Portable autonomous rental store

• US 20040122688A1
• Filed: 12/23/2002
• Published: 06/24/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 12/23/2002
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Caterpillar Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Caterpillar Incorporated
• Inventors: Janda, Steven Richard
• Application Number:
  US10/326,569
• Publication Number:
  US 20040122688A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 17/0022 arrangements or provisious for transferring data to distant stations, e.g. from a sensing device "transfer between computer elements G06F13/00 "; data-transmission H04L
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/346 Cards serving only as information carrier of service
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/04 Billing or invoicing
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0645 Rental transactions; Leasing transactions
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/28 the pass enabling tracking or indicating presence
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/0042 for hiring of objects
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 7/1008 Active credit-cards provided with means to personalise their use, e.g. with PIN-introduction/comparison system

Abstract

A method provides rental equipment to a customer including providing a portable container containing a piece of equipment at a location chosen by the customer and authorizing the customer to access the portable container. The method detects removal of the piece of equipment from the portable container and/or return of the piece of equipment to the portable container. Usage of the piece of equipment is tracked.

Claims

1. A method of managing rental equipment, comprising:

sensing an identity of a customer accessing a portable container;

detecting removal of a piece of equipment from the portable container; and

tracking usage of the piece of equipment based on the identity and the removal detection.

2. The method of claim 1, further including:

detecting return of the piece of equipment to the portable container.

3. The method of claim 2, further including:

charging the customer for usage of the piece of equipment based on the detected removal and the detected return.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the portable container is located on a site chosen by the customer.

5. The method of claim 1, further including:

automatically recording what equipment the customer removes from the portable container.

6. The method of claim 5, further including:

starting a recording device when the identity of the customer is sensed; and

stopping the recording device after a predetermined amount of time has passed.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the recording device includes one or more security cameras.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the portable container includes a general inventory of rental equipment.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the removal detection includes at least one of:

an identification of the piece of equipment, a removal date, and a removal time.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the removal detection further includes a status of the piece of equipment.

11. The method of claim 2, wherein the return detection includes at least one of:

an identification of the piece of equipment, a return date, and a return time.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the return detection further includes a status of the piece of equipment.

13. The method of claim 1, further including:

authorizing access to the portable container, and

sensing the identity of the customer based on the authorization.

14. The method of claim 1, further including:

authorizing access to the portable container based on the sensed identity.

15. A method of managing rental equipment, comprising:

sensing an identity of a customer accessing a portable container;

detecting replacement of a piece of equipment to the portable container; and

tracking usage of the piece of equipment based on the identity and the replacement detection.

16. The method of claim 15, further including:

matching the replacement detection to data stored when removal of the piece of equipment was detected.

17. The method of claim 16, further including:

charging the customer for usage of the piece of equipment based on the replacement detection and the stored data.

18. The method of claim 15, wherein the portable container is located on a site chosen by the customer.

19. The method of claim 15, wherein the replacement detection includes at least one of:

an identification of the piece of equipment, a replacement date, and a replacement time.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein the replacement detection further includes a status of the piece of equipment.

21. The method of claim 15, wherein the portable container includes equipment associated with the type of work performed by the customer.

22. The method of claim 15, wherein the portable container includes equipment based upon the customer'"'"'s prior equipment usage.

23. The method of claim 15, wherein the portable container includes equipment requested by the customer.

24. A method of providing rental equipment to a customer, comprising:

providing a customer-specific rental facility containing a piece of equipment at a location chosen by the customer;

authorizing the customer to access the customer-specific rental facility;

detecting removal of the piece of equipment from the customer-specific rental facility;

detecting return of the piece of equipment to the customer-specific rental facility; and

tracking usage of the piece of equipment.

25. The method of claim 24, wherein the usage is tracked based on at least one of:

the detected removal and the detected return.

26. The method of claim 24, further including:

sensing an identity of a person accessing the customer-specific rental facility.

27. The method of claim 24, further including:

charging the customer for renting the piece of equipment based on the tracked usage.

28. The method of claim 24, wherein the customer-specific rental facility is used by more than one customer at a single location.

29. A system for managing rental equipment comprising:

a portable container containing a piece of equipment for rent;

an access controller that selectively allows a customer to access the portable container; and

a sensor that detects removal of the piece of equipment from the portable container.

30. The system of claim 29, wherein the sensor detects return of the piece of equipment to the portable container.

31. The system of claim 29, wherein the sensor includes at least one of:

a radio frequency identification tag reader, a bar code reader, magnetic detection technology, and a GPS-based sensor.

32. The system of claim 29, further including:

a rental tracking system that notes an identity of a person accessing the portable container and tracks usage of the piece of equipment.

33. The system of claim 29, further including:

a communication device for sending data about the piece of equipment to a location remote from the portable container

34. The system of claim 33, wherein the communication device includes at least one of:

a wireless modem, a satellite transmitter, and an Internet connection.

35. The system of claim 29, further including:

a purchase tracking system that detects that the piece of equipment is a non-reusable product and charges the customer for purchase of the non-reusable product.

36. A system for providing a portable wireless communications infrastructure to a customer, comprising:

a local communication interface provided at a customer site;

a remote computer connected to the local communication interface via a wide area network; and

a wireless device at the customer site that communicates data about the equipment to the remote computer via the local communication interface.

37. The system of claim 36, wherein the wireless device receives data about equipment rental from the remote computer via the local communication interface.

38. The system of claim 36, wherein the local communication interface includes at least one of:

a wireless modem, an Internet connection, and a satellite transmitter.

39. The system of claim 36, wherein the wireless device is provided to the customer.

40. The system of claim 36, wherein the wireless device is located on the equipment.

41. The system of claim 36, wherein the data about the equipment includes at least one of:

equipment rental information and equipment status information.

42. A system for managing rental equipment comprising:

a portable container containing a piece of equipment for rent and a local communication interface;

an access controller that selectively allows a customer to access the portable container; and

a remote computer that receives data about the piece of equipment from the local communication interface via a wide area network.

43. The system of claim 42, further including:

a sensor that detects removal of the piece of equipment from the portable container.

44. The system of claim 42, further including:

a wireless device that communicates data about the equipment to the remote computer via the local communication interface.