SAN DIEGO — Asteres Inc. has been issued a trio of patents from the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office for its automated pharmacy kiosk technology.

The company said Monday that the three new patents contain 196 separate claims covering system interfaces and various methods for delivering finished prescriptions and regulated products directly to consumers.

Asteres added that it’s currently pursuing additional intellectual property development and protection, including numerous patent applications pending worldwide.

The firm develops secure, self-service kiosks for the storage and delivery of prescriptions and consumer products. Its premier product is ScriptCenter, which the company bills as the first prescription pickup kiosk for retail, health care and military pharmacies that enables patients to retrieve and pay for their prescriptions even when the pharmacy is closed.

Asteres was awarded its first patent in 2006 for its technology’s delivery of finished prescriptions to consumers. The company noted that since then it has continued to aggressively protect its business and technology solutions for the delivery of prescriptions and regulated products to consumers.

"We are very pleased to be awarded these additional patents. Our intellectual property is one of our greatest assets," stated Laird Broadfield, vice president of research and development at Asteres. "In an emerging market, it is critical to have strong patent claims, and these patents further validate Asteres as the market leader."