Back to results
US 10,762,731 B2Granted
Mobile device for safe, secure, and accurate delivery of items
AssigneeUnited States Postal Service
InventorsCharles P. McLellan, Gabriel Michael Yessin, William Albert Tartal
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Embodiments of a system and method for using a mobile device to assist with the efficient and secure delivery of item. The mobile device can assist an item deliver to lock or unlock secure item delivery receptacles. The mobile device can also notify an item deliverer about particular delivery conditions associated with particular delivery endpoints. The mobile device can further help the item deliverer to determine whether or not he or she is delivering the item to the correct location.
Claims21
A system for item delivery to secured receptacles comprising:
- a mobile computing device comprising a location module, wherein the location module detects the geographic position of the mobile computing device;
- a server in communication with the mobile computing device, the server configured to:
- receive carrier identity information corresponding to the mobile computing device;
- determine route instructions based at least in part on the carrier identity information, wherein the route instructions associate the mobile computing device with one or more routes;
- transmit the route instructions to the mobile computing device;
- transmit authentication information to the mobile computing device based at least in part on the routes associated with the mobile computing device;
- and
- transmit geofence data to the mobile computing device based at least in part on the routes associated with the mobile computing device;
- receive the location of the mobile device;
- calculate the distance of the mobile device from at least one of the one or more locks;
- determine a wait time based on the distance of the mobile device from the at least one of the one or more locks;
- and
- transmit the wait time to the at least one of the one or more locks;
- a memory in communication with the server, the memory storing the identities of a plurality of locks locking secured receptacles, each of the plurality of locks assigned to at least one of the one or more routes;
- and
- one or more locks securing delivery receptacles, each of the locks configured to:
- request the wait time;
- enter into a low power state for a time designated by the wait time;
- unlock when the lock has received authentication information from a mobile device;
- wherein the mobile computing device is configured to communicate the authentication information to one or more of the plurality of locks assigned to the one or more routes associated with the mobile computing device in order to unlock the one or more locks based on the detected geographic position of the mobile computing device and the geofence data.
17 more elements
A method of unlocking a secured receptacle comprising:
- receiving carrier identity information corresponding to a mobile computing device;
- determining, using a server, route instructions based at least in part on the carrier identity information, wherein the route instructions associate the mobile computing device with one or more routes;
- transmitting the route instructions to the mobile computing device;
- transmitting authentication information to the mobile computing device based at least in part on the routes associated with the mobile computing device;
- transmitting geofence data to the mobile computing device based at least in part on the one or more routes associated with the mobile computing device, the geofence data comprising geographic boundaries for delivery points along the route;
- detecting, using the mobile computing device, the geographic location of the mobile computing device;
- comparing the geographic location of the mobile computing device to a geographic boundary established for a delivery point along the route, the delivery point having a receptacle secured by a lock, the lock associated with the one or more routes;
- receive, from one of one or more locks, a request for a wait time;
- calculate, at the server, the distance of the mobile device from at least one of the one or more locks;
- determine, at the server, a wait time based on the distance of the mobile device from the at least one of the one or more locks;
- and
- transmit the wait time to the at least one of the one or more locks, the at least one lock being configured to receive the wait time and enter into a low power state for the time designated by the wait time;
- communicating the authentication information to unlock the lock based on the compared geographic location to the geographic boundary.
10 more elements
A system for item delivery to secured receptacles comprising:
- a mobile computing device configured to:
- determine, using a GPS module, a location for the mobile device;
- receive cryptographic keys;
- receive geofence data associated with a lock;
- and
- transmit at least one of the cryptographic keys to the lock when the mobile device is within the geofence associated with the lock;
- a lock securing a delivery receptacle, the lock configured to:
- request a wait time;
- enter into a low power state for the time designated by the wait time;
- unlock when the lock has received a cryptographic key from a mobile device;
- a server in communication with the mobile computing device, the server configured to:
- receive the identity of the carrier that will be using the mobile computing device;
- associate the mobile computing device with a delivery route assigned to the identified carrier;
- transmit a set of cryptographic keys to the mobile computing device, each key associated with a lock on a delivery receptacle located along the delivery route;
- transmit geofence data to the mobile computing device, the geofence data comprising a geofence surrounding each lock on a delivery receptacle located along the delivery route;
- receive the location of the mobile device;
- calculate the distance of the mobile device from the lock;
- determine a wait time based on the distance of the mobile device from the lock;
- and
- transmit the wait time to the lock;
- a memory in communication with the server, the memory storing the identities and locations of a plurality of locks locking secured receptacles, each of the plurality of locks assigned to at least one delivery routes.
18 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.