Storage cabinet
A storage cabinet according to an embodiment stores a plurality of items includes a first reader configured to read item information recorded in a first tag of all items stored in a housing, when a door is in a closed state, and judges whether an item exists in the housing that is past a reference date on a basis of an expiration date of the item, based on a reading result of the first reader. If it is judged that an item exists in the housing that is past the reference date, a first mode or a second mode is selected based on an operation of a user. The first mode is a mode in which retrieval of an item other than an item having a period of time to an expiration date which is the shortest among items of the identical item code, is restricted. The second mode is a mode in which retrieval of an item other than an expired item is restricted.
1. A storage cabinet for storing a plurality of items, each item including a first tag attached thereto, the first tag being an RF tag for recording item information relating to a corresponding item, the item information including at least an item code identifying an item and information of an expiration date of the item, the storage cabinet comprising:
a housing for storing the plurality of items, the housing configured to be in a first state in which the plurality of items is accessible from the outside, or in a second state in which the plurality of items is inaccessible from the outside;
a first reader configured to read item information recorded in the first tag of all items stored in the housing, when the housing is in the second state;
a judgment part configured to judge whether an expired item exists in the housing, based on a reading result of the first reader;
a first controller configured to control item retrieval from the housing in a first mode if the judgment part judges that an expired item does not exist in the housing, the first mode being a mode in which retrieval of an item other than an item having a period of time to an expiration date which is the shortest among items of the identical item code is restricted; and
a second controller configured to control item retrieval from the housing in a mode selected from the first mode and a second mode based on an operation of a user if the judgment part judges that an expired item exists in the housing, the second mode being a mode in which retrieval of an item other than an expired item is restricted and retrieval of the expired item is not restricted.
2. The storage cabinet according to claim 1 , further comprising a second reader configured to read information recorded in a second tag when the housing is in the second state and the second tag is made proximate from the outside to a predetermined area on the housing, the information recorded in the second tag including user identification information identifying a user,
wherein, when the second reader reads the user identification information after the judgment part has judged that an expired item exists in the housing, the second controller is configured to select the second mode.
3. The storage cabinet according to claim 2 , further comprising:
a door configured to be openable or closable with respect to the housing,
a door lock configured to lock or unlock the door, and
a third controller configured to control the door lock such that the door is unlocked when authentication of the user identification information read by the second reader is successful.
4. The storage cabinet according to claim 1 , further comprising a first alarm configured to output at least one of a vocal alarm and a displayed alarm, if the second controller judges:
that the first mode is selected and an item other than an item having a period of time to an expiration date which is the shortest among items of the identical item code has been retrieved from the storage cabinet; or
that the second mode is selected and an item other than an expired item has been retrieved from the storage cabinet.
5. The storage cabinet according to claim 4 , further comprising a transmitter configured to transmit an email to a predetermined address, if the item judged to have been retrieved from the storage cabinet is not returned to the storage cabinet.
6. The storage cabinet according to claim 1 , further comprising a second alarm configured to output at least one of a vocal alarm and a displayed alarm when an item having a remaining period of time to an expiration date which reaches a preset period of time exists among the items stored in the storage cabinet.
7. The storage cabinet according to claim 1 , wherein the expiration date of an item is an expiration date of the item itself or a preset period of time before an expiration date of the item itself.
8. The storage cabinet according to claim 1 , wherein the expiration date of an item is a reference time.
9. The storage cabinet according to claim 1 , wherein
when the operation of the user is not received, the second controller is configured to control item retrieval from the housing in the first mode, and
when the operation of the user is received, the second controller is configured to control item retrieval from the housing in the second mode.
10. The storage cabinet according to claim 9 , wherein the operation of the user comprises holding a user card over an access antenna of the storage cabinet.
11. A method for storing a plurality of items in a storage cabinet, each item including a first tag attached thereto, the first tag being an RF tag for recording item information relating to a corresponding item, the item information including at least an item code identifying an item and information of an expiration date of the item, the storage cabinet being in a first state in which the plurality of items is accessible from the outside, or in a second state in which the plurality of items is inaccessible from the outside, the method comprising:
reading item information recorded in the first tag of all items stored in the storage cabinet, when the storage cabinet is in the second state;
judging whether an expired item exists in the storage cabinet, based on the result of the reading;
controlling item retrieval from the storage cabinet, if it is judged that an expired item does not exist in the storage cabinet, so that retrieval of an item other than an item having a period of time to an expiration date which is the shortest among items of the identical item code is restricted; and
controlling item retrieval from the storage cabinet, if it is judged that an expired item exists in the storage cabinet, so that, based on an operation of a user, retrieval of an item other than an item having a period of time to an expiration date which is the shortest among items of the identical item code is restricted, or retrieval of an item other than an expired item is restricted and retrieval of the expired item is not restricted.
12. The method according to claim 11 , wherein
when it is judged that the expired item exists in the storage cabinet and the operation of the user is not received, controlling item retrieval from the storage cabinet comprises restricting retrieval of the item other than the item having the period of time to the expiration date which is the shortest among items of the identical item code, and
when it is judged that the expired item exists in the storage cabinet and the operation of the user is received, controlling item retrieval from the storage cabinet comprises restricting retrieval of the item other than the expired item and allowing retrieval of the expired item.
13. The method according to claim 12 , wherein the operation of the user comprises holding a user card over an access antenna of the storage cabinet.
14. A storage cabinet for storing a plurality of items, each item including a first tag attached thereto, the first tag being an RF tag for recording item information relating to a corresponding item, the item information including at least an item code identifying an item and information of an expiration date of the item, the storage cabinet comprising:
a housing for storing the plurality of items, the housing configured to be in a first state in which the plurality of items is accessible from the outside, or in a second state in which the plurality of items is inaccessible from the outside;
a first reader configured to read item information recorded in the first tag of all items stored in the housing, when the housing is in the second state; and
a controller configured to:
judge whether an expired item exists in the housing, based on a reading result of the first reader;
control item retrieval from the housing in a first mode if the controller judges that an expired item does not exist in the housing, the first mode being a mode in which retrieval of an item other than an item having a period of time to an expiration date which is the shortest among items of the identical item code is restricted; and
control item retrieval from the housing in a mode selected from the first mode and a second mode based on an operation of a user if the controller judges that an expired item exists in the housing, the second mode being a mode in which retrieval of an item other than an expired item is restricted and retrieval of the expired item is not restricted.