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Delivery reservation apparatus and method

  • US 10,423,921 B2
  • Filed: 01/03/2018
  • Issued: 09/24/2019
  • Est. Priority Date: 01/03/2017
  • Status: Active Grant
First Claim
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1. A reservation system for locations on a locker docking station, the system comprising:

  • the locker docking station having a plurality of locations thereon configured to have a locker secured thereto, the plurality of locations having associated capacity units;

    a plurality of securing mechanisms configured to selectively couple lockers to the locker docking station and wherein the locker docking station includes a support structure with the plurality of securing mechanisms mounted thereto;

    one or more control circuits in communication with at least one of a plurality of locker docking stations including the locker docking station, at least one of the one or more control circuits configured to maintain a public ledger of the capacity units for the plurality of locker docking stations, the public ledger containing a record of available and reserved capacity units for the plurality of locker docking stations;

    wherein at least one of the locker docking station and the one or more control circuits is configured to;

    receive a request for a delivery reservation from a delivery device for delivery of a locker to one or more of the plurality of locations of the locker docking station;

    analyze the public ledger of the locker docking station to determine whether sufficient capacity units are available for the locker;

    execute a contract for the delivery reservation reserving the capacity units;

    update the public ledger to reflect the delivery reservation reserving the capacity units;

    communicate with the locker when the locker is brought into proximity with the locker docking station;

    receive actual capacity units from the locker required for the locker to secure to the locker docking station;

    compare the actual capacity units to the capacity units reserved in the delivery reservation; and

    operate at least one of the plurality of securing mechanisms to secure the locker to the locker docking station in response to determining that the actual capacity units is equal to or less than the capacity units reserved in the delivery reservation.

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