Electronic Trolley Lock System
OwnerDomenic Ammendoliainventor
Life of this patent
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Abstract
An electronic trolley lock system and a method for providing trolley service based on a request of a registered user intending to use a trolley enabled with an electronic trolley lock device. The method and system can enable tracking of trolley use and locating abandoned trolleys. The system can also enable performing a transaction when a trolley is unlocked and performing a reverse transaction on return of the trolley by a registered user.
Claims45
An electronic trolley lock system comprising:
- a communication network connected system controller;
- and
- a plurality of electronic trolley lock devices, each one of the plurality of electronic trolley lock devices configured for installation on a trolley,
- each electronic trolley lock device comprising:
- an electronically activated lock associated with the trolley, to when locked inhibit use of the trolley and when unlocked allow use of the trolley;
- a tracking module configured to monitor movement and location of the trolley, to determine a location of the trolley lock device;
- a wireless communication module;
- and
- a device controller, comprising a processor and memory, the device controller being configured to:
- transmit trolley data to the system controller via the communication module;
- and
- in response to receiving an unlock request via the wireless communication module, unlock the electronically activated lock, and
- the system controller comprising:
- memory storing:
- for each of the plurality of electronic trolley lock devices associated with trolleys, one or more data elements;
- and
- registered user information;
- and
- processing resources programmed with instructions executable to implement a communication control module configured to control communication with at least one of:
- each of the electronic trolley lock devices via the communication network;
- and
- user devices associated with registered users via the communication network;
- and
- an authentication module configured to:
- associate a registered user with an electronic trolley lock device of a trolley currently in use by the registered user based on trolley data received via the communication module, and store the association in memory, and
- wherein trolley data transmitted by electronic trolley lock device indicates a location of the electronic trolley lock device, and the system controller is configured to determine when the location is outside an authorized use area, and determine when the location is within an authorized trolley holding area.
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A method for providing trolley service based on a request of a registered user intending to use a trolley enabled with an electronic trolley lock device, the method comprising:
- receiving by a system controller a trolley data signal including trolley data identifying the trolley and the registered user, derived from one or more actions performed by the registered user indicating a request to use the trolley;
- processing by the system controller, an authentication of the trolley data;
- if authorized,
- sending, by the system controller, unlocking request instructions to an electronic trolley lock device associated with the trolley;
- in response to the unlock instruction,
- unlocking by the electronic trolley lock device, an electronically activated lock associated with the trolley to provide an unlocking functionality by unfixing the trolley from a trolley holding area;
- transmitting unlock confirmation to the system controller;
- monitoring movement and location of the trolley;
- and
- determining when the location is outside an authorized use area, and
- determining when the location is within an authorized trolley holding area.
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A method for providing trolley service based on a request of a registered user intending to use a trolley enabled with an electronic trolley lock device, the method comprising:
- receiving by the electronic trolley lock device user information, derived from one or more actions performed by the registered user indicating a request to use the trolley;
- processing by the electronic trolley lock device, an authentication of the user information;
- if authorized,
- unlocking by the electronic trolley lock device, an electronically activated lock associated with the trolley to provide an unlocking functionality by unfixing the trolley from a trolley holding area;
- transmitting unlock confirmation to a system controller;
- monitoring movement and location of the trolley;
- and
- determining when the location is outside an authorized use area, and
- determining when the location is within an authorized trolley holding area.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.