Shopping container safes and related methods for securing objects

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9725105-B2
Application number	US-201414583216-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 26, 2014
Priority date	Dec 26, 2014
Publication date	Aug 8, 2017
Grant date	Aug 8, 2017

Abstract

Shopping container safes and related methods for securing objects are disclosed. According to an aspect, a shopping container includes a load carrier and a safe being attached to the load carrier. The safe may include a door and a lock. The lock may be configured to receive security information from an object. The lock may also determine whether to validate the received security information. Further, the lock may either fasten or unfasten the door of the safe in response to determining to validate the received security information.

First claim

What is claimed:

1. A shopping container comprising:
a load carrier;
a plurality of wheels attached to the load carrier;
a wheel lock mechanism attached to one of the wheels;
a safe being attached to the load carrier and comprising a door and a lock, wherein the lock comprises at least a processor and memory being configured to:
receive security information from an object;
determine whether to validate the received security information;
determine whether the door is unfastened;
determine whether the door is fastened;
and
in response to determining to validate the received security information, and whether the door is unfastened:
(i) control the door of the safe to be fastened; and
(ii) transmit a signal to the wheel lock mechanism to prevent the plurality of wheels to freely roll; and
in response to determining to validate the received security information, and whether the door is fastened:
(i) control the door of the safe to be unfastened; and
(ii) transmit a signal to the wheel lock mechanism to allow the plurality of wheels to freely roll.

2. The shopping container of claim 1 , wherein the load carrier comprises a rearward-facing side, and
wherein the safe is attached to the rearward-facing side of the load carrier.

3. The shopping container of claim 2 , further comprising a handle attached to the rearward-facing side, and
wherein the safe is positioned downward with respect to the handle.

4. The shopping container of claim 1 , wherein the object is a card comprising one of a barcode and a magnetic stripe configured to store the security information, and
wherein the lock is configured to interface with the card to receive the security information.

5. The shopping container of claim 1 , wherein the object is an electronic device configured to store the security information and to wirelessly communicate, and
wherein the lock is configured to wirelessly communicate with the electronic device to receive the security information.

6. The shopping container of claim 1 , wherein the object includes a radio-frequency identification (RFID) tag that stores the security information, and
wherein the lock is configured to interface with the RFID tag to receive the security information.

7. The shopping container of claim 1 , wherein the object is a customer loyalty card configured to store the security information, and
wherein the lock is configured to interface with the customer loyalty card to receive the security information.

8. The shopping container of claim 7 , wherein the security information is a customer identifier.

9. The shopping container of claim 1 , wherein the lock comprises at least a processor and memory configured to prevent the one of fasten and unfasten the door of the safe in response to determining not to validate the received security information.

Assignees

• Toshiba Global Commerce Solutions Holdings Corp

Inventors

• Yu Shun-Te
• Lee Leo
• Wang Merrick
• Hsieh Vincent

Classifications

• E05B65/0075 Primary

  for safes, strongrooms, vaults, fire-resisting cabinets or the like (safes, closures and fastenings therefor E05G) · CPC title

• E05G1/04

  Closure fasteners (locks E05B) · CPC title

• B62B3/146 Primary

  Lockers, hooks, e.g. for personal belongings · CPC title

• E05B2047/0094

  Mechanical aspects of remotely controlled locks · CPC title

• E05G1/005

  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