Item delivery optimization

• US 10,515,334 B2
• Filed: 01/06/2017
• Issued: 12/24/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 06/04/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: AirWatch LLC (Broadcom, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: AirWatch LLC (Broadcom, Inc.)
• Inventors: Stuntebeck, Erich, DiRico, John
• Primary Examiner(s): Masud, Rokib
• Application Number:
  US15/400,100
• Publication Number:
  US 20170116573A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,082 Days
• Field of Search: 705 16, 705 28
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/083 Shipping
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/08355 Routing methods
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/087 Inventory or stock management, e.g. order filling, procurement or balancing against orders
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/12 Hotels or restaurants
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/32 in combination with an identity check

Abstract

Item delivery optimization may be provided. Items may be identified as available for delivery at a first location to at least one second location. A route from the first location to the second location may be calculated and at least a portion of the route from the first location to the second location may be provided to a delivery mechanism, such as an automated delivery device and/or a user.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

identifying, by at least one computing device, a route for delivery of an item to a location associated with a first device;

identifying, by the at least one computing device, a physical access point device along the route for delivery, the physical access point device being configured to cause a physical lock actuator component of the physical access point device to be in an unlocked state when an access credential from a second device is identified by the physical access point device;

requesting, by the at least one computing device, an authorization credential from the second device;

determining, by the at least one computing device, that the second device complies with a requirement for distribution of the access credential to the second device based on the authorization credential; and

in response to the second device complying with the requirement for distribution of the access credential, providing, by the at least one computing device, the access credential to the second device.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein:

the first device comprises a recipient device of a recipient of the item for delivery; and

the second device comprises a delivery device of a delivery coordinator assigned to deliver the item.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein providing the access credential to the second device comprises providing, by the at least one computing device, the access credential to the second device over a computer network.

4. The method according to claim 1, wherein the authorization credential comprises a device characteristic of the second device;

and

determining that the second device complies with the requirement comprises determining, by the at least one computing device, that the device characteristic complies with at least one compliance rule for the second device to use the access credential to unlock the physical access point device.

5. The method according to claim 4, wherein the at least one compliance rule comprises at least one of a hardware restriction rule, a software restriction rule, or a device management restriction rule associated with the second device.

6. The method according to claim 4, wherein:

the authorization credential comprises a user access credential; and

determining that the second device complies with the requirement comprises determining, by the at least one computing device, that the user access credential is included in a list of user access credentials, the list of user access credentials identifying a list of users approved to unlock the physical access point device.

7. The method according to claim 1, wherein the physical access point device comprises at least one access point computing device configured to direct the physical lock actuator component to unlock based on the access credential.

8. The method according to claim 1, further comprising:

determining, by the at least one computing device, that the location associated with the first device has changed to a second location;

updating, by the at least one computing device, the route for delivery to a second route for delivery to the second location, the second route for delivery requiring passage through a second physical access point;

determining, by the at least one computing device, that the second device complies with a second requirement for distribution of a second access credential to the second device based on the authorization credential; and

in response to the second device complying with the second requirement, providing, by the at least one computing device, the second access credential to the second device.

9. A system comprising:

a memory device to store instructions; and

at least one computing device configured, through execution of the instructions stored on the memory device, to at least;

identify a route for delivery of an item to a location associated with a first device;

identify a physical access point device along the route for delivery, the physical access point device being configured to cause a physical lock actuator component of the physical access point device to be in an unlocked state when a access credential from a second device is identified by the physical access point device;

request an authorization credential from a second device;

determine that the second device complies with a requirement for distribution of the access credential to the second device based on the authorization credential; and

in response to the second device complying with the requirement for distribution of the access credential, provide the access credential to the second device.

10. The system according to claim 9, wherein:

the first device comprises a recipient device of a recipient of the item for delivery; and

the second device comprises a delivery device of a delivery coordinator assigned to deliver the item.

11. The system according to claim 9, wherein:

the authorization credential comprises a device characteristic of the second device; and

the at least one computing device is further configured to at least determine that the device characteristic complies with at least one compliance rule for the second device to use the access credential to unlock the physical access point device.

12. The system according to claim 11, wherein the at least one compliance rule comprises at least one of a hardware restriction rule, a software restriction rule, or a device management restriction rule associated with the second device.

13. The system according to claim 9, wherein:

the authorization credential comprises a user access credential; and

the at least one computing device is further configured to at least determine that the user access credential is included in a list of user access credentials, the list of user access credentials identifying a list of users approved to unlock the physical access point device.

14. The system according to claim 9, wherein the physical access point device comprises at least one access point computing device configured to direct the physical lock actuator component to unlock based on the access credential.

15. The system according to claim 9, wherein the at least one computing device is further configured to at least:

determine that the location associated with the first device has changed to a second location;

update the route for delivery to a second route for delivery to the second location, the second route for delivery requiring passage through a second physical access point;

determine that the second device complies with a second requirement for distribution of a second access credential to the second device based on the authorization credential; and

in response to the second device complying with the second requirement, provide the second access credential to the second device.

16. A non-transitory computer-readable medium which stores a set of instructions that, when executed by at least one computing device, directs the at least one computing device to perform a method comprising:

identifying, by the at least one computing device, a route for delivery of an item to a location associated with a first device;

identifying, by the at least one computing device, a physical access point device along the route for delivery, the physical access point device being configured to cause a physical lock actuator component of the physical access point device to be in an unlocked state when a access credential from a second device is identified by the physical access point device;

requesting, by the at least one computing device, an authorization credential from a second device;

determining, by the at least one computing device, that the second device complies with a requirement for distribution of the access credential to the second device based on the authorization credential; and

in response to the second device complying with the requirement for distribution of the access credential, providing, by the at least one computing device, the access credential to the second device.

17. The non-transitory computer-readable medium according to claim 16, wherein:

the authorization credential comprises a device characteristic of the second device; and

determining that the second device complies with the requirement comprises determining, by the at least one computing device, that the device characteristic complies with at least one compliance rule for the second device to use the access credential to pass through the physical access point.

18. The non-transitory computer-readable medium according to claim 17, wherein the at least one compliance rule comprises at least one of a hardware restriction rule, a software restriction rule, or a device management restriction rule associated with the second device.

19. The non-transitory computer-readable medium according to claim 16, wherein:

the authorization credential comprises a user access credential; and

determining that the second device complies with the requirement comprises determining, by the at least one computing device, that the user access credential is included in a list of user access credentials, the list of user access credentials identifying a list of users approved unlock the physical access point device.

20. The non-transitory computer-readable medium according to claim 16, wherein the physical access point device comprises at least one access point computing device configured to direct the physical lock actuator component to unlock based on the access credential.