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US 10,706,385 B2Granted
Item exchange locker and station
OwnerAlexander J. Petroskiinventor
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An item exchange locker station may include a station-level user interface accessible from outside the station enclosure to receive identifying information of a deliverer or a retriever seeking to enter the station and to transmit the identifying information to an off-site data server for the identifying information to be validated against a database. The station may also include lockers disposed within the station enclosure, the lockers including a locker access door, and a locker locking mechanism configured to alternatively lock and unlock to impede and permit, respectively, opening of the locker access door. The station may also include a locker-level controller configured to receive locker unlocking instructions from the off-site data server upon validation of the identifying information.
Claims20
An item exchange locker station comprising:
- a station enclosure;
- a station entry door operably forming part of the station enclosure and configured to alternatively open and close to permit and impede, respectively, entry to the station enclosure;
- a station locking mechanism operably connected to the station enclosure and configured to alternatively lock and unlock to impede and permit, respectively, opening of the station entry door;
- a station-level user interface configured to be accessible from outside the station enclosure and to receive identifying information of a deliverer or a retriever seeking to enter the station and to transmit the identifying information to an off-site server remote from the exchange locker station for the identifying information to be validated against a database;
- a station-level controller operably coupled to the station locking mechanism and configured to receive station unlocking instructions from the off-site server upon validation of the identifying information;
- wherein the station locking mechanism is configured to unlock to permit opening of the station entry door for a limited amount of time upon receipt of the station unlocking instructions;
- a plurality of lockers disposed within the station enclosure, each of the lockers including:
- a locker access door configured to alternatively open and close to permit and impede, respectively, access to the locker's interior;
- and
- a locker locking mechanism configured to alternatively lock and unlock to impede and permit, respectively, opening of the locker access door;
- a locker-level controller configured to receive locker unlocking instructions from the off-site server upon validation of the identifying information;
- and
- wherein the locker locking mechanism is configured to unlock to permit opening of the locker access door upon receipt of the unlocking instructions.
10 more elements
A station comprising:
- a station enclosure;
- a station entry door operably forming part of the station enclosure and configured to alternatively open and close to permit and impede, respectively, entry to the station enclosure;
- a station locking mechanism operably connected to the station enclosure and configured to alternatively lock and unlock to impede and permit, respectively, opening of the station entry door;
- a station-level user interface configured to be accessible from outside the station enclosure and to receive identifying information of a deliverer or a retriever seeking to enter the station and to transmit the identifying information to an off-site server remote from the exchange locker station for the identifying information to be validated against a database;
- a station-level controller operably coupled to the station locking mechanism and configured to receive station unlocking instructions from the off-site server upon validation of the identifying information;
- wherein the station locking mechanism is configured to unlock to permit opening of the station entry door upon receipt of the station unlocking instructions;
- and
- a plurality of lockers disposed within the station enclosure, the lockers including:
- a locker access door configured to alternatively open and close to permit and impede, respectively, access to the locker's interior;
- a locker locking mechanism configured to alternatively lock and unlock to impede and permit, respectively, opening of the locker access door;
- a locker-level user interface configured to receive the identifying information of the deliverer or the retriever seeking to access the locker and to transmit the identifying information to the off-site server or a second off-site server for the identifying information to be validated against the database or a second database;
- a locker-level controller configured to receive locker unlocking instructions from the off-site server or the second off-site server upon validation of the identifying information;
- and
- wherein the locker locking mechanism is configured to unlock to permit opening of the locker access door for a limited amount of time upon receipt of the unlocking instructions.
11 more elements
A station comprising:
- a station enclosure;
- a station entry door operably forming part of the station enclosure and configured to alternatively open and close to permit and impede, respectively, entry to the station enclosure;
- a station locking mechanism operably connected to the station enclosure and configured to alternatively lock and unlock to impede and permit, respectively, opening of the station entry door;
- a station-level user interface configured to be accessible from outside the station enclosure and to receive identifying information of a deliverer or a retriever seeking to enter the station and to transmit the identifying information to an off-site server remote from the exchange locker station for the identifying information to be validated against a database;
- the station-level controller operably coupled to the station locking mechanism and configured to receive station unlocking instructions from the off-site server upon validation of the identifying information, wherein the station locking mechanism is configured to unlock to permit opening of the station entry door upon receipt of the station unlocking instructions;
- a plurality of lockers disposed within the station enclosure, the lockers including:
- a locker access door configured to alternatively open and close to permit and impede, respectively, access to a locker's interior;
- and
- a locker locking mechanism configured to alternatively lock and unlock to impede and permit, respectively, opening of the locker access door;
- a locker-level user interface configured to receive the identifying information of the deliverer or the retriever seeking to access a locker and to transmit the identifying information to the off-site server or a second off-site server for the identifying information to be validated against the database or a second database;
- a locker-level controller configured to receive locker unlocking instructions from the off-site server or the second off-site server upon validation of the identifying information;
- wherein the locker locking mechanism is configured to unlock to permit opening of the locker access door upon receipt of the unlocking instructions;
- and
- wherein the locker locking mechanism is configured to lock to impede opening of the locker access door after the locker access door has been closed.
11 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.