초록 ▼

A system and method uses an appliance for delivery at a home or business when no one is home or without the need to disturb persons at the delivery site. The appliance is a locked storage container connected to remote computers such that access for particular delivery persons or companies is authori

A system and method uses an appliance for delivery at a home or business when no one is home or without the need to disturb persons at the delivery site. The appliance is a locked storage container connected to remote computers such that access for particular delivery persons or companies is authorized when the owner of the appliance has placed an order. The appliance communicates, such as via the internet, with a remote delivery system computer having a scheduler that schedules deliveries during particular time intervals. Prior to scheduling the delivery, the delivery system computer compares the dimensions of the order with the available space within the appliance of the customer. After a delivery is made, the appliance communicates via the internet that the delivery has been made and the delivery system computer then charges or debits the customer's account for the cost associated with the delivery.

대표청구항 ▼

1. A method of delivery of ordered items to a plurality of locked storage containers, each associated with a corresponding customer, using a delivery system including a scheduler, the steps including:ordering a first delivery of one or more goods for a first customer associated with a first locked s

1. A method of delivery of ordered items to a plurality of locked storage containers, each associated with a corresponding customer, using a delivery system including a scheduler, the steps including:ordering a first delivery of one or more goods for a first customer associated with a first locked storage container of the plurality of locked storage containers; following the ordering of the first delivery, determining the availability of the first locked storage container to receive the first delivery at one or more times by use of the scheduler; identifying, using the scheduler, a first time interval during which the first delivery can be made; and the delivery system sending to the first locked storage container an access signal allowing a first delivery person who is delivering the delivery to access the first locked storage container only during the first time interval. 2. The method of claim 1 further including the steps of:ordering a second delivery of one or more goods for the first customer; following the ordering of the second delivery, determining the availability of the first locked storage container to receive the second delivery at one or more times by use of the scheduler; identifying, using the scheduler, a second time interval during which the second delivery can be made; and the delivery system sending to the first locked storage container an access signal allowing a second delivery person who is delivering the second delivery to access the first locked storage container only during the second time interval. 3. The method of claim 2 further including the steps of:ordering a delivery of one or more goods for a second customer associated with a second locked storage container of the plurality of locked storage containers; following the ordering of the last-mentioned delivery, determining the availability of the second locked storage container to receive the last-mentioned delivery at one or more times by use of the scheduler; identifying, using the scheduler, a second customer time interval during which the last-mentioned delivery can be made; and the delivery system sending to the second locked storage container an access signal allowing a delivery person who is delivering the last-mentioned delivery to access the second locked storage container only during the second customer time interval. 4. The method of claim 2 further including the step of having the first delivery person open the first locked storage container using an identifier corresponding to the first delivery person and the second delivery person opens the first locked storage container using an identifier corresponding to the second delivery person.5. The method of claim 1 further including the steps of: following the ordering, determining the size of the delivery using the delivery system; andchecking available room with the first locked storage container by use of the delivery system. 6. The method of claim 5 further including the step of:upon availability as indicated by the checking step, reserving, by operation of the delivery system, sufficient room within the first locked storage container to receive the delivery. 7. The method of claim 1 further includes the step of: following the first delivery, charging an account of the first customer for the first delivery upon the first locked storage container signaling the delivery system of the insertion of the first delivery into the first locked storage container.8. The method of claim 7 wherein the first locked storage container signals the delivery system of the insertion of the first delivery into the first locked storage container based on access by the first delivery person.9. A method of delivery of ordered items to a plurality of locked storage containers using a delivery system, the steps including:ordering a delivery of one or more goods to a first customer; following the ordering, determining the size of the delivery using the delivery system; checking available room within a first locked storage container of the plurality of locked storage containers, the first locked storage container corresponding to the first customer, by use of the delivery system; upon availability, reserving, by operation of the delivery system, sufficient room within the first locked storage container to receive the delivery; and delivering the delivery to within the first locked storage container. 10. The method of claim 9 further including the step of: upon finding that the available room within the first locked storage container is insufficient for the size of the delivery, dividing the ordered delivery into at least first and second partial deliveries for separate delivery upon there being available room.11. The method of claim 10 wherein the delivery system includes a scheduler and the method further includes the steps of:following the ordering of the delivery, determining the availability of the first locked storage container to receive the first and parts at one or more times by use of the scheduler; identifying, using the scheduler, a first time interval during which the first partial delivery can be made and a second time interval during which the second partial delivery can be made; and the delivery system sending to the first locked storage container an access signal allowing access to the first locked storage container only during the first time interval for delivery of the first partial delivery and during the second time interval for delivery of the second partial delivery. 12. The method of claim 11 wherein, prior to dividing the ordered delivery, input is received from the customer indicating the customer's preference for a complete delivery or delivery in multiple portions; and the scheduler schedules delivery according to the customer's preference.13. The method of claim 12 further including the step of: charging an account of the first customer for a delivery upon the locked storage container signaling the delivery system of the insertion of a delivery into the locked storage container.14. The method of claim 9 further including the step of: charging an account of the first customer for a delivery upon the locked storage container signaling the delivery system of the insertion of a delivery into the locked storage container.15. A method for delivery of ordered items to a plurality of locked storage containers using a delivery system, the steps includes:ordering a delivery of one or more goods to a customer; following the ordering, determining the availability of one of locked storage containers to receive the delivery at one or more times by use of a scheduler; identifying, using the scheduler, a first time interval during which the delivery can be made; and the delivery system sending to the one of the locked storage containers an access signal allowing a first delivery person who is delivering the delivery to access the one of the locked storage containers only during the first time interval; delivering the delivery to within one of the locked storage containers corresponding to the customer; and automatically sending a DELIVERY MADE signal from the one of the locked storage containers signaling the delivery system of the insertion of the delivery into the one of the locked storage containers. 16. The method of claim 15 wherein, upon the delivery system receiving the DELIVERY MADE signal, the delivery system performs one or more steps selected from the group consisting of:charging an account of the customer for the delivery; and automatically initiating a communication to the customer. 17. The method of claim 16 further including the steps of:following the ordering, determining the size of the delivery using the delivery system; and checking available room with the one of the locked storage containers by use of the delivery system. 18. The method of claim 17 further including the step of:upon availability as indicated by the checking step, reserving, by operation of the delivery system, sufficient room within the one of the locked storage containers to receive the delivery. 19. The method of claim 18 wherein the one of the locked storage containers signals the delivery system of the insertion of the delivery into the one of the locked storage containers based on access by a delivery person.20. The method of claim 15 wherein the one of the locked storage containers signals the delivery system of the insertion of the delivery into the one of the locked storage containers based on access by a delivery person.21. A delivery system for delivery of items comprising:a plurality of locked storage containers at different locations, each locked storage container corresponding to a customer:order receiver within the delivery system for receiving orders for delivery of one or more goods for customer; availability determiner for determining the availability of the locked storage containers to receive deliveries at one or more times; a scheduler receiving availability information from the availability determiner and operable to identify a time interval during which the delivery can be made and operable to send to a locked storage container an access signal allowing a delivery person who is delivering a delivery to access the locked storage container only during the time interval identified by the scheduler.