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Systems controlled by data bearing records for maintaining inventory data

  • US 8,939,365 B1
  • Filed: 12/28/2012
  • Issued: 01/27/2015
  • Est. Priority Date: 09/13/2007
  • Status: Active Grant
First Claim
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1. Apparatus comprising:

  • at least one reader,wherein the at least one reader is operable to read identifying data that is usable to identify a user as an authorized user,a housing,a door,wherein the housing bounds an interior area,wherein the housing includes an opening,wherein the opening provides access from outside the housing to the interior area,a lock,wherein the door is movably mounted in movably supported connection with the housing,wherein the door is movable between an open position and a closed position,wherein in the open position the interior area is accessible from outside the housing through the opening, andwherein in the closed position the door prevents access to the interior area from outside the housing through the opening,wherein the lock is associated with the door,wherein the lock is changeable between a locked condition and an unlocked condition,wherein in the locked condition the lock is configured to hold the door in the closed position,a holder,wherein the holder includes a plurality of storage locations,wherein each storage location is configured to removably accept a medical item holding container therein,wherein the holder is in supported connection with the housing in the interior area,a plurality of wireless readers,wherein each wireless reader is positioned adjacent to a corresponding one of the storage locations,a plurality of medical item holding containers,wherein each container is configured to hold at least one medical item,a plurality of wireless transmitters,wherein each container is associated with a wireless transmitter,wherein each respective wireless transmitter is operable to output at least one wireless signal,wherein the at least one wireless signal is usable to identify at least one of a particular container or a medical item held by the particular container,wherein each respective wireless reader adjacent a corresponding storage location is operable to receive at least one wireless signal from a wireless transmitter associated with a container when the container is positioned in the storage location, andwherein the respective wireless reader is configured to not receive the at least one wireless signal from the wireless transmitter when the container is not positioned in the holder,at least one processor,wherein the at least one processor is in operative connection with the at least one reader, the lock, the plurality of wireless readers, and at least one data store which includes data corresponding to identifying data for each of a plurality of authorized users,a plurality of medical items held by the containers, and patient data,wherein the at least one processor is operable to;

    cause the lock to change from the locked condition to the unlocked condition, responsive at least in part to the at least one reader reading authorization data corresponding to a first user, andthen cause to be stored in the at least one data store, data indicating that at least one of a first medical item or a first container containing the first medical item was removed from the housing by the first user, responsive at least in part to a first wireless reader ceasing to receive at least one wireless signal from the wireless transmitter associated with the first container containing the first medical item, wherein each container includes a wireless receiver and programmable memory,wherein each storage location includes a wireless programming device operable to program the programmable memory of a container in the storage location,wherein the at least one processor is in operative connection with the wireless programming device of each storage location,wherein the at least one processor is operable to cause to be included in the programmable memory of the first container, data corresponding to a first patient associated with the first medical item, anda display in operative connection with the at least one processor,wherein the at least one processor is operative to cause the display to output holder indicia that includes a visual representation of at least one narcotic item in each container in a respective storage location in the holder, andwherein the at least one processor is operative to cause the holder indicia to change to no longer indicate a representation of the first narcotic item in a storage location when the first container holding such first narcotic item is not in the storage location.

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