SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR CONTROLLING ACCESS TO A LOCAL INVENTORY STORAGE SYSTEM VIA A REMOTE E-COMMERCE APPLICATION

• US 20140091901A1
• Filed: 09/19/2013
• Published: 04/03/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 12/30/2004
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Life Technologies Corporation (Thermo Fisher Scientific Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Life Technologies Corporation (Thermo Fisher Scientific Incorporated)
• Inventors: NALEY, Martin, MAHONEY, Brian
• Application Number:
  US14/031,925
• Publication Number:
  US 20140091901A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/5.7
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/087 Inventory or stock management, e.g. order filling, procurement or balancing against orders
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/12 specially adapted for electronic shopping systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0603 Catalogue ordering
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0635 Processing of requisition or of purchase orders
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0641 Shopping interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/00658 operated by passive electrical keys
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 5/26 Interlocks, e.g. for locking the doors of compartments other than that to be used

Abstract

A local inventory control system according to the invention can be remotely regulated by a centralized server architecture. The local inventory control system contains product offered by a business entity, and the same business entity can control unlocking of the local inventory control system using the centralized server architecture. In a practical implementation, the inventory control features are integrated with e-commerce features such that the local inventory control system can be automatically unlocked subsequent to the completion of online purchase transactions initiated at the local site. The inventory control system is well-suited as part of a supply program to manage vendor inventories of life science research products.

Claims

1-23. -23. (canceled)

24. A storage apparatus comprising:

an enclosure having an exterior and interior;

a door for providing access to the interior of the enclosure;

a lock associated with the at least one door, the lock having an integrated circuit for controlling the unlocking of the lock; and

a processor for controlling the integrated circuit.

25. The apparatus of claim 24 comprising an inventory control system.

26. The apparatus of claim 24 wherein the enclosure is a refrigerator, freezer, or cooler.

27. The apparatus of claim 24 comprising a second door.

28. The apparatus of claim 24 comprising a display.

29. The apparatus of claim 24 comprising a user interface.

30. The apparatus of claim 24 comprising a communication module for unlocking the lock.

31. The apparatus of claim 24 comprising a radio frequency identification (RFID) reader.

32. The apparatus of claim 24 comprising at least one sensor.

33. A system comprising:

a system control network, wherein the system control network includes

an enterprise system application,

an inventory system

a packaging system, and

a shipping system;

a local inventory control system including

an enclosure having an exterior and interior;

a door for providing access to the interior of the enclosure;

a lock associated with the at least one door, the lock having an integrated circuit for controlling the unlocking of the lock; and

a processor for controlling the integrated circuit.

34. The system of claim 33 wherein the local inventory control system includes an RFID reader.

35. The system of claim 33 comprising a communication network for communication between the system control network and the local inventory control system.

36. The system of claim 35 wherein the communication network is the internet.

37. The system of claim 33 comprising an e-commerce application for identifying an item located in the enclosure.

38. The system of claim 33 wherein the local inventory control system includes a time-out system.