Pneumatic transport delivery control

• US 9,292,823 B2
• Filed: 06/25/2014
• Issued: 03/22/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 10/09/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Translogic Corporation (Midea Group Co., Ltd)
• Original Assignee: Translogic Corporation (Midea Group Co., Ltd)
• Inventors: Hoganson, Kenneth Michael, Kennedy, John Alan
• Primary Examiner(s): LOGAN, KYLE O
• Application Number:
  US14/314,714
• Publication Number:
  US 20140343724A1
• Time in Patent Office: 636 Days
• Field of Search: 700/228
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B65G 51/44 without mechanical contact between carriers and controllers
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/08 Logistics, e.g. warehousing, loading or distribution; Inventory or stock management

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.

Claims

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.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

randomly generating the access code.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

after providing access to the carrier, sending a delivery confirmation message to one of;

a display device of the origination station; and

a communication device associated with the origination station.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein generating the access code on the output device comprises delivering the access code of a wireless communication device of the user.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein providing access to the carrier comprises releasing said carrier into a user accessible location within the destination station.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein receiving said response from the recipient further comprises receiving the destination location of the recipient.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

sending the message to the recipient prior to transporting the carrier.

8. The method of claim 7, further comprising

moving the carrier to a user inaccessible storage location within the system prior to the access code being entered into the input device.

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:

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.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the response signal further includes:

an indication of availability.

11. The method of claim 9, wherein sending said message comprises sending a message to a wireless communication device of said second system user.