Sensor assembly for detecting filling level of container

Abstract

A sensor assembly for determining a fill level of a container. The sensor assembly includes a rod having an adjustable feature that is adjusted in response to a change in a fill level of the container, one or more sensors configured to detect the adjustable feature of the rod, and a controller configured to control the adjustment of the rod. The controller is configured to determine a fill level of the container based at least on an adjustable characteristic of the stem.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The subject matter described herein generally relates to mechanisms for storing articles in containers, and more particularly, to sensor assemblies for detecting the fill level of a container. Background Art

[0002] Medical facilities include containers designed to store articles (including medications) that may be returned to a pharmacy. Depending on the number of patients accessing the medical facility and the medical events occurring at the medical facility, articles may be stored in the containers at different frequencies and in different quantities. The variability in the storage of articles in the containers may completely fill the containers, rendering the containers unusable prior to the scheduled emptying operation of the filled containers. If a container is full, a healthcare provider intending to store an article in the full container will have to find other options for storing the article, which may include personally securing the article (e.g., in a pocket) during container downtime or having to make an additional trip to the pharmacy to return the medication. If the articles include high-value and / or controlled prescription medications (especially opioids that would be illegal for a healthcare provider to possess), the urgency to store the articles in the designated containers may be exacerbated. Summary of the Invention

[0003] Provided is a system, sensor assembly, and article of manufacture to optimize the emptying schedule of a container using a sensor assembly having a system for accurately detecting the fill level of the container.

[0004] In one aspect, a sensor assembly for determining the fill level of a container includes a rod having an adjustable feature, one or more sensors, and a controller, the adjustable feature being adjusted in response to a change in the fill level of the container, the one or more sensors configured to detect the adjustable feature of the rod, and the controller configured to determine the fill level of the container based at least on the adjustable feature of the rod.

[0005] In some embodiments, the proximal edge of the rod may be secured by a pivot joint that enables the rod to rotate in response to changes in the fill level of the container. When the rod may be at a first adjustable characteristic value corresponding to a first fill level of the container, the distal edge of the rod may be configured to interact with a first sensor of one or more sensors, and wherein when the rod may be at a second adjustable characteristic value corresponding to a second fill level of the container, the distal edge of the rod may be further configured to interact (by contact) with a second sensor of one or more sensors. The controller may determine that the rod may be at the first adjustable characteristic value based on a first signal generated by the first sensor in response to interacting with the rod at the first adjustable characteristic value, and wherein the controller determines that the rod may be at the second adjustable characteristic value based on a second signal generated by the first sensor and the second sensor in response to interacting with the rod at the second adjustable characteristic value. The controller may determine that the rod is at a third adjustable characteristic value based on a third signal generated by the first sensor and the second sensor. The adjustable characteristic values include the length, angle, and / or position of the rod relative to one or more sensors. The controller determines that the rod may be at a first length based on a signal from one or more sensors indicating that the rod may be at a first angle relative to one or more sensors, and wherein the controller determines that the rod may be at a second length based on a signal from one or more sensors indicating that the rod may be at a second angle relative to one or more sensors. The container includes rounded edges configured to guide the distal edge of the rod through the transition between two orthogonal surfaces of the container. The rod may include a telescopic rod, a spring, and / or a telescopic spring. The sensors may include a sensing array disposed along the inner surface of the container. One or more sensors may be attached to the rod. One or more sensors may include at least one of a gyroscope, a pressure sensor, a camera device, a magnetic sensor, a radio frequency sensor, and an optical sensor. The controller may be further configured to generate an indication of the fill level of the container. The container may be configured to receive solid materials. The container may include an inlet mechanism for depositing articles into the container. The controller may be configured to respond to the fill level of the container meeting one or more thresholds by at least blocking the inlet mechanism to prevent additional articles from being deposited into the container. The inlet mechanism includes one or more of a slot, an inclined ramp, and a door. The rod may be configured to adjust from a first adjustable characteristic value to a second adjustable characteristic value in response to one or more articles being deposited in the container, and wherein the rod may be further configured to reset back to the first adjustable characteristic value when one or more articles are removed from the container. The container includes a placement mechanism for optimizing the arrangement of the articles deposited in the container. The placement mechanism includes one or more of a tactile signal and pressure.The controller can be physically coupled to the container or can be located at a remote location.

[0006] In another aspect, a storage station includes a sensor assembly and one or more containers for storing items, the sensor assembly including a rod having an adjustable feature, one or more sensors, and a controller, the adjustable feature being adjusted in response to a change in the container fill level, the one or more sensors configured to detect the adjustable feature of the rod, the controller configured to determine the fill level of the container based at least on the adjustable feature of the rod.

[0007] In another aspect, a storage system includes a storage station and a storage control system, the storage station including a rod having an adjustable feature, one or more sensors, and a controller, the adjustable feature being adjusted in response to a change in the container fill level, the one or more sensors configured to detect the adjustable feature of the rod, the controller configured to determine the fill level of the container based at least on the adjustable feature of the rod, the storage control system configured to control one or more actions of the storage station based on the fill levels of one or more containers.

[0008] Embodiments of the present subject matter can include methods consistent with the description provided herein and articles of manufacture including tangible embodied machine-readable media that can operate to cause one or more machines (e.g., computers, etc.) to generate operations implementing one or more of the described features. Similarly, a computer system that can include one or more processors and one or more memories coupled to the one or more processors is also described. The memory that can include non-volatile computer-readable or machine-readable storage media can include one or more programs, encode, store, etc., the one or more programs that cause the one or more processors to perform one or more of the operations described herein. Computer-implemented methods consistent with one or more embodiments of the present subject matter can be implemented by one or more data processors residing in a single computing system or multiple computing systems. Such multiple computing systems can be connected and can exchange data and / or commands or other instructions, etc., including, for example, connections over a network (e.g., the Internet, wireless wide area network, local area network, wide area network, wired network, etc.) through direct connections between one or more of the multiple computing systems.

[0009] Details of one or more variations of the subject matter described herein are set forth in the accompanying drawings and the description below. Other features and advantages of the subject matter described herein will be apparent from the specification, the drawings, and the claims. While certain features of the presently disclosed subject matter have been described for purposes of illustration in connection with a system for detecting a container fill level having a sensor assembly, it will be readily understood that these features are not intended to be limiting. The appended claims of the present invention are intended to define the scope of the protected subject matter. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0010] The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated in and constitute a part of this specification, illustrate certain aspects of the subject matter disclosed herein and, together with the description, help explain some of the principles associated with the disclosed embodiments. In the drawings,

[0011] Figure 1A a schematic diagram depicting an example of a system for detecting a container fill level in accordance with some example embodiments is shown;

[0012] Figure 1B a schematic diagram depicting an example of a portion of the system for detecting a container fill level shown in accordance with some example embodiments is shown; Figure 1A shown in accordance with some example embodiments

[0013] Figures 2A to 2D a cross-sectional view of an example of a container having a sensor assembly being gradually filled in accordance with some example embodiments is shown;

[0014] Figure 3A and Figure 3B a schematic illustration of an example of a container having a sensor assembly being gradually filled in accordance with some example embodiments is shown;

[0015] Figure 4 a flowchart depicting an example of a process for detecting a fill level of a container in accordance with some example embodiments is shown;

[0016] Figure 5 a block diagram depicting an example of a computing system in accordance with some example embodiments is shown.

[0017] Wherever possible, like reference numerals represent like structures, features, or elements. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0018] Embodiments of the present invention generally relate to the detection and monitoring of the fill level of a container for storing items. More specifically, embodiments of the present invention relate to a sensor assembly for a container that includes an adjustable rod, a sensor, and a controller. The rod can be internally attached within the container to track the fill level as items are added. The rod has adjustable features (e.g., position, angle, and / or length) that are adjusted in response to changes in the fill level of the container. The sensor can interact with the rod (or can be incorporated within the rod) to detect the value of the adjustable feature (length and / or position) of the rod. The controller receives signals from the sensor that indicate the value of the adjustable feature (length and / or position) of the rod to deduce the fill level of the container based on the value of the adjustable feature (length and / or position) of the rod. The controller can be coupled to an indicator (e.g., an LED light, software) to communicate the fill level to the user of the container.

[0019] Automatically detecting and real-time tracking the fill level of a container (without manual intervention) can help optimize the emptying schedule of the container to avoid overfilling the container and rendering it unusable. By keeping the fill level of the container within an acceptable range, the system prevents delays in item storage, thus preventing such delays from interfering with the schedule of the container user. Another advantage of the container sensor assembly is that the rod is configured to automatically adjust the value of its adjustable features (length, angle, and / or position) in response to the container being emptied, thereby triggering a reset of the fill level of the container to indicate that the container is empty. The geometry of the container can also be adapted to include a curved transition from a horizontal plane to a vertical plane to optimize the movement of the rod within the container and prevent the rod from jamming during the transition from the horizontal plane to the vertical plane. Accordingly, the sensor assembly described herein can achieve accurate automatic detection and real-time monitoring of the fill level of a container.

[0020] Embodiments of the present invention will be described in view of an example background. The example background includes the automatic detection and real-time monitoring of the fill level of a container located within a medical facility. In the example background, a container user can use the container to store (or dispense) medical items, including medications that need to be returned to the pharmacy at set time intervals. The fill level monitoring system can enable the container user to store items in an available container with a fill level below a set threshold. In the context of a medication management system, only a designated container user ("container controller") can access the contents of the return container and reprocess medications that have been returned. The fill level monitoring system can process the container data collected by the sensor assembly to prompt the container controller to empty the container at appropriate intervals. Adjusting the emptying schedule based on the container fill level can prevent containers within the medical facility from becoming full and thus unusable for healthcare providers who need to return medications to a specific container.

[0021] The embodiments of the present invention are described in more detail in the context of an example background of an example form of a medical system. More specifically, reference is made to Figure 1A , a simplified example of a system for detecting and real-time tracking of the fill level of containers within a medical facility is provided. Based on this background, the present invention provides integrated visibility of the detected fill level of the containers to enable real-time adjustment of the container emptying schedule. However, it should be understood that the embodiments of the present invention are readily applicable to other backgrounds with automatic detection and real-time tracking of the fill level of containers of other forms.

[0022] Figure 1A FIG. shows a schematic diagram depicting an example system architecture 100 for detecting the fill level of a container according to some example embodiments. The example system architecture 100 includes a first storage system 102A, a second storage system 102B, a user device 104, a network 106, and a data processing system 110. As discussed in further detail herein, each storage system 102A, 102B includes user devices 108A, 108B configured to determine, display, and transmit container fill level data associated with each of the containers 112a to 112f of the first and second storage systems 102A, 102B. For example, the user devices 108A, 108B may transmit the container fill level data to the data processing system 110 via the network 106 for processing, and transmit it to the user device 104 or any other user device for presentation or display. Although a single user device 104 is shown, it is contemplated that one or more user devices 104 may communicate with each of the first and second storage systems 102A, 102B via the network 106. Additionally, data may be transmitted between the data processing system 110 and each of the first and second storage systems 102A, 102B via the network 106. Although two storage systems 102A, 102B are shown, the embodiments of the present invention may include more storage systems. Some examples of the storage systems 102A, 102B may be configured as automated medication dispensing cabinets, including features similar to, for example, the BD Pyxis MedStation of Becton, Dickinson and Company TM .

[0023] Each storage system 102A, 102B may be set as an item storage system capable of tracking the container fill level and the like. The storage systems 102A, 102B may include one or more containers 112a to 112f, using reference Figure 1B , Figures 2A to 2D , Figure 3A and Figure 3BThe described sensor assemblies monitor these containers to track the fill levels of each individual container 112a through 112f. In Figure 1A the example system architecture 100, the first storage system 102A and the second storage system 102B include a plurality of containers 112a, each of which can be configured to safely receive items and store the stored items when the fill level is below a set threshold (the container is not full), until the containers 112a through 112f are emptied by a designated user (the container controller). It is contemplated that each storage system 102A, 102B can include one or more containers 112a through 112f of different shapes and sizes, and is not limited to Figure 1A and Figure 1B the example arrangements shown therein. The containers 112a through 112f can include drawers and / or bins. Each of the containers 112a through 112f can include a sensor assembly configured to monitor the fill level of the corresponding container 112a through 112f, as described in detail with reference to Figure 1B , Figures 2A to 2C , Figure 3A and Figure 3B .

[0024] Each storage system 102A, 102B includes user (computing) devices 108A, 108B for guiding the user through the storage process, including, for example, authenticating the user, tagging and / or securing the stored items, and / or depositing items into the corresponding containers through the storage points of the storage systems 102A, 102B (e.g., the first item type general receiver 114a or the second item type general receiver 114b or the entry mechanism 114c of the corresponding container 112a). In Figure 1A and Figure 1B representations of the storage systems 102A, 102B, a biometric scanner 116, a camera device 118, and a smart lock 120 are also shown. The user devices 108A, 108B integrated in the storage systems 102A, 102B include a user interface 108 that can display prompts on a display and / or accept input from the user to guide the user through the storage process, thereby confirming that each step is complete, secure, and auditable. The user devices 108A, 108B integrated in the storage systems 102A, 102B can provide visual feedback based on images captured by the camera device 118. The visual feedback can enable the user to verify that the storage systems 102A, 102B have a clear image of the items stored in the selected containers 112a through 112f that are detected as not full.

[0025] Containers 112a to 112f may include one or more drawers. Containers 112a to 112f may include audit containers, such as containers for highly controlled substances. Containers 112a to 112f may each include a passage leading into the interior of the container in a manner that optimizes the detection of the fill level of the container (e.g., from a direction that would trigger a sensor that generates a change in the detected fill level). Containers 112a to 112f may be configured to store items in bulk. As Figure 1A and Figure 1B shown, this arrangement enables different types of items to be collected in containers 112a - 112f for auditing the stored items. Additionally, as Figure 1A and Figure 1B shown, the drawer arrangement enables items not selected for auditing to be collected in bulk containers. In some embodiments, the storage systems 102A, 102B are located in the same facility or different facilities. In the case of multiple facilities, these facilities may be located remotely from each other and / or may be located in a common location or site (e.g., different departments in a common (same) building).

[0026] In some embodiments, each facility includes an associated data processing system 110. Each data processing system 110 may be set up as a server (e.g., a front - end server, a back - end server, a cloud server) and supports the acquisition, storage, modification, and distribution of container fill level information, such as the fill level of the containers, throughout the facility that includes the storage systems 102A, 102B. Although the example system architecture 100 includes a data processing system 110 located remotely from the storage systems 102A, 102B, it is contemplated that the data processing system 110 may be integrated within the storage systems 102A, 102B.

[0027] In some embodiments, the user devices 104, 108A, 108B may include a personal computer (PC) (e.g., a desktop computer, a laptop computer, or a tablet). The communication between each user device 104, 108A, 108B and the data processing system 110 may be achieved through a direct connection or remotely through a network 106 (which may include, but is not limited to, a local area network (LAN), a wide area network (WAN), and / or the Internet).

[0028] User device 104 may include any number of example devices. Such example devices include, but are not limited to, mobile phones, smart phones, tablet computing devices, personal digital assistants (PDAs), laptop computers (PCs), desktop PCs, and / or suitable combinations thereof. In the depicted example, user device 104 includes a display 122, a processor 124, a memory 126, an input interface 128, and a communication interface 129. Processor 124 may process instructions for implementing embodiments of the present invention. The instructions may include, but are not limited to, instructions stored in memory 126 to display graphical information on display 122. Example displays include, but are not limited to, thin film transistor (TFT) liquid crystal displays (LCDs) or organic light emitting diode (OLED) displays. Memory 126 stores information within user device 104. In some embodiments, memory 126 may include volatile storage units and / or non-volatile storage units. In other embodiments, removable memory may be provided and may include, but is not limited to, memory cards. Example memory cards may include, but are not limited to, secure digital (SD) memory cards, mini secure digital (SD) memory cards, universal serial bus (USB) drives, and the like.

[0029] In some embodiments, input user interfaces 108, 128 may include a keyboard, a touch screen, a mouse, a trackball, a microphone, a touchpad, and / or suitable combinations thereof. In some embodiments, an audio codec (not shown) may be provided that receives audible input from a user or other source via a microphone and converts the audible input into usable digital information. The audio codec may generate audible sounds, such as via speakers provided with user device 104. Example sounds may include sounds from a voice telephone call, recorded sounds (e.g., voice messages, music files, etc.), and / or sounds generated by an application running on user device 104.

[0030] User devices 104, 108A, 108B may communicate over network 106 via a connection interface. In some embodiments, the connection interface may include a satellite receiver, a cellular network, a Bluetooth system, a Wi-Fi system (e.g., 802.x), a cable modem, a DSL / dial-up interface, a private branch exchange (PBX) system, and / or suitable combinations thereof. Each of these connection interfaces is capable of transmitting data to or from network 106. In some embodiments, network 106 may be provided as a local area network (LAN), a wide area network (WAN), a wireless LAN (WLAN), a metropolitan area network (MAN), a personal area network (PAN), the Internet, and / or combinations thereof.

[0031] In some embodiments, each storage system 102A, 102B includes a sensor assembly 130 for monitoring the container fill level of each of containers 112a through 112f and generating a data signal based thereon. As discussed in further detail herein with reference to Figure 1B Embodiments of the present invention provide a sensor assembly 130 that includes a rod 132, one or more sensors 134a through 134e, and a controller 136, as further discussed in detail below.

[0032] The rod 132 has adjustable features (length, angle, and / or position) that are adjusted in response to a change in the fill level of container 112a. The rod 132 can be made of a non-elastic lightweight material (e.g., fiberglass, plastic, or plexiglass), metal (e.g., stainless steel), or any other type of material that neither breaks nor bends when contacted by the stored item. The rod 132 can be secured to the inner wall of container 112a by a pivot joint 144 that enables the rod to rotate (without bending) in response to a change in the fill level of container 112a (as shown in FIGS. 2 and 3). The rod 132 can include a variable length portion 140 and optionally a fixed length portion 142. The variable length portion 140 of the rod 132 can become shorter as the container fill level increases and can be configured to automatically extend to a maximum length after the container is emptied. The variable length portion 140 of the rod 132 can include a telescoping rod, a spring, and / or a telescoping spring.

[0033] The sensors 134a through 134e can include a sensing array 134a through 134d disposed along the inner surface of container 112f and additionally or alternatively one or more sensors 134e attached to the rod 132 (e.g., an end of the rod 132) or the pivot joint 144. The sensing array 134a through 134d can include a plurality of sensors in the array. The number of sensors in the sensing array 134a through 134d can vary to provide a selected granularity of container fill level detection. The sensors 134a through 134e can include gyroscopes, pressure sensors, camera devices, magnetic sensors, radio frequency sensors, optical sensors, force sensors, pressure sensors, etc. For example, the sensors 134a through 134e can detect the position of one or more points (e.g., the distal end of the rod 132) of the rod 132 or the position of the entire rod.

[0034] Sensors 134a to 134e can continuously and / or at various time intervals (e.g., every 10 seconds, 30 seconds, 1 minute, 30 minutes, 1 hour, 12 hours, 24 hours, etc.) detect signals related to the fill level of the corresponding container 112a. In some embodiments, the controller 136 controls the time at which sensors 134a to 134e measure the rod length and angle. Sensors 134a to 134e can transmit the detected signals of the rod length, position, and / or angle to the controller 136 immediately after signal detection. In some embodiments, sensors 134a to 134e can be activated by activating the inlet mechanism 114c to detect a change in the rod length based on a change in the container fill level (after an item is deposited in the container 112a through the inlet mechanism 114c). The inlet mechanism 114c can include a slot, an inclined ramp, and a door. The inlet mechanism 114c can generally be blocked to prevent access to the corresponding container 112a and can be opened in response to a user's request to deposit an item and in response to a sensor assembly indicating that the fill level of the container 112a is below a critical fill level (e.g., the container 112a is not full). For example, the controller 136 can be configured to respond to the fill level of the container 112a meeting one or more thresholds by at least blocking the inlet mechanism 114c to prevent additional items from being deposited in the container 112a.

[0035] Sensors 134a to 134e can be configured to generate signals indicating the container fill level (the length or position of the rod 132) and transmit these signals to the controller 136. The controller 136 can process the signals received from sensors 134a to 134e to determine the fill level of the container 112a based at least on the length of the rod 132 and optionally or alternatively based on the angle or position of the rod 132. The controller 136 can be configured to transmit the fill level of the container to the user interface 108 and / or the indicator 146 to display the fill level of the container 112a. For example, the controller can be coupled to the indicator 146 (e.g., an LED light, software) to communicate the fill level of the container 112a to a potential container user. In some embodiments, the indicator 146 can use a color code to indicate the fill level of the container 112a (e.g., green indicates that the container includes sufficient empty capacity to deposit additional items, orange indicates that the container includes limited empty capacity to deposit additional items, and red indicates that the container is full and includes insufficient empty capacity to deposit additional items).

[0036] The controller 136 can be physically coupled to the container 112a or it can be located at a position separate from the container 112a. In some embodiments, the distal edge of the rod 132 is configured to interact (by contact) with a first sensor (e.g., sensor 134d) of one or more sensors 134a to 134e when the rod 132 is at a first length, which corresponds to a first fill level of the container. The controller 136 can determine that the rod 132 is at the first length based on a first signal generated by the first sensor 134d in response to interacting with the rod 132 at the first length. The distal edge of the rod 132 can be further configured to interact with a second sensor (e.g., sensors 134a, 134b, or 134c) of one or more sensors when the rod is at a second length, which corresponds to a second fill level of the container (e.g., the container 112a is filled with more items than the first fill level). The controller 136 can determine that the rod 132 is at the second length based on a second signal generated by the first sensor and the second sensor in response to interacting with the rod at the second length. The controller 136 can determine that the rod 132 is at a third length greater than the first length and less than the second length based on a third signal generated by the first sensor 134d and the second sensor (e.g., sensors 134a, 134b, or 134c).

[0037] In some embodiments, at least a portion of the inner wall of the container 112a can be configured to enable the rod 132 to move within the container 112a. For example, a portion of the inner wall of the container 112a can include a rounded edge 138, which is configured to guide the distal edge of the rod 132 through the transition between two orthogonal surfaces of the container 112a. The rounded edge 138 can include a curved surface, the radius of which matches the variable length of the rod 132 when transitioning between two orthogonal (horizontal and vertical) surfaces of the container 112a. The rounded edge 138 can be positioned opposite the inlet mechanism 114c such that when the rod 132 is pushed by the stored items towards the rounded edge 138 and away from the inlet mechanism 114c, it can rotate and adjust its length to indicate the fill level of the container 112a.

[0038] Figures 2A to 2DSchematically depicts vertical sectional views 200A, 200B, 200C, 200D of an example sensor assembly 130 for monitoring the fill level of container 112, consistent with embodiments of the present subject matter. The vertical sectional views 200A, 200B, 200C, 200D of the example sensor assembly 130 show examples of the length and angle of rod 132 changing as the container is filled with a first quantity of items 202A, a second quantity of items 202B, a third quantity of items 202C, a fourth quantity of items 202D. In the example shown in the vertical sectional views 200A, 200B, 200C, 200D of the sensor assembly 130, the length of the variable length rod 132 decreases as the quantity of items 202A, 202B, 202C, 202D stored in container 112 increases. The rod 132 can be attached to the top of the container 112, for example, as Figures 2A to 2D shown, above the inlet mechanism 114c. In the example shown in the vertical sectional views 200A, 200B, 200C, 200D of the example sensor assembly 130, the rod 132 forms an angle with the vertical axis (e.g., the vertical wall of the container 112), and the angle increases as the quantity of items 202A, 202B, 202C, 202D stored in container 112 increases. The example sensor assembly 130 can be coupled to an indicator 146, which can indicate the fill level of the container 112. The indicator 146 can be attached to the outer surface of the container 112 to enable visualization of the fill level indication. For example, the indicator 146 can be attached to the outer surface of the container 112 near the inlet mechanism 114c for storing items. In some embodiments, the indicator 146 can use a color code to indicate the fill level of container 112a (e.g., green, orange, and red), or a digital display to indicate the available or used capacity of the container as a percentage, or a fillable bar icon that matches the available or used capacity of the container.

[0039] Figure 2A and Figure 2B show examples of vertical sectional views 200A, 200B with different container fill levels that provide sufficient empty capacity within the container 112 to be able to store additional items. For Figure 2A and Figure 2B in the examples shown, when one or more of sensors 134a to 134d detect that the rod 132 has a specific length greater than a threshold length and / or the rod 132 is at a specific angle less than an angle threshold, the controller 136 can utilize this detection to indicate that the container 112 includes sufficient empty capacity to store additional items. In some embodiments, a signal generated by the interaction between the distal portion (end) of the rod and the sensor can indicate the container fill level. For example, as Figure 2A andFigure 2B As shown, if the distal portion (end) of the rod does not interact with the sensor, the sensor may indicate that the container fill level is below a set threshold and the container may be used to store additional items. The indicator 146 may use a first color (e.g., green) that indicates that the container includes sufficient empty capacity to store additional items.

[0040] Figure 2C An example of a vertical cross-sectional view 200C with a critical container fill level (nearly full) is shown, which provides a limited empty capacity within the container 112 to be able to store additional items. In some embodiments, if one or more of the sensors 134a to 134d detect that the rod 132 has a specific length equal to or less than a threshold length and / or the rod 132 is at a specific angle equal to or greater than an angle threshold (e.g., as Figure 2C shown), the controller 136 may generate an alert to indicate that the container 112 has reached the critical fill level and that the container 112 should be planned to be emptied within a specific time period. As Figure 2C shown, if the distal portion (end) of the rod interacts with the sensor 134c, the sensor 134c may indicate that the container fill level is at the corresponding fill level and the container may be usable to store additional (critical) items. The indicator 146 may use a second color (e.g., orange) that indicates that the container includes a limited empty capacity to store additional items.

[0041] Figure 2D An example of a vertical cross-sectional view 200D with a maximum container fill level (fully full) is shown, which provides an empty capacity within the container 112 that is not sufficient to store additional items. In some embodiments, if one or more of the sensors 134a to 134d detect that the rod 132 has a specific length equal to or less than a second threshold length and / or the rod 132 is at a specific angle equal to or greater than a second angle threshold (e.g., as Figure 2D shown), the controller 136 may generate an alert to indicate that the container 112 has reached the maximum fill level (is full and unusable) and that the container 112 should be emptied within a specific time period on a priority basis. As Figure 2D shown, if the distal portion (end) of the rod interacts with a specific sensor 134a, the sensor 134a may indicate that the container fill level is at the maximum fill level and the container may not be usable to store any additional items. The indicator 146 may use a third color (e.g., red) that indicates that the container is full and includes an empty capacity that is not sufficient to store additional items.

[0042] Figure 3A and Figure 3BSchematically depicts three-dimensional views 300A, 300B of an example sensor assembly 130 for monitoring the fill level of a container 112 in accordance with an embodiment of the present subject matter. In Figure 3A and Figure 3B the three-dimensional views 300A, 300B illustrate the example sensor assembly 130 relative to a Cartesian coordinate system including a direction X 302A, a direction Y 302B, and a direction Z 302C.

[0043] As previously described, the example sensor assembly 130 includes a rod 132, one or more sensors 134a to 134e, and a controller 136. The rod 132 has a length that adjusts in response to a change in the fill level of the container 112, Figure 3A illustrates an example of an emptied container 112, Figure 3B illustrates an example of a partially filled container 112 having sufficient capacity to hold additional items. The rod 132 can be secured to the inner wall of the container 112 by a pivot joint 144 that enables the rod to rotate, for example, within a vertical (YZ) plane orthogonal to the (XY) vertical plane including the inlet mechanism 114c. The rod 132 can rotate in response to a change in the fill level of the container 112. For example, when the container is emptied (as Figure 3A shown), the rod 132 can be in a vertical position (parallel to the direction Y 302B), and when the container is partially filled (as Figure 3B shown), the rod can be tilted. The rod 132 can include a variable length portion 140 and optionally a fixed length portion 142. The variable length portion 140 can be at a maximum length when the container is emptied (as Figure 3A shown), can have a shorter length when the container is partially filled (as Figure 3B shown), and have a minimum length when the container 112 is completely filled. In some embodiments, the width of the rod (along the X direction) can vary with the width of the container (can be greater than shown) to minimize the likelihood of container contents falling around or behind the rod.

[0044] In some embodiments, at least a portion of the inner wall of container 112a can be configured to enable rod 132 to move within container 112a. For example, a portion of the inner vertical rear wall of container 112a can include a rounded edge 138 configured to guide the distal edge of rod 132 through the transition (in the ZY plane) between two orthogonal surfaces of container 112a. The rounded edge 138 can include a curved surface (in the ZY plane) whose radius matches the variable length of rod 132 as it transitions between two orthogonal (horizontal and vertical) surfaces of container 112a. The rounded edge 138 can be positioned opposite the inlet mechanism 114c such that when rod 132 is pushed by the stored item towards the rounded edge 138 and away from the inlet mechanism 114c, it can rotate in the YZ plane and adjust its length to indicate the fill level of container 112a.

[0045] As Figure 3A and Figure 3B shown, sensors 134a to 134e can include sensing arrays 134a to 134d arranged along the inner (side or rear vertical) surface of container 112 and one or more sensors 134e attached to rod 132 (e.g., an end of rod 132). The sensing arrays 134a to 134d can include multiple sensors in the array that can be positioned along a vertical line (parallel to direction Y 302B). The sensing arrays 134a to 134d can include multiple sensors in the array that can be equally spaced, or they can have different distances between them (e.g., shorter distances between sensors that detect fill levels closer to the maximum fill level) to provide a selected granularity for container fill level detection. Sensors 134a to 134e can detect the position of a reference point of rod 132 (e.g., the distal end of rod 132) or the positions of multiple reference points distributed along rod 132 (including the distal end of rod 132). In some embodiments, rod 132 includes markings that improve the detection accuracy of sensors 134a to 134e. Sensors 134a to 134e can be configured to generate signals indicating one or more reference points of rod 132 using a Cartesian coordinate system including direction X 302A, direction Y 302B, and direction Z 302C, and optionally, relative to a container reference point (e.g., pivot joint 144). In some embodiments, one or more sensors can be included within the fixed portion 142 of rod 132 to measure the position of the variable length portion 140.

[0046] Sensors 134a to 134e can be configured to generate signals indicative of the length of rod 132. One or more of sensors 134a to 134e can be configured to detect the angle 304 of rod 132 relative to one or more of sensors 134a to 134e and transmit the detected angle 304 to controller 136. One or more of sensors 134a to 134e can be configured to transmit the detected signals to controller 136. Controller 136 can process the signals received from sensors 134a to 134e to determine the fill level of container 112 based at least on the length of rod 132 and optionally based on the angle 304 of rod 132. Controller 136 can be configured to transmit the fill level of the container to user interface 108 and / or indicator 146 to display the fill level of container 112. For example, controller 136 can be coupled to indicator 146 (e.g., an LED light, software) to communicate the fill level of container 112 to a potential user of the container.

[0047] Controller 136 can be physically coupled to container 112 or it can be located in a position separate from container 112. In some embodiments, controller 136 can activate article placement features 306a, 306b in response to determining that inlet mechanism 114c is activated. Article placement features 306a, 306b can be configured to generate movement pulses (e.g., vibrations, rotations, vertical oscillations) to trigger the placement of articles stored within container 112. Article placement features 306a, 306b can be attached to any vertical and / or horizontal wall of container 112. In some embodiments, after the articles within container 112 are placed, controller 136 can activate sensors 134a to 134e to detect the length of rod 132 and optionally based on the angle 304 of rod 132. Controller 136 can transform or convert the sensor measurements to determine the length and angle of the rod and the corresponding fill level of container 112. In some embodiments, controller 136 can detect that the fill level of container 112 exceeds a critical level. For example, controller 136 can compare the detected fill level of container 112 to a threshold level (e.g., greater than a set percentage of the total height of container 112). Controller 136 can transmit a signal to indicator 146 to display an indication of the detected fill level of container 112 relative to one or more threshold fill levels.

[0048] Figure 4 A flowchart depicting a process 400 for determining the fill level of a container in accordance with embodiments of the present subject matter is shown. Process 400 can be implemented by one or more of the specially configured apparatuses described with reference to FIGS. 1-3.

[0049] At 402, a storage system (e.g., refer to Figure 1A and Figure 1BThe described storage systems 102A, 102B authenticate the user. In some embodiments, user authentication includes processing user input including a username and password, scanning the user's identification card using a camera device or sensor, and scanning the user's biometric features using a camera device, sensor, or any combination thereof. In some embodiments, the user input includes a request to deposit one or more items into a container.

[0050] At 404, the current container state is determined by a controller (e.g., controller 136 described with reference to FIGS. 1 - 3). In some embodiments, determining the current container state includes identifying a container configured to store an item identified as being for storage. Identifying a container configured to store the identified item may include matching the container type with the item type. The current container state may include the availability of the container to store additional items based on the current fill level of the container. In some embodiments, determining the availability of the container to store additional items includes comparing the current fill level of the container with a fill level threshold. For example, if the current fill level of the container is below a set threshold (e.g., 90% of the total fill level of the container), the container is identified as available for storing additional items.

[0051] At 406, if the container is identified as available for storing additional items, the entry mechanism is opened to enable the user to deposit an item into the container. The entry mechanism (e.g., entry mechanism 114c described with reference to FIGS. 1 - 3) may be implemented in a manner that triggers the movement of a variable - length rod, which is monitored to deduce changes in the container fill level. At 408, the user is prompted to deposit the item. For example, a user interface of the storage system (e.g., user interface 108 described with reference to Figure 1B is described) may generate visual and / or audio commands for the user to deposit the item.

[0052] At 410, the sensor may detect that an item has been deposited into the container. For example, a sensor assembly (e.g., sensor assembly 130 described with reference to FIGS. 1 - 3) may detect that an item has been deposited into the container. The sensor assembly may be configured to detect a change in the length of a variable - length rod indicating the item being deposited through one or more sensors. The sensor may transmit a signal indicating that an item is being deposited into the container to a controller coupled to the sensor (e.g., controller 136 described with reference to FIGS. 1 - 3). In some embodiments, in response to receiving a signal indicating that an item is being deposited into the container, the controller may activate the placement features of the container to optimize the arrangement of items within the container by minimizing the volume occupied by the items within the container. At 412, the controller may transmit a signal to close the entry mechanism to prevent unmonitored handling of the item deposited in the container.

[0053] At 414, the controller can determine an updated fill level of the container (after an item has been stored) based on the length of the variable-length rod and optionally based on the angle or position of the rod detected by the sensor. For example, both the measured length of the variable-length rod and the angle of the rod can have a set of mathematical relationships (which can be defined in a lookup table) with the remaining available capacity in the container for storing additional items. Each of the measured length of the variable-length rod and the angle of the rod can be used individually to estimate the fill level. The average of two fill level estimates (if the difference between the two estimates is not greater than a set threshold) can be used to determine the current fill level, thereby improving the accuracy of fill level estimation. In some embodiments, the updated fill level of the container can be used as an input to a machine learning algorithm to estimate the future expected fill level of the container over a set period of time (e.g., the next 6 hours, 12 hours, 24 hours, 2 days, 3 days, and / or 7 days).

[0054] At 416, the container status is updated based on the current fill level and the container status is transmitted to an indicator (e.g., indicator 146 described with reference to FIGS. 1-3) to indicate the fill status of the container. In some embodiments, the indicator uses a color code visible to a user of the storage system to indicate the fill status of the container. In some embodiments, based on the updated fill status of the container, the controller transmits an alert to, for example, a display of the storage system (e.g., input user interface 108). The alert can include visual, audio, audiovisual, tactile, etc. indications indicating the fill status of the container.

[0055] At 418, the fill status of the container can be transmitted to a central computing system (e.g., data processing system 110 described with reference to Figure 1A to facilitate management of a container emptying schedule for the container and one or more containers of a facility.

[0056] The system for detecting the fill level of a container including a sensor assembly described herein can accurately determine the container fill level based on the length detection of a variable-length rod, which helps to improve the control of item storage in the container and the control of the container emptying schedule to prevent the container from being filled to a point where it cannot be used to store additional items.

[0057] Figure 5 A block diagram of a computing system 500 is depicted showing consistency with an embodiment of the present subject matter. Referring to FIGS. 1 and Figure 5 , the computing system 500 can be specifically configured to determine the fill level of a container of a storage system having a computing system, a display, and / or any components therein.

[0058] As Figure 5As shown, the computing system 500 may include a processor 510, a memory 520, a storage device 530, and an input / output device 540. The processor 510, the memory 520, the storage device 530, and the input / output device 540 may be interconnected via a system bus 550. The processor 510 is capable of processing instructions for execution within the computing system 500. Such executed instructions may be implemented by one or more components of, for example, the storage systems 102A, 102B. In some example embodiments, the processor 510 may be a single-threaded processor. Alternatively, the processor 510 may be a multi-threaded processor. The processor 510 is capable of processing instructions stored in the memory 520 and / or the storage device 530 to present graphical information of a user interface provided via the input / output device 540.

[0059] The memory 520 is a computer-readable medium such as volatile or non-volatile, which stores information within the computing system 500. The memory 520 may store, for example, data structures representing a configuration object database. The storage device 530 is capable of providing persistent storage for the computing system 500. The storage device 530 may be a floppy disk device, a hard disk device, an optical disk device, or a tape device, or other suitable persistent storage device. The input / output device 540 provides input / output operations for the computing system 500. In some example embodiments, the input / output device 540 includes a keyboard and / or a pointing device. In various embodiments, the input / output device 540 includes a display unit for displaying a graphical user interface.

[0060] According to some example embodiments, the input / output device 540 may provide input / output operations for a network device. For example, the input / output device 540 may include an Ethernet port or other network ports to communicate with one or more wired and / or wireless networks (e.g., local area network (LAN), wide area network (WAN), Internet).

[0061] In some example embodiments, the computing system 500 may be used to execute various interactive computer software applications, which may be used to organize, analyze, and / or store data in various formats. Alternatively, the computing system 500 may be specifically configured to execute software applications. These applications may perform various fill level detection functions, such as planning functions (e.g., generating, managing, editing spreadsheet documents, word processing documents, and / or any other objects, etc.), computing functions, communication functions, etc. The applications may include various additional functions, or may be stand-alone computing products and / or functions. After being activated within the application, these functions may be used to generate a user interface provided via the input / output device 540. The user interface may be generated and presented to the user by the computing system 500 (e.g., on a computer screen monitor, etc.).

[0062] One or more aspects or features of the subject matter described herein can be implemented in specially configured digital electronic circuitry, integrated circuitry, application specific integrated circuits (ASICs), field programmable gate arrays (FPGAs), computer hardware, firmware, software, and / or combinations thereof. These various aspects or features can include implementation in one or more computer programs that can be executed and / or interpreted on a programmable system including at least one programmable processor, which can be special purpose or general purpose, coupled to receive data and instructions from, and to transmit data and instructions to, a storage system, at least one input device, and at least one output device. The programmable system or computing system can include clients and servers. The clients and servers are remote from each other and typically interact via a communication network. The relationship of client and server arises from computer programs that run on respective computers and have a client-server relationship to each other.

[0063] These computer programs (which may also be referred to as programs, software, software applications, applications, components, or code) include machine instructions for a programmable processor and can be implemented in high-level procedural and / or object-oriented programming languages, and / or in assembly / machine language. As used herein, the term “machine-readable medium” refers to any computer program product, apparatus, and / or device, such as a disk, optical disk, memory, and programmable logic device (PLD), that provides machine instructions and / or data to a programmable processor, including a machine-readable medium that receives machine instructions as a machine-readable signal. The term “machine-readable signal” refers to any signal that provides machine instructions and / or data to a programmable processor. A machine-readable medium can non-transitorily store such machine instructions, such as in non-transitory solid state memory or a magnetic hard disk drive or any equivalent storage medium. A machine-readable medium can alternatively or additionally store such machine instructions in a transitory manner, such as in a processor cache or other random access memory associated with one or more physical processor cores.

[0064] To provide interaction with a user, one or more aspects or features of the subject matter described herein may be implemented on a computer having a display device (e.g., such as a cathode ray tube (CRT), liquid crystal display (LCD), or light emitting diode (LED) monitor for displaying information to a user) and a keyboard and a pointing device (e.g., such as a mouse or trackball by which a user may provide input to the computer). Other types of devices may also be used to provide interaction with a user. For example, the feedback provided to the user may be any form of sensory feedback, such as visual feedback, auditory feedback, or tactile feedback; and input from the user may be received in any form, including acoustic, speech, or tactile input. Other possible input devices include a touch screen or other touch-sensitive device, such as a single-point or multi-point resistive or capacitive trackpad, speech recognition hardware and software, an optical scanner, an optical pointer, a digital image capture device, and associated interpretation software, etc.

[0065] In the foregoing specification and claims, phrases such as “at least one” or “one or more” may appear, followed by a conjunctive list of elements or features. The term “and / or” may also appear in a list of two or more elements or features. Unless there is an implicit or explicit contradiction with the context in which it is used, such phrases are intended to mean any of the listed elements or features individually, or any combination of any recited element or feature with any other recited element or feature. For example, the phrases “at least one of A and B”; “one or more of A and B” and “A and / or B” are each intended to mean “A alone, B alone, or A and B together”. Similar interpretations apply to lists including three or more items. For example, the phrases “at least one of A, B, and C”; “one or more of A, B, and C” and “A, B, and / or C” are each intended to mean “A alone, B alone, C alone, A and B together, A and C together, B and C together, or A, B, and C together”. The term “based on” as used above and in the claims is intended to mean “at least partially based on”, such that features or elements not recited are also permitted.

[0066] As used herein, a “user interface” (also referred to as an interactive user interface, a graphical user interface, or a user interface or UI) may refer to a network-based interface including data fields and / or other control elements for receiving input signals or providing electronic information and / or providing information to a user in response to any received input signal. The control elements may include dials, buttons, icons, selectable areas, or other perceivable markers presented via the UI that initiate a data exchange of the device presenting the UI when interacted with (e.g., clicked, touched, selected, etc.). The UI may use, in whole or in part, such as Hypertext Markup Language (HTML), FLASH TM , JAVA TM ,.NETTM It is implemented by technologies such as web services or Rich Site Summary (RSS). In some embodiments, the UI may be included in a standalone client (e.g., thick client, fat client), and the client is configured to communicate (e.g., send or receive data) according to one or more of the described aspects. The communication may be with a medical device or server with which it communicates.

[0067] As used herein, the term "determine" or "determining" includes a variety of actions. For example, "determine" may include estimating, calculating, processing, deriving, generating, obtaining, looking up (e.g., looking up in a table, database, or other data structure), judging, etc. by a hardware component without user intervention. Additionally, "determine" may include receiving (e.g., receiving information), accessing (e.g., accessing data in a memory), etc. by a hardware component without user intervention. "Determine" may include parsing, selecting, choosing, establishing, etc. by a hardware component without user intervention.

[0068] As used herein, the term "provide" or "providing" includes a variety of actions. For example, "provide" may include storing a value in a location of a storage device for subsequent retrieval, directly transmitting a value to a container via at least one wired or wireless communication medium, transmitting or storing a reference to a value, etc. "Provide" may also include encoding, decoding, encrypting, decrypting, verifying, authenticating, etc. by a hardware component.

[0069] As used herein, the term "message" includes various formats for communicating (e.g., sending or receiving) information. A message may include a set of machine-readable information, such as an XML document, a fixed-field message, a comma-separated message, etc. In some embodiments, a message may include a signal for transmitting one or more representations of information. Although recited in the singular, it will be understood that a message may be composed of multiple parts, transmitted, stored, received, etc.

[0070] As used herein, the term "correspond" or "corresponding to" includes a structural, functional, quantitative, and / or qualitative association or relationship between two or more objects, data sets, information, etc., preferably, where the correspondence or relationship can be used to transform one or more of the two or more objects, data sets, information, etc. to make them appear the same or equivalent. One or more of a threshold, a value range, fuzzy logic, pattern matching, a machine learning evaluation model, or a combination thereof may be used to evaluate the correspondence.

[0071] In some embodiments, the generated or detected data can be forwarded to a "remote" device or location, where "remote" refers to a location or device other than the location or device where the program is executed. For example, a remote location can be another location in the same city (e.g., an office, a laboratory, etc.), another location in a different city, another location in a different state, or another location in a different country, etc. Thus, when one project is indicated as "remote" from another project, this means that the two projects can be in the same room but separate, or at least in different rooms or different buildings, and can be at least one mile, ten miles, or at least one hundred miles apart. "Communicating" information means transmitting data representing that information as an electrical signal via an appropriate communication channel (e.g., a private or public network). "Forwarding" an item means any way of transferring an item from one location to the next, whether by physically transporting the item or otherwise (where possible), and in the case of data at least, includes physically transporting the medium carrying the data or transmitting the data. Examples of communication media include radio or infrared transmission channels and network connections to another computer or networked device and the Internet, or include email transmissions and information recorded on a website, etc.

[0072] Depending on the desired configuration, the subject matter described herein can be embodied in a system, a device, a method, and / or an article. The embodiments set forth in the foregoing description do not represent all embodiments consistent with the subject matter described herein. Rather, they are only some examples consistent with aspects related to the subject matter described. While some variations have been described in detail above, other modifications or additions are possible. In particular, other features and / or variations can be provided in addition to those set forth herein. For example, the above embodiments can be directed to various combinations and sub-combinations of the disclosed features and / or combinations and sub-combinations of several other features described above. Additionally, the logical flows shown in the figures and / or described herein do not necessarily need to be in the particular order or sequential order shown to achieve the desired result. Other embodiments can be within the scope of the appended claims.

Claims

1. A sensor assembly for a container, the sensor assembly comprising: a rod having an adjustable feature that adjusts in response to a change in the fill level of the container; one or more sensors configured to detect the adjustable feature of the rod; and a controller configured to determine the fill level of the container based at least on the adjustable feature of the rod.

2. The sensor assembly according to claim 1, wherein a proximal edge of the rod is secured by a pivot joint that enables the rod to rotate in response to a change in the fill level of the container.

3. The sensor assembly according to claim 1, wherein when the rod is at a first adjustable feature value corresponding to a first fill level of the container, a distal edge of the rod is configured to interact with a first sensor of the one or more sensors, and wherein when the rod is at a second adjustable feature value corresponding to a second fill level of the container, the distal edge of the rod is further configured to interact with a second sensor of the one or more sensors.

4. The sensor assembly according to claim 3, wherein the controller determines that the rod is at the first adjustable feature value based on a first signal generated by the first sensor in response to interacting with the rod at the first adjustable feature value, and wherein the controller determines that the rod is at the second adjustable feature value based on a second signal generated by the first sensor and the second sensor in response to interacting with the rod at the second adjustable feature value.

5. The sensor assembly according to claim 3, wherein the controller determines that the rod is at a third adjustable feature value based on a third signal generated by the first sensor and the second sensor.

6. The sensor assembly according to claim 3, wherein the adjustable feature values include the length, angle, and / or position of the rod relative to the one or more sensors.

7. The sensor assembly according to claim 6, wherein the controller determines that the rod is at a first length based on a signal from the one or more sensors indicating that the rod is at a first angle relative to the one or more sensors, and wherein the controller determines that the rod is at a second length based on a signal from the one or more sensors indicating that the rod is at a second angle relative to the one or more sensors.

8. The sensor assembly according to claim 1, wherein the container includes a rounded edge configured to guide the distal edge of the rod through a transition between two orthogonal surfaces of the container.

9. The sensor assembly according to any one of claims 1 to 8, wherein the rod includes a telescopic rod, a spring, and / or a telescopic spring.

10. The sensor assembly according to any one of claims 1 to 9, wherein one or more sensors include a sensing array arranged along an inner surface of the container.

11. The sensor assembly according to any one of claims 1 to 9, wherein one or more sensors are attached to the rod.

12. The sensor assembly according to any one of claims 1 to 11, wherein One or more sensors include at least one of a gyroscope, a pressure sensor, a camera device, a magnetic sensor, a radio frequency sensor, and an optical sensor.

13. The sensor assembly according to any one of claims 1 to 12, wherein, the controller is further configured to generate an indication of the fill level of the container.

14. The sensor assembly according to any one of claims 1 to 13, wherein, the container is configured to receive solid material.

15. The sensor assembly according to any one of claims 1 to 14, wherein, the container includes an inlet mechanism for depositing articles into the container.

16. The sensor assembly according to claim 15, wherein, the controller is configured to respond to the fill level of the container meeting one or more thresholds by at least blocking the inlet mechanism to prevent additional articles from being deposited into the container.

17. The sensor assembly according to claim 15, wherein, the inlet mechanism includes one or more of a slot, an inclined ramp, and a door.

18. The sensor assembly according to claim 1, wherein, the rod is configured to adjust from a first adjustable characteristic value to a second adjustable characteristic value in response to one or more articles being deposited in the container, and wherein the rod is further configured to reset back to the first adjustable characteristic value when one or more articles are removed from the container.

19. The sensor assembly according to any one of claims 1 to 18, wherein, the container includes a placement mechanism for optimizing the arrangement of articles deposited in the container.

20. The sensor assembly according to claim 19, wherein, the placement mechanism includes one or more of a tactile signal and pressure.

21. The sensor assembly according to any one of claims 1 to 20, wherein, the controller is physically coupled to the container or is located at a remote location.

22. A storage station, which comprises: the sensor assembly according to any one of claims 1 to 21; and one or more containers for storing articles.

23. A storage system, which comprises: the storage station according to any one of claims 1 to 22; and a storage control system configured to control one or more actions of the storage station based on the fill level of one or more containers.

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