PICKUP LOCATION MONITORING

• US 20130261792A1
• Filed: 03/29/2012
• Published: 10/03/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 03/29/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Amazon Technologies, Inc. (Amazon.com, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Amazon Technologies, Inc. (Amazon.com, Inc.)
• Inventors: Wan, Lin, Bhaskaran, Michael Mahesh, Gupta, Piyush, Lakshman, Girish
• Granted Patent: US 9,230,230 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 700/232
• CPC Class Codes: B65G 1/1378 the orders being assembled on fixed commissioning areas remote from the storage areas
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 15/02 electric
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/08 Logistics, e.g. warehousing, loading or distribution; Inventory or stock management
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/0836 Recipient pick-ups
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: Y02P 80/30 Reducing waste in manufacturing processes; Calculations of released waste quantities

Abstract

A pickup location that includes a control station and one or more storage compartment modules provides the ability for items to be ordered and delivered for pickup by a user without having to pack those items in a shipping package prior to shipping from a materials handling facility. Delivering items for pickup by a user without having to package the items prior to shipping, may provide a better experience for the customer, reduce waste in packaging material and a lower cost of delivering the ordered items to the customer.

Claims

1. A pickup location including a plurality of storage compartments, comprising:

an image capture device disposed inside at least one of the plurality of storage compartments, the image capture device configured to capture an image of an object inside the at least one of the plurality of storage compartments;

a presence detection sensor disposed inside the at least one of the plurality of storage compartments, the presence detection sensor configured to detect a presence of the object inside the at least one of the plurality of storage compartments;

a particulate sensor configured to collect particulates for use in testing for hazardous or banned substances; and

a user interface configured to identify an order for the object included in the storage compartment of the pickup location.

2. A pickup location as recited in claim 1, further comprising:

a storage compartment management component configured to cause unlocking of the storage compartment of the pickup location in response to the user interface identifying the order for the object included in the storage compartment.

3. A pickup location as recited in claim 2, wherein the storage compartment includes:

a door for securing the storage compartment of the pickup location; and

a locking mechanism for locking and unlocking the door of the storage compartment in response to instructions received from the storage compartment management component.

4. A pickup location as recited in claim 2, wherein the storage compartment includes:

a reflective surface disposed on an inside of the storage compartment.

5. A pickup location as recited in claim 4, wherein the reflective surface is disposed on an upper inside of the storage compartment.

6. A pickup location as recited in claim 4, wherein the storage compartment includes:

an illumination component disposed inside the storage compartment.

7. A pickup location as recited in claim 1, wherein at least a portion of the pickup location includes a plurality of casters disposed on a bottom surface of the pickup location.

8. A storage compartment of a pickup location, comprising:

a plurality of surfaces configured to define a cavity;

a door pivotally coupled to at least one of the plurality of surfaces and positioned to prevent access to an object placed within the cavity when the door is in a closed position;

an image capture device disposed within the cavity and configured to capture an image of the object;

a presence detection sensor disposed within the cavity and positioned to detect a presence of the object; and

a locking mechanism configured to selectively hinder and allow pivoting of the door when in a closed position.

9. A storage compartment of claim 8, wherein the image capture device, presence detection sensor and locking mechanism are controlled by a command component remote from the storage compartment.

10. A storage compartment of claim 8, wherein the image capture device is a video camera.

11. A storage compartment of claim 10, wherein the video camera is configured to record video and provide the recorded video to a remote location.

12. A storage compartment of claim 8, wherein the storage compartment includes a plurality of presence detection sensors.

13. A storage compartment of claim 8, wherein the locking mechanism allows pivoting of the door in response to identifying an order associated with the object.

14. A storage compartment of claim 8, wherein the locking mechanism hinders pivoting of the door when an object is placed in the storage compartment and the door is positioned in a closed position.

15. A storage compartment of claim 8, wherein the plurality of surfaces include:

an upper surface;

a lower surface positioned substantially parallel to the upper surface;

a first side surface positioned substantially perpendicular to the upper surface and adjoining the upper surface and the lower surface;

a second side surface positioned substantially parallel to the first side surface and adjoining the upper surface and the lower surface; and

a rear surface positioned substantially perpendicular to the upper surface and adjoining the upper surface, the lower surface, the first side surface and the second side surface.

16. A storage compartment of claim 15, further comprising:

a reflective surface disposed on the upper surface.

17. A storage compartment of claim 15, further comprising:

a reflective surface disposed on the lower surface.

18. A storage compartment of claim 15, wherein the presence detection sensor is disposed on the first side surface.

19. A method comprising:

under control of one or more computing device configured with executable instructions,

detecting a presence of an object within a predetermined range of a user interface disposed on an outer surface of a pickup location, wherein the pickup location includes a plurality of storage compartments for storing and providing access to objects;

in response to detecting a presence;

activating an air ejection component, the air ejection component positioned to eject air over a surface of the user interface;

activating an air intake component, the air intake component positioned to collect air ejected by the air intake component and particulates collected as the ejected air passes over the surface of the user interface;

receiving a determination as to a presence of a substance, wherein the determination is based at least in part on the collected particulates; and

in response to determining there is no presence of a substance, causing a storage compartment of the plurality of storage compartments to become accessible.

20. A method of claim 19, wherein the substance is a hazardous substance.

21. A method of claim 19, wherein the substance is a banned substance.

22. A method of claim 19, wherein the user interface is a touch-screen display.

23. A method of claim 22, wherein the air ejection component is positioned on a first side of the touch-screen display and the air intake component is position on an opposite side of the touch-screen display.