Indoor location vehicle delivery

• US 9,534,905 B1
• Filed: 01/25/2016
• Issued: 01/03/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 01/25/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Bostick, James E., Ganci, John M. Jr., Keen, Martin G., Rakshit, Sarbajit K.
• Primary Examiner(s): Figueroa, Jaime
• Application Number:
  US15/005,148
• Time in Patent Office: 344 Days
• Field of Search: 700/245, 701/2, 701/25, 705/26.2, 705/338, 382/124
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/206 specially adapted for indoor navigation
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 15/02 electric
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/083 Shipping

Abstract

A method and system for delivering a package is provided. The method includes a receiving by a delivery vehicle delivery, rules and a temporary passcode for delivering a package to a secure indoor location of a customer premises. The delivery vehicle, including the package, is directed to the secured indoor location and upon arrival the temporary passcode is transmitted to a control system for the secure indoor location. In response, access to the secure indoor location is enabled and the delivery vehicle is directed into the secure indoor location for delivery of the package within the secure indoor location such that the package is placed within the secure indoor location. After delivery, the delivery vehicle is directed out of the secure indoor location. The passcode is again transmitted to the control system and in response access to the secure indoor location is disabled.

Claims

1. A vehicle delivery method comprising:

receiving, by a computer processor of control hardware of a delivery vehicle, delivery rules for delivering a package to a secure indoor location of a customer premises, wherein said delivery rules comprise rules selected from the group consisting of an address of said customer premises, GPS coordinates of said secure indoor location, and a backup delivery plan for an alternate delivery location with respect to said secure indoor location;

receiving, by said computer processor, a temporary passcode for accessing said secure indoor location;

directing, by said computer processor, said delivery vehicle to said secured indoor location, wherein said package is loaded on said vehicle;

first transmitting, by said computer processor, said temporary passcode to a control system for said secure indoor location;

enabling by said computer processor in response to said first transmitting, access to said secure indoor location, wherein said secure indoor location comprises a first electromechanical device comprising an electronically controlled lock securing a barrier for an entry point of said secure indoor location, wherein said secure indoor location comprises a second electromechanical device configured to automatically open or close said barrier, and wherein said enabling said access to said secure indoor location further comprises;

activating via said temporary passcode, said first electromechanical device such that said electronically controlled lock becomes unlocked and said barrier becomes unsecured; and

automatically opening, via said second electromechanical device, said barrier after performing said activating;

directing, by said computer processor, said delivery vehicle into said secure indoor location;

directing, by said computer processor, said delivery vehicle to deliver said package within said secure indoor location such that said package is placed on a specified placement apparatus within a specified room within said secure indoor location;

determining, by said computer processor based on a video logging process, that said secure indoor location has not been damaged by said delivery vehicle;

directing, by said computer processor, said delivery vehicle out of said secure indoor location;

second transmitting, by said computer processor, said temporary passcode to said control system for said secure indoor location; and

disabling by said computer processor in response to said second transmitting, access to said secure indoor location.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein said disabling said access to said secure indoor location further comprises:

additionally activating said second electromechanical device such that said barrier is automatically closed; and

additionally activating said first electromechanical device such that said barrier becomes secured.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein said entry point comprises a door or a window.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein said first electromechanical device comprises a solenoid activated locking mechanism.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein said second electromechanical device comprises a motor.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein said temporary passcode is transmitted to control system via a wireless transmission process.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein said delivery vehicle comprises an RFID tag, wherein said secure indoor location comprises an RFID tag reader, and wherein said temporary passcode is transmitted to control system via communications between said RFID tag, said RFID tag reader, and said control system.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein said delivery vehicle comprises an encoded magnetic strip tag, wherein said secure indoor location comprises a magnetic strip reader, and wherein said temporary passcode is transmitted to said control system via communications between said encoded magnetic strip, said magnetic strip reader, and said control system.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein said delivery vehicle comprises a video recording device, and wherein said method further comprises:

recording, by said video recording device, placement of said package within said secure indoor location.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein said delivery vehicle comprises a video recording device, and wherein said method further comprises:

recording, by said video recording device, said secure indoor location; and

determining, by said computer processor based on image processing of said recording, a specific drop point for said package within said secure indoor location.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein said delivery vehicle comprises a video recording device, and wherein said method further comprises:

receiving, by said computer processor, an internal map describing all interior portions of said secure indoor location;

recording, by said video recording device, said secure indoor location; and

determining, by said computer processor based on analysis of said internal map and said recording, a specific drop point for said package within said secure indoor location.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein said delivery vehicle comprises a video recording device, and wherein said method further comprises:

recording, by said video recording device, said secure indoor location; and

logging, by said computer processor, all processes associated with said delivery vehicle delivering said package to said secure indoor location.

13. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

providing at least one support service for at least one of creating, integrating, hosting, maintaining, and deploying computer-readable code in the control hardware, said code being executed by the computer processor to implement;

said receiving said delivery rules, said receiving said temporary passcode, said directing said delivery vehicle to said secured indoor location, said first transmitting, said enabling, said directing said delivery vehicle into said secured indoor location, said directing said delivery vehicle to deliver said package, said directing said delivery vehicle out of said secured indoor location, said second transmitting, and said disabling.

14. A computer program product, comprising a non-transitory computer readable hardware storage device storing a computer readable program code, said computer readable program code comprising an algorithm that when executed by a computer processor of control hardware of a delivery vehicle implements a vehicle delivery method, said method comprising:

receiving, by said computer processor, delivery rules, wherein said delivery rules comprise rules selected from the group consisting of an address of said customer premises, GPS coordinates of said secure indoor location, and a backup delivery plan for an alternate delivery location with respect to said secure indoor location;

receiving, by said computer processor, a temporary passcode for accessing said secure indoor location;

directing, by said computer processor, said delivery vehicle to said secured indoor location, wherein said package is loaded on said vehicle;

first transmitting, by said computer processor, said temporary passcode to a control system for said secure indoor location;

enabling by said computer processor in response to said first transmitting, access to said secure indoor location, wherein said secure indoor location comprises a first electromechanical device comprising an electronically controlled lock securing a barrier for an entry point of said secure indoor location, wherein said secure indoor location comprises a second electromechanical device configured to automatically open or close said barrier, and wherein said enabling said access to said secure indoor location further comprises;

activating via said temporary passcode, said first electromechanical device such that said electronically controlled lock becomes unlocked and said barrier becomes unsecured; and

automatically opening, via said second electromechanical device, said barrier after performing said activating;

directing, by said computer processor, said delivery vehicle into said secure indoor location;

directing, by said computer processor, said delivery vehicle to deliver said package within said secure indoor location such that said package is placed on a specified placement apparatus within a specified room within said secure indoor location;

determining, by said computer processor based on a video logging process, that said secure indoor location has not been damaged by said delivery vehicle;

directing, by said computer processor, said delivery vehicle out of said secure indoor location;

second transmitting, by said computer processor, said temporary passcode to said control system for said secure indoor location; and

disabling by said computer processor in response to said second transmitting, access to said secure indoor location.

15. A control hardware device comprising a computer processor coupled to a non-transitory computer-readable memory unit, said memory unit comprising instructions that when executed by the computer processor executes a vehicle delivery method comprising:

receiving, by said computer processor, delivery rules, wherein said delivery rules comprise rules selected from the group consisting of an address of said customer premises, GPS coordinates of said secure indoor location, and a backup delivery plan for an alternate delivery location with respect to said secure indoor location;

receiving, by said computer processor, a temporary passcode for accessing said secure indoor location;

directing, by said computer processor, said delivery vehicle to said secured indoor location, wherein said package is loaded on said vehicle;

first transmitting, by said computer processor, said temporary passcode to a control system for said secure indoor location;

enabling by said computer processor in response to said first transmitting, access to said secure indoor location, wherein said secure indoor location comprises a first electromechanical device comprising an electronically controlled lock securing a barrier for an entry point of said secure indoor location, wherein said secure indoor location comprises a second electromechanical device configured to automatically open or close said barrier, and wherein said enabling said access to said secure indoor location further comprises;

activating via said temporary passcode, said first electromechanical device such that said electronically controlled lock becomes unlocked and said barrier becomes unsecured; and

automatically opening, via said second electromechanical device, said barrier after performing said activating;

directing, by said computer processor, said delivery vehicle into said secure indoor location;

directing, by said computer processor, said delivery vehicle to deliver said package within said secure indoor location such that said package is placed on a specified placement apparatus within a specified room within said secure indoor location;

determining, by said computer processor based on a video logging process, that said secure indoor location has not been damaged by said delivery vehicle;

directing, by said computer processor, said delivery vehicle out of said secure indoor location;

second transmitting, by said computer processor, said temporary passcode to said control system for said secure indoor location; and

disabling by said computer processor in response to said second transmitting, access to said secure indoor location.