Node-enabled logistics receptacle apparatus, systems, and methods with a deployable storage element for receiving and temporarily maintaining a delivery item

A node-enabled logistics receptacle system with a deployable storage element for transporting a delivery item, the system comprising:

• a storage receptacle having a plurality of monitored storage receptacle components, the monitored receptacle storage components comprising:
• an entrance opening for receiving the delivery item,
• a temporary storage area for temporarily maintaining the delivery item once the delivery item has been deposited within the storage receptacle through the entrance opening,
• a deployable autonomous mobile container as the deployable storage element, the deployable autonomous mobile container disposed in a host position within the storage receptacle for accepting at least the delivery item from within the temporary storage area,
• a parcel manipulator disposed within the storage receptacle and operative to move contents of the temporary storage area into the deployable autonomous mobile container in response to a load activation signal, and
• wherein the deployable autonomous mobile container being operative to autonomously move from the host position within the storage receptacle to a position external to the storage receptacle in response to receiving a deploy activation signal;
• a first node mounted to the storage receptacle, the first node comprising
• a first node processor,
• a first node memory coupled to the first node processor, the first node memory maintaining at least monitoring and deployment code for execution by the first node processor and a deployment threshold setting, and
• a communication interface coupled to the first node processor, the first communication interface being operative to communicate with at least a backend server over a first communication path;
• a plurality of sensors operatively in communication with the first node processor, the sensors comprising at least:
• an interaction sensor operatively in communication with the first node processor, the interaction sensor being disposed on the storage receptacle to monitor for a change in state of the entrance opening, wherein the interaction sensor being operative to generate interaction sensor data corresponding to the change in the state of the entrance opening and provide the interaction sensor data to the first node processor, and
• a storage sensor operatively in communication with the first node processor, the storage sensor being operative to monitor for a change in state of what is maintained within the temporary storage area and the deployable autonomous mobile container, wherein the storage sensor being operative to generate storage sensor data corresponding to the change in the state of what is maintained within the temporary storage area and provide the storage sensor data to the first node processor;
• and
• wherein the first node, when executing the monitoring and deployment code, being programmatically operative to:
• detect the change in the state of the entrance opening based upon the interaction sensor data,
• determine a current condition of what is presently maintained within the temporary storage area based upon the storage sensor data,
• transmit the load activation signal to the parcel manipulator when the current condition of what is presently maintained within the temporary storage corresponds to at least the deployment threshold setting for the deployable autonomous mobile container,
• generate the deploy activation signal after generating the load activation signal, and
• transmit the deploy activation signal to the deployable autonomous mobile container to initiate movement by the deployable autonomous mobile container from the host position within the storage receptacle to the position external to the storage receptacle in response to receiving the deploy activation signal.

A node-enabled logistics receptacle system with a deployable storage element for receiving and temporarily maintaining a delivery item, the system comprising:

• a storage receptacle comprising
• an entrance opening for receiving the delivery item, and
• a deployable mobile container as the deployable storage element, the deployable mobile container disposed in a host position within the storage receptacle for temporarily maintaining the delivery item once the delivery item has been deposited within the storage receptacle through the entrance opening, the deployable mobile container being operative to move from the host position within the storage receptacle to a position external to the storage receptacle in response to receiving a deploy activation signal;
• a first node mounted to the storage receptacle, the first node comprising
• a first node processor,
• a first node memory coupled to the first node processor, the first node memory maintaining at least monitoring and deployment code for execution by the first node processor and a deployment threshold setting, and
• a communication interface coupled to the first node processor, the first communication interface being operative to communicate with at least a backend server over a first communication path;
• a plurality of sensors operatively in communication with the first node processor, the sensors comprising at least:
• an interaction sensor operatively in communication with the first node processor, the interaction sensor being disposed on the storage receptacle to monitor for a change in state of the entrance opening, wherein the interaction sensor being operative to generate interaction sensor data corresponding to the change in the state of the entrance opening and provide the interaction sensor data to the first node processor, and
• a storage sensor operatively in communication with the first node processor, the storage sensor being operative to monitor for a change in state of what is maintained within the deployable mobile container, wherein the storage sensor being operative to generate storage sensor data corresponding to the change in the state of what is maintained within the deployable mobile container and provide the storage sensor data to the first node processor;
• and
• wherein the first node, when executing the monitoring and deployment code, being programmatically operative to:
• detect the change in the state of the entrance opening based upon the interaction sensor data,
• determine a current condition of what is presently maintained within the deployable mobile container based upon the storage sensor data,
• generate the deploy activation signal when the current condition of what is presently maintained within the deployable mobile container corresponds to at least the deployment threshold setting for the deployable mobile container, and
• transmit the deploy activation signal to the deployable mobile container to initiate movement by the deployable mobile container from the host position within the storage receptacle to the position external to the storage receptacle in response to receiving the deploy activation signal.