Multi-modal distribution systems and methods using vending kiosks and autonomous delivery vehicles

Abstract

Vehicles, components, and methods are disclosed for distributing hot or cold food items from a vending kiosk, a locker system, or a self-propelled delivery vehicle. The vending kiosk may have multiple doors, at least one of which is unlocked responsive to confirming a purchase transaction or authenticating the presence of a person or device associated with the purchase transaction. The multiple doors provide access to respective compartments that may be selectively heated and refrigerated. Such temperature changes may be based upon a temperature control schedule. The locker system may include one or more configurable compartments that may be accessible via a set of set of doors that can be selectively coupled into larger doors. The self-propelled delivery vehicle may have a plurality of thermally insulated compartments that may be used to carry multiple items at different temperatures.

1 . A vending kiosk, comprising:
 a plurality of compartments, each of the compartments having a respective interior and a respective opening via which items are retrievable or dispensable from the interior to an exterior of the vending kiosk, the interiors of the compartments delineated from one another;   a plurality of doors, the doors respectively moveable between a closed configuration in which the door prevents access to the interior of at least one of the compartments and an open configuration in which the door provides access to the interior of at least one of the compartments;   a plurality of actuators responsive to at least one actuator control signal to lock the doors in the closed configuration and selectively unlock one or more of the doors to move to the open configuration; and   at least one processor communicatively coupled to the actuators to provide the at least one actuator control signal to unlock one or more of the doors in response to at least one of: a purchase transaction occurring at or proximate the kiosk or a receipt of information that indicates a presence of a device or a person proximate the kiosk the device or person logically associated with a previous purchase transaction.   
     
     
         2 . The vending kiosk of  claim 1  wherein at least one of the plurality of actuators is comprised of at least one of a solenoid, a piston and associated cylinder, a pair of magnets including at least one electromagnet, and a pair of an electromagnet and a ferrous metal. 
     
     
         3 . The vending kiosk of  claim 1  wherein the device or the person proximate the vending kiosk is within 4 inches of the vending kiosk. 
     
     
         4 . The vending kiosk of  claim 1  wherein the device or the person proximate the vending kiosk is within 9 feet of the vending kiosk. 
     
     
         5 . The vending kiosk of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a plurality of heaters positioned to heat the interiors of the compartments.   
     
     
         6 . The vending kiosk of  claim 5  wherein at least one of the plurality of heaters is comprised of at least one of an electrically resistive heating element, a natural gas burner, a propane burner, and an inductive heating element. 
     
     
         7 . The vending kiosk of  claim 5  wherein the plurality of heaters includes at least one electrically resistive heating element per compartment. 
     
     
         8 . The vending kiosk of  claim 5  wherein the plurality of heaters are each operable to raise a temperature in at least one of the compartments to at least 325° F. to cook an item of food stored in the compartment. 
     
     
         9 . The vending kiosk of  claim 5  wherein the plurality of heaters are each operable to raise a temperature in at least one of the compartments to between 140° F. and 250° F. to warm an already cooked item of food stored in the compartment. 
     
     
         10 . The vending kiosk of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a plurality of coolers positioned to cool the interiors of the compartments.   
     
     
         11 . The vending kiosk of  claim 10  wherein at least one of the plurality of coolers is comprised of at least one of a refrigerant carrying coil and associated compressor, a Peltier cooler, and a thermoelectric cooler. 
     
     
         12 . The vending kiosk of  claim 10  wherein the plurality of coolers includes at least one refrigerant carrying coil per compartment. 
     
     
         13 . The vending kiosk of  claim 5 , further comprising:
 thermal insulation positioned to thermally insulate the compartments from one another.   
     
     
         14 . The vending kiosk of  claim 5 , further comprising:
 at least one card reader that reads information encoded in a financial transaction card, the at least one card reader communicatively coupled to the at least one processor to authorize a purchase transaction based on the information read from the financial transaction card.   
     
     
         15 . The vending kiosk of  claim 5 , further comprising:
 at least one antenna, and   at least one radio communicatively coupled to the antenna, wherein the at least one processor includes a near field communications processor communicatively coupled to the radio to receive near field communications signals via the antenna and authorize a purchase transaction based on information encoded in the received near field communications signals.   
     
     
         16 . The vending kiosk of  claim 5 , further comprising:
 at least one antenna, and   at least one radio communicatively coupled to the antenna, wherein the at least one processor includes a near field communications processor communicatively coupled to the radio to receive near field communications signals via the antenna and confirm that the device or the person logically associated with the previous purchase transaction is proximate the kiosk via the near field communications signals.   
     
     
         17 . The vending kiosk of  claim 5 , further comprising:
 at least one user input device comprising a keypad card that allows entry of a key code, the user input device communicatively coupled to the at least one processor which confirms that an entered key code matches a key code for the previous purchase transaction.   
     
     
         18 . The vending kiosk of  claim 1  wherein the actuators are part of a latch mechanism that locks and unlock the doors. 
     
     
         19 . The vending kiosk of  claim 18  wherein the doors are manually moveable from the closed configuration to the open configuration when unlocked. 
     
     
         20 . The vending kiosk of  claim 18  wherein the actuators are coupled to physically move the doors to the closed configuration. 
     
     
         21 . The vending kiosk of  claim 18  wherein the actuators are coupled to physically move the doors to the open configuration. 
     
     
         22 . The vending kiosk of  claim 18  wherein the actuators fail to the closed configuration. 
     
     
         23 . The vending kiosk of  claim 18  wherein the actuators fail to a locked state in which the doors are locked in the closed configuration. 
     
     
         24 . The vending kiosk of  claim 18 , further comprising:
 a plurality of springs that bias the doors toward the closed configuration.   
     
     
         25 . The vending kiosk of  claim 18 , further comprising:
 a plurality of springs that bias the doors toward the open configuration.   
     
     
         26 . The vending kiosk of  claim 18 , further comprising:
 a plurality of magnets that bias the doors toward the closed configuration.   
     
     
         27 . The vending kiosk of  claim 26  wherein at least one of the plurality of magnets is a permanent magnet. 
     
     
         28 . The vending kiosk of  claim 26  wherein at least one of the plurality of magnets is an electromagnet. 
     
     
         29 . The vending kiosk of  claim 18 , further comprising:
 a plurality of magnets that bias the doors toward the open configuration.   
     
     
         30 . The vending kiosk of  claim 29  wherein at least one of the plurality of magnets is a permanent magnet. 
     
     
         31 . The vending kiosk of  claim 29  wherein at least one of the plurality of magnets is an electromagnet. 
     
     
         32 . The vending kiosk of  claim 1  wherein the vending kiosk is a self-propelled vehicle, and further comprising:
 at least one of a set of wheels or a set of treads; and 
 at least one motor coupled to drive the set of wheels and the set of treads to propel the kiosk in an autonomous or semi-autonomous vehicle mode. 
 
     
     
         33 . The vending kiosk of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a low pressure source having a pressure less than an atmospheric pressure of an external ambient environment;   a plenum proximate a bottom of the vending kiosk, the plenum in fluid communication with the low pressure source; and   a debris collection compartment, in communication with the plenum to collect debris pick-up via a suction effect at the plenum.   
     
     
         34 . The vending kiosk of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 at least one brush positioned to contact a surface on which the vending kiosk is supported; and   at least one motor coupled to move the brush to sweep debris on the surface of ground.   
     
     
         35 - 123 . (canceled)