PROCEDURE FOR HOLDING GROUP GOODS TO BE COLLECTED AND / OR COLLECTING GROUP GOODS TO BE DELIVERED

Description

[0001] The invention relates to a method for keeping piece goods to be picked up and / or for collecting piece goods to be delivered, with at least one piece goods module having a plurality of separate piece goods compartments at a pick-up location, wherein the piece goods compartments each have a locking device which can be adjusted from a closed position preventing access to the piece goods compartment to an open position allowing access to the piece goods compartment and back again.

[0002] General cargo cabinets with one or more general cargo modules, each comprising compartments for storing general cargo, are already known. The general cargo modules can be an integral part of the general cargo cabinets, so that the general cargo modules cannot be separated from the general cargo cabinet, or at least not without causing lasting damage to the general cargo module and / or the general cargo cabinet. Alternatively, the general cargo modules can also be detachably connected to the general cargo cabinets, so that the general cargo modules can be handled separately from the general cargo cabinets and the general cargo modules of the general cargo cabinets can be replaced or exchanged with other general cargo modules.

[0003] General cargo compartments typically have locking units in the form of doors or flaps that can be adjusted between a locked and an open position. The locked position ensures that unauthorized persons cannot access the general cargo in the compartment. However, the open position allows authorized persons to insert or remove general cargo from the compartment.

[0004] To ensure that the locker is operated by authorized persons, the locker can be designed to require authentication for certain actions. For example, authorized persons may have a key, an ID card, a user name, and / or a code to authenticate themselves. However, other types of access control are conceivable. It is also conceivable that no separate access control is implemented at the locker, for example, because the locker is already installed in a restricted area to which only certain people have access.

[0005] General cargo lockers of the type mentioned are preferably, but not necessarily, so-called packing stations or similar, into which general cargo, for example in the form of shipments and / or packages, are placed so that they can be picked up later by an authorized person. In the case of general cargo, the authorized person can be a customer or the person who ordered the general cargo. In the case of packages, this can be the addressee of the package. However, other general cargo lockers and / or other uses of the general cargo lockers are also conceivable. It is also conceivable for a customer to place a general cargo item in a general cargo compartment intended for onward transport to another location. There, the general cargo can be handed over to an authorized person as needed, or held in another general cargo locker for collection by an authorized person.

[0006] General cargo lockers of the type described are therefore highly practical for customers or authorized persons to provide and drop off general cargo at a location that is easily accessible to them. This is especially true because general cargo can be picked up and / or dropped off in and / or from the general cargo locker at virtually any time of day and / or on any day of the week.

[0007] For example, general cargo, such as parcels, must be transported from a distribution base where the general cargo is collected for a specific general cargo locker to the locker, and / or the general cargo deposited in the locker for distribution must be picked up. The picked general cargo is then transported to the distribution base as needed, from where it can be collected together with other shipments or redistributed.

[0008] WO2014 / 080389 A2 discloses a method for keeping piece goods to be picked up and / or for collecting piece goods to be delivered, with at least one piece goods module having a plurality of separate piece goods compartments at a pick-up location, wherein the piece goods compartments each have a locking device that can be adjusted from a closed position preventing access to the piece goods compartment to an open position allowing access to the piece goods compartment and back again, in which the at least one piece goods module is secured captively to a docking station at the pick-up location and / or is separated from the docking station connected to the piece goods module via a secured connection.

[0009] Loading the general cargo cabinets with general cargo and / or removing the general cargo from the general cargo requires a considerable amount of effort. Therefore, handling the general cargo modules is not yet possible with a satisfactorily low level of effort. The alternative transport of general cargo to customers, particularly those living in densely populated residential areas, using drones has also proven problematic for various reasons. Therefore, the present invention is based on the object of designing and developing the method of the type mentioned at the outset and described in more detail above in such a way that handling the general cargo modules is possible with reduced effort.

[0010] This object is achieved according to claim 1 by a method for holding piece goods to be picked up and / or for collecting piece goods to be delivered, with at least one piece goods module having a plurality of separate piece goods compartments at a pick-up location, wherein the piece goods compartments each have a locking device which can be adjusted from a closed position preventing access to the piece goods compartment into an open position allowing access to the piece goods compartment and back again, in which the at least one general cargo module is transported by air from a distribution base to a handover location and / or vice versa using a drone, in which the at least one general cargo module is transported by a courier vehicle from the handover location to the pick-up location and / or vice versa, and in which the at least one general cargo module is secured captively to a docking station at the pick-up location and / or is separated from the docking station connected to the general cargo module via a secured connection.

[0011] According to the invention, piece goods are therefore held ready or collected at a collection point in a piece goods module. The piece goods can be, for example, repackaged piece goods, parcels, or other types of shipments. These are then picked up at the collection point by an authorized person, for example. Alternatively or additionally, it can also be provided that at least one piece goods module is picked up with the piece goods collected therein in order to transport the piece goods module back to the distribution base if necessary. The distribution base is, if necessary, a type of depot to which the piece goods are transported and in which the piece goods are placed in piece goods compartments of the piece goods modules.Alternatively or additionally, the piece goods collected in the piece goods modules, in particular the piece goods placed by different people in different piece goods compartments of the at least one piece goods module, can also be removed from the piece goods module, in particular the piece goods compartments, in the distribution base and distributed from the distribution base to different destinations and / or other distribution bases.

[0012] Regardless of whether the general cargo has been placed in the general cargo compartments at the collection point or at the distribution base, unauthorized access to the general cargo in the general cargo compartments is prevented in order to avoid damage to or theft of the general cargo provided in the general cargo compartments. For this reason, the general cargo compartments have a locking device, which can be designed, for example, in the form of a door or flap. The locking device can be adjusted from a locked position, in which access to the general cargo in the corresponding general cargo compartment is prevented, to an open position and back again. In the open position, access to the general cargo in the corresponding general cargo compartment of at least one general cargo module is permitted. In the open position of the locking device, a general cargo can therefore be removed from the general cargo compartment of the general cargo module and / or a general cargo can be placed in the general cargo compartment of the general cargo module.

[0013] At least one general cargo module is transported by drone by air from a distribution base to a transfer point. Alternatively or additionally, the at least one general cargo module is transported from a transfer point to a distribution base. If the general cargo module is transported by drone to the transfer point, the general cargo module is transported to the pickup point by a courier vehicle. Alternatively or additionally, if the at least one general cargo module is flown by drone from the transfer point to the distribution base, the general cargo module was previously transported from the pickup point to the transfer point by a courier vehicle.

[0014] To prevent the general cargo module from being stolen by unauthorized persons at the pick-up location, the at least one general cargo module is captively secured to a docking station at the pick-up location. In other words, the at least one general cargo module is firmly connected to the docking station at the pick-up location, whereby this connection is generally designed to be detachable so that the general cargo module can be removed again. However, this connection is secured so that the connection cannot be easily separated by anyone. The security can also be opened or bypassed quickly and easily if an authorized person or a device trained for this purpose is appropriately equipped. Corresponding security devices are known in many different designs. Alternatively or in addition to securing the general cargo module, the secured connection between the docking station and the at least one general cargo module can also be separated again according to the invention.

[0015] This means that the general cargo can be transported back and forth between the distribution base and the handover location very quickly and easily by using at least one general cargo module and at least one drone. Furthermore, the general cargo can be transported back and forth between the handover location and the pickup location very quickly and easily by using at least one general cargo module and at least one courier vehicle. Otherwise, for example, a courier would have to drive his courier vehicle through public traffic from the distribution base to the pickup location and there reload the general cargo from the courier vehicle into the general cargo compartments of the general cargo module. This is particularly complex if the courier vehicle's routes are prone to traffic jams. Since, according to the invention, the courier vehicles only cover relatively short distances from the handover location to the pickup location, public road traffic hardly represents a restriction.Furthermore, there's no problem of restricted airspace, which would arise if the drones were to fly directly to the pickup location. The drop-off location can easily be chosen so that drones can land there easily and the courier vehicles can easily pick up or drop off the general cargo modules.

[0016] In addition, different general cargo modules can easily be distributed from a single drop-off point to different pickup locations. This means that a separate drop-off point does not need to be provided for each pickup location. One drone can transport two or more general cargo modules simultaneously, if necessary. However, one drone can transport different general cargo modules one after the other. It is also conceivable for different general cargo modules to be flown to the drop-off point and / or distribution base simultaneously by multiple drones, if necessary. Independently of this, the general cargo modules can be transported to the pickup point and / or drop-off point by one or more courier vehicles. This makes the described process very simple and flexible to adapt to different requirements and local conditions.

[0017] In a first particularly preferred embodiment of the method, the at least one general cargo module transported by drone by air from a distribution base to a transfer location and / or vice versa is loaded with general cargo, particularly in the general cargo compartments. Thus, general cargo can also be transported from the distribution base to the transfer location and / or vice versa together with the general cargo module. For example, if general cargo modules are transported back to the distribution base for reloading in the distribution base, additional general cargo to be distributed can be taken to the distribution base in this way.

[0018] Alternatively or additionally, the at least one general cargo module transported by a courier vehicle from the transfer point to the pickup point and / or vice versa can be loaded with general cargo, wherein the general cargo can be accommodated, in particular, in the general cargo compartments. Thus, general cargo can also be transported from the transfer point to the pickup point and / or vice versa together with the general cargo module. For example, if general cargo modules are transported back to the distribution base for reloading at the distribution base, additional general cargo to be distributed can be taken to the distribution base in this way.

[0019] In this context, it is also advisable for the general cargo module, which has at least one compartment loaded with general cargo, to be secured captively to a docking station at the pickup location. Alternatively or additionally, the general cargo module, which has at least one compartment loaded with general cargo, can be detached from the docking station, which is connected to the general cargo module via a secure connection, at the pickup location. The general cargo can therefore remain in the compartments during this time.

[0020] It is also particularly useful if the general cargo module, which has at least one compartment loaded with general cargo as needed, is transported autonomously by air from a distribution base to a transfer point and / or vice versa using a drone. This not only saves personnel but also allows the use of particularly small drones that are easy to land at the transfer point. Last but not least, autonomous drones allow for highly flexible process management.

[0021] To ensure that the general cargo modules and thus the general cargo do not fall into the hands of unauthorized persons, it is preferably provided that the secured connection between the at least one general cargo module and the docking station is released for disconnection or disconnected by authentication. The general cargo module can only be disconnected from the docking station if authentication has been successfully completed. In addition, it can then be provided that the authentication takes place by transmitting at least one piece of authorization information to the docking station. The at least one piece of authorization information can be transmitted to the docking station, for example, by a courier, a courier vehicle and / or a control center. The control center can be provided for the central control of the process, whereby the control center does not have to be provided at the collection point, the handover point or in the distribution base.Communication can be transmitted, for example, via radio, in particular mobile radio, or via a data line. Alternatively or additionally, the at least one piece of authorization information can be acquired by reading the authorization information of a courier and / or a courier vehicle from the docking station. The authorization information is then stored, for example, in a storage medium, for example, as a 2D barcode. Alternatively or additionally, the security device can also be unlocked with a key unit.

[0022] To reduce the effort required to carry out the process, it may be advisable to use an autonomous courier bot as the courier vehicle. In this case, the process can also be implemented much more flexibly. For example, adapting to specific local conditions is very easy and quick using courier bots.

[0023] For the sake of simplicity, the docking station can be a docking station that is firmly anchored, particularly permanently anchored, to the floor. This allows the at least one general cargo module to be anchored simply yet reliably at the collection point to prevent theft of the general cargo module. Alternatively or additionally, a general cargo cabinet, particularly permanently anchored to the floor, can be used as the docking station. The general cargo cabinet can then accommodate at least one general cargo module, or, if necessary, a plurality of general cargo modules.

[0024] A particularly efficient, fast, and potentially tamper-proof transfer of the at least one general cargo module to the courier vehicle can be achieved if the at least one general cargo module is dropped from the drone onto the courier vehicle. A particularly simple and reliable transfer of the at least one general cargo module to the courier vehicle can also be achieved if the courier vehicle drives underneath the at least one general cargo module at the transfer location.

[0025] To simplify the process, the piece goods module can be designed as, in particular, an integral component of a piece goods cabinet. In addition to providing a piece goods module with the piece goods compartments, the further functionality of the piece goods cabinet is then integrated into the piece goods cabinet. For example, an operating device, a control device, and / or an authentication device can be provided in addition to the one piece goods module. This also simplifies the anchoring of the piece goods module or the piece goods cabinet at the collection location, if required. Alternatively, a piece goods cabinet unit of the piece goods cabinet, for example comprising an operating device, a control device, and / or an authentication device, could be anchored at the collection location, so that in addition to completing the piece goods cabinet, the at least one piece goods module must then be securely anchored in the piece goods cabinet unit.

[0026] In this embodiment of the method, the general cargo cabinet is transported by drone via air from a distribution base to a transfer location and / or vice versa. Additionally, the general cargo cabinet is transported by a courier vehicle from the transfer location to the pickup location and / or vice versa. At the pickup location, the general cargo cabinet is permanently secured to a docking station and / or detached from the docking station connected to the general cargo cabinet via a secure connection.

[0027] The invention is explained in more detail below with reference to a drawing which merely illustrates exemplary embodiments. The drawing shows Fig. 1A-G individual process steps of a method for keeping piece goods to be picked up and for collecting piece goods to be delivered at a pick-up location with a piece goods module in schematic representations and Fig. 2a with the method according to Fig. 1 distribution principle to be implemented in a schematic representation.

[0028] In the Fig. 1A-G is a schematic representation of a method for holding piece goods 1 to be picked up and for collecting piece goods 1 to be delivered at a pick-up location with a piece goods module 2 as an integral part of a Fig. 1A shown in a general cargo cabinet 3 provided in a distribution base. First, the general cargo module 2 is loaded with general cargo 1 in a distribution base 4. Typically, general cargo 1 is placed individually in general cargo compartments 5 of the general cargo module 2. The general cargo 1 is typically intended for collection by different collectors at the collection location. To ensure that the respective general cargo 1 can only be collected by the respective collectors or persons authorized by the collectors, the general cargo compartments 5 are closed by locking devices 6 after the general cargo 1 has been placed in the general cargo compartments. The locking devices 6 are designed as flaps that can be pivoted to the side from a closed position closing the general cargo compartment 5 into an open position allowing access to the general cargo compartment 5.After a piece of goods 1 has been placed in a piece of goods compartment 5, the locking device 6 can be pivoted back into the locked position and locked there. In addition to the piece of goods compartments 5 of the piece of goods module 2, the piece of goods cabinet 3 comprises an operating device 7 for operating the piece of goods cabinet 3, for example by a pickup person, a control device 8, for example for locking and releasing locking devices 6 of specific piece of goods compartments 5, and an authentication device 9 for authenticating a pickup person. The authentication of a pickup person, together with the control device 8, can ensure that only the piece of goods compartment 5 in which the piece of goods 1 intended for the pickup person was originally placed is opened.

[0029] As this is the case in the Fig. 1B As shown, the general cargo module 2 is picked up by a drone 10 after being loaded with general cargo 1 and flown to a transfer location 11. There, the drone 10 places the general cargo module 2 onto an autonomously driving courier vehicle 12 waiting there, as shown in the Fig. 1C is shown. The courier vehicle 12 then drives the general cargo module 2 autonomously from the handover location 11 to the pick-up location 15. At the pick-up location 15, the courier vehicle 12 deposits the general cargo module 2 on a docking station 16, as shown in the Fig. 1D is shown. The docking station 16 comprises a receptacle 17 into which a pin 13 of the piece goods module 2 engages when set down. The pin 13 is secured in the receptacle 17 of the docking station 16 so that the piece goods module 2 cannot easily be pulled out of the receptacle 17. Other secured connections between the piece goods module 2 and the docking station 16 would also be conceivable. It would also be conceivable for the docking station to have a pin that engages in a receptacle of the shipment module.

[0030] Now, at the pick-up location 15, a pick-up person can authenticate themselves on the general cargo cabinet 3 using the operating device 7, the authentication device 9, and the control device 8. The control device 8 then opens the general cargo compartment 5, into which the general cargo 1 intended for the specific pick-up person has been placed. The pick-up person or a deliverer can also authenticate themselves on the general cargo cabinet 3 using the operating device 7, the authentication device 9, and the control device 8, and have an empty general cargo compartment 5 opened. The pick-up person can now place a general cargo 1 into the opened general cargo compartment 5 and close the general cargo compartment 5 again.

[0031] For example, after the piece goods 1 to be picked up have been removed from the piece goods module 2 and / or after other piece goods 1 have been placed in the empty piece goods compartments 5, a courier vehicle 12 drives to the piece goods module 2 or the piece goods cabinet 3. The courier vehicle 12 authenticates itself after its arrival at the piece goods module 2 or the piece goods cabinet 3, so that the secure connection between the docking station 16 and the piece goods module 2 or the piece goods cabinet 3 is released for separation, as shown in the Fig. 1E The courier vehicle 12 then takes over the general cargo module 2 or the general cargo cabinet 3. The courier vehicle 12 then drives the general cargo module 2 or the general cargo cabinet 3, as shown in the Fig. 1F is shown, back to the transfer location 11 or, if necessary, to another transfer location 11. There, the general cargo module 2 or the general cargo cabinet 3 is handed over again to a drone 10, which flies the general cargo module 2 or the general cargo cabinet 3 back to a distribution base 4, as shown in the Fig. 1G is shown. One distribution base 4 is, in particular, the distribution base 4 in which the piece goods module 2 or the piece goods cabinet 3 was initially loaded with piece goods 1. There, the occupied piece goods compartments 5 are emptied and the corresponding piece goods 1 are further distributed. The previously described process can now be carried out again.

[0032] As stated in the Fig. 2As shown, several handover locations 11 are flown to by the drones 10 including the general cargo module 2 or general cargo cabinet 3 from a distribution base 4. In addition, several pick-up locations 15 can be approached by the courier vehicles 12 from each handover location 11. The courier vehicles 12 preferably drive the general cargo modules 2 or general cargo cabinets 3 back to the handover location 11 from which the general cargo modules 2 or general cargo cabinets 3 were distributed to the pick-up locations 15. There, the general cargo modules 2 or general cargo cabinets 3 are flown back by drones 10 to the distribution base 4, in which the general cargo modules 2 or general cargo cabinets 3 were originally loaded with general cargo 1. List of reference symbols

[0033] 1General cargo 2General cargo module 3General cargo cabinet 4Distribution base 5General cargo compartment 6Locking device 7Operating device 8Control device 9Authentication device 10Drone 11Handover location 12Courier vehicle 13Pin 15Pick-up location 16Docking station 17Receiver

Claims

1. Method for holding available piece goods (1) to be collected and / or for collecting piece goods (1) to be delivered with at least one piece goods module (2) having a plurality of separate piece goods compartments (5) at a collection location (15), wherein the piece goods compartments (5) respectively have a closure device (6) which is movable from a closure position preventing access to the piece goods compartment (5) into an opening position releasing access to the piece goods compartment (5) and back, - in which the at least one piece goods module (2) is transported by a drone (10) by air from a distribution base (4) to a transfer location (11) and / or vice versa, - in which the at least one piece goods module (2) is transported by a courier vehicle (12) from the transfer location (11) to the collection location (15) and / or vice versa, and - in which the at least one piece goods module (2) is captively secured to a docking station (16) at the collection location (15) and / or is disconnected from a docking station (16) connected to the piece goods module (2) via a secure connection.

2. Method according to claim 1, - in which the at least one piece goods module (2) having piece goods compartments (5) loaded with piece goods (1) is transported by a drone (10) by air from a distribution base (4) to a transfer location (11) and / or vice versa and / or - in which the at least one piece goods module (2) having piece goods compartments (5) loaded with piece goods (1) is transported by a courier vehicle (12) from the transfer location (11) to the collection location (15) and / or vice versa.

3. Method according to claim 2, in which the at least one piece goods module (2) having piece goods compartments (5) loaded with piece goods (1) is secured captive to a docking station (16) at the collection location (15) and / or is disconnected from a docking station (16) connected to the piece goods module (2) via a secured connection.

4. Method according to any one of claims 1 to 3, in which the at least one piece goods module (2), which has piece goods compartments (5) loaded as required with piece goods (1), is transported autonomously by a drone (10) by air from a distribution base (4) to a transfer location (11) and / or vice versa,5. Method according to any one of claims 1 to 4, - in which the secure connection between the at least one piece goods module (2) and the docking station (16) is released or disconnected by an authentication for disconnection, and - in which, preferably, the authentication is carried out by transmitting at least one authorization information item from a courier, a courier vehicle (12) and / or a control center to the docking station (16) and / or by reading an authorization information item from a courier and / or a courier vehicle (12) and / or by unlocking a security device with a key unit.

6. Method according to any one of claims 1 to 5, in which an autonomously driving courier bot is used as the courier vehicle (12).

7. Method according to any one of claims 1 to 6, in which a docking station (16) firmly, in particular non-detachably, anchored in the floor and / or a piece goods cabinet (3) anchored in the floor, in particular non-detachably, is used as the docking station (16) for receiving at least one piece goods module (2).

8. Method according to any one of claims 1 to 7, - in which the at least one piece goods module (2) is placed onto the courier vehicle (12) by the drone (10) and / or - in which the at least one piece goods module (2) is under-driven by a courier vehicle (12) at the transfer location (11).

9. Method according to any one of claims 1 to 8, - in which the piece goods module (2) is an, in particular integral, component of a piece goods cabinet (3), and - in which the piece goods cabinet (3) is transported by a drone (10) by air from a distribution base to a transfer location (11) and / or vice versa, - in which the piece goods cabinet (3) is transported by a courier vehicle (12) from the transfer location (11) to the collection location (15) and / or vice versa, and - in which the piece goods cabinet (3) is captively secured to a docking station (16) at the collection location (15) and / or is disconnected from the docking station connected to the piece goods cabinet (3) via a secure connection.