Communicating asset tags, dispensing enclosures and asset monitoring devices

A dispensing enclosure, the dispensing enclosure comprising:

• a housing;
• one or more assets disposed within the housing, the or each asset having an asset tag mounted thereon, the asset tag comprising:
• a first short-range wireless interface configured to transmit a wireless signal with a predetermined periodicity, the wireless signals including a tag ID unique to the asset tag;
• an optical sensor configured to receive optical signals and output electrical signals;
• processing circuitry, coupled to the first short-range wireless interface and to the optical sensor;
• and
• a battery, wherein the first short-range wireless interface, optical sensor, and/or processing circuitry are connected to and powered by the battery;
• wherein the processing circuitry is configured to
• receive a first electrical signal from the optical sensor in response to the receipt thereby of a first optical signal;
• and
• in response to the first electrical signal, transmit a first wireless signal including the tag ID via the first short-range wireless interface;
• an access control device configured to receive a User ID through a user's authorised access to the dispensing enclosure using the access control device;
• a door mounted on the housing, whereby the door is openable and closable by a user;
• a door sensor configured to output a door close signal in the event of the door transitioning from open to closed;
• an optical transmitter configured to transmit optical signals;
• a second short-range wireless interface;
• and
• a controller, the controller being connected to the door sensor, to the optical transmitter, and to the second short-range wireless interface;
• wherein the controller is configured to
• receive the door close signal;
• in response to the door close signal, transmit the first optical signal using the optical transmitter;
• for the or each asset tag within the dispensing enclosure,
• receive a respective first wireless signal from the asset tag via the second short-range wireless interface;
• extract tag ID from each received first wireless signal;
• determine, based on the extracted tag IDs, a set of tag IDs of assets added or removed by the user;
• transmit an activity message to a remote central control computer, the activity message including the received User ID and, associated therewith, the set of tag IDs.