Patent ID: 12248905

FIG.1illustrates an embodiment for the use of a mobile smart device92installed with a user application90for a parcel allocation system. The parcel allocation system comprises a server30and one or more service points20. The mobile smart device92is used for transmitting e-tokens10between the server30and a service point20. The e-tokens10are communicated150to the server30using a communication standard for a data transmission supporting mobile communication system416.

The electronic tokens10are communicated150to the service point20, using a communication standard of a wireless personal area network414.

The user application90piggybacks the e-tokens10between the server30and the service points20, and acts as a signal transformer for the e-tokens in the transmission between the server and the service point. The content of the e-tokens may not be changed in the transmission between the server and the service point.

Alternatively, a distributed network of mobile smart devices92installed with the user application90is used. The distributed network of mobile smart devices92is illustrated by the two mobile smart devices92and the dotted line in between.

FIG.2illustrates an overview of the method100for allocating parcels40and the parcel allocation system400. The illustrated parcel allocation system400comprises two service points20, a user application90adapted to be installed on a mobile smart device92and a server30. The mobile smart device comprises a processor94and communication means96. The parcel allocation system400is adapted for executing the acts of the method100for allocating parcels, which comprises acts of communicating data to and from the server30and the service points20. The communicated data to or from the service points20and/or the server30is received by and/or transmitted from a user application90, adapted to be installed on a mobile smart device92. The communicated data may be encrypted with a service point encryption key associated with a single service point. The service points emit beacon signals22advertising of its presence and its service point ID24. These beacon signals may be read by the user application90.

As illustrated by the two mobile smart devices92and the dotted line in between, the method may be performed in a parcel allocation system using a distributed network of mobile smart devices92installed with the user application90.

The communicated data may be comprised in electronic tokens, including user electronic tokens50, synchronization electronic tokens60and/or acknowledgement electronic tokens70. For each user electronic token50, multiple synchronization electronic tokens60and/or acknowledgement electronic tokens70may be piggybacked by one or more user applications90of the distributed network of mobile smart device92.

FIG.3illustrates one embodiment of the method100for allocating parcels. The method100comprises acts performed in one or more service point(s)20and acts performed in a server30. In the illustrated embodiment, only a single service point20is illustrated, however, multiple service points may be used, each performing the acts of the method performed in the illustrated service point20.

The acts performed in the service point20comprise transmitting102beacon signals22, which may be transmitted on a regular frequency. The beacon signals22comprise the service point ID24. A further act performed by the service point is receiving104one or more user e-tokens50. Each user e-token50is tagged with the service point ID24and comprises instructions52of a user event to be performed and a piece ID42. After receipt of the user e-token50, a sequence number58is generated108. In response hereto, a synchronization e-token60is generated comprising the piece ID42and the sequence number58. The generated synchronization e-token60is then transmitted from the service point20. The sequence number58may be a local identifier connected with a single piece ID. Alternatively, the sequence number58may be a local identifier connected with a single service point.

In the server30, a piece ID42is created130. The piece ID is an identification code within the parcel locker system for a parcel. The piece ID may be associated to further data about the parcel received by the server, comprising information of the dimension of the parcel, weight of the parcel, time interval for pick-up, address of the recipient, preferred pick-up location, name of the retailer sending the parcel and/or other information. After creation of the piece ID42, the parcel40is allocated130to a service point20having a service point ID24. The service point may be appointed in regard to any received parcel data. After allocating140the parcel40to a service point, a user e-token50is generated128by the server30. The user e-token50is tagged with the allocated service points'20service point ID24and comprises the piece ID42and instructions52of a user event, to be performed at the allocated service point20by the holder of the user e-token50. The generated128user e-token50is then transmitted122from the server30. A further act of receiving124one or more synchronization e-tokens60is performed. Each synchronization e-token60may comprise one or more sequence numbers58and associated piece IDs42.

For verification of the received synchronization e-token60an acknowledgement e-token70may be generated128and transmitted122by the server. The acknowledgement e-token may comprise the sequence number58.

Alternatively, the acknowledgment e-token70may comprise another or several values identifying or being associated with the parcel e.g. the piece ID42.

The service point20may receive104an acknowledgement e-token70comprising a sequence number58, previously generated and transmitted by the service point, comprised in a synchronization e-token60. The receipt of the acknowledgement e-token70acts as a handshake between the server and the service point as a successful communication completed of the information to be exchanged between these two units.

FIG.4illustrates one embodiment of how the synchronization of information between the server and a service point may be performed. In the illustrated embodiment, the service point20comprises a service point synchronization record240, which may be updated with a service point synchronization record entry242comprising the sequence number58and the piece ID42based on the receipt of a user e-token50.

In the illustrated embodiment, the server30comprises a server synchronization record330, which may be updated with a server synchronization record entry232, comprising the sequence number58and the piece ID42based on the receipt of a synchronization e-token60.

In the illustrated embodiment, a user e-token50comprising the following values is received by the service point20: Sequence number58=xx and the piece ID42=yy.

An associated synchronization e-token60comprising the following values is received by the server: Sequence number58=xx and the piece ID42=yy.

Further information may be included in the synchronization e-token and in the record entries.

The service point and the server now comprise synchronized information, and an updated service point status may be available in both units. However, a further acknowledgement e-token may be generated and transmitted by the server to send an acknowledgement to the service point20of receipt of the synchronization e-token60. The acknowledgement e-token70may be tagged with the service point ID and comprise the sequence number of the acknowledged synchronization e-token60. This may be referred to as a handshake between the units and upon receipt of the acknowledgement e-token70by the service point20, the service point may now delete this service point synchronization record entry242from the service point synchronization record240.

This embodiment may provide for a service point synchronization record240only comprising the non-acknowledged entries242. This may further provide for resending synchronization e-tokens60with information associated to these non-acknowledged entries242or even generating synchronization e-tokens60comprising multiple non-acknowledged entries242.

In a further example, the server may comprise a server status record in addition to the server synchronization record. And the service point may comprise a service point status record, in addition to the service point synchronization record. In this example, the service point comprises a parcel locker with six compartments.

The service point synchronization record may read:

Sequence no.Piece IDinstruction172354Delivery215901Pick-up2334221Delivery

The service point synchronization record may only comprise unacknowledged entries. Hence, when an acknowledgement e-token is received, a corresponding record entry may be deleted.

As long as the service point synchronization record holds any entries, there are unacknowledged synchronization e-tokens. This may cause for resending these synchronization e-tokens either as single e-tokens or collected in one e-token.

Several copies of an acknowledgement e-token may be generated to ensure that at least one acknowledgement e-token reaches the service point. If the record entry has already been deleted, the acknowledgment e-token may be ignored.

The service point status record [Example: 6 compartments, service point30] may read (Ack. is abbreviation for acknowledgement):

Compartment no.Piece IDCompartment statusAck.1235410234221104564711

The service point status record shows that the three entries in the service point synchronization record are not acknowledged yet (compartment1and2).

The user e-token, concerning piece ID=235 received by the service point, was a delivery e-token. The parcel has been delivered to compartment1, which now is updated in the status record to a value=1 for occupied. The Ack. value reads 0, as the service point has not received an acknowledgment e-token yet.

The user e-token, concerning piece ID=34221 received by the service point, was a delivery e-token. The parcel has been delivered to compartment2, which now is updated in the status record to a value=1 for occupied. The Ack. value reads 0, as the service point has not received an acknowledgment e-token yet.

The user e-token, concerning piece ID=5647 received by the service point, was a delivery e-token. The parcel has been delivered to compartment4, which now is updated in the status record to a value=1 for occupied. The Ack. value reads 1, as the service point has received an acknowledgment e-token. The entry concerning piece ID=5647 is deleted from the service point synchronization record and therefore does not appear in that record.

The user e-token, concerning piece ID=5901 received by the service point, was a pick-up e-token. The parcel has been picked up from compartment6, which may now be updated in the status record to a value=0 for available. It still appears from the service point synchronization record as the acknowledgement e-token has not been received by the service point yet. Alternatively, the entry concerning piece ID=5901 could still appear in the service point status record until the acknowledgment e-token has been received.

The server synchronization record concerning the above service point may read:

Sequence no.Piece IDinstruction165901Delivery172354Delivery18247Delivery196849Pick-up205647Delivery215901Pick-up22247Pick-up2334221delivery

The server synchronization record may comprise the track history of the service point. Thus, from the record, information regarding Piece ID 5647 may appear, even though it has been deleted from the service point synchronization record. Also both the delivery and pick-up of piece ID 5901 may appear, even though it has been deleted from the service point status record. One piece ID may appear in several server point synchronization entries, as the parcel may concern two user events: it may be delivered by the holder of a delivery user e-token and later be picked up by a holder of a pick-up user e-token.

The server status record may comprise information from multiple service points and may read (Ack. is abbreviation for acknowledgement):

ServiceSequencePieceCompartmentCompartmentpoint IDno.IDno.statusAck.30172354110194765002101184452334210130205647411302159016002736427701301968495011195660146925647081116215905113022247301302334221210

The server status reads the status of service point30for all six compartments and shows a free compartment for the pick-up instructions and an occupied compartment for the delivery instructions. Furthermore, the sequence number18regarding piece ID 247 does not appear, as this concerns the delivery of the parcel and afterwards the parcel has been picked up, according to sequence number22.

Alternatively, the compartment status may be indicated using instructions instead.

This is just one example of how the server and the service point may be synchronized and/or how they keep track of the service points' status. The synchronization scheme is by no means limited to this example.

FIG.5illustrates one embodiment of the communication of the e-tokens in the parcel locker system400.

The user e-token50is transmitted from the server30to the service point20via a mobile smart device92. The synchronization e-token60is transmitted from the service point20to the server30via a mobile smart device92. The acknowledgement e-token70is transmitted from the server30to the service point20via a mobile smart device92.

Both the user e-token50and the acknowledgement e-token70are transmitted from the server30, using a communication standard for a data transmission supporting mobile communication system416. Both the user e-token50and the acknowledgement e-token70are also carried by a mobile smart device92installed with the user application90. The mobile smart device comprises processor means94and communication means96. Again both the user e-token50and the acknowledgement e-token70are transmitted to the service point20, using a communication standard of a wireless personal area network414. The user e-token50and the acknowledgement e-token70are not carried at the same time and may be carried by different mobile smart devices92.

The synchronization e-token60is transmitted from the service point20using a communication standard of a wireless personal area network414. The synchronization e-token50is carried by a mobile smart device92installed with the user application90. The mobile smart device92comprises processor means94and communication means96. The synchronization e-token60is transmitted to the server30using a communication standard for a data transmission supporting a mobile communication system416.

The synchronization e-token60and the acknowledgement e-token70may be communicated by any mobile smart device92installed with the user application90in a distributed network of mobile smart devices92installed with the user application90. The network of distributed mobile smart devices is illustrated with the dotted line between two mobile smart devices92.

FIG.6illustrates one embodiment of the parcel allocation system400. The illustrated embodiment of a parcel allocation system comprises one or more parcel lockers200as a service point. The parcel allocation system may comprise several parcel lockers200as illustrated by the sign {. The parcel allocation system further comprises a server30, and one or more user applications90. The parcel allocation system is adapted for executing the acts of the method for allocating parcels40.

The illustrated embodiment comprises one or more parcel lockers200. The parcel locker200comprises a parcel locker chassis210, one or more compartments212, each compartment having at least one mechanical lockable door214configured to be locked to the parcel locker chassis210. The parcel locker further comprises a battery216such that the parcel locker may be battery operated. The parcel locker further comprises service point transmitter means202, service point receiver means204and service point processor means206.

In the insert, an embodiment of the parcel locker200is illustrated from a top view. The parcel locker comprises multiple compartments212, each compartment having at least one mechanical lockable door214configured to be locked to the parcel locker chassis. In the illustrated embodiment, the parcel locker200is designed with reach-through compartments212on the left-hand side of the parcel locker. In this embodiment the reach-through compartments have two doors, a front-end door214and a back-end door214B accessing a single compartment212which facilitates front-end and back-end loading of the compartment. The reach-through compartment may in other embodiments only comprise a single door214and thus being front-end loaded. The parcel locker200is designed with half-through compartments212on the right hand side of the parcel locker. In this embodiment the half-through compartments have a single door accessing a single compartment212facilitating front-end loading of the compartment.

The illustrated embodiment comprises a server30. The server30comprises server transmitter means302, server receiver means304and server processor means306. In one aspect, the server may further comprise an encryption key record which may comprise the service point IDs of the associated service points to the system and the associated service point encryption key.

The illustrated embodiment comprises one or more user applications90adapted to be installed on a mobile smart device92comprising transmitter/receiver means.