Controlled inventory device and method using pressure transducer

Abstract

A method and apparatus for controlled dispensing of consumable supply items, such as office supplies, wherein the quantity of items added or removed from the apparatus is determined by sensing a change in weight of items within the apparatus. The apparatus may be in the form of a cabinet having a plurality of doors, each door having a secured position preventing access to the items within the cabinet. The cabinet may be configured to unlock less than all of the doors to allow limited access to the items based on various factors, such as user identification and item cost.

Description

RELATED APPLICATIONS [0001] This application is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10 / 775,046, filed Feb. 9, 2004, pending, which is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10 / 008,612, filed Oct. 23, 2001, now U.S. Pat. No. 6,694,221, the entireties of which are expressly incorporated by reference herein and made a part of the present specification.BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION [0002] 1. Field of the Invention [0003] The present invention relates to inventory management systems for consumable supply items. More specifically, the present invention relates to a method and apparatus for providing controlled access to supply items and automatically determining changes in inventory levels. [0004] 2. Description of the Related Art [0005] Various systems are known for providing controlled dispensing and inventory management for a variety of items. For example, in the medical field, systems are known for providing controlled access and inventory management for pharm...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

"The present invention provides an economically-feasible system for managing inventory levels of low-cost supplies such as office supplies or industrial supplies. This system accurately manages inventory levels to ensure a sufficient supply of items. It is especially advantageous for providing controlled access to low-cost supplies. The system includes a cabinet with a secured space for storing the supply items and a controlled inventory arrangement for managing the quantity of the items. The system also includes a user interface for accessing the secured space and a calibration input device for modifying the programmable protocol. The method of controlled dispensing of industrial supplies includes providing a secured selection of industrial supply items, assigning a user to a department, authenticating the user's identification, and allowing the user to access a portion of the selection of items based on their access rights. The method also includes determining the quantity of items added or removed from the bins and creating a transaction log for each type of item taken from the bin. The technical effects of the invention include improved inventory management, controlled access to low-cost supplies, and improved user experience."

Problems solved by technology

However, in each of these instances, the inventory items are characterized by a relatively high per-item cost.

Although these types of supply items, such as office supplies or industrial supplies, are utilized by a large variety of businesses, the use of known controlled inventory systems is not economically justified in these low per-item cost applications.

As is known, inventory control by physical inspection may be unreliable and often results in depletion of certain supply items before a restocking order is generated.

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