Smart Locker

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2018165902-A1
Application number	US-201715831693-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Dec 5, 2017
Priority date	Dec 14, 2016
Publication date	Jun 14, 2018
Grant date	—

Abstract

An example portable container is described. The example portable container includes a body, a handle, a pair of wheels, a wheel lock, and an authenticator. The body includes walls that form an inner chamber configured and dimensioned to receive one or more items. The handle is mounted to the body, and the pair of wheels is mounted to the body. The wheel lock is configured to selectively engage and disengage at least one wheel of the pair of wheels. Engagement of the at least one wheel with the wheel lock restricts rotation of the wheel. The authenticator is configured to authenticate a user for transporting the portable container. If the authenticator fails to authenticate the user, the wheel lock is actuated to engage the at least one wheel of the pair of wheels to restrict rotation of the wheel.

First claim

1 . A portable smart locker, comprising:
a body including walls that form an inner chamber configured and dimensioned to receive one or more items; a handle mounted to the body; a pair of wheels mounted to the body; a wheel lock configured to selectively engage and disengage at least one wheel of the pair of wheels, engagement of the at least one wheel with the wheel lock restricting rotation of the wheel; and an authenticator configured to authenticate a user for transporting the portable smart locker; wherein if the authenticator fails to authenticate the user, the wheel lock is actuated to engage the at least one wheel of the pair of wheels to restrict rotation of the wheel.

2 . The portable smart locker of claim 1 , comprising a second pairs of wheels mounted to the body.

3 . The portable smart locker of claim 1 , wherein the wheel lock includes a brake configured to selectively engage and disengage the at least one wheel of the pair of wheels.

4 . The portable smart locker of claim 1 , wherein the handle is configured to be positioned in a stored position and an extended position.

5 . The portable smart locker of claim 4 , wherein the handle is retracted into a storage compartment when in the stored position, and the handle is extended from the storage compartment when in the extended position.

6 . The portable smart locker of claim 1 , wherein the authenticator is disposed on the handle and comprises a fingerprint scanner configured to authenticate the user by scanning one or more fingerprints of the user.

7 . The portable smart locker of claim 1 , wherein the authenticator includes a proximity sensor configured to detect a proximity of the user relative to the portable smart locker.

8 . The portable smart locker of claim 7 , wherein the proximity sensor is configured to detect the proximity of a handheld device of the user relative to the portable smart locker.

9 . The portable smart locker of claim 1 , comprising a temperature control system configured to regulate a temperature within the inner chamber.

10 . The portable smart locker of claim 1 , comprising a power source configured to rotationally power the pair of wheels.

11 . The portable smart locker of claim 10 , comprising an actuator for selectively rotationally powering the pair of wheels with the power source.

12 . The portable smart locker of claim 10 , wherein the pair of wheels are automatically rotationally powered by the power source upon successful authentication of the user with the authenticator.

13 . A portable smart locker system, comprising:
a portable smart locker including:
a body including walls that form an inner chamber configured and dimensioned to receive one or more items;
a handle mounted to the body;
a pair of wheels mounted to the body;
a wheel lock configured to selectively engage and disengage at least one wheel of the pair of wheels, engagement of the at least one wheel with the wheel lock restricting rotation of the wheel; and
an authenticator configured to authenticate a user for transporting the portable smart locker; and
a docking station including a docking section configured to engage the portable smart locker; wherein if the authenticator fails to authenticate the user, the wheel lock is actuated to engage the at least one wheel of the pair of wheels to restrict rotation of the wheel.

14 . The portable smart locker system of claim 13 , wherein the docking station includes a power source configured to provide power to a battery of the portable smart locker.

15 . The portable smart locker system of claim 13 , wherein the docking station includes a temperature control system configured to regulate a temperature within the inner chamber of the portable smart locker while the portable smart locker is engaged with the docking section.

16 . The portable smart locker system of claim 1 , comprising a reservation engine executed by a processing device to permit the user to reserve the portable smart locker.

17 . The portable smart locker system of claim 16 , wherein the authenticator performs authentication of the user based on information input by the user into the reservation engine via a graphical user interface.

18 . A method of transporting items, comprising:
providing a portable smart locker, the portable smart locker including:
a body including walls that form an inner chamber;
a handle mounted to the body;
a pair of wheels mounted to the body;
a wheel lock configured to selectively engage and disengage at least one wheel of the pair of wheels, engagement of the at least one wheel with the wheel lock restricting rotation of the wheel; and
an authenticator configured to authenticate a user for transporting the portable smart locker;
placing one or more items within the inner chamber of the portable smart locker; and authenticating the user via the authenticator to transport the portable smart locker; wherein if the authenticator fails to authenticate the user, the wheel lock is actuated to engage the at least one wheel of the pair of wheels to restrict rotation of the wheel.

19 . The method of claim 18 , wherein the authenticator is disposed on the handle and includes a fingerprint scanner, the method comprising authenticating the user by scanning one or more fingerprints of the user with the fingerprint scanner.

20 . The method of claim 18 , wherein the authenticator includes a proximity sensor, the method comprising authenticating the user by detecting a proximity of the user relative to the portable smart locker.

Assignees

• Wal Mart Stores Inc

Inventors

• Wilkinson Bruce W
• Mattingly Todd Davenport

Classifications

• G07C2009/0092

  for cargo, freight or shipping containers and applications therefore in general · CPC title

• G07C9/00912

  for safes, strong-rooms, vaults or the like · CPC title

• G07C9/00

  Individual registration on entry or exit · CPC title

• G07C9/00944

  Details of construction or manufacture · CPC title

• E05G1/005 Primary

  Portable strong boxes, e.g. which may be fixed to a wall or the like (E05G1/08, E05G1/14 take precedence; devices to prevent theft or loss of bags, trunks, baskets, or the like A45C13/18; coin boxes for coin freed apparatus G07F9/06) · CPC title