AUTOMATED PACKAGE RELOCATION FROM AN UNMANNED KIOSK

• US 20150332206A1
• Filed: 05/13/2014
• Published: 11/19/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 05/13/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Google LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Google Inc. (Alphabet Inc.)
• Inventors: Trew, Brandon Kyle, Hassam, Ameena
• Granted Patent: US 9,824,324 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/083 Shipping
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/0836 Recipient pick-ups

Abstract

Automated package deliveries comprises a server at a package delivery system that receives a request for a package delivery, the request comprising an identification of a package and an identification of a first kiosk location. The server associates the package with an aerial delivery device and a user authentication to retrieve the package. The server transmits to the delivery device instructions to deliver the package to the first kiosk. Subsequently, the server receives a request from a user computing device to retrieve the package from the first kiosk and deliver the package to an alternate kiosk. The server transmits to the delivery device instructions to retrieve the package from the first kiosk and instructions to deliver the package to the alternate kiosk. The delivery device retrieves the package from the automated kiosk and delivers the package to the alternate kiosk.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method for automated package deliveries, comprising:

receiving, by one or more computing devices, a request for a package delivery, the request comprising an identification of a package and an identification of a first kiosk location;

associating, by the one or more computing devices, the package with a delivery device;

associating, by the one or more computing devices, with the delivery location a user authentication to retrieve the package;

transmitting, by the one or more computing devices, to the delivery device instructions to deliver the package to the first kiosk and the information associated with the kiosk location, the information comprising the first kiosk location, and information associated with the package;

receiving, by the one or more computing devices, a request from a user computing device to retrieve the package from the first kiosk and deliver the package to an alternate kiosk;

transmitting, by the one or more computing devices, to the delivery device instructions to retrieve the package from the first kiosk; and

transmitting, by the one or more computing devices, to the delivery device instructions to deliver the package to the alternate kiosk and the information associated with the second kiosk location, the information comprising the first kiosk location and information associated with the package to allow the delivery device to retrieve the package from the first kiosk and to deliver the package to the second kiosk.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving, by the second kiosk, a communication from the aerial delivery device, the communication comprising an identification of the aerial delivery device and information associated with the package;

preparing, by the second kiosk, a bay for receiving the package from the aerial delivery device;

transporting, by the second kiosk, the package to a package bin;

receiving, by the second kiosk, an input of the user authentication by the user;

verifying, by the second kiosk, the user authentication based on the information associated with the package; and

providing, by the second kiosk, access to the package bin to the user.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the information associated with the first kiosk and the second kiosk locations comprises a GPS location of the first kiosk and the second kiosk.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the information associated with the first kiosk and the second kiosk comprises an address of the first kiosk and the second kiosk locations.

5. The method of claim 2, further comprising transmitting, by the second kiosk, instructions to the aerial delivery device to deposit the package in the bay.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving, by the first kiosk, an input of an authentication by a user to return a package;

verifying, by the first kiosk, the user authentication based on the information associated with the package;

providing, by the first kiosk, access to a bin to receive the package from the user,

receiving, by the first kiosk, a communication from the delivery device, the communication comprising an identification of the delivery device and information associated with the package; and

providing, by the first kiosk, the package to the bay for retrieval by the delivery device.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving, by the first kiosk and from the one or more computing devices, instructions to provide the package to a delivery device for return, the instructions comprising an identification of the delivery device and information associated with the package;

receiving, by the first kiosk, a communication from the aerial delivery device, the communication comprising an identification of the delivery device and information associated with the package; and

providing, by the first kiosk, the package to the bay for retrieval by the delivery device.

8. A system for automated package deliveries by unmanned delivery devices, comprising:

a storage device for a delivery device; and

a processor communicatively coupled to the storage device, wherein the processor executes application code instructions that are stored in the storage device to cause the system to;

receive, from a package delivery system computing device, information associated with a kiosk location for retrieval of a package, the information comprising an identification of the package and a location of the first kiosk;

establish a communication with the first kiosk;

verify that the kiosk is associated with the identification of the package;

receive instructions from the first kiosk for accessing the package in a bay of the kiosk;

secure the package for transporting to a package delivery system location; and

transport the package to the package delivery system location.

9. The system of claim 8, further comprising:

a storage device for a first kiosk; and

a processor communicatively coupled to the storage device for the first kiosk, wherein the processor executes application code instructions that are stored in the storage device to cause the system to;

receive a communication from the package delivery system computing device, the communication comprising an identification of the delivery device and information associated with the package that is to be retrieved;

upon arrival at the first kiosk by the delivery device, receive a communication from the delivery device, the communication comprising an identification of the delivery device and information associated with the package;

prepare the bay to be accessed by the delivery device;

transport the package from a package bin to the bay for retrieval by the delivery device; and

provide a verification to the package delivery system computing device that the package has been retrieved.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein the transporting of the package from a package bin is performed by an automated mechanical system.

11. The system of claim 8, wherein the information associated with the kiosk location comprises a GPS location of the kiosk.

12. The system of claim 8, wherein the information associated with the kiosk location comprises an address of the kiosk.

13. The system of claim 8, further comprising application instructions to:

receive, from a package delivery system computing device, information associated with a second kiosk location for delivery of the package, the information comprising an identification of the package and a location of the second kiosk;

establish a communication with the second kiosk;

verify that the second kiosk is associated with the identification of the package;

receive instructions from the second kiosk for depositing the package in a bay of the second kiosk; and

deposit the package in the bay of the second kiosk.

14. The system of claim 8, further comprising:

a storage device for a second kiosk; and

a processor communicatively coupled to the storage device for the second kiosk, wherein the processor executes application code instructions that are stored in the storage device to cause the system to;

receive a communication from the delivery device, the communication comprising an identification of the delivery device and information associated with the package;

prepare a bay for receiving the package from the delivery device;

receive the package from the delivery device;

transport the package to a package bin;

receive an input of a user authentication from the user;

verify the user authentication based on the information associated with the package and the transmitted user authentication; and

provide access to the package bin to the user.

15. The system of claim 9, wherein the transporting of the package from the package bin to the bay is performed by an automated mechanical system.

16. A computer program product, comprising:

a non-transitory computer-readable medium having computer-readable program instructions embodied thereon that when executed by a computer cause the computer to automatically return packages, the computer readable instructions comprising;

computer-readable program instructions to receive a request for a package delivery, the request comprising an identification of a package and an identification of a first kiosk location;

computer-readable program instructions to associate the package with a delivery device;

computer-readable program instructions to transmit to the delivery device the information associated with the kiosk location, the information comprising the first kiosk location, and information associated with the package;

computer-readable program instructions to receive a request from a user computing device to retrieve the package from the first kiosk and deliver the package to an alternate kiosk;

computer-readable program instructions to transmit to the delivery device instructions to retrieve the package from the first kiosk; and

computer-readable program instructions to transmit to the delivery device instructions to deliver the package to the alternate kiosk and the information associated with the second kiosk location, the information comprising the first kiosk location, and information associated with the package.

17. The computer program product of claim 16, further comprising computer-readable program instructions to transmit instructions to the first kiosk to prepare the package for retrieval by the aerial delivery device.

18. The computer program product of claim 16, further comprising computer-readable program instructions to transmit instructions to the alternate kiosk to receive the package, the instructions comprising information associated with the package.

19. The computer program product of claim 16, wherein the information associated with the first kiosk and the alternate kiosk locations comprises a GPS location of the first kiosk and the alternate kiosk.

20. The computer program product of claim 16, wherein the information associated with the first kiosk and the alternate kiosk comprises an address of the first kiosk and the alternate kiosk locations.