IP Library Granted Patent US 11,995,928
Granted Patent B2
US 11,995,928 · App. 17/418,031 · Granted May 28, 2024

Control device, system, and method

Inventor: Toshiaki Tazume (Tokyo, JP)
Assignee: Rakuten Group, Inc.
G07C9/00309G05B15/02G07C9/00896
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 11,995,928
App. No.
17/418,031
Granted
May 28, 2024
Kind
B2
Abstract

A control device ( 100 ) controls a locker that includes a storage unit that stores an article. Additionally, the control device ( 100 ) includes a forbidder ( 160 ) that forbids unlocking of the storage unit in at least one of a case in which content associated with the article has not been watched, a case in which the content has not been listened to, or a case in which the content has neither been watched nor listened to by a user that performs an operation for unlocking the storage unit.

Claims (64)

1. A control device comprising:

at least one memory storing program code; and

at least one processor operable to read the program code and operate as instructed by the program code, wherein

the program code includes:

instructing code configured to cause the at least one processor, in a case in which content associated with an article stored in a storage unit of a locker has not been watched or a case in which the content has neither been watched nor listened to by a user that performs an operation for unlocking the storage unit, to instruct the user to perform either (a) watching the content or (b) (i) watching and (ii) listening to the content;

outputting code configured to cause the at least one processor to output the content;

detecting code configured to cause the at least one processor to detect at least one of (a) that the outputted content has been watched or (b) that the content has been (i) watched and (ii) listened to by the user;

allowing code configured to cause the at least one processor to allow unlocking of the storage unit in (a) a case in which it is detected that the content has been watched or (b) a case in which it is detected that the content has been (i) watched and (ii) listened to; and

forbidding code configured to: cause the at least one processor to forbid the unlocking in (a) a case in which it is not detected that the content has been watched or (b) a case in which it is not detected that the content has been (i) watched and (ii) listened to,

the program code further includes acquiring code configured to cause the at least one processor to acquire an image of the user, and

the detecting code is configured to cause the at least one processor to

detect, based on the acquired image, a line of sight of the user, and

detect, based on the detected line of sight, that the outputted content has been watched by the user.

2. The control device according to claim 1 , wherein

the program code further includes a-storing code configured to cause the at least one processor, in (a) the case in which it is detected that the content has been watched, or (b) the case in which it is detected that the content has been (i) watched and (ii) listened to by the user, to associate information identifying the user with information identifying the content stored in a storage in association with information identifying the article, and to store the associated information,

the forbidding code is configured to cause the at least one processor to forbid the unlocking when the information identifying the user is not associated with the information identifying the content, and

the allowing code is configured to cause the at least one processor to allow the unlocking when the information identifying the user is associated with the information identifying the content.

3. The control device according to claim 2 , wherein

the outputting code is configured to cause the at least one processor to output a question related to the outputted content,

the detecting code is configured to cause the at least one processor to detect the at least one of that the content has been watched or that the content has been listened to when an answer of the user to the outputted question is a correct answer, and

the storing code is configured to cause the at least one processor, in at least one of (a) the case in which it is detected that the content has been watched, (b) the case in which it is detected that the content has been (i) watched and (ii) listened to, and (c) a case in which it is detected that the content has been listened to by the user, to associate the information identifying the user with the information identifying the content.

4. The control device according to claim 2 , wherein the forbidding code is configured to, when a first article that is the article and a second article that is an article different than the first article are stored in the locker, cause the at least one processor to forbid the unlocking in at least one of a case in which content that is associated with the first article and the second article and that includes a precaution related to a combination of the first article and the second article has not been watched, a case in which the content has not been listened to, or a case in which the content has neither been watched nor listened to by the user.

5. The control device according to claim 1 , wherein

the outputting code is configured to cause the at least one processor to output a question related to the outputted content,

the detecting code is configured to cause the at least one processor to detect the at least one of that the content has been watched or that the content has been listened to when an answer of the user to the outputted question is a correct answer, and

the allowing code is configured to cause the at least one processor to allow the unlocking in at least one of (a) the case in which it is detected that the content has been watched, (b) the case in which it is detected that the content has been (i) watched and (ii) listened to, or (c) a case in which it is detected that the content has been listened to by the user.

6. The control device according to claim 1 , wherein the forbidding code is configured to, when a first article that is the article and a second article that is an article different than the first article are stored in the locker, cause the at least one processor to forbid the unlocking in at least one of a case in which content that is associated with the first article and the second article and that includes a precaution related to a combination of the first article and the second article has not been watched, a case in which the content has not been listened to, or a case in which the content has neither been watched nor listened to by the user.

7. The control device according to claim 1 , wherein

the content associated with the article is content that includes a precaution related to the article.

8. The control device according to claim 1 , wherein

the content associated with the article includes at least one of a precaution for use of the article, a precaution for storage of the article, or a precaution for transportation of the article.

9. The control device according to claim 1 , wherein

the content associated with the article is content that includes explanations related to the article, and

the explanations related to the article includes at least one of an explanation about how to transport the article, an explanation about how to store the article, or an explanation about how to use the article.

10. The control device according to claim 1 , further comprising a communication circuit configured to

receive, from the locker, unlock permission inquiry that inquires whether or not to allow the storage unit to be unlocked in accordance with the operation of the user, and

transmit, to the locker, a forbid unlocking command that forbids the storage unit to be unlocked, when the unlocking of the storage unit is forbidden by the at least one processor.

11. The control device according to claim 1 , further comprising a communication circuit configured to

receive, from the locker, an unlock permission inquiry that inquires whether or not to allow the storage unit to be unlocked in accordance with the operation of the user, and

transmit, to the locker, an allow unlocking notification that allows the storage unit to be unlocked, when the unlocking of the storage unit is allowed by the at least one processor.

12. A system comprising:

a locker that includes a storage unit configured to store an article;

at least one memory storing program code; and

at least one processor operable to read the program code and operate as instructed by the program code, wherein the program code includes:

forbidding code configured to, when a first article that is the article and a second article that is an article different than the first article are stored in the locker, cause the at least one processor to forbid unlocking of the storage unit in at least one of a case in which content that is associated with the first article and the second article and that includes a precaution related to a combination of the first article and the second article has not been watched, a case in which the content has not been listened to, a case in which the content has neither been watched nor listened to by a user that performs an operation for unlocking the storage unit of the locker, the storage unit storing the first article and the second article.

13. A control device comprising:

at least one memory storing program code; and

at least one processor operable to read the program code and operate as instructed by the program code, wherein the program code includes:

forbidding code configured to, when a first article and a second article that is an article different than the first article are stored in a locker, cause the at least one processor to forbid unlocking of a storage unit in at least one of a case in which content that is associated with the first article and the second article and that includes a precaution related to a combination of the first article and the second article has not been watched, a case in which the content has not been listened to, or a case in which the content has neither been watched nor listened to by a user that performs an operation for unlocking the storage unit of the locker, the storage unit storing the first article and the second article.

14. The control device according to claim 13 , wherein

the program code further includes allowing code configured to cause the at least one processor to allow the unlocking in at least one of a case in which the content has been watched, a case in which the content has been listened to, or a case in which the content has been watched and listened to by the user.

15. The control device according to claim 14 , wherein

the program code further includes storing code configured to cause the at least one processor, in at least one of the case in which the content has been watched, the case in which the content has been listened to, or the case in which the content has been watched and listened to by the user, to associate information identifying the user with information identifying the content stored in a storage in association with information identifying the article, and to store the associated information,

the forbidding code is configured to cause the at least one processor to forbid the unlocking when the information identifying the user is not associated with the information identifying the content, and

the allowing code is configured to cause the at least one processor to allow the unlocking when the information identifying the user is associated with the information identifying the content.

16. The control device according to claim 14 , wherein

the program code further includes:

instructing code configured to cause the at least one processor to instruct the user to perform at least one of watching the content or listening to the content in at least one of the case in which the content has not been watched, the case in which the content has not been listened to, or the case in which the content has neither been watched nor listened to;

outputting code configured to cause the at least one processor to output the content; and

detecting code configured to cause the at least one processor to detect at least one of that the outputted content has been watched or that the content has been listened to by the user, and

the allowing code is configured to cause the at least one processor to allow the unlocking when the at least one is detected.

17. The control device according to claim 16 , wherein

the outputting code is configured to cause the at least one processor to output a question related to the outputted content, and

the detecting code is configured to cause the at least one processor to detect the at least one of that the content has been watched or that the content has been listened to when an answer of the user to the outputted question is a correct answer.

Assignments (2)
CHANGE OF NAME Recorded Mar 8, 2024
From: RAKUTEN, INC.
To: RAKUTEN GROUP, INC.
Reel/Frame 066766/0326 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jun 28, 2021
From: TAZUME, TOSHIAKI
To: RAKUTEN, INC.
Reel/Frame 056698/0401 →
Continuity (1)
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