Patent ID: 6272394
Filing Date: 2001-08-07
Classification: A47F,A61G,G06Q,G07F

Abstract:
A method for dispensing items from a dispensing unit, said method comprising:providing a dispensing unit having a plurality of storage locations, a plurality of input devices with at least one input device disposed next to at least some of the storage locations, and at least one door blocking manual access to said storage locations but allowing manual access to the adjacent input devices;inputting patient identification information into the dispensing unit;visually locating on the dispensing unit an input device located adjacent to a storage location holding a plurality of a desired item;inputting item removal identification information into the dispensing unit by manually touching the adjacent input device one time while the door is latched wherein the door is unlatched to allow access to the storage location after both the patient information and item removal identification have been input; andmanually removing a first of the desired items from the storage location on the dispensing unit.