Smart Locker System with Thin-Parcel Detection Using Angled Placement
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing smart lockers and dry cleaning lockers struggle to accurately detect the presence of thin packages or envelopes due to sensors that require a minimum thickness for detection, leading to errors like 'Empty Locker' or 'Ghost Delivery', as they cannot reliably determine the presence of items that are not thick enough to block electromagnetic waves.
Innovation Solution
The locker design incorporates emitters and receivers embedded in the side walls, ensuring thin parcels stand at an angle and block electromagnetic waves, with a controller determining presence based on receiver signals, preventing undetected parcels.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If traditional mailroom operations are used, then employees can receive packages, but security risks from unauthorized access and theft increase
Solution Approach 1:
The mailroom is segmented into multiple individual lockers, each assigned to specific employees. This segmentation isolates packages and eliminates the need for centralized mailroom access, thereby improving security while maintaining simplicity through modular individual units rather than a complex centralized system.
Solution Approach 2:
An automated control system acts as an intermediary between package delivery and employee retrieval. The system manages locker access, tracks packages, and coordinates delivery without requiring physical mailroom access, thus enhancing security while keeping the system manageable through automation rather than complex manual procedures.
2Productivity
If automated locker systems are implemented, then delivery efficiency improves, but system complexity and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The locker system enables self-service functionality where employees independently retrieve their own packages using their employee ID or mobile device. This eliminates the need for manual mailroom staff intervention, improving delivery efficiency while keeping the automation simple through straightforward authentication and retrieval processes rather than complex automated handling mechanisms.
Solution Approach 2:
Manual mechanical mailroom operations are replaced with an automated electronic control system that manages locker access and tracking. This substitution improves efficiency by eliminating manual processes while maintaining relative simplicity through software-based control rather than complex mechanical automation for physical package handling.
3Ease of operation
If multiple lockers are deployed across different locations, then employee convenience improves, but system management complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The control system is designed with universal functionality that can manage multiple lockers across different locations through a single unified platform. This allows employees to access lockers at various locations conveniently while the system manages all locations through standardized procedures, improving ease of operation without proportionally increasing management complexity through replication.
Solution Approach 2:
The system incorporates tracking and notification features that provide real-time feedback on package delivery status and locker availability. This feedback mechanism simplifies management of distributed lockers by providing centralized visibility and automated notifications, reducing the complexity of managing multiple locations through information flow rather than increased operational overhead.
Data Source
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Figure 3~4a
AI summary
A system of lockers includes at least two groups of lockers, a control unit, a user interface, a communication unit. Each group of lockers has lockers designated for a respective parcel type. The control unit communicates with the lockers and is configured to control an opening of each locker. The user interface is configured to receive from a delivery person input indicative an identification of the delivery person. The communication unit is configured to communicate the input from the user interface to a data center. The data center is configured to store a plurality of identifications of a plurality of delivery persons associated with one or more of the lockers, for comparing the input with the plurality of identifications, and for transmitting to the control unit a command to open one or more of the lockers associated with the identification input by the delivery person.