TRACKING OF A PACKAGE DELIVERY TO A SMART-HOME

• US 20150120598A1
• Filed: 12/31/2014
• Published: 04/30/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 09/21/2012
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Google LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Google Inc. (Alphabet Inc.)
• Inventors: Fadell, Anthony Michael, Rogers, Matthew Lee, Matsuoka, Yoky, Sloo, David, Honjo, Shigefumi, McGaraghan, Scott A., Plitkins, Michael, Veron, Maxime, Guenette, Isabel
• Application Number:
  US14/587,421
• Publication Number:
  US 20150120598A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/333
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/0631 Resource planning, allocation, distributing or scheduling for enterprises or organisations
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/083 Shipping
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/0833 Tracking
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 19/005 combined burglary and fire alarm systems
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 25/008 Alarm setting and unsetting, i.e. arming or disarming of the security system
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 27/003 Signalling to neighbouring houses
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 29/185 Signal analysis techniques for reducing or preventing false alarms or for enhancing the reliability of the system
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/403 Arrangements for multi-party communication, e.g. for conferences data switching systems for conference H04L12/18; arrangements for connecting several subscribers to a common circuit, i.e. affording conference facilities H04M3/56; television conferencing systems H04N7/15

Abstract

This patent specification relates to apparatus, systems, methods, and related computer program products for providing home security/smart home objectives. More particularly, this patent specification relates to a plurality of devices, including intelligent, multi-sensing, network-connected devices, that communicate with each other and/or with a central server or a cloud-computing system to provide any of a variety of useful home security/smart home objectives.

Claims

1. A method for tracking delivery of a package by a delivery service-provider entity that comprises a delivery computing system to a smart environment that comprises at least one smart device, the method comprising:

obtaining, at a server from the at least one smart device located at the smart environment, delivery data collected from the smart environment by at least one sensor of the at least one smart device, wherein the delivery data is associated with the delivery of the package; and

sharing, by the server with the delivery computing system of the delivery service-provider entity, at least a portion of the delivery data for the purpose of tracking the delivery of the package.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the at least a portion of the delivery data comprises at least one of:

information indicative of the identity of a particular deliverer of the delivery service-provider entity detected at the smart environment at a particular time;

information indicative of the identity of the package detected at the smart environment at a particular time;

information indicative of an action of a particular deliverer of the delivery service-provider entity detected at the smart environment at a particular time;

information indicative of an action of the package detected at the smart environment at a particular time; and

information indicative of an action of a particular receiver of the package detected at the smart environment at a particular time.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the sharing comprises exposing, by the server, at least one application program interface for access by the delivery computing system of the delivery service-provider entity to obtain the at least a portion of the delivery data.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the at least a portion of the delivery data enables the delivery service-provider entity to confirm the appearance of a particular deliverer of the delivery service-provider at the smart environment.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the at least a portion of the delivery data enables the delivery service-provider entity to confirm the secure disposal of the package at the smart environment.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the at least a portion of the delivery data enables the delivery service-provider entity to confirm the secure retrieval of the package at the smart environment.

7. A method for tracking delivery of a package by a delivery service-provider entity to a smart environment that comprises at least one smart device, the method comprising:

obtaining, at a delivery computing system of the delivery service-provider entity, deliverer data from a personal device of a particular deliverer of the delivery service-provider entity, wherein the deliverer data is associated with the delivery of the package;

obtaining, at the delivery computing system of the delivery service-provider entity, delivery data from the at least one smart device of the smart environment, wherein the delivery data is associated with the delivery of the package; and

analyzing, with the delivery computing system of the delivery service-provider entity, at least a portion of the obtained deliverer data in combination with at least a portion of the obtained delivery data for the purpose of tracking the delivery of the package.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the at least a portion of the deliverer data comprises at least one of:

information indicative of the location of the particular deliverer detected by the personal device at a particular time; and

information indicative of the location of the package detected by the personal device at a particular time.

9. The method of claim 7, wherein the at least a portion of the delivery data comprises at least one of:

information indicative of the identity of the particular deliverer detected at the smart environment at a particular time by the at least one smart device;

information indicative of the identity of the package detected at the smart environment at a particular time by the at least one smart device;

information indicative of an action of the particular deliverer detected at the smart environment at a particular time by the at least one smart device;

information indicative of an action of the package detected at the smart environment at a particular time by the at least one smart device; and

information indicative of an action of a particular receiver of the package detected at the smart environment at a particular time by the at least one smart device.

10. The method of claim 7, wherein the at least a portion of the delivery data comprises information indicative of the security of the package at the smart environment at a particular time.

11. The method of claim 7, wherein the at least one smart device is attached to a structure of the smart environment.

12. A smart device for enhancing delivery of a package by a deliverer to an environment comprising a structure, the smart device comprising:

a housing operative to be coupled to the structure of the environment;

at least one sensing component positioned at least partially within the housing and operative to detect delivery data associated with the delivery of the package to the environment; and

communications circuitry positioned at least partially within the housing and operative to communicate at least a portion of the detected delivery data to a remote server for the purpose of tracking the delivery of the package to the environment.

13. The smart device of claim 12, wherein the at least a portion of the detected delivery data comprises at least one of:

information indicative of the identity of the deliverer detected at the environment at a particular time;

information indicative of the identity of the package detected at the environment at a particular time;

information indicative of an action of the deliverer detected at the environment at a particular time;

information indicative of an action of the package detected at the environment at a particular time; and

information indicative of an action of a particular receiver of the package detected at the environment at a particular time.

14. The smart device of claim 12, wherein the at least one sensing component comprises a scanner sensing component operative to detect a code of a label coupled to the package as at least a portion of the detected delivery data.

15. The smart device of claim 12, wherein the at least one sensing component comprises a biometric sensing component operative to detect a biometric feature of the deliverer.

16. The smart device of claim 12, further comprising at least one output component operative to convey delivery instructions for facilitating the detection of the delivery data.

17. The smart device of claim 16, wherein the at least one output component comprises an audio speaker operative to audibly convey the delivery instructions.

18. The smart device of claim 16, wherein the at least one output component comprises a display operative to visually convey the delivery instructions.

19. The smart device of claim 16, wherein:

the at least one output component comprises a projector operative to visually identify a secure area for receiving the package; and

a sensing range of the at least one sensing component comprises the secure area.

20. The smart device of claim 12, further comprising a doorbell component positioned at least partially within the housing and operative to be touched by the deliverer for generating a request to contact an occupant of the environment.

21-26. -26. (canceled)