KR20180085975A - System and method for managing parcel delivery box using beacon - Google Patents

Abstract

Disclosed are a system for managing a delivery box using a beacon and a method thereof. The system for managing a delivery box according to an embodiment of the present invention comprises: a delivery box device having a plurality of storage boxes each provided with a locking means; a plurality of beacon devices corresponding to the storage boxes at a position where the delivery box device is installed and transmitting a beacon signal having each identification information; a resident terminal for requesting a parcel collection using the storage boxes; a management server for generating an authentication key to store the same with storage box identification information with respect to a selected storage box when a parcel collection is requested; and a delivery man terminal for providing the delivery box device with the beacon information and the authentication key according to any one beacon signal corresponding to the storage box identification information among beacon signals received from the beacon devices in a state where the authentication key and the storage box identification information are acquired, and allowing the delivery box device to open the selected storage box according to beacon information after authenticating and processing the beacon information in the management server by using the authentication key.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a system and method for managing a parcel delivery box using a beacon,

The present invention relates to a courier management system, and more particularly, to a courier management system and method using a beacon that enables a courier to be safely and conveniently used by authenticating a courier article and an owner of a courier close by using a beacon will be.

With the rapid development of information and communication and the spread of Internet users, the e - commerce market is growing rapidly. In the e-commerce market, courier services are mainly used for the transportation of purchased goods because the goods are traded on the telephone and online. The courier service is a service that delivers the purchased goods to the requested destination.

In such a delivery system, the recipient must be at the delivery address at the time of delivery in order to deliver and receive the goods, or at the apartment or the like, the goods are received on behalf of the guard or management office. However, there are cases where the recipient is not located at the delivery point at the time of delivery, or the receptionist refuses to be picked up at the security office, and there is often a friction between the consumer and the delivery company due to damage to the goods upon receipt of the proxy.

As a result, there is a growing demand for couriers to receive unmanned items, rather than receiving them directly by courier. However, the conventional courier delivery system is operated in a form having a simple locking means, and communication is required between the delivery article and the recipient to notify each other of the password, which is also inconvenient.

Korean Patent Laid-Open No. 10-2016-0144052 (December 16, 2016) Smart courier management system and management method

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Accordingly, the present invention has been made keeping in mind the above problems occurring in the prior art, and it is an object of the present invention to provide a courier box management system and method using a beacon that allows a courier to conveniently deliver articles to a recipient without unauthorized access.

Other objects of the present invention will become more apparent through the following preferred embodiments.

According to an aspect of the present invention, there is provided a courier delivery apparatus having a plurality of storage boxes provided with locking means; A plurality of beacon devices provided corresponding to the storage box at a place where the courier delivery device is installed to transmit a beacon signal having respective identification information; A resident terminal requesting delivery of the courier service using the storage box; A management server for generating an authentication key upon receipt of the delivery of the parcel, and storing the authentication key together with the library identification information for the selected library; And receiving the beacon information corresponding to any of the beacon signals corresponding to the archive identification information among the beacon signals received from the plurality of beacon devices and the authentication key, And a courier terminal for allowing the courier accommodation device to open a selection box corresponding to the beacon information after authentication processing with the management server using the authentication key.

Here, the parcel delivery terminal provides information on the signal strength of the received beacon signal to the courier delivery device as the beacon information, and the courier delivery device performs authentication processing of the position of the courier article terminal using the beacon strength can do.

In addition, when the selection box is opened and closed again, the courier delivery device transmits a courier delivery completion message to the management server, and the management server generates a new authentication key for receiving the courier and transmits it to the resident terminal , The resident terminal may open the selection storage box using the storage identification information and the new authentication key.

In addition, the courier delivery device can provide the resident terminal with the image of the selective storage box photographed by the camera provided when the selection storage box is opened through the management server.

In addition, the beacon device is provided in a storage box, and the courier delivery device determines whether or not a courier article exists in the storage box using the signal strength of the beacon signal received from the beacon device, .

According to another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a courier handling method performed by a courier terminal, the courier handling method comprising: obtaining an authentication key generated by a management server; A beacon signal corresponding to the storage box identification information among the beacon signals received from the plurality of beacon apparatuses corresponding to the storage box where the courier box apparatus having a plurality of storage boxes is installed, ; And transmitting the beacon information according to the selected beacon signal and the authentication key to the courier delivery device so that the courier delivery device inquires of the management server to process the authentication according to the authentication key to open the selection storage box And a recording medium on which a program for executing the method is recorded.

In the courier container managing method performed by the courier container apparatus having a plurality of beacon devices corresponding to the respective storing boxes, the authentication key generated by the management server and the courier identification information Receiving the beacon information and the authentication key generated by selectively transmitting the beacon signal according to the archive identification information among the plurality of beacon devices from the article terminal; Transmitting the authentication key to the management server to request authentication; And opening the selection storage box according to the beacon information if authentication success is confirmed from the management server, and a recording medium on which a program for executing the method is recorded.

The method may further include confirming whether a courier item is present in the selection box by checking a change in signal intensity of a beacon signal received from the beacon device provided in the selection box.

The method may further include transmitting an image of the selected storage box to the management server using the camera when the selection storage box is opened.

According to the present invention, the courier article and the courier article recipient can carry only the mobile device capable of receiving the beacon signal and can automatically open the pre-selected storage box when the beacon device is approached, There is no need to meet the time between the recipients and there is no need to go through the agent, so that it is possible to conveniently deliver the goods by courier.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a block diagram schematically illustrating a configuration of a courier management system using a beacon according to an embodiment of the present invention; FIG.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention [0001] The present invention relates to a courier dispenser,
FIG. 3 is a flowchart illustrating a courier management process according to an embodiment of the present invention; FIG.
FIG. 4 is a flowchart illustrating a procedure for confirming whether or not a courier delivery apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention is wearing a courier article. FIG.

While the invention is susceptible to various modifications and alternative forms, specific embodiments thereof are shown by way of example in the drawings and will herein be described in detail. It is to be understood, however, that the invention is not to be limited to the specific embodiments, but includes all modifications, equivalents, and alternatives falling within the spirit and scope of the invention.

It is to be understood that when an element is referred to as being "connected" or "connected" to another element, it may be directly connected or connected to the other element, . On the other hand, when an element is referred to as being "directly connected" or "directly connected" to another element, it should be understood that there are no other elements in between.

The terms first, second, etc. may be used to describe various components, but the components should not be limited by the terms. The terms are used only for the purpose of distinguishing one component from another. For example, terms such as a first threshold value, a second threshold value, and the like which will be described later may be previously designated with threshold values that are substantially different from each other or some of which are the same value, Because there is room, the terms such as the first and the second are to be mentioned for convenience of division.

The terminology used herein is for the purpose of describing particular embodiments only and is not intended to be limiting of the invention. The singular expressions include plural expressions unless the context clearly dictates otherwise. In this specification, the terms "comprises" or "having" and the like refer to the presence of stated features, integers, steps, operations, elements, components, or combinations thereof, But do not preclude the presence or addition of one or more other features, integers, steps, operations, elements, components, or combinations thereof.

It is to be understood that the components of the embodiments described with reference to the drawings are not limited to the embodiments and may be embodied in other embodiments without departing from the spirit of the invention. It is to be understood that although the description is omitted, multiple embodiments may be implemented again in one integrated embodiment.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Reference will now be made in detail to the preferred embodiments of the present invention, examples of which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein like reference numerals refer to the like elements throughout. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Hereinafter, exemplary embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. In the following description, well-known functions or constructions are not described in detail since they would obscure the invention in unnecessary detail.

FIG. 1 is a block diagram schematically illustrating a configuration of a courier management system using a beacon according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2 is a block diagram of a courier distribution apparatus having a plurality of storage boxes according to an embodiment of the present invention. Fig.

1, an overall system according to the present embodiment includes a plurality of beacon devices 10, a courier device 20, a courier terminal 30, a resident terminal 40, and a management server 50 .

The beacon device 10 emits a beacon signal using a wireless communication technology such as Bluetooth and Wi-Fi and transmits the beacon signal to the receiving device within the range of about 50 to 70 m (in this embodiment, ) Can receive the signal. In recent years, a beacon is a short distance communication technology that enables a user to find a location, send a message, or make a mobile payment. In general, the device itself transmits a specific signal. Therefore, the beacon device 10 periodically transmits a beacon signal, which is a specific signal having its own ID value, by using a wireless communication technology.

With reference to FIG. 2, the courier delivery device 20 has a plurality of storage places for storing courier articles, and of course, each storage place is provided with a locking device. In particular, each beacon device 10 is provided so as to correspond to each repository according to the present embodiment. According to one example, the beacon device 10 may be installed in each repository. The beacon device 10 may be installed anywhere that can transmit a beacon signal to the courier terminal 30 or the resident terminal 40 that has accessed the courier delivery device 20 have.

The courier article terminal 30 is a terminal device carried by a courier delivering courier goods, for example, a communication terminal device such as a smart phone or a tablet PC, and particularly has a short-range wireless communication function such as Bluetooth, A beacon signal from the base station 10 can be received.

The resident terminal 40 may be a terminal owned by a resident who is authorized to use the storage box of the courier distribution apparatus 20, and may be connected to the management server 50 to request delivery of the courier. That is, in response to a request from the resident terminal 40, the management server 50 selects a storage box for storing a courier item (hereinafter referred to as a selected storage box), generates an authentication key for opening the selected storage box, To the terminal (40) and the home exhaust terminal (30). Here, the management server 50 may provide an interface to the resident terminal 40 so that the resident can directly select the optional storage box. In other words, the residents can access the management server 50, check the list of available archives, and select a desired one. Of course, according to one example, a fixed archive may be assigned to each resident, but a variable selection may be advantageous for more efficient use of the archive. Furthermore, there are cases where one resident must use multiple lockers.

Then, the management server 50, together with the authentication key, provides the resident terminal 40 and / or the home exhaust terminal 30 with the archive identification information, which is the identification information of the selected archive. The archive identification information may be identification information (e.g., universally unique identifier (UUID), etc.) for the beacon device 10 corresponding to the archive. Here, the home exhaust terminal 30 may be provided with the archive identification information and the authentication key directly from the management server 50. For example, the management server 50 uses the information (for example, telephone number, etc.) about the courier article input from the resident terminal 40 requesting the delivery of the courier, Information and an authentication key. As another example, when a courier company server (not shown) that manages the management server 50 and the home exhaust terminal 30 is interlocked, the management server 50 provides relevant information to the courier company server, The server may provide the related information to the home exhaust terminal 30 of the delivery article responsible for delivery of the delivery article.

According to another embodiment, the management server 50 may provide the storage identification information and the authentication key only to the resident terminal 40, and may also be a system in which the resident terminal 40 provides the relevant information to the home exhaust terminal 30 have.

When the authentication key is received from the near home entrainment terminal 30, the courier delivery device 20 transmits the authentication key to the management server 50 to request authentication, and confirms that the authentication is successful from the management server 50 If you do, open the optional library. At this time, the courier delivery device 20 recognizes which storage box is the optional storage box by using the beacon information received from the corresponding home exhaust terminal 30, and the home exhaust terminal 30 is adapted to correspond to each storage box And selects the beacon signal corresponding to the storage box identification information among the beacon signals transmitted from the respective beacon devices 10 provided to generate the beacon information, and provides the generated beacon information to the courier delivery device 20.

Hereinafter, a process of managing a courier box in the present system will be described in detail with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 3 is a flowchart illustrating a courier management process according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention.

Referring to FIG. 3, the management server 50 generates an authentication key (S310) and provides it to the home exhaust terminal 30 (S320) in response to a home delivery request from the resident terminal 40. FIG. Here, as described above, the management server 50 provides the private key terminal 30 with the storage key identification information, which is identification information for the selected storage box, together with the authentication key. Hereinafter, the above-mentioned authentication key and the identification information of the storage box will be referred to as " courier goods receipt information ". The manner in which the management server 50 provides the courier delivery information to the home exhaust terminal 30 has been described above, and redundant description will be omitted. Here, the management server 50 stores the authentication key generated in S310 for authentication of the home exhaust terminal 30 in response to the authentication request from the courier handling device 20 at a later time.

For example, the resident accesses the management server 50 using the resident terminal 40, which is his or her terminal device, and sends the delivery information (e.g., courier article information (type, size, etc.) ), Courier company or courier staff contact information, expected delivery time, etc.) and selects a desired storage box, the management server 50 generates an authentication key and delivers courier stock receipt information including the storage box identification information for the selected storage box to the courier To the home exhaust terminal 30 according to the receipt information.

As described above, the management server 50 may provide the courier goods receipt information to the resident terminal 40, and in this case, the resident terminal 40 may deliver courier stock receipt information to the home exhaust terminal 30.

Therefore, when the courier terminal 30 receives the courier receipt information and approaches the courier delivery apparatus 20, the courier terminal 30 receives the beacon signal from the courier distribution apparatus 20 itself or the beacon apparatuses 10 installed nearby , And selects a beacon signal corresponding to the library identification information (S330). As illustrated with reference to FIG. 2, each beacon device 10 is provided to correspond to each storage box, and one of the beacon devices 10 is selected from among the beacon signals from the beacon devices 10 . For example, if the storage box 001 is the selective storage box, the beacon signal from the beacon device installed in the storage box 001 is selected, and beacon information according to the selected beacon signal is generated.

The home exhaust terminal 30 provides beacon information (UUID, signal strength information, etc.) and an authentication key according to the selected beacon signal to the courier server 20 (S340). Here, the beacon signal from the beacon device 10 may include connection information (IP address, etc.) to the courier accommodating device 20, according to an example. Therefore, the home exhaust terminal 30 transmits the beacon information and the authentication key to the courier delivery device 20 using the access information of the beacon signal. According to another example, in step S320, the connection information for the courier delivery apparatus 20 may be received and used from the management server 50 in advance.

The courier delivery device 20 authenticates the location of the home exhaust terminal 30 via the received beacon information and verifies that the beacon information is one of the managed beacon devices 10, And recognizes the selected storage box according to the beacon device 10 (S350). Then, the courier delivery apparatus 20 transmits the authentication key received from the home exhaust terminal 30 to the management server 50 and requests authentication (S360). The management server 50 transmits the authentication key generated in S310 (S370), and provides the processing result to the courier delivery apparatus 20 (S380). Then, according to the received processing result, the courier delivery apparatus 20 unlocks the selected storage box when the authentication is successful (S390).

Here, according to another example, the parcel delivery terminal 30 transmits information on the signal strength of the received beacon signal to the courier delivery device 20 as beacon information, and the courier delivery device 20 transmits information on the signal strength May further be used for the location authentication as described above. Assuming that the beacon signal has a reception intensity of 10 to 12, for example, when it comes close to a certain distance (for example, within 5 meters) from the beacon device 10, Only the courier terminal 30 that has acquired the beacon signal is a method in which position authentication is successful. By using the signal strength of the beacon device 10 that can be obtained only when the courier article terminal 30 is actually located at the corresponding position, It is possible to prevent the case where the location authentication is performed using only the identification information of the terminal 10.

The authentication key and the storage identification information generated by the management server 50 are also provided to the resident terminal 40. The resident terminal 40 is also accessed to the courier distribution apparatus 20 in the same manner as the home exhaust terminal 30 , The corresponding container is opened and the goods can be received.

According to another example, when the delivery courier unit 20 opens the selection storage box and informs the management server 50 of receipt of the courier article, the management server 50 generates a new authentication key and transmits it to the resident terminal 40, . According to this, it is possible to prevent a security accident caused by the exposure of the authentication key by the courier, by changing the authentication key used at the time of goods receipt of the delivered goods and the authentication key used at the time of shipment (i.e., receipt of the resident). For example, when the selected courier box is opened and closed again, the courier delivery device 20 transmits a courier delivery completion message to the management server 50, and the management server 50 generates a new authentication key for receiving courier To the resident terminal (40), and the resident terminal (40) opens the selected storage box using the storage identification information and the new authentication key.

According to an example, the courier delivery apparatus 20 may provide the resident terminal 40 with an image of a selected storage room with a camera (not shown) provided when the optional storage box is opened through the management server 50. Therefore, the resident can confirm by video whether the courier goods he / she requested to be delivered are normally received in the storage box.

4 is a flowchart illustrating a procedure for confirming whether or not a courier delivery apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention is wearing a courier article.

4, the courier delivery device 20 receives the beacon signal from the beacon device 10 provided in the selected storage box and confirms the signal strength (S420) by opening the optional storage box (S410) . That is, as described above, at least one beacon device 10 is installed for each storage box. According to an example, each beacon device 10 may be provided inside the storage box (in particular, the inner rear surface or the bottom surface). According to this, when the courier article is received in the storage box, the beacon signal of the beacon device 10 is delivered or reflected by the courier article, and the beacon signal is transmitted to the signal receiver (not shown) provided outside the courier- The strength of the signal to be transmitted can be reduced. In other words, the courier delivery apparatus 20 has a signal receiver capable of receiving a beacon signal by itself, and confirms a change in signal intensity of the beacon signal received from the beacon apparatus 10 of the selective storage, If the above change is detected, it is recognized that the goods are delivered.

If the change in the signal intensity is greater than or equal to the threshold value, the change in the signal strength is determined as a receipt of the courier article (S440). If the change in the signal strength is equal to or less than the threshold value, The selected camera is driven to capture an optional storage (S450). According to an example, the photographed image may be analyzed to confirm whether or not a courier article exists in the selection box, and the confirmation result may be notified to the resident terminal 40 through the management server 50. [

The method for managing courier boxes using beacons according to the present invention can be implemented as computer-readable codes on a computer-readable recording medium. The computer-readable recording medium includes all kinds of recording media storing data that can be decoded by a computer system. For example, it may be a ROM (Read Only Memory), a RAM (Random Access Memory), a magnetic tape, a magnetic disk, a flash memory, an optical data storage device, or the like. In addition, the computer-readable recording medium may be distributed and executed in a computer system connected to a computer network, and may be stored and executed as a code readable in a distributed manner.

It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various modifications and variations can be made in the present invention without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention as defined in the appended claims. It will be understood that various modifications and changes may be made.

10: Beacon device
20: Home delivery device
30: Home delivery article terminal
40: Resident terminal
50: management server

Claims (10)

A courier dispenser having a plurality of storage compartments provided with locking means;
A plurality of beacon devices provided corresponding to the storage box at a place where the courier delivery device is installed to transmit a beacon signal having respective identification information;
A resident terminal requesting delivery of the courier service using the storage box;
A management server for generating an authentication key upon receipt of the delivery of the parcel, and storing the authentication key together with the library identification information for the selected library; And
The beacon information corresponding to any one of the beacon signals corresponding to the archive identification information among the beacon signals received from the plurality of beacon devices and the authentication key, And a courier terminal for allowing the courier box device to open a selection box according to the beacon information after authentication processing with the management server using the authentication key.
The method according to claim 1,
Wherein the courier terminal provides information on the signal strength of the received beacon signal to the courier delivery device as the beacon information and the courier delivery device authenticates the position of the courier article terminal using the beacon strength, Delivery Service Management System.
The method according to claim 1,
The courier delivery device transmits a courier delivery completion message to the management server when the selection storage box is opened and closed again,
The management server generates a new authentication key for receiving the courier and transmits the new authentication key to the resident terminal,
And the resident terminal opens the selection storage box using the storage identification information and the new authentication key.
The method according to claim 1,
Wherein the courier delivery device provides the resident terminal with an image of the selection storage box photographed by the camera provided when the selection storage box is opened through the management server.
The method according to claim 1,
The beacon device is provided in a storage box,
Wherein the courier delivery device determines whether or not a courier item exists in the deposit box using the signal strength of the beacon signal received from the beacon device, and provides the determination result to the management server.
A method for managing a courier box performed at a courier terminal,
An authentication key generated by the management server, and an archive key for a selected archive selected from a plurality of archives;
A beacon signal corresponding to the storage box identification information among the beacon signals received from the plurality of beacon apparatuses corresponding to the storage box where the courier box apparatus having a plurality of storage boxes is installed, ; And
And transmitting the beacon information according to the selected beacon signal and the authentication key to the courier delivery device so that the courier delivery device inquires of the management server to process authentication according to the authentication key to open the selection storage box How to manage your courier box.
A courier container management method performed in a courier container device having a plurality of beacon devices corresponding to respective storage boxes
From among the plurality of beacon devices, a beacon signal corresponding to the storage box identification information from the courier terminal that has acquired the storage box identification information for the selected storage box selected from the authentication key and the plurality of storage boxes generated at the management server Receiving the beacon information and the authentication key;
Transmitting the authentication key to the management server to request authentication; And
And opening the selection storage box according to the beacon information if authentication success is confirmed from the management server.
The method of claim 7,
Further comprising checking a change in signal intensity of a beacon signal received from a beacon device provided in the selected storage box to check whether a courier item exists in the selected storage box.
The method of claim 7,
Further comprising the step of, when the selection storage box is opened, transmitting an image of the selection storage box to the management server using a camera provided.
A recording medium in which a program for carrying out the method according to any one of claims 6 to 9 is recorded so as to be read by a computer.

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