Secure locker system and method
First Claim
1. A computerized home shopping system comprising:
- (a) a plurality of individually-lockable lockers for storage of goods, (b) a locker control system for controlling locking and unlocking of said lockers (c) an in-residence information technology (IT) system for enabling a householder to create an order for goods from a retailer/service provider, (d) means operable upon creation of the order, for reserving a particular locker from said plurality of lockers for the storage of said goods upon delivery, and for allocating an access code permitting unlocking of said locker, where said locker is of an appropriate size and environment for said goods, (e) means for forwarding said access code to a said retailer/service provider, together with said order, and (f) means for enabling a delivery person, when delivering said goods, to enter said access code to said locker control system, (g) said locker control system including means for interpreting said access code to indicate said locker and unlock it for use by said delivery person, and means to relock said locker after use by said delivery person and to indicate to the in-residence IT system that the delivery person has visited.
2 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A locker system which permits secure delivery, or collection, of goods at a location and that can be associated with a single household or disposed centrally with respect to a plurality of households. A set of lockers, which may be of different sizes, capable of being in different states, e.g. ambient, chilled, frozen, and which are lockable separately, is disposed at the location. In-residence IT systems including computer means, such as servers, permit householders to place on-line orders with retailers/service providers, such as over the Internet. Prior to order placement, an appropriate locker for the size and state of the goods is reserved, such as by the household server contacting a management server via an Intranet. An access code required for unlocking the reserved locker is supplied to the household server, and forwarded to the retailer/service provider over the Internet together with the order and reserved locker location information. The retailer/service provider downloads the access code onto an electronic key, such as a smartcard, which the delivery person uses at delivery time in conjunction with a controller having an appropriate key reader. The controller with key reader identifies the reserved locker to the delivery person and unlocks it. The delivery person can then open the locker and insert the goods. Subsequent closure of the locker, relocks it and is used to indicate to the household server that the delivery has been made.
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Citations
10 Claims
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1. A computerized home shopping system comprising:
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(a) a plurality of individually-lockable lockers for storage of goods, (b) a locker control system for controlling locking and unlocking of said lockers (c) an in-residence information technology (IT) system for enabling a householder to create an order for goods from a retailer/service provider, (d) means operable upon creation of the order, for reserving a particular locker from said plurality of lockers for the storage of said goods upon delivery, and for allocating an access code permitting unlocking of said locker, where said locker is of an appropriate size and environment for said goods, (e) means for forwarding said access code to a said retailer/service provider, together with said order, and (f) means for enabling a delivery person, when delivering said goods, to enter said access code to said locker control system, (g) said locker control system including means for interpreting said access code to indicate said locker and unlock it for use by said delivery person, and means to relock said locker after use by said delivery person and to indicate to the in-residence IT system that the delivery person has visited. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
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10. A computerized home shopping method comprising:
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(a) providing a plurality of individually-lockable lockers for storage of goods, said lockers having a locker control system for controlling locking and unlocking of said lockers (b) creating an order for goods from a retailer/service provider using an in-residence information technology (IT) system, (c) upon creation of the order, reserving a particular locker from said plurality of lockers for the storage of said goods upon delivery, and allocating an access code permitting unlocking of said locker, where said locker is of an appropriate size and environment for said goods, (d) forwarding said access code to said retailer/service provider, together with said order, (e) enabling a delivery person, when delivering said goods, to enter said access code to said locker control system, (f) interpreting said access code to indicate said locker and unlock it for use by said delivery person, and (g) relocking said locker after use by said delivery person and indicating to the in-residence IT system that the delivery person has visited.
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Specification