Interactive inventory storage device, system and method

Abstract

Systems and methods for providing automated inventory management of pharmaceutical and healthcare items stored in bins of a care institution are disclosed. A method includes providing an interactive storage device for attachment to a bin, and outputting a visual representation of a local inventory of the bin via an audiovisual element; receiving user input; determining a change in the local inventory according to the user input; updating a local inventory in the non-volatile data memory according to the change; synchronizing the local inventory with the one or more nodes via the communication interface; and receiving a periodic update of a local cache from the one or more nodes via the communication interface, the local cache including a location and inventory of the one or more remote bins.

Description

[0001] CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS [0002] This application claims the benefit of priority from US Application Serial No. 62 / 867,841, filed June 27, 2019, entitled "SECURE AND EFFICIENTLY DEPLOYABLE MEDICATION DISPENSING," and claims the title, filed October 29, 2019 Benefit from priority of non-provisional application of US Application Serial No. 62 / 927,632 for "SMART TOTE" and claiming US Application Serial No. 62 / 937,177, filed November 18, 2019, entitled "INTERACTIVE CONNECTEDINVENTORY DEVICE" The benefit of the priority of the non-provisional application, the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference. technical field [0003] The present disclosure relates generally to devices for inventory access and management, and more particularly to methods and systems for providing secure storage, transportation, and distribution of items using interactively connected inventory devices. Background technique [0004] To organize and distribute item...

AI Technical Summary

Problems solved by technology

[0005] For example, without smart functions and management features, inventory management must be done manually, which is prone to human error

Effective levels of drug and other medical stocks can also be difficult to maintain, leading to procedural delays from understocking and waste or spoilage from overstocking

Additionally, it can be difficult to identify specific items or the location of bins or totes for restocking or distribution, especially in large clinical settings with many rooms

[0006] Additionally, traditional transport devices such as paper bags and other removable storage containers lack processors and circuitry to enable intelligent functionality in order to transport items such as medications in acute and non-acute medical settings

This lack of intelligent functionality presents several disadvantages of high concern to care settings such as physicians offices, pharmacy clinics, outpatient clinics, institutional infirmaries (e.g. school nurse offices), hospitals, retail clinics, mobile clinics, etc.

For example, controlled or uncontrolled drugs may require specific environmental conditions, such as temperature and humidity, to remain within safe limits, which cannot be monitored using traditional storage containers

Furthermore, since the contents of such storage containers are accessible to anyone who is physically close, the contents may be easily lost, tampered with, stolen or diverted

While it is possible to seal containers using zippers or other devices, these insecure methods are easily bypassed and reapplied by a determined attacker, providing minimal deterrent effect and unreliable auditing

Inventory management is also often done manually, which is prone to human error and can obscure or delay loss detection

In addition, it is difficult to determine the location and responsible party of a specific shipping container at a specific time

As a result, agency policy enforcement becomes difficult or impossible

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