Systems and methods for receiving retail products

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12090911-B2
Application number	US-202217590729-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Feb 1, 2022
Priority date	Nov 30, 2017
Publication date	Sep 17, 2024
Grant date	Sep 17, 2024

Abstract

In some embodiments, apparatuses and methods are provided herein useful to receiving retail products. In some embodiments, there is provided a system for receiving retail products including a storage container. The storage container includes one or more chambers; one or more sensors including at least a radio frequency sensor; a locking assembly; and a storage container control circuit configured to provide an unlock signal based on a first trigger signal associated with at least one of the one or more sensors and a second trigger signal associated with an electronic control device to enable access to the one or more chambers.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A system for receiving retail products comprising:
a storage container comprising:
one or more chambers to receive retail products;
one or more sensors comprising at least a radio frequency sensor;
a locking system comprising a locking mechanism and configured to: receive a lock signal to disable access to at least one of the one or more chambers; and receive an unlock signal to enable access to the at least one of the one or more chambers; and
a storage container control circuit operatively coupled to the one or more sensors and the locking system, the storage container control circuit configured to provide the unlock signal based on a first trigger signal associated with at least one of the one or more sensors and a second trigger signal associated with an electronic control device to enable access to the at least one of the one or more chambers,
wherein the second trigger signal is initiated when one or more retail products are within a threshold distance from the storage container.

2. The system of claim 1 , further comprising a power over ethernet (POE) system configured to provide POE power to the storage container, wherein the POE power is down converted to one or more operational powers used by the storage container control circuit.

3. The system of claim 2 , wherein, in providing the unlock signal to the locking system, the storage container control circuit is further configured to:
allow a particular operational power that is based on the POE power to couple with the locking system, wherein the locking system is configured to enable access to the at least one of the one or more chambers in response to the coupling with the particular operational power.

4. The system of claim 2 , further comprising a battery configured to initiate backup power to the storage container when the POE power is not provided to the storage container.

5. The system of claim 1 , wherein the storage container control circuit is further configured to:
communicatively couple to a cellular network when the storage container determines a loss of connection to a home-enabled internet network; and
provide a message indicating status of at least one of: one or more retail products to be delivered and stored in the one or more chambers, the one or more sensors to a customer associated with the storage container via the cellular network instead of the home-enabled internet network.

6. The system of claim 1 , further comprising one or more second sensors coupled to the storage container control circuit, wherein at least one of the one or more second sensors is configured to provide at least one of: motion data, sound data, and infrared data inside the one or more chambers, wherein the storage container control circuit is further configured to:
determine whether at least one of: a human and an animal is inside the one or more chambers based on the at least one of: motion data, sound data, and infrared data received by the storage container control circuit over a period of time; and
in response to the determination that the at least one of: the human and the animal is inside the one or more chambers, provide the unlock signal to the locking assembly to allow the at least one of: the human and the animal to exit out of the one or more chambers.

7. The system of claim 1 , wherein the storage container further comprises at least one channel system on at least a portion of a perimeter surface of the storage container, the at least one channel system is configured to receive one or more interchangeable skin panels secured by grooves of the at least one channel system to add a customizable surface on the at least a portion of the perimeter surface of the storage container.

8. The system of claim 1 , wherein the storage container is configured to only be communicatively coupled to a user via one or more remote connections to the storage container control circuit.

9. The system of claim 1 , further comprising:
one or more second sensors configured to provide data corresponding to living beings approaching the storage container, wherein the storage container control circuit is further configured to:
determine whether a third trigger signal is received from one of the one or more second sensors;
determine whether a fourth trigger signal is available from a server; and
provide the unlock signal to the locking system based on the determination that the third trigger signal is received and that the fourth trigger signal is available to enable access to the at least one of the one or more chambers; and

the server remote from and communicatively coupled to the storage container, the server configured to:
provide the fourth trigger signal based on at least one of: an estimated delivery time of the one or more retail products, an authorization to access from a customer associated with the storage container, and an authentication signal received from the customer.

10. The system of claim 1 , wherein the locking mechanism comprises at least one of a latch, a magnetic lock, a solenoid lock, and a motor lock.

11. The system of claim 1 , wherein the second trigger signal is provided based on at least one of an estimated delivery time of the one or more retail products, an authorization to access from a customer associated with the storage container, and an authentication signal received from the customer via the electronic control device.

12. A method for receiving retail products comprising:
by a storage container comprising a locking system comprising a locking mechanism, one or more sensors, one or more chambers, and a storage container control circuit:
receiving, at the locking system, a lock signal to disable access to at least one of the one or more chambers that receive retail products;
receiving, at the locking system, an unlock signal to enable access to the at least one of the one or more chambers; and
providing, by the storage container control circuit, the unlock signal based on a first trigger signal associated with at least one of the one or more sensors and a second trigger signal associated with an electronic control device to enable access to the one or more chambers, the one or more sensors comprising at least a radio frequency sensor,
wherein the second trigger signal is initiated when one or more retail products are within a threshold distance from the storage container.

13. The method of claim 12 , further comprising:
determining, by one or more second sensors, whether at least one of: a human and an animal is inside the one or more chambers based on at least one of: motion data, sound data, and infrared data received by the storage container control circuit over a period of time, wherein the storage container further comprises the one or more second sensors; and
in response to the determining that the at least one of: the human and the animal is inside the one or more chambers, providing, by the storage container control circuit, the unlock signal to the locking system to allow the at least one of: the human and the animal to exit out of the one or more chambers.

14. The method of claim 12 , wherein the storage container is configured to only be communicatively coupled to a user via one or more remote connections to the storage container.

15. The method of claim 12 , further comprising receiving, at the storage container, power from at least one of a battery and a power over ethernet (POE) system.

16. A system for receiving retail products comprising:
a storage container comprising:
one or more chambers to receive retail products;
one or more sensors configured to provide

Assignees

• Walmart Apollo Llc

Inventors

• Letson Eric A
• Wilkinson Bruce W

Classifications

• F25D11/003

  Transport containers · CPC title

• F25D2700/08

  Sensors using Radio Frequency Identification [RFID] · CPC title

• F25D29/003

  for movable devices · CPC title

• F25D2700/16

  Sensors measuring the temperature of products · CPC title

• G06Q10/0832 Primary

  Special goods or special handling procedures, e.g. handling of hazardous or fragile goods · CPC title