SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR PROVIDING INFORMATION REGARDING A STATUS OF AN ITEM

• US 20110137759A1
• Filed: 12/07/2010
• Published: 06/09/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 12/07/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: St Engineering Aethon Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Aethon
• Inventors: Wellington, Robert J., Curren, Brian R., Wolfe, David G., Seip, Kevin F.
• Granted Patent: US 9,245,305 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/28
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06 Resources, workflows, human or project management; Enterprise or organisation planning; Enterprise or organisation modelling
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/0833 Tracking
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/087 Inventory or stock management, e.g. order filling, procurement or balancing against orders
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 20/13 delivered from dispensers

Abstract

A system. A system includes a computing system. The computing system includes a processor, a first module, a second module, and a third module. The first module is communicably connected to the processor and is configured for receiving chain of custody information associated with an item. The second module is communicably connected to the processor and is configured for determining a status of the item based on the received chain of custody information. The third module is communicably connected to the processor and is configured for arranging data into a specified format. The data includes the status of the item and the chain of custody information. The third module is also configured for transmitting the data.

Claims

1. A system, comprising:

a computing system, wherein the computing system comprises;

a processor;

a first module communicably connected to the processor, wherein the first module is configured for receiving chain of custody information associated with an item;

a second module communicably connected to the processor, wherein the second module is configured for determining a status of the item based on the received chain of custody information; and

a third module communicably connected to the processor, wherein the third module is configured for;

arranging data into a specified format, wherein the data comprises the status of the item and the chain of custody information; and

transmitting the data.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the chain of custody information comprises:

item information;

identification information associated with one or more persons who have gained access to the item; and

location information associated with an apparatus which transports the item from a first location to a second location.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein the item information comprises at least one of the following:

a name of the item; and

an amount of the item.

4. The system of claim 2, wherein the identification information comprises at least one of the following:

a name of the one or more persons; and

a time the one or more persons gained access to the item.

5. The system of claim 2, wherein the location information comprises at least one of the following:

the first location of the apparatus;

the second location of the apparatus;

one or more locations of the apparatus other than the first location and the second location;

a first time when the apparatus starts moving away from the first location; and

a second time when the apparatus arrives at the second location.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the computing system further comprises a storage device communicably connected to the processor.

7. The system of claim 1, further comprising an apparatus communicably connected to the computing system, wherein the apparatus is configured for securely transporting the item from a first location to a second location.

8. The system of claim 7, wherein the apparatus comprises a cart.

9. The system of claim 7, wherein the apparatus comprises:

a cart; and

an interface connected to the cart, wherein the interface is configured to wirelessly communicate with at least one automated device.

10. The system of claim 7, wherein the apparatus comprises:

a cart;

an interface connected to the cart; and

a mobile robot coupled to the cart and communicably connected to the mobile robot.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein the interface is configured to wirelessly communicate with at least one automated device other than the mobile robot.

18. The system of claim 9, wherein the at least one automated device is a lockbox.

19. The system of claim 11, wherein the at least one automated device is a lockbox.

12. A method, comprising:

receiving, at a computing device, chain of custody information associated with an item;

determining, at the computing device, a status of the item based on the chain of custody information;

at the computing device, arranging data into a specified format, wherein the data comprises the status of the item and the chain of custody information; and

transmitting the data from the computing device.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein receiving the chain of custody information comprises receiving:

item information;

identification information associated with one or more persons who have gained access to the item; and

location information associated with an apparatus which transports the item from a first location to a second location.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein receiving the item information comprises receiving at least one of the following:

a name of the item; and

an amount of the item.

15. The method of claim 13, wherein receiving the identification information comprises receiving at least one of the following:

a name of the one or more persons; and

a time the one or more persons gained access to the item.

16. The method of claim 13, wherein receiving the location information comprises receiving at least one of the following:

the first location of the apparatus;

the second location of the apparatus;

one or more locations of the apparatus other than the first location and the second location;

a first time when the apparatus starts moving away from the first location; and

a second time when the apparatus arrives at the second location.

17. The method of claim 12, further comprising storing, at the computing device, the status of the item and the chain of custody information.