a item stored in the storage area of a drawer that said user is authorized to access, said information comprising the user ID and current time and date;

further including a item log, including information about the user ID of the last users of the item and the time and date in which a item was taken and returned; and

wherein each RFID chip recorder recording a respective RFID chip of one item with the memory type 1, 2, and 3 information including;

user ID, time and date of the taken operation, and for updating the item log.

10. An item tracking system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the server system database including the following information:

items assigned to each storage box;

items taken from each storage box;

items returned to each storage box before any new taking operation is performed; and

item'"'"'s status.

11. An item tracking system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the server system database including the following information:

information about items assigned to each storage box comprising;

Item description, Item ID, storage box ID, and optionally drawer ID, and storage location ID;

information about items taken from each storage box comprising;

User name, item description, Item ID, storage box ID, drawer ID, storage location ID, date and time of the taken operation;

information about item items returned to each storage box before any new taking operation is performed comprising;

User name, item description, Item ID, storage box ID, drawer ID, storage location ID, date and time of the taken operation; and

item'"'"'s status comprising;

alarm status;

user who changed status, Item description, Item ID, storage box ID, drawer ID, storage location ID, status, date and time of the change of status operation.

12. An item tracking system as claimed in claim 1, wherein each user can be related with the following profiles:

a normal user profile which allows a person to take and return items from one or more storage boxes and to enter reports in the system as will be explained later;

an administrator profile which allows a person to;

take and return items, from one or more storage boxes, configure privileges for other users, configure user access capabilities which indicates the system which drawers of a storage box a user is authorized to access, to authorize certain user operations such as to change the status of a item to a TDY status and to modify the information of the databases of server system and of each one of the storage box'"'"'s computers;

a maintenance profile which allows a person to take and return items having a status comprising;

needing calibration or unserviceable, and to enter into the system reports related to the type of work performed to the items like repair, maintenance or calibration, replaced;

and wherein each profile by a person having an administrator profile.

13. An item tracking system as claimed in claim 1, in which each storage box'"'"'s computer including an external RFID chip reader and wherein the system having an standby mode during which all drawers remain closed and locked, and each RFID chip interrogator/scanner located on every storage location of each drawer corresponding to every item is inactive, and wherein the information of a RFID chip of any item can be read by means of the external RFID reader and displayed by the storage box'"'"'s computer displaying means.

14. An item tracking system as claimed in claim 1, wherein:

the displaying means of each storage box'"'"'s comprises a display; and

wherein the system having a standby mode in which the display of each storage box shows a color configurable by an administrator indicating that no items are missing from a storage box, except the items that have been taken for maintenance or the items that have been taken for more than one day.

15. An item tracking system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the taking operation comprising:

a) the storage box'"'"'s computer validating that the identification information of a user identification means read by the storage box'"'"'s computer user identification reader means is present in the database thereof thus authorizing an user to access a correspondent storage box;

b) the storage box'"'"'s computer searching in the database for information about the drawers a correspondent user is authorized to access once the step a) is completed;

c) the storage box'"'"'s computer recording in the RFID chips of every item stored in the drawers of a respective storage box to which the user is authorized to access with user information and current day and date by means of the plurality of RFID chip recorders once the step b) is completed;

d) the storage box'"'"'s computer sending a signal to the locking and unlocking means of each drawer to which the user is authorized to access in order to unlock said drawers and once the step c) is completed;

e) the storage box'"'"'s computer activating the plurality of RFID chip interrogators/scanners of each storage location of the drawers of a respective storage box to which the user is authorized to access once the step d) is completed;

f) the storage box'"'"'s computer searching in its database for any item owed by a correspondent user and showing said information by means of the displaying means once the previous steps are completed;

g) the storage box'"'"'s computer detecting when any of the unlocked drawers is opened by means of the sensor for detecting when the drawer is opened or closed and recording information about this action in a log file in its database;

h) the storage box'"'"'s computer detecting when a item is retired from the storage location by interrogating correspondent item RFIDs and comparing the obtained items information with a database list of the items currently assigned to the respective drawers and detecting when a item is retired from the storage location when said comparison fails;

i) the storage box'"'"'s computer recording in its database user information, item information and the hour and date in which the item has been taken and showing information about the items taken by means of the display means;

i) the steps h) and i) are repeated for each item taken;

k) the storage box'"'"'s computer acknowledging an order of the user to exit the operation and validating that all of the drawers are closed by means of the correspondent sensors and showing an error message by means of the display if one or more drawers are not closed thus not allowing the user to exit the system;

l) the storage box'"'"'s computer allowing the user to exit the system once the step k) has been completed; and

m) the storage box'"'"'s computer interchanging information with the server system in order to synchronize its database information with the server system database once the previous steps have been completed.

16. An item tracking system as claimed in claim 15, wherein an user can enter a report about one or more items that were required by the user but not found in the storage box.

17. An item tracking system as claimed in claim 15, wherein the user can return an item if the user has taken said item in error and wherein the storage box'"'"'s computer will register said operation and will erase the item from the display means.

18. An item tracking system as claimed in claim 15, wherein the storage box'"'"'s computer further validating if the status of each taken item allows the user to take said tool or tools, and not allowing the user to exit the system if the status of one or more tools do not authorize a user to take said one or more tools until the user replace said tool or tools to the respective storage locations.

19. An item tracking system as claimed in claim 15, wherein the system automatically changes the status of an item to “

item lost”

if said item is not returned within 24 hours from the time in which it was taken and wherein a control of items taken for more than one day is carried out during the taken operation by registering a petition from the user related to a specific item to change the status of said item to “

taken for more than one day”

with the authorization of a user having an administrator privilege, and prevent that the system automatically change the status of the item to “

item lost”

.

20. An item tracking system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the returning operation in one or more storage box'"'"'s comprising:

a) the storage box'"'"'s computer validating that the identification information of a user identification means read by the storage box'"'"'s computer user identification reader means is present in the database thereof thus authorizing an user to access a correspondent storage box;

b) the storage box'"'"'s computer searching in the database for information about the drawers a correspondent user is authorized to access once the step a) is completed;

c) the storage box'"'"'s computer recording in the RFID chips of every item stored in the drawers of a respective storage box to which the user is authorized to access with user information and current day and date by means of the plurality of RFID chip recorders once the step b) is completed;

d) the storage box'"'"'s computer sending a signal to the locking and unlocking means of each drawer to which the user is authorized to access in order to unlock said drawers and once the step c) is completed;

e) the storage box'"'"'s computer activating the plurality of RFID chip interrogators/scanners of each storage location of the drawers of a respective storage box to which the user is authorized to access once the step d) is completed;

f) the storage box'"'"'s computer searching in its database for any item owed by a correspondent user and showing said information by means of the displaying means once the previous steps are completed;

g) the storage box'"'"'s computer detecting when any of the unlocked drawers is opened by means of the sensor for detecting when the drawer is opened or closed and recording this information in a log file in its database;

h) the storage box'"'"'s computer detecting when a item is returned to a storage location by interrogating correspondent item RFIDs and comparing the obtained items information with a database list of the items currently assigned to the respective drawers and detecting when a item is returned to a storage location when said comparison succeed;

i) the storage box'"'"'s computer validating that the item is being returned to the correct storage location and showing a message error by means of the display means and not allowing the user to exit the system until the user returns the item to its correspondent storage location;

j) the storage box'"'"'s computer validating that the item being returned corresponds to one of the items registered as taken by the user performing the returning operation, and if said validation fails, it means that the specific user is returning a different tool and such even is recorded in the database;

k) the storage box'"'"'s computer recording in its database user information, item information and the hour and date in which the item has been returned and deleting the information from the display means of the items that have been returned;

l) the steps h), i), j) and k) are repeated for each item returned;

m) the storage box'"'"'s computer acknowledging an order of the user to exit the operation and validating that all of the drawers are closed by means of the correspondent sensors and showing an error message by means of the display if one or more drawers are not closed thus not allowing the user to exit the system;

n) the storage box'"'"'s computer allowing the user to exit the system once the step m) has been completed; and

o) the storage box'"'"'s computer interchanging information with the server system in order to synchronize its database information with the server system database once the previous steps have been completed.

21. An item tracking system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the control of item maintenance is carried out during taking or returning operations in one or more storage boxes by:

a) the storage box'"'"'s computer receiving a request for change of status of an item by an user that has already taken an item and that has previously accessed the system, said change of status selected from the group of calibration, need maintenance or unserviceable;

b) the storage box'"'"'s computer changing the status of said item and registering said status change in its database

c) the steps a) and b) are repeated for each item the user request a change of status;

d) the storage box'"'"'s computer interchanging information with the server system in order to synchronize its database information with the server system database once the previous steps have been completed; and

wherein the tools that have a status of calibration, need maintenance or unserviceable are not allowed to be taken by other users

22. An item tracking system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the control of item maintenance is carried out automatically by each storage box'"'"'s computer and the server system by means of “

maintenance counters”

for specific items which comprises a dynamic record related to specific item records stored in the storage box'"'"'s computer and server system representing the number of cycles that have passed since the last maintenance operation and a “

due maintenance”

record, which establishes the number of cycles in which said items are schedule for maintenance and a “

details of service required”

record which describes the maintenance operations required by the item, wherein the system will automatically notify by means of an alarm the need of maintenance for specific tools when the maintenance counter matches the “

due maintenance record”

, wherein after the maintenance operation is completed, said counter is reset and wherein the storage box'"'"'s computer does not allow that an item due for maintenance to be taken by any user except an administrator.

23. An item tracking system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the control of item maintenance is carried out automatically by each storage box'"'"'s computer and the server system by means of “

maintenance counters”

for specific items which comprises a dynamic record related to specific item records stored in the storage box'"'"'s computer and server system representing the number of days passed since the last maintenance operation and a “

due maintenance”

record, which establishes the number of cycles in which said items are schedule for maintenance and a “

details of service required”

record which describes the maintenance operations required by the tool;

wherein the system will automatically notify by means of an alarm the need of maintenance for specific tools when the maintenance counter matches the “

due maintenance record”

;

wherein after the maintenance operation is completed, said counter is reset; and

wherein the storage box'"'"'s computer does not allow that an item due for maintenance to be taken by any user except an administrator.

24. An item tracking system as claimed in claim 1, wherein an user having an administrator privilege can access a storage box'"'"'s computer, obtain a report of items needing service and perform one or more maintenance taking operations of such items and report to the computer the type of service provided and the date in which the item or items will be returned to the correspondent storage locations, and wherein after said one or more maintenance taking operations, the status of said item or item'"'"'s automatically change to “

in service”

.

25. An item tracking system as claimed in claim 1, wherein an user having an administrator privilege can access a storage box'"'"'s computer, obtain a report of items needing service and perform one or more maintenance taking operations of such items and report to the computer the type of service provided and the date in which the item or items will be returned to the correspondent storage locations;

wherein after said one or more maintenance taking operations, the status of said item or item'"'"'s automatically change to “

in service” and

wherein a user having an administrator privilege can access a storage box'"'"'s computer and perform one or more item returning operations of said item or items when the maintenance has been carried out and wherein the computer will change the status of “

in service”

for said item or items.

26. An item tracking system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the container of multiple items is stored in a storage location and has only one RFID chip representing said multiple items inside the container and wherein the control of multiple items stored in one specific container is carried out during taking and returning operations by:

the storage box'"'"'s computer detecting when the container is taken from the storage location;

the storage box'"'"'s computer displaying the list of all items that are assigned to the container and available to be taken by an user or that have to be returned;

registering the taken operation from the container; and

wherein the user performs a returning operation of said item or items to the container, the storage box'"'"'s computer detects when the container is taken from the storage location, displays a list of all items that are assigned to the container and does not allow the user to end the returning operation until another user verify that the items of the container are complete and provides the identification means to the storage box'"'"'s computer;

27. An item tracking system as claimed in claim 1, wherein each storage box'"'"'s computer provides the following reports:

an items report;

comprising an inventory of all the items that are registered in the respective storage box'"'"'s computer database;

a report of currently taken items;

including information about the items that have been taken by the users from a respective storage box;

a report of the last items that have been returned;

including information about the items that have been recently returned to a respective storage box by all of the users before any new taking operation is performed;

a report of items that have been taken by more than one day;

including information about the items assigned to a respective storage box that have been taken by more than one day;

a report of unserviceable items;

including information about the items assigned to a respective toolbox that have been reported as unserviceable by the users;

a report of items needing maintenance;

including information about the items assigned to a respective storage box that have been reported as needing maintenance by the users;

report of missing tools;

including information about the items that haven'"'"'t been returned to its respective storage locations in the respective storage box within a specified time frame; and

report of inconsistencies;

including information about the items taken by one user and returned by a different user in a respective storage box.

28. An item tracking system as claimed in claim 1, wherein a user having an administrator profile can access the server system in order to add new users and to add or modify user profiles.

29. An item tracking system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the server system provides the following reports:

an items report;

providing information about all of the items that are registered in the database;

report of inventory on hand on every storage box;

report of currently taken items;

including information about the items that have been taken by the users;

report of returned items;

including information about all of the items that have been recently returned by all users before any new taking operation is performed;

report of items taken by more than one day;

including information about the items that have been taken by more than one day;

report of unserviceable items;

including information about the items that have been reported as unserviceable by the users;

report of items needing maintenance;

including information about the items that have been reported needing maintenance by the users;

report of missing items;

including information about the items that haven'"'"'t been returned to its respective storage locations within a specified time frame; and

report of inconsistencies;

including information about items taken by one user and returned by a different user.

30. An item tracking system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the server system can send the reports and alarms to the users by the following means:

e-mail, text message, cell phone or text message.

31. An item tracking system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the computer of each storage box and the server system each including a memory card writer and reader and wherein each of the computers of each storage box record the information stored in their database in a memory card by means of the memory card writer and reader so that it can be read by the memory card reader of the server system and the information recorded in each memory card can be synchronized with the information stored in the server system'"'"'s database.

32. An item tracking system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the computer of each storage box and the server system each including a memory card writer and reader and wherein the server system records the information stored in its database in a memory card by means of the memory card writer and reader so that it can be read by the memory card readers of each computer of each storage box, and the information recorded in the memory card can be synchronized with the information stored in the database of each computer of each storage box.

33. An item tracking system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the interchange of information for the synchronization of information between the server system'"'"'s database and the database of each of each computer of each storage box is carried out by means of one or more of the following means:

Wi-Fi connection, network cabled connection or USB memory for a manual synchronization.

34. An item tracking system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the control of item usage is carried out by the server system by generating usage statistic report for each item, including the usage of each item by storage box, area, and company branch, global showing the items that should be relocated from storage location, items with low usage, items with hi usage, items with high demand including statistics for items that where required and not present in the storage box when needed, said usage statistics based on the information stored in the server system'"'"'s database about the usage of each tool.

35. A method for tracking and controlling a plurality of items stored on one or more storage boxes each having a plurality of drawers available for a plurality of users, each including a plurality of item storage locations, inside a working area comprising controlling the following operations:

item taking operations;

item returning operations;

control of items maintenance;

control of multiple items stored in one container;

control of item usage;

storing information about said operations in information storing means located in each storage box and in a central information storing means;

interchanging information between the storage information means of each storage box and the central information storing means in order to synchronize said information.

providing reports including information about the items controlled by the method and information about method operations; and

sending alarms and reports to the users.

36. A method as claimed in claim 35, wherein each user can be related with the following profiles:

a normal user profile which allows a person to take and return items from one or more storage boxes and to enter reports in the system as will be explained later;

an administrator profile which allows a person to;

take and return items, from one or more storage boxes, configure privileges for other users, configure user access capabilities which indicates the system which drawers of a storage box a user is authorized to access, to authorize certain user operations such as to change the status of a item to a TDY status and to modify the information of the databases of server system and of each one of the storage box'"'"'s computers;

a maintenance profile which allows a person to take and return items having a status comprising;

needing calibration or unserviceable, and to enter into the system reports related to the type of work performed to the items like repair, maintenance or calibration, replaced;

37. A method as claimed in claim 35, wherein the item taking operations comprise:

validating that an user is authorized to access a storage box;

determining the drawers to which the user is authorized to access;

detecting when a drawer has been opened and registering information about said action in a log file;

providing information about the items owed by the user if any;

registering the hour, date, item information and user information for each item that has been taken from a storage location in a respective storage box'"'"'s storage information means;

authorizing the user to end the taking operation once that all of the drawers have been closed; and

interchanging information between the storage box'"'"'s storage information means with the central information storing means in order to synchronize their information once the previous steps have been completed.

38. A method as claimed in claim 37, wherein an user can enter a report about one or more items that were required by the user but not found in the storage box.

39. A method as claimed in claim 37, wherein the user can return an item if the user has taken said item in error and wherein said operation is registered in the correspondent storage box'"'"'s information storing means.

40. A method as claimed in claim 37, further including the step of validating if the status of each taken item allows the user to take said tool or tools, and not allowing the user to end the taking operation if the status of one or more tools do not authorize a user to take said one or more tools until the user replace said tool or tools to the respective storage locations.

41. A method as claimed in claim 37, further including the step of changing the status of an item to “

item lost”

if said item is not returned within 24 hours from the time in which it was taken and wherein a control of items taken for more than one day is carried out during the taken operation by registering a petition from the user related to a specific item to change the status of said item to “

taken for more than one day”

with the authorization of a user having an administrator privilege.

42. A method as claimed in claim 35 wherein the returning operation comprising:

validating that an user is authorized to access a storage box;

determining the drawers to which the user is authorized to access;

detecting when a drawer has been opened and registering information about said action in a log file;

providing information about the items owed by the user;

validating that a tool being returned to a storage location by an user corresponds to said storage location, and not allowing the user to end the returning operation if the validation fails;

validating that the item being returned corresponds to one of the items registered as taken by the user performing the returning operation, and if said validation fails, it means that the specific user is returning a different tool and such even is recorded in the respective storage box'"'"'s storage information means;

if the validations of the previous steps succeed, registering the hour, date, item information and user information for each item that has been returned to a storage location in a respective storage box'"'"'s storage information means;

authorizing the user to end the taking operation once that all of the drawers have been closed; and

interchanging information between the storage box'"'"'s storage information means and the central information storing means in order to synchronize their information once the previous steps have been completed.

43. A method as claimed in claim 35 wherein the control of item maintenance is carried out during taking or returning operations in one or more storage boxes by:

a) receiving a request for change of status of an item by an user that has already taken an item, said change of status selected from the group of calibration, need maintenance or unserviceable;

b) changing the status of said item and registering said status change in a correspondent box'"'"'s storage information means;

c) repeat steps a) and b) for each item the user request a change of status;

d) interchanging information between the storage box'"'"'s storage information means and the central information storing means in order to synchronize their information; and

e) forbidding that the tools having a status of calibration, need maintenance or unserviceable to be taken by other users.

44. A method as claimed in claim 35 wherein the control of item maintenance is carried out by:

providing “

maintenance counters”

for specific items representing the number of cycles that have passed since the last maintenance operation and a “

due maintenance”

record, which establishes the number of cycles in which said items are schedule for maintenance and a “

details of service required”

record which describes the maintenance operations required by the item;

notifying by means of an alarm the need of maintenance for specific tools when the maintenance counter matches the “

due maintenance record”

;

resetting said counter after the maintenance operation is completed; and

forbidding that an item due for maintenance be taken by any user except an administrator.

45. A method as claimed in claim 35, wherein the control of item maintenance is carried out by:

providing “

maintenance counters”

for specific items representing the number of days passed since the last maintenance operation and a “

due maintenance”

record, which establishes the number of cycles in which said items are schedule for maintenance and a “

details of service required”

record which describes the maintenance operations required by the item;

notifying by means of an alarm the need of maintenance for specific tools when the maintenance counter matches the “

due maintenance record”

;

resetting said counter after the maintenance operation is completed; and

forbidding that an item due for maintenance be taken by any user except an administrator.

46. A method as claimed in claim 35, wherein a user having an administrator privilege can obtain a report of items needing service and perform one or more maintenance taking operations of such items and report to the computer the type of service provided and the date in which the item or items will be returned to the correspondent storage locations, and wherein after said one or more maintenance taking operations, the status of said item or item'"'"'s automatically changed to “

in service”

.

47. A method as claimed in claim 35, wherein an user having an administrator privilege can take one or more items to maintenance by:

obtaining a report of items needing service and perform one or more maintenance taking operations of such items and report the type of service provided and the date in which the item or items will be returned to the correspondent storage locations;

changing the status of said item or item'"'"'s to “

in service”

; and

performing one or more item returning operations of said item or items once the maintenance operation has been carried out and changing the status of “

in service”

for said item or items.

48. A method as claimed in claim 35, wherein the control of multiple items stored in one container is carried out during taking and returning operations by:

providing a list of all items that are assigned to the container and available to be taken by an user or that have to be returned;

registering the taken operation from the container; and

wherein the user performs a returning operation of said item or items to the container, a list of all items that are assigned to the container is provided and the user is not allowed to end the returning operation until another user proves that he/she is an user and verify that the items of the container are complete.

49. A method as claimed in claim 35, further providing the following reports:

an item report;

comprising an inventory of all the items that are registered in the respective storage box'"'"'s information storing means;

a report of currently taken items;

including information about the items that have been taken by the users from a respective storage box;

a report of the last items that have been returned;

including information about the items that have been recently returned to a respective storage box by all of the users before any new taking operation is performed;

a report of items that have been taken by more than one day;

including information about the items assigned to a respective storage box that have been taken by more than one day;

a report of unserviceable items;

including information about the items assigned to a respective toolbox that have been reported as unserviceable by the users;

a report of items needing maintenance;

including information about the items assigned to a respective storage box that have been reported as needing maintenance by the users;

report of missing tools;

including information about the items that haven'"'"'t been returned to its respective storage locations in the respective storage box within a specified time frame; and

report of inconsistencies;

including information about the items taken by one user and returned by a different user in a respective storage box.

50. A method as claimed in claim 35, wherein an administrator can authorize new users and add or modify user profiles.

51. A method as claimed in claim 35, further providing the further reports:

an items report;

providing information about all of the items that are registered in the central information storing means;

report of inventory on hand on every storage box;

report of currently taken items;

including information about the items that have been taken by the users;

report of returned items;

including information about all of the items that have been recently returned by all users before any new taking operation is performed;

report of items taken by more than one day;

including information about the items that have been taken by more than one day;

report of unserviceable items;

including information about the items that have been reported as unserviceable by the users;

report of items needing maintenance;

including information about the items that have been reported needing maintenance by the users;

report of missing items;

including information about the items that haven'"'"'t been returned to its respective storage locations within a specified time frame; and

report of inconsistencies;

including information about items taken by one user and returned by a different user.

52. A method as claimed in claim 35, further providing the following reports:

an items report;

providing information about all of the items that are registered in the central information storing means;

report of inventory on hand on every storage box;

report of currently taken items;

including information about the items that have been taken by the users;

report of returned items;

including information about all of the items that have been recently returned by all users before any new taking operation is performed;

report of items taken by more than one day;

including information about the items that have been taken by more than one day;

report of unserviceable items;

including information about the items that have been reported as unserviceable by the users;

report of items needing maintenance;

including information about the items that have been reported needing maintenance by the users;

report of missing items;

including information about the items that haven'"'"'t been returned to its respective storage locations within a specified time frame; and

report of inconsistencies;

including information about items taken by one user and returned by a different user.

53. A method as claimed in claim 35, wherein the control of item usage is carried out by generating usage statistic report for each item, including the usage of each item by storage box, area, and company branch, global showing the items that should be relocated from storage location, items with low usage, items with hi usage, items with high demand including statistics for items that where required and not present in the storage box when needed, said usage statistics based on the information stored in the central information storing means about the usage of each tool.