Patent ID: 8463425

Claim:
A storage system comprising: (a) a storage rack having a plurality of storage positions, each formed by spaced supports and an access opening; (b) a plurality of containers sized to be retained on the plurality of supports, each container including at least one article, each container and the access opening sized to pass the container through the access opening; (c) a digital camera located to capture a digital image of each of the plurality of containers and the at least one article within each of the plurality of containers; (d) a computer connected to the digital camera; (e) a display displaying the captured digital image; (f) a pointing device cooperating with the display and controllable by a user to select a given article in the displayed captured image; (g) a storage/retrieval device operably connected to the storage rack; and (h) a controller that controls the storage/retrieval device to move the container retaining the given article between one of the plurality of storage positions and the access opening in response to selection of the given article by a user using the pointing device.