Delivery system and its delivery method

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12530654-B2
Application number	US-202418665574-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 16, 2024
Priority date	May 22, 2023
Publication date	Jan 20, 2026
Grant date	Jan 20, 2026

Abstract

A delivery system includes a storage box, receiver terminals, a deliverer terminal, and a server. The deliverer terminal transmits, to the server, identification information of the storage box storing a delivery item and identification information of a destination receiver of the delivery item. The server transmits delivery information to the receiver terminal of the destination receiver based on the identification information of the destination receiver of the delivery item. The receiver terminal of the destination receiver transmits, to the server, information of an alternate receiver set based on relevant information about a person in the same building as the destination receiver. The server transmits, to the receiver terminal of the alternate receiver, the identification information of the storage box and unlocking key information for unlocking the storage box, based on the information of the alternate receiver transmitted from the receiver terminal of the destination receiver.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A delivery system comprising:
at least one storage box capable of storing a delivery item; a plurality of receiver terminals used by receivers of the delivery item; a deliverer terminal used by a deliverer of the delivery item; and a server capable of communicating with each of the receiver terminals and the deliverer terminal, wherein
the deliverer terminal transmits, to the server, identification information of the storage box storing the delivery item and identification information of a destination receiver of the delivery item,
the server transmits, based on the identification information of the destination receiver of the delivery item transmitted from the deliverer terminal, delivery information notifying the receiver terminal of the destination receiver that the delivery item has been or will be delivered in the storage box,
the receiver terminal of the destination receiver displays predetermined specific information or group information on a screen in a selectable manner based on relevant information, wherein the predetermined specific information is one of a room number and a department name of an alternate receiver,
the receiver terminal of the destination receiver displays the predetermined specific information without displaying a name of the alternate receiver,
the receiver terminal of the destination receiver transmits, to the server, information of an alternate receiver set based on the relevant information about a person who is in a building with the destination receiver and is related to the receiver,
the server transmits, to the receiver terminal of the alternate receiver, the identification information of the storage box and unlocking key information for unlocking the storage box, based on the information of the alternate receiver transmitted from the receiver terminal of the destination receiver,
the storage box reads the unlocking key information from the receiver terminal of the alternate receiver and physically unlocks the storage box based on the unlocking key information,
the server sets information of at least one alternate receiver based on the relevant information and transmits the set information of the alternate receive together with the delivery information to the receiver terminal of the destination receiver,
the receiver terminal of the destination receiver transmits, to the server, the information of the at least one alternate receiver selected based on the information of the alternate receiver transmitted from the server, and
the server transmits the identification information of the storage box and the unlocking key information for unlocking the storage box to the receiver terminal of the alternate receiver based on the information of the alternate receiver transmitted from the receiver terminal of the destination receiver.

2 . The delivery system according to claim 1 , wherein
the receiver terminal of the destination receiver sets the alternate receiver based on the selection made by the destination receiver, and transmits information of the set alternate receiver to the server.

3 . The delivery system according to claim 1 , wherein the server sets the at least one alternate receiver based on the relevant information and a content of the delivery item.

4 . The delivery system according to claim 1 , wherein the relevant information is one of a room number and a department name of the receiver.

5 . The delivery system according to claim 1 , wherein the server transmits query information to the receiver terminals of the alternate receivers inquiring whether they can receive the delivery item in the storage box.

6 . The delivery system according to claim 5 , wherein the server transmits the identification information of the storage box and the unlocking key information for unlocking the storage box to the receiver terminal of the alternate receiver in response to an answer that the delivery item in the storage box can be received form the receiver terminal of the alternate receiver that has received the query information.

7 . The delivery system according to claim 6 , wherein the server
transmits the query information to a receiver terminal of an alternate receiver having a highest priority in accordance with a priority, and withholds transmission of the query information to a receiver terminal of an alternate receiver having a second highest priority in accordance with the priority until the answer is received from the receiver terminal of the alternate receiver having the highest priority.

8 . The delivery system according to claim 7 , wherein the priority is based on distance from the storage box to the receiver terminal.

9 . The delivery system according to claim 7 , wherein the priority is based on a number of times delivery items have been received by the alternate receiver.

10 . The delivery system according to claim 7 , wherein the priority is based on evaluation information of the alternate receiver.

11 . A delivery method performed by a delivery system comprising:
at least one storage box capable of storing a delivery item; a plurality of receiver terminals used by receivers of the delivery item; a deliverer terminal used by a deliverer of the delivery item; and a server capable of communicating with each of the receiver terminals and the deliverer terminal, the delivery method comprising:
transmitting, by the deliverer terminal to the server, identification information of the storage box storing the delivery item and identification information of a destination receiver of the delivery item,
transmitting by the server, based on the identification information of the destination receiver of the delivery item transmitted from the deliverer terminal, delivery information notifying the receiver terminal of the destination receiver that the delivery item has been or will be delivered in the storage box;
displaying by the receiver terminal of the destination receiver, predetermined specific information or group information on a screen in a selectable manner based on relevant information, wherein the predetermined specific information is one of a room number and a department name of an alternate receiver;
displaying by the receiver terminal of the destination receiver, the predetermined specific information without displaying a name of the alternate receiver;
transmitting, by the receiver terminal of the destination receiver to the server, information of an alternate receiver set based on the relevant information about a person who is in a building with the destination receiver and is related to the receiver; and
transmitting, by the server to the receiver terminal of the alternate receiver, the identification information of the storage box and unlocking key information for unlocking the storage box, based on the information of the alternate receiver transmitted from the receiver terminal of the destination receiver, and
reading, by the storage box, the unlocking key information from the receiver terminal of the alternate receiver and physically unlocking the storage box based on the unlocking key information; wherein
the server sets information of at least one alternate receiver based on the relevant information and transmits the set information of the alternate receive together with the delivery information to the receiver terminal of the destination receiver,
the receiver terminal of the destination receiver transmits, to the server, the information of the at least one alternate receiver selected based on the information of the alternate receiver transmitted from the server, and
the server transmits the identification information of the storage box and the unlocking key information fo

Assignees

• Toyota Motor Co Ltd

Inventors

• Miyahara Kenta
• Ota Junya
• Komura Hirotaka
• Muramoto Kenta
• Shimizu Shunta
• Konishi Kazuto

Classifications

• A47G29/1218

  Post office boxes · CPC title

• G07C9/00896

  specially adapted for particular uses · CPC title

• G07C9/00571

  operated by interacting with a central unit · CPC title

• G07C9/00857 Primary

  where the code of the data carrier can be programmed · CPC title

• G06Q10/08

  Logistics, e.g. warehousing, loading or distribution; Inventory or stock management · CPC title