Delivery Verification Using IoT Network Profiles

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Solution Overview

Problem

Despite the use of GPS technology, thousands of packages are misdelivered each year due to incorrect or missing addresses, obscured house addresses, and non-intuitive neighborhood address ordering, leading to delivery errors.

Innovation Solution

A delivery verification method that associates a delivery address with IoT networked devices in proximity, using network names and signal strengths to verify the address by creating a user profile that includes Wi-Fi and other network information, which is transmitted to a courier device for validation and stored in a data store, allowing for confirmation of accurate delivery locations.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Productivity

If GPS technology is used for package delivery, then delivery speed and efficiency are improved, but delivery accuracy deteriorates due to address ambiguity and missing information

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvedelivery speedVSAvoiddelivery accuracy
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSMeasurement precision

Solution Approach 1:

The patent introduces an intermediary verification system that uses IoT network information as a mediator between the GPS location and the final delivery confirmation. The courier device captures network information (SSID, BSSID, signal strength) from the delivery location and compares it with pre-registered network data associated with the destination address. This intermediary verification layer resolves the contradiction by adding a validation step that confirms the GPS location matches the expected network environment, thereby improving delivery accuracy without sacrificing the speed benefits of GPS-guided delivery.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Device complexity

If traditional address-based delivery methods are used, then device complexity is kept simple, but delivery reliability deteriorates due to address errors and obscurations

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvesystem simplicityVSAvoiddelivery reliability
Core Design Contradiction:
Device complexityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies preliminary action by pre-registering network information (SSID, BSSID, signal strength parameters) associated with each delivery address before the actual delivery occurs. This creates a reference database that the courier device can query and compare against real-time captured network data. By performing this preparation in advance, the system enhances delivery reliability through verification without adding significant complexity during the delivery execution phase, as the courier device only needs to capture and compare data against the pre-stored reference.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

3Measurement precision

If network information verification is implemented, then delivery accuracy is improved, but information loss increases due to dynamic network changes

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvedelivery verification accuracyVSAvoidnetwork information validity
Core Design Contradiction:
Measurement precisionVSLoss of information

Solution Approach 1:

The patent implements dynamics by making the network information verification system adaptive to changes. The system captures multiple parameters including SSID, BSSID, and signal strength, and compares them with tolerance thresholds rather than requiring exact matches. This allows the system to accommodate dynamic network changes such as signal fluctuation or minor configuration variations while still maintaining accurate delivery verification. The dynamic comparison approach preserves delivery accuracy even when network conditions change, preventing information loss due to rigid verification criteria.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

Data Source

PatentUS11651328B2Delivery verification
Publication Date: 2023.05.16 INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINE CORPORATION
  • US11651328B2 patent drawing
  • US11651328B2 patent drawing
  • US11651328B2 patent drawing

AI summary

A method, computer system, and a computer program product for delivery verification is provided. The present invention may include receiving a request to deliver a package to a delivery location associated with a user profile, wherein the user profile includes a first network information for verifying the delivery location. The present invention may include transmitting the user profile associated with the delivery location to a courier device, wherein the courier device is associated with a courier agent delivering the package to the delivery location. The present invention may include detecting, using the courier device, the first network information at the delivery location. The present invention may include receiving a second network information captured by the courier device at the delivery location. The present invention may include learning the received second network information for verifying the delivery location, wherein the learned second network information is stored with the user profile.