Item delivery and retrieval system

• US 20040193314A1
• Filed: 04/08/2004
• Published: 09/30/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 07/26/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Northrop Grumman Systems Corporation (Northrop Grumman Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Northrop Grumman Corporation
• Inventors: Neebe, Mark T., Neilson, Randall K., Tilles, David J., Schofield, Ann C., Chestnutt, Bruce G., Janos, David J.
• Granted Patent: US 7,133,743 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 700/241
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/0042 for hiring of objects
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/13 the containers being a postal pick-up locker

Abstract

An item delivery and retrieval system including a storage subsystem and a computer subsystem. The storage subsystem includes a secure enclosure having an item storage carousel including internal controller apparatus. The computer subsystem is embodied in internet web page based customized application software for implementing an application interface of selectively configurable ActiveX controls for providing user access, such as an employee of a delivery service company and/or a customer of the delivery service company and customer access to one or more storage bins located behind a set of normally closed doors, for providing access control to the bins, and for managing the location of the items in the storage subsystem. The doors are opened when proper identification is provided by the customer so as to permit retrieval of items located in specifically designated bin(s) or to return items thereto.

Claims

1. An item delivery and retrieval method, comprising the steps of:

(a) accessing a storage subsystem including a secure enclosure having a selectively accessible item storage assembly via a user terminal; and

,

(b) controlling selective access to the storage assembly by a computer subsystem including web page based customized application software implementing an interface of selectively configurable controls.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein said user terminal comprises a front office terminal or a back office terminal.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein said user terminal comprises a front office kiosk.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein said user terminal comprises a handheld wireless input device.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein said user terminal comprises a handheld wireless device/scanner.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein said selectively configurable controls comprise application interface controls.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein said selectively configurable controls comprise ActiveX controls.

21. The method according to claim 7 wherein said controls of the back office application program software interface during an item loading operation controls the steps of:

(a) initializing connections of the controls of the back office interface to the driver software interface during a connect function;

(b) gaining full access to the carousel during an open all doors function;

(c) positioning the carousel and opening the doors to a specific bin during an open bin location function;

(d) positioning the carousel to a predetermined bin access point for a loading operation during a rotate carousel function;

(e) identifying a particular bin when all the doors are open during an identify bin function;

(f) closing all the doors and, if necessary, clear all bin access codes during a close bin function; and

(g) closing all doors and securing the carousel so as to complete an item retrieval transaction during a close all doors function.

22. The method of claim 21 wherein said controls comprise application interface controls.

23. The method of claim 21 wherein said controls comprise ActiveX controls.

24. The method according to claim 7 wherein said controls of the front office application program software interface during an item retrieval operation controls the steps of:

(a) initializing connections of the controls of the front office interface to the driver software interface during a connect function;

(b) rotating the carousel such that one requested bin is positioned behind a door of said door assembly without any of the doors being opened while an authentication process takes place during a cue bin location function;

(c) opening said door to the requested bin for item retrieval during an open bin location function; and

(d) closing said door so as to complete an item retrieval transaction during a close bin function.

25. The method of claim 24 wherein said controls comprise application interface controls.

26. The method of claim 24 wherein said controls comprise ActiveX controls.

27. The method according to claim 7 wherein the controls of the back office application program interface during an item loading operation controls the steps of:

(a) initializing connection of the controls of the back office interface to the carousel driver during a connect function;

(b) registering a specific item to be loaded in the carousel in an inventory database during a register item function;

(c) removing an item in the inventory database and clearing a bin access code therefore during a purge item function;

(d) positioning the carousel and opening a door of the carousel for a specific item at a specific location during a load item function;

(e) positioning the carousel and opening the door to a specific item for removal and removing it from the inventory database during a removal item function;

(f) gaining full access to the carousel during an open all doors function;

(g) positioning the carousel to a specified bin and opening the doors thereto during an open bin location function;

(h) identifying a particular bin when all the doors of the carousel are opened during an identify bin function;

(i) positioning the carousel to a specific access point during a rotate carousel function;

(j) closing the door for a specific bin location during a close bin function;

(k) closing all doors and securing the machine during a close all doors function; and

(l) updating an inventory database.

28. The method of claim 27 wherein said controls comprise application interface controls.

29. The method of claim 27 wherein said controls comprise ActiveX controls.

30. The method according to claim 7 wherein said controls of the front office application program software interface during a retrieval or return operation controls the steps of:

(a) initializing connections of the controls of the front office interface to the carousel driver interface during a connect function;

(b) rotating the carousel such that a requested item for retrieval is positioned behind a specific door without any of the other doors being opened while a transactional process of authenticating the user takes place during a cue item function;

(c) positioning the carousel and opening a door for a specified item for return at a specific bin location registering the item in an inventory database during a load item function;

(d) positioning the carousel and opening a door to a specified item during a remove item function;

(e) closing the door of the carousel following retrieval of an item during a close bin function; and

(f) closing the door of the carousel upon return of an item to a specified bin flagging/marking the item in the inventory database for return during a return item function; and

(g) printing a receipt of a completed removal or return transaction.

31. The method of claim 30 wherein said controls comprise application interface controls.

32. The method of claim 30 wherein said controls comprise ActiveX controls.

8. An item delivery and retrieval method, comprising the steps of:

(a) designating a storage location of a secure storage facility accessible via software control employing browser technology and controlled by a customized application software architecture including a browser interface implementing a storage facility driver interface for controlling access to the storage facility, a back office application program interface supporting control for enabling a user to access the storage facility, and a front office application program interface supporting controls for enabling a user to access the storage facility;

(b) generating data as to said predetermined storage location;

(c) communicating the data as to the predetermined storage location to a user;

(d) the user of step (c) going to the storage facility and inputting proper identification and said communicated data;

(e) enabling and opening a door in the storage facility at said predetermined storage location by said storage facility driver interface;

(f) retrieving or returning an item from or to the predetermined storage location; and

(g) thereafter closing the door and securing the storage facility by said storage facility driver interface.

9. The method of claim 8 and additionally including the steps of:

(h) enabling and opening said door by said storage facility driver interface on demand by a user following step (a) and prior to step (c);

(i) loading an item into said predetermined storage location; and

(j) thereafter closing said door by said storage facility driver interface.

10. The method of claim 9 wherein the step (f) comprises retrieving the item from the storage location.

11. The method of claim 8 wherein said user accessing the storage facility via said back office interface comprises a first user and said user accessing the storage facility via said front office interface comprises a second user.

12. The method of claim 8 wherein said first user comprises an employee of a service company and said second user comprises a customer of the service company.

13. The method of claim 8 wherein the first user comprises an employee of a plurality of delivery service companies, said delivery service companies inserting respective back office application software which is executed by only one service company at a time so as to provide mutually exclusive use of the storage facility by said delivery service companies.

14. The method of claim 8 wherein said storage facility includes a carousel having a plurality of storage bins.

15. The method of claim 8 wherein said first and second user access the storage facility via one or more input terminals.

16. The method of claim 15 wherein said one or more input terminals have a screen supporting a web page display.

17. The method of claim 16 wherein said first and second user access the storage facility via separate input terminals.

18. The method of claim 17 wherein said first and second user access the storage facility via a common input terminal.

19. The method of claim 16 wherein at least one of said terminals is located on a kiosk.

20. The method of claim 19 and including the step of locating the kiosk on a front portion of the storage facility.