Remote trigger for security system
Techniques for automatically securing receptacles of a retailer via an electronic lock include receiving a user request to reserve a receptacle, selecting a suitable receptacle based on one or more conditions, some of which may be specified by the user, and transmitting an electronic locking signal to secure, and thereby reserve, the selected receptacle. An association between the reserved receptacle and the user is stored, and the user is electronically notified. Subsequently, an electronic signal indicative of the identification of the user (or of the user's agent) is locally received. Upon determination that the user is expected and associated with the reserved receptacle, the techniques include causing an electronic unlocking signal to be transmitted to the electronic lock, thereby unlocking the receptacle. Further subsequently, upon receiving an electronic locking instruction, the receptacle may automatically be secured via its corresponding electronic lock, and a retailer agent may be electronically notified.
1. A method of automatically securing receptacles associated with an enterprise, the method comprising:
receiving, via a wireless local interface associated with a security system, a wireless electronic signal directly delivered between a personal electronic device (PED) operated by an agent of a customer and the wireless local interface, the wireless local interface disposed at a location at which a plurality of receptacles associated with the enterprise is situated and secured by a plurality of electronic locks, and the PED located within wireless transmission range of a wireless transceiver of the wireless local interface;
determining, by one or more processors of the security system, an identity of the agent of the customer and a particular receptacle, of the plurality of receptacles, that corresponds to the agent and into which an item corresponding to the customer has been received, the determination based on the received electronic signal and stored data that is indicative of interactions of the customer with the enterprise; and
transmitting, via one or more communication interfaces communicatively connecting the security system with the plurality of electronic locks, a deactivating instruction to a particular electronic lock securing the particular receptacle, thereby unsecuring the particular receptacle.
2. The method of claim 1 ,
further comprising storing, in one or more data storage devices, associations between the plurality of receptacles and corresponding customers; and
wherein the determining of the identity of the agent of the customer and the particular receptacle into which the item corresponding to the customer has been received is based on the stored associations.
3. The method of claim 1 , further comprising, prior to the receiving of the wireless electronic signal, transmitting an activating instruction to the particular electronic lock thereby securing the particular receptacle into which the item has been received.
4. The method of claim 3 , wherein the securing of the particular receptacle is based on a signal generated by a sensor, the signal indicating that the item has been received into the particular receptacle.
5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the unsecuring of the particular receptacle is for a retrieval of the item from the particular receptacle, and the method further comprises re-securing the particular receptacle after the item has been retrieved from the particular receptacle.
6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the determining of the identity of the agent of the customer is based on an access code.
7. The method of claim 1 , further comprising determining, by the one or more processors and based on the identity of the agent of the customer, whether the agent is an expected agent of the customer, and wherein the transmitting of the deactivating instruction is responsive to determining that the agent of the customer is the expected agent of the customer.
8. The method of claim 1 , wherein the particular electronic lock secures an agent-facing access mechanism of the particular receptacle, and the particular receptacle further includes an enterprise-facing access mechanism.
9. The method of claim 8 , wherein the enterprise-facing access mechanism of the particular receptacle is secured by a respective electronic lock, and the method further comprises transmitting at least one of an activating instruction or a deactivating instruction to the respective electronic lock, thereby respectively at least one of securing or unsecuring the enterprise-facing access mechanism of the particular receptacle.
10. A system for automatically securing receptacles associated with an enterprise, the system comprising:
one or more communication interfaces communicatively connecting the system to a plurality of electronic locks securing a plurality of receptacles associated with the enterprise;
one or more processors; and
one or more tangible, non-transitory computer-readable media storing computer-readable instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the system to:
receive a wireless electronic signal directly delivered between a personal electronic device (PED) operated by an agent of a customer and a wireless local interface disposed at a location at which the plurality of receptacles associated with the enterprise is situated, the PED located within wireless transmission range of a wireless transceiver of the wireless local interface;
determine, based on the wireless electronic signal, an identity of the agent of the customer and a particular receptacle, of the plurality of receptacles, that corresponds to the agent and into which an item corresponding to the customer has been received, the determination further based on stored data that is indicative of interactions of the customer with the enterprise; and
transmit, via the one or more communication interfaces, a deactivating instruction to a particular electronic lock securing the particular receptacle, thereby unsecuring the particular receptacle.
11. The system of claim 10 , further comprising one or more data storage devices storing associations between the plurality of receptacles and corresponding customers, and wherein the determination of the identity of the agent of the customer is based on the stored associations.
12. The system of claim 10 , wherein the computer-readable instructions are further executable to:
prior to the reception of the wireless electronic signal, transmit an activating instruction to the particular electronic lock to thereby secure the particular receptacle into which the item has been received.
13. The system of claim 12 , wherein the transmission of the activating instruction is based on a signal generated by a sensor, the signal indicating that the item has been received into the particular receptacle.
14. The system of claim 10 , wherein the unsecuring of the particular receptacle is for a retrieval of the item from the particular receptacle, and the computer-readable instructions are further executable to re-secure the particular receptacle after the item has been retrieved from the particular receptacle.
15. The system of claim 10 , wherein the determination of the identity of the agent of the customer is based on an access code.
16. The system of claim 10 , wherein:
the computer-readable instructions are further executable to determine, based on the identity of the agent of the customer, whether the agent is an expected agent of the customer; and
the transmission of the deactivating instruction is responsive to a determination that the agent of the customer is the expected agent of the customer.
17. The system of claim 10 , wherein the particular electronic lock secures an agent-facing access mechanism of the particular receptacle, and the particular receptacle further includes an enterprise-facing access mechanism.
18. The system of claim 17 , further comprising a respective electronic lock securing the enterprise-facing access mechanism of the particular receptacle.