Patent ID: 6993501

Claim:
An automated inventory system, comprising: a plurality of controlled-access dispensing units containing inventory supply items, each of said dispensing units located at a client facility of at least one client, each of said dispensing units comprising a user interface configured to permit a user to enter identification information into said system, each of said dispensing units configured to restrict access to only an approved portion of the supply items in accordance with predetermined access rights corresponding with said identification information of said user, each of said dispensing units configured to maintain transaction information regarding a quantity and a description of the supply items dispensed in connection with a particular transaction; wherein each of said plurality of dispensing units is configured to communicate with an administrative unit disposed at a location outside of said client facility through a communication connection comprising a client network and the internet, wherein said administrative unit is connected to an administrative network controlled by an administrative entity other than the client, wherein said client network comprises a client firewall regulating communication between the client network and the internet, said client firewall configured to allow requests for connection to the internet originating from within said client network and to reject connection requests originating from the administrative unit; wherein each of said plurality of dispensing units are configured initiate communication with said administrative unit after the expiration of a predetermined time interval since a previous communication with said administrative unit and to send transaction information for one or more transactions that have occurred during said time interval to said administrative unit such that said administrative unit may compile inventory information for an aggregate inventory of said supply items within said plurality of dispensing units at said client facility; wherein said initiation of communication by said dispensing unit is configured to occur without a related communication request from said administrative unit and wherein said administrative unit is configured to maintain a connection log containing information relating to a series of communication connections between said administrative unit and each of said dispensing units, said administrative unit configured to generate a message for an aberrant one of said dispensing units which has not initiated communication with said administrative unit for a predetermined non-communication period.