Control of pneumatic carrier system based on carrier or payload identification
First Claim
1. A method for use in a computerized controller for operating a pneumatic carrier system comprising the steps of:
- scanning an identification device associated with a pneumatic carrier located at a first user station in a pneumatic carrier system to identify an intended recipient of a payload of said pneumatic carrier, and to identify a priority of said payload, wherein said intended recipient is identified free of a delivery location for said intended recipient;
accessing a database record of a computer readable storage medium based on an identity of said intended recipient to identify a current location of the intended recipient;
based on said current location of the intended recipient, identifying a travel path through said pneumatic carrier system for delivering the pneumatic carrier to a second user station proximate to said current location of the recipient via said pneumatic carrier system;
identifying priorities of all pending carrier transactions scheduled to utilize at least one system component of said travel path;
suspending at least one of said pending carrier transactions having a lower priority than said priority of said payload; and
generating control signals to effect delivery of the pneumatic carrier to said second user station.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A system and method provides for controlling a pneumatic carrier system based on identification information read from a carrier or a payload of the carrier. Each carrier or payload which is to be employed within the system includes an identification device such as a radio frequency identification (RFID) chip which has stored thereon information for the carrier or payload. Positioned throughout the system are communications devices such as antennas and readers which are employed to read and/or write identification information on the identification device. Based on reading the identification device at locations within the system, the operation of the system is altered.
127 Citations
10 Claims
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1. A method for use in a computerized controller for operating a pneumatic carrier system comprising the steps of:
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scanning an identification device associated with a pneumatic carrier located at a first user station in a pneumatic carrier system to identify an intended recipient of a payload of said pneumatic carrier, and to identify a priority of said payload, wherein said intended recipient is identified free of a delivery location for said intended recipient; accessing a database record of a computer readable storage medium based on an identity of said intended recipient to identify a current location of the intended recipient; based on said current location of the intended recipient, identifying a travel path through said pneumatic carrier system for delivering the pneumatic carrier to a second user station proximate to said current location of the recipient via said pneumatic carrier system; identifying priorities of all pending carrier transactions scheduled to utilize at least one system component of said travel path; suspending at least one of said pending carrier transactions having a lower priority than said priority of said payload; and generating control signals to effect delivery of the pneumatic carrier to said second user station. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
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Specification