Digital locker

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9482522-B2
Application number	US-201514605838-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jan 26, 2015
Priority date	Jan 26, 2015
Publication date	Nov 1, 2016
Grant date	Nov 1, 2016

Abstract

Techniques are provided for generating sensor data from a locker compartment and transmitting the sensor data to a locker controller. The sensor data indicates one or more characteristics of an item present in the locker compartment. Upon receiving the sensor data, the locker controller transmits the sensor data to a locker manager, which, based on, at least in part, the sensor data indicating the one or more characteristics of the item, determines one or more dimensions of the item present in the locker compartment. The locker controller also requests one or more reference dimensions of the item, determines whether the one or more dimensions of the item match the one or more reference dimensions of the item, and if so generates and transmits a first report message indicating that the one or more dimensions of the item match the one or more reference dimensions of the item.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A system comprising:
a locker manager;
a locker controller configured to: receive sensor data from one or more sensors of a locker compartment;
wherein the sensor data indicates one or more characteristics of an item present in the locker compartment; and
in response to receiving the sensor data from the one or more sensors, transmit the sensor data to the locker manager; and

wherein the locker manager is configured to:
receive the sensor data from the locker controller;
determine, based on, at least in part, the sensor data indicating the one or more characteristics of the item, one or more actual dimensions of the item present in the locker compartment;
request one or more reference dimensions of the item, wherein the one or more references dimensions of the item are determined for the item before the item is stored in the locker compartment;
determine whether the one or more actual dimensions of the item match the one or more reference dimensions of the item; and
in response to determining that the one or more actual dimensions of the item match the one or more reference dimensions of the item, generate and transmit a first report message indicating that the one or more actual dimensions of the item match the one or more reference dimensions of the item.

2. The system of claim 1 , wherein the locker manager is further configured to:
based on, at least in part, the one or more actual dimensions of the item and the one or more reference dimensions of the item:
determine whether the item present in the locker compartment is an intended item having the one or more reference dimensions;
in response to determining that the item present in the locker compartment is the intended item, generate and transmit a second report message indicating that the item present in the locker compartment is an intended item that has the one or more reference dimensions; and
in response to determining that the item present in the locker compartment is not the intended item, generate and transmit a third report message indicating that an unintended item is present in the locker compartment.

3. The system of claim 1 , wherein the locker manager is further configured to:
based on, at least in part, the sensor data, determine whether no item is present in the locker compartment; and
in response to determining that no item is present in the locker compartment:
request a confirmation that no item should be present in the locker compartment;
in response to receiving the confirmation that no item should be present in the locker compartment, generate and transmit a fourth report message indicating that the locker compartment is empty.

4. The system of claim 1 ,
wherein the locker manager determines whether the one or more actual dimensions of the item match the one or more reference dimensions of the item by comparing each of the one or more actual dimensions of the item with each of the one or more reference dimensions; and
wherein the locker manager determines that the one or more actual dimensions of the item match the one or more reference dimensions of the item when the one or more actual dimensions of the item are in the one or more reference dimensions within a certain margin error.

5. The system of claim 1 , wherein the one or more sensors include any one of: an optical sensor, an infra-red sensor, a laser sensor, a camera, a scanner.

6. The system of claim 1 ,
wherein a sensor of the one or more sensors is further configured to:
detect whether a door of the locker compartment has been closed;
in response to detecting that the door of the locker compartment has been closed:
determine new sensor data of contents of the locker compartment,
transmit to the locker controller a notification containing the new sensor data and indicating that the door of the locker compartment has been closed;

wherein the locker controller is further configured to:
in response to receiving the notification containing the new sensor data and indicating that the door of the locker compartment has been closed, transmit the notification to the locker manager; and

wherein the locker manager is further configured to:
in response to receiving the notification:
request information indicating whether the locker compartment should be empty;
in response to receiving the information indicating that the locker compartment should be empty:
report to an intermediary that the item has been delivered to the locker compartment; and
otherwise, report to the intermediary that the item has not been deposited in the locker compartment.

7. The system of claim 6 , wherein the intermediary is further configured to:
determine an incentive if the item is retrieved from the locker compartment within a certain time period; and
determine a disincentive if the item is not retrieved from the locker compartment after the certain time period.

8. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing one or more instructions which, when executed by one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to perform:
receiving, at a locker controller, sensor data generated by one or more sensors of a locker compartment;
wherein the sensor data indicates one or more characteristics of an item present in the locker compartment;
in response to receiving the sensor data from the one or more sensors, transmitting the sensor data to a locker manager;
receiving the sensor data from the locker controller;
determining, based on, at least in part, the sensor data indicating the one or more characteristics of the item, one or more actual dimensions of the item present in the locker compartment;
requesting one or more reference dimensions of the item;
determining whether the one or more actual dimensions of the item match the one or more reference dimensions of the item; and
in response to determining that the one or more actual dimensions of the item match the one or more reference dimensions of the item, generating and transmitting a first report message indicating that the one or more actual dimensions of the item match the one or more reference dimensions of the item.

9. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 8 , storing additional instructions which, when executed, cause:
based on, at least in part, the one or more actual dimensions of the item and the one or more reference dimensions of the item:
determining whether the item present in the locker compartment is an intended item having the one or more reference dimensions;
in response to determining that the item present in the locker compartment is the intended item, generating and transmitting a second report message indicating that the item present in the locker compartment is an intended item that has the one or more reference dimensions; and
in response to determining that the item present in the locker compartment is not the intended item, generating and transmitting a third report message indicating that an unintended item is present in the locker compartment.

10. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 8 , storing additional instructions which, when executed, cause:
based on, at least in part, the sensor data, determining whether no item is present in the locker compartment; and
in response to determining that no item is present in the locker compartment:
requesting a confirmation that no item should be present in the locker compartment; and
in response to receiving the confirmation that no item should be present in the locker compartment, generating and transmitting a fourth report message indicating that the locker compartment is empty.

11. The non-transitory computer-rea

Assignees

• Motoyama Tetsuro
• Ricoh Co Ltd

Inventors

• Motoyama Tetsuro

Classifications

• H04Q9/00

  Arrangements in telecontrol or telemetry systems for selectively calling a substation from a main station, in which substation desired apparatus is selected for applying a control signal thereto or for obtaining measured values therefrom · CPC title

• G07C9/00571

  operated by interacting with a central unit · CPC title

• G01B11/28 Primary

  for measuring areas · CPC title

• G07C9/00896

  specially adapted for particular uses · CPC title

• G07F17/13 Primary

  the containers being a postal pick-up locker · CPC title