PORTABLE INVENTORY TRACKING SYSTEM

• US 20110016026A1
• Filed: 07/14/2009
• Published: 01/20/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 07/14/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Carefusion 303 Incorporated (Becton, Dickinson & Co)
• Original Assignee: Cardinal Health 303 Incorporated (Cardinal Health, Inc.)
• Inventors: Godlewski, Peter
• Granted Patent: US 10,657,488 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/28
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/08 Logistics, e.g. warehousing, loading or distribution; Inventory or stock management
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/087 Inventory or stock management, e.g. order filling, procurement or balancing against orders
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/0875 Itemisation or classification of parts, supplies or services, e.g. bill of materials
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 20/13 delivered from dispensers

Abstract

A system for tracking the quantity of an item is disclosed. The system includes a portable terminal, a client, and a cabinet. The portable terminal is configured to receive information indicating a change in the quantity of the item in a container. The portable terminal includes a unique identifier, an input device configured to be actuated to indicate the change in the quantity of the item in the container, and a transceiver configured to transmit the information indicating. The client is configured to associate the portable terminal with the item based on the unique identifier, and includes a transceiver configured to receive and transmit the information. The cabinet includes the container and a controller configured to change a value indicating a quantity of the item based on the information transmitted from the client. A method for tracking the quantity of an item is also provided.

Claims

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

a portable terminal, configured to receive information indicating a change in the quantity of the item in a container, the portable terminal comprising;

a unique identifier associated with the portable terminal;

an input device configured to be actuated to indicate the change in the quantity of the item in the container; and

a transceiver configured to transmit the information indicating the change in the quantity of the item;

a client, configured to associate the portable terminal with the item based on the unique identifier, comprising a transceiver configured to receive the information indicating the change in the quantity of the item from the portable terminal, and transmit the information; and

a cabinet comprising;

the container configured to store the item; and

a controller configured to change a value indicating a quantity of the item based on the information transmitted from the client.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the portable terminal further comprises an indicator configured to indicate the actuation of the input device;

and

3. The system of claim 1, the client further comprising a user interface configured to receive instructions to disassociate the portable terminal with the item, and to associate the portable terminal with another item based on the unique identifier and input from a user.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the transceiver of the client is configured to determine whether the container in the cabinet includes the item.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the transceiver of the client is configured to receive information from a plurality of portable terminals.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the portable terminal further comprises a sensor configured to determine if the portable terminal is currently in use.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the portable terminal further comprises an attachment module configured to couple the portable terminal to a portion of a container that includes the item.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the input device is a push button.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein the input device includes a first button and a second button, the first button configured to indicate an increase in the quantity of the item, and the second button configured to indicate a decrease in the quantity of the item.

11. The system of claim 1, further comprising a client configured to associate the portable terminal with the item based on the unique identifier, the client comprising:

a transceiver configured to receive the information indicating the change in the quantity of the item from the portable terminal, and transmit the information to an inventory-tracking device.

10. A system for tracking the quantity of an item comprising:

a portable terminal configured to receive information indicating a change in the quantity of the item in a container, the portable terminal comprising;

a unique identifier associated with the portable terminal;

an input device configured to be actuated to indicate a change in the quantity of the item in the container; and

a transceiver configured to transmit the information indicating the change in the quantity of the item.

12. A method for tracking the quantity of an item comprising:

receiving information from a portable terminal coupled to a first terminal location in a cabinet, the information indicating a change in the quantity;

associating the information with an item in a container of the cabinet based on a unique identifier associated with the portable terminal; and

receiving information from the portable terminal at a second terminal location in a cabinet, the information indicating a change in the quantity of the same item.

13. The method of claim 12, further comprising transmitting the information to a controller configured to change a value indicating a quantity of the item based on the transmitted information, wherein the cabinet comprises the controller.

14. The method of claim 12, wherein after receiving information from the portable terminal at the second terminal location in the cabinet, the method further comprises determining if the item is in the first location of a container of the cabinet, or in another container in the cabinet.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the determining is based on which containers in the cabinet are accessible.

16. The method of claim 12, further comprising:

receiving a request to associate the portable terminal with another item in the cabinet;

associating the portable terminal with the other item in the cabinet based on the request and the unique identifier;

receiving information from the portable terminal indicating another change in quantity; and

associating the information indicating the other change in quantity with the other item based on the unique identifier.