Docking station with removable lockers

• US 10,049,519 B2
• Filed: 11/16/2017
• Issued: 08/14/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 11/16/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Walmart Apollo, LLC (WalMart Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Walmart Apollo, LLC (WalMart Inc.)
• Inventors: Wilkinson, Bruce W., Mattingly, Todd D., McHale, Brian G.
• Primary Examiner(s): Cao, Allen T
• Application Number:
  US15/815,344
• Publication Number:
  US 20180137705A1
• Time in Patent Office: 271 Days
• Field of Search: 340 55- 555
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/00 Payment architectures, schemes or protocols apparatus for performing or posting payment transactions G07F7/08, G07F19/00; electronic cash registers G07G1/12
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/18 involving self-service terminals [SST], vending machines, kiosks or multimedia terminals
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 2009/00634 Power supply for the lock
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/00563 using personal physical data of the operator, e.g. finger prints, retinal images, voicepatterns
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/00571 operated by interacting with a central unit
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/00896 specially adapted for particular uses

Abstract

In some embodiments, apparatuses, and methods are provided pertaining to lockers that can be secured in a docking station. In some embodiments, a system comprises a docking station, the docking station configured to selectively secure and release one or more lockers and receive a command to allow one of the one or more lockers to be released, wherein each of the one or more lockers is removable from the docking station, and wherein each of the one or more lockers comprises a storage portion and a securement mechanism for securing each of the one or more lockers to the docking station.

Claims

1. A system for selectively securing and releasing lockers to customers for use, the system comprising:

a docking station, wherein the docking station includes a user input device, and wherein the docking station is configured to;

selectively secure and release one or more lockers; and

receive, via the user input device from a customer, a command to allow one of the one or more lockers to be released; and

the one or more lockers, wherein each of the one or more lockers is removable from the docking station, and wherein each of the one or more lockers comprises;

a storage portion, wherein the storage portion is configured to receive, from the customer, one or more items;

a door, wherein the door is configured to provide access for the customer to the storage portion; and

a securement mechanism, wherein the securement mechanism is configured to secure each of the one or more lockers to the docking station, and wherein the securement mechanism is configured to receive commands to release each of the one or more lockers from the docking station.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the docking station is further configured to:

receive, from the customer via a remote device, the command to allow one of the one or more lockers to be released.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the user input device is a touchscreen device.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the docking station is further configured to:

in response to receipt of a command to release a first locker of the one or more lockers, transmit, to a securement mechanism associated with the first locker, an instruction to release the first locker.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein each of the one or more lockers further comprise:

a validation mechanism for allowing access to an associated one of the one or more lockers.

6. The system of claim 5, wherein the validation mechanism is one or more of an NFC reader, a biometric scanner, and a keypad.

7. The system of claim 5, wherein each of the one or more lockers includes a handle, and wherein the validation mechanism of each of the one or more lockers is located in the handle of each of the one or more lockers.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the docking station includes a payment mechanism.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein each of the one or more lockers further comprises:

a propulsion unit; and

one or more controls configured to actuate the propulsion unit.

10. The system of claim 1, wherein the docking station is further configured to:

provide electrical power to the one or more lockers.

11. A method for selectively securing and releasing lockers to customers for use, the method comprising:

receiving, at a docking station housing one or more lockers, a request for a locker, wherein the request is received from a customer via a user interface, wherein each of the one or more lockers includes a storage portion and a door, wherein the storage portion is configured to receive one or more items, and wherein the door is configured to provide access to the storage portion;

receiving, at the docking station, authorization information for the customer;

determining, by the docking station, a selected locker from the one or more lockers; and

transmitting, by the docking station to a securement mechanism associated with the selected locker, a command to allow the selected locker to be released from the docking station.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the request for the locker is received from a device remote from the docking station.

13. The method of claim 11, wherein the request for a locker is received via a user interface located on the docking station.

14. The method of claim 11, wherein the authorization information includes one or more of payment information, identification information, account information, and membership information.

15. The method of claim 11, wherein the determining, by the docking station, a selected locker from the one or more lockers comprises:

receiving, from the user, an indication of the selected locker.

16. The method of claim 11, further comprising:

receiving, at a validation mechanism of the selected locker, validation information, wherein the validation information allows access to the selected locker.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the validation mechanism is one or more of an NFC reader, a biometric scanner, and a keypad.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the selected locker includes a handle, and wherein the validation mechanism is located in the handle.

19. The method of claim 11, further comprising:

providing, by the docking station, electrical power to the one or more lockers.