# US 2020/0401995 A1 · Container device and delivery systems for using the same

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- Number: US 2020/0401995 A1
- Document ID: US20200401995A1
- Status: Published application
- Kind: A1
- Application number: 16/905,125
- Filed: 2020-06-18
- Published: 2020-12-24
- Earliest claimed: 2019-06-18
- Assignees: Google Inc.
- Applicants: Sidewalk Labs LLC
- Inventors: Rohit Thomas Aggarwala; Sandra Rothbard; Corinna Li; Willa Ng; Jiten Manglani; Landry Doyle Wiese; Nerissa Moray
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20200401995A1

## CPC

- G06Q 10/0832: Special goods or special handling procedures, e.g. handling of hazardous or fragile goods
- A47G 29/141: {comprising electronically controlled locking means}
- G06F 16/901: Indexing; Data structures therefor; Storage structures (for retrieval from the web G06F16/951)
- G06Q 10/06312: {Adjustment or analysis of established resource schedule, e.g. resource or task levelling, or dynamic rescheduling}
- G06Q 10/0834: Choice of carriers
- G06Q 10/0838: {Historical data}
- G06Q 10/087: Inventory or stock management, e.g. order filling, procurement or balancing against orders
- G06Q 10/08741: {by picking of items from inventory for fulfillment}
- G06Q 10/08744: {by distributed inventory management}
- G06Q 10/0877: {by inventory control or reporting using inventory tracking or counting}
- G07C 9/00309: {operated with bidirectional data transmission between data carrier and locks}
- G07C 9/00571: {operated by interacting with a central unit}
- G07C 9/00896: {specially adapted for particular uses}
- G07C 9/22: in combination with an identity check of the pass holder
- G07C 9/27: with central registration
- A47G 2029/146: {the receptacle comprising identification means, e.g. a bar code}
- A47G 2029/149: {with central server link}
- G07C 2009/0092: {for cargo, freight or shipping containers and applications therefore in general}
- G06Q: INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY [ICT] SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR ADMINISTRATIVE, COMMERCIAL, FINANCIAL, MANAGERIAL OR SUPERVISORY PURPOSES; SYSTEMS OR METHODS SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR ADMINISTRATIVE, COMMERCIAL, FINANCIAL, MANAGERIAL OR SUPERVISORY PURPOSES, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
- A47G: HOUSEHOLD OR TABLE EQUIPMENT (book-ends A47B5/00; knives B26B)
- G06F: ELECTRIC DIGITAL DATA PROCESSING (computer systems based on specific computational models G06N)
- G07C: TIME OR ATTENDANCE REGISTERS; REGISTERING OR INDICATING THE WORKING OF MACHINES; GENERATING RANDOM NUMBERS; VOTING OR LOTTERY APPARATUS; ARRANGEMENTS, SYSTEMS OR APPARATUS FOR CHECKING NOT PROVIDED FOR ELSEWHERE

## Abstract

Container devices and delivery systems for using the same are provided. In accordance with some embodiments of the disclosed subject matter, a method for delivering packages is provided that includes: receiving, at a delivery hub, a first package to be delivered to a recipient; causing the first package to be placed in a container to be delivered to the recipient; associating an identifier of the first package and an identifier of the container with the recipient; determining, at a first time point, whether the container is ready to be delivered to the recipient; in response to determining that the container is not ready to be delivered to the recipient, waiting for a second package to be delivered to the recipient; receiving the second package to be delivered to the recipient; causing the second package to be placed in the container; associating an identifier of the second package with the identifier of the container; determining, at a second time point, whether the container is ready to be delivered to the recipient; and, in response to determining that the container is ready to be delivered to the recipient, causing the container to be loaded onto a delivery vehicle.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A method for delivering packages, the method comprising:
receiving, at a delivery hub, a first package to be delivered to a recipient;
causing the first package to be placed in a container to be delivered to the recipient;
associating an identifier of the first package and an identifier of the container with the recipient;
determining, at a first time point, whether the container is ready to be delivered to the recipient;
in response to determining that the container is not ready to be delivered to the recipient, waiting for a second package to be delivered to the recipient;
receiving the second package to be delivered to the recipient;
causing the second package to be placed in the container;
associating an identifier of the second package with the identifier of the container;
determining, at a second time point, whether the container is ready to be delivered to the recipient; and
in response to determining that the container is ready to be delivered to the recipient, causing the container to be loaded onto a delivery vehicle.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the container has a lock associated with a password corresponding to the recipient.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein determining, at the second time point, whether the container is ready to be delivered to the recipient is based on a storage temperature of the second package.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, further comprising:
storing, in a database, the identifier of the first package, the identifier of the second package, and the identifier of the container in connection with a time at which the container was loaded onto the delivery vehicle;
receiving information indicating that the container has been delivered to the recipient; and
updating the database with the information indicating that the container has been delivered to the recipient.

### Claim 5 (depends on 4)

The method of claim 4, further comprising:
receiving a request to present information associated with the container from a user device associated with the recipient;
retrieving information associated with the container from the database; and
causing the information associated with the database to be presented in a user interface on the user device.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein determining, at the first time point, whether the container is ready to be delivered to the recipient is based on a number of packages expected for the recipient.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the first package and the second package are delivered to the delivery hub via different delivery services.

### Claim 8

A system for delivering packages, the system comprising:
a hardware processor that:
receives, at a delivery hub, a first package to be delivered to a recipient;
causes the first package to be placed in a container to be delivered to the recipient;
associates an identifier of the first package and an identifier of the container with the recipient;
determines, at a first time point, whether the container is ready to be delivered to the recipient;
in response to determining that the container is not ready to be delivered to the recipient, waits for a second package to be delivered to the recipient;
receives the second package to be delivered to the recipient;
causes the second package to be placed in the container;
associates an identifier of the second package with the identifier of the container;
determines, at a second time point, whether the container is ready to be delivered to the recipient; and
in response to determining that the container is ready to be delivered to the recipient, causes the container to be loaded onto a delivery vehicle.

### Claim 9 (depends on 8)

The system of claim 8, wherein the container has a lock associated with a password corresponding to the recipient.

### Claim 10 (depends on 8)

The system of claim 8, wherein determining, at the second time point, whether the container is ready to be delivered to the recipient is based on a storage temperature of the second package.

### Claim 11 (depends on 8)

The system of claim 8, wherein the hardware processor further:
stores, in a database, the identifier of the first package, the identifier of the second package, and the identifier of the container in connection with a time at which the container was loaded onto the delivery vehicle;
receives information indicating that the container has been delivered to the recipient; and
updates the database with the information indicating that the container has been delivered to the recipient.

### Claim 12 (depends on 11)

The system of claim 11, wherein the hardware processor further:
receives a request to present information associated with the container from a user device associated with the recipient;
retrieves information associated with the container from the database; and
causes the information associated with the database to be presented in a user interface on the user device.

### Claim 13 (depends on 8)

The system of claim 8, wherein determining, at the first time point, whether the container is ready to be delivered to the recipient is based on a number of packages expected for the recipient.

### Claim 14 (depends on 8)

The system of claim 8, wherein the first package and the second package are delivered to the delivery hub via different delivery services.

### Claim 15

A non-transitory computer-readable medium containing computer executable instructions that, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to perform a method for delivering packages, the method comprising:
receiving, at a delivery hub, a first package to be delivered to a recipient;
causing the first package to be placed in a container to be delivered to the recipient;
associating an identifier of the first package and an identifier of the container with the recipient;
determining, at a first time point, whether the container is ready to be delivered to the recipient;
in response to determining that the container is not ready to be delivered to the recipient, waiting for a second package to be delivered to the recipient;
receiving the second package to be delivered to the recipient;
causing the second package to be placed in the container;
associating an identifier of the second package with the identifier of the container;
determining, at a second time point, whether the container is ready to be delivered to the recipient; and
in response to determining that the container is ready to be delivered to the recipient, causing the container to be loaded onto a delivery vehicle.

### Claim 16 (depends on 15)

The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 15, wherein the container has a lock associated with a password corresponding to the recipient.

### Claim 17 (depends on 15)

The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 15, wherein determining, at the second time point, whether the container is ready to be delivered to the recipient is based on a storage temperature of the second package.

### Claim 18 (depends on 15)

The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 15, wherein the method further comprises:
storing, in a database, the identifier of the first package, the identifier of the second package, and the identifier of the container in connection with a time at which the container was loaded onto the delivery vehicle;
receiving information indicating that the container has been delivered to the recipient; and
updating the database with the information indicating that the container has been delivered to the recipient.

### Claim 19 (depends on 18)

The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 18, wherein the method further comprises:
receiving a request to present information associated with the container from a user device associated with the recipient;
retrieving information associated with the container from the database; and
causing the information associated with the database to be presented in a user interface on the user device.

### Claim 20 (depends on 15)

The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 15, wherein determining, at the first time point, whether the container is ready to be delivered to the recipient is based on a number of packages expected for the recipient.

### Claim 21 (depends on 15)

The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 15, wherein the first package and the second package are delivered to the delivery hub via different delivery services.