Methods and Apparatus for Providing Enhanced Automated Access to a Dispatched Personal Delivery Device Operative to Transport a Shipment Item

A personal delivery device apparatus using enhanced automated access as part of a dispatched logistics transaction initiated by a dispatch server, the dispatched logistics transaction involving a shipment item and a person disposed external to the personal delivery device apparatus, the personal delivery device apparatus comprising:

• a mobile delivery frame, the person disposed external to the personal delivery device apparatus being disposed external to the mobile delivery frame;
• a selectively opened storage area disposed within the mobile delivery frame, the selectively opened storage area being operative to maintain and transport the shipment item;
• an actuated door disposed on the mobile delivery frame, the actuated door providing actuated access to the selectively opened storage area;
• an actuator coupled to the actuated door, the actuator being responsive to a door actuation signal to articulate the actuated door between a closed position sealing the selectively opened storage area and an open position providing access to the selectively opened storage area;
• a propulsion system disposed on the mobile delivery frame for moving the mobile delivery frame in response to a motion control signal;
• a controller disposed within the mobile delivery frame, the controller being coupled to the actuator and operative to generate the door actuation signal to cause the actuator to articulate the actuated door, the controller being further coupled to the propulsion system and operative to generate the motion control signal;
• a wireless communication interface coupled to the controller, the wireless communication interface being operative to communicate with the dispatch server;
• a plurality of external sensors disposed on the mobile delivery frame, the external sensors monitoring an external environment relative to the mobile delivery frame, wherein each of the external sensors being coupled to the controller;
• wherein the controller being further operative to
• detect, using a first of the external sensors, the person disposed external to the mobile delivery frame;
• authenticate that the detected person disposed external to the mobile delivery frame is an authorized participant to the dispatched logistics transaction based upon sensor data generated by the first of the external sensors and provided to the controller;
• and
• activate the actuator to articulate the actuated door to provide actuated access to the selectively opened storage area within the mobile delivery frame to permit the dispatched logistics transaction by the detected person when the detected person has been authenticated to be the authorized participant to the dispatched logistics transaction.

An enhanced dispatching system for a dispatched logistics transaction related to a shipment item, the dispatch system comprising:

• a dispatch server operative to generate logistics transaction information related to the dispatched logistics transaction;
• and
• a mobile personal delivery device assigned by the dispatch server to facilitate the dispatched logistics transaction, the mobile personal delivery device comprising
• a mobile delivery frame;
• a selectively opened storage area disposed within the mobile delivery frame, the selectively opened storage area being operative to maintain and transport the shipment item;
• an actuated door disposed on the mobile delivery frame, the actuated door providing actuated access to the selectively opened storage area;
• an actuator coupled to the actuated door, the actuator being responsive to a door actuation signal to articulate the actuated door between a closed position sealing the selectively opened storage area and an open position providing access to the selectively opened storage area;
• a controller disposed within the mobile delivery frame, the controller being coupled to the actuator and operative to generate the door actuation signal to cause the actuator to articulate the actuated door;
• a wireless communication interface coupled to the controller, the wireless communication interface being operative to communicate with the dispatch server;
• at least one external sensor disposed on the mobile delivery frame, the external sensor being coupled to the controller and disposed in an orientation on the mobile delivery frame to monitor an external environment relative to the mobile delivery frame;
• and
• at least one internal sensor disposed within the mobile delivery frame, the internal sensor being coupled to the controller and disposed in an orientation within the mobile delivery frame to monitor an interior of the selectively opened storage area;
• and
• wherein the controller of the mobile personal delivery device being further operative to
• detect, using the external sensor, a person disposed external to the mobile delivery frame,
• authenticate that the detected person disposed external to the mobile delivery frame is an authorized participant to the dispatched logistics transaction based upon sensor data generated by the external sensor and provided to the controller,
• activate the actuator to articulate the actuated door to provide actuated access to the selectively opened storage area within the mobile delivery frame to permit the dispatched logistics transaction by the detected person when the detected person has been authenticated to be the authorized participant to the dispatched logistics transaction,
• determine an auto-confirm status of the dispatched logistics transaction using internal sensor data generated by the internal sensor that monitors the interior of the selectively opened storage area, the auto-confirm status reflecting whether the dispatched logistics transaction is complete;
• and
• cause the wireless communication interface to transmit a content confirmation message to the dispatch server based upon the internal sensor data generated by the internal sensor and the auto-confirm status of the dispatched logistics transaction;
• wherein the dispatch server being operative to receive the content confirmation message sent to the dispatch server, and generate a corrective action message to the mobile personal delivery device in response to the content confirmation message;
• and
• wherein the controller on the mobile personal delivery device is further operative to
• receive, via the wireless communication interface, the corrective action message from the dispatch server;
• and
• cause a corrective change in operation of the mobile personal delivery device as indicated by the corrective action message.