Automated receiving and delivery system and method
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Accused Products
Abstract
A system and method uses an appliance for delivery at a home or business when no one is home or without the need to disturb persons at the delivery site. The appliance is a locked storage container connected to remote computers such that access for particular delivery persons or companies is authorized when the owner of the appliance has placed an order. The appliance communicates, such as via the internet, with a remote delivery system computer having a scheduler that schedules deliveries during particular time intervals. Prior to scheduling the delivery, the delivery system computer compares the dimensions of the order with the available space within the appliance of the customer. After a delivery is made, the appliance communicates via the internet that the delivery has been made and the delivery system computer then charges or debits the customer'"'"'s account for the cost associated with the delivery.
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Citations
30 Claims
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1-22. -22. (canceled)
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23. An appliance for securely receiving deliveries without requiring a person in attendance to accept delivery comprising:
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a storage container;
a lock controlling access to the storage container; and
a communication link connected to the lock and operable to receive an access signal from a remote location to allow access to the storage container; and
wherein the lock is responsive to the communication link receiving the access signal by unlocking upon presentation of an identifier selected from the group consisting of;
a physical device granting access, and one or more biometric properties.
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24. A method for delivery of ordered items to a plurality of locked storage containers using a delivery system, the steps includes:
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ordering a delivery of one or more goods to a customer;
delivering the delivery to within one of the locked storage containers corresponding to the customer; and
automatically sending a DELIVERY MADE signal from the one of the locked storage containers signaling the delivery system of the insertion of the delivery into the one of the locked storage containers. - View Dependent Claims (25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30)
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Specification