Patent ID: 7092789

Claim:
A controlled inventory dispensing system, comprising: an enclosure defining a space configured to accommodate a selection of inventory items, said enclosure comprising a plurality of shelves, each of said shelves configured to support one or more bins, wherein each of said bins is configured to accommodate one or more of a particular type of said inventory items; a plurality of weight sensors configured to produce a signal indicative of a weight of one or more of said bins, wherein each of said bins is associated with at least one of said weight sensors; at least one door associated with said enclosure and movable from a closed position, wherein access to said space of said enclosure is prevented, and an open position, wherein access to said space is permitted; a lock configured to selectively secure said at least one door in said closed position; an input device associated with said enclosure and configured to receive user information and communicate said user information to said system, wherein said user information comprises user identification information and user department information, said input device further configured to receive job account information for a particular inventory transaction; wherein, when a particular user enters said user information and said job account information into said input device, said system is configured to determine from said user identification information if a particular user is approved to use the system, determine from said user department information if said particular department is approved to access any of said items within said enclosure and to unlock said lock to release said at least one door if both said user is approved and said department is approved; wherein further, said system determines a change in a quantity of said inventory items in each of said bins in accordance with a change in weight of said each bin and creates a transaction account including a record of said change in quantity of said inventory items, said user identification information, said user department information and said job account information.