Check-in systems and methods for an automated tower that stores and dispenses customer orders

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12062010-B2
Application number	US-202318189353-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 24, 2023
Priority date	Apr 23, 2018
Publication date	Aug 13, 2024
Grant date	Aug 13, 2024

Abstract

A check-in system for an dispensing items includes a computing device having an application installed thereon. The computing device is configured to check in a customer to notify the kiosk of a time range during which an order of the customer is picked up. The kiosk is configured to receive a check-in message from the computing device, receive the location of the computing device, receive a message indicative of the arrival of the customer at the automated tower, retrieve information of the order from an order database stored on a remote server, assemble the order based on the check-in message and the information of the order, and move the assembled order close to a pick-up location of the automated tower to facilitate pick-up of the assembled order.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A check-in system for dispensing an order, comprising:
a non-transitory memory module having instructions stored thereon;
a database storing order data associated with a plurality of orders, the order data including user data associated with transactions of a user and online preferences of the user;
a first processor configured to read the instructions to:
receive, via a transceiver, location data for a user computing device associated with the user;
determine, based on the location data, that the user computing device is within a predetermined distance of a physical location;
in response to determining the user computing device is within the predetermined distance, obtain, from the database, order data for at least one order associated with the user computing device; and
receive a check-in message from the user computing device; and

a modular stackable kiosk comprising a second processor configured to:
receive the order data from the first processor, wherein the order data is provided to the kiosk in response to obtaining the order data from the database;
determine there is adequate space for an assembled order corresponding to the order data at the kiosk, the assembled order including one or more items that includes a non-ambient temperature item;
determine an estimated time of arrival of the user based at least in part on the location data of the user computing device;
determine a change in temperature for the non-ambient temperature item based on the estimated time of arrival;
determine a pick-up temperature range for the non-ambient temperature item based on the change in temperature, the pick-up temperature range including a maximum temperature above a storage temperature of the non-ambient temperature item;
determine an earliest assembly time such that the non-ambient temperature item will be within the pick-up temperature range at the estimated time of arrival;
in response to determining there is adequate space and determining the earliest assembly time, implement a set of operations that automatically assemble the non-ambient temperature item at or after the earliest assembly time; and
in response to the first processor receiving the check-in message from the user computing device, dispense the assembled order.

2. The check-in system of claim 1 , wherein the assembled order is stored in a first location, and wherein the second processor is configured to:
in response to the first processor receiving the check-in message from the user computing device, implement an additional set of operations that automatically transfer the assembled order the first location to a dispensing location prior to dispensing the assembled order.

3. The check-in system of claim 1 , wherein the second processor is configured to:
determine a first item of the one or more items identified by the order is not available;
obtain user preference data;
select a substitute item for the first item based on the user preference data; and
assemble the one or more items including the substitute item.

4. The check-in system of claim 1 , wherein the location data comprises an absolute location using a coordinate system.

5. The check-in system of claim 1 , wherein the location data is received from the user computing device.

6. The check-in system of claim 1 , wherein the second processor is configured to implement the set of operations that automatically assemble one or more items identified by the order data when the location data indicates the user computing device is within a second predetermined distance of the physical location.

7. The check-in system of claim 1 , wherein the kiosk is located within a structure.

8. The check-in system of claim 1 , wherein the change in temperature is an increase in temperature above a storage temperature of the non-ambient temperature item.

9. The check-in system of claim 1 , wherein the non-ambient temperature item begins to degrade above the maximum temperature.

10. A computer-implemented method, comprising:
receiving, via a transceiver, location data for a user computing device associated with a user;
determining, based on the location data, that the user computing device is within a predetermined distance of a physical location;
in response to determining the user computing device is within the predetermined distance, obtaining, from a database, order data for at least one order associated with the user computing device, the order data including user data associated with transactions of the user and online preferences of the user; and
receiving a check-in message from the user computing device;
determining there is adequate space within a modular stackable kiosk for an assembled order corresponding to the order data, the assembled order including one or more items that includes a non-ambient temperature item;
determining an estimated time of arrival of the user based at least in part on the location data of the user computing device;
determining a change in temperature for the non-ambient temperature item based on the estimated time of arrival;
determining a pick-up temperature range for the non-ambient temperature item based on the change in temperature, the pick-up temperature range including a maximum temperature above a storage temperature of the non-ambient temperature item;
determining an earliest assembly time such that the non-ambient temperature item will be within the pick-up temperature range at the estimated time of arrival;
in response to determining there is adequate space and determining the earliest assembly time, implementing a set of operations that automatically assemble the non-ambient temperature item at or after the earliest assembly time; and
in response to receiving the check-in message from the user computing device, dispensing the assembled order.

11. The computer-implemented method of claim 10 , wherein the assembled order is stored in a first location, the method further comprising in response receiving the check-in message from the user computing device, implement an additional set of operations that automatically transfer the assembled order from the first location to a dispensing location prior to dispensing the assembled order.

12. The computer-implemented method of claim 10 , comprising:
determining a first item of the one or more items identified by the order is not available;
obtaining user preference data;
selecting a substitute item for the first item based on the user preference data; and
assembling the one or more items including the substitute item.

13. The computer-implemented method of claim 10 , wherein the location data comprises an absolute location using a coordinate system.

14. The computer-implemented method of claim 10 , wherein the location data is received from the user computing device.

15. The computer-implemented method of claim 10 , comprising implementing the set of operations that automatically assemble one or more items identified by the order data when the location data indicates the user computing device is within a second predetermined distance of the physical location.

16. The computer-implemented method of claim 10 , wherein the change in temperature is an increase in temperature above a storage temperature of the non-ambient temperature item.

17. The computer-implemented method of claim 10 , wherein the non-ambient temperature item begins to degrade above the maximum temperature.

18. A non-transitory computer-readable medium having instructions stored thereon that, when executed by a processor, cause a computing

Assignees

• Walmart Apollo Llc

Inventors

• Tovey David G
• Wilkinson Bruce
• Simon John
• Bessel Kurt William Robert

Classifications

• G06F16/9537

  Spatial or temporal dependent retrieval, e.g. spatiotemporal queries · CPC title

• H04W4/021

  Services related to particular areas, e.g. point of interest [POI] services, venue services or geofences · CPC title

• G06Q10/0833

  Tracking · CPC title

• G06Q10/0838

  Historical data · CPC title

• G06Q10/08355

  Routing methods · CPC title