Systems and methods for receiving retail products

• US 10,449,889 B2
• Filed: 11/15/2018
• Issued: 10/22/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 11/30/2017
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Walmart Apollo, LLC (WalMart Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Walmart Apollo, LLC (WalMart Inc.)
• Inventors: Letson, Eric A., Wilkinson, Bruce W., Mattingly, Todd D.
• Primary Examiner(s): Norman, Marc E
• Application Number:
  US16/192,655
• Publication Number:
  US 20190160994A1
• Time in Patent Office: 341 Days
• CPC Class Codes: B60P 3/20 Refrigerated goods vehicles air treatment of goods space B60H; air-conditioning means for freight cars, isothermic wagons B61D27/0027; superstructures for refrigerated goods vehicles B62D33/048
• CPC Class Codes: F25D 11/003 Transport containers
• CPC Class Codes: F25D 2700/08 Sensors using Radio Frequency Identification [RFID]
• CPC Class Codes: F25D 2700/16 Sensors measuring the temperature of products
• CPC Class Codes: F25D 29/003 for movable devices
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/0832 Special goods or special handling procedures, e.g. handling of hazardous or fragile goods

Abstract

In some embodiments, apparatuses and methods are provided herein useful to receiving retail products. In some embodiments, there is provided a system for receiving retail products including: a temperature controlled storage container and comprising: one or more chambers having corresponding chamber temperatures that are each individually maintained and adjustable based on a particular temperature assigned by a separate electronic control device to each of the one or more chambers; one or more temperature sensors; one or more additional sensors; a locking system; and a storage container control circuit configured to: receive the particular temperature; maintain each one of the corresponding chamber temperatures; determine whether a first trigger signal is received; determine whether a second trigger signal is available; and provide the unlock signal; and the separate electronic control device configured to: provide the particular temperature; selectively assign each of the one or more retail products; and provide the second trigger signal.

Claims

1. A system for receiving retail products to be delivered at a customer site comprising:

a temperature controlled storage container at the customer site and comprising;

one or more chambers having corresponding chamber temperatures that are each individually maintained and adjustable based on a particular temperature assigned by a separate electronic control device to each of the one or more chambers;

one or more temperature sensors coupled to the one or more chambers and configured to provide the corresponding chamber temperatures, wherein each of the corresponding chamber temperatures is a temperature read by at least one of the one or more temperature sensors associated with each of the one or more chambers;

one or more additional sensors configured to provide data corresponding to living beings approaching the temperature controlled storage container;

a locking system configured to;

receive a lock signal to disable access to at least one of the one or more chambers; and

receive an unlock signal to enable access to the at least one of the one or more chambers; and

a storage container control circuit operatively coupled to the one or more temperature sensors and the locking system, the storage container control circuit configured to;

receive the particular temperature assigned by the separate electronic control device to each of the one or more chambers;

maintain each one of the corresponding chamber temperatures based on the particular temperature assigned to each of the one or more chambers and the temperature read by the at least one of the one or more temperature sensors;

determine whether a first trigger signal is received from one of the one or more additional sensors;

determine whether a second trigger signal is available from the separate electronic control device; and

provide the unlock signal to the locking system based on the determination that the first trigger signal is received and that the second trigger signal is available to enable access to the at least one of the one or more chambers; and

the separate electronic control device remote from and communicatively coupled to the temperature controlled storage container, the separate electronic control device configured to;

provide the particular temperature assigned to each of the one or more chambers based on an external temperature outside of the temperature controlled storage container, one or more retail products to be delivered and stored in the one or more chambers, and an estimated delivery time of the one or more retail products;

selectively assign each of the one or more retail products to one of the one or more chambers based on at least one of;

a product temperature associated with each retail product of the one or more retail products and the particular temperature assigned to each of the one or more chambers; and

provide the second trigger signal based on at least one of;

the estimated delivery time of the one or more retail products, an authorization to access from a customer associated with the temperature controlled storage container, and an authentication signal received from the customer.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the temperature controlled storage container further comprises:

a cooling system cooperatively coupled to the storage container control circuit configured to selectively decrease at least one of the corresponding chamber temperatures based on a corresponding one of the particular temperature assigned to each of the one or more chambers; and

a heating system cooperatively coupled with the cooling system and storage container control circuit, the heating system configured to selectively increase the at least one of the corresponding chamber temperatures based on a corresponding one of the particular temperature assigned to each of the one or more chambers, wherein the storage container control circuit maintains each one of the corresponding chamber temperatures by cooperatively initiating operations of the cooling system and the heating system.

3. The system of claim 2, further comprising a power over ethernet (POE) system configured to provide POE power to the temperature controlled storage container, wherein the POE power is down converted to one or more operational powers used by the storage container control circuit, the cooling system, and the heating system.

4. The system of claim 3, wherein, in providing the unlock signal to the locking system, the storage container control circuit is further configured to:

stop providing the one or more operational powers to at least one of;

the cooling system and the heating system; and

allow a particular operational power that is based on the POE power to couple with the locking system, wherein the locking system is configured to enable access to the at least one of the one or more chambers in response to the coupling with the particular operational power.

5. The system of claim 3, further comprising a battery configured to initiate backup power to the temperature controlled storage container when the POE power is not provided to the temperature controlled storage container.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the storage container control circuit is further configured to:

communicatively couple to a cellular network when the temperature controlled storage container determines a loss of connection to a home-enabled internet network; and

provide a message indicating status of at least one of;

the one or more retail products, the one or more additional sensors, the one or more temperature sensors, location data of the temperature controlled storage container when the storage container control circuit detects unauthorized relocation of the temperature controlled storage container, and failure of components affecting quality of the one or more retail products to a customer associated with the temperature controlled storage container via the cellular network instead of the home-enabled internet network.

7. The system of claim 1, further comprising one or more inside sensors coupled to the storage container control circuit, wherein at least one of the one or more inside sensors is configured to provide at least one of:

motion data, sound data, and infrared data inside the one or more chambers, wherein the storage container control circuit is further configured to;

determine whether at least one of;

a human and an animal is inside the one or more chambers based on the at least one of;

motion data, sound data, and infrared data received by the storage container control circuit over a period of time; and

in response to the determination that the at least one of;

the human and the animal is inside the one or more chambers, provide the unlock signal to the locking system without receiving the first trigger signal and the second trigger signal to allow the at least one of;

the human and the animal to exit out of the one or more chambers.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the temperature controlled storage container further comprises at least one channel system on at least a portion of a perimeter surface of the temperature controlled storage container, the at least one channel system is configured to receive one or more interchangeable skin panels secured by grooves of the channel system to add a customizable surface on the at least a portion of the perimeter surface of the temperature controlled storage container.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein the temperature controlled storage container is configured to only be communicatively coupled to a user via one or more remote connections to the storage container control circuit.

10. The system of claim 1, wherein the temperature controlled storage container comprises a vehicle.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein the storage container control circuit and the electronic device are integrated with an on-board vehicle control circuit.

12. The system of claim 10, further comprising one or more inside sensors coupled to the storage container control circuit, wherein at least one of the one or more inside sensors is configured to provide at least one of:

motion data, sound data, and infrared data inside the one or more chambers, wherein the storage container control circuit is further configured to;

determine whether at least one of;

a human and an animal is inside the one or more chambers based on the at least one of;

motion data, sound data, and infrared data received by the storage container control circuit when the temperature controlled storage container is stationary over a period of time;

in response to the determination that the at least one of;

the human and the animal is inside the one or more chambers, provide the unlock signal to the locking system without receiving the first trigger signal and the second trigger signal to allow the at least one of;

the human and the animal to exit out of the one or more chambers; and

in response to the determination that the at least one of;

the human and the animal is inside the one or more chambers, provide warning signal to at least one of;

a delivery agent electronic device, a customer electronic device, an electronic device associated with a user of the temperature controlled storage container, and one or more electronic devices proximate to the temperature controlled storage container.

13. The system of claim 1, wherein the separate electronic control device comprises a customer electronic device.

14. A system for receiving retail products to be delivered at a customer site using a temperature controlled storage container comprising:

a power over ethernet (POE) system configured to provide power to a temperature controlled storage container;

the temperature controlled storage container at a customer site and coupled to the POE system, the temperature controlled storage container comprising;

one or more chambers having corresponding chamber temperatures that are each individually maintained by the temperature controlled storage container and adjustable based on instructions from a separate electronic control device;

a cooling system operable on a first operable power based on the power provided by the POE system, the cooling system configured to selectively decrease one of the corresponding chamber temperatures of the one or more chambers based on a temperature assigned to corresponding one of the one or more chambers;

a heating system operable on a second operable power based on the power provided by the POE system, the heating system configured to selectively increase the one of the corresponding chamber temperatures of the one or more chambers based on the temperature assigned to corresponding one of the one or more chambers; and

a storage container control circuit operable on a third operable power based on the power provided by the POE system and operatively coupled to the cooling system and the heating system, the storage container control circuit configured to;

determine whether the one of the corresponding chamber temperatures is within a threshold of the temperature assigned to the corresponding one of the one or more chambers;

initiate a first operation of the cooling system when the corresponding one of the one or more chambers is greater than the threshold; and

initiate a second operation of the heating system when the corresponding one of the one or more chambers is less than the threshold; and

the separate electronic control device remote from and communicatively coupled to the temperature controlled storage container, the separate electronic control device configured to provide the temperature assigned to the corresponding one of the one or more chambers based on an external temperature outside of the temperature controlled storage container, one or more retail products to be delivered and stored in the one or more chambers, and an estimated delivery time of the one or more retail products, wherein the separate electronic control device adjusts each of the corresponding chamber temperatures based on the temperature assigned to the corresponding one of the one or more chambers that is provided to the temperature controlled storage container.

15. The system of claim 14, wherein the storage container control circuit is further configured to periodically request one or more updates of the assigned temperature of each of the one or more chambers, and wherein the separate electronic control device is further configured to provide an updated assigned temperature to each of the one or more chambers based on at least one of:

updated external temperature reading outside of the temperature controlled storage container, the one or more retail products to be delivered, and updated estimated delivery time of the one or more retail products, and operational power requirement of the temperature controlled storage container relative to availability of the POE power.

16. A method for receiving retail products to be delivered at a customer site comprising:

receiving, at a storage container control circuit from a separate electronic control device, a particular assigned temperature of a plurality of assigned temperatures to a particular chamber of one or more chambers of a temperature controlled storage container, wherein each of the one or more chambers is assigned, by the separate electronic control device, a corresponding one of the plurality of assigned temperatures;

maintaining, by the storage container control circuit, a chamber temperature of the particular chamber based on the particular assigned temperature and a temperature read by at least one of one or more temperature sensors of the temperature controlled storage container associated with the particular chamber;

determining, by the storage container control circuit, whether a first trigger signal is received from one or more sensors of the temperature controlled storage container;

determining, by the storage container control circuit, whether a second trigger signal is available from the separate electronic control device;

providing, by the storage container control circuit, an unlock signal to a locking system of the temperature controlled storage container based on the determining that the first trigger signal is received and the second trigger signal is available, wherein the unlock signal enables access to the particular chamber;

providing, by the separate electronic control device, the particular assigned temperature to each of the one or more chambers based on an external temperature outside of the temperature controlled storage container, one or more retail products to be delivered and stored in the one or more chambers, and an estimated delivery time of the one or more retail products;

selectively assigning, by the separate electronic control device, each of the one or more retail products to one of the one or more chambers based on at least one of;

a product temperature associated with each retail product of the one or more retail products and the particular assigned temperature to each of the one or more chambers; and

providing, by the separate electronic control device, the second trigger signal based on at least one of;

the estimated delivery time of the one or more retail products, an authorization to access from a customer associated with the temperature controlled storage container, and an authentication signal received from the customer.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the first trigger signal comprises at least one of:

motion data provided by a motion sensor, radio frequency signal emitted by a user device, infrared data provided by infrared sensor, and imaging data provided by an imaging sensor.

18. The method of claim 16, wherein the second trigger is based on at least one of:

proximity in time of the first trigger signal to the estimated delivery time of the one or more retail products, authorization to access received from a customer associated with the temperature controlled storage container, and an authentication signal received from the customer.

19. The method of claim 16, further comprising, in providing the unlock signal to the locking system:

stopping one or more operational powers from being provided to at least one of;

a cooling system and heating system of the temperature controlled storage container, wherein the one or more operational powers are based on a POE power provided by a power over ethernet (POE) system to the temperature controlled storage container; and

allowing a particular operational power based on the POE power to couple with the locking system, wherein the locking system is configured to enable access to the at least one of the one or more chambers in response to coupling with the particular operational power.

20. The method of claim 16, further comprising:

communicatively coupling to a cellular network when the temperature controlled storage container determines a loss of connection to a home-enabled internet network; and

providing a message indicating status of at least one of;

the one or more retail products, one or more sensors of the temperature controlled storage container, location data of the temperature controlled storage container when the storage container control circuit detects unauthorized relocation of the temperature controlled storage container, and failure of components affecting quality of the one or more retail products to a customer associated with the temperature controlled storage container via the cellular network instead of the home-enabled internet network.

21. The method of claim 16, further comprising:

determining whether at least one of;

a human and an animal is inside the one or more chambers based on at least one of;

motion data, sound data, and infrared data received from one or more sensors by the storage container control circuit over a period of time; and

in response to the determining that the at least one of;

the human and the animal is inside the one or more chambers, providing the unlock signal to the locking system to allow the at least one of;

the human and the animal to exit out of the one or more chambers.

22. The method of claim 21, further comprising, in response to the determining that the at least one of:

the human and the animal is inside the one or more chambers, providing warning signal to at least one of;

a delivery agent electronic device, a customer electronic device, and an electronic device proximate to the temperature controlled storage container.

23. The method of claim 16, wherein the temperature controlled storage container is configured to only be communicatively coupled to a user via one or more remote connections to the temperature controlled storage container.

24. The method of claim 16, wherein the temperature controlled storage container comprises a vehicle.

25. The method of claim 24, wherein the storage container control circuit and the electronic device are integrated with an on-board vehicle control circuit.

26. The method of claim 24, further comprising:

determining whether at least one of;

a human and an animal is inside the one or more chambers based on at least one of;

motion data, sound data, and infrared data received from one or more sensors by the storage container control circuit when the temperature controlled storage container is stationary over a period of time;

in response to the determining that the at least one of;

the human and the animal is inside the one or more chambers, providing the unlock signal to the locking system without receiving the first trigger signal and the second trigger signal to allow the at least one of;

the human and the animal to exit out of the one or more chambers; and

in response to the determining that the at least one of;

the human and the animal is inside the one or more chambers, providing warning signal to at least one of;

a delivery agent electronic device, a customer electronic device, an electronic device associated with a user of the temperature controlled storage container, and one or more electronic devices proximate to the temperature controlled storage container.

27. The method of claim 16, wherein the separate electronic control device comprises a customer electronic device.