Compartment-specific access authorization information
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Solution Overview
Problem
Compartment systems for delivery and carrier services face issues with access authorization information storage, including reliance on central systems for communication, vulnerability to power failures, and prolonged validity periods that increase security risks due to potential misuse or theft of access credentials.
Innovation Solution
A method for generating and providing access authorization information that allows access to multiple compartments within a compartment system, where the information is generated and checked locally, using a server and portable devices for secure and efficient access management, with a focus on stateless compartment systems to mitigate data loss and complexity.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If access authorization information is stored centrally in a central system, then the compartment system can determine compartment access by communicating with the central system, but the compartment system requires additional communication devices (LAN interface or cellular mobile radio interface) which increases device complexity and power consumption
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the access authorization information from the central system and stores it directly in the compartment system's memory. This eliminates the need for continuous communication with the central system for access verification, removing the requirement for LAN or cellular mobile radio interfaces in the compartment system, thereby reducing device complexity while maintaining access control reliability.
Solution Approach 2:
The compartment system performs self-service by locally storing and verifying access authorization information without needing to communicate with the central system during access operations. The compartment system independently determines whether to grant access based on the stored information, reducing power consumption and device complexity.
2Use of energy by stationary object
If access authorization information is stored locally in the compartment system, then communication with the central system is reduced, but the stored association can be lost during power failures or system perturbations requiring compartments to be emptied and redelivered
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements preliminary action by storing access authorization information in non-volatile memory before any power failure or system perturbation can occur. This ensures that the data persists through power cycles and system restarts, eliminating the risk of data loss during power failures while maintaining low power consumption characteristics.
3Ease of operation
If access authorization information is valid for longer periods to enable multiple access processes, then convenience is improved, but security risks increase due to potential theft or misuse of access credentials
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies dynamics by making the validity period of access authorization information adjustable and context-dependent. Rather than using fixed long-term or short-term validity, the system can dynamically set appropriate validity periods based on operational requirements, balancing convenience for legitimate users with security against potential misuse or theft.
Data Source
AI summary
The disclosure relates to a method comprising outputting access authorization information, which is a necessary condition for access to a compartment of a compartment system. The specific compartment is known, and the access authorization information is generated at least using information identifying the compartment, such that the compartment is determinable by the compartment system using the access authorization information. The compartment system may be stateless with respect to the determination of the compartment using the access authorization information. The access authorization information and the compartment system may be configured in a way such that the compartment system does not need to receive any further information in order to perform a check to determine whether access to the compartment can be granted on the basis of the access authorization information and/or the compartment system only obtains information from that device from which the compartment system obtains the access authorization information.