System and method for facilitating delivery and return service

• US 20050068178A1
• Filed: 05/30/2002
• Published: 03/31/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 10/17/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Singapore Post Limited
• Original Assignee: First Cube Pte Ltd
• Inventors: Lee, Cheng Chin, Lee, Hon Chew
• Granted Patent: US 7,068,149 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/569
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/08 Logistics, e.g. warehousing, loading or distribution; Inventory or stock management
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/06 Buying, selling or leasing transactions
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/13 the containers being a postal pick-up locker

Abstract

A system and method for facilitating delivery and return service between a delivery party and a receiving party. These parties may or may not have pre-registered to use the locker system. The system has locker modules (35) and a system controller (10). The system controller (10) interfaces with the locker modules (35) via a network (30). Each of the locker modules (35) has locker units for depositing and retrieving the goods and a locker controller coupled to control the locker units. Together, the system controller (10) and the locker controller enable steps of the method by processing a user input that is received via a user input interface coupled to the system controller (10) and the locker controller. The user input is associated with the receiving party and provided by the delivery party. Thereafter, the system controller (10) generates a notification message having an identification code for transmitting to the receiving party.

Claims

1. A method for facilitating transfer of goods between a delivery party and a receiving party in a locker system comprising at least one locker module having at least one locker unit, said method comprising the steps of:

registering, by said delivery party, to provide information on said delivery party for storing In a database associated with said locker system;

providing, by said delivery party to said receiving party, at least one delivery identifier associated with a delivery attempt;

receiving, by at least one controller of said locker system, at least one user input provided by said delivery party and associated with said receiving party, said at least one user input being associated with said goods and said receiving party, and including said at least one delivery identifier;

processing, by said at least one controller, said at least one user input to allow said delivery party to unlock and to deposit said goods into a locker unit of said at least one locker unit;

providing, by said receiving party to said at one controller, at least one notification identifier based upon said at least one delivery identifier, and

generating, by said at least one controller and based upon said at least one user input, at least one notification message to said receiving party, said at least one notification message having an identification code for unlocking said locker unit.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein said method further comprises the step of unlocking, by said at least one controller, said locker unit when said identification code is provided by said receiving party to collect said goods.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein said providing step comprises the step of relaying said at least one user input to said at least one controller, said at least one controller being a locker controller associated with said at least one locker module and having a computer monitor and a keypad.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein said providing step comprises the step of relaying said at least one user input to said at least one controller, said at least one controller being a system controller connected to a network.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein said method further comprises the step of transmitting said at least one notification message to said receiving party using said at least one notification identifier when said goods is deposited into said locker unit by said delivery party.

8. The method of claim 5, wherein said method further comprises the step of processing by said at least one controller to unlock said locker unit when said identification code is provided by said receiving party to collect said goods.

9. The method of claim 8 wherein said method is further adapted to allow payment by said receiving party to collect said goods.

6. A method for facilitating transfer of goods between a delivery party and a receiving party in a locker system comprising at least one locker module having at least one locker unit, said at least one locker unit being unlockable by said delivery party by providing one of an access code and a payment thereto, said method comprising the steps of:

providing, by said receiving party to said delivery party, at least one user input having at least one notification identifier associated with the receiving party;

receiving, by at least one controller of said locker system, said at least one user input from said delivery party;

processing, by said at least one controller, said at least one user input and an indication from said delivery party to allow said delivery party to unlock a locker unit of said at least one locker unit to deposit goods therein, said indication being associated with said payment for unlocking said locker unit, said indication including one of a first payment mode in which the delivery patty makes the payment, and a second payment mode in which the receiving party makes the payment; and

generating, by said at least one controller and based upon said at least one user input, at least one notification message to said receiving party, said at least one notification message having an identification code for unlocking said locker unit;

wherein when said access code is unavailable to said delivery party, said at least one controller allows said delivery party to unlock said locker unit after processing said indication.

7. The method of claim 6, where said receiving step is further adapted to allow payment to deposit said goods by said delivery party in said locker unit.

10. The method of claim 6, wherein said receiving step comprises the step of providing said at least one user input via a user input interface.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein said providing step comprises the step of relaying said at least one user input to said at least one controller, said at least one controller being a locker controller associated with said at least one locker module and having a computer monitor and keypad.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein said relaying step comprises the step of relaying said at least one user input having at least one notification identifier associated with said receiving party.

13. The method of claim 11, wherein said method further comprises the step of transmitting said at least notification message to said receiving party using said at least one notification identifier when said goods is deposited into said locker unit by said delivery party.

14. A method for facilitating transfer of goods between a delivery party and a receiving party in a locker system comprising at least one locker module having at least one locker unit, said method comprising the steps of:

registering, by said receiving party, to provide information in database associated with said locker system;

receiving, by at least one controller of said locker system, at least one user input provided by said receiving party, said at least one user input being associated with said delivery party; and

generating, by said at least one controller and based upon said at least one user input at least one notification message to said delivery party, said at least one notification message having an identification code for unlocking a locker unit of said at least one locker unit;

wherein said receiving step comprises the step of providing said at least one user input via a user input interface, said at least one user input having at least one notification identifier associated with said delivery party.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein said providing step comprises the step of relaying said at least one user input to said at least one controller, said at least one controller being a system controller connected to a network.

16. The method of claim 14, wherein said method further comprises the step of transmitting said at least one notification message to said delivery party using said at least one notification identifier.

17. The method of claim 14, wherein said method further comprises the step of unlocking, by at least one controller, said locker unit when said identification code is provided by said delivery party to drop off said goods.

18. A method for facilitating transfer of goods between a delivery party and a receiving party in a locker system comprising at least one locker module having at least one locker unit, said method comprising the steps of:

registering, by said receiving party, to provide information on said receiving party for storing in a database associated with said locker system;

receiving, by at least one controller of said locker system, at least one user input provided by said delivery party, said at least one user input having at least one notification identifier associated with said receiving party,

processing by said at least one controller, said at least one user input to allow said delivery party to unlock and to deposit said goods into a locker unit of said at least one locker unit; and

generating, by said at least one controller and based upon said at least one user input, at least one notification message to said receiving party, said at least one notification message having an identification code for unlocking said locker unit to retrieve said goods.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein said processing step is further adapted to allow payment to deposit said goods in said locker unit by said delivery party.

20. The method of claim 18, wherein said processing step comprises the step of relaying said at least one user input to said at least one controller, said at least one controller being a locker controller associated with said at least one locker module and having a computer monitor and a keypad.

21. The method of claim 18, wherein said method further comprises the step of transmitting said at least one notification message to said receiving party when said goods is deposited into said locker unit by said delivery party.

22. The method of claim 18, wherein said method further comprises the step of unlocking said locker unit when said identification code is provided by said receiving party to collect said goods.