LOCKER SYSTEM USING BARCODED WRISTBANDS

• US 20140203076A1
• Filed: 03/26/2014
• Published: 07/24/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 11/11/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Smarte Carte Incorporated (SMARTE CARTE)
• Original Assignee: Smarte Carte Incorporated (SMARTE CARTE)
• Inventors: Amdahl, Keith Louis, Vang, Kong Meng, Burk, Matthew Charles
• Granted Patent: US 9,158,946 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 235/381
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/01 Details
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/385 using an alias or single-use codes
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/4014 Identity check for transactions
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/00182 operated with unidirectional data transmission between data carrier and locks
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/00571 operated by interacting with a central unit
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/00896 specially adapted for particular uses
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/12 comprising lockable containers, e.g. for accepting clothes to be cleaned
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 5/26 Interlocks, e.g. for locking the doors of compartments other than that to be used

Abstract

A locker system includes one or more banks of electronic lockers. Each locker has a door lock that releasably retains the door in the closed position. The locker system also includes at least one barcode scanner selectively unlocks the door of at least one of the lockers. A locker manager is coupled to each of the electronic lockers via an electronic network. The locker manager stores a list of unique barcodes that are each associated with a locker rental plan including at least one locker account. Each locker account includes an activation indication, a use indication, a locker type indication, and a duration. The unique barcodes are printed or otherwise included on wristbands, which may be scanned at the barcode scanner to gain access to one or more of the lockers.

Claims

1. A method of managing a locker system comprising:

providing a plurality of lockers, each locker including an enclosure defining an interior that is accessible through an access opening, each locker including a door that is configured to move between a closed position and an open position, the door inhibiting access to the enclosure interior when in the closed position and the door enabling access to the enclosure interior through the access opening when in the open position, each locker also including a door lock, the door lock of each locker being configured to releasably retain the respective door in the closed position;

providing a locker manager electronically connected to the lockers via an electronic network, the locker manager storing physical aspects about each locker in electronic memory and controlling access to each of the lockers;

creating a plurality of locker accounts for users in response to requests and associating each locker account with a respective barcode;

associating a first of the locker accounts with a privilege that provides priority to a respective user of the first locker account to obtain one of the lockers that has a particular physical aspect;

receiving an activation request for a first of the lockers that has the particular physical aspect, the activation request including a barcode associated with a second of the locker accounts that is not associated with a privilege providing priority to obtain one of the lockers having the particular physical aspect; and

denying access to the first locker.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving another activation request from the first locker, the activation request including another barcode that is associated with the first locker account; and

allowing access to the first electronic locker.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein storing the physical aspects includes storing a location of each of the lockers;

and wherein associating the first locker account with the privilege includes associating the first locker account with priority to obtain a locker located close to ground.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein storing the physical aspects includes storing a size of each of the lockers;

and wherein associating the first locker account with the privilege includes associating the first locker account with priority to obtain a large size locker.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein storing the physical aspects includes storing whether the locker meets ADA specifications;

and wherein associating the first locker account with the privilege includes associating the first locker account with priority to obtain a locker meeting ADA specifications.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the activation request is received from a barcode scanner associated with the first locker.

7. A locker management system comprising:

a plurality of lockers, each locker including an enclosure defining an interior that is accessible through an access opening, each locker including a door that is configured to move between a closed position and an open position, the door inhibiting access to the enclosure interior when in the closed position and the door enabling access to the enclosure interior through the access opening when in the open position, each locker also including a door lock, the door lock of each locker being configured to releasably retain the respective door in the closed position;

a locker manager electronically connected to the respective door lock of each locker via an electronic network, the locker manager including an electronic processor and electronic memory, the electronic memory storing physical aspects about each locker, the processor configured;

to control access to the lockers by locking an unlocking the door locks;

to create a plurality of locker accounts for users in response to requests and to associate each locker account with a respective barcode;

to associate at least some of the barcodes with privileges that provide priority to obtain lockers having particular physical aspects;

to receive activation requests for locker access, each request for locker access being associated with a particular one of the lockers and one of the barcodes;

to deny access to any of the lockers having a particular physical aspect when a barcode associated with the respective request for the locker is not associated with the privilege providing priority to obtain a locker having the particular physical aspect; and

to provide access to any of the lockers having a particular physical aspect when a barcode associated with the respective request for the locker is associated with the privilege providing priority to obtain a locker having the particular physical aspect.

8. The locker management system of claim 7, wherein the physical aspects include a location of each of the lockers;

and wherein one of the privileges includes priority to obtain a locker located close to ground.

9. The locker management system of claim 7, wherein the physical aspects include a location of each of the lockers;

and wherein one of the privileges includes priority to obtain a locker located in a desirable area.

10. The locker management system of claim 7, wherein the physical aspects include a size of each of the lockers;

and wherein one of the privileges includes priority to obtain a large size locker.

11. The locker management system of claim 7, wherein the physical aspects include whether each of the lockers;

and wherein one of the privileges includes priority to obtain a locker that meets ADA specifications.

12. The locker management system of claim 7, further comprising a plurality of wristbands, each wristband being configured to store one of the unique barcodes to enable scanning of the respective barcode at the barcode scanner.

13. The locker system of claim 7, wherein the at least one barcode scanner includes a plurality of barcode scanners, and wherein each of the barcode scanners is associated with the door lock of a respective one of the lockers.

14. The locker system of claim 7, wherein the plurality of lockers includes at least one bank of lockers, wherein the barcode scanner is configured to operate the door lock of each locker in the bank.

15. A locker system comprising:

a plurality of lockers, each locker including an enclosure defining an interior that is accessible through an access opening, each locker including a door that is configured to move between a closed position and an open position, the door inhibiting access to the enclosure interior when in the closed position and the door enabling access to the enclosure interior through the access opening when in the open position, each locker also including a door lock, the door lock of each locker being configured to releasably retain the respective door in the closed position;

at least one barcode scanner associated with the plurality of lockers, the barcode scanner being operationally coupled to the door lock of at least one locker to selectively unlock the door;

a locker manager coupled to each of the lockers via an electronic network, the locker manager including a processor and memory, the memory of the locker manager storing a plurality of unique barcodes and storing a plurality of unique locker accounts, each locker account being associated with payment for one of the lockers, wherein a first of the locker accounts is associated with a first of the lockers and at least two of the unique barcodes so that scanning either of the two unique barcodes at the barcode scanner releases the door lock of the first locker; and

a plurality of wristbands, each wristband being configured to store one of the unique barcodes to enable scanning of the respective barcode at the barcode scanner.

16. The locker system of claim 15, wherein the locker manager stores a unique terminal ID for each of the lockers, and wherein the locker manager associates the first locker account with the unique terminal ID of the first locker after one of the two unique barcodes is scanned at the barcode scanner.

17. The locker system of claim 15, wherein the first locker account is part of a first rental plan stored in the memory of the locker manager, and wherein the first rental plan includes a second locker account that is associated with payment for another of the lockers.

18. The locker system of claim 15, wherein the second locker account is associated with another unique barcode.

19. The locker system of claim 15, wherein the second locker account is associated with one of the two unique barcodes associated with the first locker account.

20. The locker system of claim 15, wherein the at least one barcode scanner includes a plurality of barcode scanners, and wherein each of the barcode scanners is associated with the door lock of a respective one of the lockers.

21. The locker system of claim 15, wherein the plurality of lockers includes at least one bank of lockers, wherein the barcode scanner is configured to operate the door lock of each locker in the bank.

22. The locker system of claim 15, further comprising at least one kiosk electronically coupled to the locker manager, the kiosk including a hopper configured to hold at least some of the wristbands, a dispenser connected to the hopper to dispense the wristbands, and a barcode scanner that scans the unique barcode of each wristband as the wristband is dispensed.