Patent ID: 8721231

Claim:
A method for use in a pneumatic carrier system where the pneumatic carrier system includes a plurality of zones interconnected via inter-zone pneumatic tubes and wherein each zone includes one or more user stations, pneumatic tubes, and an air source for moving carriers to and from said stations via said pneumatic tubes, comprising the steps of: using a pneumatic system controller, identifying a set of at least three inter-dependent carrier transactions for a set of carriers including at least first, second and third carriers, wherein at least first second and third immediate destination locations for said set of at least first, second and third carriers, respectively, are currently occupied by another carrier of said set of carriers; generating control signals at said system controller operative to: temporarily deliver said first carrier of said set of carriers to a temporary location above a user station in said pneumatic tube system, wherein said first carrier vacates said second immediate destination location for said second carrier of said set of carriers; move said second carrier to said second immediate destination location vacated by the first carrier, wherein moving the second carrier vacates said third immediate destination location for said third carrier of said set of carriers; move said third carrier to said third immediate destination location vacated by said second carrier; and once said second immediate destination location is vacated, retrieve said first carrier from said temporary location above said user station and deliver said first carrier to said first immediate destination location.