Systems and methods for locking and docking

• US 9,361,601 B2
• Filed: 10/02/2013
• Issued: 06/07/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 10/02/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Kiosk Information Systems Incorporated (Posiflex Technologies, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Kiosk Information Systems Incorporated (Posiflex Technologies, Inc.)
• Inventors: Grow, Roger H., Malone, Richard L., Newsom, Charles
• Primary Examiner(s): Miller, Brian
• Application Number:
  US14/044,714
• Publication Number:
  US 20140094967A1
• Time in Patent Office: 979 Days
• Field of Search: 340/5.5
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 15/02 electric
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/087 Inventory or stock management, e.g. order filling, procurement or balancing against orders
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/18 involving self-service terminals [SST], vending machines, kiosks or multimedia terminals
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/00896 specially adapted for particular uses
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/10 for means for safe-keeping of property, left temporarily, e.g. by fastening the property
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 5/26 Interlocks, e.g. for locking the doors of compartments other than that to be used

Abstract

Embodiments of the present invention relate generally to a modular system for facilitating automated transactions. Specifically, in some embodiments a modular system includes a plurality of lock modules that are controlled by one or more primary lock control boards. The lock modules control access to products or services through one or more daughter boards.

Claims

1. A modular system for securing goods or services, the modular system comprising:

a primary lock control board that includes a network adapter coupled to a communications network;

a lock control board located remote from the primary lock control board, wherein the lock control board is configured to receive instructions from the primary lock control board through the communications network; and

a sensory daughter board coupled to the lock control board, the sensory daughter board including user-perceivable indicators;

a lock daughter board coupled to the lock control board, the lock daughter board including a locking mechanism that selectively releases and secures a tangible item; and

an ID daughter board coupled to the lock control board and located proximate to the lock daughter board, the ID daughter board configured to obtain and transmit to the primary lock control board via the lock control board identification information obtained from the tangible item;

wherein the lock control board is further configured to control the sensory daughter board in order to selectively activate and deactivate the user-perceivable indicators; and

wherein the primary lock control board is configured to instruct the lock control board to selectively release and secure the tangible item via the lock daughter board.

2. The modular system of claim 1, further comprising a docking module in which the sensory daughter board, the lock daughter board, and the ID daughter board are integrated, the docking module including an aperture into which a portion of the tangible item is inserted, wherein the locking mechanism selectively releases and secures that portion of the tangible item.

3. The modular system of claim 2, wherein the user-perceivable indicators include lights and wherein the primary lock control board is configured to instruct the lock control board to activate and deactivate the lights in order to identify the docking module securing the tangible item.

4. The modular system of claim 2, wherein the locking mechanism of the lock daughter board is configured to selectively release and secure a latching body coupled to the tangible item, the latching body including an RFID chip;

wherein the ID daughter board includes an RFID reader to obtain identification information from the RFID chip regarding the tangible item; and

wherein the ID daughter board is positioned within the docking module at a location where the RFID reader interacts with the RFID chip when the latching body is secured by the locking mechanism of the lock daughter board.

5. The modular system of claim 1, wherein the primary lock control board is configured to determine a level of power to send to the lock control board.

6. A modular locking system for controlling access to a variety of goods and services, the modular locking system comprising:

a kiosk configured to receive transaction information from a user, wherein the kiosk includes a primary lock control board and the transaction information includes a desired tangible good;

a first docking module that includes a first lock control board, a first lock daughter board, and a first ID daughter board;

a second docking module that includes a second lock control board, a second lock daughter board, and a second ID daughter board;

wherein the first lock daughter board and the second lock daughter board are each configured to selectively lock and release a tangible good at the first and second docking module, respectively, wherein selectively locking and releasing the tangible good includes selectively locking and unlocking a portion of the tangible good;

wherein the first ID daughter board and the second ID daughter board are each configured to identify the tangible good locked at the first and second docking modules, respectively, using the portion of the tangible good; and

wherein the primary lock control board at the kiosk is configured to;

receive identification information from the first ID daughter board and the second ID daughter board that identifies a tangible good secured at their respective docking modules;

use the identification information to determine at which docking module the desired tangible good is secured; and

transmit instructions to the lock control board at the docking module at which the desired tangible good is secured to operate the connected lock daughter board to release the desired tangible good.

7. The modular locking system of claim 6, wherein the primary lock control board is configured to poll each docking module in order to receive the identification information.

8. The modular locking system of claim 7, wherein the primary lock control board is configured to poll each docking module in response to receiving the transaction information.

9. The modular locking system of claim 6, wherein the kiosk is operatively coupled to an external database in which the identification information from each ID daughter board is stored, and wherein the primary lock control board is configured to obtain the identification information from the external database.

10. The modular locking system of claim 6, wherein the kiosk is configured to access the identification information from the first and second ID daughter boards and to convey, to a user, tangible goods associated with the identification information.

11. The modular locking system of claim 6, wherein the kiosk is configured to receive the transaction information from the user using a communications network, wherein the user is remote from the kiosk but is located proximate to the first docking module.

12. The modular locking system of claim 11, wherein the first docking module is located remote from the second docking module, and wherein the kiosk is configured to determine which docking module is closer to the user and to direct the user to that docking module.

13. The modular locking system of claim 6, wherein the first lock control board, the first lock daughter board, the first ID daughter board, the second lock control board, the second lock daughter board, and the second ID daughter board are configured to communicate through a daisy-chain like configuration.