Enabling communication between an inventory control system and a remote system over a network

Abstract

The instant application describes an inventory control system including an object storage device including a drawer or a tray for housing objects; a sensing device configured to acquire an image including information about the objects stored in the object storage device; an interface circuitry in communication with the sensing device and configured to generate object data based on the image acquired by the sensing device; and a processor configured to provide an integrated network access and transmit the object data across a network using a Web Service as defined by World Wide Web Consortium (W3C), the Web Service being a data link interface between the inventory control system and a remote system.

1 - 7 . (canceled) 
     
     
         8 . An inventory control system comprising:
 an object storage device including a drawer or a tray for housing objects;   a sensing device configured to acquire at least one image including information presence or absence of objects stored in the object storage device;   a reader configured to read an identifying mark on a work order; and   a processor configured to receive the identifying mark from the reader and associate a current user of the inventory control system and objects issued or returned with the work order.   
     
     
         9 . The inventory control system of  claim 8 , further comprising a display configured to display the work location to the current user of the inventory control system. 
     
     
         10 . The inventory control system of  claim 8 , further comprising a display configured to display the required objects for the work order to the current user of the inventory control system. 
     
     
         11 . The inventory control system of  claim 8 , wherein the reader includes a bar code reader and the identifying mark includes a bar code on the work order. 
     
     
         12 . The inventory control system of  claim 8 , wherein the processor is configured to receive the work order from the network. 
     
     
         13 - 21 . (canceled)