Item storage and tracking cabinet and arrangement

• US 9,224,124 B2
• Filed: 10/27/2014
• Issued: 12/29/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 10/29/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Mobile Aspects
• Original Assignee: Mobile Aspects
• Inventors: Rahim, Muhammad R., Le, Khang Nguyen, Sriharto, Timur P., Kardono, Pribadi, Mandava, Suneil
• Primary Examiner(s): VO, TUYEN KIM
• Application Number:
  US14/524,542
• Publication Number:
  US 20150115029A1
• Time in Patent Office: 428 Days
• Field of Search: 235/375, 235/383, 235/385, 235/381, 340/10.1, 340/10.2, 340/572.1
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/087 Inventory or stock management, e.g. order filling, procurement or balancing against orders
• 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 9/001 Interfacing with vending machines using mobile or wearable devices
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 9/009 User recognition or proximity detection
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 9/026 for alarm, monitoring and auditing in vending machines or means for indication, e.g. when empty
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 40/20 for the management or administration of healthcare resources or facilities, e.g. managing hospital staff or surgery rooms

Abstract

An item storage and tracking unit for holding a plurality of discrete items may include a housing including a plurality of receptacles positioned therein and defining a plurality of associated inner areas. A signal emitting device is associated with at least one item and configured to emit a signal. At least one movement sensor and/or at least one weight sensor may be associated with each receptacle of the plurality of receptacles. At least one signal receiving arrangement is associated with each receptacle and configured to scan at least a portion of the inner area of the associated receptacle for the signal emitted from the signal emitting device associated with the at least one item. The scan is initiated at least partly in response to a determination by the at least one movement sensor, the at least one weight sensor, and/or an antenna associated with the associated receptacle.

Claims

1. An item storage and tracking unit for holding a plurality of discrete items, comprising:

a housing including a plurality of receptacles positioned therein and defining a plurality of associated inner areas;

at least one signal emitting device associated with at least one item of the plurality of discrete items and configured to emit a signal, wherein the at least one item is accessible by accessing at least one receptacle of the plurality of receptacles;

at least one movement sensor associated with each receptacle of the plurality of receptacles and configured to detect access to the at least one receptacle;

at least one signal receiving arrangement associated with each receptacle of the plurality of receptacles and configured to scan at least a portion of the inner area of the associated receptacle for the signal emitted from the at least one signal emitting device associated with the at least one item of the plurality of discrete items, wherein the scan is initiated at least partly in response to the at least one movement sensor associated with the associated receptacle detecting access to the associated receptacle; and

at least one weight sensor associated with each receptacle of the plurality of receptacles and configured to measure a weight before the at least one movement sensor associated with the associated receptacle detects an access to the associated receptacle, and a weight after the at least one movement sensor associated with the associated receptacle detects an access to the associated receptacle, wherein the at least one signal receiving arrangement is configured to not initiate a scan of the inner area of the associated receptacle if the weight before the detected access is substantially equal to the weight after the detected access.

2. The item storage and tracking unit according to claim 1, wherein the signal comprises a characteristic unique to the at least one item and/or a type of item.

3. The item storage and tracking unit according to claim 1, wherein at least one of the plurality of items is positionable within at least one of the inner areas in any position and/or orientation.

4. The item storage and tracking unit according to claim 1, wherein the at least one signal emitting device comprises at least one radio frequency transponder, and the at least one signal receiving arrangement comprises at least one antenna.

5. The item storage and tracking unit according to claim 1, wherein the at least one signal receiving arrangement is configured to not initiate a scan of the inner area of the associated receptacle for the signal emitted from the at least one signal emitting device if the at least one movement sensor associated with the associated receptacle does not detect access to the associated receptacle.

6. The item storage and tracking unit according to claim 1, wherein the at least one signal receiving arrangement is configured to scan the inner area of the associated receptacle if the weight before the detected access is different from the weight after the detected access.

7. The item storage and tracking unit according to claim 1, wherein at least one surface or area of the unit comprises at least one shielding element configured to at least one of minimize, redirect, and prevent the signal emitted from the at least one signal emitting device from passing therethrough.

8. The item storage and tracking unit according to claim 7, further comprising at least one absorption layer between the at least one signal receiving arrangement and the at least one shielding element.

9. The item storage and tracking unit of claim 8, wherein the at least one weight sensor is attached to a bottom side of the at least one shielding element opposite the at least one absorption layer.

10. A method of determining an inventory of an item storage and tracking unit holding a plurality of discrete items, comprising:

(a) providing the item storage and tracking unit, comprising;

a housing including a plurality of receptacles positioned therein and defining a plurality of associated inner areas,

at least one signal emitting device associated with at least one item of the plurality of discrete items and configured to emit a signal, wherein the at least one item is accessible by accessing at least one receptacle of the plurality of receptacles,

at least one movement sensor associated with each receptacle of the plurality of receptacles and configured to detect access to the associated receptacle,

at least one weight sensor associated with each receptacle of the plurality of receptacles and configured to measure a weight before the at least one movement sensor associated with the associated receptacle detects an access to the associated receptacle, and a weight after the at least one movement sensor associated with the associated receptacle detects an access to the associated receptacle,

at least one signal receiving arrangement associated with each receptacle of the plurality of receptacles; and

(b) scanning, by the at least one signal receiving arrangement, at least a portion of the inner area of the associated receptacle for the signal emitted from the at least one signal emitting device associated with the at least one item of the plurality of discrete items, wherein the scan is initiated at least partly in response to the at least one movement sensor associated with the associated receptacle detecting access to the associated receptacle, and wherein the scan is not initiated if the weight before the detected access is substantially equal to the weight after the detected access.

11. An item storage and tracking unit for holding a plurality of discrete items, comprising:

a housing including a plurality of receptacles positioned therein and defining a plurality of associated inner areas;

at least one signal emitting device associated with at least one item of the plurality of discrete items and configured to emit a signal, wherein the at least one item is accessible by accessing at least one receptacle of the plurality of receptacles;

at least one weight sensor associated with each receptacle of the plurality of receptacles and configured to measure a weight before an access to the item storage and tracking unit is performed by a user and a weight after an access to the item storage and tracking unit is performed by the user; and

at least one signal receiving arrangement associated with each receptacle of the plurality of receptacles and configured to scan at least a portion of the inner area of the associated receptacle for the signal emitted from the at least one signal emitting device associated with the at least one item of the plurality of discrete items, wherein the scan is initiated at least partly in response to a comparison of the weight before the user access to the weight after the user access, and wherein the at least one weight sensor of the associated receptacle comprises at least one platform connected by at least one cable to the weight sensor.

12. The item storage and tracking unit according to claim 11, wherein at least one of the plurality of items is positionable within at least one of the inner areas in any position and/or orientation.

13. The item storage and tracking unit according to claim 11, further comprising at least one movement sensor associated with each receptacle of the plurality of receptacles and configured to detect access to at least one receptacle of the plurality of receptacles.

14. The item storage and tracking unit according to claim 13, wherein the at least one signal receiving arrangement is configured to not initiate a scan of the inner area of the associated receptacle if the at least one movement sensor does not detect access.

15. The item storage and tracking unit according to claim 11, wherein the access is detected by the sensing of at least one of the opening a door of the unit and the opening a drawer of the unit.

16. A method of determining an inventory of an item storage and tracking unit holding a plurality of discrete items, comprising:

(a) providing the item storage and tracking unit comprising;

a housing including a plurality of receptacles positioned therein and defining a plurality of associated inner areas,

at least one signal emitting device associated with at least one item of the plurality of discrete items and configured to emit a signal, wherein the at least one item is accessible by accessing at least one receptacle of the plurality of receptacles,

at least one weight sensor associated with each receptacle of the plurality of receptacles and configured to detect weight change in or associated with the associated receptacle, and

at least one signal receiving arrangement associated with each receptacle of the plurality of receptacles; and

(b) scanning, by the at least one signal receiving arrangement, at least a portion of the inner area of the associated receptacle for the signal emitted from the at least one signal emitting device associated with the at least one item of the plurality of discrete items, wherein the scan is initiated at least partly in response to a comparison of the weight before the user access to the weight after the user access, and wherein the at least one weight sensor of the associated receptacle comprises at least one platform connected by at least one cable to the weight sensor.

17. An item storage and tracking unit for holding a plurality of discrete items, comprising:

a housing including a plurality of receptacles positioned therein and defining a plurality of associated inner areas;

at least one signal emitting device associated with at least one item of the plurality of discrete items and configured to emit a signal, wherein the at least one item is accessible by accessing at least one receptacle of the plurality of receptacles; and

at least one signal receiving arrangement associated with each receptacle of the plurality of receptacles and configured to scan at least a portion of the inner area of the associated receptacle for the signal emitted from the at least one signal emitting device associated with the at least one item of the plurality of discrete items, wherein the scan is initiated at least partly in response to at least one user signal emitting device associated with at least one user being detected by the at least one signal receiving arrangement of the associated receptacle, wherein the at least one user signal emitting device associated with the at least one user is configured to emit a signal that comprises a characteristic unique to the at least one user, and wherein the at least one signal receiving arrangement of the associated receptacle detects the signal emitted from the at least one user signal emitting device that comprises the characteristic unique to the at least one user.

18. A method of determining an inventory of an item storage and tracking unit holding a plurality of discrete items, comprising:

(a) providing the item storage and tracking unit comprising;

a housing including a plurality of receptacles positioned therein and defining a plurality of associated inner areas,

at least one signal emitting device associated with at least one item of the plurality of discrete items and configured to emit a signal, wherein the at least one item is accessible by accessing at least one receptacle of the plurality of receptacles,

at least one signal receiving arrangement associated with each receptacle of the plurality of receptacles; and

(b) scanning, by the at least one signal receiving arrangement, at least a portion of the inner area of the associated receptacle for the signal emitted from the at least one signal emitting device associated with the at least one item of the plurality of discrete items, wherein the scan is initiated at least partly in response to at least one user signal emitting device associated with at least one user being detected by the at least one signal receiving arrangement of the associated receptacle, wherein the at least one user signal emitting device associated with the at least one user is configured to emit a signal that comprises a characteristic unique to the at least one user and wherein the at least one signal receiving arrangement of the associated receptacle detects the signal emitted from the at least one user signal emitting device that comprises the characteristic unique to the at least one user.