Mobile pickup units
First Claim
1. A system to transport ordered items for retrieval by users, the system comprising:
- a mobile pickup unit comprising;
a plurality of storage compartments, each storage compartment having a locking mechanism; and
a control station configured to control each of the locking mechanisms; and
a computing system, comprising;
one or more processors; and
a memory coupled to the one or more processors and storing program instructions that when executed by the one or more processors cause the one or more processors to at least;
receive orders for items that are to be retrieved by a plurality of users from the mobile pickup unit;
receive travel-related data that indicates at least one of a maximum time or a maximum distance for each user to travel from a respective user location to the mobile pickup unit;
determine a user travel area for each user that is defined at least in part by the travel-related data;
determine a first user pickup area where the user travel areas overlap;
provide travel instructions for the mobile pickup unit to travel to the first user pickup area and to park in a first parking location in the first user pickup area;
after at least some of the users have retrieved their ordered items, determine which users of the plurality of users are remaining users who have not yet retrieved their ordered items;
determine a second user pickup area where the user travel areas for the remaining users overlap; and
provide travel instructions for the mobile pickup unit to relocate from the first parking location to a second parking location within the second user pickup area that is closer to each of the remaining user locations than the first parking location.
1 Assignment
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Accused Products
Abstract
A mobile pickup unit is provided that includes storage compartments (e.g., for containing items) and is configured to travel to a user pickup area and park as close as possible to an optimal location that is determined based on the locations of users who are scheduled to utilize the mobile pickup unit. The mobile pickup unit may include or otherwise be transported by any type of mobile machine (e.g., automobile, etc.), and control of the mobile machine may be manual (e.g., a driver) or automated (e.g., directly or remotely controlled by an automated system, robotic, etc.) A parking location that is selected may be along a public street or any other available parking space, such that parking locations may be selected on a daily basis that are convenient for the users who will be utilizing the mobile pickup unit (e.g., for retrieving ordered items, dropping off returned items, etc.).
40 Citations
20 Claims
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1. A system to transport ordered items for retrieval by users, the system comprising:
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a mobile pickup unit comprising; a plurality of storage compartments, each storage compartment having a locking mechanism; and a control station configured to control each of the locking mechanisms; and a computing system, comprising; one or more processors; and a memory coupled to the one or more processors and storing program instructions that when executed by the one or more processors cause the one or more processors to at least; receive orders for items that are to be retrieved by a plurality of users from the mobile pickup unit; receive travel-related data that indicates at least one of a maximum time or a maximum distance for each user to travel from a respective user location to the mobile pickup unit; determine a user travel area for each user that is defined at least in part by the travel-related data; determine a first user pickup area where the user travel areas overlap; provide travel instructions for the mobile pickup unit to travel to the first user pickup area and to park in a first parking location in the first user pickup area; after at least some of the users have retrieved their ordered items, determine which users of the plurality of users are remaining users who have not yet retrieved their ordered items; determine a second user pickup area where the user travel areas for the remaining users overlap; and provide travel instructions for the mobile pickup unit to relocate from the first parking location to a second parking location within the second user pickup area that is closer to each of the remaining user locations than the first parking location. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6)
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7. A mobile pickup unit comprising:
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a plurality of storage compartments; and a computing system comprising; one or more processors; and a memory coupled to the one or more processors and storing program instructions that when executed by the one or more processors cause the one or more processors to at least; receive instructions to park in a first user pickup area where a plurality of user travel areas overlap, wherein each user travel area corresponds to a travel limit for a respective user for traveling from a respective user location to retrieve an ordered item that is stored in a storage compartment of the mobile pickup unit; send a notification that indicates that the mobile pickup unit has parked at a first parking location within the first user pickup area; receive an input that indicates a first user has arrived at the mobile pickup unit to retrieve a first item that is stored in a first storage compartment; execute a pickup unit function to enable the first user to retrieve the first item while the mobile pickup unit is parked at the first parking location; and after the first user has retrieved the first item and before all of a plurality of users have retrieved their ordered items, receive instructions to relocate from the first parking location to a second parking location within a second user pickup area that is determined based at least in part on; a determination of which users of the plurality of users are remaining users who have not yet retrieved their ordered items; and an overlap of user travel areas; and wherein the second user pickup area is closer to user locations of each of the remaining users than the first parking location. - View Dependent Claims (8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
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14. A system to transport items, the system comprising:
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a mobile pickup unit, comprising; a plurality of storage compartments for storing items as part of pickup unit activities which include at least one of retrieving an item from a storage compartment or placing an item in a storage compartment; and a computing system, comprising; one or more processors; and a memory coupled to the one or more processors and storing program instructions that when executed by the one or more processors cause the one or more processors to at least; receive travel-related data indicating a travel limit for each user of a plurality of users for travelling from a respective user location to a mobile pickup unit to perform a pickup unit activity; determine a first user pickup area in which the mobile pickup unit is to be parked, wherein the mobile pickup unit is to be parked at a first parking location within the first user pickup area to enable the plurality of users to travel to the mobile pickup unit without exceeding the travel limits indicated by the travel-related data; after at least some of the users have performed pickup unit activities, determine which users of the plurality of users are remaining users who have not yet performed pickup unit activities; and determine a second user pickup area in which the mobile pickup unit is to be parked, wherein the mobile pickup unit is to be parked at a second parking location within the second user pickup area that is closer to the remaining user locations than the first parking location and that enables the remaining users to travel to the mobile pickup unit without exceeding the travel limits indicated by the travel-related data. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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Specification