Secure Shipment Receipt Apparatus with Delegation Chain
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current shipment receipt coordination systems are cumbersome and inefficient, particularly when the receiver is not available to receive time-sensitive or valuable shipments, as they require sender involvement and lack verification mechanisms, leading to inconvenience and potential misuse.
Innovation Solution
A secure shipment receipt apparatus that allows receivers to dynamically adjust delivery addresses and authorize delegates without sender involvement, using digital addresses, encryption, and a ledger to track the delegation chain, ensuring secure and verified delivery.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If the receiver cannot be at the delivery address during delivery time and wishes to change the delivery address, then the sender must be contacted to assign a new delivery address, but this process is cumbersome and introduces logistic problems
Solution Approach 1:
The receiver can independently change the delivery address through a mobile application without needing to contact the sender. The system allows the receiver to self-manage delivery address modifications, eliminating the cumbersome process of sender involvement and reducing logistic complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
A centralized server acts as an intermediary between the receiver and the delivery system. The server processes delivery address changes autonomously based on receiver authorization, mediating the interaction and eliminating the need for direct sender-receiver coordination.
2Adaptability or versatility
If the receiver is unable to be at home to receive a shipment, then the receiver must either be at home or pick up the package from a local distribution center, but both options may not work in some situations such as an unplanned international trip
Solution Approach 1:
The delivery address is made dynamic and can be changed in real-time by the receiver through the mobile application. This allows the receiver to adapt to changing circumstances (such as unplanned trips) by updating the delivery address before or during the shipping process, providing both flexibility and convenience.
Solution Approach 2:
The receiver can pre-configure alternative delivery addresses and authorization rules in advance through the mobile application. When unexpected situations arise, the system can automatically route the package to the pre-designated address without requiring last-minute intervention.
3Ease of operation
If no verification is done for the receiver, then the system accepts a signature from anyone opening the door, but a more assertive mechanism is needed in a public environment to deliver the package to the appropriate receiver
Solution Approach 1:
A centralized verification server acts as an intermediary that validates receiver identity before allowing package release. The server communicates with the mobile application to verify authorization tokens, ensuring that only authenticated receivers can confirm delivery without compromising operational simplicity.
Solution Approach 2:
The system implements a feedback mechanism where the mobile application continuously communicates with the server to verify receiver authorization. The server provides real-time feedback on whether the receiver is authenticated, enabling secure verification while maintaining a simple user interface.
4Productivity
If the receiver dynamically adjusts delivery address without sender involvement, then the process becomes efficient and convenient, but the system requires encryption, tokens, and a ledger of transactions to secure the dynamic adjustment
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces traditional mechanical verification systems (physical signatures, manual authorization) with cryptographic mechanisms including encryption, digital tokens, and blockchain-ledger verification. This substitution enables automated, secure delivery address changes without sender involvement, improving productivity while managing complexity through standardized cryptographic protocols.
Data Source
AI summary
Methods, apparatus, systems and articles of manufacture are disclosed to coordinate and manage secure shipment of a package. An example shipment coordination apparatus includes an address generator and a verification engine. The example apparatus includes a shipping group coordinator to generate a group including a sender and a receiver based on a) a first digital address associated with the sender, b) a second digital address associated with the receiver, and c) at least one encryption key associated with at least one of the first digital address or the second digital address, the shipping group coordinator to initiate delivery instruction and manage receipt confirmation of a package at a second physical address corresponding to the second digital address based on verification of a token identifying the receiver and to provide messaging between the sender and the receiver in the group using a group encryption key to keep messages private in the group.