Automated Tower Check-In System for Order Assembly
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing automated towers for customer order storage and dispensing face limitations such as restricted package size, fixed and non-adjustable capacity, insufficient security, and lack of natural disaster tolerance, as well as the inability to prepare orders for quick pick-up.
Innovation Solution
The implementation of a check-in system for automated towers that includes a computing device and central computer, allowing customers to check in and notify the tower of their pick-up time, communicate their location, and inform the tower of their arrival, enabling the tower to retrieve order information, assemble the order, and move it to a pick-up location, while also considering security and natural disaster scenarios.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If a fixed capacity tower design is used, then the tower structure is simple and cost-effective, but the capacity cannot be adjusted according to demand
Solution Approach 1:
The tower is divided into multiple modular compartments that can be independently configured and adjusted. Each compartment can be customized for different package sizes and storage requirements, allowing the overall capacity to be adapted to varying demands while maintaining a standardized modular structure that balances flexibility with construction simplicity
Solution Approach 2:
The tower incorporates adjustable shelving and reconfigurable storage units that can be modified based on changing capacity requirements. This dynamic configuration capability allows the tower to adapt its internal layout without requiring complete structural redesign, resolving the contradiction between fixed simplicity and flexible adaptability
2Reliability
If basic security measures are implemented, then the tower is cost-effective and simple, but security against theft and unauthorized access is insufficient
Solution Approach 1:
The tower incorporates pre-installed security features such as reinforced locking mechanisms, surveillance camera mounting points, and access control integration during the manufacturing phase. This preliminary incorporation of security measures provides reliable protection without requiring complex post-installation security systems, thereby balancing security reliability with overall system simplicity
Solution Approach 2:
The tower uses an intermediary control system that manages multiple security functions through a centralized interface. This intermediary layer coordinates between various security components (locks, cameras, alarms) and provides unified control, enhancing security reliability while preventing the system from becoming overly complex through standardized integration protocols
3Productivity
If orders are prepared immediately upon customer arrival, then the pick-up process is fast, but customers experience long waiting times when orders need to be assembled
Solution Approach 1:
The tower enables customers to place and check in for orders in advance before arriving at the location. Orders are queued and prepared for assembly ahead of time, so that when customers arrive, their orders are already staged and ready for rapid dispensing. This preliminary ordering and pre-positioning eliminates both customer waiting time and on-site assembly delays, simultaneously improving pick-up speed while minimizing time loss
Solution Approach 2:
The tower incorporates a notification system that provides real-time feedback to customers about their order status and estimated ready time. This feedback mechanism allows customers to plan their arrival accordingly, optimizing the timing of their visit to minimize waiting time while ensuring orders are prepared efficiently based on actual demand patterns
Data Source
AI summary
A check-in system for an dispensing items includes a computing device having an application installed thereon. The computing device is configured to check in a customer to notify the kiosk of a time range during which an order of the customer is picked up. The kiosk is configured to receive a check-in message from the computing device, receive the location of the computing device, receive a message indicative of the arrival of the customer at the automated tower, retrieve information of the order from an order database stored on a remote server, assemble the order based on the check-in message and the information of the order, and move the assembled order close to a pick-up location of the automated tower to facilitate pick-up of the assembled order.