Automated Will Call System

• US 20110153064A1
• Filed: 02/28/2011
• Published: 06/23/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 10/29/1999
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: David Denenberg, Eugene Fellows, Michael Jordan
• Original Assignee: David Denenberg, Eugene Fellows, Michael Jordan
• Inventors: Fellows, Eugene, Jordan, Michael, Denenberg, David
• Granted Patent: US 8,380,535 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 700/218
• CPC Class Codes: B65G 1/045 in a circular arrangement, e.g. towers
• CPC Class Codes: B65G 1/127 the circuit being confined in a vertical plane
• CPC Class Codes: B65G 1/137 with arrangements or automatic control means for selecting which articles are to be removed
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 17/00 Methods or arrangements for effecting co-operative working between equipments covered by two or more of main groups G06K1/00 - G06K15/00, e.g. automatic card files incorporating conveying and reading operations
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/087 Inventory or stock management, e.g. order filling, procurement or balancing against orders
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/203 Inventory monitoring
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 11/54 about vertical axes
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/0042 for hiring of objects
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/0092 for assembling and dispensing of pharmaceutical articles medical dispensers for private use, A61J7/00
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 20/13 delivered from dispensers

Abstract

A will call system for automating the management of storage and retrieval of items, preferably medical prescriptions. The automated system provides informational control of all items in the system. The automated will call monitors the length of time an item remains in the system, and into which location an item is placed. An article sensor provides absolute confirmation that an item has been placed or removed from a designated location in the storage unites. The automated will call system uses a controller to permit users to monitor and optimize the storage and retrieval procedures.

Claims

1. A method of providing notification regarding items placed in an automated pharmaceutical storage system comprising:

placing an item in a unique storage location in the automated pharmaceutical storage system;

identifying when the item was placed in the unique storage location;

associating a date stamp with the item, said date stamp providing a designation of when the item was placed in the unique storage location;

storing said date stamp in memory;

providing a notification after a predetermined amount of time has lapsed from said date stamp.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein said providing a notification includes providing periodic notifications.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein said providing a notification comprises creating a list of at least one item having a date stamp in which the predetermined amount of time has lapsed.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the predetermined amount of time is related to an expiration date of said item.

5. A method of providing notification regarding items placed in an automated pharmaceutical storage system comprising:

placing an item in a unique storage location in the automated pharmaceutical storage system;

identifying when the item was placed in the unique storage location;

associating a date stamp with the item, said date stamp providing a designation of when the item was placed in the unique storage location;

storing said date stamp in memory;

storing the unique storage location of said item in memory;

providing a notification after a predetermined amount of time has lapsed from said date stamp.

6. The method of claim 5 wherein said providing a notification includes providing periodic notifications.

7. The method of claim 5 wherein the predetermined amount of time is related to an expiration date of said item.

8. The method of claim 7 wherein said providing a notification comprises creating a list of at least one item having a data stamp in which the predetermined amount of time has lapsed.

9. The method of claim 8 additionally comprising removing said at least one item on the list from the unique storage location.

10. The method of claim 9 additionally comprising clearing the unique storage location associated with said at least one removed item from the memory when the item is removed.

11. A method of purging selected pharmaceuticals from a plurality of pharmaceuticals stored in a storage unit, wherein information regarding the pharmaceuticals is stored in a controller, the information including the location of the pharmaceutical within the storage unit, the method comprising the steps of:

identifying via the controller pharmaceuticals that have exceeded a predetermined amount of time in the storage unit;

identifying via the controller the locations of the overdue pharmaceuticals within the storage unit; and

purging the storage area of the overdue pharmaceuticals.

12. The method defined in claim 11, wherein the controller is in communication with the storage unit.

13. The method defined in claim 12, further comprising generating a signal via the controller indicating the location of overdue pharmaceuticals.

14. The method defined in claim 13, wherein the storage unit includes a plurality of individual storage locations, and wherein the step of generating a signal comprises indicating the individual storage location in which the overdue pharmaceutical is stored.

15. The method defined in claim 14, wherein the controller signals the storage unit to convey the individual storage location that houses each overdue pharmaceutical to a position convenient for purging.

16. The method defined in claim 13, wherein indicating the storage location of an overdue prescription comprises illuminating a light associated with the storage location.

17. The method defined in claim 11, further comprising the step of clearing the storage location of the overdue pharmaceutical from the controller after the purging step.

18. A method of purging selected pharmaceuticals from a plurality of pharmaceuticals stored in individual storage locations within a storage unit, wherein information regarding the pharmaceuticals is stored in a controller, the information including the location of the pharmaceutical within the storage area, the method comprising the steps of:

(a) identifying via the controller pharmaceuticals which have exceeded a predetermined amount of time in the storage unit;

(b) identifying a first storage location that houses a first overdue pharmaceutical;

(c) purging the first storage location of the first overdue pharmaceutical; and

(d) repeating steps (b) and (c) on subsequent storage locations until the overdue pharmaceuticals are purged.

19. The method defined in claim 18, further comprising the step of providing a signal designating the position of the first storage location prior to step (c).

20. The method defined in claim 19, further comprising the step of illuminating an indicator associated with the first storage location.

21. The method defined in claim 18, further comprising the step of conveying the first storage location to a position convenient for purging prior to step (c).

22. The method defined in claim 18, further comprising the step of clearing the storage locations of the overdue pharmaceuticals from the controller.