Locker-Based Logistics Management System

Abstract

Technologies are described related to the delivery of items utilizing electronic locker arrangements. Systems described herein coordinate and manage the delivery of items by large numbers of couriers using a network of electronic locker arrangements. Implementations are described corresponding to couriers delivering items between electronic locker arrangements without the use of a distribution hub. In certain implementations, delivery of items is consolidated to electronic locker arrangements that include a number of lockers. This can increase security and privacy by eliminating the need to know a recipient's address in order to deliver an item. The system can notify a recipient that an item is available for pickup at a nearby electronic locker arrangement. Authentication techniques are described to enable the secure access to electronic locker arrangements that are storing items for delivery.

1 . A computer-implemented method, comprising:
 receiving, from a computing device of a first individual, a request to deliver an item to a second individual;   determining a first location of the first individual and a second location of the second individual;   determining a first electronic locker arrangement located in the first location and a second electronic locker arrangement located in the second location;   determining a first locker from among a first plurality of lockers of the first electronic locker arrangement to store the item based at least partly on dimensions of the item and dimensions of the first locker;   determining a courier from among a plurality of couriers to transport the item from the first electronic locker arrangement to the second electronic locker arrangement;   determining that the item is absent from the first locker;   determining a second locker from among a second plurality of lockers of the second electronic locker arrangement to store the item based at least partly on the dimensions of the item and dimensions of the second locker;   determining that the item is stored in the second locker; and   making a notification accessible to the second individual indicating that the item is available to be picked up at the second locker.   
     
     
         2 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 1 , wherein determining that the item is absent from the first locker based at least partly on first sensor data obtained from the first electronic locker arrangement and determining that the item is stored in the second locker is based at least partly on second sensor data obtained from the second electronic locker arrangement. 
     
     
         3 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 determining a location of the item based at least partly on Geographic Positioning System (GPS) data obtained from a mobile device of the courier after determining that the item is absent from the first locker;   determining an estimate of a time period for delivery of the item based at least partly on the location of the item and the location of the second electronic locker arrangement; and   making an additional notification available to the recipient indicating the location of the item and the time period for delivery of the item.   
     
     
         4 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 obtaining authentication information from the first electronic locker arrangement; and   verifying an identity of the second individual based at least partly on the authentication information.   
     
     
         5 . The computer implemented method of  claim 4 , wherein the authentication information includes a bar code, an alphanumeric code, biometric data, or combinations thereof. 
     
     
         6 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 receiving a request for a quick response (QR) code from the first electronic locker arrangement;   generating the QR code based at least partly on an identifier of a locker of the first electronic locker arrangement and the first location;   receiving, from a computing device of the courier, the identifier of the first locker and an identifier of the courier;   determining that the courier is authorized to access the first locker; and   providing information to the first electronic locker arrangement indicating that the courier is authorized to access the first locker.   
     
     
         7 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 6 , wherein a logistics app executed by the computing device of the courier performs operations comprising:
 extracting the identifier of the first electronic locker arrangement encoded by the QR code; determining the identifier of the courier; and   sending the identifier of the first electronic locker arrangement and the identifier of the courier to a logistics management system.   
     
     
         8 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the first location is determined at least partly based on first input obtained from the sender indicating the first location; and   the second location is determined at least partly based on second input obtained from the sender indicating the second location.   
     
     
         9 .- 20 . (canceled) 
     
     
         21 . A system, comprising:
 one or more processors; and   at least one non-transitory computer-readable storage medium having instructions stored thereupon which, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the system to perform operations comprising:
 receiving, from a first computing device of a sender, a request for delivery of an item to a recipient; 
 determining a first location of the sender and a second location of the recipient; 
 determining a first electronic locker arrangement located in the first location and a second electronic locker arrangement located in the second location; 
 identifying at least one of a weight of the item or dimensions of the item; 
 determining a first time for delivery of the item to the first electronic locker arrangement and a second time to pick up the item from the first electronic locker arrangement; 
 determining, based at least partly on the at least one of the weight of the item or the dimensions of the item, a first locker included in the first electronic locker arrangement that is available to store the item between at least the first time and the second time; 
 determining a third time for delivery of the item to the second electronic locker arrangement and a fourth time to pick up the item from the second electronic locker arrangement; 
 determining a courier from among a plurality of couriers to transport the item from the first electronic locker arrangement to the second electronic locker arrangement; and 
 sending, to a second computing device of the courier, a notification to obtain the item from the first locker at approximately the second time and to deliver the item to the second locker at approximately the third time. 
   
     
     
         22 . The system of  claim 21 , wherein:
 the operations further comprise:
 obtaining geographic positioning system (GPS) information indicating individual locations of each of the plurality of couriers; 
 performing a comparison between the individual locations of each of the plurality of couriers with the first location and the second location; and 
 determining, based at least partly on the comparison, a number of candidate couriers to pick up the item from the first locker and deliver the item to the second locker; and 
   the courier is selected from the number of candidate couriers.   
     
     
         23 . The system of  claim 21 , wherein the operations further comprise:
 determining that the first locker is unoccupied or is scheduled to be unoccupied between the first time and the second time; and   determining that the second locker is unoccupied or is scheduled to be unoccupied between the third time and the fourth time.   
     
     
         24 . The system of  claim 21 , wherein the operations further comprise:
 receiving, from the first electronic locker arrangement, a request for identity verification information, the request indicating a time of the request, an identifier of the first locker, and the first location of the first electronic locker arrangement;   adding the request to a queue including a plurality of requests to generate respective identity verification information for a number of individuals;   generating the identity verification information based at least partly on the time of the request, the identifier of the first locker, and the first location; and   sending the identity verification information to the first electronic locker arrangement.   
     
     
         25 . The system of  claim 24 , wherein the operations further comprise:
 receiving from the second computing device information including an identifier of the courier and the identifier of the first locker;   parsing data structures stored in a database using the identifier of the courier and the identifier of the first locker to identify a data structure storing the identifier of the courier and the identifier of the first locker;   verifying an identity of the courier based at least partly on identifying the data structure that includes the identifier of the courier and the identifier of the first locker; and   sending a signal to the first electronic locker arrangement to open the first locker.   
     
     
         26 . The system of  claim 21 , wherein the operations further comprise:
 obtaining sensor data from the first electronic locker arrangement, the sensor data indicating at least one of weight data, image data, or video data corresponding to the first locker; and   determining, based at least partly on the sensor data, that the item has been stored in the first locker.   
     
     
         27 . A system, comprising:
 one or more processors; and   at least one non-transitory computer-readable storage medium having instructions stored thereupon which, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the system to perform operations comprising:
 receiving, from a first computing device of a first individual, a request to deliver an item to a second individual; 
 determining a first location of the first individual and a second location of the second individual; 
 determining a first electronic locker arrangement located in the first location and a second electronic locker arrangement located in the second location; 
 determining a first locker from among a first plurality of lockers of the first electronic locker arrangement to store the item; 
 determining a courier from among a plurality of couriers to transport the item from the first electronic locker arrangement to the second electronic locker arrangement; 
 verifying an identity of the courier based at least partly on first information generated by the first electronic locker arrangement and on second information obtained from a second computing device of the courier; 
 granting access to the first locker by the courier; 
 determining a second locker from among a second plurality of lockers of the second electronic locker arrangement to store the item; and 
 making a notification accessible to the second individual indicating that the item is available to be picked up at the second locker. 
   
     
     
         28 . The system of  claim 27 , wherein the operations further comprise:
 generating, based at least partly on the request to deliver the item, a first bar code corresponding to the item;   receiving, via a bar code scanner of the first electronic locker arrangement, a second bar code;   determining that the second bar code corresponds to the first bar code;   causing the first locker to open; and   determining that the item has been stored in the first locker.   
     
     
         29 . The system of  claim 27 , wherein the operations further comprise:
 determining an availability of the courier to transport the item from the first electronic locker arrangement to the second electronic locker arrangement by:
 determining a status of the courier indicating that the courier is accepting items for delivery; 
 determining a number of items scheduled to be delivered by the courier; and 
 determining, based at least partly on geographic positioning system (GPS) data of the courier, that the courier is within a threshold distance of the first electronic locker arrangement. 
   
     
     
         30 . The system of  claim 27 , wherein the operations further comprise:
 receiving, from a third computing device of a third individual, an additional request to deliver an additional item to a fourth individual;   determining a third location of the third individual and a fourth location of the fourth individual;   determining a third electronic locker arrangement located in the third location;   determining that the second electronic locker arrangement is located within a threshold distance of the fourth location; and   assigning the courier to transport the additional item from the third electronic locker arrangement to the second electronic locker arrangement.   
     
     
         31 . The system of  claim 27 , wherein the operations further comprise:
 determining a plurality of electronic locker arrangements that are within a threshold distance of the first individual; and   determining, from among the plurality of electronic locker arrangements, that the first electronic locker arrangement includes at least one locker that is unoccupied during a time period that the item is to be stored.   
     
     
         32 . The system of  claim 27 , wherein:
 the first location includes a first zip code and the second location includes a second zip code different from the first zip code;   the courier is determined from among the plurality of couriers based at least partly on one or more criteria; and   the one or more criteria include ratings of the courier, number of items assigned to the courier for delivery, types of items previously delivered by the courier, location of the courier in relation to the first electronic locker arrangement and the second electronic locker arrangement, time that the courier provided an acceptance, or combinations thereof.