Automated package relocation from an unmanned kiosk

• US 9,824,324 B2
• Filed: 05/13/2014
• Issued: 11/21/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 05/13/2014
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Google LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Google LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Inventors: Trew, Brandon Kyle, Hassam, Ameena
• Primary Examiner(s): Harrington, Michael
• Assistant Examiner(s): Kirk, Bryan
• Application Number:
  US14/276,841
• Publication Number:
  US 20150332206A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,288 Days
• Field of Search: 705330
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/083 Shipping
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/0836 Recipient pick-ups

Abstract

Automated package deliveries comprises a server at a package delivery system that receives a request for a package delivery, the request comprising an identification of a package and an identification of a first kiosk location. The server associates the package with an aerial delivery device and a user authentication to retrieve the package. The server transmits to the delivery device instructions to deliver the package to the first kiosk. Subsequently, the server receives a request from a user computing device to retrieve the package from the first kiosk and deliver the package to an alternate kiosk. The server transmits to the delivery device instructions to retrieve the package from the first kiosk and instructions to deliver the package to the alternate kiosk. The delivery device retrieves the package from the automated kiosk and delivers the package to the alternate kiosk.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method to deliver packages to unmanned kiosks, retrieve packages, and deliver packages to alternate unmanned kiosks, comprising:

transmitting, by one or more computing devices, to an unmanned delivery device instructions to deliver a package to a first unmanned kiosk and information associated with the first unmanned kiosk location, the information comprising a location of the first unmanned kiosk and information associated with the package;

based on the information associated with the first unmanned kiosk location, delivering, by the unmanned delivery device, the package to the first unmanned kiosk;

transmitting, by the unmanned delivery device to the first unmanned kiosk, the information associated with the package;

at a time before a user associated with the package retrieves the package from the first kiosk, receiving, by the one or more computing devices, a request from a user computing device to retrieve the package from the first unmanned kiosk and to deliver the package to an alternate unmanned kiosk;

transmitting, by the one or more computing devices, to the unmanned delivery device instructions to retrieve the package from the first unmanned kiosk and instructions to deliver the package to the alternate unmanned kiosk and the information associated with the alternate unmanned kiosk location, the information comprising the first unmanned kiosk location and the information associated with the package to allow the unmanned delivery device to retrieve the package from the first unmanned kiosk and to deliver the package to the alternate unmanned kiosk;

receiving, by the unmanned delivery device, instructions from the first unmanned kiosk, the instructions comprising one or more of an approach route and a procedure to retrieve the package;

based on the instructions received from the first unmanned kiosk, retrieving, by the unmanned delivery device, the package from the first unmanned kiosk;

based on the information associated with the alternate unmanned kiosk location, delivering, by the unmanned delivery device, the package to the alternate unmanned kiosk; and

transmitting, by the unmanned delivery device to the alternate unmanned kiosk, the information associated with the package.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving, by the alternate unmanned kiosk, a communication from the unmanned delivery device, the communication comprising an identification of the unmanned delivery device;

preparing, by the alternate unmanned kiosk, a bay for receiving the package from the unmanned delivery device;

after receiving the package from the unmanned delivery device, transporting, by the alternate unmanned kiosk, the package to a package bin;

receiving, by the alternate unmanned kiosk, an input of a user authentication by the user;

verifying, by the alternate unmanned kiosk, the user authentication based on the information associated with the package; and

in response to verifying the user authentication, providing, by the alternate unmanned kiosk, access to the package bin to the user.

3. The method of claim 2, further comprising transmitting, by the alternate unmanned kiosk, instructions to the unmanned delivery device to deposit the package in the bay.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the information associated with the first unmanned kiosk and the alternate unmanned kiosk locations comprises a GPS location of the first unmanned kiosk and the alternate unmanned kiosk, respectively.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the information associated with the first unmanned kiosk and the alternate unmanned kiosk comprises an address of the first kiosk and the alternate unmanned kiosk locations, respectively.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving, by the first unmanned kiosk, an input of an authentication by a user to return a package;

verifying, by the first unmanned kiosk, the user authentication based on the information associated with the package;

providing, by the first unmanned kiosk, access to a bin to receive the package from the user,

receiving, by the first unmanned kiosk, a communication from the unmanned delivery device, the communication comprising an identification of the unmanned delivery device and information associated with the package; and

providing, by the first unmanned kiosk, the package to the bay for retrieval by the unmanned delivery device.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving, by the first unmanned kiosk and from the one or more computing devices, instructions to provide the package to a delivery device for return, the instructions comprising an identification of the unmanned delivery device and information associated with the package;

receiving, by the first unmanned kiosk, a communication from the unmanned delivery device, the communication comprising an identification of the unmanned delivery device and information associated with the package; and

providing, by the first unmanned kiosk, the package to the bay for retrieval by the unmanned delivery device.

8. A system to deliver packages to unmanned kiosks, retrieve packages, and deliver packages to alternate unmanned kiosks, comprising:

a storage device for an unmanned delivery device; and

a processor communicatively coupled to the storage device, wherein the processor executes application code instructions that are stored in the storage device to cause the system to;

at a time before a user associated with a package retrieves the package from a first unmanned kiosk, receive, from a package delivery system computing device, information associated with a location of the first unmanned kiosk for retrieval of the package, the information comprising an identification of the package;

establish a communication with the first unmanned kiosk;

receive instructions from the first unmanned kiosk for accessing the package in a bay of the kiosk;

secure the package for transportation;

receive, from a package delivery system computing device, information associated with a location of a second unmanned kiosk for delivery of the package, the information comprising an identification of the package;

transport the package to the location of the second unmanned kiosk;

establish a communication with the second unmanned kiosk;

verify that the second unmanned kiosk is associated with the identification of the package;

receive instructions from the second unmanned kiosk for depositing the package in a bay of the second unmanned kiosk; and

deposit the package in the bay of the second unmanned kiosk.

9. The system of claim 8, further comprising:

a storage device for a first kiosk; and

a processor communicatively coupled to the storage device for the first unmanned kiosk, wherein the processor executes application code instructions that are stored in the storage device to cause the system to;

receive a communication from the package delivery system computing device, the communication comprising an identification of the unmanned delivery device and information associated with the package that is to be retrieved;

upon arrival at the first unmanned kiosk by the delivery device, receive a communication from the unmanned delivery device, the communication comprising an identification of the unmanned delivery device and information associated with the package;

prepare the bay to be accessed by the unmanned delivery device;

transport the package from a package bin to the bay for retrieval by the unmanned delivery device; and

provide a verification to the package delivery system computing device that the package has been retrieved.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein the transporting of the package from the package bin to the bay is performed by an automated mechanical system.

11. The system of claim 9, wherein the transporting of the package from a package bin is performed by an automated mechanical system.

12. The system of claim 8, wherein the information associated with the kiosk location comprises a GPS location of the kiosk.

13. The system of claim 8, wherein the information associated with the location of the second unmanned kiosk comprises an address of the second unmanned kiosk.

14. The system of claim 8, further comprising:

a storage device for a second unmanned kiosk; and

a processor communicatively coupled to the storage device for the second unmanned kiosk, wherein the processor executes application code instructions that are stored in the storage device to cause the system to;

receive a communication from the unmanned delivery device, the communication comprising an identification of the unmanned delivery device and information associated with the package;

prepare a bay for receiving the package from the unmanned delivery device;

receive the package from the unmanned delivery device;

transport the package to a package bin;

receive an input of a user authentication from the user;

verify the user authentication based on the information associated with the package and the transmitted user authentication; and

provide access to the package bin to the user.

15. A computer program product, comprising:

a non-transitory computer-readable medium having computer-executable program instructions embodied thereon that when executed by a computer cause the computer to automatically return packages, the computer-executable instructions comprising;

computer-executable program instructions to transmit to an unmanned delivery device information associated with a location of a first unmanned kiosk, the information comprising the first unmanned kiosk location, and information associated with a package to be delivered;

computer-executable program instructions to receive a communication from the unmanned delivery device that the package is delivered to the first unmanned kiosk location and is stored in the first unmanned kiosk;

after receiving the communication that the package is delivered to the first unmanned kiosk location, computer-executable program instructions to receive a request from a user computing device to retrieve the package from the first unmanned kiosk and deliver the package to a second unmanned kiosk;

computer-executable program instructions to transmit instructions to the first unmanned kiosk to prepare the package for retrieval by the unmanned delivery device;

computer-executable program instructions to transmit to the unmanned delivery device instructions to retrieve the package from the first unmanned kiosk;

computer-executable program instructions to transmit to the unmanned delivery device instructions to deliver the package to the second unmanned kiosk and the information associated with a location of the second unmanned kiosk, the information comprising the second unmanned kiosk location, and information associated with the package;

computer-executable program instructions to receive a communication from the unmanned delivery device that the package is delivered to the second unmanned kiosk location and is stored in the second unmanned kiosk.

16. The computer program product of claim 15, further comprising computer-executable program instructions to transmit instructions to the first unmanned kiosk to prepare the package for retrieval by the unmanned delivery device.

17. The computer program product of claim 15, further comprising computer-executable program instructions to transmit instructions to the second unmanned kiosk to receive the package, the instructions comprising information associated with the package.

18. The computer program product of claim 15, wherein the information associated with the first unmanned kiosk and the second unmanned kiosk locations comprises a GPS location of the first unmanned kiosk and the second unmanned kiosk.

19. The computer program product of claim 15, wherein the information associated with the first unmanned kiosk and the second unmanned kiosk comprises an address of the first unmanned kiosk and the second unmanned kiosk locations.