Abstract:
A system and method provides for a pneumatic tube carrier tracking system having a system control module that captures and presents tracking information associated with sending and receiving carriers. The pneumatic tube carrier tracking system comprises sending and receiving stations connected by pneumatic tubing, and which are configured to securely send carriers, with receiving users optionally being restricted from unauthorized access of carriers. The sending and receiving stations have identifying tag readers configured to scan identifier tags to read carrier delivery, carrier receipt and receiving user information. Destination and intended recipient information are entered at the sending station when sending a carrier and are transmitted to a system control module, which routably delivers and secures the carriers in response the destination and intended recipient information.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
       [0001]    The present principles generally relate to pneumatic tube delivery systems. More specifically, the present principles refer to a system and method for tracking carriers and associated payloads in pneumatic tube delivery systems, while optionally securing the contents. The system comprises a scanner that allows a user to capture unique identifiers for individual carriers and contents, sending stations, receiving stations and sending and receiving users. A database disposed within the system also permits the user to archive and retrieve data associated with sending and receiving deliveries through the pneumatic tube system. Further, the system comprises the ability to institute security measures such as holding a carrier until a receiving user&#39;s identification (hereinafter “ID”) is entered into, and verified by, the tracking system. 
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    In large institutional settings such as hospitals, the dispensing and delivery of drugs has become a time consuming process. In particular, sterile items, controlled medications, biological samples, and the like need to be prepared and transported in a secure environment while ensuring the safety of patients and hospital workers. 
         [0003]    Transporting objects via pneumatic tubes is known to the art. Pneumatic delivery systems are used extensively for the rapid and efficient transportation of a wide variety of articles. These delivery systems are used in a number of business operations, including, but not limited to, banks, hospitals, office buildings, industrial plants, and transportation terminals. 
         [0004]    To send a payload in a carrier, an object is placed within a carrier which is then transported within enclosed pneumatic tubing by air under either positive or negative pressure to a desired destination. The interior of the closed tube and the outer dimension of the carrier form a seal so that the carrier can be propelled between the destinations by a vacuum or positive air pressure. 
         [0005]    One specific area of commerce which currently uses the pneumatic tube for transporting materials is the hospital or biomedical research/manufacturing industry. Pneumatic tube delivery systems have proven to be particularly useful for transporting blood samples, medicines, intravenous bags, viral samples or other biological or chemical matter within hospitals or laboratories. Some of the payloads transported may be highly addictive drugs (i.e. morphine) which need to be tightly controlled. 
         [0006]    Thus, there is clearly a need for a system providing a secure pneumatic tube carrier delivery. A need exists for a system providing tracking of carriers in a pneumatic tube system to ensure the secure delivery of carrier contents to authorized end users. Furthermore, there is a need for an auditable trail indicating the chain of custody of carrier contents. 
         [0007]    According to the present principles there is provided a pneumatic tube carrier tracking system for tracking carriers in a pneumatic tube system comprising a pneumatic tube system, a connecting diverter with blower, and storage piping with diverters, sending and receiving stations, a system control module, and identifying tag readers configured to read identifying tags. The identifying tag readers scan delivery information to provide secure and authorized delivery of carriers and their contents. The identifying tag readers and system control together provide an efficient and secure method and system of tracking carriers and carrier contents throughout the pneumatic tube system. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0008]    Presented herein is a pneumatic tube carrier tracking system having a system control module that captures and presents tracking information associated with sending and receiving carriers. The system control module comprises a database module and a computer control center (hereinafter “CCC”) module in signal communication with the database module. 
         [0009]    The pneumatic tube carrier tracking system further comprises a sending station and a receiving station. The sending station and the receiving station are routably connected by pneumatic tubing for the delivery of carriers. The sending station has an identifying tag reader configured to scan identifier tags to obtain delivery and identifying information for a carrier. The identifying tag reader then transmits the delivery information to the system control module. The receiving station has an identifying tag reader configured to scan identifier tags to obtain and transmit reception information for a carrier to the system control module. 
         [0010]    The identifying tag reader transmits delivery information and reception information to the CCC module which interprets delivery information and reception information and sends commands to the pneumatic tube system to control routing of the carrier in the pneumatic tubing. The database module is configured to receive and store delivery information sent to the System Control Module from the sending station and reception information from the receiving station. 
         [0011]    According to a method of using the present invention, the carrier contents are prepared for a carrier to be sent to the pneumatic tube carrier tracking system. Identifying tags are scanned using the identifying tag reader at the sending station to capture delivery information. The delivery information is transmitted from the identifying tag reader to the system control module and the carrier is sent through the pneumatic tubing system from the sending station. The system control module receives the incoming delivery information from the identifying tag readers at the sending station and logs and stores this information in the database module. The CCC module interprets the delivery information and sends commands to the pneumatic tube system to control the operations of the system and routably deliver the carrier. The carrier is routed through the pneumatic tube system in response to the delivery information and sensed by optical sensors in the branches of the pneumatic tubing until it reaches the receiving station. The carrier is delivered to the receiving station where identifier tags are scanned by an identifying tag reader to capture reception information. The reception information is transmitted to the system control module from the identifying tag reader and the sender at the sending station is optionally notified that the carrier has been delivered. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0012]    A further understanding of the present principles can be obtained by reference to a preferred embodiment, along with alternative embodiments, set forth in the accompanying drawings where like reference numbers indicate like elements throughout the drawings. Although the illustrated embodiments are merely exemplary of systems for carrying out the present principles, the organization and method of operation of the principles in general, together with further objectives and advantages thereof, may be more easily understood by reference to the drawings and the following description. The drawings are not intended to limit the scope of the principles, which is set forth with particularity in the claims as appended or as subsequently amended, but merely to clarify and exemplify the principles. 
           [0013]    For a more complete understanding of the present principles, reference is now made to the following figures: 
           [0014]      FIG. 1  is a diagram illustrating a system and method for tracking carriers and payloads in a pneumatic tube system according to an embodiment of the present principles. 
           [0015]      FIG. 2  is a diagram illustrating an automatic pneumatic tube system according to an embodiment of the present principles. 
           [0016]      FIG. 3  is a flow chart illustrating a method for tracking carriers and payloads in a pneumatic tube system according to an embodiment of the present principles. 
           [0017]      FIG. 4  is a flow chart illustrating a method of preparing and sending carriers and payloads from the sending station according to an embodiment of the present principles. 
           [0018]      FIG. 5  is a flow chart illustrating a method of receiving the carriers and payloads from the receiving station according to an embodiment of the present principles. 
           [0019]      FIG. 6A  is a diagram of a carrier having a bar code identifier tag according to an embodiment of the present principles. 
           [0020]      FIG. 6B  is a diagram of a carrier having a Radio Frequency Identification (“RFID”) tag according to an embodiment of the present principles. 
           [0021]      FIGS. 7A and 7B  are diagrams of a handheld PDA Reader according to an embodiment of the present principles. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0022]    Illustrative embodiments of the present principles are disclosed herein. However, techniques, systems and operating structures in accordance with the present principles may be embodied in a wide variety of forms and modes, some of which may be different from those in the disclosed embodiment. Consequently, the specific functional details disclosed herein are merely representative, yet in that regard, they are deemed to afford the best embodiment for purposes of disclosure and to provide a basis for the claims herein which define the scope of the present principles. 
         [0023]    Some elements of the present principles are illustrated as modules for performing described functions. While these modules may be described in terms of software implementations, any hardware, or combination of hardware and software may be used to implement the present principles without deviating from the scope or spirit thereof. 
         [0024]    Moreover, well known methods and procedures for both carrying out the objectives of the present principles and illustrating the preferred embodiment are incorporated herein but have not been described in detail as not to unnecessarily obscure novel aspects of the present principles. 
         [0025]    Referring now to  FIG. 1 , a diagram illustrating a system and method for tracking carriers and payloads in a pneumatic tube system  100  according to an embodiment of the present principles is shown. System control module  222  controls the operation of pneumatic tube system  100 , reading, storing, and presenting data, and tracking the delivery of carriers in response to the collected data. One or more identifying tag readers  108  may read and store a unique ID tag associated with the carrier contents or payload  110 , or with the sending user&#39;s ID  112 , the receiving user&#39;s ID  120 , or the carrier ID  114 . The identifying tag readers  108  may also read and store a unique ID tag associated with the sending station and delivery station. In one useful embodiment, an identifying tag reader  108  may read the ID tag of objects using an optical scanning system to read bar codes. Alternatively, an identifying tag reader  108  may employ an optical scanning system to identify characters and read and store the ID or identifier information of various objects. In another embodiment, the identifying tag reader  108  may identify objects using RFID or other radio frequency technology. Additionally, any other identification technology known, or as yet undiscovered, may be used within the scope of the present principles. The sending users ID may be a badge, a wristband, or the like. The identifying tag reader  108  may replace the need for a control panel, allowing all the necessary scanning, interpreting, and sending of a payload to be performed at one station. In alternative embodiments, the identifying tag reader  108  may be the sending station itself. 
         [0026]    The identifying tag reader  108  sends identifier information from delivery station  104  to system control module  222 . The delivery stations  104  and  106  may be a station primarily used to send or primarily used to receive payload containing carriers. However, delivery stations  104  and  106  may be used to both send and receive carriers. 
         [0027]    System control module  222  receives identifier and delivery information from the identifying tag reader  108  at delivery station  104  and determines the appropriate actions to be performed on delivery station  106 . For example, the system control module  222  may use the information from identifying tag reader  108  at delivery station  104  to determine to which delivery station  106  a carrier  610  will be routed and which receiving user ID  120  must be scanned in order for the receiving user to receive the carrier  610  (given that the sender requires the receiving user ID to be scanned prior to receiving the carrier). The receiving user at delivery station  106 , upon receiving the carrier delivery, uses an identifying tag reader  116  to scan their ID  120 , carrier contents  118 , and the carrier ID  122 , completing the transaction. This information is sent from the identifying tag reader  116  at delivery station  106  to system control module  222  to be recorded and stored in the system. 
         [0028]    Referring now to  FIG. 2 , a diagram illustrating a pneumatic tube system  200  according to an embodiment of the present principles is shown. The pneumatic tube carrier tracking system  200  comprises transmission tubing  228 , a system control module  222 , and a sending station  224  and receiving station  208  for initiating the sending of carriers and receiving the sent carriers. Although  FIG. 2  demonstrates a one zone pneumatic tube system  200 , a system with multiple zones and the inclusion of any number of sending  224  and receiving stations  208  is possible without deviating from the scope of the present principles. The system also includes blower  214  and one or more diverters  216  and  226  which direct the transportation of carriers  610  from storage compartment  218  to sending station  224  or receiving station  208  at the direction of the system control module  222 . Furthermore, pneumatic tube system  200  may include a plurality of inline identifying tag readers or optical sensors  220  configured to track or sense the carriers as they are transported through the tubing  228 . The inline identifying tag readers or optical sensors  220  may be implemented for example, through a window or a section of the tubing  228 , through an RFID antenna disposed on a recess section of the tubing  228 , through an optical sensor disposed in the tubing  228 , or the like. The inline identifying tag readers or optical sensors  220  read, or otherwise sense, the passage of a carrier associated with the payload being transported through the pneumatic tube system. 
         [0029]    In one embodiment of the present principles, the ID tags may be used to record the location and ID  114  and  122  of a carrier  610  at various locations throughout the pneumatic tube system  200  to send to the system control module  222  in order to keep a log of each carrier&#39;s location information as they move through the pneumatic tubing  228 . This creates an auditable trail indicating a chain of custody. It allows the user to know where the carrier and its contents have been and where they are going. 
         [0030]    While the present principles are described with respect to a hospital, the present principles may also be used in, but are not limited to, banks, retail stores, pharmacies, laboratories, or the like. 
         [0031]    ID tags may also be associated with the ID of sending and receiving users. The ID tag scanning at the sending stations  224  and receiving stations  208  may be performed by an identifying tag reader such as, for example, a handheld PDA  700 . However, any identifying tag reader  108  and  116  configuration may be used including, but not limited to, a scanner integrated into the sending or receiving station, or any other known or as yet undiscovered configuration. 
         [0032]    System control module  222  may include database module  202  and CCC module  206  in signal communication. The system control module  222  receives carrier information from the tag readers at the sending and receiving stations and logs the carrier information into a database module  202 . Additionally, the system control module  222  may receive carrier location information from inline identifying tag readers or optical sensors  220  disposed throughout the pneumatic tube system  200  and log this information into a database manager  202 . 
         [0033]    The database module  202  may be, for example, a relational database, a flat file database, fixed length record database, or any other data storage mechanism known or as yet undiscovered in the art. Further, the database module  202  may reside on a stand-alone server, or the same machine as the CCC module  206 . 
         [0034]    The CCC module  206  manages data by interpreting data stored in the database module  202  and sending routing commands to the pneumatic tube system based on location data and delivery information collected from sending users. In one useful embodiment, the CCC module  206  performs the functions of a data manager. In an alternative embodiment, there may be a separate data manager module to interpret the data stored in the database module  202  and send routing commands to the CCC module  206  which then sends commands to the pneumatic tube system based on location data and delivery information. 
         [0035]    The sending station  224 , diverters  216  and  226 , blower  214 , carrier receiving bin  210 , and receiving station  208  are all in signal communication with, and controlled by, the CCC module  206 . The CCC module  206  interprets the data in the database module  202  and generates commands in the form of signals to individual elements in the pneumatic tube system  200  to control the actions of the system  200 . For example, the CCC module  206  may command the pneumatic tube system to activate the blower  214  to transport a carrier  610  through the pneumatic tube system  200 . In response to data stored in the database module  202 , the CCC module  206  may generate a signal to turn on blower  214 , which blows air to move the carrier  610  throughout the pneumatic tube system  200 . Similarly, the diverters  216  and  226  may be signaled by the CCC module  206  to route a carrier to a particular branch in the pneumatic transmission tubing  228  to be delivered to a desired receiving station  208 . 
         [0036]    The system control module  222  may also be configured to manage deliveries. The system control module  222  receives requests for delivery from a sending station  224 . The data input by a user at a sending station  224  identifying tag reader  108  is used to determine the physical location of a carrier  610  and where the carrier  610  should be routed to. Additionally, the system control module  222  uses the information from the sending station  224  to determine how the carrier should be delivered (i.e. secured, with alarms, etc.). 
         [0037]    System control module  222  may also track carriers  610  as they move past inline identifying tag readers or sensors  220  in the pneumatic tubing  228 . The system control module  222  may generate records to show that a carrier  610  passed an inline identifying tag reader or sensor  220  at a certain time. These records may be used to ensure that carriers  610  are routed correctly and in the correct order. Location recordation may also be used to troubleshoot and initiate error notifications, such as a stuck or lost carrier  610 , or may be used to guarantee or verify a timely delivery for perishable contents (i.e. drugs or blood contents that must be refrigerated). Additionally, reports on chain of custody of carriers may be generated to keep record of who has a specific carrier at a specific point in time and where that carrier is located. 
         [0038]    The system control module  222  may also control and verify delivery to receiving users at receiving stations  208 . In order to initialize a shipment, the sending user enters information into the sending station  224  that will be used to manage carrier  610  routing and delivery through the pneumatic tube system  200 . The sending user prepares the contents of the carrier  610  for shipment. The contents of the carrier  610  may be, for example, prescriptions, blood samples, patient file information, and the like. 
         [0039]    After the sending user prepares the contents of the carrier  610  for shipping from the product production station  232 , the sending user may scan the ID of the carrier contents  110  with the handheld PDA  700 . The sending user may also scan the sending user ID  112 , the ID of the desired receiving station  106 , and the ID of the carrier  114  with the handheld PDA  700 . 
         [0040]    In one useful embodiment, the sending user may work at a desk or station separate from the sending station and may place the carrier  610  on a conveyor belt at the product production station  232  to be delivered automatically to the sending station  224 . The contents and the carrier  610  are brought to the sending station  224  via an incoming conveyor from the product production station  232 . The product prepared by the sending user enters the carrier  610  through an opening in the top of the carrier  610 . In one embodiment, a loaded carrier  610  may optionally be moved to an inspection station and subsequently sent into the pneumatic tube system  200  where it is delivered to the proper location in response to commands from the CCC module  206 . Alternatively, the contents and the carrier  610  may be deposited directly into the sending station  224  by the sending user without the aid of a conveyor belt or inspection station. 
         [0041]    In another useful embodiment, a more passive system may be used for the scanning of the delivery information. The identifier tags may be RFID tags which can be read by an RFID identifying tag reader. In such an embodiment, the sending user at the sending station  224  may move near the RFID identifying tag reader while holding the carrier and its contents, and the reader will read and send the ID information from the sender, the carrier, and the contents to the system control module  222 . Thus, sending users may advantageously avoid physically scanning each identifier tag to obtain delivery information. 
         [0042]    The scanned information from the handheld PDA  700  is transmitted to the system control module  222  where it is stored in the database module  202  and interpreted by the CCC module  206 . The CCC module  206  then determines the destination of a particular carrier  610 , and the necessary command to route the carrier  610  properly. The CCC module  206  sends routing commands to the pneumatic tube system  200  to control the operations of the system. 
         [0043]    Blower  214  and diverters  216  and  226  may be used to coordinate and direct the transportation of the carriers throughout the pneumatic tube system  200  and between the storage compartment  218  and the pneumatic tube system  200 . Carriers move through branches of the pneumatic tubing  228  in the system under vacuum or pressure supplied by blower  214 . The CCC module  206  sends a signal to the blower  214  to blow air to transport the carrier  610  at the appropriate time. As the carriers move through the system, the CCC module  206  controls the carriers&#39;  610  routing by transmitting commands to diverters  216  and  226  which may change the position and/or direction of the carriers  610 . In an alternative embodiment, a vacuum system may be used in place of a blower  214  to move carriers  610  through the pneumatic tube system with negative air pressure. 
         [0044]    In one embodiment, after the CCC module  206  routes the carriers  610  through the tubing  228  via the diverters  216  and  226 , the carriers  610  travel to the carrier receiving bin  210  at the receiving station. At this station, the carrier  610  is opened and the contents of the carrier  610  are dropped in the carrier receiving bin  210 . The ID of the empty carrier  122  may then be scanned with the handheld PDA  700  to keep record of which carriers  610  are available from the storage compartment  218  for other shipments. 
         [0045]    Upon receipt of the contents the receiving user may scan their ID  120 , and may also scan the ID tags of the carrier contents  118 . This information is sent to the system control module  222  where it is stored in the database module  202  and interpreted by the CCC module  206 . The CCC module may optionally notify the sending user of completion of the transaction according to the sending user&#39;s instructions entered when the carrier was initially sent. 
         [0046]    In an alternative embodiment, a slide plate  236  may be disposed in the pneumatic tubing  228  at a location prior to the carrier receiving bin  210 . The slide plate  236  may be used as a security measure, holding the carrier  610  above the carrier receiving bin  210  until the authorized receiving user scans their ID  120 . The sending user may be given the option by the handheld PDA  700  prior to sending the carrier  610  from the sending station  224  of requiring the receiving user to scan the receiving user ID  120  before retrieving the contents. If the sending user requires the receiving user to scan the receiving user ID  120 , the CCC module  206  will engage the slide plate  236  and hold the carrier  610  in the tube  228  above the carrier receiving bin  210  until the receiving user scans the receiving user ID  120 . If the sending user does not require this security option, the carrier  610  will be allowed to move through slide plate  236  and into the carrier receiving bin  210 . The inline identifying tag readers or optical sensors  220  disposed throughout the pneumatic tube system may also be associated with the slide plate because they are configured to sense the passage of the carrier and its contents through the pneumatic tubing until it reaches the slide plate. The inline identifying readers or optical sensors  220  may verify to the CCC module that the carrier has arrived at the slide plate at which point the CCC module may determine if a receiving user ID needs to be scanned. 
         [0047]    In another embodiment, after each transaction is complete, the delivery information stored and recorded by the system control module  222  may be made accessible to users via a web browser. However, in alternative embodiments, this information may be accessible via stand-alone applications, hard copy documents, or any other useful report format. The delivery information may be used to audit compliance with delivery procedures, required time constraints, or to track any missing or problem deliveries. 
         [0048]    Referring now to  FIG. 3 , a flow chart illustrating a method  300  for tracking carriers and payloads in a pneumatic tube system  200  according to an embodiment of the present principles is shown. The sending user scans the delivery information in block  302 . The identifying tag reader  108  disposed at the sending station  224  sends the information to the CCC module  206  in block  304 . The CCC module  206  determines the physical destination of the carrier delivery in block  306 . The data regarding the carrier delivery is then stored in the database module  202  in block  308 . The CCC module  206  sends commands to the elements of the pneumatic tube system  200  in block  310  to route the carrier and to engage or open the slide door  236 . Finally, the receiving user receives the carrier  610  delivery in block  312  and notification of the carrier delivery is sent to the sending user in block  314 . 
         [0049]    Referring now to  FIG. 4 , a flowchart illustrating a method of preparing and sending carriers and payloads  400  from the sending station  224  according to an embodiment of the present principles is shown. The sending user receives a request for a delivery (i.e. a prescription, blood sample, file information, or the like) in block  402 . The sending user prepares the contents and requests a carrier  610  from the storage compartment  218  of the pneumatic tube system  200  via the handheld PDA  700  in block  404 . Upon receipt of the carrier  610 , the sending user may scan the carrier ID  114 , content ID  110 , the sending user&#39;s ID  112 , the sending station ID  104 , or the receiving station ID  106  using the identifying tag reader  108  in block  406 . The sending user may optionally require the receiving user to scan the receiving user ID  120  before the carrier  610  moves to the carrier receiving bin  210  in block  408 . If the sending user requires the receiving user to scan their ID  120  before the carrier  610  moves to the carrier receiving bin  210 , then the sending user has the option of being notified if the receiving user ID  120  is not scanned after the carrier  610  moves to the carrier receiving bin  210  and to the receiving station  208 . If the sending user chooses to be notified then they may select an alarm for notification from the handheld PDA  700  in block  410 . 
         [0050]    The sending user also has the option of being notified, for example, when the carrier  610  arrives at the receiving station  208 , gets stuck in a tube  228 , or contents have been spilled. If the sending user chooses to be notified when the carrier arrives at the receiving station  208 , gets stuck in the tube  228 , or contents have been spilled, then he/she selects a notification. If not, then in one embodiment, the sending user places the carrier  610  on the conveyor belt. 
         [0051]    The sending user may send the carrier by pressing the send button on the handheld PDA  700 . To send a carrier, the delivery information is sent to the system control module  222  in block  412 . In response, the system control module  222  controls the pneumatic tube system to move the carrier  610 . The carrier  610  leaves the sending station  224  and enters the pneumatic tube system  200  in block  414 . 
         [0052]    Referring now to  FIG. 5 , a flowchart illustrating a method for receiving carriers and payloads  500  from the receiving station  208  according to an embodiment of the present principles is shown. The carrier  610  travels through the pneumatic tube system  200  in block  502  until the carrier  610  reaches the slide plate  236 , and is retained at, or passed though, the slide plate in response to commands from the system control module in block  504 . 
         [0053]    If the sending user did not request that the receiving user scan their ID  120  before the carrier  610  reaches the carrier receiving bin  210 , then the slide door opens in block  506 , allowing the carrier  610  to move through to the carrier receiving bin  210  at the receiving station  208 . The system control module  222  then determines whether or not the receiving user ID  120  was scanned in block  508 . 
         [0054]    If the receiving user ID  120  was scanned then the receiving user continues to scan the receiving station ID  106  and carrier ID  122  in block  514 . If the receiving user ID is not scanned then the system control module  222  determines if the sending user requested notification if the receiving user ID  120  is not scanned in block  510 . If the sending user requested notification than the system control module  222  sends an alarm notifying the sending user in block  512 . If the sending user did not request notification then the receiving user scans the receiving station ID  106  and carrier ID  122  in block  514  and selects the accept button on the handheld PDA  700 . The system control module  222  then verifies and stores the delivery information in block  526  and sends a confirmation message to the sending user in block  528 . The contents  110  of the carrier  610  are then delivered to the end user in block  530 . 
         [0055]    If the sending user requests that the receiving user scan their ID  120  before the carrier  610  reaches the carrier receiving bin  210 , then the system control module  222  engages the slide plate  236  in block  516 , holding the carrier  610  in the pneumatic tubing  228 . The receiving user must then scan their ID  120  and the receiving station ID  106  in block  518  in order to disengage the slide plate  236 . After the receiving user ID  120  is scanned, the CCC module  206  verifies the user ID before unlocking the slide plate  236 . After verification, the CCC module  206  commands the slide plate  236  to disengage. The receiving user then selects the drop carrier button on the handheld PDA and the slide plate  236  disengages in block  520 , moving the carrier  610  through to the carrier receiving bin  210  and to the receiving station  208  in block  522 . The receiving user scans the carrier ID  122  in block  524 . The system control module  222  then verifies the delivery information in block  526  and if selected by the sending user, a confirmation message is sent to the sending user in block  528 . The delivery information is sent to be stored in the database module  202  and the contents are delivered to the end user by the receiving user in block  530 . 
         [0056]    Referring now to  FIG. 6A , a diagram of the carrier  610  with a unique identifying, optically scannable, tag (i.e. a bar code)  620  according to an embodiment  600  of the present principles is shown. The bar code  620  may be disposed on any part of the carrier  610 , enabling the inline identifying tag readers  220  to scan the bar code  620  and transmit the delivery information and reception information to the system control module  222 . 
         [0057]    Referring now to  FIG. 6B , a diagram of the carrier  610  with a unique identifying RFID tag  640  according to an embodiment  630  of the present principles is shown. The RFID tags  640  may be disposed on any part of the carrier  610 , enabling the inline identifying tag readers  220  to scan the RFID tags  640  and transmit the delivery information and reception information to the system control module  222 . 
         [0058]    Referring now to  FIGS. 7A and 7B , a handheld PDA  700  configured for use as an identifying tag reader and user interface according to an embodiment of the present principles is depicted. While the handheld PDA  700  is described as a useful embodiment of the present principles, it is only exemplary of an identifying tag reader that may be used. For example, a non-handheld PDA may be used, in addition to a touch key initialization module attached to a wall, etc. 
         [0059]    The handheld PDA  700  is provided to capture and present data associated with sending and receiving pneumatic tube system deliveries. The PDA allows the user to perform operations required to send and receive a carrier delivery transaction without requiring an interface built into each station. The handheld PDA  700  may capture unique identifiers (bar codes, RFID tags, or the like) associated with individual carriers, sending stations, receiving stations, and sending and receiving users to help track the delivery information. 
         [0060]    The database module  202  and CCC module  206  may provide notification to a sending user&#39;s cell phone, PDA, e-mail, etc., regarding delivery details as well as providing notification to receiving users of incoming carriers based on options chosen from the handheld PDA  700 . The handheld PDA  700  may further provide options for secure sending, such as holding a carrier at a station slide plate  236  until the receiving user scans their ID. 
         [0061]    The handheld PDA  700  provides real-time information to users. This information transmitted from the handheld PDA  700  and stored in the database module  202  may be password protected and accessible through a web browser or any other useful interface. Handheld PDA  700  is capable of collecting many types of information, including but not limited to the sending user&#39;s ID, the content&#39;s ID, the carrier&#39;s ID, the sending station&#39;s sent ID, the receiving station&#39;s ID, the time the transaction was requested, the time the carrier left the station, the travel time to carrier destination, the transaction number, whether or not it is a secure send, whether or not an alarm has been chosen, the alarm type if chosen, the time the carrier arrived at it&#39;s destination, the receiving user&#39;s ID, the time the carrier was scanned upon arrival, and the receiving station ID. While the handheld PDA  700  has at least these capabilities, any combination of these capabilities may be used to track and record delivery information and reception information. 
         [0062]    The steps of using the handheld PDA  700  from the sending user&#39;s station  224  can be described in reference to  FIG. 7A . In one embodiment, in order to initialize a transaction, the sending user first selects the “Send” tab  712  on face  710  of handheld PDA  700 . The sending user then scans the sending station ID  104 . In one useful embodiment, the scan may be initiated by pressing the scan button  706  on either side of the PDA  700  while holding the PDA  700  up to the unique identifying tags (i.e. bar code, RFID, optical sensor, etc.) used for the sending station ID  104 . A check-mark at “Station”  714  may indicate that the sending station ID  104  has been properly scanned. The sending user may scan the receiving station ID  106  and the interface  740  may indicate that “Dest.”  716  or the receiving station ID  106  has been properly scanned. Next, the sending user may also scan the carrier ID  114  and the interface  740  may indicate, by showing a check-mark in the box next to “Carrier”  718 , that the carrier ID  114  has been properly scanned. The sending user may also scan the carrier contents  110  and the sending user ID  112 . The interface  740  may indicate, by a check-mark in the box next to “User”  720 , that the sending user ID  112  has been properly scanned. 
         [0063]    The sending user then has the option of securely sending the carrier  610  by requiring the receiving user to scan the receiving user ID  120  before or after the carrier  610  drops into the carrier receiving bin  210 . If the sending user desires that the receiving user scan their ID  120  before the carrier  610  is delivered, then the sending user may select the “Before Drop”  722  button. A check-mark may appear in the box next to “Before Drop”  722  to indicate that this option has been selected. If the sending user desires that the receiving user scan their ID  120  after the carrier  610  drops, then the sending user chooses the “After Drop”  724  button and the interface  740  may indicate via a check-mark in the box next to “After Drop”  724  to show that this option has been selected. 
         [0064]    If the sending user chooses “After Drop”  724 , the sending user also has the option of selecting “Alarm”  726  to be notified if the receiving user does not scan their receiving user ID  120  after the carrier  610  drops. A check-mark may appear in the box next to “Alarm”  726  to indicate that this option has been selected. Further, the sending user can choose to be notified when the carrier  610  “Arrives”  728 , “Flips”  730 , or “Alarms”  732 . A check-mark next to an appropriate label may indicate which options have been selected. The sending user may also send the carrier  610  by selecting the send button  734  to complete the transaction. 
         [0065]    The steps of using the handheld PDA  700  from the receiving station  208  can be described in reference to  FIG. 7B . In order to receive a carrier delivery the receiving user first selects the “Receive” tab  738  on the face  710  of handheld PDA  700 . Alternately, the system control module  222  may notify the receiving user that a carrier  610  has arrived. The receiving user may scan any ID, such as their user ID or the carrier ID, by pressing the scan button  706  on either side of the PDA  700  while holding the PDA  700  up to the unique identifying tags. A check-mark may, for example, appear in the interface  740  of the PDA  700  in the box next to “Station”  704  to show that the receiving station ID  104  has been properly scanned or the interface  740  may indicate by a check-mark in the box next to “User”  702  to show that the receiving user ID  120  has been properly scanned and “Carrier”  708  to show that the carrier ID  122  has been properly scanned. The receiving user may also select the “Drop Carrier”  736  button to manually release the carrier  610  into the carrier receiving bin  210  in the receiving station  208 . 
         [0066]    The receiving user may initiate the recordation of a received carrier by selecting the “Receive” tab  738 . The receiving user may scan the receiving station ID  106 , the receiving user ID  120  or carrier ID  122 . The user interface on the PDA may show, via, for example, a check-mark next to the “Station”  704 , “User”  702  and “Carrier”  708  icons to indicate that the associated ID has been properly scanned. The receiving user may select the “Accept”  712  button on the user interface  740  to complete the transaction. The sending user may receive a confirmation message that the carrier  610  was delivered is that option was selected when the carrier  610  was sent. While in one useful embodiment a check mark may be used as an indicator of selections and properly scanned IDs, any other indicator may be used without deviating from the scope of the invention. For example, an “x” may indicate that an ID was properly scanned, an ID or selection may be highlighted to indicate that it was properly scanned, or any other interface may be used that is known in the art or as yet undiscovered. 
         [0067]    While the interface for the PDA  700  is described herein as having a specific type of interface for reading specific types of IDs and permitting the user to interact with the tracking system, any interface permitting a user to interact with the tracking system may be advantageously disposed on the PDA  700  or on any other input element. Likewise, while the PDA  700  may actively read ID tags, such as bar codes or optical codes, the PDA  700  may also passively read RFID tags or other radio frequency identifiers, or may use any combination of passive and active ID detection. For example, a user may have an RFID badge that is passively read while the carrier may have an optical ID tag that is actively read. In another useful embodiment, the PDA  700  may be associated with a particular user, sending station, receiving station, or the like, the ID for which is stored in the PDA  700  or elsewhere in the tracking system for recall when a user sends a payload. In such an embodiment, the PDA  700  may automatically attribute the stored user ID, sending station ID, or receiving station ID to the outgoing payload. 
         [0068]    It will be appreciated that although the above pneumatic tube carrier tracking system description is described as used in a hospital, the present principles are not limited to such use. For instance, the principles could be used in any other businesses or enterprises where customized product deliver is desired. While the foregoing embodiments of the principles have been set forth in considerable detail for the purposes of making a complete disclosure of the principles, it will be apparent to those of skill in the art that numerous changes may be made to such features without departing from the spirit and the scope of the present principles.