Method for controlling access to and segregating dispensed items

• US 20080086235A1
• Filed: 08/21/2007
• Published: 04/10/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 06/27/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Qmeds Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Quiq, Inc.
• Inventors: Frankel, Mark
• Granted Patent: US 7,860,604 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 700/244
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/0092 for assembling and dispensing of pharmaceutical articles medical dispensers for private use, A61J7/00
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/12 comprising lockable containers, e.g. for accepting clothes to be cleaned
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 7/00 Mechanisms actuated by objects other than coins to free or to actuate vending, hiring, coin or paper currency dispensing or refunding apparatus
• 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 20/13 delivered from dispensers

Abstract

A method for controlling access to and segregating items dispensed from a vending machine having a stock of said items, said method comprising: vending an item only when a control procedure is satisfied; storing a record indicating said vended item has been dispensed; if said vended item is not distributable to an authorized recipient; quarantining said vended item including inserting said vended item into a port on an exterior of said vending machine that conveys said inserted vended item to a secure repository in the interior of said machine; and updating said record to indicate said vended item has been returned to said machine.

Claims

1. A method for controlling access to and segregating items dispensed from a vending machine having a stock of said items, said method comprising:

vending an item only when a control procedure is satisfied;

storing a record indicating said vended item has been dispensed;

if said vended item is not distributable to an authorized recipient;

quarantining said vended item including inserting said vended item into a port on an exterior of said vending machine that conveys said inserted vended item to a secure repository in the interior of said machine; and

updating said record to indicate said vended item has been returned to said machine.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising sensing said vended item has been returned to said machine, wherein said updating of said record is responsive to said sensing.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising automatically generating an alert signal to a central processing facility for notifying of said returned vended item.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein said secure repository is partitioned from said stock of items to be vended.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein said items comprise prepackaged pharmaceuticals.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising providing a sheet containing identifying information associated with said returned item and inserting said sheet through a slot on an outer door of said machine for storage within said machine.