Material tracking system

• US 10,521,765 B2
• Filed: 06/09/2017
• Issued: 12/31/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 06/17/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: PCT Ltd.
• Original Assignee: PCT Ltd.
• Inventors: Paris, Marion E.
• Primary Examiner(s): Dsouza, Adolf
• Application Number:
  US15/619,062
• Publication Number:
  US 20170286904A1
• Time in Patent Office: 935 Days
• Field of Search: None
• CPC Class Codes: A61L 2/18 Liquid substances or solutions comprising solids or dissolved gases
• CPC Class Codes: A61L 2/24 Apparatus using programmed or automatic operation
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/087 Inventory or stock management, e.g. order filling, procurement or balancing against orders
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/10 Office automation; Time management
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/182 Level alarms, e.g. alarms responsive to variables exceeding a threshold
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 40/20 for the management or administration of healthcare resources or facilities, e.g. managing hospital staff or surgery rooms
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 40/63 for local operation
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 70/20 relating to practices or guidelines
• CPC Class Codes: Y02A 90/10 Information and communication technologies [ICT] supporting adaptation to climate change, e.g. for weather forecasting or climate simulation

Abstract

A system monitors the distribution of a disinfectant having an expiration. The system has distribution containers and use containers, each having a volume for dispensing the disinfectant. A reader of the system can read identifiers associated with the containers, and a database of the system can associate the volumes and the expiration of the disinfectant contained in each of the containers. During monitoring, processing equipment of the system tracks each of the volumes of the disinfectant, the expiration of the disinfectant, and the identifiers of the containers. For example, the processing equipment can log the dispensing of the disinfectant from the distribution container to the use containers and can log any amount of the dispensed disinfectant in the use containers that was noted used. Additionally, the processing equipment can determine that the distribution container or any of the user containers have disinfectant past the expiration.

Claims

1. A system for monitoring treatment of locations of a facility with a disinfectant, the disinfectant being expirable and being dispensed from a plurality of portable containers, each portable container having a volume that is fillable repeatedly with the disinfectant for dispensing in the treatment, the system comprising:

generation equipment configured to produce at least one type of the disinfectant;

a plurality of first identifiers being electronically readable and being associated with the plurality of portable containers each having the volume that is fillable repeatedly with the at least one type of the disinfectant for dispensing in the treatment;

communication equipment obtaining electronic input at least of each first identifier associated with the portable containers before dispensing in the treatment;

at least one database associating first information of each first identifier for each portable container with each volume and each expiration of the at least one type of the disinfectant filled in and dispensed from each portable container;

processing equipment operatively coupled to the at least one database and the communication equipment, the processing equipment tracking the first information using the electronic input and alerting an issue with the at least one type of the disinfectant in a given one of the portable containers before dispensing in the treatment based on the tracking; and

a filling station having the generation equipment incorporated therein with at least one component of one or more of the communication equipment, the at least one database, and the processing equipment, the filling station configured as a point of generation and distribution to fill the portable containers with the at least one type of the disinfectant.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the first identifiers comprise at least one of a Radio Frequency Identification tag, a bar code, a quick response (QR) code, a magnetic strip, a near field communication element, an optical element, and an electromagnetic element.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the communication equipment comprises at least one reader electronically reading the first identifiers before dispensing in the treatment.

4. The system of claim 3, wherein the at least one reader is selected from the group consisting of a Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) reader, an optical scanner, a barcode reader, a Quick Response (QR) code reader, a magnetic strip reader, a near field communication device, an optical device, and an electromagnetic device.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the processing equipment comprises one or more of a server, a computer, a tablet, a laptop computer, a kiosk, a cellular phone, and a smart phone.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the communication equipment comprises a user interface associated with the processing equipment.

7. The system of claim 1, further comprising second identifiers being electronically readable and being associated with the locations for the treatment with the at least one type of the disinfectant, the at least one database associating the locations with the first information, the communication equipment obtaining the locations as part of the electronic input;

the processing equipment further tracking the locations in conjunction with the first information.

8. The system of claim 7, wherein at least one of:

to alert the issue, the processing equipment is configured to alert the expiration of the at least one type of the disinfectant associated with one of the first identifiers being used for the treatment of the location associated with one of the second identifiers;

the communication equipment comprises at least one reader electronically reading the second identifiers; and

to track the locations, the processing equipment is configured to associate a type of the treatment performed at the location, a user performing the treatment at the location, and a time of the treatment at the location.

9. The system of claim 7, wherein the at least one database associates second information of protocols for types of cleaning with the second identifiers for the locations;

and wherein in the treatment of a given one of the locations with the at least one type of the disinfectant in a given one of the portable containers, the processing equipment is configured to obtain the protocol and the communication equipment is configured to provide the protocol to a user.

10. The system of claim 1, wherein to track the first information, the processing equipment is configured to at least one of:

log the filling of each volume of the at least one type of the disinfectant in each portable container; and

measure the at least one type of the disinfectant dispensed in the filling.

11. The system of claim 1, wherein to alert the issue with the at least one type of the disinfectant, the processing equipment is configured to execute one or more rules.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein the processing equipment in the one or more rules is configured to at least one of:

generate an alert when the given portable container indicates containing the at least one type of the disinfectant past the expiration;

automatically dispose of the at least one type of the disinfectant from the given portable container indicated to contain the disinfectant past the expiration; and

instruct manual disposal of the at least one type of the disinfectant from the given portable container indicated to contain the at least one type of the disinfectant past the expiration.

13. The system of claim 1, wherein to track, the processing equipment is configured to determine that the given portable container contains the at least one type of the disinfectant past the expiration;

and wherein to alert the issue, the processing equipment is configured to alert the expiration based on the determination.

14. The system of claim 1, wherein to track, the processing equipment is configured to determine that the volume of the at least one type of the disinfectant in the given portable container has been depleted;

and wherein to alert the issue, the processing equipment is configured to alert the depletion based on the determination.

15. The system of claim 1, wherein one of the first identifiers identifies a distribution container being filled with the at least one type of the disinfectant at a source and transported to the facility for dispensing.

16. The system of claim 15, wherein another of the first identifiers identifies a use container of the portable containers, the use container being filled with the at least one type of the disinfectant from the distribution container for use at the facility.

17. The system of claim 1, wherein the first identifiers identify one or more use containers of the portable containers, the one or more use containers comprising at least one of a spray bottle, an electrostatic sprayer, a hand-sanitizer dispenser, a disinfectant container, and a sanitation container.

18. The system of claim 1, wherein the processing equipment comprises a local processing unit at the facility.

19. The system of claim 18, wherein the processing equipment further comprises a remote processing unit operatively coupled to the local processing unit via a network connection.

20. The system of claim 1, further comprising second identifiers being electronically readable and being associated with locations for the treatment with the at least one type of the disinfectant, the at least one database associating the locations with the first information;

wherein the communication equipment comprises at least one device obtaining the first identifier for a given one of the portable containers and obtaining the second identifier for a given one of the locations;

the processing equipment further tracking the treatment of the given location in conjunction with the first information of the given portable container.

21. The system of claim 20, wherein the at least one device comprises:

a first reader associated with the filling station and electronically reading the first identifier of the given portable container; and

a user interface having a second reader electronically reading the second identifier of the given location and being operable to associate the second identifier with the first identifier of the given portable container used.

22. The system of claim 21, wherein the second reader of the user interface electronically reads the first identifier to associate the first identifier with the second identifier.

23. The system of claim 1, wherein the generation equipment is configured to produce a plurality of the at least one type of the disinfectant.

24. The system of claim 23, wherein the types of the disinfectant produced by the generation equipment are selected from the group consisting of a first concentration of hypochlorous acid (HOCI) solution produced through an electrolytic process, a second concentration of hypochlorous acid (HOCI) solution produced through the electrolytic process and being less than the first concentration, a catholyte solution produced as a byproduct of the electrolytic process, a sodium hydroxide solution, a solution of negatively charged electrolyzed water, and an electrostatic solution.

25. The system of claim 1, wherein the at least one database associates each of the disinfectant types with the first information, and wherein the processing equipment tracks each of the disinfectant types in conjunction with the first information.

26. The system of claim 25, further comprising second identifiers being electronically readable and being associated with the locations for the treatment with the disinfectant types, the at least one database associating the locations with the first information, the communication equipment comprising at least one reader reading the first and second identifiers to obtain the electronic input including the locations;

the processing equipment tracking the locations in conjunction with the first information.

27. The system of claim 26, wherein to alert the issue, the processing equipment is configured to alert the disinfectant type associated with one of the first identifiers being incorrect for use in the treatment of the location associated with one of the second identifiers.

28. A method of monitoring treatment of locations of a facility with a disinfectant, the disinfectant being expirable and being dispensed from a plurality of portable containers, each portable container having a volume that is fillable repeatedly with the disinfectant for dispensing in the treatment, the method comprising:

producing, with generation equipment, at least one type of the disinfectant;

filling, from a filling station, the portable containers with the at least one type of the disinfectant, the filling station configured as a point of generation and distribution and having the generation equipment incorporated therein with at least one component of one or more of communication equipment, at least one database, and processing equipment;

associating together, in the at least one database, first information of the plurality of portable containers each having the volume for the disinfectant that is fillable repeatedly with the at least one type of the disinfectant for dispensing in the treatment, the first information comprising each first identifier for each portable container with each volume and each expiration of the at least one type of the disinfectant filled in and dispensed from each portable container;

obtaining, with the communication equipment, electronic input at least of each first identifier associated with the portable containers before dispensing in the treatment;

tracking, with the processing equipment, the first information using the electronic input; and

alerting, with the processing equipment, an issue with the disinfectant in a given one of the portable containers before dispensing in the treatment based on the tracking.

29. The method of claim 28, wherein obtaining the electronic input comprises at least one of:

reading, with at least one reader of the communication equipment, the first identifier associated with the filling of the volume or with a check of the expiration of the volume before dispensing in the treatment; and

obtaining the electronic input from a user interface associated with the communication equipment.

30. The method of claim 28, wherein associating the first information in the at least one database further comprises associating second identifiers with the locations for the treatment with the at least one type of the disinfectant;

wherein obtaining the electronic input with the communication equipment further comprises obtaining the second identifiers as part of the electronic input; and

wherein tracking the first information with the processing equipment further comprises tracking the location in conjunction with the first information.

31. The method of claim 30, wherein tracking the locations comprises associating a type of the treatment performed, a user performing the treatment, and a time of the treatment.

32. The method of claim 30, further comprising associating, in the at least one database, second information of protocols for types of cleaning with the second identifiers for the locations;

and wherein in the treatment of a given one of the locations with the at least one type of the disinfectant in a given one of the portable containers, the method comprises providing the protocol to a user with the communication equipment.

33. The method of claim 28, wherein alerting the issue comprises at least one of:

generating an alert when the given portable container indicates containing the at least one type of the disinfectant past the expiration;

automatically disposing of the at least one type of the disinfectant from the given portable container indicated to contain the at least one type of the disinfectant past the expiration; and

instructing manual disposal of the at least one type of the disinfectant from the given portable container indicated to contain the at least one type of the disinfectant past the expiration.

34. The method of claim 28, wherein producing the at least one type of the disinfectant with the generation equipment comprises producing a plurality of the at least one type of the disinfectant with the generation equipment.

35. The method of claim 34, wherein associating the first information in the at least one database further comprises associating each disinfectant type with the first information;

and wherein tracking the first information with the processing equipment further comprises tracking each disinfectant type in conjunction with the first information.

36. The method of claim 35, wherein associating the first information in the at least one database further comprises associating second identifiers with the locations for the treatment with the more than one disinfectant type;

wherein obtaining the electronic input with the communication equipment further comprises obtaining the second identifiers associated with the locations; and

wherein tracking the first information with the processing equipment further comprises tracking the location in conjunction with the first information.

37. The method of claim 28, wherein tracking comprises at least one of:

determining that the given portable container contains the at least one type of the disinfectant past the expiration and alerting comprises alerting the expiration based on the determination; and

determining that the volume of the at least one type of the disinfectant in the given portable container has been depleted and alerting comprises alerting the depletion based on the determination.

38. A non-transitory program storage device having program instructions for controlling a programmable control device to perform a method of monitoring use of a disinfectant according to claim 28.