US 12,456,091 B2
Automated package delivery system
Michael A. Rivalto, Memphis, TN (US); and Jason Fisher, Germantown, TN (US)
Assigned to Smart Mart, Inc.
Filed by SmartMart, Inc., Memphis, TN (US)
Filed on Dec. 6, 2018, as Appl. No. 16/211,490.
Application 16/211,490 is a continuation of application No. 15/915,684, filed on Mar. 8, 2018, granted, now 10,181,113.
Claims priority of provisional application 62/469,008, filed on Mar. 9, 2017.
Prior Publication US 2019/0108476 A1, Apr. 11, 2019
Int. Cl. G06Q 10/08 (2024.01); G06Q 10/087 (2023.01); G06Q 20/20 (2012.01); G07F 7/08 (2006.01); G07F 11/16 (2006.01); G07F 17/12 (2006.01); G07G 1/00 (2006.01); G07G 1/14 (2006.01)
CPC G06Q 10/087 (2013.01) [G06Q 20/202 (2013.01); G07F 7/08 (2013.01); G07F 11/165 (2013.01); G07F 17/13 (2020.05); G07G 1/0036 (2013.01); G07G 1/14 (2013.01)] 19 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A method of delivering packages to a customer for pick-up comprising:
receiving an order from a customer,
preparing a package containing the order, the package having package specific identifying information;
delivering the package into a facility unit body, the facility unit body providing a secure internal storage for an automatic package receiver and distributor service module, the service module comprising:
at least one package receiving port for receiving a plurality of individual packages into the facility unit body, the package receiving port accessible from an exterior of the facility unit,
a package storage area for securely storing the packages in the facility unit body,
a package discharge access point accessible from the exterior of the facility unit body, and
a package delivery mechanism in the facility unit body for moving packages between the at least one package receiving port, the package storage area and the package discharge access point,
the package delivery mechanism including a conveyor belt apparatus, the conveyor belt apparatus configured to transport selected individual packages between the package storage area and the package access discharge port, the conveyor belt apparatus comprising a
a dual cantilevered conveyor belt bed configured to create a V-track space between opposing cantilevered bed portions, and
a belt component having a V-belt member on a lower side thereof, wherein the V-belt member is configured to run in the V-track space between the opposing cantilevered bed portions;
the service module in two-way communication with higher level components, the higher level components including a cloud server and an external database,
transmitting the package specific identifying information to the external database via the cloud server for storage of the package specific identifying information in the external database,
receiving an input for delivery of the package from the facility unit body,
retrieving package specific identifying information for the package from the external database via the cloud server,
using the retrieved package specific identifying information for the selected individual package to retrieve the selected individual package from the package storage area, and
releasing the selected individual package to the package discharge access point for pick-up by or delivery to a customer.