Remote Electronic Lock Triggering With Customer Authentication
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current retail systems require manual intervention by store staff to unlock secured items for customer access, which is inefficient and increases the risk of theft.
Innovation Solution
A system that uses wireless communication between a customer's personal electronic device and a transceiver at a secured receptacle to determine the customer's identity, assess their risk profile, and remotely unlock the receptacle if the risk is acceptable, or alert staff for manual unlocking if the risk is not.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If manual unlocking by store staff is used, then security control is maintained, but service efficiency deteriorates and theft risk increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system enables self-service unlocking where customers authenticate themselves through their personal electronic devices, eliminating the need for store staff to manually intervene in the unlocking process. The electronic lock automatically verifies customer identity and risk profile, then unlocks the receptacle without human assistance.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces the mechanical manual unlocking process with an electronic authentication system. Instead of physical key handling and manual lock manipulation, the system uses wireless communications, electronic identification, and automated risk assessment to control access to secured items.
2Productivity
If automatic remote unlocking is implemented, then service efficiency improves, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system uses universally available personal electronic devices (smartphones, tablets) that customers already possess for authentication purposes. Instead of requiring specialized unlocking hardware, the system leverages existing devices with cameras, processors, and communication capabilities to perform customer identification and risk assessment.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces an intermediary electronic lock system that sits between the customer's personal device and the secured receptacle. This intermediary component handles the complex authentication and communication protocols, shielding the simplicity of the overall system while managing the technical complexity centrally.
3Reliability
If risk profile assessment is added, then theft prevention improves, but operational time increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs risk profile assessment in advance before the actual unlocking event. Customer risk profiles are pre-evaluated and stored, allowing the system to quickly reference and compare against current transaction requests without requiring real-time complex analysis during the unlocking moment.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates a digital copy or representation of the customer's risk profile that can be rapidly retrieved and compared. Instead of performing complex risk assessment in real-time, the system uses pre-computed risk data copies that enable fast verification decisions during the actual unlocking process.
Data Source
AI summary
Techniques for automatically securing receptacles of a retailer via an electronic lock include receiving a user request to reserve a receptacle, selecting a suitable receptacle based on one or more conditions, some of which may be specified by the user, and transmitting an electronic locking signal to secure, and thereby reserve, the selected receptacle. An association between the reserved receptacle and the user is stored, and the user is electronically notified. Subsequently, an electronic signal indicative of the identification of the user (or of the user's agent) is locally received. Upon determination that the user is expected and associated with the reserved receptacle, the techniques include causing an electronic unlocking signal to be transmitted to the electronic lock, thereby unlocking the receptacle. Further subsequently, upon receiving an electronic locking instruction, the receptacle may automatically be secured via its corresponding electronic lock, and a retailer agent may be electronically notified.