System for tracking tagged surgical articles with a transport container tracking assembly

1 . A system for tracking tagged surgical articles across a network, the system comprising:

a transport container defining an interior having a lower interior surface, an upper interior surface, and a plurality of interior side walls extending between the lower interior surface and the upper interior surface; and

a tracking assembly including:

a housing shaped to be received within the interior of the transport container and including a base adjacent to the lower interior surface of the transport container and a tower coupled to the base and extending away from the lower interior surface of the transport container,

an antenna supported by the housing adjacent to the lower interior surface and being arranged to selectively generate a wave extending helically away from the lower interior surface and towards the upper interior surface within the interior of the transport container,

a shield arranged to block waves generated by the antenna from exiting the transport container,

a communication interface for wirelessly communicating with the network, and

a controller coupled to the housing and disposed in electrical communication with the antenna and the communication interface, the controller being configured to:

generate the wave with the antenna to scan the interior of the transport container for tagged surgical articles,

receive identity data from each of the tagged surgical articles with the antenna in response to generating the wave, and

transmit the identity data across the network via the communication interface; and

wherein the base includes a base frame supporting the antenna and a base cover coupled to the base frame and selectively moveable relative to the base frame to permit access to the antenna.

2 . The system as set forth in claim 1 , wherein the tower defines a tower interior, and wherein the communication interface and the controller are operatively attached to the tower and supported in the tower interior.

3 . The system as set forth in claim 1 , wherein the shield is adjacent to the base frame and the tower.

4 . The system as set forth in claim 1 , wherein the shield is disposed in spaced relation from the base cover to permit waves generated with the antenna to scan the interior of the transport container for tagged surgical articles.

5 . The system as set forth in claim 1 , wherein the shield includes at least one chosen from a lower shield surface arranged to block waves generated by the antenna from exiting the lower interior surface of the transport container, an upper shield surface arranged to block waves generated by the antenna from exiting the upper interior surface of the transport container, and interior shield walls arranged to block waves generated by the antenna from exiting the interior side walls of the transport container.

6 . The system as set forth in claim 5 , wherein the shield includes the interior shield walls, and wherein the interior shield walls are disposed about the tower.

7 . The system as set forth in claim 6 , wherein the shield defines a shield window arranged relative to the communication interface to facilitate transmittal of the identity data across the network via the communication interface.

8 . The system as set forth in claim 5 , wherein the shield includes the interior shield walls, and wherein the tower is disposed exterior to the interior shield walls.

9 . The system as set forth in claim 8 , wherein the housing defines a slot sized to permit the base cover to selectively move relative to the base frame to permit access to the antenna.

10 . The system as set forth in claim 1 , further comprising at least one battery module configured to power the controller.

11 . The system as set forth in claim 10 , wherein the housing includes a base adjacent to the lower interior surface of the transport container, and a tower coupled to the base, extending away from the lower interior surface of the transport container, and defining a tower interior, with the at least one battery module operatively attached to the tower and supported in the tower interior.

12 . The system as set forth in claim 1 , wherein the housing includes exterior surfaces facing the transport container, and wherein the shield is disposed on the exterior surfaces of the housing.

13 . The system as set forth in claim 1 , wherein the housing includes interior surfaces defining a housing interior, and wherein the shield is disposed on the interior surfaces of the housing.

14 . The system as set forth in claim 1 , further comprising a sensor configured to generate data, wherein the sensor is in communication with the controller, and wherein the controller is configured to generate the wave with the antenna dependent upon the data received from the sensor.

15 . The system as set forth in claim 1 , wherein the controller is further configured to selectively generate the wave by generating a wave signal that is transmitted to the antenna, and wherein the controller is further configured to send the wave signal to the antenna at predetermined intervals of time.

16 . The system as set forth in claim 1 , wherein the antenna is configured as a circular polarized flat panel ultra-high frequency (UHF) radio-frequency identification (RFID) antenna module.

17 . The system as set forth in claim 1 , wherein the communication interface is configured to transmit the identity data across the network according to a cellular protocol.