Medication dispensing cabinet systems and methods
Inventors
Paydar, Akbar • Kim, Stanley • Richardson, Chris • Foot, John • Amini, Mahmoud • Morita, Stuart
Assignees
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Publication Number
US-12347540-B2
Publication Date
2025-07-01
Expiration Date
Abstract
A medication dispensing cabinet provides controlled access to medications and supplies stored in it. The cabinet may include at least one lockable storage compartment, and a controller that controls access to the at least one lockable storage compartment. The cabinet may include multiple printers integrated into the cabinet. The cabinet may include a camera operably coupled to the controller. The cabinet may include a set of cabinet electronics, and a power distribution and communications circuit board. The cabinet may include a radio frequency identification (RFID) reader, wherein the controller conditions access to the at least one lockable storage compartment on receipt of information from the RFID reader. Data may be stored in the controller according to an implementation of RAID technology. The controller may include multiple electronic communications network interfaces, and may include an out of band network communication channel. A dispensing cabinet may facilitate printing of labels for medications.
Core Innovation
The invention relates to a medication dispensing cabinet including at least one lockable storage compartment comprising a door, where a controller controls access to the compartment. The controller is contained within a self-contained module mounted in a recess in an exterior of the dispensing cabinet, and the self-contained module is separable from the dispensing cabinet. The system further includes a radio frequency identification (RFID) reader and at least one of a biometric sensor or a user input feature.
Access is conditioned by the controller on receipt of information from each of the RFID reader and at least one of the biometric sensor or the user input feature. The controller conditions access to the at least one lockable storage compartment based on this received information. Data is stored redundantly on the controller’s data storage media according to an implementation of RAID technology, and the controller, the RFID reader, and the at least one of the biometric sensor or the user input feature are contained within the self-contained module separable from the medication dispensing cabinet.
In another aspect, the controller is also characterized by redundant wired electronic communications network interfaces. The controller conditions access to the lockable storage compartments on receipt of information from the RFID reader and at least one of the biometric sensor or the user input feature, with the RFID reader and the biometric/user-input components contained within the separable self-contained module. The system additionally supports remote administration via an encrypted out-of-band network communication channel independent of an operating system and/or a power state.
Claims Coverage
Independent claim coverage is provided for two independent claim sets, each centered on RFID-based access control of lockable storage compartments using a separable self-contained controller module, with additional resilience and/or remote administration features. Across the independent claims, the access is conditioned on information from an RFID reader and at least one of a biometric sensor or a user input feature, and the controller is located in a separable module mounted in an exterior recess.
Access conditioned by separable RFID and biometric/user-input module
A medication dispensing cabinet including at least one lockable storage compartment, a controller contained within a self-contained module mounted in a recess in an exterior of the dispensing cabinet, an RFID reader, and at least one of a biometric sensor or a user input feature, where the self-contained module is separable from the dispensing cabinet.
Redundant controller storage using RAID for access conditioning
The controller comprises data storage media with data stored redundantly on the data storage media according to an implementation of RAID technology, wherein the controller conditions access to the at least one lockable storage compartment on receipt of information from each of the RFID reader and at least one of the biometric sensor or the user input feature.
Redundant wired communications interfaces
A medication dispensing cabinet where the controller comprises redundant wired electronic communications network interfaces.
Remote administration via encrypted out-of-band channel
The controller is configured for remote administration via an encrypted out-of-band network communication channel.
The independent claims define RFID-based access conditioning for lockable storage compartments using a controller housed in a separable self-contained module containing the RFID reader and either a biometric sensor or a user input feature. Claim sets further specify redundant data storage using RAID and include redundant wired electronic communications interfaces, with remote administration supported via an encrypted out-of-band channel.
Stated Advantages
Redundant data storage using RAID on the controller data storage media.
Redundant wired electronic communications network interfaces for resilient communications (failover protection is explicitly described in dependent claims).
Remote administration via an encrypted out-of-band network communication channel independent of an operating system and/or a power state.
Documented Applications
Medication dispensing cabinet use where access to lockable storage compartments is controlled based on RFID and biometric/user input, with remote administration supported via an encrypted out-of-band channel.
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