Compartment system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10909790-B2
Application number	US-201715627205-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 19, 2017
Priority date	Dec 23, 2014
Publication date	Feb 2, 2021
Grant date	Feb 2, 2021

Abstract

Provided is a method involving obtaining an identifier at a control unit of a compartment system having compartments provided with respective locks and respective lock control units that are configured to communicate with the control unit; obtaining information indicating that one compartment has been closed, and causing storing of the identifier in the lock control unit assigned to the compartment. Also provided is a method comprising detecting, at a lock control unit assigned to a compartment of a compartment system comprising a control unit and compartments provided with respective locks and lock control units configured to communicate with the control unit, that the compartment has been closed; transmitting a piece of information identifying the lock control unit to the control unit if it has been detected that the compartment has been closed; obtaining an identifier from the control unit; and storing the identifier in the lock control unit.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. An apparatus comprising at least one processor and at least one memory which contains program code, wherein the memory and the program code are configured to cause an apparatus with the at least one processor to perform and/or control at least:
obtaining a first identifier, which is associated with at least one person, at a control unit of a compartment system which, in addition to the control unit, has a plurality of compartments provided with respective locks and lock control units which are respectively assigned to the compartments and are configured to communicate with the control unit,
obtaining, at the control unit, after obtaining the first identifier, information indicating that one compartment of the plurality of compartments has been closed or that at least one shipment from or for the person has been placed in one compartment of the plurality of compartments and the compartment has been closed, wherein the information is obtained using one or more sensors which are part of the lock control unit or communicatively connected to the lock control unit, and
causing, by the control unit, storing of the first identifier in the lock control unit assigned to the compartment, wherein the causing of the storing of the first identifier in the lock control unit assigned to the compartment is caused by the obtaining of the information indicating that the compartment of the plurality of compartments has been closed or that at least one shipment from or for the person has been placed in a compartment of the plurality of compartments and the compartment has been closed, or depends on further factors.

2. The apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein information indicating that the compartment of the plurality of compartments has been closed or that at least one shipment from or for the person has been placed in a compartment of the plurality of compartments and the compartment has been closed is obtained after the obtaining of a first identifier, which is associated with at least one person, at a control unit of a compartment system.

3. The apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein, at a time at which the information indicating that the compartment has been closed or that at least one shipment from or for a person has been placed in the compartment and the compartment has been closed is obtained, no identifier associated with a person is stored in the lock control unit assigned to the compartment.

4. The apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the memory and the program code are further configured to cause the apparatus with the at least one processor to perform and/or control:
causing that before obtaining the information indicating that one compartment of the plurality of compartments has been closed or that at least one shipment from or for a person has been placed in the compartment and the compartment has been closed, at least this compartment is open.

5. The apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the memory and the program code are further configured to cause the apparatus with the at least one processor to perform and/or control:
causing opening of at least one other compartment after obtaining the information indicating that one compartment of the plurality of compartments has been closed or that at least one shipment from or for a person has been placed in the compartment and the compartment has been closed and/or after the storing of the first identifier in the lock control unit assigned to the compartment has been caused, wherein no identifier associated with a person is stored in the lock control unit assigned to the other compartment.

6. The apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the compartments of the plurality of compartments have at least two different sizes, and wherein the memory and the program code are further configured to cause the apparatus with the at least one processor to perform and/or control:
causing that, before obtaining the information indicating that one compartment of the plurality of compartments has been closed or that at least one shipment from or for a person has been placed in the compartment and the compartment has been closed, at least one compartment of each size is open.

7. The apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the memory and the program code are further configured to cause the apparatus with the at least one processor to perform and/or control:
causing opening of one or more compartments, the respectively assigned lock control units of which store a piece of information indicating that they contain at least one shipment for collection and/or an identifier associated with a person, and
causing, for the lock control units of the one or more compartments, deleting of the information indicating that they contain at least one shipment for collection and/or the identifier associated with a person.

8. The apparatus according to claim 7 , wherein the causing of the opening and the causing of the deleting are carried out after the obtaining of the first identifier and before the obtaining of the information indicating that one compartment of the plurality of compartments has been closed or that at least one shipment from or for the person has been placed in one compartment of the plurality of compartments and the compartment has been closed.

9. The apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the memory and the program code are further configured to cause the apparatus with the at least one processor to perform and/or control:
causing storing of a piece of information indicating that the compartment contains at least one shipment for collection in the lock control unit assigned to the compartment.

10. The apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the memory and the program code are further configured to cause the apparatus with the at least one processor to perform and/or control:
obtaining a second identifier, which is associated with at least one person and either matches the first identifier or differs from the latter, at the control unit,
causing opening of one or more compartments, in the respectively assigned lock control units of which the second identifier is stored, and causing deleting of the second identifier from one or more of the lock control units assigned to the one or more compartments.

11. The apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the memory and the program code are further configured to cause the apparatus with the at least one processor to perform and/or control:
obtaining a third identifier, which is associated with at least one person and either matches the first identifier or differs from the latter, at the control unit, wherein at least one compartment for a plurality of placement and/or collection processes is statically allocated, rather than respectively dynamically allocated, to the third identifier by storing the third identifier for the plurality of placement and/or collection processes in the lock control unit assigned to this compartment, and
causing opening of this compartment.

12. The apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the lock control units communicate with the control unit via a bus.

13. The apparatus according to claim 12 , wherein further lock control units are connectable to the bus for the purpose of communication with the control unit without the need for any changes to the control unit with regard to the communication.

14. The apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the compartment system is part of a delivery and/or collection system comprising a plurality of delivery and/or collection containers associated with respective identifiers and a central unit for providing access authorizations associated with the respective

Assignees

• Jansen Jochen
• Benz Ramin
• Dautz Christoph
• Carstens Christian
• Schusdziara Dirk
• Hirtreiter Erwin
• Schiessl Franz A
• Eisenhart Christian
• Bulygin Stanislav
• Deutsche Post Ag

Inventors

• Jansen Jochen
• Benz Ramin
• Dautz Christoph
• Carstens Christian
• Schusdziara Dirk
• Hirtreiter Erwin
• Schiessl Franz A
• Eisenhart Christian
• Bulygin Stanislav

Classifications

• G07C9/27 Primary

  with central registration · CPC title

• G06Q20/0855

  involving a third party · CPC title

• G06Q10/0836

  Recipient pick-ups · CPC title

• G06Q20/127

  Shopping or accessing services according to a time-limitation · CPC title

• A47G29/141 Primary

  comprising electronically controlled locking means · CPC title