PNEUMATIC TRANSPORT DELIVERY CONTROL

• US 20100094451A1
• Filed: 10/07/2009
• Published: 04/15/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 10/09/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Translogic Corporation (Midea Group Co., Ltd)
• Original Assignee: Translogic Corporation (Midea Group Co., Ltd)
• Inventors: KENNEDY, JOHN ALAN, HOGANSON, KENNETH MICHAEL
• Granted Patent: US 8,793,014 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 700/228
• CPC Class Codes: B65G 51/44 without mechanical contact between carriers and controllers
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/08 Logistics, e.g. warehousing, loading or distribution; Inventory or stock management

Abstract

The presented inventions seek to create a verifiable and closed loop chain-of-custody for a specific transaction in a pneumatic tube transport system while allowing a sender and recipient to perform asynchronous activity. That is, one aspect the presented inventions allows a sender to securely send a carrier to a desired recipient while allowing the desired recipient to receive the secured carrier at a convenient time and/or location without tying up system resources. Another aspect improves the physical barriers between high value payloads and the unintended recipients. This is done in part by introducing randomness into the carrier delivery process such that no member of the general public or facility staff knows the location and/or delivery time of a secured carrier without having access to specific database records indicating the current location and/or delivery status of the secured carrier.

Claims

1. A method for use in a computerized controller for operating a pneumatic carrier system that includes a plurality of user stations, pneumatic tubes and transfer devices, comprising:

receiving a secured carrier transaction request for a carrier to be dispatched by an originating user station;

receiving an input identifying an desired recipient of the carrier;

sending a wireless message to a wireless user communication device associated with the desired recipient;

receiving a response signal from the desired recipient; and

based on the response signal generating control signals to effect delivery of the carrier, via the pneumatic system, to a destination location associated with the desired recipient.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising;

recoding a carrier identifier of said carrier in a transaction record; and

prior to delivery, reading a carrier identifier to confirm the carrier is the carrier associated with the secured carrier transaction request.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein said destination location is a user station identified in the secured carrier transaction request.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the destination location is a user station identified in the response signal.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

generating control signals to move the carrier from the originating user station to an intermediate storage location within the pneumatic carrier system; and

maintaining the carrier within the pneumatic carrier system while awaiting the response signal from the wireless user communications device.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

upon receiving the response signal, generating an access code; and

delivering the access code to the wireless communication device.

7. The method of claim 6, further comprising:

generating control signals to effect movement of the carrier to a user station at the destination location; and

upon receiving the access code input into a user interface at the user station, generating a signal to effect release of the carrier.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein sending a message comprises generating a message indicating a carrier is intended for delivery to a specified recipient.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein sending said message comprises sending a message via a telephonic network.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein sending said message comprises sending a message via a computer network.

11. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

accessing a database to identify the wireless user communication device associated with the intended destination.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein sending the wireless message further comprises

generating an access code, wherein the access code is sent with the wireless message.

13. The method of claim 12, further comprising:

receiving the access code as entered into an input device at the destination location; and

releasing the carrier to the destination location.

14. The method of claim 13, further comprising:

sending a delivery confirmation message to one of;

a display device of the originating user station; and

a user communication device associated with the originating user station.

15. A method for use in a pneumatic carrier system that includes a plurality of user stations, pneumatic tubes and transfer devices, comprising:

receiving an input identifying an intended destination for a carrier at an origination location within the pneumatic carrier system;

sending a message to a communications device associated with the intended destination, wherein said message indicates a carrier is inbound for delivery and wherein the message includes an access code;

transporting the carrier to the destination location via the pneumatic tube system; and

releasing the carrier upon the access code being received via an input device at the destination location.

16. The method of claim 15, further comprising:

randomly generating the access code.

17. The method of claim 15, wherein sending the message comprises sending a wireless message to a wireless communication device.

18. The method of claim 15, further comprising:

after releasing the carrier, sending a delivery confirmation message to one of;

a display device of the origination location; and

a communication device associated with the origination location.

19. The method of claim 15, further comprising

moving said carrier to a user inaccessible storage location within the system prior to the access code being entered into the input device.

20. A method for use in a computerized controller for operating a pneumatic carrier system where the pneumatic carrier system includes a plurality of user stations, pneumatic tubes and transfer devices, comprising:

receiving a carrier transaction request for a carrier to be dispatched by an originating user station;

receiving an input identifying an intended recipient of the carrier;

sending a message to the intended recipient of the carrier, wherein said message indicates that a carrier is slated for delivery to the intended recipient; and

upon receiving a response signal from the intended recipient, generating control signals to effect delivery of the carrier, via the pneumatic system, to a destination location of the intended recipient.

21. The method of claim 20, further comprising:

prior to receiving the response signal, generating signals to effect movement of the carrier to a user inaccessible storage location within the system.

22. The method of claim 21, further comprising:

upon receiving the response signal, generating control signals to effect movement of the carrier from the user inaccessible storage location to the destination location of the intended recipient.

23. The method of claim 20, wherein the response signal includes at least one of:

an indication of availability; and

the destination location of the intended recipient.

24-28. -28. (canceled)