PHARMACEUTICAL DISTRIBUTION SYSTEMS AND METHODS
First Claim
1. A method of distributing pharmaceutical items from a primary distributor to a secondary seller of pharmaceuticals, the method comprising:
- maintaining an inventory of pharmaceutical items at the primary distributor;
receiving a request from the secondary seller to the primary distributor for a plurality of different pharmaceutical items;
reviewing shelving information indicative of a sequential arrangement of pharmaceutical items along a shelving system maintained by the secondary seller;
providing a mobile cart having a plurality of compartments;
designating a sequential order to the plurality of compartments;
creating a compartment assignment plan based upon the request, the shelving information, and the designated sequential order of compartments, wherein the compartment assignment plan assigns all of the requested pharmaceutical items to individual compartments in an order corresponding with the sequential arrangement of the requested pharmaceutical items along the shelving system;
loading the compartments with the requested pharmaceutical items from the inventory of the primary distributor in accordance with the compartment assignment plan; and
delivering the loaded cart to the secondary seller.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A method of distributing pharmaceutical items from a primary distributor to a secondary seller. A request for pharmaceutical items is received by the primary distributor from the secondary seller. Shelving information indicative of a sequential arrangement of pharmaceutical items along the secondary seller'"'"'s shelving system is reviewed. A mobile cart having a plurality of compartments is provided, and a sequential order to the plurality of compartments is designated. Based upon the request, the shelving information, and the compartment order, a compartment assignment plan is generated that assigns the requested pharmaceutical items to respective compartments in an order corresponding with the sequential arrangement of the shelving system. The compartments are then loaded in accordance with the compartment assignment plan, and delivered to the secondary seller.
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Citations
24 Claims
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1. A method of distributing pharmaceutical items from a primary distributor to a secondary seller of pharmaceuticals, the method comprising:
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maintaining an inventory of pharmaceutical items at the primary distributor; receiving a request from the secondary seller to the primary distributor for a plurality of different pharmaceutical items; reviewing shelving information indicative of a sequential arrangement of pharmaceutical items along a shelving system maintained by the secondary seller; providing a mobile cart having a plurality of compartments; designating a sequential order to the plurality of compartments; creating a compartment assignment plan based upon the request, the shelving information, and the designated sequential order of compartments, wherein the compartment assignment plan assigns all of the requested pharmaceutical items to individual compartments in an order corresponding with the sequential arrangement of the requested pharmaceutical items along the shelving system; loading the compartments with the requested pharmaceutical items from the inventory of the primary distributor in accordance with the compartment assignment plan; and delivering the loaded cart to the secondary seller. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23)
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24. A system for warehousing and distributing pharmaceutical items, the system comprising:
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a warehouse maintaining an inventory of a plurality of pharmaceutical items; at least one mobile cart having a plurality of compartments; and a computer programmed to; receive a request from a secondary seller for different pharmaceutical items, review shelving information indicative of a sequential arrangement of pharmaceutical items along a shelving system maintained by the secondary seller, designate a sequential order to the plurality of compartments of the at least one cart, create a compartment assignment plan based upon the request, the shelving information, and the designated sequential order of compartments, wherein the compartment assignment plan assigns all of the requested pharmaceutical items to individual compartments in an order corresponding with the sequential arrangement of the shelving system; wherein upon creation of the compartment assignment plan, the system promotes loading of the cart with the requested pharmaceutical items by reference to the compartment assignment plan for delivery to the secondary seller.
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Specification