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US 6,820,805 B2Granted
Computerized recording and notification of the delivery and pickup of retail goods
AssigneeEbox USA Inc.
InventorJohn K. Stevens
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Openings and closings of a secured storage receptacle (60) are logged to record the transfer of items. The system gains access to a signal-transmitting receptacle; transmits a first confirmation signal to a mobile transmission node (61); processes the first confirmation signal at the mobile transmission node (61); transmits a second confirmation signal to a central server (64); and notifies a consumer of the delivery with an electronic message (66). This process allows the transfer of items by a delivery confirmation signals to be received from the signal-transmitting receptable (60). The signal transmitted from the signal-transmitting receptable (60) is coupled to the opening and closing of the storage box.
Claims19
A method for logging the transfer of a retail good, the method performed with respect to a signal-transmitting receptacle, the receptacle having a lid, the method comprising the steps of:
- (a) purchasing from a seller the retail good by a consumer via a telecommunications means;
- (b) driving a delivery vehicle by a delivery carrier to the signal-transmitting receptacle;
- (c) gaining access to the signal-transmitting receptacle by the delivery carrier using a delivery wireless key;
- (d) opening the lid of the receptacle by the delivery carrier;
- (e) transmitting a first wireless signal from the signal-transmitting receptacle via a wireless link;
- (f) placing the retail good in the signal-transmitting receptacle by the delivery carrier;
- (g) closing the lid of the signal-transmitting receptacle by the delivery carrier, defining a transfer;
- (h) transmitting a second wireless signal from the signal-transmitting receptacle via a wireless link;
- (i) receiving the second wireless signal by a first transmission node, said transmission node comprising a central processing unit and an antenna;
- (j) noting by the central processing unit a plurality of data comprising a date and a time associated with the received second wireless signal;
- (k) transmitting the plurality of data through a communicative means from the central processing unit to a central server;
- (l) notifying the consumer of the transfer from the central server by an electronic message;
- (m) gaining access to the signal-transmitting receptacle with a user wireless key by the consumer;
- (n) opening the lid of the receptacle by the consumer;
- (o) transmitting a third wireless signal from the signal-transmitting receptacle via the wireless link;
- (p) removing the retail good from the signal-transmitting receptacle by the consumer;
- (q) closing the lid of the signal-transmitting receptacle by the consumer;
- (r) transmitting a fourth wireless signal from the signal-transmitting receptacle via the wireless link;
- (s) inspecting the retail good by the consumer;
- (t) informing the seller the consumer desires the retail good to be returned to the seller;
- (u) gaining access to the signal-transmitting receptacle with the user wireless key by the consumer;
- (v) opening the lid of the receptacle by the consumer;
- (w) transmitting a fifth wireless signal from the signal-transmitting receptacle via the wireless link;
- (x) placing the retail good in the signal-transmitting receptacle by the consumer;
- (y) closing the lid of the signal-transmitting receptacle by the consumer;
- (z) transmitting a sixth wireless signal from the signal-transmitting receptacle via the wireless link;
- (aa) driving the delivery vehicle by the delivery carder to the signal-transmitting receptacle used by the consumer;
- (bb) gaining access to the signal-transmitting receptacle by the delivery carrier using the delivery wireless key;
- (cc) opening the lid of the receptacle by the delivery carrier;
- (dd) transmitting a seventh wireless signal from the signal-transmitting receptacle via the wireless link;
- (ee) removing the retail good in the signal-transmitting receptacle by the delivery carrier;
- (ff) closing the signal-transmitting receptacle by the delivery carrier;
- (gg) transmitting an eighth wireless signal from the signal-transmitting receptacle via the wireless link;
- (hh) receiving the eighth wireless signal by the transmission node on the delivery truck;
- (ii) confirming by the central processing unit on the delivery truck the plurality of data comprising the date and the time of the transfer of the retail good;
- (jj) transmitting the plurality of data through the second signal from the central processing unit to the central server.
33 more elements
A computerized package transfer system for logging a transfer of a retail good, the computerized package transfer system comprising:
- (a) a signal-transmitting receptacle comprising a secured package container for protecting the transfer of a retail good;
- (b) a central server;
- (c) a wireless transmission path from the signal-transmitting receptacle to the central server for transmitting a transfer confirmation signal from the signal-transmitting receptacle to the central server;
- and
- (d) a computer network system communicatively coupled to the central server, the network system comprising notification means;
- wherein the wireless transmission path comprises:
- (a) A first transmit path originating from the two-way wireless link;
- (b) A first transmission node, said node positioned at a receiving end of the first transmit path;
- and
- (c) A second transmit path originating from the first transmission node and ending at the central server.
7 more elements
A method for logging a transfer of a retail product, comprising the steps of:
- (a) gaining access to a signal-transmitting receptacle by a delivery carrier using a wireless key;
- (b) placing the retail good in the signal-transmitting receptacle by the delivery carrier;
- (c) closing the signal-transmitting receptacle by the delivery carrier;
- (d) transmitting a first wireless signal from the signal-transmitting receptacle via a two-way wireless link;
- (e) receiving the first wireless signal by a transmission node on a delivery truck;
- (f) confirming by a central processing unit on the delivery truck a plurality of data comprising a date and a time of a transfer of the retail good;
- (g) transmitting the plurality of data through a second wireless signal from the delivery truck to a central server;
- and
- (h) notifying the consumer of the transfer from the central server.
6 more elements
A method for logging a transfer of a retail good, comprising the steps of:
- (a) purchasing from a seller a service associated with the retail good by a consumer via a telecommunications means;
- (b) gaining access to a signal-transmitting receptacle used by the customer with a user wireless key by the consumer;
- (c) placing the retail good in the signal-transmitting receptacle by the consumer;
- (d) closing the signal-transmitting receptacle by the consumer;
- (e) driving a delivery vehicle by a delivery carrier to the signal-transmitting receptacle used by the consumer;
- (f) gaining access to the signal-transmitting receptacle by the delivery carrier using a delivery wireless key;
- (g) removing the retail good in the signal-transmitting receptacle by the delivery carrier;
- (h) closing the signal-transmitting receptacle by the delivery carrier;
- (i) transmitting a first wireless signal from the signal-transmitting receptacle via a two-way wireless link;
- (j) receiving the first wireless signal by a transmission node on the delivery truck;
- (k) confirming by the central processing unit on the delivery truck a plurality of data comprising a date and a time of a transfer of the retail good;
- (l) transmitting the plurality of data through a second wireless signal from the delivery truck to a central server;
- (m) notifying the consumer of the transfer from the central server by an electronic message;
- (n) performing an act comprising the service upon the retail good by the seller;
- (o) driving the delivery vehicle by the delivery carrier to the signal-transmitting receptacle used by the consumer;
- (p) gaining access to the signal-transmitting receptacle by the delivery carrier using the delivery wireless key;
- (q) placing the retail good in the signal-transmitting receptacle by the delivery carrier;
- (r) closing the signal-transmitting receptacle by the delivery carrier;
- (s) transmitting a third wireless signal from the signal-transmitting receptacle via the two-way wireless link;
- (t) receiving the third wireless signal by the transmission node on the delivery truck;
- (u) confirming by the central processing unit on the delivery truck the plurality of data comprising the date and the time of the transfer of the retail good;
- (v) transmitting the plurality of data through a fourth wireless signal from the delivery truck to the central server;
- (w) notifying the consumer of the transfer from the central server by an electronic message;
- (x) gaining access to the signal-transmitting receptacle with the user wireless key by the consumer;
- (y) removing the retail good from the signal-transmitting receptacle by the consumer;
- and
- (z) closing the signal-transmitting receptacle by the consumer.
24 more elements
A method for logging the transfer of a retail good, the method performed with respect to a signal-transmitting receptacle, the receptacle having a lid, the method comprising the steps of:
- (a) purchasing from a seller the retail good by a consumer via a telecommunications means;
- (b) driving a delivery vehicle by a delivery carrier to the signal-transmitting receptacle;
- (c) gaining access to the signal-transmitting receptacle by the delivery carrier using a delivery wireless key;
- (d) opening the lid of the receptacle by the delivery carrier;
- (e) in response to the opening of the lid, transmitting a first wireless signal from the signal-transmitting receptacle via a wireless link;
- (f) placing the retail good in the signal-transmitting receptacle by the delivery carrier;
- (g) closing the lid of the signal-transmitting receptacle by the delivery carrier, defining a transfer;
- (h) in response to the closing of the lid, transmitting a second wireless signal from the signal-transmitting receptacle via a wireless link;
- (i) receiving the second wireless signal by a first transmission node, said transmission node comprising a central processing unit and an antenna;
- (j) noting by the central processing unit a plurality of data comprising a date and a time associated with the received second wireless signal;
- (k) transmitting the plurality of data through a communicative means from the central processing unit to a central server;
- (l) notifying the consumer of the transfer from the central server by an electronic message;
- (m) gaining access to the signal-transmitting receptacle with a user wireless key by the consumer;
- (n) opening the lid of the receptacle by the consumer;
- (o) in response to the opening of the lid, transmitting a third wireless signal from the signal-transmitting receptacle via the wireless link;
- (p) removing the retail good from the signal-transmitting receptacle by the consumer;
- (q) closing the lid of the signal-transmitting receptacle by the consumer;
- (r) in response to the closing of the lid, transmitting a fourth wireless signal from the signal-transmitting receptacle via the wireless link;
- (s) inspecting the retail good by the consumer;
- (t) informing the seller the consumer desires the retail good to be returned to the seller;
- (u) gaining access to the signal-transmitting receptacle with the user wireless key by the consumer;
- (v) opening the lid of the receptacle by the consumer;
- (w) in response to the opening of the lid, transmitting a fifth wireless signal from the signal-transmitting receptacle via the wireless link;
- (x) placing the retail good in the signal-transmitting receptacle by the consumer;
- (y) closing the lid of the signal-transmitting receptacle by the consumer;
- (z) in response to the closing of the lid, transmitting a sixth wireless signal from the signal-transmitting receptacle via the wireless link;
- (aa) driving the delivery vehicle by the delivery carrier to the signal-transmitting receptacle used by the consumer;
- (bb) gaining access to the signal-transmitting receptacle by the delivery carrier using the delivery wireless key;
- (cc) opening the lid of the receptacle by the delivery carrier;
- (dd) in response to the opening of the lid, transmitting a seventh wireless signal from the signal-transmitting receptacle via the wireless link;
- (ee) removing the retail good in the signal-transmitting receptacle by the delivery carrier;
- (ff) closing the signal-transmitting receptacle by the delivery carrier;
- (gg) in response to the closing of the lid, transmitting an eighth wireless signal from the signal-transmitting receptacle via the wireless link;
- (hh) receiving the eighth wireless signal by the transmission node on the delivery truck;
- (ii) confirming by the central processing unit on the delivery truck the plurality of data comprising the date and the time of the transfer of the retail good;
- (jj) transmitting the plurality of data through the second signal from the central processing unit to the central server.
33 more elements
A method for logging a transfer of a retail good, comprising the steps of:
- (a) purchasing from a seller a service associated with the retail good by a consumer via a telecommunications means;
- (b) gaining access to a signal-transmitting receptacle used by the customer with a user wireless key by the consumer;
- (c) placing the retail good in the signal-transmitting receptacle by the consumer;
- (d) closing the signal-transmitting receptacle by the consumer;
- (e) driving a delivery vehicle by a delivery carrier to the signal-transmitting receptacle used by the consumer;
- (f) gaining access to the signal-transmitting receptacle by the delivery carrier using a delivery wireless key;
- (g) removing the retail good in the signal-transmitting receptacle by the delivery carrier;
- (h) closing the signal-transmitting receptacle by the delivery carrier;
- (i) in response to the closing of the signal-transmitting receptacle, transmitting a first wireless signal from the signal-transmitting receptacle via a two-way wireless link;
- (j) receiving the first wireless signal by a transmission node on the delivery truck;
- (k) confirming by the central processing unit on the delivery truck a plurality of data comprising a date and a time of a transfer of the retail good;
- (l) transmitting the plurality of data through a second wireless signal from the delivery truck to a central server;
- (m) notifying the consumer of the transfer from the central server by an electronic message;
- (n) performing an act comprising the service upon the retail good by the seller;
- (o) driving the delivery vehicle by the delivery carrier to the signal-transmitting receptacle used by the consumer;
- (p) gaining access to the signal-transmitting receptacle by the delivery carrier using the delivery wireless key;
- (q) placing the retail good in the signal-transmitting receptacle by the delivery carrier;
- (r) closing the signal-transmitting receptacle by the delivery carrier;
- (s) in response to the closing of the signal-transmitting receptacle, transmitting a third wireless signal from the signal-transmitting receptacle via the two-way wireless link;
- (t) receiving the third wireless signal by the transmission node on the delivery truck;
- (u) confirming by the central processing unit on the delivery truck the plurality of data comprising the date and the time of the transfer of the retail good;
- (v) transmitting the plurality of data through a fourth wireless signal from the delivery truck to the central server;
- (w) notifying the consumer of the transfer from the central server by an electronic message;
- (x) gaining access to the signal-transmitting receptacle with the user wireless key by the consumer;
- (y) removing the retail good from the signal-transmitting receptacle by the consumer;
- and
- (z) closing the signal-transmitting receptacle by the consumer.
24 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.