Sensor-driven safety distribution unit

Abstract

A safety dispensing unit includes a housing having a first end and a second end, and a plurality of storage components. The plurality of storage components are arranged parallel to each other within the housing. Each storage component includes a plurality of compartments that are linearly arranged along the axis of the housing, and each compartment is configured to store an item. A lid is coupled to the housing and extends between the first end and the second end such that the lid is positioned over the compartments. An actuator is coupled to the lid, and the actuator is configured to retract the lid to pull a distal end of the lid from the first end toward the second end to expose a selected number of compartments.

Description

[0001] Cross - Reference to Related Applications

[0002] This application claims the benefit and priority of U.S. Patent Application No. 16 / 834,950, titled "Sensor-Driven Secure Dispensing Unit", filed on March 30, 2020, the entire content of which is incorporated herein by reference. Technical Field

[0003] The present invention relates to systems and methods for providing selectable controlled access to items stored within a secure compartment. Background Art

[0004] Many industries rely on accurate inventory and dispensing of secure items. For example, in a hospital environment, it is crucial to administer the correct medication to a patient in the correct dosage. Additionally, laws require secure storage and tracking of controlled substances to maintain appropriate inventory levels and determine appropriate consumption rates. Tracking the inventory of medications and supplies is also important so that appropriate business controls can be implemented.

[0005] A variety of dispensing cabinets and carts have been developed to assist in managing medications and other items. However, improvements are still needed in the reliability of item dispensing and tracking, and it is also desirable to reduce the amount of space required for item storage and dispensing. Summary of the Invention

[0006] Embodiments of the present invention relate to systems and methods for providing selectable controlled access to items stored within a secure compartment. Embodiments may include a retractable cover that provides access to only a selected number of items by a particular user without exposing any additional items or compartments. Additionally, embodiments of the present invention may assist in maintaining an inventory count by keeping track of the actual presence of items rather than just what the user says they have taken. This allows for an accurate inventory count in the event of user error and / or fraudulent behavior.

[0007] In one embodiment, a dispensing unit is provided. The dispensing unit may include a housing that includes a first end and a second end; and a plurality of storage components. The plurality of storage components may be arranged parallel to each other within the housing. Each storage component may include a plurality of compartments that are linearly arranged along an axis of the housing, each compartment configured to store an item. The storage component may include a cover that is coupled to the housing and extends between the first end and the second end such that the cover is positioned over the compartments to ensure the security of the items held therein. The storage component may further include an actuator coupled to the cover. The actuator may be configured to retract the cover to pull a distal end of the cover from the first end toward the second end to expose a selected number of the plurality of compartments.

[0008] In another embodiment, a dispensing unit may include a housing having a first end and a second end; and a plurality of compartments linearly arranged along an axis of the housing, each compartment configured to store an item. The dispensing unit may further include a lid coupled to the housing and extending between the first end and the second end such that the lid is positioned over the plurality of compartments, and an actuator coupled to the lid. The actuator may be configured to retract the lid to pull a leading edge of the lid from the first end toward the second end to expose a selected number of the plurality of compartments.

[0009] In another embodiment, a method of operating a dispensing mechanism is provided. The method may include receiving an input for dispensing a selected number of items from a secure dispensing mechanism; and actuating a lid of the secure dispensing mechanism to retract a leading edge of the lid to expose a selected number of compartments of the secure dispensing mechanism based on the selected number of items. The plurality of compartments may be linearly arranged along an axis of the secure dispensing mechanism, each compartment configured to store an item.

[0010] In another embodiment, a cabinet is provided. The cabinet may include a housing defining a storage area, and at least one drawer. Each of the at least one drawer may include a first side and a second side, and a plurality of compartments linearly arranged along an axis of the at least one drawer. Each compartment may be configured to store an item. The at least one drawer may further include a lid coupled to the housing and extending between the first side and the second side such that the lid is positioned over the plurality of compartments, and an actuator coupled to the lid. The actuator may be configured to retract the lid to pull a leading edge of the lid from the first side toward the second side to expose a selected number of the plurality of compartments. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0011] A further understanding of the nature and advantages of various embodiments may be realized by reference to the following drawings. In the drawings, like components or features may have the same reference numeral. Additionally, various components of the same type may be distinguished by following the reference numeral with a dash and a second numeral that differentiates the similar components. If only the first reference numeral is used in the specification, the description applies to any of the similar components having the same first reference numeral regardless of the second reference numeral.

[0012] Figure 1 An example cabinet that may embody the present invention is shown.

[0013] Figure 2 A drawer defining a plurality of compartments according to the present invention is shown.

[0014] Figure 3 Shown in conjunction with Figure 2 the drawer in

[0015] Figure 4 An embodiment of a drawer that may be used as a secure dispensing unit according to the present invention is shown.

[0016] Figure 5 Shows Figure 4 The lid of the middle drawer.

[0017] Figure 6 Shows a track for constraining Figure 5 The movement of the middle lid.

[0018] Figure 7 Shows Figure 4 The actuator of the middle lid.

[0019] Figure 8 Shows Figure 7 The hub of the actuator of the middle lid.

[0020] Figure 9 Shows Figure 4 The light sensor assembly of the compartment of the middle drawer.

[0021] Figure 10A Shows an empty cartridge according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0022] Figure 10B Shows the Figure 10A Cartridge in the filled state.

[0023] Figure 11 Shows a cartridge that forms part of a row of compartments according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0024] Figure 12 Shows a mating assembly for mounting a cartridge in a drawer according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0025] Figure 13 Shows an alternative embodiment of the lid according to an embodiment.

[0026] Figure 14 Is a block diagram of a drug control system according to an embodiment.

[0027] Figure 15 Is a flowchart of a process for operating a safety dispensing mechanism according to an embodiment.

[0028] Figure 16 Is a flowchart of a process for using a safety dispensing mechanism according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0029] Figure 17 Is a block diagram of a computing device according to an embodiment of the present invention. Detailed Description

[0030] The following description provides only exemplary embodiments and is not intended to limit the scope, applicability, or construction of the invention. On the contrary, the following description of the exemplary embodiments will provide those skilled in the art with an enabling description for implementing one or more exemplary embodiments. It should be understood that various changes may be made in the function and arrangement of elements without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as set forth in the appended claims. By way of example only, any of the embodiments described herein may have or may not have any of the features discussed in connection therewith, and may have or may not have any of the features discussed with respect to other embodiments.

[0031] Embodiments of the present invention relate to dispensing mechanisms that provide controlled access to items stored therein. Embodiments of the present invention include one or more drawers or other storage units, each of which includes a plurality of internal compartments that can be used to store one or more items, such as medications, tools, instruments, etc. Each drawer includes at least one lid that extends over at least some of the internal compartments. The lid can be retracted to provide selective access to the plurality of items and / or the internal compartments. In some embodiments, the secure dispensing mechanism is capable of determining whether a particular compartment is empty and using that information to adjust the retraction distance of the lid to ensure access to the desired number of items. For example, if a drawer includes a row of ten compartments each containing a single item and a user wishes to access three items, the dispensing mechanism can check, by using one or more sensors, such as optical sensors, radio frequency (RF) sensors, load sensors, etc., to see if any of the compartments are empty. For example, if each of the ten compartments includes an item, the dispensing mechanism can retract the lid far enough to provide access to the first three compartments, thereby allowing the user to remove three items as needed. In another scenario, the dispensing mechanism can determine that the first two compartments are empty and then retract the lid far enough to provide access to the first five compartments (including the two empty compartments), thereby allowing the user to remove three items as needed.

[0032] Typically, actuation of the lid is completed when the drawer is in the closed position. By restricting the operation of the lid in this way, pinch points and / or other safety issues are eliminated because once the drawer is opened and accessible to the user, there are no moving parts. In operation, with the drawer closed, the user can interact with the interface of the dispensing mechanism to select a desired quantity of a particular type of item. The dispensing unit can then actuate one or more lids corresponding to the drawers and / or compartments in which the particular items are stored to retract each respective lid an appropriate distance to provide access only to those items previously selected. Once the lids are retracted, the associated drawer or drawers can be unlocked, thereby allowing the user to open the drawer and access the items within the compartment that are exposed due to the lid retraction. After removing the items, the user can close the drawer. In some embodiments, the exposed compartment, now empty, can remain exposed with the lid remaining partially retracted. In other embodiments, the safety dispensing unit can then lock the drawer and actuate the lid to extend the lid back over the previously exposed compartment. This can be particularly useful when some or all of the compartments contain multiple items. For example, if only a single item is removed from a compartment that contains two items, the lid can retract to cover the remaining item. Frequently, during lid retraction and / or extension, one or more optical sensors located on the lid can be used to monitor the inventory of items within the compartment.

[0033] Turning now to the drawings and first referring to Figure 1 , there is shown a cabinet 100 that can be used as and / or house a dispensing mechanism (however, it should be understood that the dispensing mechanism can be implemented in non-cabinet form, such as a cart, built-in shelves / drawers, etc.). Here, the cabinet 100 includes a storage area 102 for storing any number of items, such as tools, instruments, paints, medications, medical supply items, etc. As shown, the storage area 102 defines an open interior that can be configured to receive a plurality of drawers 104 that can serve as dispensing units, including some drawers 104 that are secure storage units. In some embodiments, it is also feasible to use other storage areas, such as shelves, brackets, etc., in addition to or as an alternative to the drawers 104. In some embodiments, the cabinet 100 can include one or more lockable doors (not shown) that control access to the storage area 102. Thus, in addition to or as an alternative to the drawers 104, lockable doors or a plurality of doors can be provided. The drawers 104 can have different sizes and / or shapes to perform different functions and / or accommodate various sizes and / or shapes of items and / or accommodate various devices, such as sensors, safety features, climate control devices, etc. As shown, drawers 104 of different sizes can be included in a single cabinet 100. In other embodiments, the cabinet 100 can include drawers 104 having a uniform size. It should also be understood that the cabinet 100 can include drawers 104 having a uniform function and / or internal configuration, or can include one or more drawers 104 having a different function and / or internal configuration than the other drawers 104 in the cabinet 100.

[0034] In some embodiments, the cabinet 100 may include a work surface 106. The work surface 106 may provide an area for a user to place items thereon during the preparation or completion of a particular procedure. For example, the user may arrange some or all of the items required for the procedure on the work surface 106. In some embodiments, the work surface 106 may be the top surface of the cabinet 100, while in other embodiments, the work surface 106 may be positioned at a mid-height of the cabinet 100. Additionally, although illustrated as substantially forming the entire top surface of the cabinet 100, it should be understood that in some embodiments, the work surface 106 may be absent or may only occupy a portion of the space occupied by the cabinet 100.

[0035] The cabinet 100 may also include a computing device 112 and / or communicate therewith. The computing device 112 may include a display screen 114 and at least one input device and / or be communicatively coupled therewith. Although illustrated as having a display screen 114 coupled to the work surface 106 of the cabinet 100, it should be understood that in some embodiments, the display screen 114 may be integrated into the body of the cabinet 100 and / or positioned at other locations relative to the cabinet 100 (such as extending laterally from a nearby structure or located thereon). The input device 178 may include a keyboard, a mouse, a credential reader, a microphone, a camera, and / or other devices that enable a user to interact with the computing device 112. In some embodiments, the credential reader may include a wireless reader, such as a Bluetooth, RFID, NFC, and / or other wireless readers that can read information from an active or passive user credential, such as a key fob, a mobile phone, an ID, and / or other credential devices. In other embodiments, the credential reader may include a contact reader, such as a chip or magnetic stripe reader. In other embodiments, the credential reader may include a biometric reader 180, such as a camera or other optical sensor for facial, iris, and / or palm vein authentication, a microphone for voice authentication, a fingerprint reader, and / or other biometric sensors. In some embodiments, the input device may be incorporated into the display screen 114 by using a touchscreen display screen 114.

[0036] The input device of computing device 112 allows a user to interact with cabinet 100. For example, a user may interact with the input device to log in, select a patient and / or a procedure, and / or obtain access to items stored within cabinet 100. For example, to log in to cabinet 100, a user may enter a username, password, and / or other access credentials (which may include biometric credentials) into computing device 112 to verify whether the user is authorized to access cabinet 100 and / or specific items stored therein. In other embodiments, a user may automatically log in if the user's wireless credentials are brought within range of a wireless credential reader of computing device 112. Once the user logs in to computing device 112, a graphical user interface (GUI) may be presented on display screen 114, which allows the user to make selections regarding a patient, a procedure, and / or an item to be removed from or otherwise dispensed from cabinet 100. These selections may be made using any of the input devices of computing device 112. In other embodiments, a user may use an alternative selection method, such as voice commands, to make the necessary selections rather than navigating the GUI to make selections regarding a patient, a procedure, and / or an item. In some embodiments, computing device 112 may include a network interface that enables computing device 112 to communicate with a server and / or other remote computing devices. Computing device 112 may use this connection to send an inventory of cabinet 100 to a remote computing device. Such inventory counts may be updated periodically, such as hourly, at each shift change, daily, etc. In other embodiments, inventory may be continuously tracked before, during, and / or after each interaction with cabinet 100. In some cases, a central pharmacy may initiate a remote inventory scan of cabinet 100 by sending a command to computing device 112 that causes computing device 112 to collect inventory information and / or send the inventory information to a remote computing device. This inventory information may be used by the remote computing device to determine when to restock and / or reorder specific items. In some embodiments, functions performed by computing device 112 may be performed by a remote server or other computing device on a network.

[0037] Once the user has selected which items are to be removed from cabinet 100, cabinet 100 can provide access to the item, such as by unlocking drawer 104 and / or otherwise providing access to storage area 102. Before, during, and / or after the user removes any items from cabinet 100, computing device 112 and / or other computer systems can use any number of sensors to monitor which items are actually removed from cabinet 100. In some embodiments, the items actually removed are associated with the items to be removed that the user initially selected using the GUI. Such sensors can include sensors integrated into drawer 104 and / or those integrated into work surface 106. In some embodiments, if there is a difference between the selected item and the removed item, an indication of the difference can be stored and / or sent to another device, as such behavior may indicate diversion, incorrect use of the item, and / or other incorrect use of cabinet 100. The indication can include information such as which user selected the item and which items were removed that did not match the selection.

[0038] Drawer 104 can be under the control of computing device 112 and / or another controller. For example, each of drawers 104 can include an electronically controllable locking mechanism and can be operable only under the control of computing device 112. In some embodiments, some or all of drawers 104 can be temperature and / or humidity controlled. Additionally, computing device 112 can store information about what supplies are stored in which compartments of cabinet 100. In a typical basic medical use scenario, a healthcare worker can use input device 178 to enter the identification of a patient who requires medication under the care of the healthcare worker and during the worker's current shift. Computing device 112 can access the patient's medical file and determine which medications have been prescribed for the patient. In other embodiments, the user can simply select one or more items to be removed from cabinet 100 without comparing the data to an order, such as a patient treatment plan.

[0039] Once the item is selected, computing device 112 can unlock one or more drawers 104 (and / or doors, if used) associated with the selected item. In some embodiments, one or more illuminated indicators can guide the healthcare worker to the correct drawer 104. A specific compartment within the correct drawer 104 can be highlighted, for example with an illuminated indicator, to draw the user to the correct item. The user can then remove the selected item. In a medical application, the level of control performed by computing device 112 can help prevent medication and dosage errors by reducing the likelihood that a healthcare worker removes the incorrect medication from cabinet 100. Additionally, in all applications, computing device 112 can record and log which items were dispensed and can forward that information to an inventory and / or accounting system.

[0040] Each drawer 104 may define a storage area in which one or more items can be placed. In some embodiments, the storage area may be a large open space, while in other embodiments, the storage area of the drawer 104 may be divided into one or more compartments or bins. For example, as Figure 2 shown, a single drawer 104 is illustrated. As Figure 1 shown, the drawer 104 may be adapted to be assembled in the cabinet 100. The drawer 104 may include a storage area 105 that includes a plurality of bins or compartments 108 (which may or may not be formed as part of the drawer 104). In some embodiments, the compartments 108 may be of uniform size, while in other embodiments, compartments 108 of different sizes and / or shapes may be included in a single drawer 104 to allow the drawer 104 to more effectively store a variety of different items. Although in some embodiments, the size and / or shape of each compartment 108 may be set to hold only a particular item, in other embodiments, multiple items may also be placed in a single compartment 108. For example, multiple items may be vertically stacked, placed side by side, and / or placed from top to bottom within a single compartment 108. As shown, the drawer 104 includes a plurality of compartments 108 arranged in rows, where all of the compartments 108 in a given row are the same.

[0041] In some embodiments, the drawer 104 may include a lid 110 that extends over at least some of the compartments 108 in the drawer 104. For example, as Figure 3As shown, a plurality of lids 110 are provided which extend across the entire row of compartments 108. Here, the entire row of compartments 108 is oriented between the front and rear ends of the drawer 104. In other embodiments, the entire row of compartments 108 may be oriented between the sides of the drawer 104. In some embodiments, the lid 110 extends across the entire row. In other embodiments, one or more lids 110 may extend across any portion of a row of compartments 108. In some embodiments, one or more lids 110 may extend over one or more of the compartments 108 in more than one row. In some embodiments, one or more of the multiple rows of compartments 108 may be top-opening rather than having a lid 110 over each row of compartments 108, such that a user may access the contents of the top-opening compartments without retracting the lid 110. Each lid 110 may be configured to retract to expose a selected number of compartments 108 and / or items. The lid 110 encloses the compartment 108 such that any item present within the compartment 108 is not accessible to retrieve the item. The lid 110 may be moved using a suitable actuation mechanism such that any particular compartment 108 may be uncovered to allow retrieval of the item stored within the compartment 108. In one example, each of one or more compartments 108 may be uncovered in sequence such that all previously uncovered compartments 108 remain uncovered. In another example, the lid 110 may allow only one compartment 108 to be uncovered at any given time and the remaining portions of the compartments 108 associated with that lid 110 are enclosed by the lid 110. The actuator 116 (such as Figure 2 as shown) may be coupled to each of the lids 110 such that the lids 110 may each be actuated to extend and / or retract the lids 110 independently of one another. In some embodiments, a single actuator may be used to move multiple lids 110, while in other embodiments, each lid 110 may include a dedicated actuator 116. This ensures that if a user desires an item in a particular row of compartments 108, only the items originating from that row are exposed when the user accesses the drawer 104. In addition to controlling access to non-selected items, by only retracting the lids 110 of the compartments 108 and / or items selected by the user prior to access, the user is able to quickly identify the item to be removed since the selected items are only those that are uncovered.

[0042] In embodiments utilizing drawer 104 with a retractable lid 110, once the user has made his selection of one or more items to retrieve from cabinet 100, computing device 112 may identify one or more drawers 104 and / or compartments 108 associated with the selected items. The computing device 112 may then send a signal to actuator 116 associated with the relevant compartment 108. The signal causes the relevant actuator 116 to activate to retract the attached lid 110 to expose the plurality of compartments 108 necessary to dispense the correct quantity of the selected items. In some embodiments, multiple actuators 116 and lids 110 may be actuated (simultaneously or sequentially) in one session to provide access to items in different rows and / or drawers 104. Once the relevant lid 110 is actuated, the relevant drawer 104 may be unlocked, allowing the user to access the drawer 104 and the exposed compartments 108. Once the user removes the items, the user may close the drawer 104. Once computing device 112 detects that the drawer 104 is closed (such as by using one or more door closure sensors), computing device 112 may lock each drawer 104 and subsequently activate the actuator 116 to extend the lid 110 over the exposed compartments 108. In this way, cabinet 100 may prevent the possibility of creating any pinch points when moving the lid 110, as the lid 110 only moves when the drawer 104 is closed and / or locked.

[0043] In some embodiments, some or all of the drawers 104 may include one or more sensors that track the inventory and usage of items stored within the drawer 104 and / or compartment 108. Such sensors may be specific to a particular drawer 104, bin / compartment 108, cartridge, and / or a portion thereof. In other embodiments, a single sensor and / or group of sensors may be used to monitor multiple drawers 104, bins, and / or cartridges, and potentially the entire interior of cabinet 100. It should be understood that various arrangements and designs of the drawers 104 may be used in conjunction with cabinet 100.

[0044] Understanding the user

[0045] As described above, many applications of a secure dispensing unit, such as cabinet 100, may require a user to provide authentication credentials to access cabinet 100. Several types of access credentials may be utilized. In some embodiments, logging in may be accomplished by a user entering access credentials, such as a username, password, and / or other credentials. However, compared to manually typing access credentials into a keyboard, keypad, and / or touchscreen, a user may expect to obtain access more quickly and / or easily. In such embodiments, other forms of access credentials may be utilized. For example, possession-based credentials may be utilized. In some embodiments, possession-based credentials may be in the form of a universal serial bus (USB) dongle, a chip card, a magnetic stripe card, and / or other devices that can be inserted into a port of a credential reader or otherwise scanned by a credential reader of computing device 112. Once inserted or read by computing device 112, the credential device may be authenticated to provide access to the patient, program, and / or item selection system and one or more items may be retrieved from cabinet 100. Authentication of the access credentials (possession-based, knowledge-based, and / or biometric) may be performed locally by computing device 112 and / or remotely. When performed remotely, authentication may involve computing device 112 capturing the credential and sending the credential to a remote device, such as a backend server, for subsequent authentication. The authentication result of the credential may be sent back to computing device 112, which then controls access to the functions of cabinet 100 based on the result.

[0046] In other embodiments, possession-based access credentials may be in the form of contactless devices, such as radio frequency (RF) wireless devices that can be wirelessly read by a credential reader of computing device 112. For example, the credential may be in the form of a card (such as an employee identification card), a mobile phone, a wristband, a watch, other wearable devices, and / or other high-integrity possession-based authentication objects that may have an integrated RF chip. This enables a user to approach cabinet 100 while holding one of these RF-enabled access credentials and obtain access to cabinet 100 with little to no login action by the user. For example, RF-enabled access credentials may include Bluetooth(R)-enabled devices, RFID chips or tags, and / or other short-range RF communication protocols such that the access credential can be read by a credential reader of computing device 112 as soon as the user is within the signal or detection range of the credential reader. In other embodiments, the access credential may operate using a shorter-range communication protocol, such as near field communication (NFC). In such embodiments, the user may need to actively bring the access credential within the signal range of an NFC credential reader of computing device 112.

[0047] In some embodiments, the RF chip of the access credential can be a passive chip powered by electromagnetic energy transmitted from the RFID reader / antenna of the credential reader of computing device 112. In other embodiments, the access credential can include an active RFID chip or tag powered by a battery (a dedicated battery or the battery of the device containing the RFID chip or tag) that continuously broadcasts a signal containing the access credential necessary for a particular user. Typically, such active RFID tags have a longer data read range than passive RFID tags. In some embodiments, the credential reader of computing device 112 can be designed to have a predetermined signal / detection range that ensures the user is close enough to cabinet 100 before reading the possession-based access credential. For example, the signal strength of the credential reader and / or the RFID tag can be adjusted such that the desired signal range is achieved, which helps prevent computing device 112 from attempting to log in multiple users or incorrect users when multiple people are in the vicinity of cabinet 100. In other embodiments, the range of cabinet 100 can be limited to a particular room or area in which cabinet 100 is located. For example, RF shielding and / or other materials can be provided around the perimeter of the room to ensure that only access credentials within the room can be detected by the credential reader of cabinet 100.

[0048] In some embodiments, cabinet 100 can include one or more biometric readers that enable a user to log in without carrying a physical access credential device, rather than using a knowledge-based or possession-based access credential. For example, the computing device 112 of cabinet 100 can include a fingerprint reader, a speaker for voice recognition, one or more optical sensors (such as cameras, infrared (IR) scanners) for iris scanning, face detection, palm vein recognition, and / or other biometric authentication techniques, or be communicatively coupled thereto.

[0049] When using biometric authentication techniques that involve imaging a portion of a user (such as but not limited to face recognition), anti-spoofing measures can be taken to help prevent fraudulent authentication attempts, such as when a user attempts to present a photo, video, and / or mask of a person different from the authorized user of cabinet 100 to the image sensor of cabinet 100. Such anti-spoofing measures can include, for example, active face liveness detection and / or passive face liveness detection. For active face liveness detection, the user may be required to perform specific actions, such as nodding, blinking, smiling, and / or other facial expressions or gestures. If computing device 112 determines that the user has performed the requested action, computing device 112 may determine that the imaged user is genuine and thus can be correctly authenticated. In some embodiments, the facial expression or gesture can be the same each time the user logs in, while in other embodiments, any number of facial expressions and / or gestures can cycle through and / or be randomly assigned to a particular login attempt. Using multiple facial expressions and / or gestures adds an additional layer of security, which helps prevent a video from being displayed on the camera of computing device 112 in an attempt to fraudulently log in to cabinet 100.

[0050] Passive face liveness detection may involve various techniques. For example, some embodiments can utilize facial flash liveness, which uses a light element to illuminate the user (or a copy of the user). The reflectivity of the user is measured, thus allowing the camera to capture how light from the screen and / or other light sources reflects off the face. Computing device 112 can then determine based on the measured reflectivity whether the illuminated face belongs to a live person or a replica (such as a photo or video). Some embodiments can use blink detection to perform passive face liveness detection. For example, the user's blinks can be detected and timed. If no blinks are detected and / or the detected blinks are performed at an uncommon rate, computing device 112 may consider the authentication attempt to be based on a replica of the user. Some embodiments can use a trained convolutional neural network (CNN) to detect the authenticity of the user detected by the camera of computing device 112.

[0051] Additional passive anti-spoofing techniques may involve using infrared and / or 3D cameras, which can easily distinguish between a human user and replicas, such as 2D photos and / or videos, as well as both 2D and 3D masks. For example, a 3D camera can measure the depth of various features of an image and can distinguish between flat objects (such as a photo and / or display screen that can show an image of the user) and 3D objects (such as a user or a 3D mask). An IR camera (or other IR sensor) can determine whether the detected image has a thermal distribution curve that matches a specific user and / or generally matches that of a human. For example, the thermal distribution curve of a photo or display screen does not match that of a human. Similarly, unless a very sophisticated mask is used, 2D and 3D masks will not have a thermal distribution curve similar to that of a human.

[0052] Using voice recognition as an access credential typically involves a user speaking a specific word or phrase into a speaker of the cabinet 100. The user's voice signature (pitch, tone, rhythm, etc.) can be compared to a previously stored voice signature of a known authorized user to detect where the user can be authenticated. In some embodiments, instead of having the user speak the same predetermined word or phrase, the cabinet 100 can prompt the user to speak one of a number of randomly selected words or phrases to reduce the likelihood that someone could create an audio recording of an authorized user speaking the predetermined passphrase.

[0053] In some embodiments, multiple forms of credentials may be required to log in to further enhance the security of the cabinet 100. For example, a physical access credential can be a chip card that requires the user to enter a personal identification number (PIN) to log in. Such embodiments require the user to both possess the access credential and know the alphanumeric login credential to log in to the cabinet 100. In other embodiments, the cabinet 100 may require both a biometric credential (such as, facial recognition) and a physical credential (such as, a contactless credential device) to log in to the cabinet 100. It should be understood that any combination of knowledge-based, possession-based, and / or biometric access credentials can be utilized to meet the security needs of a particular application. Additionally, in some embodiments, multiple types or a single type of credential may be utilized. For example, multiple forms of biometric credentials (such as fingerprint and voice) can be utilized to help further reduce the likelihood of fraudulent authentication.

[0054] Additionally, in some embodiments, a backup authentication method (biometric and / or otherwise) can be assigned in the event that a particular access credential is unavailable at a particular time. For example, if a user has a respiratory condition and cannot speak or can only speak in a manner with a significantly changed voice, an alternative to the voice recognition system (such as, an alternative biometric credential, a knowledge-based credential, and / or a possession-based credential) can be utilized. Similarly, if a possession-based credential is unavailable, such as when an RF chip is not operating properly or the user forgets the physical access credential, the cabinet 100 can provide an alternative authentication process that does not involve the unavailable access credential device. In some embodiments, the user can select the alternative authentication process, while in other embodiments, such a process can be automatically provided by the cabinet 100 upon one or more failed attempts to successfully authenticate.

[0055] In a particular application, the cabinet 100 can be used as a cart for a physician, such as an anesthesiologist. Frequently, such personnel often need quick access to medications and / or equipment stored within the cabinet 100. Additionally, these users typically do not consider inventory tracking to be part of their duties. As a result, in such an application, the cabinet 100 can be operated in a manner that ensures the user can log in quickly and efficiently, with as little user interaction as possible. For example, in such an embodiment, the cabinet 100 may require a hands-free authentication credential, such as a wireless and / or contactless credential device based on a possession and / or a biometric authentication credential. Generally, a contactless biometric authentication credential (i.e., not a fingerprint) may be desired because such contact may be more time-consuming and / or less ergonomic than a contactless biometric credential. As a result, the cabinet 100 based on a physician application can be configured to utilize face, iris, palm vein, and / or voice credentials as login credentials. Additionally, hands-free authentication credentials (possession-based and / or biometric-based) may be particularly useful in applications where some or all users access the cabinet 100 with gloved hands because gloves can make it more difficult for the user to type in access credentials, manipulate a contact-based credential device, and / or supply a contact-based biometric credential, such as a fingerprint. Although the use of hands-free authentication credentials for the cabinet 100 for physician access is discussed, it should be understood that in many applications, forms of authentication that require user action and / or the use of hands may be utilized in some embodiments.

[0056] Select item

[0057] Once the user logs into the cabinet 100, the user may be prompted to enter additional details regarding what items are to be removed. For example, one or more items may be associated with a particular location and / or task. The selection can include what types and how many items are to be removed, possibly along with a particular task, location, and / or other information associated with the use of the item. This information, along with knowledge of which user logged into the cabinet 110, allows the computing device 112 to track which user used each item and for what purpose. This can be particularly relevant in medical applications where medications and / or other medical items are used in conjunction with a particular treatment and / or a particular patient. To enter these details, the user can interact with the computing device 112 using one or more input devices, such as a keypad, keyboard, mouse, touchscreen display 114, and / or other input devices. In some embodiments, the selection process can be voice-controlled such that the user can select one or more items, tasks, patients, etc. Frequently, the voice control system can also include a manual input selection system that serves as a backup in cases where the voice control system is unable to operate properly or where the user has a respiratory condition or other cause of voice variation or voice loss that may make it difficult to operate the voice control selection system.

[0058] In some embodiments of the medical application, a program list may be provided to the cabinet 100, the program list including a limited number of patients, programs (e.g., treatments), locations, personnel (nurses, technicians, physicians, orderlies, etc.) to select from. In some embodiments, the program list may be populated by scanning information from a patented wristband, chart, and / or other data sources. In some embodiments, the program list may be manually populated at the cabinet 100 and / or a remote computing device, which then transmits the program list to the cabinet 100. In other embodiments, the hospital (or other facility) scheduling system may be used to automatically populate the program list. For example, an electronic health record (EHR) system may be used to automatically populate the program list with data regarding a particular patient and / or the programs currently scheduled. In some embodiments, the EHR system may utilize knowledge of where a particular cabinet 100 is located to populate the program list. For example, if the cabinet 100 is located in the intensive care unit (ICU), the program list for the cabinet 100 may be populated only with patients and / or programs corresponding to the patients present in the ICU, the programs performed in the ICU, and / or the medical staff equipped in the ICU. A similar program list may be provided for each cabinet 100 in a designated area of the facility (NICU, maternity ward, operating room, etc.). In other embodiments, the cabinet 100 may include a program list that contains data regarding each patient and / or the scheduled programs throughout the facility. In other embodiments, the previous list may be populated with any program that can be performed in the facility, regardless of the likelihood or location of the cabinet 100. The program list for a given cabinet 100 may be presented on a GUI displayed on the display screen 114, allowing a logged-in user to access the program list and make a selection of items to access for one or more patients and / or programs.

[0059] In some embodiments, the location of the cabinet 100 may be pre-programmed into the cabinet 100 (such as by labeling the cabinet 100 as associated with a particular facility and / or a part thereof). In other embodiments, the EHR system and / or other central computing system may program the location of each respective cabinet 100 in a given facility. For example, the location may be associated with the serial number of the cabinet 100 and / or other unique identifier such that the EHR system knows the location of each cabinet 100 in the facility. In other embodiments, the location may be determined based on a wireless connection (such as a Bluetooth beacon) and / or other RFID tags that can be used to determine the location of each cabinet 100 in the facility and associate that location with the identifier of the corresponding cabinet 100. In other embodiments, each cabinet 100 may include one or more other location determination features, such as global positioning satellite (GPS) and / or other location sensors that can determine where the cabinet 100 is located in the facility.

[0060] In some embodiments, not only can the procedure list be populated based on location and / or known patients and / or procedures, but the storage areas 102 of the cabinet 100 can also be populated with items such as tools, medications, instruments, etc. based on the location and / or intended function of the cabinet 100. For example, in a neonatal ward, only items and / or medications (and dosages) related to infant treatment can be stored within the cabinet 100. Similarly, the cabinet 100 in an operating room can store items and medications that can be used during surgery and / or other procedures. In some embodiments, in cases where, for example, the procedure list is unused, outdated, incomplete, etc., the user can manually input data regarding the patient and / or procedure into the computing device 112.

[0061] The logged-in user can interact with the procedure list (or other selection menu) presented on the display screen to select item criteria (patient, case, intended procedure, location, medical staff, etc.). For example, the user can use the physical input device of the computing device 112 to select and / or type in any necessary data and / or can use voice commands to navigate the selection process.

[0062] In some embodiments, once the user logs in to the cabinet 100, only the item to be removed needs to be selected, without the need to select a patient and / or a procedure. This can be particularly useful in non-medical applications and / or other applications that do not involve patients and / or recipients of specific items, where the tasks performed with the specific item may not need to be considered. Although patients and / or other recipients may not be involved, the cabinet 100 may still often need to select tasks, plans, and / or locations associated with the use of the item. For example, if a tool is removed from the cabinet 100 in an engineering application, the user may need to select the specific plan for which the tool is being used. This ensures that not only can the use of the item be attributed to the logged-in user, but also that a specific task can be associated with the tool, which can better assist in tracking the use of the tool. This can also make it easier to track down missing items, as the last known location and / or plan associated with the item may be known.

[0063] In some embodiments, once a user logs into the cabinet 100, the user may gain access to all the contents within the storage area 102. In other embodiments, one or more users of the cabinet 100 may have a permission level that provides access to only a subset of the storage area 102. For example, a nurse may only have access to non-controlled substances, while a physician may have access to the entire storage area 102, including controlled substances such as anesthetics. In some embodiments, such controlled items may be housed in separate containers (such as, high-security drawers 104), while in other embodiments, controlled and non-controlled substances and / or other items may be stored in a single area, such as a single drawer 104. In some embodiments, to further enhance the security of these controlled items when placed in a drawer with less secure items, the controlled items may be placed in a lockable bin that is fixed and / or otherwise disposed within the drawer 104 and / or has other features of the storage area 102. In some embodiments, the controlled items may be in a compartment 108 that is secured by a retractable cover 110. In other applications, each user may have access to items related to their specific job function and / or training specialty. For example, if a user has not been certified to administer a particular form of treatment and / or perform a type of procedure, the user may not have access to a portion of the storage area 102 that contains items used only in that particular treatment and / or procedure.

[0064] Access

[0065] Once a user makes a selection of any item to retrieve from the cabinet 100 (including any other data, such as patient, procedure, task, location, personnel, etc.), the cabinet 100 may provide access into the interior of the storage area 102 to allow the user to remove the items the user is authorized to possess and / or administer. In some embodiments, this may be accomplished by the computing device 112 sending an unlock command to one or more drawers 104 located within the storage area 102. The unlock command may disengage a locking mechanism, such as a solenoid-actuated lock, and allow the drawer 104 to open. In some embodiments, a cover 110 within the drawer 104 may retract to expose one or more compartments 108 to provide access to controlled items such as anesthetics.

[0066] Once the user has gained access to the storage area 102, the selected item(s) may be removed. In some embodiments, the user may need to access multiple drawers 104 and / or other storage units to retrieve all of the items selected for use. Once the items are removed, the user may close the drawer 104 and / or other portions of the storage area 102. The drawer 104 and / or other dividers may be locked again by the cabinet 100 to secure the remaining items within the storage area 102. Then, any retracted cover 110 may extend to once again cover the exposed compartment 108.

[0067] Turning to Figure 4, showing an embodiment of a drawer 204 that can be used as a secure distribution unit. In some embodiments, the drawer 204 may be similar to the drawer 104 and / or may be used in the cabinet 100 described above. For example, the drawer 204 includes a storage area 206 that includes a plurality of compartments 208a (which may or may not be formed as part of the drawer 204). Although the compartments 208a are shown as having uniform dimensions, different dimensions and / or shapes may also be included in a single drawer 204 to allow the drawer 204 to more effectively store a plurality of different items. Frequently, the dimensions and shape of each compartment 208a may be set to hold only a single item. However, in some embodiments, multiple items may be stacked, placed side by side, and / or placed top to bottom in a single compartment 208a. As shown, the drawer 204 includes a plurality of compartments 208a arranged in rows, where all of the compartments 208a in a given row are the same.

[0068] In some embodiments, the drawer 204 may include a lid 210 that extends over at least some of the compartments 208a in the drawer 204. Here, each row of compartments 208a includes its own dedicated lid 210, which is configured to extend across the entire row of compartments 208a. Each lid 210 may be configured to retract to expose a selected number of compartments 208a and / or items and extend to re-cover the compartments 208a when access is no longer needed. The lid 210 may be a single-piece flexible material and / or multiple pieces of flexible and / or rigid materials that are joined together to form a length of material having a first end and a second end. When separated from the drawer 204, the lid 210 may extend into a single flat strip of material, where the first end and the second end are located at opposite ends of the length of the strip of material. The lid 210 is strong enough to prevent a user from accessing the covered compartments 208a. In some embodiments, the lid 210 may be opaque to prevent the covered compartments 208a from being seen, while in other embodiments, the lid 210 may be transparent to allow a user to see the contents of the covered compartments 208a.

[0069] As described above, the lid 210 may be formed from multiple pieces of material. As Figure 5As best shown, multiple segments 222 can be linked together, similar to a watchband. For example, each segment 222 can include a concave portion 224 at one end and a convex portion 226 at the other end. By way of example only, the concave portion 224 can include a central recess formed between two extensions. The convex portion 226 can include a central extension surrounded by two recessed portions. The central recess of the concave portion 224 can be slightly larger than the central extension of the convex portion 226 such that the central extension of the convex portion 226 of the first segment 222 can be inserted into the central recess of the concave portion 224 of the second segment 222. Then, the extensions of the two segments 222 can be pivotally coupled together to link the segments 222. For example, a pin 262 can be inserted through each segment to link the extensions of the segments 222 together. In this way, multiple segments 222 can be linked together in such a manner that allows the length of the material in planar form to cover the compartments 208a and / or bend to follow a curved movement path as the lid 210 extends and / or retracts. In some embodiments, a portion of the lid 210 can be arranged in a planar manner while another portion of the lid 210 has segments 222 that pivot relative to each other to bend the lid 210. It should be understood that other designs of pivotable segments can be used to create the lid 210.

[0070] In some embodiments, the lid can be constrained to a particular movement path via one or more tracks formed in a given compartment. For example, as Figure 6 shown, a track 218 is formed in a compartment 290, which can be similar to the compartment 208 described herein. The track 218 can be disposed near the top edge of each compartment 290 and / or each row of compartments 290 that the lid (such as lid 210) is intended to cover. As shown, the track 218 is in the form of a channel for receiving the lateral edge of the lid to ensure that the lid moves linearly along the longitudinal axis of the lid to cover and expose the compartments 290 and / or rows. The track 218 is positioned adjacent to the top of the compartment 290 so as to effectively seal the compartment 290 below the lid position. Although not shown, in some embodiments, the track 218 can be disposed below the compartment 290, thereby providing a movement path below the compartment 290 that enables the lid 210 to be pulled back and rolled under the compartment 290 in a manner similar to a roll-up desk. In embodiments where the lid is formed of linked segments (such as linked segments 222), when the lid retracts and rolls back, some segments can pivot to bend and wrap to move under the compartment 290.

[0071] An actuator 216 can be coupled to each of the lids 210 such that the lids 110 can each be actuated to extend and / or retract the lid 210 independently of each other, as Figure 7As best shown. From time to time, the actuator 216 may include a motor 220 configured to generate a force that can be applied to the lid 210. In some embodiments, the actuator 216 may include a transmission that transfers the force from the motor 220 to the lid 210. For example, as Figure 8 shown, the actuator 216 may include a hub 228 coupled to the edge of the lid 210. As shown, the hub 228 includes a plurality of teeth 229 radially distributed around the outer periphery of the hub 228. In some embodiments, the pins 262 that connect each segment 222 may extend laterally beyond the edge of the segment 222. The end of each pin 262 may fit into a space 231 between the teeth 229 of the hub 228, allowing the motor 220 and the hub 228 to rotate to retract and extend the lid 210 based on the direction of rotation. In other embodiments, the edge of the lid 210 (such as the edge of each segment 222) may define a hole (not shown) configured to receive the teeth 229 of the hub 228 when the hub 228 is rotated by the motor 220.

[0072] In some embodiments, the motor 220 may include and / or be coupled to an encoder (not shown) that informs the motor 220 how many compartments 208 have been exposed. For example, the encoder may include information associated with the size of each compartment 208, the rotational speed of the motor 220, the effective transmission radius, and / or other information that can be used to determine how far the lid 210 has moved relative to the compartments 208. This ensures that the encoder can allow the motor 220 to actuate to move the lid 210 to a position where the distal end of the lid 210 is substantially aligned with the boundary of the corresponding compartment 208. This ensures that when the user accesses the drawer 204, the correct number of compartments 208 and / or items are accurately exposed. Additionally, by ensuring that the lid 210 retracts to an exact position, the user can quickly identify the correct item and the correct number of items to remove, without any doubt as to whether to remove the item in the partially exposed compartment 208, because the selected item will only be the exposed item.

[0073] During operation, once a user makes a selection of one or more items to be removed from cabinet 100, computing device 112 can identify one or more drawers 104 and / or compartments 208 associated with the selected items. Computing device 112 can then send a signal to actuator 216 associated with the relevant compartment 208. The signal causes the relevant actuator 216 to activate to retract the attached cover 210 to expose the multiple compartments 208 necessary to dispense the correct quantity of the selected items. In some embodiments, multiple actuators 216 and covers 210 can be actuated (simultaneously or sequentially) in one session to provide access to items in different rows and / or drawers 204. Once the relevant cover 210 is actuated, the relevant drawer 204 can be unlocked, allowing the user to access the drawer 204 and the exposed compartments 208. Once the user removes the items, the user can close the drawer 204. Once computing device 112 detects that the drawer 204 is closed (such as by using one or more door closure sensors), computing device 112 can lock each drawer 204 and then activate the actuator 216 to extend the cover 210 over the exposed compartments 208. In this way, cabinet 200 can prevent the possibility of creating any pinch points that may occur when the cover 210 moves, as the cover 210 only moves when the drawer 204 is closed and / or locked.

[0074] In some embodiments, actuator 216 can include one or more manual override mechanisms. Such mechanisms can allow for manual movement of cover 210 in certain situations, such as in the event of a power failure. For example, actuator 216 can include a clutch or coupler that can be disengaged from the actuator 216 to allow the user to move the cover 210 independently of the actuator 216. For example, a mechanical and / or electronic key lock can be used to allow the user to manually move the cover 210 to access items within compartment 208. In some embodiments, actuator 216 can include a slot that accepts a winding key, which the user can utilize to wind and / or otherwise manually manipulate the actuator 216 when access is needed and there is no power. In some embodiments, actuator 216 can include a gearbox and / or locking pawl that prevents the user from manually moving the cover 210 during normal operation.

[0075] From time to time, one or more of the compartments 208 may be empty before their respective lids 210 are retracted. For example, since the last refill of the drawer 204, one or more users may have accessed the compartments 208 in a particular row. In such an embodiment, the drawer 204 may include a plurality of sensors that assist in detecting whether the compartments 204, drawer 204 are empty or contain items. Based on this information, the lid 210 may be actuated to expose a plurality of compartments 208 that allow access to a selected number of items. For example, if the drawer 204 includes a row of ten compartments 208, each compartment includes a single item, and the user wishes to access three items, the computing device 112 may check whether any of the compartments 208 are empty by using one or more sensors. For example, if each of the ten compartments 208 includes an item, the computing device 112 may retract the lid 210 far enough to provide access to the first three compartments 208, thereby allowing the user to remove three items as needed. In another case, the computing device 112 may determine that the first two compartments 208 are empty and may then retract the lid 210 far enough to provide access to the first five compartments 208 (including the two empty compartments 208), thereby allowing the user to remove three items as needed.

[0076] In some embodiments, one or more sensors for determining whether a particular compartment 208 is full or empty may be integrated into the lid 210 itself. For example, the leading edge 230 of the lid 210 may include one or more optical sensors 232 that may be used to detect any contents of the compartment 208 when the lid 210 is retracted and / or extended. In some embodiments, the leading edge 230 may be formed by the last section 222 of the lid 210. By placing the optical sensors 232 in the leading edge 230, the computing device 112 is able to determine whether each compartment 208 is empty when the lid 210 is retracted, starting from the farthest side compartment 208 on which the lid 210 extends. In some embodiments, the optical sensors 232 (such as cameras, infrared sensors, etc.) may be configured to image the contents of the compartment 208 to determine whether one or more items are stored therein. For example, the computing device 112 may perform object detection on the images captured by the optical sensors 232 of each compartment 208 when the lid 210 is extended and / or retracted. Object detection may be used to determine whether each compartment 208 is empty or contains one or more items.

[0077] In other embodiments, the optical sensor 232 may work in conjunction with one or more features of the compartment 208 to determine if any item is present in the compartment 208. For example, in some embodiments, computer-readable identifiers (such as barcodes, Quick Response (QR) codes, alphanumeric text, and / or other objects readable by a computer) may be printed, adhered to, and / or otherwise placed on the bottom surface of each compartment 208. If an item is located within the compartment 208, the item obscures all or part of the computer-readable identifier, rendering the identifier unreadable. Thus, if the optical sensor 232 cannot read the identifier of a particular compartment 208, the computing device 112 may determine that the compartment 208 is containing an item. If the optical sensor 232 is able to read the identifier, the computing device 112 may conclude that the compartment 208 is empty.

[0078] In another embodiment, a light source, such as a light-emitting diode (LED), may be provided within the base of each compartment 208. The optical sensor 232 within the leading edge 230 may be configured to detect the presence of any light emitted from the light source. In some embodiments, the optical sensor 232 may be a receiver configured to respond to an optical signal pulsed at a particular frequency. In some embodiments, the optical sensor 232 may be in the form of a phototransistor receiver that is activated when detecting light emitted at a particular wavelength. In some embodiments, the light may include wavelengths within the IR spectrum, however in some embodiments, other wavelengths are possible. If the optical sensor 232 detects light, the computing device 112 may determine that the compartment 208 is empty because no object is interfering with the optical sensor 232's ability to detect light. Similarly, if the optical sensor 232 cannot detect light, the computing device may determine that the compartment 208 has an item stored therein that is blocking the light. In some embodiments, the optical sensor 232 may only detect a portion of the light emitted by the light source. In such embodiments, the computing device 112 may be programmed based on the needs of a particular application. For example, in some embodiments, if the optical sensor 232 only detects a portion of the light emitted from the light source, the computing device 112 may determine that an item is blocking the rest of the light and thus the compartment 208 must be occupied. In other embodiments, if any light is detected, the computing device 122 may determine that the compartment 208 is empty.

[0079] In some embodiments, the light source may be positioned directly within the storage area of the compartment 208, such as by placing an LED or other light source within the base 209 of the compartment 208, directly beneath which items are stored. In other embodiments, such as Figure 9As shown, a light source 211 (such as an LED) can be positioned outside the compartment 208. In some embodiments, such as if the compartment 208 can be removed from the drawer 204, the light source 211 can be attached to the device rather than the compartment 208. For example, the light source 211 can be positioned on the housing of the drawer 204. To introduce light into the interior of the compartment 208, holes 213 can be formed in the bottom and / or sides in the illumination field of the light source 211 of the compartment 208. In some embodiments, a light pipe 234 and / or other structures can be provided in the base 209 of the compartment 209 to further distribute the emitted light through the compartment 208. As shown, the light pipe 234 can be coupled to a portion of the base 209 of the compartment 208 and extend through the side wall 215 of the compartment 208 for introducing light from the external light source 211 into the interior of the compartment 208. Frequently, the light pipe 234 is positioned in the central region of the compartment 208, which can help ensure that if an item is present in the compartment 208, the light and the light pipe 234 will be blocked and thus not detectable by the optical sensor 232.

[0080] In some embodiments, the compartment 208 and / or the light pipe 234 can be designed to further ensure that an item present in the compartment 208 blocks the light from being detected by the optical sensor 232. For example, as shown, the light pipe 234 can extend only along a portion of the length of the compartment 208 such that the portion of the light pipe 234 does not extend beyond the distal end 217 of the item placed in the compartment 208. Additionally, the base 209 of each compartment 208 can be inclined along one or more axes 219a, 219b towards the light pipe 234, thereby biasing the item stored in the compartment 208 to be positioned directly above the light pipe 234 to block the light emitted by the light pipe 234. For example, the side 221 of the base of each compartment 208 can be curved and / or otherwise tapered towards the light pipe 234 positioned in the center of the compartment 208. Additionally, the base 209 of each compartment 208 can be inclined from one longitudinal end opposite the light source towards the other longitudinal end through which the light source 211 and the light pipe 234 extend. The inclination of the base 209 of the compartment 208 not only helps ensure that the item placed in the compartment 208 is positioned to cover the light pipe 234 to increase the accuracy of the optical sensor 232, but also helps make it easier to remove the item from the compartment 208.

[0081] In some embodiments, non-optical sensors may be used instead of or in combination with optical sensors to determine whether a particular compartment 208 is empty. For example, each compartment 208 may include one or more load sensors positioned within or below the base of the compartment 208. These load sensors (such as strain gauges, capacitance sensors, etc.) may be calibrated to provide a non-zero reading when an item is present. In some embodiments, the measured value of the load sensor may be compared to the known weight of a particular item expected to be stored in a given compartment 208. If the load measurement matches the known weight within the error factor of the load sensor, the computing device 112 may determine that the compartment 208 associated with the load sensor contains an item.

[0082] In another embodiment, each item within the compartment 208 may include an RF tag (passive or active) that may be read by an antenna disposed on the leading edge 230 of the lid 210 when the lid 210 is extended and / or retracted. In such an embodiment, RF shielding may be provided on the walls and base of each compartment 208 such that only items within a single compartment 208 may be read by the antenna in a single pass. It should be understood that other sensors may be integrated into the lid 210, the compartment 208, and / or the drawer 204 to track the presence and use of items located within the compartment 208.

[0083] In addition to helping determine the fill state of the compartment 208 to actuate the lid 210 at the correct distance, information from the sensors may be used to help monitor the inventory of the drawer 204. For example, after retracting and / or extending the lid 210, the computing device 112 may monitor, based on data from the various sensors, how many compartments 208 have items stored therein. This information may be tracked, along with information about which users removed items and potentially for what purpose (task, patient, etc.), to monitor how many items are present within the drawer 204 and / or the cabinet 100 and how the items are being utilized. In some embodiments, the inventory and / or usage data may be updated whenever the lid 210 is extended and / or retracted and / or when each drawer 204 is opened and / or closed.

[0084] In some embodiments, the compartments may be formed as part of the drawer 204 itself. In other embodiments, as shown herein, the compartments 208 may be formed separately and subsequently coupled to the base of the drawer 204. For example, each compartment 208 may be formed as a separate bin that is later coupled to the base of the drawer 204. In other embodiments, such as Figure 10A and Figure 10BAs shown, each compartment can be formed as part of the cartridge 236 and / or other removable features including multiple compartments 208. Although shown as having ten uniformly sized compartments 208, it should be understood that the cartridge 236 can include any number and size of compartments 208. Additionally, although shown in a single row arrangement, it should be understood that in some embodiments, the cartridge 236 can include multiple rows of compartments 208. In some embodiments, each cartridge 236 can form an entire row of compartments 208 within the drawer 204. In other embodiments, the cartridge 236 can form only a portion of a row of compartments 208, such as half or other fraction of a row of compartments 208. This configuration provides benefits associated with refilling the drawer 204. For example, if the compartments 208 in a given row are divided between two cartridges 236, as Figure 11 shown, a refill alert can be generated when the first half of the row is empty, ensuring that refilling occurs while there are still items available to the user in the second half of the row. To refill the first half, the user can use the computing device 112 to select a refill procedure. This can cause the computing device 122 to retract the lid 210 to expose at least the first half of the row, such that an empty one of the cartridges 236 can be removed and replaced with a full cartridge 236. In other embodiments, the drawer 204 can be refilled on a compartment-by-compartment basis. In such an embodiment, the lid 210 can retract to expose all of the empty compartments 208 and the user and / or a pick-and-place robot can insert the correct items into the empty compartments 208. In some embodiments, the cartridge 236 can include a lid (not shown) for transporting the full cartridge 236. For example, once the cartridge 236 has been filled by a pharmacy, a lid (such as, a reusable lid, a lid similar to the lid 110, a single-use lid (such as, tape or other film), and / or other lid) can be positioned on top of the various compartments 208 within the cartridge 236. The lid can be removed before, during, and / or after inserting the cartridge 236 into the drawer 204 such that the lid 210 of the drawer 204 can be used to control access to the various items within the compartments 208.

[0085] As shown, each compartment 208 within the cartridge 236 can include a light tube 234. A light source can be coupled to the compartment 208 and / or disposed within the drawer 204 such that when the cartridge 236 is installed within the drawer 204, the light source is aligned with the light tubes 234 of the respective compartments 208. In some embodiments, other sensors, such as load sensors, RF sensors, etc. can be coupled to the cartridge and / or to the drawer 204 itself. In some embodiments, each cartridge 236 can include an identifier (such as, an identifier encoded onto an RF chip) indicating which items and / or drawers 204 are associated with a given cartridge 236.

[0086] In some embodiments, each cartridge 236 may include a lid 210 and an actuator 216 assembly, while in other embodiments, the cartridge 236 may be inserted into the lid 210 and actuator 216 assembly. For example, the lid 210 and actuator 216 assembly may be coupled to the drawer 204 such that, in order to insert the cartridge 236, the lid 210 must be at least partially retracted. In some embodiments, the underside of each of the cartridges 236 may include one or more mating features, such as clips 238, buttons, magnets, and / or other coupling mechanisms 204 configured to secure the cartridge 236 to the base 241 of the drawer. As Figure 12 shown, the base 241 of the drawer 204 may define one or more mating features 240 (such as recesses and / or other structures that can serve as mounting locations), which are configured to engage the clip 238 and hold the cartridge 236 within the drawer 204. In some embodiments, the connection of the mating features of the cartridge 236 and the drawer 204 (such as the engagement of the clip 238 to the mating feature 240) may be similar to those in a ski boot, where the front end of the connector is inserted into the mating feature and the rear end is pushed downward to lock the cartridge 236 in place.

[0087] Figure 13 An alternative embodiment of the lid 310 is shown. The lid 310 may operate in a manner similar to the lid 210 described above. Here, the lid 310 is formed from a single piece of flexible material (such as a metal sheet, polymer, etc.) that is capable of bending around the actuator and / or a drive member (such as a gear 316) coupled to the actuator when the lid is retracted and / or extended. The lateral edges of the lid 310 define a plurality of holes 340 that are configured to receive the teeth 342 of the actuator 316, thereby allowing the actuator 316 to drive the lid 310. In some embodiments, the movement of the lid 310 is constrained by tracks 330 formed above and / or below the respective compartments of the drawer.

[0088] Figure 14 An embodiment of a drug control system 414 is shown. In one particular embodiment, the drug control system 414 may be provided in a medical facility, such as a hospital or a clinic. In such an embodiment, the drug control system 414 may include one or more drug storage systems 400 that communicate with a central computing device, such as a central pharmacy 402. Each drug storage system 400 may be embodied in any form, such as a cabinet (similar to cabinet 100), a cart, a rack, a locker, and / or other storage units, and may be located in facility-specific rooms, floors, and / or wards.

[0089] Each drug storage system 400 may include a computing device 404 (similar to computing device 112) configured to communicate information between the drug storage system 400 and a central pharmacy, authenticate users of the drug storage system 400, and control access to drugs and / or other items stored in the drug storage system 400. The computing device 404 may include a display screen and at least one input device, such as a keyboard, mouse, touch screen, credential reader, microphone, camera, and / or other devices enabling a user to interact with the computing device 404, and / or be communicatively coupled thereto. The credential reader may take the form of a wireless reader, such as Bluetooth, RFID, NFC, and / or other wireless readers capable of reading information from active or passive user credentials, such as key cards, mobile phones, IDs, and / or other credential devices. In other embodiments, the credential reader may include a contact reader, such as a chip or magnetic stripe reader. In other embodiments, the credential reader may include a biometric reader, such as a camera or other optical sensor for facial, iris, and / or palm vein authentication, a microphone for voice authentication, a fingerprint reader, and / or other biometric sensors.

[0090] A user is able to interact with the computing device 404 using one or more of the input devices to log in, select a patient and / or program, and / or obtain access to items stored within the drug storage system 400. For example, to log in to the drug storage system 400, a user may enter a username, password, and / or other access credentials (which may include biometric credentials) to verify that the user is authorized to access the cabinet 100 and / or specific items stored therein. In other embodiments, a user may automatically log in if their wireless credential is brought within range of the wireless credential reader of the computing device 404. Once the user is logged in, the user may make selections regarding the patient, program, and / or items to be removed from or otherwise dispensed from the drug storage system 400. These selections may be made using any of the input devices of the computing device 112. In a typical basic healthcare use scenario, a healthcare worker may enter the identification of a patient who requires drugs under their care and during their current shift. The computing device 404 may access the patient's medical file and determine which drugs have been prescribed for the patient. In other embodiments, a user may simply select one or more items to be removed from the drug storage system 400 without comparing the data to an order, such as a patient treatment plan.

[0091] Once a user selects which items are to be removed, the medication storage system 400 can provide access to the item, such as by unlocking, via the computing device 404, one or more drawers 406 (similar to drawers 104 and 204 described above) configured to store various medications and / or other items. Before, during, and / or after the user removes any items from the cabinet 100, the computing device 404 and / or other computer systems can use any number of sensors to monitor which items are actually removed from the medication storage system 400. The drawers 406 can be independently lockable such that access to each drawer 406 can be controlled separately. In some embodiments, the medication storage system 400 can include drawers 406 having a single configuration. In other embodiments, as shown herein, the medication storage system 400 can include drawers 406 having different layouts and / or sizes.

[0092] For example, as shown, the medication storage system 400 includes four drawers 406, each having a different size and / or drawer layout. However, it should be understood that any number of combinations of drawer sizes and / or layouts are possible in some embodiments. Here, drawer 406a defines a storage area that is divided into a plurality of bins and / or other compartments 408a for receiving one or more items. The compartments 408a can be arranged in rows and / or columns within drawer 406a. The compartments 408a are configured to be covered by retractable and / or otherwise removable lids 410a. The lids 410a can be similar to lids 210 and 310 described above. For example, a plurality of lids 410a are provided that extend across an entire row of compartments 408, and the compartments 408 can be oriented across the width of drawer 406a. Frequently, the lids 410a extend across an entire row of compartments 408a. In other embodiments, one or more lids 410a can extend across any portion of a row of compartments 408a. Each lid 410a can be configured to retract to expose a selected number of compartments 408a and / or items. The lids 410a enclose the compartments 408a such that any items present within the compartments 408a are not accessible for retrieving the item. The lids 410a can be moved using actuators 412a (similar to actuators 116 and 216 described above), which move the lids 410a to expose the items stored within the compartments 408a. For example, the actuators 412a can be coupled to each of the lids 410a such that the lids 410a can each be actuated to extend and / or retract the lids 410a independently of one another.

[0093] In one example, each of the one or more compartments 408a can be uncovered in sequence such that all previously uncovered compartments 108 remain uncovered. In another example, the lid 410a can allow only one compartment 408a to be uncovered at any given time and the remaining portion of the compartment 408a associated with that lid 410a is enclosed by the lid 410a. This ensures that if a user wants an item in a particular row of compartments 408a, only the items in that row are exposed when the user accesses the drawer 406a. In addition to controlling access to non-selected items, by only retracting the compartment 408a and / or the lid 410a of the item previously selected by the user, the user can quickly identify the item to be removed because the selected items will be only those that are not covered.

[0094] As shown, the drug storage system 400 includes another drawer 406b. Here, the drawer 406b includes covered compartments 408a and top-open compartments 408b. The covered compartments 408a include lids 410a and actuators 412a to control access to items within a row of covered compartments 408a. The top-open compartments 408b can be arranged within the drawer 406b in any configuration. Frequently, the top-open compartments 408b are used to store non-controlled substances and / or other items that do not require the additional security of the covered compartments 408a. To provide access to the items in the top-open compartments 408b, the computing device 404 only needs to unlock the associated drawer 406b.

[0095] The drug storage system 400 also includes a drawer 406c, which includes covered compartments 408a. Here, the columns of covered compartments 408a have corresponding lids 410b and actuators 412b. The lids 410b and actuators 412b operate in a manner similar to the lids 410a and actuators 412a, however, the lids 410b are arranged above the columns of compartments 408a and the actuators 412b retract and extend the lids 410b along the length of the drawer 406c, rather than the width of the drawer 40 (should be 406)c. The drug storage system 400 also includes a drawer 406d, which includes only top-open compartments 408b. It should be understood that the various arrangements of the drawers 406, compartments 408, lids 410, and actuators 412 provided above are only intended to be used as an example and various variations are possible.

[0096] In an embodiment, once the user makes his selection of one or more items retrieved from the medication storage system 400, the computing device 404 can identify one or more drawers 406 and / or compartments 408 associated with the selected items. The computing device 404 can then send a signal to an actuator 412 associated with the relevant compartment 408. The signal causes the relevant actuator 412 to activate to retract the attached cover 410 to expose the plurality of compartments 408 necessary to dispense the correct quantity of the selected items. In some embodiments, multiple actuators 416 and covers 410 can be actuated (simultaneously or sequentially) in one session to provide access to items in different rows and / or drawers 406. Once the relevant cover 410 is actuated, the relevant drawer 406 can be unlocked, allowing the user to access the drawer 406 and the exposed compartments 408. Once the user has finished removing items, the user can close the drawer 406. Once the computing device 112 detects that the drawer 104 is closed (such as by using one or more door closure sensors), the computing device 404 can lock each drawer 406 and then activate the actuator 412 to extend the cover 410 over the exposed compartments 408. In this way, the medication storage system 400 can prevent the possibility of creating any pinch points when moving the cover 410, since the cover 410 only moves when the drawer 406 is closed and / or locked.

[0097] In some embodiments, the drawer 406 and / or the cover 410 can include multiple sensors for monitoring the inventory within the drawer 406 and / or whether the compartments 408 are full or empty. For example, as described in more detail above, each compartment 408 of the drawer 4 can include sensors that determine whether the compartment 408 includes an item, based on light, image, RF, and / or weight. Similarly, the leading edge of each cover 410 can include sensors for determining whether a given compartment is empty or full, based on light, image, and / or RF. In some embodiments, when the medication storage system 400 is idle, each cover 410 can be fully retracted to count the items within each drawer 406. In other embodiments, a running inventory can be maintained based on logs of interactions with the medication storage system 400. Based on knowledge of whether each compartment 408 is empty or full, the inventory of the drawer 406 can be determined. This inventory information can be tracked, along with information about which users removed items and possibly for what purpose (task, patient, etc.), to monitor how many items are present within the drawer 406 and / or the medication storage system 400 and how the items are being utilized. In some embodiments, the inventory and / or usage data can be updated whenever the cover 410 extends and / or retracts and / or when each drawer 406 opens and / or closes.

[0098] In some embodiments, the inventory may be updated periodically, such as hourly, per work shift, daily, etc. In other embodiments, the inventory may be continuously tracked before, during, and / or after each interaction with the drug storage system 400. In some cases, the central pharmacy 402 may initiate a remote inventory scan of one or more of the drug storage systems 400 in the facility. For example, the central pharmacy 402 may send a command to each drug storage system 400 that causes the most recent inventory information from the corresponding drug storage system 400 to be sent to the central pharmacy. In some cases, the command may cause each drug storage system 400 to actuate the sensors and / or lids 410 to determine the current inventory count, such as by fully retracting and / or extending each lid 410 to count the various items. This inventory information may be transmitted to the central pharmacy 402. The central pharmacy may monitor the inventory of each drug storage system 400 and use this information to determine when to refill a particular drawer and / or a particular item in the drug storage system 400. Additionally, this information may be used to determine when to reorder a particular item, as the facility-wide inventory may be known based on the inventory of each drug storage system 400 and the central pharmacy.

[0099] In some embodiments, knowing the empty / full status of each compartment 408 enables the lid 410 to be actuated to expose multiple compartments 408 that allow access to a selected number of items. For example, if the drawer 406 includes ten single-item compartments 408 covered by a single lid 410, the computing device 404 may check whether any of the compartments 408 are empty by using one or more sensors. For example, if each of the ten compartments 408 contains an item, the computing device 404 may retract the lid 410 far enough to provide access to the first three compartments 408, thereby allowing the user to remove three items as needed. In another case, the computing device 404 may determine that the first two compartments 408 are empty and may then retract the lid 410 far enough to provide access to the first five compartments 408 (including the two empty compartments 408), thereby allowing the user to remove three items as needed.

[0100] Figure 15FIG. 500 is a flowchart showing a process of an operation safety dispensing mechanism. The safety dispensing mechanism can be integrated into a storage unit, such as cabinet 100, drug storage system 400, cart, shelf, and / or other devices that may include multiple safety dispensing units (such as drawers 104, 204). The safety dispensing mechanism can include one or more processors or other controllers (such as computing devices 112, 404) that execute instructions to perform some or all of the steps in process 500. At block 502, an input can be received to dispense a selected quantity of items from the safety dispensing mechanism. The input can specify which items are to be removed and how many items are to be removed. The input can be received by a computing device and can often be received from an authorized user. The authorized user may have been authenticated previously by providing some access credentials, such as a piece of information, an identifier from a possession-based credential, and / or a biometric credential, to the computing device. In some embodiments, the authenticated user may need the entire additional information associated with a particular item, such as the patient and / or task to be used with the item.

[0101] After any user authentication has been performed and an item selection has been received, at block 504, the safety dispensing mechanism can identify one or more compartments and / or drawers within the storage unit that contain the selected items. For example, the computing device can access a local and / or remote database of items (such as drugs) and drawer / compartment locations. In some embodiments, each drawer, cassette, and / or bin can include a computer-readable identifier that notifies the computing device of what drawer / item arrangement exists. Once the computing device has identified the correct drawer and / or compartment that contains the selected items, at block 506, the computing device can determine how many covers associated with the relevant compartment need to be retracted.

[0102] In some embodiments, after each interaction, the lid may extend to cover all compartments, including empty compartments. In such embodiments, at block 508, the computing device may receive sensor data for determining how much to retract the lid to expose the selected items. For example, if each compartment contains a single item and there are no empty compartments, the lid may be retracted to expose a number of compartments that matches the number of selected items. In other embodiments, the number of compartments may not match the number of selected items. For example, one or more of the compartments may contain multiple items. In other embodiments, the secure dispensing mechanism may determine that at least one of the multiple compartments is empty; and adjust a predetermined number of compartments to be exposed based on determining that at least one of the multiple compartments is empty. For example, a row of ten compartments each contains a single item and the user wishes to access three items in that row. The secure dispensing unit may then check, using one or more sensors such as optical sensors, radio frequency (RF) sensors, load sensors, etc., to see if any of the compartments are empty. For example, if each of the ten compartments contains an item, the secure dispensing mechanism may retract the lid far enough to provide access to the first three compartments, allowing the user to remove three items as needed. In another case, the secure dispensing mechanism may determine that the first two compartments are empty and may then retract the lid far enough to provide access to the first five compartments (including two empty compartments), allowing the user to remove three items as needed. Once the appropriate retraction distance is determined, at block 510, the computing device may send a command to the actuator associated with the compartment to actuate the lid to retract the leading edge of the lid to expose the selected number of compartments.

[0103] When determining that at least one of the multiple compartments is empty, the secure dispensing mechanism may detect an optical signal originating from one or more emitter devices located within at least one of the multiple compartments. In some embodiments, the optical sensor is positioned on the leading edge of the lid and detects the optical sensor as the lid moves along the length of the secure dispensing mechanism. In other embodiments, an imaging sensor, a weight sensor, and / or an RF sensor may be integrated into the lid and / or the compartment to assist the computing device in determining whether a particular bin is empty.

[0104] In other embodiments, once the lid is partially retracted, the lid will remain in place until another interaction with the compartments of the associated row (such as removing an item and / or another selection to refill an empty item), thus keeping the empty container exposed. In such embodiments, at block 510, no sensor data is required and the lid may be actuated to expose a number of compartments that matches the number of items.

[0105] In some embodiments, multiple lids may be actuated and / or multiple rows of compartments may be exposed. In embodiments where multiple lids (in the same row and / or different rows) are actuated, the lids may be actuated sequentially and / or simultaneously to provide access to all selected items at the same time. In some embodiments, actuating a lid may include rotating a sprocket drive that mates with the lid edge to pull at least a portion of the lid around a portion of the sprocket drive.

[0106] In some embodiments, the lids and compartments may be integrated into a drawer that can be electronically locked by an inventory control system (such as cabinet 100 and / or the drug storage system 400). In such embodiments, process 400 may also include, at block 512, unlocking the lockable drawer after the lid of the safety dispensing mechanism has been retracted. The user can then access the interior of the drawer and the exposed compartments. After the user has removed the desired item(s), the drawer closes. Once the computing device detects that the drawer has closed, the computing device may send a command to lock the drawer, and in other embodiments, the drawer may have a self-locking mechanical lock. Once the drawer is locked, in some embodiments, the computing device may optionally extend the lids over each of the compartments. In some embodiments, the safety dispensing mechanism may receive additional input for refilling at least some of the compartments. The lids may retract to expose multiple compartments to be refilled, which may include all compartments or only a portion thereof.

[0107] In some embodiments, process 500 may also include scanning each of the compartments to determine the contents of the dispensing mechanism when the dispensing mechanism is closed and idle. For example, each lid within a given drawer may be actuated (sequentially, in groups, or all lids simultaneously) such that various sensors can detect the contents of each compartment for inventory purposes. In this way, the contents of each drawer and / or cabinet can be captured when the cabinet is not in use. In some embodiments, the results of the inventory check may be sent to a central server and / or other remote computer, which may allow triggering of various processes such as refilling bins and / or drawers and / or reordering items. In some embodiments, such an inventory procedure may be completed at a predetermined time and / or interval, after a particular use of the cabinet and / or drawer, and / or based on a request from a remote computing device (such as a central server and / or a pharmacy computer).

[0108] Figure 16 is a flowchart of process 600 of using a safety dispensing mechanism. The safety dispensing mechanism may be integrated into a storage unit, such as cabinet 100, the drug storage system 400, a cart, a shelf, and / or other devices that may include multiple safety dispensing units (such as drawers 104, 204). Process 600 may begin at block 602 with a user logging into the storage unit. For example, the user may use one or more input devices of the computing device of the storage unit to provide knowledge-based, biometric, and / or possession-based credentials, as described above with respect to Figure 1More detailed description. Once authenticated, then at block 604, the user can choose to use a graphical user interface (GUI) and / or other interfaces of the storage unit to make selections regarding the patient, procedures, and / or items to be removed from or otherwise allocated from the storage unit. These selections can be made using any of the input devices of the computing device, including a microphone for enabling voice commands. After making the selections, at block 606, the user can open one or more drawers in the storage unit that are unlocked by the computing system. Then, at block 608, the user can remove and / or otherwise access any items disposed in the compartments exposed within the opened drawer. For example, before the user opens the drawer, the covers of one or more compartments have been retracted by the computing device. Then, the user can take the items from the exposed compartments. In some embodiments, lights and / or other indicators can be lit and / or otherwise activated to guide the user to the compartment containing the selected items. Once the user has retrieved all the selected items from a given drawer, the user can close the drawer at block 610, which can then be locked by the computing device.

[0109] As Figure 17 The computer system shown can be incorporated as part of the computerized device described previously. For example, computer system 700 can represent some of the components of computing device 112, cabinet 100, and / or other computing devices described herein. Figure 17 A schematic diagram of one embodiment of computer system 700 is provided, which can execute the methods provided by various other embodiments, as described herein. Figure 17 It is only intended to provide a general description of the various components, any one or all of which can be used as appropriate. Thus, Figure 17 It is broadly illustrated how to implement the individual system elements in a relatively separated or relatively more integrated manner.

[0110] Computer system 700 is shown as including hardware elements that can be electrically coupled (or otherwise communicate as appropriate) via bus 705. The hardware elements can include a processing unit 710, which includes but is not limited to one or more processors, such as one or more dedicated processors (such as digital signal processing chips, graphics acceleration processors, etc.); one or more input devices 715, which can include but are not limited to a keyboard, touch screen, receiver, motion sensor, camera, smart card reader, non-contact media reader, etc.; and one or more output devices 720, which can include but are not limited to a display device, speaker, printer, writing module, etc.

[0111] The computer system 700 may also include one or more non-transitory storage devices 725 (and / or communicate therewith), which may include, but are not limited to, local and / or network-accessible storage devices and / or may include, but are not limited to, disk drives, drive arrays, optical storage devices, solid-state storage devices, such as random access memory (“RAM”) and / or read-only memory (“ROM”), which may be programmable, flash-updatable, etc. Such storage devices may be configured to implement any suitable data storage, including, but not limited to, various file systems, database structures, etc.

[0112] The computer system 700 may also include a communication interface 730, which may include, but is not limited to, a modem, a network card (wireless or wired), an infrared communication device, a wireless communication device, and / or a chipset (such as Bluetooth TM devices, 802.11 devices, Wi-Fi devices, WiMAX devices, NFC devices, cellular communication facilities, etc.) and / or similar communication interfaces. The communication interface 730 may allow data to be exchanged with a network (such as the network described below, by way of example only), other computer systems, and / or any other devices described herein. In many embodiments, the computer system 700 will further include a non-transitory working memory 735, which may include a RAM or ROM device as described above.

[0113] The computer system 700 may also include software elements shown as currently residing within the working memory 735, including an operating system 740, device drivers, executable libraries, and / or other code, such as one or more application programs 745, which may include computer programs provided by various embodiments and / or may be designed to implement methods provided by other embodiments and / or configure systems provided by other embodiments, as described herein. By way of example only, one or more programs described with respect to the above methods may be implemented as code and / or instructions executable by a computer (and / or a processor within the computer); then, in one aspect, such specific / special-purpose code and / or instructions may be used to configure a computing device and / or adapt it to be a special-purpose computer configured to perform one or more operations in accordance with the method.

[0114] A set of such instructions and / or code can be stored on a computer-readable storage medium, such as the storage device 725 described above. In some cases, the storage medium can be incorporated within a computer system, such as computer system 700. In other embodiments, the storage medium can be separate from the computer system (e.g., a removable medium, such as a compact disc) and / or provided in an installation package such that the storage medium can be used to program, configure, and / or adapt a dedicated computer with the instructions / code stored thereon. These instructions can be in the form of executable code executable by computer system 700 and / or can be in the form of source code and / or installable code that, when compiled and / or installed on computer system 700 (e.g., using any one of a variety of available compilers, installers, compression / decompression utilities, etc.), takes the form of executable code.

[0115] Substantial variations can be made in accordance with specific requirements. For example, custom hardware can also be used and / or specific elements can be implemented in hardware, software (including portable software, such as applets, etc.), or both. Also, the hardware and / or software components that provide certain functionality can include a dedicated system (with dedicated components) or can be part of a more general-purpose system. For example, a risk management engine configured to provide some or all of the features described herein related to risk profiling and / or distribution can include dedicated hardware and / or software (e.g., an application specific integrated circuit (ASIC), software methods, etc.) or be general-purpose (e.g., processing unit 710, application 745, etc.). Additionally, connections to other computing devices, such as network input / output devices, can be employed.

[0116] Some embodiments can employ a computer system, such as computer system 700, to perform the methods according to the present invention. For example, some or all of the programs of the method can be executed by computer system 700 in response to the processing unit 710 executing one or more sequences of one or more instructions included in the working memory 735 (which can be incorporated within the operating system 740 and / or other code, such as application 745). Such instructions can be read into the working memory 735 from another computer-readable medium, such as one or more storage devices 725. By way of example only, the execution of the instruction sequences contained in the working memory 735 can cause the processing unit 710 to perform one or more of the processes of the methods described herein.

[0117] As used herein, the terms "machine-readable medium" and "computer-readable medium" refer to any medium that participates in providing data that causes a machine to operate in a particular fashion. In an embodiment implemented using computer system 700, various computer-readable media may be involved in providing instructions / code to processing unit 710 for execution and / or may be used to store and / or carry such instructions / code (e.g., as a signal). In many implementations, the computer-readable medium is a physical and / or tangible storage medium. Such a medium may take many forms, including but not limited to non-volatile media, volatile media, and transmission media. Non-volatile media includes, for example, optical discs and / or magnetic disks, such as storage device 725. Volatile media includes but is not limited to dynamic memory, such as working memory 735. Transmission media includes but is not limited to coaxial cables, copper wire, and fiber optics, including the wires that comprise bus 705, and various components of communication interface 730 (and / or communication interface 730 may be used to provide a medium for communicating with other devices). Thus, transmission media can also take the form of waves (including but not limited to radio waves, sound waves, and / or light waves, such as those generated during radio-wave and infrared data communications).

[0118] Common forms of physical and / or tangible computer-readable media include, for example, magnetic media, optical media, or any other physical media with patterns of holes, RAM, PROM, EPROM, FLASH-EPROM, any other memory chip or cartridge, a carrier wave as described below, or any other medium from which a computer can read instructions and / or code.

[0119] Communication interface 730 (and / or its components) will generally receive signals, and then bus 705 may convey the signals (and / or data, instructions, etc. carried by the signals) to working memory 735, from which processor 710 retrieves and executes instructions. Instructions received by working memory 735 may optionally be stored on non-transitory storage device 725 before or after execution by processing unit 710.

[0120] The methods, systems, and devices discussed above are examples. Some embodiments are described as processes depicted as flowcharts or block diagrams. Although each may describe the operations as a sequential process, many of the operations can also be performed in parallel or concurrently. In addition, the order of the operations may be rearranged. The process may have additional steps not included in the figures. Moreover, embodiments of the method may be implemented by hardware, software, firmware, middleware, microcode, hardware description language, or any combination thereof. When implemented in software, firmware, middleware, or microcode, the program code or code segments for performing the associated tasks may be stored in a computer-readable medium, such as a storage medium. The processor may execute the associated tasks.

[0121] Note that the systems and apparatuses discussed above are only intended as examples. It must be emphasized that various procedures or components may be omitted, substituted, or added in various embodiments as appropriate. Additionally, features described with respect to certain embodiments may be incorporated in various other embodiments. Different aspects and elements of the embodiments may be combined in a similar manner. Further, it should be emphasized that technology is evolving, and thus, many of the elements are examples and should not be construed as limiting the scope of the present invention.

[0122] Specific details are given in the description to provide a thorough understanding of the embodiments. However, those of ordinary skill in the art should understand that the embodiments may be practiced without these specific details. For example, well-known structures and techniques have been shown without unnecessary detail to avoid obscuring the embodiments. The description provides only example embodiments and is not intended to limit the scope, applicability, or configuration of the present invention. Instead, the foregoing description of the embodiments will provide those skilled in the art with an enabling description for practicing the embodiments of the present invention. Various changes may be made to the function and arrangement of the elements without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention.

[0123] The methods, systems, apparatuses, diagrams, and tables discussed above are examples. Various configurations may omit, substitute, or add various procedures or components as appropriate. For example, in alternative configurations, the methods may be performed in a different order than described, and / or various stages may be added, omitted, and / or combined. Additionally, features described with respect to certain configurations may be incorporated in various other configurations. Different aspects and elements of the configurations may be combined in a similar manner. Further, technology is evolving, and thus many of the elements are examples and do not limit the scope of the present invention or the claims. Additionally, the techniques discussed herein may provide different results with different types of context-aware classifiers.

[0124] Although the illustrative and presently preferred embodiments of the disclosed systems, methods, and machine-readable media have been described in detail herein, it should be understood that the inventive concepts may be otherwise embodied and employed, and the appended claims are intended to be construed to include such variations, except as limited by the prior art.

[0125] Unless otherwise defined, all technical and scientific terms used herein have the same meaning as commonly or conventionally understood. As used herein, the articles "a" and "an" refer to one or more than one (i.e., at least one) of the grammatical objects of an item. By way of example, "an element" means one element or more than one element. As used herein, "about" and / or "approximately" when referring to a measurable value, such as an amount, a duration, etc., includes variations of ±20% or ±10%, ±5% or +0.1% from the specified value, as such variations are applicable in the context of the systems, devices, circuits, methods and other embodiments described herein. As used herein, "substantially" when referring to a measurable value, such as an amount, a duration, a physical property (such as, frequency), etc., also includes variations of ±20% or ±10%, ±5% or +0.1% from the specified value, as such variations are applicable in the context of the systems, devices, circuits, methods and other embodiments described herein. As used herein, including in the claims, as used in a list of items beginning with "at least one" or "one or more", "and" indicates that any combination of the listed items may be used. For example, a list of "at least one of A, B, and C" includes any one of the combinations A or B or C or AB or AC or BC and / or ABC (i.e., A and B and C). Further, to the extent that the items A, B, or C may occur or be used more than once, multiple uses of A, B, and / or C may form part of the contemplated combinations. For example, a list of "at least one of A, B, and C" may also include AA, AAB, AAA, BB, etc.

[0126] Several embodiments have been described. Those skilled in the art will recognize that various modifications, alternative constructions, and equivalents can be used without departing from the essence of the invention. For example, the above elements may merely be components of a larger system, where other rules may take precedence over or otherwise modify the application of the invention. Additionally, many steps may be taken before, during, or after considering the above elements. Accordingly, the above description should not be regarded as limiting the scope of the invention.

[0127] Furthermore, as used in this specification and the following claims, the words "comprising", "including", "containing" are intended to specify the presence of the stated features, integers, components, or steps, but they do not preclude the presence or addition of one or more other features, integers, components, steps, acts, or groups.

Claims

1. A dispensing unit, comprising: A housing having a first end and a second end; And A plurality of storage components, wherein the plurality of storage components are arranged parallel to each other within the housing, and each storage component includes: A plurality of compartments linearly arranged along the axis of the housing, each compartment configured to store an item; A lid, the lid being coupled to the housing and extending between the first end and the second end such that the lid is positioned above the plurality of compartments; An actuator coupled to the lid, the actuator configured to retract the lid to pull a distal end of the lid from the first end towards the second end to expose a selected number of the plurality of compartments; and An optical sensor coupled to a leading edge of the lid, the optical sensor configured to determine whether one or more of the plurality of compartments are empty as the lid moves along the length of the housing.

2. The dispensing unit according to claim 1, wherein: The actuator includes a motor coupled to a rotatable element, the rotatable element engaging an edge of the lid to move the lid along a track formed in the housing.

3. The dispensing unit according to claim 2, wherein: The track extends on both a top side and a bottom side of the housing such that when retracted, at least a portion of the lid is positioned beneath the housing.

4. The dispensing unit according to claim 2, wherein: The motor includes an encoder that determines how far to retract the lid to expose a selected number of the plurality of compartments.

5. The dispensing unit according to claim 1, wherein: The actuators of each of the plurality of storage components are operable independently of each other.

6. The dispensing unit according to claim 1, wherein: The optical sensor also operates as an encoder for the actuator, which detects dividers of the plurality of compartments to determine how far the lid is retracted.

7. The dispensing unit according to claim 1, wherein: At least some of the plurality of compartments are releasably coupled within the housing.

8. A dispensing unit, comprising: A housing having a first end and a second end; A plurality of compartments linearly arranged along the axis of the housing, each compartment configured to store an item; A lid, the lid being coupled to the housing and extending between the first end and the second end such that the lid is positioned above the plurality of compartments; An actuator coupled to the lid, the actuator configured to retract the lid to pull a leading edge of the lid from the first end towards the second end to expose a selected number of the plurality of compartments; And An optical sensor coupled to a leading edge of the lid, the optical sensor configured to determine whether one or more of the plurality of compartments are empty as the lid moves along the length of the housing.

9. The dispensing unit according to claim 8, wherein: The dispensing unit is integrated into an electronically lockable drawer of a drug storage system.

10. The dispensing unit according to claim 9, wherein: The actuator is configured to operate only when the drawer is in a closed state.

11. The dispensing unit according to claim 8, wherein: The edge of the lid defines a channel configured to engage with the teeth of the actuator, enabling the actuator to move the lid relative to the housing.

12. The dispensing unit according to claim 8, wherein: The base of each of the plurality of compartments includes a machine-readable identifier; The optical sensor is configured to read the machine-readable identifier; And The optical sensor is configured to determine that one of the plurality of compartments is empty when the optical sensor can read the machine-readable identifier associated with one of the plurality of compartments.

13. The dispensing unit according to claim 8, wherein: The base of each of the plurality of compartments includes a light element; The optical sensor is configured to detect light emitted from the light element; and The optical sensor is configured to determine that one of the plurality of compartments is empty when the optical sensor can detect light emitted from the light element associated with one of the plurality of compartments.

14. A method of operating a dispensing mechanism, comprising: Receiving an input for dispensing a selected number of items from the dispensing mechanism; Actuating a lid of the dispensing mechanism to retract a leading edge of the lid, thereby exposing a selected number of compartments of the plurality of compartments of the dispensing mechanism based on the selected number of items, wherein the plurality of compartments are linearly arranged along an axis of the dispensing mechanism, and each compartment is configured to store an item; And Using an optical sensor positioned on the leading edge of the lid to determine whether at least one of the plurality of compartments is empty as the lid moves along the length of the dispensing mechanism.

15. The method of operating a dispensing mechanism according to claim 14, further comprising: Adjusting the selected number of compartments to be exposed based on a determination of whether at least one of the plurality of compartments is empty.

16. The method of operating a dispensing mechanism according to claim 15, wherein: Determining whether at least one of the plurality of compartments is empty includes detecting an optical signal originating from one or more emitter devices positioned within the at least one of the plurality of compartments.

17. The method of operating a dispensing mechanism according to claim 14, further comprising: Receiving an additional input for refilling the plurality of compartments; And Actuating the lid of the dispensing mechanism in response to the additional input to retract the leading edge of the lid, thereby exposing each of the plurality of compartments.

18. The method of operating a dispensing mechanism according to claim 14, wherein: Actuating the lid includes rotating a sprocket drive that mates with an edge of the lid to pull at least a portion of the lid around a portion of the sprocket drive.

19. The method of operating a dispensing mechanism according to claim 14, wherein: The dispensing mechanism is integrated into an electronically lockable drawer of a drug storage system; and The method further includes unlocking the lockable drawer after retracting the lid of the dispensing mechanism.

20. The method of operating a dispensing mechanism according to claim 14, further comprising: Scanning each of the plurality of compartments when the dispensing mechanism is closed and idle to determine the contents of the dispensing mechanism.

21. A cabinet, comprising: A housing defining a storage area; At least one drawer, wherein each of the at least one drawer comprises: A first side and a second side; A plurality of compartments linearly arranged along the axis of the at least one drawer, each compartment configured to store an item; A lid, the lid being coupled to the housing and extending between the first side and the second side such that the lid is positioned over the plurality of compartments; An actuator coupled to the lid, the actuator configured to retract the lid to pull a leading edge of the lid from the first side towards the second side to expose a selected number of the plurality of compartments; and An optical sensor coupled to the leading edge of the lid, the optical sensor configured to determine whether one or more of the plurality of compartments are empty as the lid moves along the length of the housing.

22. The cabinet according to claim 21, wherein: The actuator is configured to operate only when the at least one drawer is in a closed state.

23. The cabinet according to claim 21, wherein: The at least one drawer includes an electronically actuated locking mechanism that secures the at least one drawer within the storage area of the housing.

24. The cabinet according to claim 21, further comprising: A computing device configured to: Receive a selection to remove one or more items from the at least one drawer; And Activate the actuator to retract the lid of the at least one drawer to provide access to the one or more items.

25. The cabinet according to claim 21, wherein: At least a portion of the plurality of compartments are disposed in a cartridge removable from the housing; The cartridge includes a computer-readable identifier; and The cabinet further includes a computing device configured to read the identifier to determine whether the cartridge contains the correct items for the at least one drawer.

26. The cabinet according to claim 21, wherein: At least a portion of the plurality of compartments are disposed in a cartridge removable from the housing; and The cartridge includes a lid for transporting the cartridge from a pharmacy to the cabinet, wherein the cartridge is filled with items.

Images