IT202000020128A1 - System, consisting of various devices, for the remote control of containers each equipped with one or more openings, of which at least one has an electric lock, the opening/closing command of which is sent by an electronic communication device, located inside or inside exterior of the lock and/or container, capable of receiving and/or emitting electromagnetic signals. The lock can also be equipped with an opening/closing device using a dialer, transponder reader, magnetic and/or intelligent card reader. - Google Patents

Description

DESCRIPTION

Description annexed to the patent application for industrial invention/utility model patent, entitled: ?system, consisting of various devices, for remote control of containers each equipped with one or more? openings, of which at least one has an electric lock, whose opening/closing command is sent by an electronic communication device, located inside or outside the lock and/or container, capable of receiving and/or emitting electromagnetic signals . The lock can also be equipped with an opening/closing device using a dialer, transponder reader, magnetic and/or smart card reader?.

Context

The percentage of the world population living in metropolises? in constant ascent, it will be? above 60% within the next 20 years. The phenomenon of the aggregation of the population in concentrated areas involves the resolution of problems such as:

1. the traffic of vehicles and goods with the consequent congestion of the roads;

2. waste;

3. pollution;

4. energy consumption.

For some time now there has been talk in an extended sense of Smart City, which we can translate as city? easy / intelligent, i.e. city? where services of various kinds are implemented a; to improve the efficiency of cities:

1. less traffic;

2. maximization of differentiated waste collection;

3. goods delivery optimization;

4. reduction of energy consumption, etc.

These efficiency improvements are obtained, and will be obtained, through the use of modern computer, communication and artificial intelligence technologies. The invention described in this document is rightfully placed in a Smart City context, proposing the solution to unresolved problems or their improvement.

Definitions

This document uses words and/or phrases, the meaning of which as understood in the document is described below. The Definitions section ? to be considered an integral part of the description of the invention:

? By remote we mean that not v?? physical contact between the two or more? entities, which interact with each other, for example by exchanging information/messages/commands.

? By lock we mean any device, whether or not it provides for the mechanical movement of one or more locks. parts suitable for keeping any container closed and open.

? An electric lock is understood to mean a lock equipped with an electrically powered drive. The mechanism can be, for example, an electromagnet, an electric motor, any other device that requires electricity to operate.

? By electronic communication device, we mean an electronic circuit, equipped with various electronic components, capable of receiving and/or sending data in the form of electromagnetic signals via the air and/or electric cable and/or optical fiber.

? By dialer, we mean a device which, in order to be activated, requires the insertion of a code, i.e. a sequence of one or more? alphanumeric digits or symbols. Typical example of combinator ? the 12-key keyboard: 0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, #, *

? By device, we mean any hardware or software object. The hardware device ? consisting of one or more parts of materials, of any shape and chemical composition, assembled together and possibly equipped with firmware. The software device ? a program installed in computer and/or telecommunications devices such as: servers, Personal Computers, Notebooks, Palm PCs, Tablets, Smartphones and the like.

? By system is meant the set of two or more? similar and/or different devices, capable of interacting with each other by sending and receiving commands, information, responses to commands, etc.

? By wired we mean a physical support consisting of electric cable or optical fiber.

? Wireless means by air or over the air.

? By goods purchased online we mean the purchase of goods via the internet on dedicated websites.

? Remotely purchased goods means the purchase of goods in the event that the goods are not present in the same place where the buyer is at the time of purchase. By way of your example but not exhaustive, two possible cases are reported:

1. Purchase at any store that has no availability? immediate of goods, which sar? subsequently sent to the recipient.

2. Or the purchase takes place through a transaction by telephone/email/fax/etc.

? By entity? means: a natural or legal person, a website and in general any software, a robot, any automatism and/or servo-mechanism capable of performing actions.

? By recipient, we mean the entity? or the place where the goods are to be delivered. Often, but not necessarily, the recipient coincides with the purchaser

? By purchaser, we mean the entity? who carries out the purchase of the same.

? By seller, we mean the entity? who sells the goods.

? By courier, we mean the entity, other than the seller and the sender, who takes charge of the goods from the sender, directly, or by taking them from a container, and delivers them to the recipient, directly, or by placing them in a container.

? By sender, we mean the entity? who must send goods to any recipient. Often, but not necessarily, the sender coincides with the seller.

? By user is meant the entity? that uses some or all of the features? made available by the system. The user category includes: the recipient, the buyer, the seller, the sender, the courier.

? A transponder is a transceiver device which emits an electromagnetic response signal into the air on one or more frequencies determined when it is stimulated by an external electromagnetic pulse. It can be passive or active. In the passive type, part of the energy of the electromagnetic wave which strikes the transponder is converted and used by the transponder to feed itself in the short period of communication; in the active type the transponder ? equipped with its own power supply. Typical examples of use of transponder technology are: RFID (RadioFrequencyIDentification), badges, keys used to pay for products; of automatic dispensers (Vending Machines).

? By transponder reader, we mean a device capable of interacting and reading and writing the information contained in a transponder.

? By magnetic card we mean a device, for example in the form of a card, equipped with a magnetised band containing information which is read and written by a suitable device. Often a magnetic card also has functionality? of smart card.

? By smart card is meant a device, for example in the form of a card, having an integrated circuit inside it, usually silicon, capable of receiving/memorizing/sending when inserted into a suitable device. Often a smart card also has functionalities? of magnetic card.

? By magnetic card and/or smart card reader, we mean a device capable of interacting and reading and writing information inside a magnetic and/or smart card.

? By container, we mean a device of any shape, consisting of one or more parts assembled together, of various materials, including electronic ones, with the main function of allowing the insertion, storage/custody and removal of things inside. The container ? equipped with one or more openings. At least one opening must be equipped with an electric lock controlled by an electronic communication device which can be inside or outside the lock and/or container (each electronic communication device can be responsible for controlling the opening/closing of one or more containers; the electric lock can possibly also be controlled by a device dialer, for opening/closing which can also be part of the container, or placed outside the container, (each dialer device can be responsible for controlling the opening/closing of one or more containers; the electric lock it can possibly also be controlled by a transponder reader, for opening/closing which can also be part of the container, or placed outside the container (each transponder reader can be responsible for controlling the opening/closing of one or more containers); the electric lock can possibly also be controlled by a magnetic and/or intelligent card reader, for opening/closing which can be although it is part of the container and/or placed outside the container (each magnetic and/or intelligent card reader can be in charge of the opening/closing control of one or more? containers). The open/close command can? be sent to the container, in the following ways:

a) is sent from the cloud/server; for example, the user, through the application at his disposal, sends the request to open/close the container to the cloud/server, the cloud/server sends the opening/closing command to the electronic communication device that controls the container , the electronic communication device sends the opening/closing command to the electric lock;

b) is given by the user by setting the opening/closing code in the dialer, this code can? be, for example, received from the cloud/server, in the application and read by the user;

c) is given by the application and available to the user. The application receives, for example, the opening code from the cloud/server and transmits it to the electronic communication device of the container's electronic lock, for example, via NFC or bluetooth radio system or other similar so-called short distance transceiver system ?;

d) is given by the user by approaching a transponder to the appropriate reader or by having a magnetic card and/or smart card read by the appropriate reader, or through other similar systems; e) is given by devices installed in the user (for example, in the case of humans, integrated circuits installed under the skin) and capable of receiving and transmitting electromagnetic signals.

The opening code can? be generated:

a) by the server, automatically, which communicates it to the user through the application available to the user;

b) by the buyer/recipient, who communicates it to the courier, for example through the cloud server.

Note: solution a) would always be preferable, although not mandatory. Furthermore, the cloud/server should preferably generate a new code for each single opening and/or closing operation.

? By Group of containers, we mean a set of containers not necessarily in physical contact with each other (the containers of the same group can also have different shapes and sizes), but in any case placed at a relatively short distance from each other in a limited area, for example inside the same room or outdoors in a specifically delimited and dedicated area.

? By Server/Cloud, we mean the set of Computers, physical devices for data storage (Magnetic Hard Disks, SSDs, etc.), Operating Systems and management and database software (installed on the Computers) capable of carrying out at least the following activities? (depending on the various implementations and the types of containers, some of the following activities may not be available, such as: information on the weight of the goods, temperature setting):

- indicate to the user the position of the containers, located in the area, possibly also providing information on the shape and size of the containers, available and booking cost; - open and close the container remotely;

- set and communicate the opening combination;

- set the internal temperature (in the case of a cold room or oven);

- inform about the weight of the goods placed inside;

- allow the user to open/close the container;

- give information on the state of the container, if open or closed, if empty or with goods inside;

- allow the booking and use of the container, usually within a pre-set time window;

- allow sampling to evaluate the quantity? of recyclable waste or waste;

- send specific commands to individual containers, to groups of containers, to the ecological areas where they are located;

- manage the booking of each container.

The Server/Cloud communicates with the user by exchanging commands and information with the application available to the user.

The Server/Cloud, isn't it? physically accessible to the user as it is possible to interact with him only via remote communication.

? By subsystem is meant one or more? devices forming part of the system for inserting, storing and withdrawing specific goods and/or waste.

? By ecological operator is meant the entity? which collects the waste deposited inside the containers which can eventually form a subsystem for the exclusive use of waste collection.

? By Concentrator we mean an electronic communication device that receives data from one or more? sources (the source being: a container, a communication device associated with one or more groups of containers, other concentrators, the cloud/server, ) and retransmits them (possibly after reprocessing the data themselves) to one or more? recipients (the recipients could be: a container, a communication device associated with one or more groups of containers, other concentrators, the cloud server).

Technical field of the invention

The present invention refers to a system for the remote control of containers of different shapes and sizes, modular and equipped with one or more? openings, of which at least one has an electric lock with an electronic communication device, also grouped together, in cells or delivery hubs, and variously located throughout the territory. Remote control mainly allows:

? the reservation of containers, making them available to the user;

? the opening and closing of the electric locks of the containers;

? the setting/modification of the container opening code;

? setting the internal temperature of the containers;

? reading of the internal and external temperature of the containers;

? reading of the weight, if available, of the goods placed inside the containers;

? reading of the state of the container: if open or closed.

The control and setting of the various functions available in the containers and/or groups, for example turning on or off the light indicators, which indicate externally whether the container is available or not, setting the data to be displayed on LED panels, screens LCD or similar, for example placed on or near the groups of containers.

Communication between the various devices that make up the system takes place via the various wired and wireless technologies available and the new ones that will be available in the future. By way of example, and not exhaustively, the following possible communication methods are mentioned:

? NB-IoT mobile network, 2G: GSM/GPRS, 3G: UMTS, 4G: LTE, 5G and later

? Zigbee, LoRA, MBus, SigFox

? SubGHz RF

? Wifi

? NFC

? Bluetooth

? in general any type of communication, which takes place by sending and receiving signals ? electromagnetic

State of art

? the use of remote communication systems, mainly based on the mobile network, is commonly known, to obtain the reservation and use of vehicles (car sharing, bike sharing, etc.) with charges according to pre-set rates based on the time of use. These systems are intended to facilitate the transport of people. Not yet today? present in the area a service in the modality? described in the field of goods collection and delivery services n? for separate collection.

Technical problem to be solved

Purpose of the present invention? to solve the following various problems:

1. delivery of the goods purchased online, or in any case remotely, to the recipient, when the latter cannot? be present at the time of delivery. In particular, the present invention sets itself the task of realizing a system which always guarantees the possibility to deliver the goods to the addressee indicated by the purchaser, avoiding that the addressee, or anyone on his behalf, has to be present at the time of delivery.

2. prevent couriers from having to repeat more? times the delivery of the same shipment in the absence of the recipient. The present invention allows couriers to place the goods being delivered inside containers selected by them or selected by the purchaser, or by the consignee. Does this contribute to the reduction of fine dust in the city? with a high housing rate, creating a virtuous one-by-one system, where the ordered goods are always and in any case delivered, if not directly into the recipient's hands, to a certain and defined destination point. How already? mentioned, this system makes it possible to deal with the main problem of individual or last mile (retail) delivery carried out with half-empty means of transport and which in 10% of cases return to the sender, invalidating the first transport and therefore doubling emissions in the more happy with the guesses. Research has shown that ?90% of consumers have the package delivered to their home or office. In 2012, around 6 million deliveries were estimated per month. In 2017 we reached 15 million. Does it mean that on the road and in the city? traffic ? more which doubled in just 5 years. According to an American study, done by Bloomberg New Energy Finance and McKinsey, as a direct consequence of the online shopping phenomenon, the number of commercial vehicles used in the world? grown by 32%, going from 250 million in 2006 to 330 million units? in 2014. By 2050, in large cities, an increase of 40% is estimated.

In the first six months of 2017, the Italian General Confederation of Transport and Logistics recorded an increase of 6.5% in courier deliveries, with a number of registrations of heavy vehicles of 21.5%. In the Interporto of Bologna, the trucks in transit recorded a 10.3%. According to the pi? recent Ispra report, l? 80% of light commercial vehicles passing through cities? every day they belong to a class below euro 5. In London (according to the Bloomberg and McKinsey study) commercial vehicles are responsible for 30% of CO2 and nitrogen oxide emissions, while at European level, in 2013 they generated 46% of total Nox emissions in the Union. The World Health Organization? (Who) estimated that there were three million premature deaths from air pollution caused by road vehicle emissions.

3. Facilitate taking charge of goods to be shipped. Isn't the sender? obliged to be present at the moment of acceptance by the courier. The sender can book a container, place the goods inside, where the courier will then go? to pick it up.

4. Generally facilitating the shipment and delivery phases of goods, here are some examples: a) The periodic supply of goods, such as for example the daily supply of food to establishments such as bars, restaurants, grocery stores, markets or medicines to pharmacies, etc. b) Shipping of goods and delivery of the goods not necessarily linked to a purchase phase and possibly also without the use of the courier.

5. Solve the problem of separate waste collection in large urban areas with a high concentration of inhabitants. Each container or group of containers ? similar to an ecological island (green hub) where specific containers are destined for the exclusive collection of waste through a scheduling system. Furthermore, the system would allow waste collection pricing based on the actual type and quantity? of waste generated.

6. Minimizes the risk of possible direct and indirect contacts for the transmission and conveyance of pathogens (viruses, bacteria, etc). In fact eliminating the need? of contact in the sender-courier-recipient chain or even simply sender-recipient.

Description of the invention

In the claims at point 1 a typical implementation of the invention is described which is suitable for facilitating the delivery of goods purchased online and/or remotely or not necessarily linked to a purchase/sale phase.

In the claims at point 10 a typical implementation of the invention is described which is suitable for facilitating the differentiated collection of waste.

The purposes of the invention are achieved through the use of:

? Containers 1

? Servers/Clouds 2

? Possibly Combinators 3

? Possibly Transponder readers 4

? Possibly Magnetic card and/or smart card readers 5

? Possibly electronic devices installed in or on the user

? Software applications available to users

? Hardware devices available to users

? Possibly Short range radio communication devices

? Possibly Transponder 4

? Possibly magnetic and/or smart cards

For possibly it is meant that the use does not ? strictly necessary, the device can? be used or not depending on the type of implementation.

For a description of the devices mentioned above, refer to what has already been listed in the Definitions section.

The invention is described in detail below, on the basis of the description of a preferred, but not exclusive, embodiment, which is schematically illustrated by way of non-limiting example in the attached figures.

Figure 1(a): the figure shows a possible embodiment of the single container 1 in the shape of a parallelepiped (any other shape is possible), equipped with an opening with an electric lock, a keyboard dialer 3, a magnetic and/or intelligent card reader 5 , short-range wireless reader, container status light 6, opening handle 9; all or part of these functions may be present. The electronic communication device is intended, in this example, inside the container 1 and is not? been drawn. The opening/closing, as well as with the handle 9, can? be carried out using a suitable mechanical and/or electromechanical and/or pneumatic device.

Figure 1(b): the figure shows a possible embodiment of a group 7 of containers 1, having a single control device 8 consisting of: dialer 3, magnetic and/or smart card reader 5, transponder and/or wireless reader soon distance 4; not all of the readers just mentioned need to be present. In this case all the containers 1 are controlled by a single control device 8. The electronic communication device can? be inserted inside the control device 8 and/or also inside some individual containers 1. ? it is also possible that one or more? containers 1, in addition to being controllable by the control device 8 of the group 7, are also controllable by means of their own electronic communication device. ? it is also possible that in a group 7, some containers 1 can be controlled by the control device 8 of the group 7, other containers 1 by their own electronic communication device.

Figure 2: does the figure show the data/command/information exchange flows between the various entities? 10-14, containers 1, 7 and the cloud/server 2. The central role of the cloud/server 2 emerges from this figure. The exchange of data/commands/information takes place exclusively and/or preferentially through the cloud/server 2.

Figure 3: the figure schematically shows the structure of a possible embodiment in which there are 4 groups of containers 7, buyer 11 and recipient 12, courier 10 and seller 14. The figure shows the possible ways in which the containers 1 can communicate with in cloud/server 2. In the first Group 7?, the containers 1 can communicate directly with the cloud/server 2 each being equipped with an electronic communication device. In the second Group 7?? the containers have a short distance wired and/or wireless communication system with a communication device 15 located near the group, this communication device 15 communicates remotely with the cloud/server 2. In the third Group 7??? the communications between containers 1 and cloud/server 2 take place through a concentrator 16, which need not necessarily be in the vicinity of the group 7??, it can? be placed even up to kilometers away from the group. In the fourth Group 7<iv > a mixed system is shown, i.e. some containers 1 communicate directly with the cloud/server <2>, others pass through a concentrator 16.

Figure 4: the figure shows some examples of communication modes between concentrators 16. In the first Group 7? the concentrator 16 communicates directly with the cloud/server 2. In the second, third and fourth Groups 7??-7<iv >the respective concentrators 16 communicate with the cloud/server 2 through a further concentrator 17 in cascade. In the second Group 7?? ? there is a single long-distance communication device 15 which communicates with the associated concentrator 16. In the third Group 7??? each container 16 communicates with the associated concentrator 17. In the fourth Group some containers communicate with the associated concentrator 17, others directly with the cloud/server 2. The figure does not intend to be exhaustive in the description of the possible combinations, which in fact can be innumerable, all compatible with the following guidelines:

- groups 7 can be any integer >=1;

- each group 7 pu? have any number >=1 of bins 1;

- each container 1 can? communicate with the cloud/server 2 in the following ways: directly via its own electronic communication device 15, via an electronic communication device associated with the group or multiple? groups, through one or more? concentrators 16, 17 in cascade with each other, through an electronic communication device 15 associated with the group 7 with one or more in cascade? concentrators 16. Each container 1 can? use one or more the methods of communication just described;

- each concentrator 16 can? dialogue with a >= 1 number of containers 1, with a >= 1 number of communication devices 15 associated with groups 7;

- each concentrator 1 can? be inserted in a cascade structure of concentrators 16, 17 or more? in general in a network of concentrators.

Figure 5: the figure shows an example of container 1, which allows, for example from above, the insertion of objects, which are dropped into a container in a subsequent phase (for example after having checked their weight and/or content) below 18. This type of container 1 pu? be useful in the case of differentiated waste collection, for example wet waste.

Advantages of the invention

The invention, compared to the modality? current delivery of goods ordered online, or in any case remotely, and shipping of goods in general, i.e. not necessarily linked to a purchase/sale phase and separate waste collection, has the following advantages:

- the consignee 12 must not be present at the time of delivery of the goods, nor? must be forced to delegate third parties to do it for him;

- the sender 13 must not be present when the courier 10 takes charge of the goods; - the courier 10 does not run the risk of having to repeat the delivery in the absence of the recipient 12;

- the courier 10 can? deliver at any time, even at night, when traffic is heavy? reduced, being able cos? optimize delivery times;

- the sender 13 pu? book acceptance and place the goods in container 1 at any time during the day;

- the recipient 12 pu? withdraw the goods received from container 1 at any time, even at night, without being bound by the times;

- the delivered goods are well kept in the containers 1 waiting to be picked up by the recipient 12, avoiding the risk of theft and/or tampering;

- the containers 1, in one of their versions, can allow the setting and control of the internal temperature, operating as refrigerator cells or as ovens;

- the containers 1 can also have the possibility? to weigh the goods inside them.

Claims (10)

Claims 1. A system for the delivery or provision of goods and products, comprising: - one or more? containers (1) and/or groups of containers (7) suitable for housing goods and/or products inside them and each having one or more? openings (19), at least one of said openings (19) for each of said containers (1) being provided with an electronic lock which can be opened/closed following receipt of an opening/closing command; - one or more communication devices usable by one or more? users and equipped with software capable of allowing direct or indirect communication with said containers (1); - a server (2) capable of generating an opening/closing command to be sent to said one or more? containers (1); - one or more applications, which can be installed on communication and/or multimedia devices, such as smartphones/tablets/PCs/notebooks, capable of allowing the user to send to said server (2) the request to open one or more of said containers (1); - means for transmitting said opening/closing command from said server (2) to at least one of said one or more? containers (1); wherein said containers (1) are each associated with at least one electronic control device (8) able to receive from said transmission means said opening/closing command and to transmit it to the corresponding electronic lock to enable its opening/closing. 2. System according to claim 1, characterized in that said server (2) is adapted to send said opening/closing command directly to said at least one electronic control device (8) following a request from one of said communication devices and/or said applications. 3. System according to claim 1, characterized in that said server (2) is adapted to send said opening/closing command to said at least one electronic control device (8) following a request from one of said communication devices indirectly by sending said command to a concentrator (16) or to a series of concentrators (16, 17) in cascade. 4. System according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that each of said containers (1) ? associated with a respective electronic control device, arranged internally or externally thereto. 5. System according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that it comprises one or more? groups (7?, 7??, 7???, 7<iv>) of said containers (1) associated with a common electronic control device (8). 6. System according to claim 1, characterized in that said communication devices (15) are able to receive said opening/closing command from said server (2) following their request and to send it to one of said containers (1 ) by means of said means of transmission. 7. System according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that said transmission means comprise a key-operated combiner (3) for entering said opening/closing command. 8. System according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that said transmission means comprise one or more? short distance information transmission systems, such as NFC, Bluetooth, magnetic cards. 9. System according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that one or more? of said containers (1) houses weighing means. 10. System according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that one or more? of said containers (1) houses temperature regulation means able to heat and/or cool the inside thereof.