Pneumatic transport delivery control
First Claim
1. A method for use in a pneumatic carrier system that includes a plurality of user stations, pneumatic tubes and transfer devices, comprising:
- receiving an input identifying a recipient of a carrier at located at an origination station within the pneumatic carrier system;
sending a message to the recipient of the carrier, wherein said message indicates that the carrier is slated for delivery to the recipient;
transporting the carrier to a destination station associated with a destination location of the recipient via the pneumatic tube system;
receiving a response from the recipient in response to said message, said response including recipient identification credentials;
upon confirming credentials from the recipient, generating an access code specific to the carrier on an output device for receipt by the recipient; and
upon the access code being received via an input device at the destination station, providing access to the carrier.
1 Assignment
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Accused Products
Abstract
The presented inventions seek to create a verifiable and closed loop chain-of-custody for a specific transaction in a pneumatic tube transport system while allowing a sender and recipient to perform asynchronous activity. That is, one aspect the presented inventions allows a sender to securely send a carrier to a desired recipient while allowing the desired recipient to receive the secured carrier at a convenient time and/or location without tying up system resources. Another aspect improves the physical barriers between high value payloads and the unintended recipients. This is done in part by introducing randomness into the carrier delivery process such that no member of the general public or facility staff knows the location and/or delivery time of a secured carrier without having access to specific database records indicating the current location and/or delivery status of the secured carrier.
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Citations
11 Claims
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1. A method for use in a pneumatic carrier system that includes a plurality of user stations, pneumatic tubes and transfer devices, comprising:
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receiving an input identifying a recipient of a carrier at located at an origination station within the pneumatic carrier system; sending a message to the recipient of the carrier, wherein said message indicates that the carrier is slated for delivery to the recipient; transporting the carrier to a destination station associated with a destination location of the recipient via the pneumatic tube system; receiving a response from the recipient in response to said message, said response including recipient identification credentials; upon confirming credentials from the recipient, generating an access code specific to the carrier on an output device for receipt by the recipient; and upon the access code being received via an input device at the destination station, providing access to the carrier. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
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9. A method for use in a computerized controller for operating a pneumatic carrier system where the pneumatic carrier system includes a plurality of user stations, pneumatic tubes and transfer devices, comprising:
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receiving, from a first system user, a carrier transaction request for a carrier to be dispatched by an originating user station; receiving an input identifying a second system user who is an intended recipient of the carrier; generating signals to effect movement of the carrier to a user inaccessible storage location within the system; sending a message to the second system user, wherein said message indicates that a carrier is slated for delivery to the second system user; receiving a response from the second system user, wherein said response includes a destination location of the second system user; and upon receiving a response signal from the second system user, generating control signals to effect delivery of the carrier, via the pneumatic system, to said destination location of the second system user. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11)
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Specification