Patent ID: 7813973

Claim:
An inventory monitoring system for a storage system having a platform on which is stored an inventory having various classes of elements, wherein each class has an associated element weight characteristic and can have a variable number of elements, the platform in turn being supported by an electronic scale which generates a digital load signal proportional to the load supported by the platform, the inventory monitoring system interfacing with a microcomputer having, a communication port for receiving the digital load signal, at least one user input interface for allowing a user to input information on the inventory stored on the platform, and at least one output interface for presenting information to the user, the inventory monitoring system comprising: means for entering the weight characteristics of the elements of the inventory classes that are to be stored on the platform via the at least one user input interface; an addressable platform inventory table which is in communication with the microcomputer for recording the number of elements that are stored on the platform; means for determining, based on the weight characteristics of the inventory classes being stored on the platform, a maximum distinguishable number of elements that can be simultaneously withdrawn from or added to the platform with assurance that the combination will have a distinct weight unique to that combination; means for presenting said maximum distinguishable number to the user via the at least one output interface; means for indicating to the microcomputer a change in the digital load signal resulting from a change in the inventory stored on the platform; means for calculating a weight change corresponding to the change in the digital load signal; and means for adjusting said platform inventory table responsive to said calculated weight change and for providing a record of current inventory.