Parcel Locker Sensor-Based Mis-Delivery Detection and Re-Assignment
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional parcel locker systems face issues with mis-delivered or unreceived items, misuse by recipients, and lack of mechanisms to re-assign deliveries to available lockers.
Innovation Solution
A computerized automated parcel locker system with sensors to detect items in lockers, a user interface to provide locker information, and a controller to determine locker availability and automatically re-assign parcels to correct lockers.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If conventional parcel locker systems are used without automated monitoring, then the system is simpler and requires less technology, but mis-delivered items cannot be detected and re-assigned
Solution Approach 1:
The parcel locker system automatically monitors itself using sensors to detect when lockers contain items, eliminating the need for manual checking by staff. The system self-corrects misdeliveries by automatically re-assigning parcels to correct lockers based on sensor data, providing self-service functionality that improves reliability without requiring complex external intervention systems.
Solution Approach 2:
Sensors provide continuous feedback about locker occupancy status to the control system. This feedback mechanism enables the system to detect misdeliveries in real-time and automatically respond by re-assigning parcels to the correct lockers, creating a closed-loop control system that improves delivery accuracy through automated monitoring and correction.
2Productivity
If manual monitoring of lockers is used, then the system is simpler with fewer components, but time is lost in detecting and correcting mis-deliveries
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces manual mechanical monitoring of lockers with automated electronic sensors and control systems. Sensors automatically detect item presence in lockers, eliminating the need for staff to physically check each locker. This substitution of mechanical/manual processes with electronic automation dramatically increases delivery processing speed while managing system complexity through standardized sensor integration.
Solution Approach 2:
The control system acts as an intermediary between sensors and the parcel management process. It receives sensor data about locker occupancy, processes this information, and automatically generates re-assignment instructions for misdelivered parcels. This intermediary layer coordinates the automated monitoring and correction processes, improving productivity by eliminating manual intervention while maintaining manageable system complexity.
3Measurement precision
If automated sensor monitoring is implemented in all lockers, then mis-deliveries are detected accurately, but the cost and complexity of the system increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system divides the monitoring function into individual sensor units, with each sensor responsible for monitoring a specific locker. This segmentation allows for modular deployment where sensors can be added to lockers as needed, enabling accurate detection in high-priority areas first while managing overall system complexity through distributed, independent monitoring units that can operate autonomously.
Solution Approach 2:
The control system is designed to handle multiple functions: it processes sensor data from various lockers, manages parcel assignments, detects misdeliveries, and automatically re-assigns parcels. This multi-functional approach consolidates what could be multiple separate systems into a single integrated platform, improving measurement precision through comprehensive monitoring while reducing overall system complexity by eliminating redundant components.
Data Source
AI summary
An automated computerized parcel locker system is provided, which includes multiple lockers in a common housing, each having one or more sensors that indicate whether an item is present in the locker, the status of the locker door, and the like. The parcel locker system includes routines that allow for automatic processing of parcels delivered to an incorrect locker, missing parcels, objects other than delivered parcels placed into the lockers, and the like. The routines also allow for automated and semi-automated management, servicing, and use of the lockers, for example to indicate to a courier or other user which lockers are available for delivery and which contain delivered parcels.