Enhanced delivery management methods, apparatus, and systems for a shipped item using a mobile node-enabled logistics receptacle

1 . A method for enhanced delivery management of an item being shipped using a mobile node-enabled logistics receptacle operative to temporarily maintain custody of the item within one of a plurality of storage area portions of the mobile node-enabled logistics receptacle, the method comprising:

detecting, by the mobile node-enabled logistics receptacle, a signal broadcast from a node associated with the item wherein at least a portion of the detected signal comprises broadcast data indicating shipping information for the item and wherein the signal is broadcast from the node associated with the item while the node is present with the item within the one of the plurality of storage area portions;

identifying, by the mobile node-enabled logistics receptacle, an intended delivery location associated with the item that comprises a location of a delivery location node;

detecting a current location of the mobile node-enabled logistics receptacle;

identifying, by the mobile node-enabled logistics receptacle based on the shipping information from the detected signal, the storage area portion that contains the item; and

automatically and selectively releasing, by the mobile node-enabled logistics receptacle, the item from the identified storage area portion of the mobile node-enabled logistics receptacle based upon the detected current location of the mobile node-enabled logistics receptacle and the location of the delivery location node, wherein the step of selectively releasing the item further comprises selectively articulating a lockable element on the mobile node-enabled logistics receptacle to cause the item to separate from the mobile node-enabled logistics receptacle and wherein the lockable element comprises one or more articulating grips holding the item in a secure configuration in a closed state but releasing the item from the secure configuration in an open state.

2 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the delivery location node is disposed stationary relative to the location of the delivery location node.

3 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the delivery location node comprises a facility master node associated with a facility mail room.

4 . The method of claim 1 further comprising establishing a secure connection to the node associated with the item.

5 . The method of claim 4 , wherein the secure connection comprises an encrypted exchange of the shipping information.

6 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the selectively releasing step further comprises:

comparing, by the mobile node-enabled logistics receptacle, the detected current location of the mobile node-enabled logistics receptacle to the identified intended delivery location; and

releasing, by the mobile node-enabled logistics receptacle, the item from a storage area within the mobile node-enabled logistics receptacle based upon the comparison of the detected current location of the mobile node-enabled logistics receptacle to the identified intended delivery location.

7 . The method of claim 6 , wherein the releasing step further comprises releasing, by the mobile node-enabled logistics receptacle, the item from the storage area when the comparison of the detected current location of the mobile node-enabled logistics receptacle to the identified intended delivery location indicates the detected current location of the mobile node-enabled logistics receptacle is within a threshold proximity area associated with the intended delivery location.

8 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the selectively releasing step further comprises:

establishing a validation connection with the delivery location node to authorize releasing the item; and

releasing, by the mobile node-enabled logistics receptacle, the item from within the mobile node-enabled logistics receptacle based upon the detected current location of the mobile node-enabled logistics receptacle and the location of the delivery location node and after establishing the validation connection.

9 . The method of claim 8 , wherein the step of establishing the validation connection further comprises establishing a secure validation connection with the delivery location node.

10 . The method of claim 8 , wherein the validation connection comprises at least one of a prompted connection with the delivery location node and a preauthorized connection between the mobile node-enabled logistics receptacle and the delivery location node.

11 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the selectively releasing step further comprises:

determining, by the mobile node-enabled logistics receptacle, a proximity distance between the detected current location of the mobile node-enabled logistics receptacle and the identified intended delivery location; and

actuating, by the mobile node-enabled logistics receptacle, a lockable opening to a storage area on the mobile node-enabled logistics receptacle to release the item based upon the determined proximity distance.

12 . The method of claim 11 , wherein the actuating step further automatically unlocking, by the mobile node-enabled logistics receptacle, the lockable opening to a storage area on the mobile node-enabled logistics receptacle to release the item when the determined proximity distance is less than a threshold proximity distance.

13 . The method of claim 12 , wherein the step of automatically unlocking further comprises

identifying the one of the storage area portions that maintains the item;

automatically, when the determined proximity distance is less than the threshold proximity distance, unlocking an access opening to the identified one of the storage area portions to provide delivery access to the item.

14 . The method of claim 13 , further comprising maintaining a locked state for other storage area portions not identified as the one of the storage area portions that maintains the item.

15 . The method of claim 1 further comprising the step of receiving, by the mobile node-enabled logistics receptacle, a delivery location signal broadcast from the delivery location node; and

wherein the selectively releasing step comprises automatically unlocking, by the mobile node-enabled logistics receptacle, an opening to the one of the storage area portions maintaining the item after receiving the delivery location signal.

16 . The method of claim 15 further comprising establishing a secure connection to the delivery location node.

17 . The method of claim 15 further comprising maintaining a locked state for other storage area portions not identified as the one of the storage area portions that maintains the item.

18 . The method of claim 1 further comprising generating an alert related to releasing the item from the mobile node-enabled logistics receptacle.

19 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the selectively releasing step further comprises:

establishing, by the mobile node-enabled logistics receptacle, a validation connection with the delivery location node to authorize releasing the item; and

releasing, by the mobile node-enabled logistics receptacle, the item from within the mobile node-enabled logistics receptacle based upon the detected current location of the mobile node-enabled logistics receptacle and the location of the delivery location node and after successfully establishing the validation connection.

20 . The method of claim 19 , wherein the validation connection further comprises a secure validation connection with the delivery location node.

21 . The method of claim 19 , wherein the establishing step further comprises establishing an active prompted connection between the mobile node-enabled logistics receptacle and the delivery location node to receive a prompted authorization release acknowledgement from the delivery location node in order to authorize releasing the item.

22 . The method of claim 19 , wherein the establishing step further comprises establishing a preauthorized connection between the mobile node-enabled logistics receptacle and the delivery location node to automatically authorize releasing the item.

23 . The method of claim 22 , wherein establishing the preauthorized connection further comprises establishing the preauthorized connection between the mobile node-enabled logistics receptacle and the delivery location node to automatically authorize releasing the item based upon a previously authorized release validation condition that occurs automatically when the mobile node-enabled logistics receptacle detects a signal broadcast as an advertising signal from the delivery location node.