Method of operating a dispensing cabinet

• US 7,085,621 B2
• Filed: 11/12/2003
• Issued: 08/01/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 12/07/2001
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Omnicell Incorporated
• Original Assignee: McKesson Automation Incorporated (Omnicell Inc)
• Inventors: Spano, Philip H. Jr., Meek, Robert B. Jr.
• Primary Examiner(s): Walsh, Donald P.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Butler, Michael E
• Application Number:
  US10/706,548
• Publication Number:
  US 20040098163A1
• Time in Patent Office: 993 Days
• Field of Search: 700/244, 700/236
• US Class Current: 700/236
• CPC Class Codes: A61G 12/001 Trolleys for transport of medicaments, food, linen, nursing supplies carts specially adapted for surgery or diagnosis A61B50/13; hand carts B62B3/00
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 11/62 in which the articles are stored in compartments in fixed receptacles
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/0092 for assembling and dispensing of pharmaceutical articles medical dispensers for private use, A61J7/00
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/12 comprising lockable containers, e.g. for accepting clothes to be cleaned
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 5/26 Interlocks, e.g. for locking the doors of compartments other than that to be used

Abstract

A method of operating a dispensing cabinet to identify the locations where items to be dispensed are located is comprised of a login step in which user information is entered into a processor controlling the dispensing cabinet. The processor unlocks certain doors of the dispensing cabinet in response to the user information. Assuming that a locate mode of operation has been chosen, the locations of the items to be located are determined by the processor. An alpha-numeric display positioned on a shelf within the cabinet begins flashing with the number of items to be located that are held by that shelf. After the user identifies the shelves having flashing alpha-numeric displays, the user may enter a dispense mode or may logoff causing the unlocked doors to lock.

Claims

1. A method of identifying a shelf within a cabinet, said shelf carrying at least one item to be located by a user, said method comprising displaying on a numeric, shelf-level display a number that indicates the number of different variety of items to be located which are carried by the shelf.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the display of a number includes a flashing display.

3. The method of claim 2 wherein the number stops flashing and is reset to zero in response to an item switch being activated.