Inventory management systems
An inventory management system for use, for example, in automatically distributing items (such as laundered items) to users within a particular facility (e.g., a hospital), and for monitoring the amount (e.g., weight) of items distributed by the system. The system may include, for example, at least one automated dispenser having a weighing mechanism (e.g., a scale) for measuring the weight of its inventory and for periodically transmitting this information to a computer system associated with a particular item processing facility (e.g., a laundry facility). The computer system may then use this information, for example, to predict the amount of incoming items (e.g., dirty laundry) to be processed by the item processing facility during an upcoming time period. The computer system may also use this information for other purposes, such as predicting the amount of items that will need to be loaded into the system's dispensers during an upcoming time period.
1. An item distribution system comprising:
an automated dispenser that is adapted for dispensing items from a storage cartridge that is adapted to be selectively rolled into and out of operable engagement with said automated dispenser;
an inventory server that is adapted to receive information from said dispenser via a communications network; and
a weighing mechanism positioned to measure a storage cartridge weight when said storage cartridge is in operable engagement with said dispenser, said storage cartridge weight comprising a weight of said storage cartridge and a weight of one or more items stored within said storage cartridge, wherein:
said inventory server is adapted to receive said storage cartridge weight from said dispenser via said communications network;
said automated dispenser is adapted for dispensing laundered items from said storage cartridge; and
said item distribution system is adapted to use said storage cartridge weight to forecast the amount of dirty laundry that will be received from a medical facility with which the automated dispenser is associated.
2. The item distribution system of claim 1 , wherein said weighing mechanism is disposed within said automated dispenser.
3. The item distribution system of claim 1 , wherein said storage cartridge weight further comprises a weight of a weighing platform associated with said weighing mechanism.
4. An item distribution system comprising:
a dispenser;
an inventory management computer system;
a weighing mechanism positioned to measure a dispenser inventory weight comprising a weight of one or more items within said dispenser, wherein:
said inventory management computer system is adapted to receive said dispenser inventory weight; and
said inventory management computer system is configured for:
(A) receiving said dispenser inventory weight; and
(B) forecasting an amount of incoming items to be processed at an item processing facility based, at least in part, on said dispenser inventory weight.
5. The item distribution system of claim 4 , wherein said dispenser is adapted to transmit said dispenser inventory weight to said inventory management computer system via a communications network.
6. The item distribution system of claim 4 , wherein:
said incoming items comprise dirty laundry; and
said inventory management computer system is configured for forecasting an amount of dirty laundry to be received at a laundry processing facility based, at least in part, on said dispenser inventory weight.
7. The item distribution system of claim 4 , wherein said inventory management computer system is configured for generating a staffing schedule based, at least in part, on said forecasted amount of dirty laundry to be received at said laundry processing facility.
8. The item distribution system of claim 4 , wherein said inventory management computer system is configured for generating a staffing schedule based, at least in part, on said dispenser inventory weight.
9. The item distribution system of claim 4 , wherein:
said dispenser is a first dispenser;
said weighing mechanism is a first weighing mechanism;
said dispenser inventory weight is a first dispenser inventory weight;
said one are more items is a first set of one or more items;
said item distribution system further comprises:
(A) a second dispenser;
(B) a second item weighing mechanism positioned to measure a second dispenser inventory weight, said second dispenser inventory weight comprising a weight of a second set of one or more items within said second dispenser; and
said inventory management computer system is configured for:
(A) receiving said second dispenser inventory weight; and
(B) forecasting said amount of incoming items to be processed at said item processing facility based, at least in part, on said second dispenser inventory weight.
10. The item distribution system of claim 9 , wherein:
said first dispenser is disposed within a first medical facility; and
said second dispenser is disposed within a second medical facility that is geographically remote from said first medical facility.
11. The item distribution system of claim 9 , wherein:
said first dispenser and second dispensers are both disposed within a particular medical facility.
12. The item distribution system of claim 9 , wherein:
said first dispenser is adapted to transmit said first dispenser inventory weight to said inventory management computer system via a communications network; and
and second dispenser is adapted to transmit said second dispenser inventory weight to said inventory management computer system via said communications network.
13. The item distribution system of claim 9 , wherein:
said first set of one or more items comprises one or more laundered items;
said second set of one or more items comprises one or more laundered items; and
said inventory management computer system is configured for forecasting an amount of dirty laundry to be received at a laundry processing facility based, at least in part, on:
(A) said first dispenser inventory weight; and
(B) said second dispenser inventory weight.
14. The item distribution system of claim 9 , wherein said item distribution system is configured for generating a staffing schedule based, at least in part, on said forecasted amount of dirty laundry to be received at said laundry processing facility.
15. The item distribution system of claim 9 , wherein said inventory management computer system is configured for generating a staffing schedule based, at least in part, on said forecasted amount of dirty laundry to be received at said laundry processing facility.
16. A method of forecasting the amount of a particular type of items to be received by an item processing facility during a first particular period of time, said method comprising:
(A) providing one or more automated dispensers, each particular one of which is adapted for:
(1) dispensing said particular type of items, and
(2) for substantially automatically tracking an amount of said particular type of items dispensed from said particular dispenser;
(B) receiving dispenser activity information from each particular one of said automated dispensers, said dispenser activity information indicating the amount said particular type of items dispensed by said particular dispenser within a second particular period of time; and
(C) using said dispenser activity information to forecast the amount of said particular type of items to be received by an item processing facility during said first particular period of time.
17. The method of claim 16 , wherein said particular type of items is launderable items, and said item processing facility is a laundry facility.
18. The method of claim 16 , further comprising, in Step (C), forecasting said amount of said particular type of items based on an assumption that said amount of said particular type of items will be about a certain percentage of a total amount of items distributed from one or more dispensers during one or more particular periods of time.