Method and apparatus for automated medical supply take/store tracking
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A storage cabinet apparatus comprising:
- at least one compartment having an opening for access to the compartment;
a first sensor positioned within the compartment to have a first zone of sensing; and
a second sensor positioned within the compartment to have a second zone of sensing;
wherein, compared to the second zone of sensing, the first zone of sensing is closer to the opening of the compartment; and
wherein the first sensor and the second sensor are configured to sense an inventory item in the first zone of sensing and the second zone of sensing respectively.
2 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A supply cabinet is fitted with an outer sensor and an inner sensor. The outer and inner sensor wirelessly sense inventory items tagged with radio frequency tags and in proximity of the sensors. A method of tracking inventory items stored in a supply cabinet includes determining, based on time sequencing of sensing by the outer and the inner sensor, if an inventory item was removed from the cabinet or stored into the cabinet, and updating an inventory database accordingly. An alarm is optionally triggered if an inventory item is removed by an unauthorized user.
52 Citations
18 Claims
-
1. A storage cabinet apparatus comprising:
-
at least one compartment having an opening for access to the compartment; a first sensor positioned within the compartment to have a first zone of sensing; and a second sensor positioned within the compartment to have a second zone of sensing; wherein, compared to the second zone of sensing, the first zone of sensing is closer to the opening of the compartment; and wherein the first sensor and the second sensor are configured to sense an inventory item in the first zone of sensing and the second zone of sensing respectively. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
-
-
11. A method of tracking inventory of items stored in a compartment of a supply cabinet, wherein the compartment comprises a single opening for access by a user, the method comprising the steps of:
-
receiving, at a processor, a first sensing message from a first sensor in the compartment and a second sensing message from a second sensor in the compartment that is spaced apart from the first sensor, the second sensor being closer to the opening of the compartment than the first sensor; and updating, at the processor, an inventory database for items in the supply cabinet; wherein said updating is responsive to time instants of sensing the inventory item at the first sensor and the second sensor, wherein said updating comprises removing the inventory item from the inventory database if sensing the inventory item at the first sensor occurred prior to sensing the inventory item at the second sensor, wherein said updating comprises adding the inventory item to the inventory database if sensing the inventory item at the first sensor occurred at or after sensing the inventory item at the second sensor. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13)
-
-
14. A secure storage apparatus for storing a plurality of inventory items, the secure storage apparatus comprising:
-
a supply cabinet comprising a compartment with a door; a first sensor configured to sense a first region within the compartment; a second sensor configured to sense a second region within the compartment, the second region disposed between the door and the first region; and a processor communicatively coupled with the first sensor and the second sensor; wherein the first sensor and the second sensor are further configured to sense proximate inventory items and communicate corresponding sensory messages to the processor; wherein the processor is configured to; restrict a user'"'"'s ability to open the door; determine that an inventory item was removed if the sensory message from the second sensor is received after the sensory message from the first sensor; and issue an alarm if the user opening the door was not authorized to remove the inventory item. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16, 17, 18)
-
Specification