Systems and methods for performing load optimization of medications in an electronic medication storage cabinet

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11829916-B2
Application number	US-202217986808-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 14, 2022
Priority date	Jun 21, 2019
Publication date	Nov 28, 2023
Grant date	Nov 28, 2023

Abstract

An electronic medication storage cabinet includes a plurality of drawers configured with a plurality of sensors arranged to identify a positioning of storage pockets within the drawers. Upon receiving an indication of a new medicine container to be loaded in the cabinet, a sequence of steps to load the medicine container into the cabinet is generated based on a mapping algorithm. A first step is displayed on a display the cabinet, and a determination is made as to whether the first step is associated with one of the plurality of drawers. In response to determining that the first step is associated with one of the plurality of drawers, the drawer is automatically unlocked. In response to determining that the first step is successfully completed, a determination of whether execution of any additional steps is pending and indicated on the display.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A machine-implemented method, comprising:
providing an electronic medication storage cabinet comprising at least one drawer and a plurality of storage pockets within the at least one drawer;
receiving, by a processor, an indication of a new medication to be loaded in the electronic medication storage cabinet;
generating, by the processor, a sequence of steps to load the new medication into the electronic medication storage cabinet, the generated sequence of steps including moving medication contents stored at a first location within the electronic medication storage cabinet to a second location within the electronic medication storage cabinet to empty the first location to create sufficient space within the first location for the new medication;
displaying, by the processor, on a display screen associated with the electronic medication storage cabinet, a first step of the sequence of steps, including a first prompt to empty the medication contents from the first location and combine the medication contents with contents stored in the second location;
determining, by the processor based on a signal from a sensor associated with the electronic medication storage cabinet, after displaying the first prompt, that the medication contents were emptied from the first location and stored in the second location; and
in response to determining that the medication contents were emptied from the first location, indicating via the display screen, by the processor, a second prompt to place the new medication in the first location.

2. The machine-implemented method of claim 1 , further comprising:
indicating via the display screen before the second prompt, a prompt to remove a first storage pocket from the first location; and
verifying that the first storage pocket was removed from the first location;
wherein the second prompt instructs loading a new storage pocket into the first location after the first storage pocket is removed from the first location.

3. The machine-implemented method of claim 1 , wherein the electronic medication storage cabinet comprises a plurality of removeable storage pockets, the method further comprising:
determining that at least a subset of the removable storage pockets within the at least one drawer require repositioning;
generating based on a mapping algorithm, a new arrangement of the subset of the removable storage pockets;
generating, based on the new arrangement, one or more steps to relocate a respective storage pocket of the plurality of storage pockets within the at least one drawer; and
indicating, via the display screen, one or more prompts to relocate the respective storage pocket within the at least one drawer.

4. The machine-implemented method of claim 3 , wherein the electronic medication storage cabinet comprises a plurality of sensors configured to identify a positioning of a plurality of storage pockets within the at least one drawer, the method further comprising:
verifying, via the plurality of sensors, that the respective storage pocket was relocated according to the new arrangement.

5. The machine-implemented method of claim 4 , further comprising:
determining that the repositioning is required to accommodate a new storage pocket, wherein the new arrangement is generated based on the mapping algorithm to accommodate the new storage pocket within the at least one drawer;
indicating, via the display screen, a third prompt to insert the new storage pocket within an available space created for the new storage pocket based on relocating the respective storage pocket;
verifying, via the plurality of sensors, that the new storage pocket was inserted within the available space.

6. The machine-implemented method of claim 4 , further comprising:
determine, via the plurality of sensors, that the respective storage pocket was relocated to an incorrect location within the at least one drawer;
indicating, via the display screen, a remedial step to locate the at least one drawer to a correct location;
verifying, via the plurality of sensors, that the respective storage pocket was relocated according to the new arrangement.

7. The machine-implemented method of claim 4 , wherein the plurality of sensors are arranged in a grid pattern in a respective drawer of at least one drawer, wherein verifying that the respective storage pocket is relocated comprises receiving a first signal indicating that the respective storage pocket is no longer detected by a first sensor of the sensors, in the grid pattern, and is detected by a second sensor of the sensors.

8. The machine-implemented method of claim 4 , wherein one or more of the plurality of sensors are arranged in a perimeter around the inside of a respective drawer.

9. The machine-implemented method of claim 1 , further comprising:
requesting authorized credentials to access the electronic medication storage cabinet;
receiving an indication authorizing access to the electronic medication storage cabinet; and
automatically unlocking a respective drawer associated with the sequence of steps responsive to the indication authorizing access.

10. The machine-implemented method of claim 1 , wherein indicating via the display screen whether any additional steps are pending comprises providing a visual alert on the display screen.

11. A system, comprising:
an electronic medication storage cabinet comprising at least one drawer and a plurality of storage pockets within the at least one drawer;
one or more processors configured to execute instructions to perform operations comprising:
receiving an indication of a new medication to be loaded in the electronic medication storage cabinet;
generating a sequence of steps to load the new medication into the electronic medication storage cabinet, the generated sequence of steps including moving medication contents stored at a first location within the electronic medication storage cabinet to a second location within the electronic medication storage cabinet to empty the first location and create sufficient space within the first location for the new medication;
displaying, on a display screen associated with the electronic medication storage cabinet, a first step of the sequence of steps, including a first prompt to empty the medication contents from the first location and combine the medication contents with contents stored in the second location;
determining, based on a signal from a sensor associated with the electronic medication storage cabinet, after displaying the first prompt, that the medication contents were emptied from the first location and stored in the second location; and
in response to determining that the medication contents were emptied from the first location, indicating via the display screen, a second prompt to place the new medication in the first location.

12. The system of claim 11 , wherein the operations further comprise:
indicating via the display screen before the second prompt, a prompt to remove a first storage pocket from the first location; and
verifying that the first storage pocket was removed from the first location;
wherein the second prompt instructs loading a new storage pocket into the first location after the first storage pocket is removed from the first location.

13. The system of claim 11 , wherein the electronic medication storage cabinet comprises a plurality of removeable storage pockets, the operations further comprising:
determining that at least a subset of the removable storage pockets within the at least one drawer require repositioning;
generating based on a mapping algorithm, a new arrangement of the subset of the removable storage pockets;

Assignees

• Carefusion 303 Inc

Inventors

• Urbanski Christopher
• Woodward Crystal
• TRIBBLE Dennis Anthony
• Swenson David D
• Cuesta De Pablo Francisco Jose

Classifications

• G16H40/63

  for local operation · CPC title

• G06Q10/06316 Primary

  Sequencing of tasks or work · CPC title

• A47B67/02

  Cabinets for shaving tackle, medicines, or the like · CPC title

• G05B15/02

  electric · CPC title

• G06F21/30

  Authentication, i.e. establishing the identity or authorisation of security principals · CPC title