Automatic package delivery and retrieval system

US8857709B2 · kind B2 · utility

Assignee

• Flextronics AP, LLC · US

Inventors

• Stephen H. Hancock · Wake Forest, US
• Norman Bruce Desrosiers · Oxford, US
• Eric Fiest · Raleigh, US
• John Rupert · Raleigh, US

Key dates

• Filing date: Jul 31, 2012
• Grant date: Oct 14, 2014
• Expiry date: Jul 31, 2032

Classification

• Technology area (CPC G): Physics
• CPC primary: G06Q50/60
• WIPO field: IT methods for management
• WIPO sector: Electrical engineering

Abstract

Described herein are an automatic package delivery and retrieval apparatus, system and method. The automatic package delivery and retrieval includes a Package Delivery Kiosk (PDK), associated front end and back end package delivery management systems, portals for the consumer and the retailer, portals for the common carrier, sender, and recipient, a package inventory management system, integrated retailer access, a real and automated retailer bidding system and a kiosk for distribution. In one embodiment, a system for automated package retrieval and delivery includes a kiosk, package retrieval apparatus, and various computing systems for running the systems. A method for providing packages to customers includes providing a notification with a code to a user that a package is available for retrieval. The method includes storing a package in the kiosk. The method further includes receiving the code from a user at the kiosk and retrieving the package with the automatic retrieval mechanism.