Systems and Methods of Controlling Product Temperatures During Delivery

1 . A system for controlling temperature in a delivery container, the system comprising:

a delivery container comprising:

an internal compartment; and

a delivery control circuit coupled to internal compartment; and

a configuration control circuit coupled to the delivery container, the configuration control circuit configured to:

identify a product for delivery in the internal compartment;

determine an optimum delivery temperature for the identified product; and

initially configure the internal compartment to provide the optimum delivery temperature for the identified product,

wherein the delivery control circuit is configured to maintain the optimum delivery temperature in the internal compartment during delivery of the identified product.

2 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the delivery control circuit maintains the optimum delivery temperature in the internal compartment during delivery by adjusting a rate of heat transfer in the internal compartment in response to at least one of a change in temperature in the internal compartment and one or more external environmental factors.

3 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the delivery container further comprises a vent system, and the delivery control circuit maintains the optimum delivery temperature in the internal compartment during delivery by adjusting the vent system in response to at least one of a change in temperature in the internal compartment and one or more external environmental factors.

4 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the delivery control circuit maintains the optimum delivery temperature in the internal compartment during delivery by rotating the delivery container from a first position to a second position during delivery in response to at least one of a change in temperature in the internal compartment and one or more external environmental factors.

5 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the delivery control circuit is configured to obtain at least one of an external temperature of the delivery container during delivery and weather data proximate to an expected delivery route for the delivery container, and the delivery control circuit maintains the optimum delivery temperature in the internal compartment during delivery by considering at least one of the obtained external temperature of the delivery container during delivery and the obtained weather data proximate to the expected delivery route.

6 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the configuration control circuit is further configured to cause the internal compartment to pre-cool or pre-heat to a predetermined temperature based on at least one of an expected delivery time and expected weather data proximate to an expected delivery route for the delivery container.

7 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the delivery container comprises a first internal compartment thermally coupled to a second internal compartment, and the first and second internal compartments are capable of maintaining different optimum temperatures for different identified products.

8 . The system of claim 7 , wherein the delivery container control circuit maintains the optimum delivery temperatures in the first and second internal compartments during delivery by reconfiguring the first and second internal compartments from a first physical configuration to a second physical configuration during delivery in response to at least one of a change in temperature in the first and/or second internal compartment and one or more external environmental factors.

9 . The system of claim 7 , wherein the first internal compartment has a first optimum temperature and the second internal compartment has a second optimum temperature that is higher than the first optimum temperature, and the delivery control circuit maintains the first and second optimum temperatures by directing heat from the first internal compartment to the second internal compartment in response to at least one of a change in temperature in the first and/or second internal compartment and one or more external environmental factors.

10 . The system of claim 7 , wherein the first and second internal compartments are separated by a thermoelectric plate.

11 . A method for controlling temperature in a delivery container, the method comprising:

automatically identifying a product for delivery in an internal compartment of a delivery container;

determining an optimum delivery temperature for the identified product;

configuring the internal compartment to provide the optimum delivery temperature for the identified product; and

maintaining the optimum delivery temperature in the internal compartment during delivery of the identified product.

12 . The method of claim 11 , wherein maintaining the optimum delivery temperature in the internal compartment during delivery is achieved by adjusting a rate of heat transfer in the internal compartment in response to at least one of a change in temperature in the internal compartment and one or more external environmental factors.

13 . The method of claim 11 , wherein the maintaining the optimum delivery temperature in the internal compartment during delivery is achieved by venting the internal compartment in response to at least one of a change in temperature in the internal compartment and one or more external environmental factors.

14 . The method of claim 11 , wherein the maintaining the optimum delivery temperature in the internal compartment during delivery is achieved by rotating the delivery container from a first position to a second position during delivery in response to at least one of a change in temperature in the internal compartment and one or more external environmental factors.

15 . The method of claim 11 , further comprising obtaining at least one of an external temperature of the delivery container during delivery and weather data proximate to an expected delivery route for the delivery container, and the maintaining the optimum delivery temperature in the internal compartment during delivery is achieved by considering at least one of the obtained external temperature of the delivery container during delivery and the obtained weather data proximate to the expected delivery route.

16 . The method of claim 11 , further comprising pre-cooling or pre-heating the internal compartment to a predetermined temperature based on at least one of an expected delivery time and expected weather data proximate to an expected delivery route for the delivery container.

17 . The method of claim 11 , wherein the delivery container comprises a first internal compartment thermally coupled to a second internal compartment, and the first and second internal compartments are capable of maintaining different optimum temperatures for different identified products.

18 . The method of claim 17 , wherein the maintaining the optimum delivery temperatures in the first and second internal compartments during delivery is achieved by automatically reconfiguring the first and second internal compartments from a first physical configuration to a second physical configuration during delivery in response to at least one of a change in temperature in the first and/or second internal compartment and one or more external environmental factors.

19 . The method of claim 17 , wherein the first internal compartment has a first optimum temperature and the second internal compartment has a second optimum temperature that is higher than the first optimum temperature, and the maintaining the first and second optimum temperatures is achieved by directing heat from the first internal compartment to the second internal compartment in response to at least one of a change in temperature in the first and/or second internal compartment and one or more external environmental factors.

20 . The method of claim 17 , wherein the first and second internal compartments are separated by a thermoelectric plate.