US 10,482,420 B1Granted

On demand locker system and related methods for delivering a package

AssigneeAmazon Technologies, Inc.

InventorsJason Lee Brooks, Christa Stephens Glenn, Eric George Wallinger, Jonathan Pennucci Alexander, Thomas Emmanuel Van de Velde, Ripley Graeme MacDonald, Nicholas Groenke, Christopher David Brown, Christopher A. Heilman, Stephen Michael Kidson

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Abstract

Methods and systems for delivering a package to a customer employ an on-demand locker assembly having a plurality of lockers into which a package is placed for retrieval by the customer. A computer-implemented method for delivering a package to a customer includes receiving the package into a facility. The customer is notified that the package has arrived at the facility. In response to receiving a check-in notification from the customer, the package is placed into a locker having a closed configuration that blocks access to the package by the customer. The customer is sent an access code for use by the customer in retrieving the package from the locker. Entry of the access code by the customer is received. In response to receipt of the entry of the access code, the locker is reconfigured so that the customer can retrieve the package from the locker.

Claims20

Dependent claims

A computer-implemented method of delivering a package to a customer, the method comprising:

receiving, by a computer system, an instruction from a customer via a network to deliver a package to a selected facility from which the package can be picked up by the customer, wherein the selected facility is selected by the customer from a plurality of facilities, the selected facility comprising an on-demand locker system including a plurality of lockers;
initiating, by the computer system, delivery of the package to the selected facility;
storing, by the computer system, an identification of the package and an identification of a storage location within the selected facility where the package is stored, the identification of the package and the identification of the storage location being stored in a memory storage device;
causing, by the computer system when the package is available at the selected facility, a notification to be displayed on an electronic client device to inform the customer that the package is at the selected facility;
causing, by the computer system when the package is available at the selected facility, a network link to be displayed on the electronic client device that is selectable by the customer;
in response to an indication that the network link has been selected, performing a package pickup process comprising:
retrieving, by the computer system, the identification of the package and the identification of the storage location from the memory storage device;
initiating, by the computer system, transfer of the package from the storage location to a locker of the plurality of lockers, the locker having a closed configuration that blocks access to the package by the customer;
sending, by the computer system, an access code to the electronic client device that, when entered via an input device co-located with the plurality of lockers, enables access to the locker to retrieve the package;
receiving, by the computer system, entry of the access code;
and in response to receipt of the access code, reconfiguring, by the computer system, the locker from the closed configuration into an open configuration that provides the customer with access to the package to retrieve the package from the locker.

8 more elements

A computer-implemented method of delivering a package to a customer, the method comprising:

presenting, by a computer system, shipping options to the customer for delivery of the package to the customer, the shipping options include shipment of the package to a selected facility, selectable by the customer from a plurality of facilities, from which the customer can retrieve the package, the selected facility comprising an on-demand locker system including a plurality of lockers;
receiving, by the computer system, a selection by the customer of the selected facility from the plurality of facilities;
causing, by a computer system when the package is available at the selected facility, a notification to be displayed on an electronic client device to inform the customer that the package is at the facility;
receiving, by the computer system when the package is available at the selected facility, a check-in notification from the electronic client device;
in response to receipt of the check-in notification by the computer system, performing a package pickup process comprising:
initiating, by the computer system, transfer of the package into a locker of the plurality of lockers having a closed configuration that blocks access to the package by the customer;
sending, by the computer system, an access code for the locker to the electronic client device;
receiving, by the computer system, entry of the access code;
and
in response to receipt of the access code, reconfiguring, by the computer system, the locker to an open configuration that allows retrieval of the package by the customer from the locker.

7 more elements

A system for delivering a package to a customer, the system comprising:

a plurality of facilities, each of the plurality of facilities comprising a plurality of lockers forming at least part of a barrier having a front side and a back side, the front side being accessible to the customer for retrieval of the package from one of the plurality of lockers, the backside being configured for placement of packages into the plurality of lockers and inaccessible to the customer;
a server operatively coupled to a network, the server comprising one or more processors and memory storing instructions that when executed by the one or more processors cause the one or more processors to:
receive an instruction from the customer via the network to ship the package to a selected facility of the plurality of facilities;
send a notification to an electronic client device, when the package is available at the selected facility, that the package is at the selected facility;
cause a network link to be displayed on the electronic device when the package is available at the selected facility, the network link being selectable by the customer to check in to select pickup of the package via one of the plurality of lockers, thereby initiating a package pickup process;
in response to receipt of the customer check in:
output an instruction causing the package to be placed into a locker of the plurality of lockers;
and
send an access code to the electronic client device for accessing the locker and retrieve the package.

6 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.