Patent ID: 7689478

Claim:
An inventory management system, comprising: a plurality of supply cribs, each supply crib comprising a controlled access entry and an interface configured to permit input of a user identification, said system configured to permit entry into said supply crib in response to an appropriate entry request; a server comprising a database having inventory information related to a quantity of supply items allocated to each of said plurality of supply cribs, said server configured for communication with said interface; at least one user terminal accessible from external said plurality of supply cribs and capable of communication with said server, said user terminal configured to permit a user to create a pending transaction by identifying a quantity of each of one or more desired supply items, said user terminal also configured to communicate said pending transaction to said server, said user terminal being separate and remote from said interfaces of said plurality of supply cribs; wherein said system grants authorization for said user to access an appropriate one or more of said supply cribs in response to said creation of said pending transaction, and wherein said server receives notification of input of user identification into said interface of a selected one of said plurality of supply cribs by said user and updates said inventory information with respect to said one or more desired supply items allocated to said selected supply crib in response to at least one of said input of user identification or entry of said user into said selected supply crib.