SYSTEMS AND PROCESSES FOR TRACKING ITEMS

• US 20090267740A1
• Filed: 04/27/2009
• Published: 10/29/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 04/25/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Reclaim Rx Corporation
• Original Assignee: Reclaim Rx Corporation
• Inventors: Pizzuto, Thomas J.
• Granted Patent: US 8,542,099 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/10.100
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/087 Inventory or stock management, e.g. order filling, procurement or balancing against orders
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 9/00 Arrangements in telecontrol or telemetry systems for selectively calling a substation from a main station, in which substation desired apparatus is selected for applying a control signal thereto or for obtaining measured values therefrom

Abstract

Systems and processes for tracking the status of an item are disclosed. Systems and processes for decommissioning identifying information from pharmaceutical product containers are disclosed.

Claims

1. A system for tracking the status of an item, comprising:

a portal for receiving an item;

an interrogation zone comprising one or more readers for obtaining identification information from a data carrier affixed to said item;

a controlled access receptacle and/or one or more destruction devices;

a transporter for advancing said item from said interrogation zone to said controlled access receptacle and/or one or more destruction devices; and

a controller operatively coupled to said interrogation zone and to said transporter, wherein said controller is configured to receive said identification information from said interrogation zone and to record the status of said item after said item is advanced from said interrogation zone by said transporter and a sensor detects said item exiting said interrogation zone and/or a sensor detects that said interrogation zone no longer contains said item; and

/or a sensor detects that that said transporter has operated to advance said item.

2. The system of claim 1 wherein

said portal is a controlled access portal;

and/or

said data carrier is selected from;

a magnetic stripe;

a smart card;

a label;

an embossing;

a radio frequency identification tag;

a two-dimensional bar code;

and any other machine readable data carrier; and

/or said item is selected from the group consisting of;

a charge card;

a debit card;

a check;

a money order;

a business document;

a legal document;

a financial document;

a prototype;

a product;

a weapon;

a biological material or sample;

a pharmaceutical product;

a pharmaceutical product container;

pharmaceutical waste;

a medical device or tool;

confiscated contraband; and

criminal evidence; and

/or

at least one of said one or more readers is selected from;

a radio frequency identification reader;

an optical recognition scanner;

a MICR reader;

a smart card reader;

a digital scanner; and

any other device capable of reading various linear and two dimensional symbologies.

3. The system of claim 1 wherein

said portal is a controlled access portal having a locking door and/or said portal is a controlled access portal is a carousel;

and/or

said transporter is selected from the group consisting of;

a ram;

a hatch;

rollers;

a chute;

a mechanical claw; and

a turntable base.

4. The system of claim 1 further comprising one or more elements selected from the group consisting of:

a communication device that can transfer data from said controller to a receiver;

a centralized database operatively coupled to said controller;

a controlled access receptacle; and

one or more destruction devices.

5. The system of claim 1 comprising one or more destruction devices selected from:

an incinerator;

a shredder;

a cutter;

a crusher;

a grinder;

a chemical bath;

a scoring tool;

a laser;

a mulcher;

a pulverizer; and

a cutting wheel.

6. A process for tracking identification information from an item, comprising:

placing an item in system according to claim 1;

obtaining identification information from a data carrier affixed to said item;

transmitting said identification information to a controller configured to receive and maintain said identification information;

advancing said item from said interrogation zone to said controlled access receptacle and/or one or more destruction devices, via a transporter and recording the status of said item.

7. The process of claim 6 wherein said identification information is transmitted from said controller to a centralized database.

8. A tracking system for tracking the status of an item, comprising:

a portal for receiving an item;

an interrogation zone comprising one or more readers for obtaining identification information from a data carrier affixed to said item;

a controlled access receptacle and/or one or more destruction devices;

a transporter for delivering said item from said interrogation zone to said controlled access receptacle and/or one or more destruction devices; and

a controller operatively coupled to said interrogation zone, to said transporter, wherein said controller is configured to receive said identification information from said interrogation zone and configured to record the status of item after item is advanced from said interrogation zone by said transporter;

wherein

said portal is a control access portal which renders an item placed into it inaccessible until said item has advanced to said controlled access receptacle and/or one or more destruction devices, and/or

said system comprises multiple portals; and

/or

said portal is configured to receive multiple items simultaneously; and

/or

said system can accommodate items having multiple different shapes and/or dimensions.

9. The system of claim 8 wherein

said portal is a controlled access portal;

and/or

said data carrier is selected from;

a magnetic stripe;

a smart card;

a label;

an embossing;

a radio frequency identification tag;

a two-dimensional bar code;

and any other machine readable data carrier; and

/or said item is selected from the group consisting of;

a charge card;

a debit card;

a check;

a money order;

a business document;

a legal document;

a financial document;

a prototype;

a product;

a weapon;

a biological material or sample;

a pharmaceutical product;

a pharmaceutical product container;

pharmaceutical waste;

a medical device or tool;

confiscated contraband; and

criminal evidence; and

/or

at least one of said one or more readers is selected from;

a radio frequency identification reader;

an optical recognition scanner;

a MICR reader;

a smart card reader;

a digital scanner; and

any other device capable of reading various linear and two dimensional symbologies.

10. The system of claim 8 wherein

said portal is a controlled access portal having a locking door and/or said portal is a controlled access portal is a carousel;

and/or

said transporter is selected from the group consisting of;

a ram;

a hatch;

rollers;

a chute;

a mechanical claw; and

a turntable base.

11. The system of claim 8 further comprising one or more elements selected from the group consisting of:

a communication device that can transfer data from said controller to a receiver;

a centralized database operatively coupled to said controller;

a controlled access receptacle;

one or more destruction devices; and

a vehicle for collecting said item.

12. The system of claim 8 further comprising one or more destruction devices selected from the group consisting of:

an incinerator;

a shredder;

a cutter;

a crusher;

a grinder;

a chemical bath;

a scoring tool;

a laser;

a mulcher;

a pulverizer; and

a cutting wheel.

13. A process for tracking identification information from an item, comprising:

placing an item in system according to claim 8;

obtaining identification information from a data carrier affixed to said item;

transmitting said identification information to a controller configured to receive and maintain said identification information;

advancing said item from said interrogation zone to said controlled access receptacle and/or one or more destruction devices, via a transporter and recording the status of said item.

14. The process of claim 13 wherein said identification information is transmitted from said controller to a centralized database.

15. A process for decommissioning identifying information associated with a pharmaceutical product container, wherein the identifying information is logged in a database, comprising the steps of:

obtaining the identifying information from a pharmaceutical product container which has been identified as having identifying information to be decommissioned,

rendering the pharmaceutical product container unfit for use, and

conveying to a database that contains the identifying information, information indicating that the pharmaceutical product container bearing the identifying information is no longer in use, wherein the database is updated to reflect that the identifying information is decommissioned.

16. The process of claim 15 wherein the pharmaceutical product container is selected from the group consisting of:

a single dose package, a blister pack, a box, a bottle, a case, and a pallet.

17. The process of claim 15 wherein the pharmaceutical product container which has been identified as having identifying information to be decommissioned is an empty pharmaceutical product container collected from a pharmacy.

18. The process of claim 15 wherein the pharmaceutical product container which has been identified as having identifying information to be decommissioned is an empty pharmaceutical product container collected from a pharmacy from a collection receptacle that comprises a plurality of pharmaceutical product containers which each have identifying information to be decommissioned.

19. The process of claim 15 wherein the pharmaceutical product container which has been identified as having identifying information to be decommissioned is an empty pharmaceutical product container collected from a pharmacy from a collection receptacle that comprises a plurality of pharmaceutical product containers which each have identifying information to be decommissioned, wherein the plurality of pharmaceutical product containers is transported to a different location for obtaining identifying information and rendering the pharmaceutical product containers unfit for use.

20. The process of claim 15 wherein:

the pharmaceutical product container is collected for destruction and/or decommissioning;

the identifying information is obtained using a device which includes a component that detects and acquires identifying information affixed to the pharmaceutical product container; and

/or

said pharmaceutical product container is destroyed by the device; and

/or

the identifying information that is obtained is conveyed to the database by transmitting data electronically.

21. The method of claim 15 wherein additional information is obtained when the identifying information is obtained, and such additional information is conveyed to the database when the identifying information is conveyed to the database.