Systems and methods for return logistics for merchandise via autonomous vehicle
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current autonomous vehicle technologies lack efficient systems for returning merchandise to vendors, as they do not have the capability to autonomously identify customers, verify product returns, and navigate to vendor locations for secure compartment access.
Innovation Solution
An autonomous robotic vehicle equipped with a conveyance system, securable compartment, customer identification reader, and processor that autonomously travels to customer destinations, verifies customer identity, and determines if products match vendor databases for return, allowing secure product acceptance and navigation to vendor locations for return delivery.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If autonomous vehicle technologies are deployed for merchandise return, then productivity of return logistics is improved, but device complexity increases due to need for customer identification readers, product verification systems, and secure compartment access mechanisms
Solution Approach 1:
The autonomous robotic vehicle is designed to perform multiple functions: customer identification via readers, product verification through database comparison, secure compartment locking/unlocking, navigation to customer and vendor locations, and product transportation. This multi-functional design consolidates what would otherwise require separate systems into a single integrated platform, improving productivity while managing complexity through functional integration.
Solution Approach 2:
The system enables autonomous self-service operations where the robotic vehicle independently identifies customers, verifies products against vendor databases, accesses secure compartments without human intervention, navigates autonomously, and completes return transactions. This self-service capability eliminates the need for human operators in the return process, significantly boosting productivity while the automation handles complexity internally.
2Reliability
If secure compartment access control is implemented for product returns, then reliability of product security is improved, but ease of operation deteriorates due to multiple verification steps
Solution Approach 1:
Customer identification data and product information are pre-loaded into the autonomous vehicle's system before the return transaction. The vehicle autonomously performs verification by comparing captured product identifiers against pre-stored vendor database information. This preliminary preparation enables rapid, secure verification without requiring manual intervention during the actual return process, maintaining both security reliability and operational ease.
Solution Approach 2:
The system implements automated feedback loops where the autonomous vehicle captures product identifiers, compares them against vendor databases, receives verification results, and automatically adjusts its actions accordingly. The securable compartment responds to verification outcomes by locking or unlocking automatically. This closed-loop feedback system ensures secure product handling while eliminating manual verification steps, improving both reliability and ease of operation.
Data Source
AI summary
An autonomous robotic vehicle includes a conveyance system, a securable compartment configured to autonomously lock and unlock, a customer identification reader, at least one processor, and a memory storing instructions which, when executed by the at least one processor, causes the autonomous robotic vehicle to, autonomously: travel to a destination location of a customer; capture, by the customer identification reader at the destination location, a customer identification object; determine that the captured customer identification object matches an identity of the customer; unlock the securable compartment based on the determination; capture, by the product identification reader, a product identifier; and accept a product to be returned by locking the securable compartment. The securable compartment contains a product identification reader.