Locker system using barcoded wristbands

• US 8,500,012 B2
• Filed: 03/16/2012
• Issued: 08/06/2013
• 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
• Primary Examiner(s): WALSH, DANIEL I
• Application Number:
  US13/422,382
• Publication Number:
  US 20130119129A1
• Time in Patent Office: 508 Days
• Field of Search: 235/462.01, 235/462.02, 235/454, 235/382, 235/383, 235/385, 235/462.13, 705/22, 705/28, 705/64
• 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 locker system comprising:

a plurality of electronic 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 electronic 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 electronic 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, at least some of the unique barcodes each being associated with a locker rental plan including a plurality of locker accounts corresponding to a plurality of lockers, the locker rental plan including a financial commitment to rent the plurality of lockers, each locker account including an activation indication indicating whether one of the lockers has been accessed, a use indication indicating whether the locker is being rented for single re-entry or multiple re-entry type use, and a duration indicating a time period over which the locker may be accessed in accordance with the locker rental plan; and

a plurality of wristbands, each wristband being configured to store one of the unique barcodes.

2. The locker system of claim 1, wherein the use indication includes an indication of single entry use or multiple entry use.

3. The locker system of claim 1, wherein the duration includes a time duration over which locker use is permitted.

4. The locker system of claim 1, wherein the duration includes a predetermined maximum number of access events permitted, the access events being when the user opens the locker.

5. The locker system of claim 1, wherein the processor of the locker manager is configured to associate each locker account with a locker terminal ID in response to a communication received from one of the electronic lockers via the electronic network.

6. The locker system of claim 1, wherein at least one of the use indication and the time duration of a first of the plurality of locker accounts is different compared to a second of the plurality of locker accounts of the locker rental plan.

7. The locker system of claim 1, wherein a plurality of the unique barcodes are associated with the same locker rental plan.

8. The locker system of claim 7, wherein each of the unique barcodes of the plurality is associated with a first locker account having an indication of multiple entry use.

9. The locker system of claim 8, wherein at least one of the unique barcodes of the plurality is associated with a second locker account having an indication of single entry use.

10. The locker system of claim 1, wherein the barcode scanner includes a laser scanner.

11. The locker system of claim 1, wherein the electronic network includes a wireless network.

12. The locker system of claim 1, wherein the electronic network includes the Internet.

13. The locker system of claim 1, 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 one of the electronic lockers.

14. The locker system of claim 1, wherein the plurality of electronic lockers includes at least one bank of electronic lockers, wherein the barcode scanner is configured to operate the door lock of each locker in the bank.

15. A wristband dispensing kiosk comprising:

a kiosk housing including an input interface, a display interface, and a dispenser;

a hopper disposed in the housing, the hopper being configured to hold a plurality of wristbands, the hopper being connected to the dispenser to selectively dispense the wristbands;

a barcode scanner disposed in the housing at the dispenser; and

an electronic processor coupled to the kiosk housing, the electronic processor being configured to receive an order via the input interface, to selectively dispense the wristbands via the dispenser in accordance with the order, to scan a unique barcode of each wristband using the barcode scanner as the wristband is dispensed, and to provide the scanned unique barcode from the dispensed wristband to a remote locker manager to activate the unique barcode, whereby subsequently scanning the unique barcode at an electronic locker will not unlock a door of the locker unless the unique barcode has been previously activated by the electronic processor based on the scan of the unique barcode during dispensation.

16. The wristband dispensing kiosk of claim 15, wherein the unique barcode of each wristband is pre-printed before the wristband is disposed in the hopper.

17. The wristband dispensing kiosk of claim 15, further comprising a printer disposed in the kiosk housing, wherein the printer prints the respective unique barcode on each wristband as the wristband is dispensed from the kiosk housing.

18. The wristband dispensing kiosk of claim 15, wherein the electronic processor also is configured to display order feedback via the display interface.

19. The wristband dispensing kiosk of claim 15, further comprising an electronic card reader disposed at the kiosk housing and configured to read a value-bearing card.

20. A method of renting lockers comprising:

scanning a barcode using a laser scanner at a locker terminal to identify a barcode number;

electronically sending a validation request from the locker terminal to a locker manager, the validation request including the barcode number identified by the scan and an indication of locker type for the locker terminal, the locker type referring to a non-unique parameter of the locker;

electronically receiving at the locker terminal a validation response from the locker manager, the validation response including an indication of whether access to the locker terminal is in accordance with a locker rental plan associated with the barcode number;

enabling a user to access the locker terminal if the validation response indicates that access to the locker terminal is in accordance with a locker rental plan associated with the barcode number; and

displaying an error message if the validation response indicates that access to the locker terminal is not in accordance with a locker rental plan associated with the barcode number.

21. The method of claim 20, further comprising sending a transaction confirmation from the locker terminal to the locker manager when the locker terminal is accessed, the transaction confirmation including a locker terminal ID and the barcode number.

22. A method of activating barcoded wristbands for use in renting locker terminals in an electronic locker system, the method comprising:

electronically receiving a rental order from a user at a kiosk, the rental order including a selection of a locker rental plan, a selection of a number of wristbands to be associated with the locker rental plan, and payment information;

dispensing the number of wristbands from the kiosk, each wristband having a unique barcode;

electronically scanning the unique barcode of each wristband as the wristband is dispensed; and

electronically sending a communication to a network connected locker manager including any scanned unique barcodes and the locker rental plan, whereby subsequently scanning the unique barcode of one of the wristbands at an electronic locker will not unlock a door of the locker unless the unique barcode has been previously activated based on the scanning of the unique barcode during dispensation.

23. A locker system comprising:

a plurality of electronic 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 electronic 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 electronic 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, at least some of the unique barcodes each being associated with a locker rental plan including at least one locker account, each locker account including an activation indication indicating whether one of the lockers has been accessed, a use indication indicating whether the locker is being rented for single re-entry or multiple re-entry type use, and a duration including a predetermined maximum number of access events permitted, the access events being when the user opens the locker; and

a plurality of wristbands, each wristband being configured to store one of the unique barcodes.

24. The locker system of claim 23, wherein the use indication includes an indication of single entry use or multiple entry use.

25. The locker system of claim 23, wherein the duration includes a time duration over which locker use is permitted.

26. The locker system of claim 23, wherein the processor of the locker manager is configured to associate each locker account with a locker terminal ID in response to a communication received from one of the electronic lockers via the electronic network.

27. The locker system of claim 23, wherein a plurality of the unique barcodes are associated with the same locker rental plan.

28. The locker system of claim 27, wherein each of the unique barcodes of the plurality is associated with a first locker account having an indication of multiple entry use.

29. The locker system of claim 28, wherein at least one of the unique barcodes of the plurality is associated with a second locker account having an indication of single entry use.

30. The locker system of claim 23, wherein the barcode scanner includes a laser scanner.

31. The locker system of claim 23, wherein the electronic network includes a wireless network.

32. The locker system of claim 23, wherein the electronic network includes the Internet.

33. The locker system of claim 23, 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 one of the electronic lockers.

34. The locker system of claim 23, wherein the plurality of electronic lockers includes at least one bank of electronic lockers, wherein the barcode scanner is configured to operate the door lock of each locker in the bank.