Locker system using barcoded wristbands

• US 9,158,946 B2
• Filed: 03/26/2014
• Issued: 10/13/2015
• 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, Burk, Matthew Charles
• Primary Examiner(s): WALSH, DANIEL I
• Application Number:
  US14/226,347
• Publication Number:
  US 20140203076A1
• Time in Patent Office: 566 Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• 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 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, 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 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 and storing a plurality of rental plans, each rental plan including at least one unique locker account, wherein a locker account of a first rental plan is associated with a first of the lockers and with at least two of the unique barcodes so that scanning either of the two unique barcodes at the barcode scanner releases the door lock of the first locker;

a plurality of wristbands, each wristband being configured to store one of the unique barcodes to enable scanning of the respective barcode at the barcode scanner; and

at least one kiosk electronically coupled to the locker manager, the kiosk including a hopper configured to hold at least some of the wristbands, a dispenser connected to the hopper to dispense the wristbands, and a barcode scanner that scans the unique barcode of each wristband as the wristband is dispensed and provides data from the scan to the locker manager which activates the barcode thereby allowing a user to select one of the lockers for association and to access the interior of the associated locker.

2. The locker system of claim 1, wherein the locker manager stores a unique terminal ID for each of the lockers, and wherein the locker manager associates the first locker account with the unique terminal ID of the first locker after one of the two unique barcodes is scanned at the barcode scanner.

3. The locker system of claim 1, wherein the first locker account is part of a first rental plan stored in the memory of the locker manager, and wherein the first rental plan includes a second locker account for another of the lockers.

4. The locker system of claim 3, wherein the second locker account is associated with another unique barcode.

5. The locker system of claim 3, wherein the second locker account is associated with one of the two unique barcodes associated with the first locker account.

6. 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 a respective one of the lockers.

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

8. The locker system of claim 1, wherein the two unique barcodes are initially associated with the locker account when the first rental plan is created.

9. The locker system of claim 1, wherein a first of the two unique barcodes is initially associated with the first locker account and wherein a second of the two unique barcodes is associated with the first locker account when the first rental plan is edited.

10. The locker system of claim 1, wherein each locker account is associated with payment for one of the lockers.

11. The locker system of claim 1, wherein the processor of the locker manager is configured:

to associate at least some of the unique barcodes with privileges that provide priority to obtain lockers having particular physical aspects;

to receive activation requests for locker access, each request for locker access being associated with a particular one of the lockers and one of the barcodes;

to deny access to any of the lockers having a particular physical aspect when a barcode associated with the respective request for the locker is not associated with the privilege providing priority to obtain a locker having the particular physical aspect; and

to provide access to any of the lockers having a particular physical aspect when a barcode associated with the respective request for the locker is associated with the privilege providing priority to obtain a locker having the particular physical aspect.

12. The locker system of claim 11, wherein the physical aspects include a location of each of the lockers;

and wherein one of the privileges includes priority to obtain a locker located close to ground.

13. The locker system of claim 11, wherein the physical aspects include a location of each of the lockers;

and wherein one of the privileges includes priority to obtain a locker located in a desirable area.

14. The locker system of claim 11, wherein the physical aspects include a size of each of the lockers;

and wherein one of the privileges includes priority to obtain a large size locker.

15. The locker system of claim 11, wherein the physical aspects include whether each of the lockers;

and wherein one of the privileges includes priority to obtain a locker that meets ADA specifications.