Sensor-driven secure dispensing

Abstract

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

Description

[0001] This application is a divisional application of application number 202180026236.0, application date 2021.3.18, and named “Sensor-driven safety distribution unit”.

[0002] CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

[0003] This application claims the benefit of and priority to U.S. Patent Application No. 16 / 834,950, filed on March 30, 2020, entitled “SENSOR-ACTIVE SECURITY DISPENSING UNIT,” the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference. Background Art

[0004] Many industries rely on the accurate inventory and distribution of safety items. For example, in a hospital setting, administering the correct medication to patients in the correct dosage is crucial. Furthermore, laws require the secure storage and tracking of controlled substances to maintain appropriate inventory levels and determine proper consumption. Tracking inventory of medications and supplies is also crucial so that appropriate operational controls can be implemented.

[0005] Various dispensing cabinets and carts have been developed to help manage medications and other items. However, there is still a need for improvement in the reliability of dispensing and tracking items, 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 selective, controlled access to items stored within secure compartments. Embodiments may include a retractable cover that provides access only to a specific user-selected number of items, without revealing any additional items or compartments. Additionally, embodiments of the present invention can help maintain inventory counts by keeping track of items actually present, not just what users say they took. This allows accurate inventory counts to be maintained despite user error and / or fraudulent activity.

[0007] In one embodiment, a dispensing unit is provided. The dispensing unit may include a housing comprising a first end and a second end; and a plurality of storage assemblies. The plurality of storage assemblies may be arranged parallel to one another within the housing. Each storage assembly may include a plurality of compartments arranged linearly along an axis of the housing, each compartment being configured to store items. The storage assembly may 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 compartment to ensure the security of items held therein. The storage assembly may also include an actuator coupled to the lid. The actuator may be configured to retract the lid to pull the distal end of the lid 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 including a first end and a second end; and a plurality of compartments arranged linearly along an axis of the housing, each compartment configured to store an item. The dispensing unit may also 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 input for dispensing a selected number of items from a secure dispensing mechanism; and actuating a cover of the secure dispensing mechanism to retract a leading edge of the cover, thereby revealing a selected number of compartments of the secure dispensing mechanism based on the selected number of items. The plurality of compartments may be arranged linearly along an axis of the secure dispensing mechanism, each compartment being 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 arranged linearly along an axis of the at least one drawer. Each compartment may be configured to store items. The at least one drawer may also 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 achieved by reference to the following drawings. In the drawings, similar components or features may be given the same reference numerals. In addition, various components of the same type may be distinguished by following the reference numeral with a dash and a second reference numeral that distinguishes 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 is shown in which the present invention may be embodied.

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

[0014] Figure 3 Shown with Figure 2 Middle drawer with matching retractable cover.

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

[0016] Figure 5 Show Figure 4 Middle drawer lid.

[0017] Figure 6 Shown for constraints Figure 5 Track for movement of the middle cover.

[0018] Figure 7 Show Figure 4 Actuator for the middle cover.

[0019] Figure 8 Show Figure 7 The hub of the actuator in the cover.

[0020] Figure 9 Show Figure 4 Light sensor assembly for the middle drawer compartment.

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

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

[0023] Figure 11 A cassette forming part of a row of compartments according to an embodiment of the invention is shown.

[0024] Figure 12 Shown are mating components for mounting a cassette within a drawer according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0025] Figure 13 An alternative embodiment of a cover according to an embodiment is shown.

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

[0027] Figure 15 is a flow chart of a process for operating a security dispensing mechanism, according to an embodiment.

[0028] Figure 16 is a flow chart of a process for using a secure 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 configuration of the present invention. On the contrary, the subsequent description of the exemplary embodiments will provide an enabling description for implementing one or more exemplary embodiments for those skilled in the art. It should be understood that various changes can be made in the function and arrangement of elements without departing from the essence and scope of the present invention as set forth in the appended claims. By way of example only, any embodiment described herein may or may not have any of the features discussed therewith, and may or may not have any features discussed about other embodiments.

[0031] Embodiments of the present invention relate to a dispensing mechanism that provides controlled access to items stored therein. Embodiments of the present invention include one or more drawers or other storage units, each of which includes multiple 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 extending over at least some of the internal compartments. The lid is retractable to provide selective access to multiple items and / or internal compartments. In some embodiments, the secure dispensing mechanism can determine whether a particular compartment is empty and use this 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 to see if any of the compartments is empty using one or more sensors, such as optical sensors, radio frequency (RF) sensors, load cells, etc. For example, if each of the ten compartments contains an item, the dispensing mechanism can retract the lid far enough to provide access to the first three compartments, allowing the user to remove the three items as desired. In another case, the dispensing mechanism may determine that the first two compartments are empty and then retract the cover far enough to provide access to the first five compartments (including the two empty compartments), thereby allowing the user to remove three items as desired.

[0032] Typically, lid actuation is performed when the drawer is in the closed position. By limiting access to the lid in this way, pinch points and / or other safety concerns are eliminated because there are no moving parts once the drawer is open and accessible to the user. In operation, with the drawer closed, the user can interact with the dispensing mechanism's interface to select the desired quantity of a specific type of item. The dispensing unit can then actuate one or more lids corresponding to the drawers and / or compartments storing the specific items, retracting each lid an appropriate distance to provide access to only those previously selected items. Once the lid is retracted, the associated drawer or drawers can be unlocked, allowing the user to open the drawer and access the items within the compartments revealed by the retracted lid. After removing the items, the user can close the drawer. In some embodiments, the exposed compartment, now empty, can remain exposed with the lid partially retracted. In other embodiments, the secure dispensing unit can then lock the drawer and actuate the lid to extend it 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 taken out from a compartment having two items, the lid may be retracted to cover the remaining items. Often, during retraction and / or extension of the lid, one or more optical sensors positioned on the lid may be used to monitor the inventory of items in the compartment.

[0033] Turning now to the drawings and first referring to Figure 1 , a cabinet 100 is shown that can be used as and / or accommodate a dispensing mechanism (however, it should be understood that the dispensing mechanism can be implemented in a non-cabinet form, such as a cart, built-in shelves / drawers, etc.). Here, the cabinet 100 includes a storage area 102, which is used to store any number of items, such as tools, instruments, paints, medications, medical supplies, etc. As shown, the storage area 102 defines an open interior that can be configured to receive a plurality of drawers 104 that can be used as dispensing units, including some drawers 104 that are secure storage units. In some embodiments, in addition to or as an alternative to the drawers 104, it is also feasible to use other storage areas, such as shelves, racks, etc. In some embodiments, the cabinet 100 may include one or more lockable doors (not shown) that control access to the storage area 102. Therefore, in addition to or as an alternative to the drawers 104, a lockable door or multiple doors may be provided. The drawers 104 can have different sizes and / or shapes to perform different functions and / or accommodate items of various sizes and / or shapes and / or accommodate various devices, such as sensors, security features, atmosphere 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 of uniform size. It should also be understood that the cabinet 100 can include drawers 104 with uniform functions and / or interior configurations, or can include one or more drawers 104 with different functions and / or interior configurations than other drawers 104 in the cabinet 100.

[0034] In some embodiments, cabinet 100 may include a work surface 106. Work surface 106 may provide a user with an area for placing items on the work surface during preparation or completion of a particular procedure. For example, a user may arrange some or all of the items required for a procedure on work surface 106. In some embodiments, work surface 106 may be the top surface of cabinet 100, while in other embodiments, work surface 106 may be positioned at an intermediate height of cabinet 100. Additionally, although illustrated as forming substantially the entire top surface of cabinet 100, it will be appreciated that in some embodiments, work surface 106 may not exist or may only occupy a portion of the cabinet 100 footprint.

[0035] Cabinet 100 may also include a computing device 112 and / or communicate with it. The computing device 112 may include a display screen 114 and at least one input device and / or be connected to its communication. Although shown as having a display screen 114 connected 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 main body of the cabinet 100 and / or positioned at other positions relative to the cabinet 100 (such as extending laterally from a nearby structure or being positioned on top thereof). The input device 178 may include a keyboard, a mouse, a credential reader, a microphone, a camera and / or other devices that enable the user to interact with the computing device 112. In some embodiments, the credential reader may include a wireless reader, such as Bluetooth, RFID, NFC and / or other wireless readers that can read information from active or passive user credentials, such as key cards (fob), mobile phones, 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 114 by using a touch screen display 114.

[0036] The input devices of computing device 112 allow a user to interact with cabinet 100. For example, a user can interact with the input devices to log in, select a patient and / or procedure, and / or gain access to items stored within cabinet 100. For example, to log in to cabinet 100, a user can enter a username, password, and / or other access credentials (which may include biometric credentials) into computing device 112 to verify that the user is authorized to access cabinet 100 and / or the specific items stored therein. In other embodiments, the user can be automatically logged 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) can be presented on display screen 114, allowing the user to make selections regarding patients, procedures, and / or items to be removed or otherwise dispensed from cabinet 100. These selections can be made using any of the input devices of computing device 112. In other embodiments, the user can use alternative selection methods, such as voice commands, to make the necessary selections, rather than navigating the GUI to make patient, procedure, and / or item selections. 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 the inventory of cabinet 100 to the remote computing device. Such inventory counts may be updated periodically, such as every hour, every shift, every day, etc. In other embodiments, inventory may be tracked continuously before, during, and / or after each interaction with cabinet 100. In some cases, the central pharmacy may initiate a remote inventory scan of cabinet 100 by sending a command to computing device 112 to cause 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 refill and / or reorder specific items. In some embodiments, the functions performed by computing device 112 may be performed by a remote server or other computing device on the network.

[0037] In some embodiments, the present invention provides the access to the article that has been removed from cabinet 100 by the user, such as by unlocking drawer 104 and / or otherwise providing access to storage area 102. Before, during and / or after the user removes any article from cabinet 100, computing device 112 and / or other computer systems may use any number of sensors to monitor which articles are actually removed from cabinet 100. In some embodiments, the article actually removed is associated with the removal article selected by the user using GUI at first. Such sensors may comprise sensors integrated into drawer 104 and / or those integrated into work surface 106. In some embodiments, if there is a difference between the article selected and the article removed, an indication of the difference may be stored and / or sent to another device, because such behavior may indicate transfer behavior, incorrect use of articles and / or other incorrect use of cabinet 100. This indication may comprise information such as which user has selected article and taken out which articles of mismatch selection.

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

[0039] Once an item is selected, the 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 lighted 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 a lighted indicator, to attract the user to the correct item. The user can then remove the selected item. In medical applications, the level of control implemented by the computing device 112 can help prevent medication and dosage errors by reducing the likelihood that a healthcare worker will remove the incorrect medication from the cabinet 100. In addition, in all applications, the computing device 112 can record and log which items have been dispensed and can forward this information to inventory and / or accounting systems.

[0040] Each drawer 104 may define a storage area in which one or more items may 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, Figure 2 As shown, a single drawer 104 is shown. Figure 1 As shown, the drawer 104 may be adapted to be assembled in the cabinet 100. The drawer 104 may include a storage area 105 comprising a plurality of bins or compartments 108 (which may or may not be formed as part of the drawer 104). In some embodiments, the size of the compartments 108 may be uniform, 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 store a variety of different items more efficiently. Although in some embodiments, the size and / or shape of each compartment 108 may be set to hold only specific items, in other embodiments, multiple items may also be placed in a single compartment 108. For example, multiple items may be stacked vertically, placed side by side, and / or placed from top to bottom in a single compartment 108. As shown, the drawer 104 includes a plurality of compartments 108 arranged in rows, wherein all compartments 108 in a given row are identical.

[0041] In some embodiments, the drawer 104 may include a cover 110 that extends over at least some of the compartments 108 in the drawer 104. For example, Figure 3As shown, multiple covers 110 are provided that extend across an 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 covers 110 extend across the entire row. In other embodiments, one or more covers 110 may extend across any portion of a row of compartments 108. In some embodiments, one or more covers 110 may extend over one or more of the compartments 108 in more than one row. In some embodiments, one or more of the rows of compartments 108 may be open-topped, rather than having a cover 110 on every row of compartments 108, so that a user can access the contents of the open-top compartments without having to retract the covers 110. Each cover 110 may be configured to retract to reveal a selected number of compartments 108 and / or items. The covers 110 seal off the compartments 108, making any items within the compartments 108 inaccessible for retrieval. The lid 110 can be moved using a suitable actuation mechanism so that any particular compartment 108 can be uncovered to allow retrieval of items stored within the compartment 108. In one example, each of the one or more compartments 108 can be uncovered sequentially so that all previously uncovered compartments 108 remain uncovered. In another example, the lid 110 can allow only one compartment 108 to be uncovered at any given time and the remainder of the compartments 108 associated with that lid 110 to be closed by the lid 110. The actuator 116 (e.g., Figure 2 108 ) can be coupled to each of the covers 110 so that the covers 110 can each be actuated to extend and / or retract the covers 110 independently of one another. In some embodiments, a single actuator can be used to move multiple covers 110, while in other embodiments, each cover 110 can include a dedicated actuator 116. This ensures that if a user wants items from a particular row of compartments 108, only items from that row are exposed when the user accesses the drawer 104. In addition to controlling access to non-selected items, by retracting the covers 110 only for the compartments 108 and / or items selected by the user prior to access, the user is able to quickly identify items to be removed because the selected items are only those that are uncovered.

[0042] In an embodiment utilizing drawers 104 with retractable lids 110, once the user has made their selection of one or more items to retrieve from the cabinet 100, the computing device 112 may identify the one or more drawers 104 and / or compartments 108 associated with the selected items. The computing device 112 may then send a signal to the actuators 116 associated with the relevant compartments 108. This signal activates the relevant actuators 116 to retract the attached lids 110 to expose the plurality of compartments 108 necessary to dispense the correct number of selected items. In some embodiments, multiple actuators 116 and lids 110 may be actuated in one session (simultaneously or sequentially) to provide access to items in different rows and / or drawers 104. Once the relevant lids 110 are actuated, the relevant drawers 104 may be unlocked, thereby allowing the user to access the drawers 104 and the exposed compartments 108. Once the user removes the items, the user may close the drawers 104. Once the computing device 112 detects that the drawers 104 are closed (such as by using one or more door closure sensors), the computing device 112 may lock each drawer 104 and then activate the actuator 116 to extend the lid 110 over the exposed compartment 108. In this manner, the cabinet 100 may prevent the possibility of any pinch points that may be created when moving the lid 110 because the lid 110 only moves when the drawers 104 are 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 in the drawers 104 and / or compartments 108. Such sensors may be specific to a particular drawer 104, bin / compartment 108, box, and / or portion thereof. In other embodiments, a single sensor and / or group of sensors may be used to monitor multiple drawers 104, bins, and / or boxes, and potentially the entire interior of the cabinet 100. It will be appreciated that various arrangements and designs of drawers 104 may be used in conjunction with the cabinet 100.

[0044] Understand your users

[0045] As described above, many applications of secure dispensing units, 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, login can be accomplished by the user entering access credentials, such as a username, password, and / or other credentials. However, compared to manually typing the access credentials into a keyboard, keypad, and / or touch screen, the user may desire to gain access faster and / or more easily. In such embodiments, other forms of access credentials may be utilized. For example, a possession-based credential may be utilized. In some embodiments, the possession-based credential may be in the form of a universal serial bus (USB) dongle, a chip card, a magnetic stripe card, and / or a port that can be inserted into a credential reader and / or other devices that are otherwise scanned by a credential reader of the computing device 112. Once inserted or read by the computing device 112, the credential device may be authenticated to provide access to the patient, procedure, and / or item selection system and to remove one or more items from the cabinet 100. The authentication of the access credentials (possession-based, knowledge-based, and / or biometric) may be performed locally and / or remotely by the computing device 112. When performed remotely, authentication may involve the computing device 112 capturing the credentials and sending them to a remote device, such as a backend server, for subsequent authentication. The authentication results of the credentials may be sent back to the computing device 112, which may then control access to the functionality of the cabinet 100 based on the results.

[0046] In other embodiments, the possession-based access credential can be in the form of a contactless device, such as a radio frequency (RF) wireless device that can be wirelessly read by a credential reader of the computing device 112. For example, the credential can 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 the cabinet 100 while holding one of these RF-enabled access credentials and gain access to the cabinet 100 with little or no login required. For example, the RF-enabled access credential can include a Bluetooth(R)-enabled device, an RFID chip or tag, and / or other short-range RF communication protocol, so that the access credential can be read by the credential reader of the 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 can operate using a shorter-range communication protocol, such as near-field communication (NFC). In such an embodiment, the user may need to actively bring the access credential within the signal range of the NFC credential reader of the computing device 112.

[0047] In some embodiments, the RF chip in the access credential can be a passive chip powered by electromagnetic energy emitted 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 (either a dedicated battery or the battery of the device containing the RFID chip or tag) that continuously broadcasts a signal containing the access credential required for a specific 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 with a predetermined signal / detection range that ensures that a user is sufficiently close to cabinet 100 before reading the possession-based access credential. For example, the signal strength of the credential reader and / or RFID tag can be adjusted to achieve a desired signal range, which helps prevent computing device 112 from attempting to log in multiple users or incorrect users when multiple people are in proximity to cabinet 100. In other embodiments, the range of cabinet 100 can be limited to a specific room or area where cabinet 100 is located. For example, RF shielding and / or other materials can be placed around the perimeter of the room to ensure that only access credentials within the room are detected by the credential reader of cabinet 100.

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

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

[0050] Passive facial liveness detection may involve various techniques. For example, some embodiments may utilize facial flash liveness, which uses a light element to illuminate the user (or a copy of the user). The user's reflectivity is measured, allowing the camera to capture how light from the screen and / or other light sources reflects on the face. Computing device 112 may then determine whether the illuminated face belongs to a living person or a copy (such as a photograph or video) based on the measured reflectivity. Some embodiments may use blink detection to perform passive facial liveness detection. For example, the user's blinks may be detected and timed. If no blinks are detected and / or the detected blinks are performed at an unusual rate, computing device 112 may assume that the authentication attempt is based on a copy of the user. Some embodiments may 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 the use of infrared and / or 3D cameras that can easily distinguish between human users 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 (e.g., a photo and / or display screen that can display an image of a 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 profile that matches a specific user and / or roughly matches a human. For example, the thermal profile of a photo or display screen will not match that of a human. Similarly, unless very complex masks are used, 2D and 3D masks will not have a thermal profile similar to that of a human.

[0052] Using voice recognition as an access credential typically involves the user speaking a specific word or phrase into the speaker of the cabinet 100. The user's voice signature (tone, pitch, rhythm, etc.) can be compared with previously stored voice signatures of known authorized users to detect where the user can authenticate. In some embodiments, the cabinet 100 can prompt the user to speak a random one of multiple words or phrases, rather than having the user speak the same predetermined word or phrase, to reduce the possibility that someone could create an audio recording of the authorized user speaking the predetermined secret phrase.

[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, the physical access credential can be a chip card that requires the user to enter a personal identification number (PIN) to log in. Such an embodiment requires the user to hold both the access credential and 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. In addition, in some embodiments, multiple types or a single type of credential can be utilized. For example, multiple forms of biometric credentials (such as fingerprint and voice) can be utilized to help further reduce the possibility of fraudulent authentication.

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

[0055] In one particular application, the cabinet 100 may be used as a cart for physicians, such as anesthesiologists. Oftentimes, 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 applications, the cabinet 100 may operate in a manner that ensures that users can log in quickly and efficiently, with as little user interaction as possible. For example, in such an embodiment, the cabinet 100 may require hands-free authentication credentials, such as wireless and / or contactless credential devices and / or biometric authentication credentials based on possession. Typically, it may be necessary to utilize contactless biometric authentication credentials (i.e., non-fingerprint) because such contact may be more time-consuming and / or less ergonomic than contactless biometric credentials. As a result, the cabinet 100 based on physician applications may be configured to utilize facial, 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, as gloves may make it more difficult for the user to enter access credentials, manipulate contact-based credential devices, and / or supply contact-based biometric credentials, such as fingerprints. While discussed with respect to the use of hands-free authentication credentials for a cabinet 100 accessed by a physician, it should be understood that in many applications, forms of authentication requiring user motion and / or use of hands may be utilized in some embodiments.

[0056] Select Item

[0057] Once a user logs into cabinet 110, they may be prompted to enter additional details about what items to remove. For example, one or more items may be associated with a specific location and / or task. The selection may include the type and quantity of items to be removed, possibly along with the specific task, location, and / or other information associated with the item's use. This information, along with knowledge of which user logged into cabinet 110, allows computing device 112 to track which user used each item and for what purpose. This may be particularly relevant in medical applications where medications and / or other medical items are used in conjunction with specific treatments and / or specific patients. To enter these details, the user may interact with 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 may be voice-controlled, allowing the user to select one or more items, tasks, patients, and the like. Often, a voice-controlled system may also include a manual input selection system as a backup in the event that the voice-controlled system fails to function properly or in the event that the user suffers from respiratory conditions or other conditions that result in voice distortion or loss of voice that may make it difficult to operate the voice-controlled selection system.

[0058] In some embodiments of medical applications, a procedure list may be provided to the cabinet 100, which includes a limited number of patients, procedures (e.g., treatments), locations, and personnel (nurses, technicians, physicians, caregivers, etc.) to select from. In some embodiments, the procedure list may be populated by scanning information from a patented wristband, chart, and / or other data source. In some embodiments, the procedure list may be manually populated at the cabinet 100 and / or a remote computing device, which then transmits the procedure list to the cabinet 100. In other embodiments, the hospital (or other facility) scheduling system may be used to automatically populate the procedure list. For example, an electronic health record (EHR) system may be used to automatically populate the procedure list with data about a specific patient and / or currently scheduled procedures. In some embodiments, the EHR system may utilize knowledge of where a specific cabinet 100 is located to populate the procedure list. For example, if the cabinet 100 is located in an intensive care unit (ICU), the procedure list for the cabinet 100 may be populated only with patients and / or procedures corresponding to patients present in the ICU, procedures performed in the ICU, and / or medical staff staffed by the ICU. A similar procedure list can 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 procedure list containing data about each patient and / or scheduled procedures in the entire facility. In other embodiments, the previous list can be populated with any procedure that can be performed in the facility, regardless of the availability or location of the cabinet 100. The procedure list for a given cabinet 100 can be presented on a GUI displayed on the display screen 114, allowing a logged-in user to access the procedure list and make a selection of items to access for one or more patients and / or procedures.

[0059] In some embodiments, the location of the cabinet 100 may be preprogrammed into the cabinet 100 (such as by marking the cabinet 100 as being associated with a particular facility and / or part thereof). In other embodiments, the EHR system and / or other central computing system may program the location of each corresponding cabinet 100 in a given facility. For example, the location may be associated with the serial number and / or other unique identifier of the cabinet 100 so 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 an identifier of the corresponding cabinet 100. In other embodiments, each cabinet 100 may include one or more other location determining features, such as a 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 the location and / or known patients and / or procedures, but the storage area 102 of the cabinet 100 can 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 unit, only items and / or medications (and dosages) related to the treatment of infants can be stored in the cabinet 100. Similarly, a cabinet 100 in an operating room can store items and medications that can be used during surgery and / or other procedures. In some embodiments, a user can manually enter data about patients and / or procedures into the computing device 112, such as when the procedure list is not being used, is outdated, incomplete, etc.

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

[0062] In some embodiments, once a user logs in to cabinet 100, they only need to select the article to be removed without selecting a patient and / or an operation. This may be particularly useful in non-medical applications and / or other applications that do not involve a patient and / or a recipient of a specific article, where the task performed with the specific article may not need to be considered. Although a patient and / or other recipient may not be involved, cabinet 100 may often still need to select a task, plan, and / or location associated with the use of the article. For example, if a tool is removed from cabinet 100 in an engineering application, the user may need to select a specific plan in which the tool is being used. This ensures that not only the use of the article can be attributed to the logged-in user, but also that a specific task can be associated with the tool, which can better help track the use of the tool. This also may make it easier to track lost items because the last known location and / or plan associated with the article may be known.

[0063] In some embodiments, once a user logs into cabinet 100, they gain access to all contents within storage area 102. In other embodiments, one or more users of cabinet 100 may have permission levels that provide access to only a subset of 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 substances may be housed in separate containers (such as a high-security drawer 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 substances when placed in drawers with less secure items, the controlled substances may be placed in lockable bins that are secured and / or otherwise located within drawer 104 and / or other features of storage area 102. In some embodiments, the controlled substances may be in compartment 108, which is secured by a retractable cover 110. In other applications, each user may have access to items relevant to their specific job function and / or training specialty. For example, if a user is not certified to administer a particular form of therapy and / or perform a type of procedure, the user may not be able to access portions of storage area 102 that contain items used only in the particular therapy and / or procedure.

[0064] access

[0065] Once the user selects any item to be retrieved from the cabinet 100 (including any other data, such as patients, procedures, tasks, locations, personnel, etc.), the cabinet 100 can provide access to the interior of the storage area 102 to allow the user to remove the items that the user is authorized to hold and / or manage. In some embodiments, this can be achieved by the computing device 112 sending an unlock command to one or more drawers 104 located in the storage area 102. The unlock command can disengage a locking mechanism, such as a solenoid-activated lock, and allow the drawer 104 to open. In some embodiments, the cover 110 within the drawer 104 can be retracted to expose one or more compartments 108 to provide access to controlled substances (such as anesthetics).

[0066] Once the user has gained access to the storage area 102, they can remove the selected items. In some embodiments, the user may need to access multiple drawers 104 and / or other storage units to retrieve all the items they have selected for use. Once the items have been removed, the user can close the drawers 104 and / or other portions of the storage area 102. The drawers 104 and / or other dividers can be locked again by the cabinet 100 to ensure the security of the remaining items in the storage area 102. Any retracted lids 110 can then be extended to cover the exposed compartments 108 again.

[0067] Steering Figure 4, an embodiment of a drawer 204 that can be used as a safe dispensing unit is shown. In certain embodiments, the drawer 204 can be similar to the drawer 104 and / or can be used in the cabinet 100 described above. For example, the drawer 204 includes a storage area 206, which includes a plurality of compartments 208a (which may or may not be formed as a part of the drawer 204). Although the size of the compartment 208a is shown as unified, different sizes and / or shapes may also be included in a single drawer 204 to allow the drawer 204 to store a plurality of different items more effectively. Often, the size and shape of each compartment 208a may be set to only keep a single item, however, in certain embodiments, a plurality of items may be stacked, placed side by side and / or placed in a single compartment 208a from top to bottom. As shown, the drawer 204 includes a plurality of compartments 208a arranged in a row, wherein all compartments 208a in a given row are identical.

[0068] In some embodiments, the drawer 204 may include a cover 210 extending over at least some of the compartments 208a in the drawer 204. Here, each row of compartments 208a includes its own dedicated cover 210 that is configured to extend across the entire row of compartments 208a. Each cover 210 can 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 required. The cover 210 can be a single piece of flexible material and / or multiple pieces of flexible and / or rigid material that are coupled together to form a length of material with a first end and a second end. When separated from the drawer 204, the cover 210 can extend into a single flat material strip, with the first end and the second end located at opposite ends of the material strip of the length. The cover 210 is sufficiently sturdy to prevent users from accessing the covered compartments 208a. In some embodiments, the cover 210 may be opaque to prevent the covered compartment 208a from being viewed, while in other embodiments, the cover 210 may be transparent to allow a user to view the contents of the covered compartment 208a.

[0069] As mentioned above, the cover 210 may be formed from multiple sheets of material. Figure 5As best shown in FIG, multiple segments 222 can be linked together, similar to a watch band. For example, each segment 222 can include a concave portion 224 at one end and a convex portion 226 at the other end. As just one example, 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 concave portions. The central recess of the concave portion 224 can be slightly larger than the central extension of the convex portion 226, so 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. The extensions of the two segments 222 can then 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 manner, multiple segments 222 can be linked together in a manner that allows a length of material linked segment 222 arranged in a planar fashion to cover compartment 208a and / or to curve to follow a curved path of movement when lid 210 is extended and / or retracted. In some embodiments, a portion of lid 210 can be arranged in a planar fashion while another portion of lid 210 has segments 222 that pivot relative to each other to allow a portion of lid 210 to bend. It should be understood that other designs of pivotable segments can be used to create lid 210.

[0070] In some embodiments, the cover may be constrained to a specific path of movement via one or more tracks formed in a given compartment. Figure 6 As shown, tracks 218 are formed in compartments 290, which may be similar to compartments 208 described herein. Tracks 218 may be positioned near the top edge of each compartment 290 and / or row of compartments 290 that a cover (such as cover 210) is intended to secure. As shown, tracks 218 are in the form of channels that receive the lateral edges of the cover, ensuring that the cover can move linearly along its longitudinal axis to cover and uncover compartments 290 and / or rows. Tracks 218 are positioned immediately adjacent to the tops of compartments 290 to effectively seal compartments 290 beneath the cover. Although not shown, in some embodiments, tracks 218 may be positioned beneath compartments 290, thereby providing a path of movement beneath the compartments 290 that allows the cover 210 to be retracted and rolled under the compartments 290 in a manner similar to a roll-up table. In embodiments where the cover is formed from linked segments (such as linked segments 222), some of the segments may pivot to bend and wrap around as the cover is retracted and rolled back, allowing movement beneath the compartments 290.

[0071] An actuator 216 may be coupled to each of the covers 210 so that the covers 110 may each be actuated to extend and / or retract the covers 210 independently of each other, as shown. Figure 7Oftentimes, the actuator 216 may include a motor 220 configured to generate a force that can be applied to the cover 210. In some embodiments, the actuator 216 may include a transmission that transfers the force from the motor 220 to the cover 210. For example, Figure 8 As shown, the actuator 216 may include a hub 228 coupled to an edge of the cover 210. As shown, the hub 228 includes a plurality of gear teeth 229 radially distributed around the circumference of the hub 228. In some embodiments, a pin 262 for connecting 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 gear teeth 229 of the hub 228, thereby allowing the motor 220 and the hub 228 to rotate to retract and extend the cover 210 based on the direction of rotation. In other embodiments, an edge of the cover 210 (such as an edge of each segment 222) may define a hole (not shown) that is configured to receive the gear 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 drive 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 allows the motor 220 to be actuated 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 a 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 a precise position, the user can quickly identify the correct item and the correct number of items to be removed without any doubt as to whether to remove items in the partially exposed compartments 208, as the selected items will only be the exposed items.

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

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

[0075] Often, one or more of the compartments 208 may be empty before their corresponding lids 210 are retracted. For example, one or more users may have previously accessed a particular row of compartments 208 since the last time the drawer 204 was refilled. In such an embodiment, the drawer 204 may include multiple sensors that help detect whether a compartment 204 or drawer 204 is empty or contains items. Based on this information, the lid 210 can be actuated to reveal a number 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 containing a single item, and the user wishes to access three items, the computing device 112 can use one or more sensors to check whether any of the compartments 208 is empty. For example, if each of the ten compartments 208 contains an item, the computing device 112 can retract the lid 210 far enough to provide access to the first three compartments 208, thereby allowing the user to remove the three items as desired. In another case, computing device 112 may determine that the first two compartments 208 are empty and may then retract 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 desired.

[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 can be used to detect any contents of a 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 can determine whether each compartment 208 is empty when the lid 210 is retracted, starting with the furthest compartment 208 over 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 compartments 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 can be used to determine whether each compartment 208 is empty or contains one or more items.

[0077] In other embodiments, optical sensor 232 may work in conjunction with one or more features of compartment 208 to determine whether any items are present in compartment 208. For example, in some embodiments, a computer-readable identifier (such as a barcode, a Quick Response (QR) code, alphanumeric text, and / or other computer-readable object) may be printed, affixed, and / or otherwise placed on the bottom surface of each compartment 208. If an item is located within compartment 208, the item obscures all or part of the computer-readable identifier, rendering the identifier unreadable. Thus, if optical sensor 232 cannot read the identifier for a particular compartment 208, computing device 112 may determine that compartment 208 contains an item. If optical sensor 232 is able to read the identifier, computing device 112 may conclude that 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. An 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 react to a light signal pulsed at a specific frequency. In some embodiments, the optical sensor 232 may be in the form of a phototransistor receiver that is activated upon detecting light emitted at a specific wavelength. In some embodiments, the light may include wavelengths in the IR spectrum, although other wavelengths are possible in some embodiments. 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 fails to detect light, the computing device may determine that the compartment 208 contains 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 the specific application. For example, in some embodiments, if optical sensor 232 detects only a portion of the light emitted from the light source, computing device 112 may determine that an item blocks the remaining light, and therefore compartment 208 must be occupied. In other embodiments, if any light is detected, computing device 122 may determine that compartment 208 is empty.

[0079] In some embodiments, the light source may be positioned directly in the storage area of the compartment 208, such as by placing an LED or other light source in the base 209 of the compartment 208, directly beneath which the items are stored. Figure 9As shown in the figure, the light source 211 (such as an LED) can be positioned outside the compartment 208. In some embodiments, such as if the compartment 208 is removable from the drawer 204, the light source 211 can be attached to the device instead of the compartment 208. For example, the light source 211 can be positioned on the housing of the drawer 204. In order to introduce light into the interior of the compartment 208, holes 213 can be formed in the bottom and / or sides of the compartment 208 in the illumination field of the light source 211. In some embodiments, a light pipe 234 and / or other structure can be provided in the base 209 of the compartment 208 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, thereby being used to introduce light from the external light source 211 into the interior of the compartment 208. Oftentimes, light pipe 234 is positioned in a central area of compartment 208 , which can help ensure that if an item is present within compartment 208 , the light and light pipe 234 will be blocked from detection by optical sensor 232 .

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

[0081] In some embodiments, non-optical sensors may be used in place 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 in or below the base of the compartment 208. These load sensors (such as strain gauges, capacitive sensors, etc.) may be calibrated to provide a non-zero reading when an item is present. In some embodiments, the load sensor's measurement 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 load sensor's error factor, 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 can be read by an antenna disposed on the front 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 so that only the items within a single compartment 208 can be read by the antenna at a single time. It should be understood that other sensors may be integrated into the lid 210, the compartments 208, and / or the drawer 204 to track the presence and use of items located within the compartments 208.

[0083] In addition to helping determine the fill status of the compartments 208 to actuate the lid 210 at the correct distance, information from the sensors can be used to help monitor the inventory of the drawers 204. For example, after retracting and / or extending the lid 210, the computing device 112 can monitor how many compartments 208 have items stored therein based on data from various sensors. This information can be tracked, often along with information about which users have removed items and possibly for what purpose (task, patient, etc.), to monitor how many items are present in the drawers 204 and / or cabinet 100 and how the items are being utilized. In some embodiments, inventory and / or usage data can be updated each time 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, such as shown here, the compartments 208 may be formed separately and then 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 10B, each compartment may be formed as part of a box 236 and / or other removable feature that includes a plurality of compartments 208. Although shown as having ten uniformly sized compartments 208, it should be understood that the box 236 may include any number and size of compartments 208. Additionally, although arranged in a single row, it should be understood that in some embodiments, the box 236 may include multiple rows of compartments 208. In some embodiments, each box 236 may form an entire row of compartments 208 within the drawer 204. In other embodiments, the boxes 236 may 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 were divided into two boxes 236, such as Figure 11 As shown, when the first half of the row is empty, a refill alert can be generated to ensure that refilling occurs when the second half of the row still has items available to the user. To refill the first half, the user can use computing device 112 to select a refill program. This can cause computing device 122 to retract lid 210 to expose at least the first half of the row so that an empty one of the boxes 236 can be removed and replaced with a full box 236. In other embodiments, drawer 204 can be refilled on a compartment-by-compartment basis. In such an embodiment, lid 210 can be retracted to expose all 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, box 236 can include a lid (not shown) for transferring full boxes 236. For example, once the cassette 236 has been filled by the pharmacy, covers (such as reusable covers, covers similar to cover 110, disposable covers (such as tape or other films), and / or other covers) can be positioned atop the various compartments 208 within the cassette 236. Before, during, and / or after the cassette 236 is inserted into the drawer 204, the covers can be removed so that the cover 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 box 236 may include a light pipe 234. A light source may be coupled to the compartment 208 and / or disposed within the drawer 204 such that when the box 236 is installed within the drawer 204, the light source is aligned with the light pipe 234 of each compartment 208. In some embodiments, other sensors, such as load sensors, RF sensors, etc., may be coupled to the box and / or to the drawer 204 itself. In some embodiments, each box 236 may include an identifier (such as an identifier encoded on an RF chip) that indicates which items and / or drawers 204 are associated with a given box 236.

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

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

[0088] Figure 14 An embodiment of a medication control system 414 is shown. In one particular embodiment, the medication control system 414 may be located in a healthcare facility, such as a hospital or clinic. In such an embodiment, the medication control system 414 may include one or more medication storage systems 400 that communicate with a central computing device, such as a central pharmacy 402. Each medication 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 unit, and may be located in a specific room, floor, and / or patient room of the facility.

[0089] Each medication storage system 400 may include a computing device 404 (similar to computing device 112) configured to communicate information between medication storage system 400 and the central pharmacy, authenticate users of medication storage system 400, and control access to medications and / or other items stored in medication storage system 400. 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 device that enables a user to interact with computing device 404 and / or be communicatively coupled thereto. The credential reader may take the form of a wireless reader, such as a Bluetooth, RFID, NFC, and / or other wireless reader that can read information from active or passive user credentials, such as a key fob, mobile phone, ID, and / or other credential device. 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 sensor.

[0090] The user can interact with computing device 404 using one or more of the input devices to log in, select a patient and / or procedure, and / or gain access to items stored within medication storage system 400. For example, to log in to medication storage system 400, the 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 cabinet 100 and / or the specific items stored therein. In other embodiments, the user may be automatically logged in if the user's wireless credentials are brought within range of a wireless credential reader of computing device 404. Once the user is logged in, the user may make selections regarding patients, procedures, and / or items to be removed or otherwise dispensed from medication storage system 400. These selections may be made using any of the input devices of computing device 112. In a typical primary care usage scenario, a healthcare worker may enter the identification of a patient under their care who requires medication during their current shift. Computing device 404 may access the patient's medical file and determine which medications have been prescribed for the patient. In other embodiments, the user may simply select one or more items to be removed from the medication storage system 400 without comparing the data to an order, such as a patient treatment plan.

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

[0092] For example, as shown in the figure, the medicine storage system 400 includes four drawers 406, each of which has a different size and / or drawer layout, but it should be understood that in some embodiments, any number of combinations of drawer size and / or layout are possible. Here, the drawer 406a defines a storage area, which is divided into a plurality of bins and / or other compartments 408a for receiving one or more articles. The compartments 408a can be arranged in rows and / or columns inside the drawer 406a. The compartments 408a are configured to be covered by a retractable and / or otherwise removable lid 410a. The lid 410a can be similar to the above-mentioned lids 210 and 310. For example, a plurality of lids 410a are provided, which extend across an entire row of compartments 408, and the compartments 408 can be oriented across the width of the drawer 406a. Often, the lid 410a extends 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 lid 410a closes the compartment 408a so that any items present in the compartment 408a are inaccessible for retrieval. The lid 410a can be moved using an actuator 412a (similar to the actuators 116 and 216 described above) that moves the lid 410a to expose the items stored in the compartment 408a. For example, the actuator 412a can be coupled to each of the lids 410a so that the lids 410a can be actuated to extend and / or retract the lids 410a independently of each other.

[0093] In one example, each of the one or more compartments 408a can be uncovered sequentially, so that all previously uncovered compartments 108 remain uncovered. In another example, the cover 410a can allow only one compartment 408a to be uncovered at any given time, while the remaining portions of the compartments 408a associated with that cover 410a are closed by the cover 410a. This ensures that if a user wants items 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 retracting the cover 410a only for the compartments 408a and / or items previously selected by the user, the user can quickly identify the items to be removed because the selected items will only be those that are uncovered.

[0094] As shown, the medication storage system 400 includes another drawer 406b. Here, the drawer 406b includes a covered compartment 408a and a top-open compartment 408b. The covered compartment 408a includes a lid 410a and an actuator 412a to control access to items in a row of covered compartments 408a. The top-open compartments 408b can be arranged in any arrangement within the drawer 406b. Often, 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. In order to provide access to the items in the top-open compartments 408b, the computing device 404 only needs to unlock the relevant drawer 406b.

[0095] The medication 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 406c. The medication storage system 400 also includes a drawer 406d, which includes only the compartments 408b with open tops. It should be understood that the various arrangements of drawers 406, compartments 408, lids 410, and actuators 412 provided above are intended to serve as examples only, and a variety of variations are possible.

[0096] In an embodiment, once the user makes their selection of one or more items to retrieve from the medication storage system 400, the computing device 404 may identify one or more drawers 406 and / or compartments 408 associated with the selected items. The computing device 404 may then send a signal to the actuator 412 associated with the associated compartment 408. This signal activates the associated actuator 412 to retract the attached lid 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 lids 410 may be actuated in one session (simultaneously or sequentially) to provide access to items in different rows and / or drawers 406. Once the associated lid 410 is actuated, the associated drawer 406 may be unlocked, thereby allowing the user to access the drawer 406 and the exposed compartment 408. Once the user has finished removing the items, the user may close the drawer 406. Once the computing device 112 detects that the drawers 104 are closed (such as by using one or more door closure sensors), the computing device 404 may lock each drawer 406 and then activate the actuator 412 to extend the cover 410 over the exposed compartment 408. In this manner, the medication storage system 400 may prevent the possibility of any pinch points that may be created when moving the cover 410 because the cover 410 only moves when the drawer 406 is closed and / or locked.

[0097] In some embodiments, the drawer 406 and / or lid 410 may 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 406 may include a sensor that determines whether the compartment 408 contains an item based on light, image, RF, and / or weight. Similarly, the leading edge of each lid 410 may include a sensor that determines 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 lid 410 may be fully retracted to count the items within each drawer 406. In other embodiments, a running inventory may be maintained based on a log of interactions with the medication storage system 400. Based on the 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, often along with information about which users removed the items and possibly for what purpose (task, patient, etc.), to monitor how many items are present and how the items are being utilized within the drawers 406 and / or medication storage system 400. In some embodiments, the inventory and / or usage data can be updated each time the lid 410 is extended and / or retracted and / or when each drawer 406 is opened and / or closed.

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

[0099] In some embodiments, knowing the empty / full status of each compartment 408 enables lid 410 to be actuated to reveal multiple compartments 408 that allow access to a selected number of items. For example, if drawer 406 includes ten single-item compartments 408 covered by a single lid 410, computing device 404 can check whether any of compartments 408 is empty by using one or more sensors. For example, if each of ten compartments 408 contains an item, computing device 404 can retract 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, computing device 404 can determine that the first two compartments 408 are empty and then retract 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 15is a flow chart illustrating a process 500 for operating a secure dispensing mechanism. The secure dispensing mechanism may be integrated into a storage unit, such as a cabinet 100, a medication storage system 400, a cart, a shelf, and / or other device that may include multiple secure dispensing units (such as drawers 104, 204). The secure dispensing mechanism may 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, input may be received to dispense a selected number of items from the secure dispensing mechanism. The input may specify which items are to be removed and how many items are to be removed. The input may be received by the computing device, and oftentimes may be received from an authorized user. The authorized user may have previously authenticated the computing device by providing some access credentials, such as a piece of information, an identifier from a possession-based credential, and / or a biometric credential. In some embodiments, authenticating the user may require additional information associated with a particular item, such as the patient and / or task with which the item is to be used.

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

[0102] In some embodiments, after each interaction, the lid may extend to cover all compartments, including empty ones. In such embodiments, at block 508, the computing device may receive sensor data used to determine how much to retract the lid to reveal the selected items. For example, if each compartment contains a single item and there are no empty compartments, the lid may be retracted to reveal a number of compartments matching 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 the predetermined number of the multiple compartments to be revealed based on the determination that at least one of the multiple compartments is empty. For example, if a row of ten compartments each contains a single item and a user wishes to access three items in the row, the secure dispensing unit may check to see if any of the compartments is empty using one or more sensors, such as optical sensors, radio frequency (RF) sensors, load cells, etc. 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, thereby 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 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. 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, thereby retracting the leading edge of the lid to expose the selected number of compartments.

[0103] Upon determining that at least one of the plurality of compartments is empty, the secure dispensing mechanism may detect an optical signal originating from one or more transmitter devices positioned within at least one of the plurality of compartments. In some embodiments, an optical sensor is positioned on the leading edge of the lid and is detected as the lid moves along the length of the secure dispensing mechanism. In other embodiments, imaging sensors, weight sensors, and / or RF sensors may be integrated into the lid and / or compartments 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 associated row of compartments (such as another option to remove an item and / or refill the empty item), thereby keeping the empty container exposed. In such an embodiment, at block 510, no sensor data is required and the lid can be actuated to expose a number of compartments that match the number of items.

[0105] In some embodiments, multiple lids can be activated and / or multiple rows of compartments can be exposed. In embodiments where multiple lids (in the same row and / or different rows) are activated, the lids can be activated sequentially and / or simultaneously to provide access to all selected items simultaneously. In some embodiments, the actuating lid can include a sprocket drive that rotates and docks 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 lid and compartments may be integrated into an electronically lockable drawer of an inventory control system (such as cabinet 100 and / or medication storage system 400). In such embodiments, process 400 may also include, at block 512, unlocking the lockable drawer after the lid of the security 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 items, the drawer closes. Once the computing device detects that the drawer is closed, the computing device may send a command to lock the drawer, while 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 a lid over each of the compartments. In some embodiments, the security dispensing mechanism may receive additional input for refilling at least some of the compartments. The lid may retract to expose multiple compartments to be refilled, which may include all or only a portion of the compartments.

[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 in a given drawer may be actuated (all lids may be actuated sequentially, in groups, or simultaneously) so that various sensors may detect the contents of each compartment for inventory purposes. In this way, the contents of each drawer and / or cabinet may 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 computers, which may allow triggering various processes, such as refilling boxes and / or drawers and / or reordering items. In some embodiments, this inventory procedure may be completed at predetermined times and / or intervals, after the specific use of a cabinet and / or drawer, and / or based on a request from a remote computing device (such as a central server and / or pharmacy computer).

[0108] Figure 16 6 is a flow chart of a process 600 for using a secure dispensing mechanism. The secure dispensing mechanism may be integrated into a storage unit, such as a cabinet 100, a medication storage system 400, a cart, a shelf, and / or other devices that may include multiple secure dispensing units (such as drawers 104, 204). Process 600 may begin at block 602 by a user logging into a storage unit. For example, the user may use one or more input devices of a computing device of the storage unit to provide knowledge-based, biometric, and / or possession-based credentials, as described above with respect to Figure 1As described in more detail. Once authenticated, at block 604, the user may choose to use a graphical user interface (GUI) and / or other interface of the storage unit to make selections regarding patients, procedures, and / or items to be removed or otherwise allocated from the storage unit. These selections may be made using any of the computing device's input devices, including a microphone for enabling voice commands. After making their selections, at block 606, the user may open one or more drawers of the storage unit that have been unlocked by the computing system. At block 608, the user may then remove and / or otherwise access any items located in the exposed compartments within the opened drawers. For example, the lids of one or more compartments may have been retracted by the computing device before the user opened the drawer. The user may then remove items from the exposed compartments. In some embodiments, lights and / or other indicators may be illuminated and / or otherwise activated to guide the user to the compartment containing the selected items. Once the user has retrieved all selected items from a given drawer, the user may close the drawer at block 610, which may then be locked by the computing device.

[0109] like Figure 17 The computer system shown may be incorporated as part of the previously described computerized devices.For example, computer system 700 may 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 a computer system 700 is provided that can perform the methods provided by various other embodiments, as described herein. Figure 17 It is intended only to provide a general description of the various components, any or all of which may be used as appropriate. Figure 17 It is broadly described how various system elements may be implemented in a relatively discrete or relatively more integrated manner.

[0110] Computer system 700 is shown as including hardware elements that may be electrically coupled (or in other communication modes, as appropriate) via bus 705. The hardware elements may include a processing unit 710, which may include, but is not limited to, one or more processors, such as one or more specialized processors (such as a digital signal processing chip, a graphics acceleration processor, etc.); one or more input devices 715, which may include, but are not limited to, a keyboard, a touch screen, a receiver, a motion sensor, a camera, a smart card reader, a contactless media reader, etc.; and one or more output devices 720, which may include, but are not limited to, a display device, a speaker, a printer, a writing module, etc.

[0111] The computer system 700 may also include (and / or communicate with) one or more non-transitory storage devices 725, 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 (e.g., 502.11 devices, Wi-Fi devices, WiMAX devices, NFC devices, cellular communication facilities, etc.) and / or similar communication interfaces. The communication interface 730 can allow data to be exchanged with a network (such as the network described below, to name just one example), 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 can include RAM or ROM devices as described above.

[0113] The computer system 700 may also include software elements, shown as currently located 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 a computer); then, in one aspect, such specific / particular purpose code and / or instructions may be used to configure a computing device and / or adapt it to be configured as a special-purpose computer for performing one or more operations according to the described methods.

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

[0115] Substantial variations may be made depending on specific requirements. For example, custom hardware and / or specific elements that can be implemented in hardware, software (including portable software, such as applets, etc.), or both may also be used. Furthermore, the hardware and / or software components that provide certain functionality may comprise a dedicated system (with dedicated components) or may be part of a more general 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 may comprise dedicated hardware and / or software (e.g., an application specific integrated circuit (ASIC), software methods, etc.) or general purpose (e.g., processing unit 710, application 745, etc.). Additionally, connections to other computing devices, such as network input / output devices, may be employed.

[0116] Some embodiments may employ a computer system (such as computer system 700) to perform methods according to the present invention. For example, some or all of the procedures of the described methods may be performed by computer system 700 in response to processing unit 710 executing one or more sequences of one or more instructions contained in working memory 735 (which may be incorporated into operating system 740 and / or other code, such as application programs 745). Such instructions may be read into working memory 735 from another computer-readable medium, such as one or more storage devices 725. By way of example only, execution of the sequences of instructions contained in working memory 735 may cause processing unit 710 to perform one or more 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 specific manner. In embodiments 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 signals). In many embodiments, computer-readable media are physical and / or tangible storage media. Such media can take a variety of forms, including but not limited to non-volatile media, volatile media, and transmission media. Non-volatile media include, for example, optical and / or magnetic disks, such as storage device 725. Volatile media include, but are not limited to dynamic memory, such as working memory 735. Transmission media include, but are not limited to, coaxial cables, copper wire, and optical fiber, including the wires comprising bus 705, as well as the various components of communication interface 730 (and / or the medium that communication interface 730 provides 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 a pattern 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] The communication interface 730 (and / or its components) will typically receive the signal, and the bus 705 may then transfer the signal (and / or the data, instructions, etc. carried by the signal) to the working memory 735, from which the processor 710 retrieves and executes the instructions. The instructions received by the working memory 735 may optionally be stored on the non-transitory storage device 725 either before or after execution by the processing unit 710.

[0120] The methods, systems, and devices discussed above are examples. Some embodiments are described as processes depicted as flow charts or block diagrams. Although each operation may be described as a sequential process, many operations may be performed in parallel or simultaneously. In addition, the order of the operations may be rearranged. The process may have additional steps not included in the figure. In addition, 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. A processor may perform the associated tasks.

[0121] It should be noted that the systems and devices discussed above are intended to be examples only. It must be emphasized that various embodiments may omit, substitute, or add various programs or components as appropriate. Furthermore, features described with respect to certain embodiments may be combined in various other embodiments. Different aspects and elements of the embodiments may be combined in similar manners. Furthermore, it should be emphasized that technology is constantly evolving, and therefore, many of the elements are examples and should not be construed as limiting the scope of the present invention.

[0122] Specific details are provided in the description to provide a thorough understanding of the embodiments. However, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that embodiments may be practiced without these specific details. For example, known structures and techniques have been shown without unnecessary details to avoid obscuring the embodiments. This description provides only example embodiments and is not intended to limit the scope, applicability or configuration of the present invention. On the contrary, the foregoing description of the embodiments will provide an enabling description for implementing embodiments of the present invention for those skilled in the art. Various changes may be made to the functions and arrangements of the elements without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention.

[0123] The methods, systems, devices, figures, 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. Furthermore, features described with respect to certain configurations may be combined in various other configurations. Different aspects and elements of the configurations may be combined in similar manners. Furthermore, technology is evolving, and therefore many of the elements are examples and do not limit the scope of the invention or the claims. Additionally, the techniques discussed herein may provide different results using different types of context-aware classifiers.

[0124] While 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 concepts of the present invention may be otherwise variously embodied and employed, and that the appended claims are intended to be interpreted to encompass such variations unless limited by 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 object. As an example, "an element" means one element or more than one element. As used herein, "about" and / or "approximately" when referring to measurable values, such as amount, duration, etc., include changes of ±20% or ±10%, ±5% or +0.1% from the specified value, because such changes are applicable to the background of the systems, devices, circuits, methods and other embodiments described herein. As used herein, "substantially" when referring to measurable values, such as amount, duration, physical properties (such as, frequency), etc., also include changes of ±20% or ±10%, ±5% or +0.1% from the specified value, because such changes are applicable to the background 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", any combination of the listed items can be used. For example, a list of "at least one of A, B, and C" includes any of the combinations A or B or C or AB or AC or BC and / or ABC (i.e., A and B and C). Furthermore, to the extent that an item A, B, or C may appear or be used more than once, multiple uses of A, B, and / or C may form part of the contemplated combination. 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, and those skilled in the art will recognize that various modifications, alternative configurations, and equivalents may be used without departing from the essence of the present invention. For example, the above elements may simply be components of a larger system, wherein other rules may take precedence over the application of the present invention or otherwise modify the application of the present invention. In addition, many steps may be taken before, during, or after considering the above elements. Accordingly, the above description should not be considered as limiting the scope of the invention.

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

Claims

1. A distribution unit, comprising: a housing having a first end and a second end; as well as a plurality of storage assemblies, wherein the plurality of storage assemblies are arranged parallel to each other within the housing, each storage assembly comprising: a plurality of compartments arranged linearly along an axis of the housing, each compartment configured to store an item; a cover coupled to the housing and extending between the first end and the second end such that the cover is positioned over the plurality of compartments; one or more sensors configured to determine whether one or more of the plurality of compartments is empty, wherein each of the one or more sensors is selected from an RF sensor and a load sensor; an actuator coupled to the cover; and One or more processors configured to: determining whether a particular compartment of the plurality of compartments is empty based on a measurement from at least one of the one or more sensors; and causing the actuator to retract the lid to pull the distal end of the lid from the first end toward the second end, thereby exposing some of the plurality of compartments to expose a selected number of items stored in the plurality of compartments, wherein a distance the lid is retracted is set based on determining whether the particular compartment of the plurality of compartments is empty.

2. The dispensing unit according to claim 1, wherein: Each of the plurality of compartments has a load sensor.

3. The dispensing unit according to claim 2, wherein: Each load sensor includes a strain gauge or a capacitive sensor.

4. The dispensing unit according to claim 2, wherein: The dispensing unit compares a measurement from at least one of the plurality of load sensors to a known weight of a particular item associated with a given compartment of the plurality of compartments to determine whether the given compartment is empty.

5. The dispensing unit according to claim 2, wherein: The dispensing unit is integrated into an electronically lockable drawer of a medication storage system; and The medication storage system is configured to monitor an inventory of items within the electronically lockable drawer based on measurements from the plurality of load sensors.

6. The dispensing unit according to claim 1, wherein: The at least one RF sensor comprises an antenna disposed on a front edge of the cover; and The one or more processors are configured to determine whether one or more of the plurality of compartments are empty as the leading edge of the cover moves along the length of the housing.

7. The dispensing unit according to claim 1, wherein: Each of the plurality of compartments comprises a base and one or more walls; and The base and the one or more walls include RF shielding.

8. The dispensing unit according to claim 2, wherein: The at least one RF sensor comprises a plurality of RF sensors; and Each of the plurality of RF sensors is disposed in one of the plurality of compartments.

9. The dispensing unit according to claim 2, wherein: The at least one RF sensor determines whether one or more of the plurality of compartments are empty based on whether an RF tag attached to an item is read within each of the one or more of the plurality of compartments.

10. The dispensing unit according to claim 2, wherein: The at least one RF sensor is further configured to determine an inventory of a corresponding one of the plurality of storage assemblies.

11. A method of operating a dispensing mechanism, comprising: receiving input for dispensing a selected quantity of an item from a dispensing mechanism; as well as receiving measurements from one or more sensors of the dispensing mechanism, wherein each of the one or more sensors comprises a load cell or an RF sensor associated with one of a plurality of compartments of the dispensing mechanism; determining whether a particular compartment of the plurality of compartments is empty based on a measurement from at least one of the one or more sensors; A lid of the dispensing mechanism is actuated to retract a leading edge of the lid to expose a selected number of items stored in the plurality of compartments based on measurements from the one or more sensors, wherein a distance the lid is retracted is set based on determining whether the particular compartment of the plurality of compartments is empty.

12. The method of operating a dispensing mechanism according to claim 11, further comprising: determining that at least one of the plurality of compartments is empty; as well as The amount of the plurality of compartments to be exposed is adjusted based on the determination that the at least one of the plurality of compartments is empty.

13. The method of operating a dispensing mechanism according to claim 12, wherein: The RF sensor includes an antenna disposed on a front edge of the cover; and Determining that at least one of the plurality of compartments is empty includes failing to read an RF tag of an item within the at least one of the plurality of compartments using the antenna as the leading edge of the lid moves along the axis of the dispensing mechanism.

14. The method of operating a dispensing mechanism according to claim 12, wherein: The RF sensor includes one of a plurality of RF sensors; Each RF sensor of the plurality of RF sensors is disposed in each of the plurality of compartments; and Determining that at least one of the plurality of compartments is empty includes failing to read an RF tag of an item within the at least one of the plurality of compartments using at least one of the plurality of RF sensors.

15. The method of operating a dispensing mechanism according to claim 12, wherein: Determining that at least one of the plurality of compartments is empty includes determining that a measurement of a load sensor associated with the one of the plurality of compartments does not match a known weight of a particular item associated with the one of the plurality of compartments.

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