阅读说明：本技术 中继托盘 (Relay tray ) 是由 赫伯特·劳森·费什尔 于 2019-01-25 设计创作，主要内容包括：一种用于安全地传送物品的中继托盘包括：可锁定的可传送容器,其用于保持要传送的物品；以及电子控制器,其包括处理器。所述中继托盘通过电源接口接收电力并且包括通信接口,所述控制器能够通过所述通信接口进行电子通信。所述中继托盘包括机构,所述机构可在所述控制器的控制下进行操作以响应于经由所述通信接口接收的通信而使在所述锁定容器中的物品为可及的,所述机构仅在通过所述电源接口接收到电力时才可由所述控制器操作。在一些实施方式中,所述电源接口包括在所述容器的外表面上的用于接收电力的四个电触头；以及整流器,其产生适合于为所述控制器供电的极性的电压。所述电源接口可以用作所述通信接口。(A relay tray for securely transferring items comprising: a lockable transportable container for holding items to be transported; and an electronic controller comprising a processor. The relay tray receives power through a power interface and includes a communication interface through which the controller can electronically communicate. The relay tray includes a mechanism operable under control of the controller to make items in the locked container accessible in response to communications received via the communication interface, the mechanism being operable by the controller only upon receiving power through the power interface. In some embodiments, the power interface comprises four electrical contacts on an outer surface of the container for receiving power; and a rectifier that generates a voltage of a polarity suitable for powering the controller. The power interface may serve as the communication interface.)

1. A relay tray for securely transferring items, the relay tray comprising:

a lockable transportable container for holding one or more items to be transported;

an electronic controller comprising a processor;

a power interface through which the relay tray can receive power;

a communication interface through which the controller is capable of electronic communication; and

a mechanism operable under control of the controller to make items in the locking container accessible in response to communications received via the communication interface, the mechanism being operable by the controller only when power is received through the power interface.

2. The relay tray for securely transferring items of claim 1, wherein the mechanism is a lock operable by the controller to unlock the relay tray compartment.

3. A relay tray for securely transferring items according to any preceding claim, wherein the controller further comprises a non-volatile memory that stores a list of item or items in the relay tray.

4. The relay tray for securely transferring items according to any preceding claim, further comprising a plurality of compartments within the container, wherein the compartments are individually lockable and individually operable under control of the controller in response to communications received via the communication interface.

5. The relay tray for securely conveying items of claim 4, further comprising a plurality of lights respectively associated with at least some of the compartments, the lights being individually operable under control of the controller.

6. The relay tray for securely transferring items according to any preceding claim, wherein the power interface also serves as the communication interface, and wherein the controller is configured to extract incoming communication signals from the power interface and to apply outgoing communication signals on the power interface.

7. The relay tray for securely transferring items according to any preceding claim, wherein the power interface comprises:

four electrical contacts on an outer surface of the container for receiving a power connection; and

a rectifier that receives power from the four electrical contacts and generates a voltage of a polarity suitable for powering the controller.

8. The relay tray for securely transferring items of claim 7, wherein the four contacts are positioned at the vertices and center of an equilateral triangle.

9. The relay tray for securely conveying items according to claim 7 or claim 8, wherein the four contacts also serve as the communication interface, and wherein the controller is configured to extract a communication signal applied on the contacts in addition to the power supply voltage.

10. The relay tray for securely conveying items according to any one of claims 7 to 9, wherein the relay tray is configured to receive DC power, and wherein the rectifier generates a DC voltage of a polarity suitable for powering the controller.

11. The relay tray for securely transferring items according to any one of claims 7 to 9, wherein the relay tray is configured to receive AC power, and wherein the rectifier generates a rectified AC voltage.

12. The relay tray for securely transferring items according to any preceding claim, wherein the communication interface is a short-range wireless communication interface.

13. The relay tray for securely transferring items according to any preceding claim, wherein the communication interface is a wired communication interface.

14. The relay tray for securely transferring items according to any preceding claim, wherein the power interface comprises a coil that receives power through inductive coupling.

15. The relay tray for securely conveying items according to any preceding claim, wherein:

the relay tray includes one or more electromechanical actuators; and

the relay tray does not include a battery to power operation of any of the one or more electromechanical actuators.

16. A relay tray for securely transferring items according to any preceding claim, wherein the mechanism comprises one or more electromechanical dispensers configured to dispense items under the control of the controller.

17. The relay tray for securely transferring items according to claim 16, wherein items are dispensed in response to communications received via the communication interface.

18. A relay tray for securely transferring items according to any preceding claim, wherein the relay tray is also openable by a key.

19. The relay tray for securely conveying items according to any preceding claim, further comprising a non-volatile display on an outer surface of the container.

20. The relay tray for securely transferring items as claimed in claim 19, wherein the relay tray stores a hashed identifier of a person for whom the item in the relay tray is intended.

21. The relay tray for securely transferring items according to any preceding claim, further comprising a passive externally energizable storage device that stores an identifier of the relay tray.

22. The relay tray for securely transferring items according to any preceding claim, wherein the controller is configured to verify the source of the communication received via the communication interface prior to making items in the locked container accessible.

23. The relay tray for securely conveying items according to any preceding claim, further comprising a low power wireless beacon receiver, and wherein during conveyance of the relay tray, the controller records the detection of any beacon signal detected by the low power wireless beacon receiver.

24. A charging and communication surface for an electronic device, the charging and communication surface comprising:

a plurality of first linear electrical conductors with exposed metal surfaces, the first linear electrical conductors connected to each other and held at a first voltage;

a plurality of second linear electrical conductors with exposed metal surfaces, the second linear electrical conductors connected to each other and held at a second voltage different from the first voltage, wherein the first and second linear electrical conductors are disposed in an alternating arrangement to form a planar surface, and wherein adjacent conductors are spaced apart from each other; and

a controller including a modulator that applies a communication signal to the voltage between the first and second linear conductors.

25. The charging and communication surface for an electronic device of claim 24, further comprising a demodulator that extracts a communication signal from the voltage between the first and second linear conductors.

26. The charging and communication surface for an electronic device according to claim 24 or claim 25, further comprising a power outlet configured to be daisy-chained to another charging and communication surface.

27. A system for securely delivering a drug or other item, the system comprising:

a central computer system;

a plurality of relay trays, each relay tray further comprising a lockable transportable container for holding items to be transported; an electronic controller comprising a processor and a non-volatile memory; a power interface through which the relay tray can receive power; a communication interface through which the controller is capable of electronic communication; and a mechanism operable under control of the controller to make the item in the locking container accessible in response to a communication received via the communication interface, the mechanism being operable by the controller only when power is received through the power interface; and

a plurality of charging and communication stations in a distribution location, each of the plurality of charging and communication stations comprising a power interface for supplying power to one of the relay trays at the station, and a first communication interface for communicating with the relay trays at the station, and a second communication interface for communicating with the central computer system.

28. The system of claim 27, further comprising an electronic network over which the central computer system communicates instructions to authorize access to the interior of the lockable transportable container.

29. The system of claim 27 or claim 28, wherein the relay tray and the power interface of the charging and communication station also serve as the communication interface of the relay tray and the first communication interface of the charging and communication station.

30. The system of claim 29, wherein each of the charging and communication stations comprises:

a plurality of first linear electrical conductors with exposed metal surfaces, the first linear electrical conductors connected to each other and held at a first voltage; and

a plurality of second linear electrical conductors with exposed metal surfaces, the second linear electrical conductors connected to each other and held at a second voltage different from the first voltage;

wherein the first and second linear electrical conductors are disposed in an alternating arrangement to form a planar surface, and wherein adjacent conductors are spaced apart from each other.

31. The system of any of claims 27 to 30, wherein the central computer system maintains an inventory of any medications stored in the plurality of relay trays.

32. The system of claim 31, wherein the central computer system maintains an inventory of any controlled substances stored in the plurality of relay trays.

33. A method of conveying an article, the method comprising:

connecting a first power source to a power interface of a relay tray at a first workstation, wherein the relay tray includes a lockable transportable container for holding an item to be transported; an electronic controller comprising a processor and a non-volatile memory; a power interface; a communication interface through which the controller is capable of electronic communication; and a mechanism operable under control of the controller to make items in the locked container accessible in response to communications received via the communications interface, wherein the mechanism is operable by the controller only when power is received through the power interface;

placing the item to be conveyed into the relay tray;

locking the relay tray;

disconnecting the relay tray from the power supply;

transferring the relay tray containing the item to a second workstation;

connecting a second power supply to the power supply interface of the relay tray at the second workstation; and

sending instructions to the relay tray via the communication interface at the second workstation to make the item accessible.

34. The method of claim 33, wherein connecting the relay tray to the first or second power source comprises placing the relay tray on a charging and communication surface such that contacts on the relay tray contact conductors in the charging and communication surface to supply power to the relay tray.

35. The method of claim 34, further comprising causing electronic communication to occur between the relay tray and the charging and communication surface via a communication signal applied to a voltage between two of the conductors of the charging and communication surface such that the power interface of the relay tray also serves as the communication interface of the relay tray.

Background

This application claims the benefit and priority of U.S. patent application No. 15/884,073 entitled "relay tray" filed on 30/1/2018. The entire contents of these documents are incorporated herein by reference.

Many industries rely on the accurate inventory and distribution of security items. For example, in a hospital environment, medications are typically stored in lockable bins that communicate with a computer system that tracks inventory of medications. The cabinet or individual compartments within the cabinet can only be opened under the control of the computer system. For example, a nurse or other health care worker may provide a certificate of authenticity to the computer system and indicate that a particular patient requires a particular medication. The computer system may then open the compartment storing the particular medication so that the healthcare worker can retrieve the medication and administer the medication to the patient. The computer system can adjust its trace records accordingly. Such a system helps to ensure that the correct medication is dispensed for the correct patient, that the controlled substance is properly secured and tracked, and that detailed inventory records are maintained.

Various dispensing cabinets and carts have been developed to help manage medications and other items. However, there remains a need to improve the distribution and tracking of items, particularly during the transfer of items, such as medications, from one location to another within a facility.

Similar requirements are placed on the secure transport and tracking of items in other industries, such as the transport of cash or other valuables in banking or commercial environments.

Disclosure of Invention

According to one aspect, a relay tray for securely transferring items includes: a lockable transportable container for holding items to be transported; an electronic controller comprising a processor; a power interface through which the relay tray can receive power; a communication interface through which the controller can electronically communicate; and a mechanism operable under control of the controller to make the item in the locked container accessible in response to a communication received via the communication interface. The mechanism is operable by the controller only when power is received through the power interface. In some embodiments, the mechanism is a lock operable by the controller to unlock the relay tray compartment. In some embodiments, the controller further comprises a non-volatile memory that stores a list of the item or items in the relay tray. In some embodiments, the relay tray further comprises a plurality of compartments within the container, wherein the compartments are individually lockable and individually operable under control of the controller in response to communications received via the communication interface. In some embodiments, the relay tray further comprises a plurality of lights respectively associated with at least some of the bays, the lights being individually operable under control of the controller. In some embodiments, the power interface also serves as a communication interface, and wherein the controller is configured to extract incoming communication signals from the power interface and to apply outgoing communication signals to the power interface. In some embodiments, the power interface includes four electrical contacts on an outer surface of the container for receiving a power connection; and a rectifier receiving power from the four electrical contacts and generating a voltage of a polarity suitable for powering the controller. In some embodiments, the four contacts are positioned at the vertices and center of an equilateral triangle. In some embodiments, four contacts also serve as the communication interface, and the controller is configured to extract the communication signal applied on the contacts in addition to the supply voltage. In some embodiments, the relay tray is configured to receive DC power and the rectifier generates a DC voltage of a polarity suitable for powering the controller. In some embodiments, the relay tray is configured to receive AC power and the rectifier generates a rectified AC voltage. In some embodiments, the communication interface is a short-range wireless communication interface. In some embodiments, the communication interface is a wired communication interface. In some embodiments, the power interface includes a coil that receives power through inductive coupling. In some embodiments, the relay tray includes more than one electromechanical actuator; and the relay tray does not include a battery to power operation of any of the one or more electromechanical actuators. In some embodiments, the mechanism includes more than one electromechanical dispenser configured to dispense items under the control of the controller. In some embodiments, the item is dispensed in response to a communication received via the communication interface. The relay tray may also be opened by a key. In some embodiments, the relay tray further comprises a non-volatile display on an outer surface of the container. In some embodiments, the relay tray stores a hashed identifier of the people for whom the items in the relay tray are intended. In some embodiments, the relay tray further comprises a passive externally energizable storage device that stores an identifier of the relay tray. In some embodiments, the controller is configured to verify a source of communications received via the communication interface prior to making the item in the locked container accessible. In some embodiments, the relay tray further comprises a low power wireless beacon receiver, and during transmission of the relay tray, the controller records detection of any beacon signals detected by the low power wireless beacon receiver.

According to another aspect, a charging and communication surface for an electronic device includes a plurality of first linear electrical conductors with exposed metal surfaces. The first linear electrical conductors are connected to each other and held at a first voltage. The charging and communication surface further includes a plurality of second linear electrical conductors with exposed metal surfaces, the second linear electrical conductors connected to each other and maintained at a second voltage different from the first voltage. The first and second linear electrical conductors are disposed in an alternating arrangement to form a planar surface, and adjacent conductors are spaced apart from each other. The charging and communication surface further includes a controller including a modulator that applies a communication signal to a voltage between the first and second linear conductors. In some embodiments, the charging and communication surface further comprises a demodulator that extracts the communication signal from the voltage between the first and second linear conductors. In some embodiments, the charging and communication surface further comprises a power outlet configured to be connectable to another charging and communication surface in a daisy-chain manner.

According to another aspect, a system for securely delivering medications or other items includes a central computer system and a plurality of relay trays. Each relay tray further comprises a lockable transportable container for holding items to be transported; an electronic controller comprising a processor and a non-volatile memory; a power interface through which the relay tray can receive power; a communication interface through which the controller can electronically communicate; and a mechanism operable under control of the controller to make the item in the locked container accessible in response to a communication received via the communication interface, the mechanism being operable by the controller only upon receiving power through the power interface. The system also includes a plurality of charging and communication stations in the distribution location, each of the plurality of charging and communication stations including a power interface for supplying power to one of the relay trays at the station, and a first communication interface for communicating with the relay trays at the station, and a second communication interface for communicating with the central computer system. In some embodiments, the system further comprises an electronic network, the central computer system communicating instructions over the electronic network to authorize access to the interior of the lockable transportable container. In some embodiments, the power interface of the charging and communication station and the relay tray also serve as the communication interface of the relay tray and the first communication interface of the charging and communication station. In some embodiments, each of the charging and communication stations comprises: a plurality of first linear electrical conductors with exposed metal surfaces, the first linear electrical conductors connected to each other and held at a first voltage; and a plurality of second linear electrical conductors with exposed metal surfaces, the second linear electrical conductors connected to each other and held at a second voltage different from the first voltage; wherein the first and second linear electrical conductors are disposed in an alternating arrangement to form a planar surface, and wherein adjacent conductors are spaced apart from each other. In some embodiments, the central computer system maintains an inventory of any medications stored in the plurality of relay trays. In some embodiments, the central computer system maintains an inventory of any controlled substances stored in the plurality of relay trays.

According to another aspect, a method of conveying an item includes connecting, at a first workstation, a first power source to a power interface of a relay tray. The relay tray comprises a lockable transportable container for holding an item to be transported; an electronic controller comprising a processor and a non-volatile memory; a power interface; a communication interface through which the controller can electronically communicate; and a mechanism operable under control of the controller to make the item in the locked container accessible in response to a communication received via the communication interface. The mechanism is operable by the controller only when power is received through the power interface. The method further includes placing the item to be conveyed in a relay tray; locking the relay tray; disconnecting the relay tray from the power supply; transferring the relay tray containing the item to a second workstation; and a power interface connecting the second power supply to the relay tray at the second workstation. The method also includes sending instructions to the relay tray via the communication interface at the second workstation to make the item accessible. In some embodiments, connecting the relay tray to the first or second power source includes placing the relay tray on the charging and communication surface such that contacts on the relay tray contact conductors in the charging and communication surface to supply power to the relay tray. In some embodiments, the method further comprises causing electronic communication to occur between the relay tray and the charging and communication surface via a communication signal applied to a voltage between two of the conductors of the charging and communication surface, such that the power interface of the relay tray also serves as the communication interface of the relay tray.

Drawings

FIG. 1 illustrates an environment in which an embodiment of the present invention may find utility;

FIG. 2 illustrates the use of a relay tray in a hospital environment according to an embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 3 illustrates the relay tray of FIG. 2 in more detail, according to an embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 4 illustrates the relay tray of FIG. 2 and docking and communication surfaces in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 5 shows a simplified electrical block diagram of the relay tray and docking and communication surfaces of FIG. 4;

FIG. 6 shows a simplified electrical block diagram of a relay tray and docking and communication surfaces according to another embodiment;

FIG. 7 shows a wireless reader station installed at a doorway in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention;

fig. 8 illustrates a relay tray according to other embodiments;

FIG. 9 shows a bottom oblique view of the relay tray of FIG. 8;

fig. 10 illustrates a relay tray according to other embodiments;

FIG. 11 illustrates two docking and communication surfaces connected in a daisy chain fashion in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 12 illustrates an example wall-mounted workstation, according to an embodiment of the invention.

Detailed Description

FIG. 1 illustrates an environment in which embodiments of the present invention may find utility. In particular, FIG. 1 shows a hospital environment 100, but it will be appreciated that embodiments of the present invention may also be used in other environments.

In the example hospital environment of FIG. 1, the central pharmacy 101 serves as the primary medication storage location. However, various stationary cabinets 102, carts 103, portable cabinets 104, and other storage and dispensing devices may be placed in different parts of the hospital for temporary storage of medications and other items. For example, medications commonly used in a particular ward or department of a hospital may be stored in a cabinet, such as the cabinet 102, for convenient access by floor personnel. In another example, medications expected to be assigned to patients during a particular shift may be transferred to the dispensing cart 103, which can be brought to patients in the beds 105a-105e as nurses patrol.

The various dispensing devices 102, 103, 104 may include devices such as those described in the following commonly owned U.S. patents and patent applications, the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference for all purposes: U.S. Pat. No. 6,272,394 issued to Lipps on 7/8/2001, U.S. Pat. No. 6,385,505 issued to Lipps on 7/5/2002, U.S. Pat. No. 6,760,643 issued on 6/7/2004, U.S. Pat. No. 5,805,455 issued on 8/9/1998 to Lipps, U.S. Pat. No. 6,609,047 issued on 19/2003 to Lipps, U.S. Pat. No. 5,805,456 issued on 8/1998 to Higham et al, U.S. Pat. No. 5,905,653 issued on 28/4/1998 to Higham et al on 5,745,366,1999/18/5/18/1998, U.S. Pat. No. 5,927,540 issued on 27/1999 to Godleki wses on 7/35/2000, U.S. Pat. No. 6,039,467,190 issued on 3/2000/21/2000 to Holmes, U.S. Pat. No. 6,039,190,377,190 issued on 3/6/35/1998, U.S. Pat. No. 5,190,190,190,190,190 to Card 3/35/35,377,190,190,159,190,190,190,190,159,190,190,190,190,190,190, U.S. Pat. No. 7,571,024 issued to Duncan et al on 4/2009, U.S. Pat. No. 7,835,819 issued to Duncan et al on 16/2010, U.S. Pat. No. 6,011,999 issued to Holmes on 4/2000, U.S. Pat. No. 7,348,884 issued to Higham on 25/2008, U.S. Pat. No. 7,675,421 issued to Higham on 9/2010, U.S. Pat. No. 6,170,929 issued to Wilson et al on 9/2001, U.S. Pat. No. 8,155,786 issued to Vahlberg et al on 10/2012/10/2012/10/2008, U.S. Pat. No. 8,073,563 issued to Vahlberg et al on 6/2011, U.S. Pat. No. 8,073,563 issued to Vahlberg et al on 6/2011/25/2008, U.2008,35hlberg et al, U.7,358,186/2011/2008, U.7,140 issued to Vahlberg et al, U.3,140,748/2011/748/2008, U.S. patent application publication No. 2008/0319789 to Vahlberg et al, published on 25/12/2008, U.S. patent application publication No. 8,131,397 to Vahlberg et al, published on 6/3/2012, U.S. patent application publication No. 2008/0319579 to Vahlberg et al, published on 25/12/2008, U.S. patent application publication No. 2010/0042437 to Levy et al, published on 18/2/2010, and U.S. patent application publication No. 2016/0253860 to Wilson et al, published on 1/9/2016. Embodiments of the present invention may combine features from the devices described in these documents in any feasible combination.

The computer system 106 may execute a program for tracking medications throughout a hospitalItems and supplies, and may communicate with various dispensing devices 102, 103, 104 via an electronic network 107 to record transactions involving the medication or supply. The electronic network 107 may be a wired network, a wireless network, or may have both wired and wireless portions. Any suitable network technology or combination of technologies may be used, for example, WiFi^TMBluetooth^TMEthernet, cellular data network, or other technologies.

The computer system 106 may be notified when a particular medication is removed from or returned to one of the dispensing devices. In particular, the computer system 106 may execute a Controlled Substance Management (CSM) application 108 for specific tracking of legally controlled substances. Additional details of systems and methods for tracking an item including a controlled substance can be found in U.S. patent application publication No. 2013/0006652 to Vahlberg et al, published 2013, month 1, and day 3, which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety for all purposes.

Ideally, the drug leaves the system in only three ways. In the first mode, the drug is administered to the patient. In the second way of leaving the system, the medication may be wasted. For example, if the medicament is packaged in an amount that exceeds the predetermined dose for a particular patient, each administration may result in a residual amount 109 that is not reusable and must be discarded. In another example of waste, the vial may fall and break, which results in its contents being unusable. In a third way of leaving the system, the medication may be returned to the pharmacy 101 for disposal 110 in a controlled manner, for example, because the medication has exceeded its use date.

However, the medication can also leave the system in other ways, for example, due to an unintentional mistake, but may also be intentionally used for illegal use or sale. Illegal removal of controlled substances is known in the art as diversion. It is highly desirable to prevent or at least inhibit diversion of medications and supplies.

The computer system 106 may track the movement of medications and supplies into and out of the pharmacy 101 and the dispensing devices 102, 103, 104. However, multiple transfers of articles are required. For example, a pharmacy technician may periodically physically visit the dispensing devices 102, 103, 104 to restock depleted items and to reclaim returned or unused items. This requires transferring the items from the pharmacy 101 to the technician's cart and again transferring the items from the technician's cart to the dispensing device. Later, the nurse will remove the item from the dispensing device. Each of these transfers must be tracked and archived. In addition, a large amount of pharmacy time is consumed in the patrol dispensing apparatus. Similar transfer and archiving is also required to move items from the dispensing device back to the pharmacy.

Relay boxes have been developed for transferring items via normal in-facility mail systems and the like. The relay box is a secure transportable container that preferably can only be conveniently opened at the location where it is filled (e.g., pharmacy 101) or at its destination (e.g., nurse station). The medication or supply may then be transferred from the relay box to the dispensing device, or may be used immediately. Further details regarding relay boxes may be found in U.S. patent application publication No. 2017/0228951 to Foot et al, published on 8/10/2017, the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference for all purposes.

According to an embodiment of the present invention, the articles are packed in a relay tray having an extended feature, as compared to a relay box.

Fig. 2 illustrates the use of a relay tray in a hospital environment. In the example shown, it is desirable to transfer a vial 201 of medication from the pharmacy 101 to the patient room 202. The relay tray 203 is used to transfer the vials 201. The relay tray 203 is a transportable secure container with an electronically controlled locking mechanism. Like the relay box, the relay tray according to the embodiment of the present invention is a safe container that can be conveniently opened preferably only at a location where it is filled or at a destination thereof. The vial 201 is placed in the relay tray 203, and the relay tray 203 is locked at the workstation 205 under the control of the computer 204. The computer 204 communicates with the computer system 106, and the computer system 106 oversees the process and records the transfer of the vials 201 to the relay tray 203. The relay tray 203 is locked in response to a command from the computer 204 according to an instruction from the computer system 106.

The relay tray 203 includes an electronic controller to which power is supplied when the relay tray is at the workstation 205. For example, the relay tray 203 may receive power and communications through the docking and communication surface 206 or directly through a cable (not shown). Information about the contents of the relay tray 203 may be written to a non-volatile memory within the controller. For example, the item list in the relay tray 203 may be written to memory. Other information may also be written to the non-volatile memory, such as an indication of the room number or other destination of the relay tray, an identifier of the patient for which the contents of the relay tray are intended, or other information. The controller may be conveniently located in a "false bottom" or any other feasible location of the relay tray 203.

In some embodiments, each relay tray 203 is assigned a unique serial number or other identifier, which is stored within the relay tray 203. For example, the unique identifier may be stored in non-volatile memory, in a secure element, in an identification tag as described below, or in another location or combination of locations. Preferably, the unique identifier is difficult or impossible to change such that each relay tray 203 is permanently uniquely identified.

Once the relay tray 203 is locked and removed from the workstation 205, it may be completely powered down and may not include a battery or other power source. In other embodiments, the relay tray 203 may include a small battery or capacitor for maintaining timing circuits, tracking, etc., but even in this case, the relay tray 203 preferably has no means for unlocking itself when it is disconnected from an external power source as may be found at a workstation, such as the workstation 205. The inability to unlock feature when not at the proper workstation makes the transfer of items in the relay tray 203 secure. Without appropriate electronic connections and commands from computer system 106, the items in relay tray 203 cannot be removed without physically damaging relay tray 203. In some embodiments, a mechanical device for opening the locked relay tray may be provided, for example, a key that may be used in the event of a power outage or other emergency. Preferably, access to the key is tightly controlled and is only allowed for use by authorized personnel.

As shown in fig. 2, the relay tray 203 (with the vial 201 inside) is transported to another workstation 207 in or near the patient room 202. The relay tray 203 is placed in connection with the computer 208, for example using another docking and communication surface 209. Upon instruction from the computer system 106, the relay tray 203 is opened and the vial 201 may be removed so that the drug in the vial 201 may be administered to the patient. Preferably, the relay tray 203 authenticates the computer system 106 prior to opening to ensure that the instructions for opening are from a legitimate source.

Any patient information stored in the relay tray 203 may be hashed so that it is unique to the target patient, but not human-readable. For example, the patient's name may be hashed using an agreed-upon algorithm at the workstation 205 and the result stored in non-volatile memory within the relay tray 203. When the relay tray 203 arrives at the workstation 207, the same algorithm may be used to hash the patient name in the room 202 and compare the result with the hashed name stored in the relay tray 203 to help verify that the relay tray 203 has arrived at the correct patient. In this manner, the name of the patient is not displayed or otherwise available while the relay tray 203 is in transit for patient privacy concerns. In other embodiments, the patient information stored in the relay tray 203 may be encrypted and may only be recovered at authorized and verified locations, such as the workstation 207.

Preferably, the relay tray 203 will not unlock at the workstation 207 until it is confirmed that the relay tray 203 has reached the correct destination for the correct patient. The validation is preferably performed on an authentication channel between the relay tray 203 and the computer system 106.

Although fig. 2 shows the relay tray 203 being transported within a facility, the relay tray may also be transported between widely separated facilities. For example, the relay tray 203 may be transported to virtually any location, e.g., for restocking of medication items in a nursing home or for delivery of medication to a patient in home care. The transport may be by any suitable means, including land or air. A relay tray lacking batteries may be particularly suitable for air transport.

Fig. 3 shows the relay tray 203 according to an embodiment of the invention in more detail. The relay tray 203 comprises a main container portion 301 defining a compartment of the relay tray; and a hinged cover 302. In other embodiments, a sliding removable or rotatable cover may be used, or another suitable cover. A relay tray according to embodiments of the present invention may have any suitable dimensions. For example, the relay tray 203 may conveniently be about 10 to 14 inches wide, about 8 to 12 inches deep, and about 3 to 5 inches high. Other larger or smaller sizes are also possible. In many embodiments, the relay trays are sized to be transported throughout the facility in a manner similar to internal mail. However, in some embodiments, the relay tray embodying the present invention may be too large or heavy to be carried by an unassisted person.

The housing of the relay tray 203 may preferably be made of a strong and durable material, such as steel, aluminum, reinforced polymer, or another suitable material or combination of materials. In some embodiments, lid 302 may be transparent or translucent, or include a transparent portion, such that the contents of relay tray 203 may be visible when lid 302 is closed. The relay tray 203 is preferably easily cleanable.

The relay tray 203 also includes a display 303 that can display the destination address of the relay tray 203, an identifier of the patient for which the contents of the relay tray 203 are intended, or other information. The display 303 may simply be a printed or written label attached to any portion of the relay tray 203, or may be an electronic display. Preferably, any electronic display is non-volatile so that information on the display 303 can be read during transfer without any power input to the relay tray 203. For example, the display 303 may be an electrophoretic display or other "electronic paper" display that may remain readable even when not powered. Such displays are manufactured by E-Ink corporation, of bellerica, massachusetts, usa, and the like.

In some cases, multiple different medications for different patients may be delivered in the relay tray 203. For example, medication may be delivered to the same nursing station in the vicinity of where both patients are located. In that case, both the patient name or other identifier may be hashed and stored in the relay tray 203. To achieve the benefits of using a single relay tray for multiple patients, a relay tray may be logically defined as multiple trays.

Fig. 4 shows a relay tray 203 and a docking and communication surface 206 according to an embodiment of the invention. The mating and communication surface 206 includes a set of exposed metal conductors 401 and 402, with alternating metal conductors held at different voltages. In the example of fig. 4, conductor 401 is held at a low voltage or ground voltage and conductor 402 is held at a higher voltage, such as 12V DC or another suitable voltage. A gap is provided between alternating conductors 401 and 402 such that adjacent conductors 401 and 402 are spaced apart from each other.

The relay tray 203 includes a set of four contacts 403 exposed on an outer surface of the relay tray 203. In this example, the contacts 403 are on the bottom surface of the relay tray 203. The diameter of contact 403 is smaller than the spacing between conductors 401 and 402 so that none of contacts 403 can simultaneously touch adjacent conductors 401 and 402. However, when the bottom surface of the relay tray 203 is placed face down on the docking and communication surface 206, at least one of the contacts 403 will touch one of the lower voltage conductors 401 and at least one of the contacts 403 will touch one of the higher voltage conductors 402. When any one of the contacts 403 is held at a lower voltage and any one of the other three contacts 403 is connected to a higher voltage, the rectifier circuit within the relay tray 203 will generate a DC voltage of a polarity suitable for powering the electronics within the relay tray 203 regardless of whether each of the remaining two of the electrical contacts is held at the lower voltage or the higher voltage. In some embodiments, contacts 403 and docking and communication surface 206 may conform to Open Dots^TMA standard which specifies the use for conductors 401 and 402 andone possible set of dimensions for the contacts 403. In accordance with Open Dots^TMIn a standard embodiment, contacts 403 would have a maximum diameter of 1.8mm and would be placed at the center and vertices of an equilateral triangle, such that the outer three contacts lie on a circle having a nominal radius of 9.73 mm. Each of conductors 401 and 402 would be 10.09 to 10.18mm wide, conductors 401 and 402 would be nominally spaced apart at 12.2mm intervals, and adjacent conductors 401 and 402 would be separated by a non-conductive region 1.86 to 1.96mm wide. Other arrangements are also possible.

In other embodiments, the relay tray 203 may receive power and communication signals through cables, rather than through contacts (such as contacts 403). In other embodiments, the relay tray 203 may receive power and communication signals through inductive coupling. For example, the relay tray 203 may include a coil near its bottom surface or at another location. The coil may be used to receive power and exchange communication signals with another coil at the workstation. The inductive interface may comprise similar features as the interface according to the Qi interface standard promulgated by the wireless power consortium. Multiple power supplies and communication interfaces may be provided. For example, any or all of cable connections, inductive connections, and contacts (such as contacts 403) may be provided so that the relay tray 203 may be used at workstations having different capabilities.

The docking and communication surface 206 may communicate with a computer (such as the computer 204) via a cable 404 or may communicate wirelessly. The docking and communication surface 206 may receive power through a cable 404 or through a dedicated power connection (not shown).

Fig. 5 shows a simplified electrical block diagram of the docking and communication surface 206 and the relay tray 203 juxtaposed with the contacts 403 of the relay tray 203 about to contact the contacts 401 and 402 of the docking and communication surface 206. The docking and communication surface 206 includes a controller 501, which in turn may include a processor, memory, and other circuitry for performing the functions of the docking and communication surface 206. Docking and communication surface 206 receives power from an external source, such as mains electricity, a power supply, or a cable from an attached computer. The docking and communication surface 206 passes a voltage to conductors 401 and 402 on the surface of the docking and communication surface 206. Although fig. 5 shows that the voltage received by the interfacing and communication surface 206 is simply passed to conductors 401 and 402, other arrangements are possible. For example, the docking and communication surface 206 may receive power from mains and may rectify and filter the power to provide a DC voltage to the conductors 401 and 402. The docking and communication surface 206 is also in electronic communication with an attached computer, for example, via a cable 404 or another communication mechanism. In some embodiments, the power and communication connections to the docking and communication surface 206 are carried by a single multi-conductor cable, such as a Universal Serial Bus (USB) cable or another type of cable.

The interfacing and communication surface 206 also includes a modulator and demodulator, represented as a modem 502.

The relay tray 203 also includes a controller 503, which may include another processor, memory, and other circuitry for performing the functions of the relay tray 203. The relay tray 203 includes a rectifier 504 that generates a voltage at the correct polarity terminal 505 to operate the controller 503 regardless of which of the contacts 403 is opposite which of the conductors 401 and 402. The received voltage is used to power the controller 503 and other functions of the relay tray 203. The controller 503 controls the electromechanical lock 506 and may cause information to be displayed on the display 303.

The relay tray 203 also includes a modulator and demodulator, shown as modem 507. The docking and communication surface 206 and the relay tray 203 can communicate through the conductors 401 and 402 and the contacts 403 by applying (modulating) a communication signal onto the DC power line through the transmission means and by extracting (demodulating) the signal through the reception means. For example, the applied signal may have a relatively high frequency that is detectable by the respective demodulator, but has little or no effect on the quality of the power carried by the same line.

The docking and communication surface 206 may include power receptacle connections 508 that allow additional docking and communication surfaces, such as surfaces 509 and 510, to be daisy chained together, each of which receives power from the last, e.g., via cables 511 and 512. Additional relay trays, such as trays 513 and 514, may be placed on surfaces 509 and 510. Once placed, the additional relay trays are powered on and may communicate with the docking and communication surface 206, and ultimately the computer system 106, via the power connections between the docking and communication surfaces.

In the embodiment of fig. 4 and 5, the power interface between the relay tray 203 and the docking and communication surface 206 uses Direct Current (DC). In other embodiments, Alternating Current (AC) may be used. Fig. 6 shows an electrical block diagram of a relay tray 601 and a docking and communication surface 602 according to an AC embodiment. The relay tray 601 may include contacts 603 on an outer surface similar to the contacts 403 of the relay tray 203 described above. Docking and communication surface 602

The docking and communication surface 602 includes conductors 604 exposed in the outer surface, similar to the conductors 401 and 402 of the docking and communication surface 206 described above. The docking and communication surface 602 receives ac power 605 and delivers it to the conductors 604 for transfer to the relay tray 601 through the contacts 603. The docking and communication surface 602 conditions the AC power, for example using a filter and conditioner 606, to provide DC power to power the controller 501. The controller 501 communicates with an external computer system via the cable 404, and controls the modem 502 to apply and extract a communication signal to and from an AC signal. An AC signal may be provided to the power outlet connection 508 to allow multiple relay boards to be daisy-chained together.

The relay tray 601 includes a rectifier 504 which generates rectified AC power 607 when AC power 605 is supplied thereto. Filter and regulator 608 provides dc power to controller 503 and controller 503 controls latch 506, modem 507, and display 303.

In the example of fig. 6, the docking and communication surface 602 receives a low voltage AC power supply 605 at, for example, 12 volts or another suitable voltage. Thus, the voltage on the exposed conductor 604 is also low and safe for the operator. In other embodiments, the AC power 605 may be received at a line voltage of, for example, 110 volts. In that case, the docking and communication surface 602 may include a transformer or other circuitry for reducing the line voltage to a lower voltage before being provided to the conductors 604.

In either case, the voltage at conductor 604 is most preferably not a line voltage, but rather a safe low voltage, such as less than about 50 volts.

Whether the voltage generated at the conductors of the interfacing and communication surfaces is AC or DC, it is preferable to provide short circuit protection, e.g., as Open Dots^TMAs specified in the standard or in another arrangement.

In some embodiments, communications over the power line connection between the docking and communication surface 206 and the relay tray 203 may conform to or be similar to communications described in the G3-PLC power line communication standard promulgated by the G3-PLC consortium. This communication uses orthogonal frequency division multiplexing sampled at 400kHz with adaptive modulation and tone mapping. Error detection and correction can be performed by convolutional codes and reed-solomon error correction.

In other embodiments, the communication between the docking and communication surface 206 and the relay tray may conform to or be similar to the communication described in the PRIME power line communication standard promulgated by the PRIME alliance. Any other suitable standard or proprietary communication format may also be used, such as IEEE 1901.2. In other embodiments, broadband powerline communication may be used, e.g., similar to that promulgated by the HomePlug powerline allianceThe arrangement used in the standard.

As discussed above, the relay tray 203 preferably authenticates the computer system 106 prior to opening to ensure that the instructions for opening are from an authorized source. In this way, illegal "open" instructions can be detected and ignored. Verification may be performed in any suitable manner, but in some embodiments may also be performed using public key verification.

In public key verification, the computer system 106 has a public key and a private key, and uses both to create a signature. Although the relay tray 203 does not need to have the private key of the computer system 106 nor, the relay tray 203 knows the public key of the computer system 106 and can use it to determine whether the signature is authentic.

In some embodiments, a relay tray, such as relay tray 203, may include a passive externally energizable storage device, such as a Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) tag or similar device. The identifier of the relay tray 203 may be stored in an RFID tag and used for additional tracking of the relay tray 203 within the facility. For example, as shown in fig. 7, a wireless reader station 701 is mounted at a doorway 702 through which the relay tray 203 can pass from the workstation 205 to the workstation 207. The wireless reader station 701 can energize an RFID tag or other device within the relay tray 203, thereby causing the relay tray to reveal its stored identifier. The reader station 701 can receive the identifier and send it to the computer system 106, and the computer system 106 can record the fact that the relay tray 203 passed through the doorway 702. Other information may be recorded, such as the time and date of the pass. The reader station 701 can be placed at multiple locations around the facility so that the relay tray can be passively tracked when needed. The reader station may be placed at the exit of the facility so that any attempt to remove the relay tray from the house will be detected. In some instances, such removal may be legitimate, for example, when transporting a medication or other item to another location in the relay tray. In other cases, removal of the relay tray from the facility may signal a diversion attempt.

Tracking of the relay trays throughout the facility may also be accomplished in other ways. For example, a relay tray including a battery may also include a low power wireless receiver, e.g.LE or another similar receiver. (as discussed above, the battery preferably does not provide power to any mechanism for unlocking the relay tray or otherwise retrieving items from the relay tray during transport). Many beacon transmitters may be placed in known locations around the facility. During transmission, the relay tray may detect any nearby beacons periodically or aperiodically (e.g., every few seconds) and record the time at which any beacon is detected. Once the tray reaches its destination and connects to the communication interface, the detection record can be retrieved. The travel of the relay tray from one workstation to another can be reconstructed based on the known locations of the beacon transmitters. Any deviation from the expected route or journey time may signal an attempted turn. The recording of the relay tray travel may also be used for analytical purposes, for example to optimize a pharmacy cart route for fastest or most efficient transport, etc.

Even for relay trays without batteries, beacon-based tracking can be achieved, for example, by transporting the relay tray on a cart with a power-only docking surface or other suitable power connection. The power-only docking surface may be externally similar to the docking and communication surfaces 206 or 602 described above, but lack any capability to communicate through the power interface, such as through conductors such as conductors 401 and 402 or via an induction coil. Thus, a relay tray positioned on the power-only docking surface may be able to operate the beacon receiver using power received through its surface contacts or coils, but it will not be able to unlock itself or otherwise make its contents accessible because it cannot receive any instructions to do so from the computer system 106. In other embodiments, a simple plug-in power-only connection may be provided between the transfer cart and the relay tray so that the relay tray can receive power to perform tracking, but it will not turn on during transfer.

Although the relay tray 203 has only one compartment, other relay trays may be more complex. For example, a relay tray embodying the present invention may have multiple compartments that may be individually locked.

Fig. 8 shows a relay tray 801 according to other embodiments. The relay tray 801 includes several individually lockable compartments 802. A guiding light 803 may be provided so that a user retrieving a medication for a particular patient from the relay tray 801 may be guided to the correct compartment 802. For example, when the workstation 205 loads the relay tray 801, the computer system 106 may record which medications were placed in which compartments 802 of the relay tray 801. Once the relay tray 801 reaches the patient room 202 and the medication is to be retrieved for administration to the patient, the computer system 106 may instruct the relay tray 801 to illuminate the guidance light 803 corresponding to the compartment 802 holding the medication for the patient. The relay tray 801 may illuminate the correct guidance lights 803 and unlock the correct compartment 802.

A relay tray with multiple compartments, such as relay tray 801, may be particularly useful for delivering drugs to more than one patient, multiple drugs to a single patient, or multiple doses of a controlled substance. For example, a medication may be loaded into the relay tray 801 with each compartment having a single dose. The compartment can be opened only upon instruction from the computer system 106, which can issue instructions one at a time according to the dosage schedule for a particular medication. Thus, only one dose of drug can be accessed at a time, reducing the chance of dose errors or diversion.

In some embodiments, a relay tray, such as relay tray 801, may store a record of which medications are stored in which compartments 802. For example, when the relay tray 801 is loaded at the pharmacy 101, the record may be stored in a non-volatile memory within the relay tray 801. In this arrangement, the computer system 106 need not track medications to the compartment level, but only which medications are in which relay tray. To dispense an item, the computer system 106 may simply send instructions to the relay tray 801 to dispense a dose of a particular medication. The relay tray 801 can confirm that the medication is present, use its internal records to locate the correct compartment 802, illuminate the correct guidance lights 803 and turn on the compartment 802. In this arrangement, the interface between the computer system 106 and the relay tray 801 may be referred to as a drug abstraction layer, since instructions from the computer system 106 need only reference drugs, rather than specific compartments 802.

In other embodiments, the computer system 106 may track items to the compartment level. In this arrangement, the computer system 106 stores a record of which medications are in which compartments of which relay trays. When the relay tray is loaded at the pharmacy 101, a record is constructed. To dispense an item, the computer system 106 sends an instruction to the relay tray 801 to unlock a particular compartment 802. In this arrangement, no abstraction is involved, and the relay tray 801 may or may not have a record of the contents of the compartment 802.

Fig. 9 shows a lower oblique view of the relay tray 801. In this example, the relay tray 801 has contacts 403 on its bottom side, similar to the contacts 403 of the relay tray 203 described above. The relay tray 801 may thus receive power and communication signals from docking and communication surfaces, such as docking and communication surfaces 206 and 209. In other embodiments, the relay tray 801 may be connected to a computer at a workstation using cables that carry power and communications signals rather than using docking and communications surfaces. In that case, the relay tray 801 may not include the contacts 403. In other embodiments, cable connections and contacts, such as contacts 403, may be provided so that the relay tray 801 may be used at workstations with different capabilities.

Fig. 10 shows a relay tray 1001 according to other embodiments. The relay tray 1001 has features that may be particularly useful in the transfer of controlled substances, however it may also be used to transfer and dispense any compatible kind of item. The relay tray 1001 includes a cabinet 1002 housing a plurality of dispensing mechanisms 1003. The dispensing mechanism 1003 is an electromechanical device that can dispense a single dose at the time of the drug treatment. Each dispensing mechanism 1003 holds a supply of items to be dispensed and can dispense one item at a time under the control of the controller within the relay tray 1001. Different dispensing mechanisms may be configured to dispense oral solids in blister packs, syringes, vials (such as vial 1004), and other kinds of items. The relay tray 1001 may be configured with different types of mixed dispensing mechanisms 1003 depending on the intended use of the medication package type. One dispensing mechanism 1005 is shown inserted into relay tray 1001. Preferably, each dispensing mechanism 1003 is electrically and mechanically connected to structures (not shown) inside the relay tray 1001 upon insertion. In other embodiments, the relay tray may include only a single dispensing mechanism, such as a mechanism integrated into the relay tray structure.

In use, the dispensing mechanism 1003 is preferably loaded with the medication or other item to be dispensed at the pharmacy 101 and locked inside the relay tray 1001. For example, dispensing drawer 1006 may be opened to provide room personnel access to dispensing mechanism 1003. Once the dispensing mechanism 1003 is loaded, the dispensing drawer 1006 may be closed and locked.

During transfer, relay tray 1001 is not energized and the dispensing mechanism cannot be used to dispense items. When the relay tray 1001 is connected to a power source and a network at a workstation, such as workstation 207, the relay tray 1001 may dispense individual items in response to commands from the computer system 106. The relay tray 1001 may include contacts, such as contacts 403, to receive power and communication signals from the mating and communication surfaces, or the relay tray 1001 may receive power and communication signals over more than one cable. In other embodiments, both cable connections and contacts (such as contact 403) may be provided.

Each dispensing mechanism 1003 may lower an item down into a dispensing drawer 1007, and the dispensing drawer 1007 may be pulled out of the relay tray 1001 to expose the dispensed item. Therefore, the user of the relay tray 1001 cannot access the inside of the relay tray 1001 or the dispensing mechanism 1003. This arrangement reduces the chance of human error and limits access to the medication inside the relay tray 1001, which may prevent diversion. Examples of dispensing devices suitable for use in embodiments of the present invention are described in U.S. patent application publication No. 2016/0253860, previously incorporated herein by reference. Other kinds of dispensing devices may be used in other embodiments of the invention.

The system of relay trays and workstations may be used as part of a medication dispensing and management system within a hospital or other facility. For example, the relay tray may be loaded at the pharmacy 101 with medications and other items that are expected to be needed at various workstations around the facility. The loaded relay tray may be transported to the workstation by transport within a pharmacy technician or other facility, and may be exchanged for a "used" relay tray previously transported to the workstation. The used relay tray may be returned to the pharmacy 101 so that any unused medications or other items may be restocked or disposed of, if desired, and the relay tray may be reused.

As discussed above, docking and communication surfaces according to embodiments of the invention may be daisy chained together such that multiple relay trays may receive power and communicate with the computer system 106. An example of this arrangement is shown in figure 11. In fig. 11, the relay tray 203 is placed on the first docking and communication surface 206, and the relay tray 801 is placed on the second docking and communication surface 206. The two mating and communication surfaces 206 are connected together by a cable 511. The first surface in the chain is connected to the computer system via a cable 404 or another arrangement. Any number of docking and communication surfaces may be daisy chained together, for example, via additional cables 512, limited only by the amount of power available in the chain. As shown in fig. 11, the relay trays in the chain may be any mix of types, such as the types illustrated by relay trays 203, 801, and 1001 or other types.

Workstations, such as workstations 205 and 207, may include multiple docking and communication surfaces 206 so that the collection of relay trays at any workstation functions in a manner similar to cabinet 102 shown in FIG. 1, but without requiring a large cabinet structure. The relay trays may simply be arranged on a work surface or stored in a simple drawer. The relay tray remains powered while in storage so that it is visible to the computer system 106 over the network.

FIG. 12 illustrates an example wall-mounted workstation 1200 according to an embodiment of the invention. Working surfaces 1201 and 1202 may be folded up for storage and folded down for use. One or both of the working surfaces 1201 and 1202 may have a built-in docking and communication surface, such as docking and communication surface 206, so that the relay tray 1203 may be placed directly on one of the folded down working surfaces. A computer, such as computer 208, may be built in behind panel 1204, for example, and may have a touch screen display 1205.

The drawer 1206 may also include built-in docking and communication surfaces such that the relay trays stored in the drawer 1206 remain powered while stored. Thus, the computer system 106 may query any relay trays stored in the drawer 1206. When a medication is to be removed from one of the relay trays, the user may unlock the appropriate drawer 1206 and move the relay tray to a work surface, such as work surface 1202, where the medication may be accessed. Any of the interfacing and communication surfaces 1201, 1202 and drawer 1206 may be daisy-chained or may be connected to a power source and a computer system, respectively. A workstation, such as a workstation, may have the following advantages: it takes up very little space in the patient room and allows the patient's medication to be managed with increased flexibility and at a lower cost than in some other arrangements.

In the appended claims, the terms "a" or "an" are intended to mean "more than one". The term "comprises" and variations thereof (such as "comprises" and "comprising"), when used to describe steps or elements, is intended to indicate that the addition of further steps or elements is optional and not exclusive. It is to be understood that any feasible combination of elements and features disclosed herein is also considered to be disclosed.

The invention has now been described in detail for purposes of clarity and understanding. However, one of ordinary skill in the art appreciates that certain changes and modifications can be practiced within the scope of the appended claims.