Item delivery and retrieval system

• US 20020032501A1
• Filed: 03/27/2001
• Published: 03/14/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 07/26/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Northrop Grumman Systems Corporation (Northrop Grumman Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Northrop Grumman Corporation
• Inventors: Neebe, Mark T., Neilson, Randall K., Tilles, David J., Schofield, Ann C., Chestnutt, Bruce G., Janos, David J.
• Granted Patent: US 6,748,295 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 700/214
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/0042 for hiring of objects
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/13 the containers being a postal pick-up locker

Abstract

An item delivery and retrieval system including a storage subsystem and a computer subsystem. The storage subsystem includes a secure enclosure having an item storage carousel including internal controller apparatus. The computer subsystem is embodied in internet web page based customized application software for implementing an application interface of selectively configurable ActiveX controls for providing user access, such as an employee of a delivery service company and/or a customer of the delivery service company and customer access to one or more storage bins located behind a set of normally closed doors, for providing access control to the bins, and for managing the location of the items in the storage subsystem. The doors are opened when proper identification is provided by the customer so as to permit retrieval of items located in specifically designated bin(s) or to return items thereto.

Claims

1. An item delivery and retrieval system, comprising:

a storage subsystem including a secure enclosure having a selectively accessible item storage assembly; and

,

a computer subsystem including web page based customized application software implementing an interface of selectively configurable controls for providing selective limited access to the storage assembly.

2. The system according to claim 1 wherein the item delivery and retrieval system additionally includes a user terminal for accessing the item storage assembly by way of the interface.

3. The system according to claim 1 wherein said selectively configurable controls comprise application interface controls.

4. The system according to claim 1 wherein said selectively configurable controls comprise ActiveX controls.

5. A web enabled item delivery and retrieval system, comprising:

a storage subsystem including a secure storage facility accessible via software control employing browser technology by a first user who loads and stores an item into a storage location with a first identifier as to the storage location and a second identifier as to the identity of a second user, said second user then retrieving said item or returning an item upon using and entering certain information into an access terminal; and

a computer subsystem which controls the storage facility and having a customized application software architecture including a browser interface consisting of, a storage facility driver software interface for controlling access to the storage facility, a back office application program software interface enabling the first user to access the storage facility by means of the driver software interface, and a front office application program software interface enabling the second user to access the storage facility also by means of the driver software interface.

6. The system according to claim 5 wherein said secure storage facility includes comprises a carousel and controls therefore, and including a plurality of storage bins normally hidden behind a closed door assembly including a plurality of doors, said doors being selectively opened on demand by either the first user via the back office interface or the second user via the front office interface.

7. The system according to claim 6 wherein the carousel comprises a vertical carousel.

8. The system according to claim 6 wherein said browser interface includes selectively configurable application interface controls.

9. The system according to claim 6 wherein said browser interface includes selectively configurable ActiveX controls.

10. The system according to claim 8 wherein the first and second user use a common access terminal, said terminal having a screen supporting a web page display.

11. The system according to claim 10 wherein the system comprises a single sided system where the carousel is accessed from a front side by both the first and second user.

12. The system according to claim 8 wherein the first and second user use separate access terminals, said terminals each having a screen supporting a web page display.

13. The system according to claim 12 wherein the system comprises a double sided system where the carousel is accessed from a rear side by the first user and from a front side by the second user.

14. The system according to claim 6 wherein the carousel provides access from a front side and wherein the door assembly includes a set of doors including at least one door on the front side of the carousel which is accessible only by the first user and at least one door on the front side of the carousel which is accessible only by the second user and wherein the common user access terminal is located on the front side of the carousel.

15. The system according to claim 14 wherein the carousel also provides access from a back side and wherein the door assembly includes at least one door on the back side which is accessible only by the first user.

16. The system according to claim 5 wherein the first user comprises an employee of a service company and the second user comprises a customer of the service company.

17. The system according to claim 5 wherein the first user comprises respective employees of a plurality of delivery service companies, said delivery service companies inserting respective application software into the computer subsystem which is executed in turn so to provide exclusive use of the storage facility at any one time by said plurality of delivery service companies.

18. The system according to claim 8 wherein said access terminal used by the second user is located on a kiosk.

19. The system according to claim 18 wherein the kiosk houses the browser interface.

20. The system according to claim 19 wherein the kiosk is located at the front of the carousel.

21. The system according to claim 20 wherein the kiosk supports a touch screen for inputting user access information.

22. The system according to claim 20 wherein the kiosk supports a signature pad for inputting a user signature.

23. The system according to claim 20 wherein the kiosk supports a bar code reader for inputting user bar code information.

24. The system according to claim 20 wherein the kiosk supports a card reader for inputting user card information.

25. The system according to claim 20 wherein the kiosk supports a PIN pad for inputting a user PIN number.

26. The system according to claim 20 wherein said kiosk supports a receipt printer for printing a user transaction receipt.

27. The system according to claim 5 and additionally including a wireless communications device for accessing the storage subsystem and the computer subsystem via a local area network.

28. The system according to claim 5 and additionally including a handheld wireless communications device for accessing the storage subsystem and the computer subsystem.

29. The system according to claim 5 and additionally including a wireless handheld communications device having a screen and incorporating a scanner for accessing the storage subsystem and the computer subsystem.

30. The system according to claim 5 wherein said software architecture additionally includes a security software interface for controlling a camera system for taking a picture of a user while interacting with the browser interface while at the storage subsystem.

31. The system according to claim 30 wherein the user comprises the second user.

32. The system according to claim 30 wherein the security software interface includes application interface controls.

33. The system according to claim 30 wherein security software interface includes ActiveX controls.

34. The system according to claim 5 and additionally including an application and data web page server connectable to the browser interface.

35. The system according to claim 34 and additionally including a master web page server connectable to the application and data web page server which supports and stores one or more sets of web pages for said web page display.

36. The system according to claim 8 wherein the application interface controls of the back office application program software interface in a basic carousel control architecture implement functions during an item loading operation, comprising:

a connect function which initializes connections of the application controls of the back office interface to the driver software interface and passes an identification code thereto, if necessary, for access control;

an open all doors function gains full access to the carousel;

an open bin location function to position the carousel and open the doors to a specific bin;

a rotate carousel function which positions the carousel to a predetermined bin access point for a loading operation;

an identify bin function which is used to identify a particular bin when all the doors are open;

a close bin function which is used to close all the doors and, if necessary, clear all bin access codes; and

a close all doors function which closes all doors and secures the carousel so as to complete an item retrieval transaction.

37. The system according to claim 8 wherein the application controls of the front office application program software interface in a basic carousel control architecture implement functions during an item retrieval operation, comprising;

a connect function which initializes connections of the application controls of the front office interface to the driver software interface and passes an identification code thereto, if necessary, for access control security;

a cue bin location function which rotates the carousel such that one requested bin is positioned behind a door of said door assembly without any of the doors being opened while an authentication process takes place;

an open bin location function to open said door to the requested bin for item retrieval; and

a close bin function which is thereafter used to close said door so as to complete an item retrieval transaction.

38. A system according to claim 8 wherein the application controls of the back office application program interface in an enhanced carousel control architecture implements functions during an item loading operation, comprising:

a connect function which initializes connection of the application controls of the back office interface to the carousel driver;

a register item function which registers a specific item to be loaded in the carousel in an inventory database;

a purge item function which removes an item in the inventory database and clears a bin access code therefor;

a load item function which positions the carousel and opens a door of the carousel for a specific item at a specific location;

a removal item function which positions the carousel and opens the door to a specific item for removal and which is then marked as removed from the inventory database;

an open all doors function which is used to gain full access to the carousel;

an open bin location function similar to the load item function and positions the carousel to a specified bin and opens the doors thereto;

an identify bin function which identifies a particular bin when all the doors of the carousel are opened;

a rotate carousel function which is used to position the carousel to a specific access point;

a close bin function which is used to close the door for a specific bin location;

a close all doors function which is used to close all doors and secure the machine; and

a database maintenance and report function to update the inventory database.

39. The system according to claim 8 wherein the application controls of the front office application program software interface in an enhanced carousel control architecture implement functions during a retrieval or return operation, comprising:

a connect function which initializes connections of the application controls of the front office interface to the carousel driver interface;

a cue item and authenticate user function which rotates the carousel such that a requested item for retrieval is positioned behind a specific door without any of the doors being opened while a transactional process of authenticating the user takes place;

a load item function which positions the carousel and opens a door for a specified item for return at a specific bin location where the item is then registered in an inventory database;

a remove item function which positions the carousel and opens a door to a specified item;

a close bin function which is used to close doors of the carousel;

a return item function which closes the door of the carousel upon return of an item to a specified bin and which is flagged/marked in the inventory database for return;

a query item function to find and load time and status information into the inventory database; and

a print receipt function to print a receipt of a transaction carried out by a user.

40. An item delivery and retrieval method, comprising the steps of:

(a) accessing a storage subsystem including a secure enclosure having a selectively accessible item storage assembly via a user terminal; and

,

(b) controlling selective access to the storage assembly by a computer subsystem including web page based customized application software implementing an interface of selectively configurable controls.

41. The method of claim 40 wherein said user terminal comprises a front office terminal or a back office terminal.

42. The method of claim 40 wherein said user terminal comprises a front office kiosk.

43. The method of claim 40 wherein said user terminal comprises a handheld wireless input device.

44. The method of claim 40 wherein said user terminal comprises a handheld wireless device/scanner.

45. The method of claim 40 wherein said selectively configurable controls comprise application interface controls.

46. The method of claim 40 wherein said selectively configurable controls comprise ActiveX controls.

48. The method of claim 47 and additionally including the steps of:

(h) enabling and opening said door by said storage facility driver interface on demand by a user following step (a) and prior to step (c);

(i) loading an item into said predetermined storage location; and

(j) thereafter closing said door by said storage facility driver interface.

49. The method of claim 48 wherein the step (f) comprises retrieving the item from the storage location.

50. The method of claim 47 wherein said user accessing the storage facility via said back office interface comprises a first user and said user accessing the storage facility via said front office interface comprises a second user.

51. The method of claim 47 wherein said first user comprises an employee of a service company and said second user comprises a customer of the service company.

52. The method of claim 47 wherein the first user comprises an employee of a plurality of delivery service companies, said delivery service companies inserting respective back office application software which is executed by only one service company at a time so as to provide mutually exclusive use of the storage facility by said delivery service companies.

53. The method of claim 47 wherein said storage facility includes a carousel having a plurality of storage bins.

54. The method of claim 47 wherein said first and second user access the storage facility via one or more input terminals.

55. The method of claim 54 wherein said one or more input terminals have a screen supporting a web page display.

56. The method of claim 55 wherein said first and second user access the storage facility via separate input terminals.

57. The method of claim 56 wherein said first and second user access the storage facility via a common input terminal.

58. The method of claim 55 wherein at least one of said terminals is located on a kiosk.

59. The method of claim 58 and including the step of locating the kiosk on a front portion of the storage facility.

60. The method according to claim 46 wherein said controls of the back office application program software interface during an item loading operation controls the steps of:

(a) initializing connections of the controls of the back office interface to the driver software interface during a connect function;

(b) gaining full access to the carousel during an open all doors function;

(c) positioning the carousel and opening the doors to a specific bin during an open bin location function;

(d) positioning the carousel to a predetermined bin access point for a loading operation during a rotate carousel function;

(e) identifying a particular bin when all the doors are open during an identify bin function;

(f) closing all the doors and, if necessary, clear all bin access codes during a close bin function; and

(g) closing all doors and securing the carousel so as to complete an item retrieval transaction during a close all doors function.

61. The method of claim 60 wherein said controls comprise application interface controls.

62. The method of claim 60 wherein said controls comprise ActiveX controls.

63. The method according to claim 46 wherein said controls of the front office application program software interface during an item retrieval operation controls the steps of:

(a) initializing connections of the controls of the front office interface to the driver software interface during a connect function;

(b) rotating the carousel such that one requested bin is positioned behind a door of said door assembly without any of the doors being opened while an authentication process takes place during a cue bin location function;

(c) opening said door to the requested bin for item retrieval during an open bin location function; and

(d) closing said door so as to complete an item retrieval transaction during a close bin function.

64. The method of claim 63 wherein said controls comprise application interface controls.

65. The method of claim 63 wherein said controls comprise ActiveX controls.

66. The method according to claim 46 wherein the controls of the back office application program interface during an item loading operation controls the steps of:

(a) initializing connection of the controls of the back office interface to the carousel driver during a connect function;

(b) registering a specific item to be loaded in the carousel in an inventory database during a register item function;

(c) removing an item in the inventory database and clearing a bin access code therefore during a purge item function;

(d) positioning the carousel and opening a door of the carousel for a specific item at a specific location during a load item function;

(e) positioning the carousel and opening the door to a specific item for removal and removing it from the inventory database during a removal item function;

(f) gaining full access to the carousel during an open all doors function;

(g) positioning the carousel to a specified bin and opening the doors thereto during an open bin location function;

(h) identifying a particular bin when all the doors of the carousel are opened during an identify bin function;

(i) positioning the carousel to a specific access point during a rotate carousel function;

(j) closing the door for a specific bin location during a close bin function;

(k) closing all doors and securing the machine during a close all doors function; and

(l) updating an inventory database.

67. The method of claim 66 wherein said controls comprise application interface controls.

68. The method of claim 66 wherein said controls comprise ActiveX controls.

69. The method according to claim 46 wherein said controls of the front office application program software interface during a retrieval or return operation controls the steps of:

(a) initializing connections of the controls of the front office interface to the carousel driver interface during a connect function;

(b) rotating the carousel such that a requested item for retrieval is positioned behind a specific door without any of the other doors being opened while a transactional process of authenticating the user takes place during a cue item function;

(c) positioning the carousel and opening a door for a specified item for return at a specific bin location registering the item in an inventory database during a load item function;

(d) positioning the carousel and opening a door to a specified item during a remove item function;

(e) closing the door of the carousel following retrieval of an item during a close bin function; and

(f) closing the door of the carousel upon return of an item to a specified bin flagging/marking the item in the inventory database for return during a return item function; and

(g) printing a receipt of a completed removal or return transaction.

70. The method of claim 69 wherein said controls comprise application interface controls.

71. The method of claim 69 wherein said controls comprise ActiveX controls.

47. An item delivery and retrieval method, comprising the steps of:

(a) designating a storage location of a secure storage facility accessible via software control employing browser technology and controlled by a customized application software architecture including a browser interface implementing a storage facility driver interface for controlling access to the storage facility, a back office application program interface supporting control for enabling a user to access the storage facility, and a front office application program interface supporting controls for enabling a user to access the storage facility;

(b) generating data as to said predetermined storage location;

(c) communicating the data as to the predetermined storage location to a user;

(d) the user of step (c) going to the storage facility and inputting proper identification and said communicated data;

(e) enabling and opening a door in the storage facility at said predetermined storage location by said storage facility driver interface;

(f) retrieving or returning an item from or to the predetermined storage location; and

(g) thereafter closing the door and securing the storage facility by said storage facility driver interface.