METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR DISTRIBUTING SMART CONTAINERS

• US 20160171568A1
• Filed: 12/08/2015
• Published: 06/16/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 12/10/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Alibaba Group Holding Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Alibaba Group Holding Ltd.
• Inventors: Cao, Haitao, Ren, Wanxi
• Granted Patent: US 10,572,913 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/0832 Special goods or special handling procedures, e.g. handling of hazardous or fragile goods
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0284 Time or distance, e.g. usage of parking meters or taximeters
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/04 Billing or invoicing

Abstract

A smart container is disclosed. The smart container includes a container body having at least one storage division, a timekeeping unit configured to keep time of a deposit-removal cycle for a storage division to obtain a timekeeping result, a billing unit configured to receive the timekeeping result from the timekeeping unit of the deposit-removal cycle for the specific storage division and calculate a storage fee based on the timekeeping result, and a displaying unit being for displaying the storage fee calculated by the billing unit.

Claims

1. A smart container, comprising:

a container body comprising at least one storage division;

a timekeeping unit configured to keep time of a deposit-removal cycle for a storage division to obtain a timekeeping result;

a billing unit configured to receive the timekeeping result from the timekeeping unit of the deposit-removal cycle for a specific storage division, and calculate a storage fee based on the timekeeping result; and

a displaying unit being for displaying the storage fee calculated by the billing unit.

2. The smart container as described in claim 1, wherein the timekeeping unit is further configured to:

start keeping time when a deposit operation in the deposit-removal cycle is implemented for the specific storage division;

cease keeping time when goods are removed from the specific storage division; and

acquire the timekeeping result of the deposit-removal cycle for the specific storage division.

3. The smart container as described in claim 1, wherein:

the billing unit is further configured to;

in the event that the timekeeping result is less than a set length T0, set billing result to correspond to no charge; and

in the event that the timekeeping result is greater than the set length T0, collect a storage fee based on a set rate; and

the set rate is determined based on;

a fixed storage fee;

obtaining an excess time length by subtracting the set length T0 from the timekeeping result and multiplying the excess time length by a set per unit time rate;

or

obtaining an excess time length by subtracting the set length T0 from the timekeeping result and dividing the excess time length into a certain number of ranges based on different intervals, the different excess time length ranges corresponding to different per unit time rates.

4. The smart container as described in claim 1, wherein the storage division includes an electronic control lock, and wherein upon receiving an open instruction, the electronic control lock becomes unlocked and the storage division enters an opened state to facilitate a deposit operation or a removal operation.

5. The smart container as described in claim 4, further comprising a fee-collecting unit, the fee-collecting unit being configured to:

receive the storage fee and a shipment fee calculated by the billing unit;

receive and determine an external currency amount or an electronic currency payment amount;

compare the external currency amount or the electronic currency payment amount to the received calculated fees; and

in the event that the external currency amount or the electronic currency payment amount is greater than or equal to the sum of the storage fee and the shipment fee, issue the open instruction to the electronic control lock.

6. The smart container as described in claim 1, further comprising a communication unit configured to:

connect with a network;

obtain, via the network, remote management instructions for the specific storage division; and

transmit information concerning the specific storage division to a remote server.

7. The smart container as described in claim 6, further comprising an information receiving unit, the information receiving unit configured to receive external information, the external information including one or more codes to control issuing of open instructions for electronic control locks.

8. The smart container as described in claim 6, further comprising a recording unit, the recording unit being configured to automatically record actions of depositing goods into or removing goods from the storage division.

9. The smart container as described in claim 6, further comprising:

a storage division detection and control unit configured to receive use status and type of the specific storage division and send the use status of the specific storage division via the communication unit;

the storage division detection and control unit being configured to;

receive a use authority reservation for storage division, the use authority reservation being transmitted by the communication unit;

determine a reserved storage division based on the use authority reservation;

provide, via the communication unit, a message indicating a successful reservation to an external device that presented the reservation; and

control use of the reserved storage division based on the use authority reservation, including to;

set, record, and issue, via the communication unit, a reservation digital certificate to reserve equipment, the reservation digital certificate being a digital voucher for a subsequent use of the reserved storage division;

or

receive a reservation digital certificate transmitted by the communication unit and record the reservation digital certificate, the reservation digital certificate being a digital voucher for a subsequent use of the reserved storage division.

10. The smart container as described in claim 9, wherein to determine the reserved storage division based on the use authority reservation includes to:

in the event that the use authority reservation includes information designating the reserved storage division, determine the reserved storage division based on the designated reserved storage division; and

in the event that the use authority reservation does not contain information designating a reserved storage division, determine an appropriate storage division as the reserved storage division based on a storage division request in the use authority reservation and the recorded use status of each storage division.

11. The smart container as described in claim 1, further comprising a printing unit configured to print vouchers.

12. The smart container as described in claim 1, further comprising:

a scale configured to measure a weight of goods;

a volume measuring apparatus configured to measure a volume of goods;

or

both the scale and the volume measuring apparatus.

13. The smart container as described in claim 1, further comprising a two-dimensional code scanner.

14. The smart container as described in claim 1, further comprising an anti-theft alarm.

15. A method, comprising:

receiving a shipment instruction, the shipment instruction including distribution information for shipment goods;

opening a smart container storage division based on the shipment instruction;

in the event that the storage division is shut, generating a distribution message based on the distribution information included in the shipment instruction, smart container geographic location information, and storage division serial number;

sending the distribution message to a logistics data center;

generating a pick-up digital certificate; and

sending the pick-up digital certificate to the logistics data center or receiving a pick-up digital certificate generated by the logistics data center.

16. The method as described in claim 15, wherein the receiving of the shipment instruction includes scanning a reservation digital certificate using a two-dimensional code scanner.

17. The method as described in claim 15, wherein:

after the receiving of the shipment instruction, activating a recording unit to begin recording; and

after the storage division is shut, ceasing the recording unit to record, recorded content being stored locally or uploaded to the logistics data center.

18. The method as described in claim 15, wherein after the storage division is shut, activating a timekeeping unit to begin keeping time.

19. The method as described in claim 15, wherein after the storage division is shut, changing a use status of the storage division.

20. The method as described in claim 15, wherein the receiving of the shipment instruction comprises:

receiving a shipment initiation command;

activating a recording unit;

receiving a distribution information, the distribution information includes a recipient address and a recipient name; and

weighing the goods, comprising;

measuring goods weight based on a smart container scale or measuring a volume of the goods based on a volume measuring apparatus.

21. The method as described in claim 20, wherein the receiving of the shipment instruction further comprises:

displaying a prompt for additional shipment information to be filled in, the prompt includes express delivery companies that may be used, shipper information, and remarks;

receiving user selections or entries; and

regarding the selections or entries as a part of the distribution information included in the shipment instruction.

22. A method, comprising:

receiving a pick-up digital certificate;

determining whether the pick-up digital certificate is correct;

in the event that the pick-up digital certificate is correct, opening a smart container storage division;

detecting that the smart container storage division is shut; and

after the storage division is shut;

generating a signed receipt message; and

sending the signed receipt message to a logistics data center.

23. The method as described in claim 22, wherein the receiving of the pick-up digital certificate includes scanning the pick-up digital certificate with a two-dimensional code scanner.

24. The method as described in claim 22, wherein:

after the receiving of the pick-up digital certificate, activating a recording unit to begin recording; and

in the event that the storage division is shut, ceasing to record, recorded content being saved locally or uploaded to the logistics data center.

25. The method as described in claim 22, wherein after the determining that the pick-up digital certificate is correct, ceasing to keep time.

26. The method as described in claim 25, wherein after the ceasing to keep time, calculating a storage fee based on a timekeeping result.

27. The method as described in claim 26, wherein after the calculating of the storage fee, opening the storage division.

28. The method as described in claim 22, wherein after the storage division is shut, changing a use status of the storage division based on the signed receipt message.

29. The method as described in claim 22, wherein content of the signed receipt message includes:

confirmation of pick up;

confirmation of the signed receipt message and an instruction to delete video associated with goods;

or

a refusal to sign receipt and an instruction to store the video associated with the goods.

30. The method as described in claim 22, wherein before the receiving of the pick-up digital certificate:

receiving the pick-up digital certificate by distribution equipment of express delivery personnel or mobile terminal of a recipient.

31. A system, comprising:

a plurality of smart containers;

distribution equipment; and

a logistics data center;

wherein

a smart container is configured to;

receive, ship, and store goods;

communicate with the logistics data center;

send status information that reflects use status of one or more specific storage divisions of the smart container;

receive reservation information for the smart container sent by the logistics data center and reserve a storage division based on the reservation information; and

open the reserved storage division based on a reservation digital certificate associated with the reservation information;

the distribution equipment is configured to;

transport goods and receive from logistics data center information distribution routes and the reservation digital certificate; and

send geographic location information of the distribution equipment and distribution information for to-be-distributed goods to the logistics data center; and

the logistics data center is configured to;

receive the storage division status information provided by the plurality of smart containers, and the geographic location information and the distribution information sent by the distribution equipment;

store smart container geographic location information and receive route information and route condition information relating to route calculations;

calculate and generate distribution routes and send the distribution routes to the distribution equipment based on the route information;

send reservation information for a specific storage division of a corresponding smart container and a reservation digital certificate associated with the reservation information to the corresponding smart container; and

send a delivery notification to a mobile terminal of a recipient, the delivery notification including smart container location information where the delivered goods are located and a pick-up digital certificate for opening the associated storage division.

32. The system as described in claim 31, wherein the smart container further comprises:

a timekeeping unit configured to keep time while the goods are stored; and

a billing unit configured to calculate a storage division use fee that should be collected based on a timekeeping result of the timekeeping unit.