US 12,093,884 B2
Connected logistics receptacle apparatus, systems, and methods having enhanced status indication functionality related to a logistics operation for a delivery item being deposited by a parcel customer
Ole-Petter Skaaksrud, Germantown, TN (US)
Assigned to FEDEX CORPORATE SERVICES INC., Colliverville, TN (US)
Filed by FEDEX CORPORATE SERVICES, INC., Collierville, TN (US)
Filed on Aug. 30, 2023, as Appl. No. 18/240,146.
Claims priority of provisional application 63/434,492, filed on Dec. 22, 2022.
Prior Publication US 2024/0211862 A1, Jun. 27, 2024
Int. Cl. G06Q 10/0836 (2023.01)
CPC G06Q 10/0836 (2013.01) 29 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A connected logistics receptacle system having enhanced status indication functionality related to a logistics operation for a delivery item being deposited by a parcel customer, the system comprising: a storage receptacle for receiving the delivery item, the storage receptacle comprising a plurality of monitored storage receptacle components; a bridge node mounted to the storage receptacle, the bridge node comprising a bridge node processor, a bridge node memory coupled to the bridge node processor, the bridge node memory storage maintaining monitoring and management code for execution by the bridge node processor and a status indicator setting profile, a communication interface coupled to the bridge node processor, the communication interface being operative to communicate with at least a backend server over a first communication path; a status indicator disposed on the storage receptacle and coupled to the bridge node processor, the status indicator being operative to change from a first condition to a second condition in accordance with the status indicator setting profile; and a wireless accessory sensor node mounted to the storage receptacle and coupled to a plurality of sensors, wherein each of the sensors respectively monitors for a change in state of the storage receptacle related to at least one of the monitored storage receptacle components, wherein the wireless accessory sensor node being further operative to broadcast an updated advertising signal in response to a detected change in state of the storage receptacle based upon sensor data generated by at least one sensor, the updated advertising signal indicating event information is available for upload by the bridge node, the event information being related to the detected change in state of the storage receptacle; wherein the bridge node processor, when executing the monitoring and management code maintained on the bridge node memory, is operative to detect the updated advertising signal broadcast by the wireless accessory sensor node, retrieve the event information from the wireless accessory sensor node in response to detecting the updated advertising signal, and toggle the status indicator from the first condition to the second condition based upon a comparison of the event information to the status indicator setting profile, wherein the bridge node processor, when executing the monitoring and management code maintained on the bridge node memory, is operative to toggle the status indicator by being further operative to toggle the status indicator from the first condition to the second condition when the comparison reflects (a) a pickup event corresponds to the detected change in state of the storage receptacle as indicated in the event information and (b) a time threshold defined by the status indicator setting profile has been reached.