System and method for securely transporting an item

• US 9,618,931 B2
• Filed: 10/23/2014
• Issued: 04/11/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 12/05/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: St Engineering Aethon Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Aethon
• Inventors: Zini, Aldo, Skirble, Barry Mark, Seiff, Peter T., Seip, Kevin F.
• Primary Examiner(s): Badii, Behrang
• Assistant Examiner(s): TESTARDI, DAVID A
• Application Number:
  US14/522,030
• Publication Number:
  US 20150045945A1
• Time in Patent Office: 901 Days
• Field of Search: 700258
• CPC Class Codes: B25J 11/009 Nursing, e.g. carrying sick persons, pushing wheelchairs, distributing drugs
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 19/41895 using automatic guided vehicles [AGV] control of position or course of AGV's G05D1/00
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/31006 Monitoring of vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/31086 Communication of carriage, agv data, workpiece data at each station
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/31286 Detect position of articles and equipment by receivers, identify objects by code
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/31432 Keep track of conveyed workpiece, batch, tool, conditions of stations, cells
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/31446 Detect if workpiece, object present
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/31454 Keep track of vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 20/13 delivered from dispensers
• CPC Class Codes: Y02P 90/02 Total factory control, e.g. smart factories, flexible manufacturing systems [FMS] or integrated manufacturing systems [IMS]
• CPC Class Codes: Y02P 90/60 Electric or hybrid propulsion means for production processes

Abstract

A system. The system includes an apparatus and a server. The apparatus is configured for securely transporting an item from a first location to a second location, and includes a mobile robot and a cart. The cart is coupled to the mobile robot and includes at least one secure storage area. The server is communicably connected to the apparatus and includes a module. The module is configured to maintain a chain of custody record for the item.

Claims

1. A method for securely transporting an item, the method comprising:

within an environment including a system comprising a server, a facility computing system, and an apparatus each in communication with each other, wherein the apparatus is configured to securely transport at least one item within a secure storage area of the apparatus from a first location to a second location within the facility, wherein the server comprises a module configured to generate a chain of custody record associated with the at least one item transported by the apparatus, wherein the method includes the steps of;

receiving, by the facility computing system from a device at the second location, second location removal information regarding data about the at least one item that has been removed from the device;

receiving, by the apparatus at the first location, replenish information regarding data about the at least one item placed into the secure storage area, wherein the replenish information includes first location personnel identity information identifying a first person placing the at least one item into the secure storage area;

transporting the apparatus to the second location, wherein when the apparatus receives authorization information, the apparatus transmits instructions to cause the device at the second location to display the second location removal information, the device having a plurality of storage drawers, with at least one storage drawer corresponding to the at least one item, the device in communication with the facility computing system;

granting a second person at the second location access to the secure storage area by the apparatus automatically unlocking the secure storage area;

transmitting, by the apparatus, second location personnel identity information identifying the second person to the server;

transmitting, by the apparatus, apparatus removal information regarding data about the at least one item removed from the apparatus by the second person at the second location to the server;

transmitting, by the apparatus, instructions to unlock at the least one storage drawer of the device corresponding to the at least one item removed from the secure storage area by the second person at the second location; and

,

transmitting continuously or intermittently, via the apparatus, apparatus position information to the server as the apparatus moves from the first location to the second location.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the replenish information is obtained via a radio-frequency identification tag reader.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the replenish information is obtained via a bar code reader.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprises the second local removal information, the replenish information, the authorization information, the first location personnel identity information, the second location personnel identity information, the apparatus removal information, and the apparatus position information.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the first location personnel identity information is obtained via a radio-frequency identification tag reader.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the first location personnel identity information is obtained via a biometric reader.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the second location personnel identity information is obtained via a radio-frequency identification tag reader.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the second location personnel identity information is obtained via a biometric reader.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the apparatus comprises a cart coupled to a mobile robot, wherein the cart includes the secure storage area.

10. A system, comprising:

an apparatus configured for securely transporting an item from a first location within a facility to a second location within the facility, the apparatus comprising;

a mobile robot; and

a cart coupled to the mobile robot, the cart comprising;

at least one secure storage area having the item stored therein;

wherein the mobile robot is configured to autonomously advance the cart from the first location to the second location within the facility;

wherein the cart is configured to automatically unlock the at least one secure storage area; and

a server communicably connected to the apparatus, wherein the server is configured for;

receiving information transmitted from the apparatus, wherein the received information comprises;

information associated with a first person who loaded the item into the at least one secure storage area at the first location;

information associated with a position of the cart within the facility; and

information associated with a second person who removed the item from the at least one secure storage area at the second location; and

generating and maintaining a chain of custody record for the item based on the received information, wherein the chain of custody record comprises;

the information associated with the first person who loaded the item into the at least one secure storage area at the first location;

the information associated with the position of the cart within the facility; and

the information associated with the second person who removed the item from the at least one secure storage area at the second location.

11. The system of claim 10 further comprising a device located at the second location, the device having a plurality of storage drawers, each storage drawer corresponding to the item, wherein the apparatus transmits instructions to cause the device to unlock the drawer corresponding to the item removed from the at least one secure storage area at the second location.

12. The system of claim 10, wherein the cart comprises a biometric reader.

13. The system of claim 10, wherein the mobile robot comprises a computing device.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein the mobile robot further comprises a plurality of sensors connected to the computing device.

15. The system of claim 13, wherein the mobile robot further comprises a power source connected to the computing device.

16. The system of claim 15, wherein the computing device further comprises a motor connected to the battery.

17. The system of claim 10, wherein the cart further comprises an input device.

18. The system of claim 10, wherein the cart further comprises a radio-frequency identification tag reader.

19. The system of claim 10, wherein the cart further comprises a bar code reader.

20. The system of claim 10, wherein the cart is electrically and mechanically coupled to the mobile robot.

21. The system of claim 10, wherein the apparatus further comprises a post configured to couple the mobile robot with the cart.

22. The system of claim 21, wherein the mobile robot defines a receptacle configured for receiving the post.

23. The system of claim 10, further comprising an interface connected to the cart, wherein the interface is configured to wirelessly communicate with at least one other automated device.