# US 2020/0401973 A1 · Systems and methods for performing load optimization of medications in an electronic medication storage cabinet

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- Number: US 2020/0401973 A1
- Document ID: US20200401973A1
- Status: Published application
- Kind: A1
- Application number: 16/907,072
- Filed: 2020-06-19
- Published: 2020-12-24
- Earliest claimed: 2019-06-21
- Assignees: CareFusion 303, Inc.
- Applicants: CareFusion 303, Inc.
- Inventors: Christopher URBANSKI; Crystal WOODWARD; Dennis Anthony TRIBBLE; David D. SWENSON; Francisco Jose CUESTA DE PABLO
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20200401973A1

## CPC

- G06Q 10/06316: {Sequencing of tasks or work}
- G16H 20/13: delivered from dispensers
- A47B 67/02: Cabinets for shaving tackle, medicines, or the like
- G05B 15/02: electric
- G06F 21/30: Authentication, i.e. establishing the identity or authorisation of security principals
- G06Q 10/087: Inventory or stock management, e.g. order filling, procurement or balancing against orders
- G06Q 10/08724: {by shelf level inventory management, e.g. planograms}
- G06Q 20/203: {Inventory monitoring}
- G07C 9/00571: {operated by interacting with a central unit}
- G07C 9/38: with central registration
- G07F 9/026: {for alarm, monitoring and auditing in vending machines or means for indication, e.g. when empty}
- G07F 11/18: Recessed drawers
- G07F 11/62: in which the articles are stored in compartments in fixed receptacles
- G07F 17/0092: {for assembling and dispensing of pharmaceutical articles (medical dispensers for private use, A61J7/00)}
- G07G 1/0054: {with control of supplementary check-parameters, e.g. weight or number of articles}
- G07G 1/009: {the reader being an RFID reader}
- G16H 40/20: for the management or administration of healthcare resources or facilities, e.g. managing hospital staff or surgery rooms
- G16H 40/63: for local operation
- A47B 2067/025: {having safety means}
- 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
- G16H: HEALTHCARE INFORMATICS, i.e. INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY [ICT] SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR THE HANDLING OR PROCESSING OF MEDICAL OR HEALTHCARE DATA
- A47B: TABLES; DESKS; OFFICE FURNITURE; CABINETS; DRAWERS; GENERAL DETAILS OF FURNITURE (furniture jointing F16B)
- G05B: CONTROL OR REGULATING SYSTEMS IN GENERAL; FUNCTIONAL ELEMENTS OF SUCH SYSTEMS; MONITORING OR TESTING ARRANGEMENTS FOR SUCH SYSTEMS OR ELEMENTS (systems for controlling or regulating non-electric variables G05D; systems for regulating electric or magnetic variables G05F; control devices or systems insofar as characterised by mechanical features only G05G)
- G06F: ELECTRIC DIGITAL DATA PROCESSING (computer systems based on specific computational models G06N)
- G07C: TIME OR ATTENDANCE REGISTERS; REGISTERING OR INDICATING THE WORKING OF MACHINES; GENERATING RANDOM NUMBERS; VOTING OR LOTTERY APPARATUS; ARRANGEMENTS, SYSTEMS OR APPARATUS FOR CHECKING NOT PROVIDED FOR ELSEWHERE
- 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})
- G07G: REGISTERING THE RECEIPT OF CASH, VALUABLES, OR TOKENS

## 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.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A method, comprising:
providing an electronic medication storage cabinet comprising a plurality of drawers, each drawer comprising a plurality of sensors arranged and configured to identify a positioning of a plurality of storage pockets within the drawer;
receiving an indication of a new medicine container to be loaded in the electronic medication storage cabinet;
generating a sequence of one or more steps to load the new medicine container into the electronic medication storage cabinet;
displaying, on a display screen associated with the electronic medication storage cabinet, a first step of the sequence of one or more steps;
determining an association between the first step of the sequence of the one or more steps and a respective drawer of the plurality of drawers;
in response to determining the association between the first step and the respective drawer, automatically unlocking the respective drawer;
determining whether the first step is successfully completed based on signals received from the plurality of sensors of the respective drawer; and
in response to determining that the first step is successfully completed, determining whether execution of any additional steps are pending, and indicating via the display screen whether any additional steps are pending.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, further comprising:
providing, on the display, a first prompt to remove a first storage pocket from a first location within the plurality of drawers, wherein first prompt is associated with the first step;
verifying, via the plurality of sensors, that the first storage pocket is removed; and
in response to verifying that the first storage pocket is removed, determining that the first step is successfully completed.

### Claim 3 (depends on 2)

The method of claim 2, further comprising:
in response to determining that execution of at least one additional step is pending, transitioning to a next pending step in the sequence of the one or more steps;
providing, on the display, a second prompt to relocate the first storage pocket within a first available space within the plurality of drawers, wherein the second prompt is associated with the next pending step; and
verifying, via the plurality of sensors, that the first storage pocket was relocated to the first available space.

### Claim 4 (depends on 3)

The method of claim 3, further comprising:
in response to verifying that the first storage pocket was relocated to the first available space, determining that the next pending step is successfully completed;
transitioning to a subsequent pending step in the sequence of the one or more steps; and
providing, on the display, a third prompt to insert a new storage pocket within a second available space within the plurality of drawers, wherein the third prompt is associated with the subsequent pending step.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, further comprising:
in response to determining that the first step is not successfully completed, generating a remedial step; and
displaying the remedial step on the display.

### Claim 6 (depends on 5)

The method of claim 5, further comprising:
determining whether the remedial step is successfully completed; and
in response to the remedial step being successfully completed, displaying the first step of the sequence of the one or more steps on the display.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, further comprising:
prior to automatically unlocking the respective drawer, requesting authorized credentials to access the electronic medication storage cabinet; and
receiving an indication authorizing access to the electronic medication storage cabinet.

### Claim 8 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the plurality of sensors are arranged in a grid pattern in the drawer.

### Claim 9 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein one or more of the plurality of sensors are arranged in a perimeter around the inside of the drawer.

### Claim 10 (depends on 1)

The 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.

### Claim 11

A method, comprising:
providing an electronic medication storage cabinet comprising a plurality of drawers, each drawer comprising a plurality of sensors arranged and configured to identify a positioning of a plurality of storage pockets within the drawer;
receiving, by one or more processors, an indication of a new medicine container to be stored in the electronic medication storage cabinet;
automatically determining, by the one or more processors, that the new medicine container requires a new storage pocket to be added to the electronic medication storage cabinet;
determining, by the one or more processors, based on receiving the indication and determining that the new medicine container requires a new storage pocket, that at least a subset of removable storage pockets within one or more of the plurality of drawers require repositioning to accommodate the new storage pocket;
generating, by the one or more processors, based on a mapping algorithm, a new arrangement of the subset of removable storage pockets and the new storage pocket within the one or more of the plurality of drawers;
executing, by the one or more processors, a predetermined sequence of steps for effecting the new arrangement, comprising:
automatically unlocking, by the one or more processors, a first drawer of the plurality of drawers;
providing, by the one or more processors, a first prompt to remove at least a first storage pocket of the subset of removable storage pockets;
verifying, by the one or more processors, via the plurality of sensors, that the first storage pocket was removed;
providing a second prompt to relocate the first storage pocket within a first available space within the one or more of the plurality of drawers;
verifying, by the one or more processors, via the plurality of sensors, that the first storage pocket was relocated;
providing, by the one or more processors, a third prompt to insert the new storage pocket within a second available space of the one or more of the plurality of drawers;
verifying, by the one or more processors, via the plurality of sensors, that the new storage pocket was inserted within the second available space.

### Claim 12 (depends on 11)

The method of claim 11, wherein, prior to providing the third prompt, the executing further comprises:
automatically unlocking a second drawer of the plurality of drawers;
providing a fourth prompt to remove at least a second storage pocket of the subset of removable storage pockets;
verifying, via the plurality of sensors, that the second storage pocket was removed;
providing a fifth prompt to relocate the second storage pocket into a second available space within the one or more of the plurality of drawers;
verifying, via the plurality of sensors, that the second storage pocket was relocated.

### Claim 13 (depends on 11)

The method of claim 11, wherein, prior to automatically unlocking the first drawer;
requesting access authorization verification; and
receiving an indication authorizing access to the electronic medication storage cabinet.

### Claim 14 (depends on 11)

The method of claim 11, wherein, prior to automatically unlocking the first drawer;
requesting access authorization verification;
receiving an indication of limited access to the electronic medication storage cabinet; and
generating, based on the mapping algorithm and the received indication of limited access, a second arrangement of the subset of removable storage pockets.

### Claim 15 (depends on 14)

The method of claim 14, further comprising:
executing, at the electronic medication storage cabinet, a second predetermined sequence of steps for effecting the second arrangement, comprising:
automatically unlocking a second drawer of the plurality of drawers;
providing a fourth prompt to remove at least a second storage pocket of the subset of removable storage pockets;
verifying, via the plurality of sensors, that the second storage pocket was removed;
providing a fifth prompt to relocate the second storage pocket within a second available space within the plurality of drawers;
verifying, via the plurality of sensors, that the second storage pocket was relocated;
providing a third prompt to insert the new storage pocket within the one or more of the plurality of drawers;
verifying, via the plurality of sensors, that new first pocket was inserted.

### Claim 16

A system, comprising:
a memory storing instructions; and
one or more processors coupled with the memory and configured to execute the instructions to cause the system to perform operations comprising:
receiving an indication of a new medicine container to be loaded in an electronic medication storage cabinet, the electronic medication storage cabinet comprising a plurality of drawers, each drawer comprising a plurality of sensors arranged and configured to identify a positioning of a plurality of storage pockets within the drawer;
generating a sequence of one or more steps to load the new medicine container into the electronic medication storage cabinet;
displaying, on a display screen associated with the the electronic medication storage cabinet, a first step of the sequence of one or more steps;
determining an association between the first step of the sequence of the one or more steps and a respective drawer of the plurality of drawers;
in response to determining the association between the first step and the respective drawer, automatically unlocking the respective drawer;
determining whether the first step is successfully completed based on signals received from the plurality of sensors of the respective drawer; and
in response to determining that the first step is successfully completed, determining whether execution of any additional steps are pending, and indicating via the display screen whether any additional steps are pending.

### Claim 17 (depends on 16)

The system of claim 16, wherein the operations further comprise:
providing, on the display, a first prompt to remove a first storage pocket from a first location within the plurality of drawers, wherein first prompt is associated with the first step;
verifying, via the plurality of sensors, that the first storage pocket is removed; and
in response to verifying that the first storage pocket is removed, determining that the first step is successfully completed.

### Claim 18 (depends on 17)

The system of claim 17, wherein the operations further comprise:
in response to determining that execution of at least one additional step is pending, transitioning to a next pending step in the sequence of the one or more steps;
providing, on the display, a second prompt to relocate the first storage pocket within a first available space within the plurality of drawers, wherein the second prompt is associated with the next pending step; and
verifying, via the plurality of sensors, that the first storage pocket was relocated to the first available space.

### Claim 19 (depends on 18)

The system of claim 18, wherein the operations further comprise:
in response to verifying that the first storage pocket was relocated to the first available space, determining that the next pending step is successfully completed;
transitioning to a subsequent pending step in the sequence of the one or more steps; and
providing, on the display, a third prompt to insert a new storage pocket within a second available space within the plurality of drawers, wherein the third prompt is associated with the subsequent pending step.

### Claim 20 (depends on 16)

The system of claim 16, wherein the plurality of sensors are arranged in a grid pattern in the drawer, and wherein the operations further comprise:
prior to automatically unlocking the respective drawer, requesting authorized credentials to access the electronic medication storage cabinet; and
receiving an indication authorizing access to the electronic medication storage cabinet.