Secure smart container assembly, systems, and methods

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10956864-B2
Application number	US-202016914190-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 26, 2020
Priority date	Jun 27, 2019
Publication date	Mar 23, 2021
Grant date	Mar 23, 2021

Abstract

The disclosed systems and methods provide a smart container or bin. A container bin assembly includes a bin body, a latching mechanism, and controller. A method includes receiving, via a communication interface, an authenticated request to access the smart container, actuating an electromechanical latch to disengage a fastening hook, thereby initiating a mechanical movement of an access component to make an internal compartment accessible, outputting, via an audiovisual element, an alert to identify the container, confirming that the electromechanical latch has re-engaged with the fastening hook, thereby securing the internal compartment, determining a change in a local inventory, and updating the local inventory in a non-volatile data store according to the change.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A smart container comprising:
a compartment having a plurality of walls and an access component;
a memory including a non-volatile data store containing a local cache storing a local inventory of the compartment;
an electromechanical latch engaged to a fastening hook of the access component;
a communication interface disposed within the smart container;
an audiovisual element disposed within the smart container; and
a processor disposed within the smart container and configured to:
receive, via the communication interface, an authenticated request to access the compartment;
in response to receiving the authenticated request, actuate the electromechanical latch to disengage the fastening hook, thereby initiating a mechanical movement of the access component to make the compartment accessible;
output, upon actuation of the electromechanical latch, an alert via the audiovisual element to identify the smart container;
confirm that the electromechanical latch has re-engaged with the fastening hook, thereby securing the compartment;
determine a change in the local inventory after the confirming; and
update the local inventory in the non-volatile data store according to the change.

2. The smart container of claim 1 , wherein the access component comprises a hinged lid, and wherein the mechanical movement comprises a rotation of the hinged lid.

3. The smart container of claim 1 , wherein the fastening hook is configured to retract into a recess when the fastening hook is disengaged.

4. The smart container of claim 1 , further comprising a stopper configured to limit the access component to a maximum extended position.

5. The smart container of claim 1 , wherein the access component comprises a drawer, and wherein the mechanical movement comprises a sliding of the drawer.

6. The smart container of claim 1 , wherein the mechanical movement is initiated using a force from a spring or a motor.

7. The smart container of claim 1 , wherein a portion of the fastening hook is configured to dislodge into the electromechanical latch when the fastening hook is forcibly disengaged.

8. The smart container of claim 1 , wherein the audiovisual element includes a display, and wherein the processor is further configured to output the local inventory, including an item description and a quantity, to the display.

9. The smart container of claim 1 , wherein the smart container is attachable to a stationary mounting frame with other containers or smart containers to form a stack or an array of different sized containers.

10. The smart container of claim 1 , further comprising one or more sensors including at least one of a load cell, an optical sensor, an electromagnetic sensor, an acoustic sensor, a temperature sensor, a radio frequency (RF) scanner, a shock sensor, a vibration sensor, a tamper sensor, and a location sensor.

11. The smart container of claim 10 , wherein the processor is configured to determine the change in the local inventory using the one or more sensors within the compartment.

12. The smart container of claim 10 , wherein the processor is further configured to:
record periodic sensor data from the one or more sensors in a condition log within the non-volatile data store; and
determine whether an attempt to tamper the smart container occurred based on the condition log.

13. The smart container of claim 1 , wherein the processor is further configured to send, via the communication device, a stock notification to a remote server when a quantity of the local inventory is below a predetermined threshold level.

14. The smart container of claim 1 , wherein the processor is further configured to:
synchronize the local inventory with one or more remote smart containers via the communication interface; and
receive, from the one or more remote smart containers via the communication interface, periodic updates for the local cache comprising locations and inventories of the one or more remote smart containers.

15. The smart container of claim 1 , wherein the processor is further configured to:
adjust a power state of the processor based on training a machine learning algorithm on usage data collected from a plurality of smart containers.

16. The smart container of claim 1 , wherein the processor is configured to receive the authenticated request in response to detecting a proximity to an authenticated user.

17. The smart container of claim 1 , wherein prior to receiving the authenticated request, the processor is configured to:
receive, via the communication interface, a query for an item;
determine that the item is stored in the local inventory; and
send, via the communication interface, a response to the query including an indication that the item is stored in the local inventory, and a location of the smart container.

18. A method for automatic inventory management, the method comprising:
providing a smart container attachable to a stationary mounting frame, the smart container including a compartment having a plurality of walls and an access component;
receiving, via a communication interface, an authenticated request to access the compartment;
in response to receiving the authenticated request, actuating an electromechanical latch to disengage a fastening hook, thereby initiating a mechanical movement of an access component to make the compartment accessible;
outputting, upon actuation of the electromechanical latch, an alert via an audiovisual element to identify the container;
confirming that the electromechanical latch has re-engaged with the fastening hook, thereby securing the compartment;
determining a change in a local inventory after the confirming; and
updating the local inventory in a non-volatile data store according to the change.

19. A non-transitory storage medium comprising instructions that, when read by one or more processors, cause a method comprising:
receiving, via a communication interface, an authenticated request to access a compartment of a smart container, the compartment having a plurality of walls and an access component;
in response to receiving the authenticated request, actuating an electromechanical latch to disengage a fastening hook, thereby initiating a mechanical movement of an access component to make the compartment accessible;
outputting, upon actuation of the electromechanical latch, an alert via an audiovisual element to identify the container;
confirming that the electromechanical latch has re-engaged with the fastening hook, thereby securing the compartment;
determining a change in a local inventory after the confirming; and
updating the local inventory in a non-volatile data store according to the change.

Assignees

• Carefusion 303 Inc

Inventors

• Rahilly Michael
• Burgess Brendan John
• Subramanian Ramkumar
• Yusufi Mustafa
• Wyly Monica

Classifications

• G06Q50/08

  Construction · CPC title

• G06Q10/06316

  Sequencing of tasks or work · CPC title

• G07F17/12

  comprising lockable containers, e.g. for accepting clothes to be cleaned · CPC title

• G07F11/62

  in which the articles are stored in compartments in fixed receptacles · CPC title

• G07F5/26

  Interlocks, e.g. for locking the doors of compartments other than that to be used · CPC title