# US 2014/0207600 A1 · System and method for collection and management of items

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- Number: US 2014/0207600 A1
- Document ID: US20140207600A1
- Status: Published application
- Kind: A1
- Application number: 13/594,540
- Filed: 2012-08-24
- Published: 2014-07-24
- Earliest claimed: 2012-08-24
- Inventors: Daniel Ezell
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20140207600A1

## CPC

- G06Q 10/30: Administration of product recycling or disposal
- A61B 50/10: Furniture specially adapted for surgical or diagnostic appliances or instruments
- A61B 50/36: for collecting or disposing of used articles
- G06Q 10/0832: Special goods or special handling procedures, e.g. handling of hazardous or fragile goods
- G06Q 30/014: Providing recall services for goods or products
- G06Q 50/22: Social work or social welfare, e.g. community support activities or counselling services
- G07F 7/06: by returnable containers {, i.e. reverse vending systems in which a user is rewarded for returning a container that serves as a token of value}, e.g. bottles
- G16H 20/10: relating to drugs or medications, e.g. for ensuring correct administration to patients
- A61B 2050/105: {Cabinets}
- Y02W 90/00: Enabling technologies or technologies with a potential or indirect contribution to greenhouse gas [GHG] emissions mitigation
- G06Q: INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY [ICT] SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR ADMINISTRATIVE, COMMERCIAL, FINANCIAL, MANAGERIAL OR SUPERVISORY PURPOSES; SYSTEMS OR METHODS SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR ADMINISTRATIVE, COMMERCIAL, FINANCIAL, MANAGERIAL OR SUPERVISORY PURPOSES, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
- A61B: DIAGNOSIS; SURGERY; IDENTIFICATION (usefulness limited to only animals A61D)
- G07F: COIN-FREED OR LIKE APPARATUS (coin sorting G07D3/00; coin testing G07D5/00; {handling coins or paper currencies apart from payment activated apparatus G07D; payment architectures, schemes or protocols G06Q20/00})
- G16H: HEALTHCARE INFORMATICS, i.e. INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY [ICT] SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR THE HANDLING OR PROCESSING OF MEDICAL OR HEALTHCARE DATA
- Y02W: CLIMATE CHANGE MITIGATION TECHNOLOGIES RELATED TO WASTEWATER TREATMENT OR WASTE MANAGEMENT

## Abstract

A method for collecting returned items and evaluating return policy criteria with respect to collected items, and a system for the same, are disclosed. The method includes providing a station, such as a kiosk terminal, preferably at a pharmacy location. The station includes a computer and a user interface including a touch screen interface. Items, for example, pharmaceutical items to be returned are brought to the station. The user enters information at the station, such as by scanning a bar code on a container of the item, weighing the item or its contents, and entering lot number and expiration date associated with the item. In the event of pharmaceutical items, the station determines whether the item is a controlled or non-controlled substance and opens a chute for the user to deposit the item into a receptacle selected based on the determination.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A method for collecting returnable items and determining return policy compliance comprising the steps of:
providing a station having a first receptacle adapted to receive a returnable item,
providing said station with a computer and a user interface adapted to enable a user to enter information related to a returnable item,
receiving said information related to the returnable item at said station,
evaluating at least a portion of said information with respect to a return policy associated with the returnable item, and
determining whether or to what extend the item complies with the return policy.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The method for collecting returnable items and determining return policy compliance according to claim 1, further comprising the steps of:
providing a database server having return policy parameters,
providing a networked connection between said database server and said computer, wherein said database server is configured to receive said information from said computer over said networked connection.

### Claim 3 (depends on 2)

The method for collecting returnable items and determining return policy compliance according to claim 2, further comprising the steps of:
providing a second receptacle within said station adapted to receive a returnable item,
determining an item category based on at least a portion of said information,
providing a pathway to enable a user to deposit the returnable item in one of said first receptacle or said second receptacle based on the item category.

### Claim 4 (depends on 3)

The method for collecting returnable items and determining return policy compliance according to claim 3, wherein said item is a pharmaceutical item and wherein said item category is either a non-controlled pharmaceutical substance or a controlled pharmaceutical substance.

### Claim 5 (depends on 4)

The method for collecting returnable items and determining return policy compliance according to claim 4, wherein the step of providing a station comprises providing the station at a pharmacy location.

### Claim 6 (depends on 5)

The method for collecting returnable items and determining return policy compliance according to claim 5, wherein a portion of said information is an indication of a reason for returning the item.

### Claim 7 (depends on 6)

The method for collecting returnable items and determining return policy compliance according to claim 6, wherein a portion of said information includes a product number or bar code data.

### Claim 8 (depends on 7)

The method for collecting returnable items and determining return policy compliance according to claim 7, wherein a portion of said information includes a quantity of said pharmaceutical item.

### Claim 9 (depends on 8)

The method for collecting returnable items and determining return policy compliance according to claim 8, wherein a portion of said information includes an expiration date of said pharmaceutical item.

### Claim 10 (depends on 9)

The method for collecting returnable items and determining return policy compliance according to claim 9, wherein a portion of said information includes a lot number associated with said pharmaceutical item.

### Claim 11 (depends on 10)

The method for collecting returnable items and determining return policy compliance according to claim 10, further comprising the steps of:
providing said station with a scale adapted to measure the weight of said pharmaceutical item, and
sensing a weight associated with said pharmaceutical item once said item is placed on said scale.

### Claim 12 (depends on 11)

The method for collecting returnable items and determining return policy compliance according to claim 11, further comprising the step of arranging for removing said first receptacle from said station and transporting it substantially directly from said pharmacy location to a waste disposal facility.

### Claim 13

A collection station comprising:
a station device having a computer and a user interface,
a first receptacle disposed in the interior of said station device adapted to receive a deposited pharmaceutical item,
a second receptacle disposed in the interior of said station device adapted to receive a deposited pharmaceutical item,
a first chute having a first selectively controlled openable and closable access door adapted to selectively provide access to said first receptacle,
a second chute having a second selectively controlled openable and closable access door adapted to selectively provide access to said second receptacle,
software and hardware functionality adapted to receive information from a user and determine from at least a portion of said information whether a pharmaceutical item being deposited is a controlled or non-controlled pharmaceutical item, and based on a determination of whether such item is a controlled or non-controlled pharmaceutical item, adapted to open a selective one of first access door or said second access door.

### Claim 14 (depends on 13)

The collection station according to claim 13, further comprising:
at least one camera disposed at said station and positioned to view a user depositing a pharmaceutical item.

### Claim 15 (depends on 14)

The collection station according to claim 14, further comprising a pharmaceutical scale adapted to allow a user to weigh a pharmaceutical item, and the scale adapted to provide output weight information to said computer.

### Claim 16 (depends on 15)

The collection station according to claim 15, wherein said scale includes a manual pill counting tray at a top surface adapted to allow a user to place and count tablets, capsules, or pills associated with said pharmaceutical item.

### Claim 17 (depends on 16)

The collection station according to claim 16, wherein said user interface comprises a touch screen interface, and further comprising a scanner adapted to scan a bar code on a pharmaceutical item.

### Claim 18 (depends on 17)

The collection station according to claim 17, further comprising a networked connection between said computer and an off site database server adapted to receive information from said computer and evaluate said information in view of return policy compliance rules.

### Claim 19

A system for collecting items comprising:
a station having at least a first receptacle adapted to receive an item, said station further comprises a computing device having a user interface adapted to enable a user to enter at least a first piece of information associated with such an item,
a database containing return policy information related to such an item, and
software adapted to function to assist in determining whether such item meets requirements of a return policy related to such an item based on at least the first piece of information.

### Claim 20 (depends on 19)

The system for collecting items according to claim 19, further comprising a second receptacle adapted to receive an item,
wherein said first receptacle is disposed within an interior of said station, and wherein said second receptacle is disposed within the interior of said station,
wherein said user interface is adapted to enable such a user to enter a second piece of information, and wherein said computing device is adapted to determine into which of said first receptacle and said second receptacle such an items should be placed, said computing device adapted to provide a signal to selectively cause a first passageway to open to allow a user to deposit such an item in said first receptacle or a second passageway to open to allow a user to deposit such an item in said second receptacle based on the second piece of information.