Patent attributes
An inventory management system preferably including a supply crib configured to store a plurality of supply items. The supply crib has a controlled entryway to selectively permit access to the supply crib. A database contains inventory information relating to a quantity of each of the plurality of supply items allocated to the supply crib. A user terminal is capable of communicating with the database and is accessible from external the supply crib. The user terminal is configured to permit a user of the system to select a quantity of a desired item from the plurality of supply items within the crib. The system is configured to update the inventory information to reflect the addition or removal of the quantity of the desired item in response to the user initiating a door transaction, which preferably is either or both of an access request to the supply crib or entry into the supply crib by the user.
