| 摘要 |
A method, computer program product and system are disclosed for securing, refrigerating and warehousing controlled substances, such as prescription medications. Beneficially, various embodiments of the present invention include carousels, track shelving, manual and electric combination locks, and other varied internal mechanisms for storing and dispensing medication only to predetermined individuals at predetermined intervals. |
| 主权项 |
1. A secured medication warehousing vault for dispensing prescription medication to patients, the vault comprising:
a steel housing securely enclosing operational components of the vault during unattended operation, the housing defining an aperture for dispensing jars of medication; a graphical user interface (GUI or “display”) for interfacing with a patient disposed on a forward side of the housing; an internal carrousel comprising a plurality of slots disposed axially on a baseplate around a driveshaft, the slots for storing cylindrical jars of between 0.1 liters and 1 liter in volume; a card reader affixed to, and in supporting relation with, the housing; an internal clock configured to relay a first output signal to an electromechanical dispenser after a predetermined period of time has passed in response to receipt of an input signal originating with the processor; the electromechanical dispenser for dispensing medication from a shelf of the carrousel out of the aperture, the dispenser configured to dispense medication from a slot in response to receiving a second output signal from the processor and a first output signal from the clock; a processor housed within the housing, the processor in operative connection with persistent computer readable storage, the card reader, the internal carrousel, the dispenser and the GUI, wherein the processor configured to create and output a plurality of output signals; wherein the processor is responsive to data read by the card reader to create a first output signal causing the internal carrousel to rotate a distance of one slot, and wherein the processor is responsive to data read by the card reader to create a second output signal causing the dispenser to dispense medication from a slot in the internal carrousel to the patient. |
