Secured delivery locker
First Claim
1. A delivery locker comprising:
- a housing having an interior;
a door of the housing configured to be moved between open and closed positions;
a sensor mounted to the housing and configured to output signaling corresponding to a fullness level of the interior of the housing;
a transceiver;
a control circuit in communication with the sensor and the transceiver, wherein the control circuit is configured to;
determine the fullness level of the interior of the housing based at least on the signaling from the sensor; and
communicate via the transceiver with a delivery vehicle to notify the delivery vehicle whether a package being delivered by the delivery vehicle can fit within the housing interior;
wherein the control circuit is further configured to authenticate the delivery vehicle.
2 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
Apparatuses and methods are provided herein useful for receiving and storing delivered items. In some embodiments, a secured delivery locker is described herein that can communicate with delivery vehicles and/or users. In several embodiments, an autonomous delivery vehicle can communicate with a secured delivery locker to authenticate itself. The secured delivery locker can then grant access to the delivery vehicle, such as by opening a door to an interior thereof, so that the delivery vehicle can deposit a package therein. The locker can then confirm receipt of the package and close the door. Thereafter, the locker and/or the delivery vehicle can update a system to indicate that the package was delivered.
17 Citations
18 Claims
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1. A delivery locker comprising:
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a housing having an interior; a door of the housing configured to be moved between open and closed positions; a sensor mounted to the housing and configured to output signaling corresponding to a fullness level of the interior of the housing; a transceiver; a control circuit in communication with the sensor and the transceiver, wherein the control circuit is configured to; determine the fullness level of the interior of the housing based at least on the signaling from the sensor; and communicate via the transceiver with a delivery vehicle to notify the delivery vehicle whether a package being delivered by the delivery vehicle can fit within the housing interior; wherein the control circuit is further configured to authenticate the delivery vehicle. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5)
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6. A delivery locker comprising:
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a housing having an interior; a door of the housing configured to be moved between open and closed positions; a sensor mounted to the housing and configured to output signaling corresponding to a fullness level of the interior of the housing; a transceiver; a control circuit in communication with the sensor and the transceiver, wherein the control circuit is configured to; determine the fullness level of the interior of the housing based at least on the signaling from the sensor; and communicate via the transceiver with a delivery vehicle to notify the delivery vehicle whether a package being delivered by the delivery vehicle can fit within the housing interior; wherein the control circuit is configured to send a message to an owner of the delivery locker to notify the owner that the housing cannot receive the package.
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7. A delivery locker comprising:
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a housing having an interior; a door of the housing configured to be moved between open and closed positions; a sensor mounted to the housing and configured to output signaling corresponding to a fullness level of the interior of the housing; a transceiver; a temperature regulation system configured to maintain a temperature within the interior of the housing; and a control circuit in communication with the sensor and the transceiver, wherein the control circuit is configured to; determine the fullness level of the interior of the housing based at least on the signaling from the sensor; and communicate via the transceiver with a delivery vehicle to notify the delivery vehicle whether a package being delivered by the delivery vehicle can fit within the housing interior; further comprising an indicator visible on an exterior of the housing configured to provide a visual indication to the delivery vehicle that the temperature regulation system is malfunctioning.
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8. A delivery locker comprising:
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a housing having an interior; a door of the housing configured to be moved between open and closed positions; a sensor mounted to the housing and configured to output signaling corresponding to a fullness level of the interior of the housing; a transceiver; a control circuit in communication with the sensor and the transceiver, wherein the control circuit is configured to; determine the fullness level of the interior of the housing based at least on the signaling from the sensor; and communicate via the transceiver with a delivery vehicle to notify the delivery vehicle whether a package being delivered by the delivery vehicle can fit within the housing interior; wherein the control circuit is configured to analyze media captured by a camera device mounted to the delivery vehicle, along with a reading from the sensor, to determine the fullness level.
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9. A delivery locker comprising:
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a housing having an interior; a door of the housing configured to be moved between open and closed positions; a sensor mounted to the housing and configured to output signaling corresponding to a fullness level of the interior of the housing; a transceiver; a control circuit in communication with the sensor and the transceiver, wherein the control circuit is configured to; determine the fullness level of the interior of the housing based at least on the signaling from the sensor; and communicate via the transceiver with a delivery vehicle to notify the delivery vehicle whether a package being delivered by the delivery vehicle can fit within the housing interior; wherein the control circuit, in response to determining that the package cannot fit within the interior of the housing, is configured to determine a next location to send the package and send a message to the delivery vehicle indicating the next location.
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10. A method for receiving a package delivery at a locker, the method comprising:
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receiving a signal from a delivery vehicle at a transceiver of the locker indicating that the delivery vehicle has a package for delivery to the locker; authenticating the delivery vehicle with a control circuit; receiving signaling from a sensor mounted to the locker at the control circuit, the signaling corresponding to a fullness level of an interior of the locker; determining the fullness level of the interior of the housing based at least on the signaling from the sensor; and sending a signal with the control circuit via the transceiver to notify the delivery vehicle whether the package can fit within the interior of the locker. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
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16. A method for receiving a package delivery at a locker, the method comprising:
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receiving a signal from a delivery vehicle at a transceiver of the locker indicating that the delivery vehicle has a package for delivery to the locker; receiving signaling from a sensor mounted to the locker at a control circuit, the signaling corresponding to a fullness level of an interior of the locker; determining the fullness level of the interior of the housing based at least on the signaling from the sensor; sending a signal with the control circuit via the transceiver to notify the delivery vehicle whether the package can fit within the interior of the locker; and sending a message to an owner of the locker with the transceiver to notify the owner that the locker cannot receive the package.
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17. A method for receiving a package delivery at a locker, the method comprising:
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receiving a signal from a delivery vehicle at a transceiver of the locker indicating that the delivery vehicle has a package for delivery to the locker; receiving signaling from a sensor mounted to the locker at a control circuit, the signaling corresponding to a fullness level of an interior of the locker; determining the fullness level of the interior of the housing based at least on the signaling from the sensor; sending a signal with the control circuit via the transceiver to notify the delivery vehicle whether the package can fit within the interior of the locker; maintaining a temperature within the locker with a temperature regulation system; and visually indicating that the temperature regulation system is malfunctioning with an indicator visible on an exterior of the locker.
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18. A method for receiving a package delivery at a locker, the method comprising:
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receiving a signal from a delivery vehicle at a transceiver of the locker indicating that the delivery vehicle has a package for delivery to the locker; receiving signaling from a sensor mounted to the locker at a control circuit, the signaling corresponding to a fullness level of an interior of the locker; determining the fullness level of the interior of the housing based at least on the signaling from the sensor; sending a signal with the control circuit via the transceiver to notify the delivery vehicle whether the package can fit within the interior of the locker; receiving media from the delivery vehicle captured by a camera device thereof; and analyzing the media with the control circuit to determine the fullness level.
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Specification