Patents by Inventor Eric Fiest
Eric Fiest has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).
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Patent number: 9613484Abstract: Described herein are a robotic distribution apparatus, system and method. The robotic distribution system may include a Package Delivery Kiosk (PDK), associated front end and back end package delivery management systems, portals for the consumer and the retailer, portals for the common carrier, sender, and recipient, a package inventory management system, integrated retailer access, a real and automated retailer bidding system and a kiosk for distribution. The PDK includes a distribution kiosk and shelving system. The kiosk and shelving system includes configurable shelves and dividers to enable access to the packages. The shelving system handles packages from a robotic placement mechanism and includes shelves that have receiving apertures. The shelving system further includes dividers that fit into the receiving apertures. Each of the dividers has a receiving slot that allows a robotic gripper arm to grab or handle a package with respect to a slot between a pair of dividers.Type: GrantFiled: July 31, 2012Date of Patent: April 4, 2017Assignee: Flextronics AP, LLCInventors: Stephen H. Hancock, Norman B. Desrosiers, Eric Fiest, John Rupert
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Patent number: 9390576Abstract: Described herein are a robotic distribution apparatus, system and method. The robotic distribution system may include a Package Delivery Kiosk (PDK), associated frontend and backend package delivery management systems, a package inventory management system. The PDK includes a Robotic Package Lifting Assembly which may be configured to remember the location of packages and slots and provide for automated retrieval and placement of the packages. In an embodiment, a package retrieving apparatus includes a track, a base slidably interconnected with the track, and a vertical support interconnected with the base. The apparatus includes a package picker module oriented on the vertical support to vertically move on the vertical support. The package picker module including a conveyer belt oriented in a plane parallel to the ground and first and second grippers oriented parallel to the conveyer belt to surround and grip an object beyond the surface of the conveyer belt.Type: GrantFiled: July 31, 2012Date of Patent: July 12, 2016Assignee: Flextronics, AP LLCInventors: Stephen H. Hancock, Norman B. Desrosiers, Eric Fiest, John Rupert
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Patent number: 8972041Abstract: Described herein is a package delivery kiosk (PDK) including an integrated robotic package lifting assembly and shelving system. The system includes a PDK, associated front end and back end package delivery management systems, including portals for the consumer, retailer, common carrier, sender, and recipient, a package inventory management system, integrated retailer access, and a real and automated retailer bidding system. The shelving system has shelves with receiving apertures and dividers configured to fit into the receiving apertures, where the dividers each have a receiving slot. A package retrieving apparatus includes a base, a vertical support interconnected with the base, and a package picker module. The package picker module is oriented to move up and down on the vertical support. The package picker module includes grippers configured to surround and grip the object. A kiosk includes a kiosk body having a package delivery slot and an interface slot.Type: GrantFiled: July 31, 2012Date of Patent: March 3, 2015Assignee: Flextronics AP, LLCInventors: Stephen H. Hancock, Norman B. Desrosiers, Eric Fiest, John Rupert
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Patent number: 8857709Abstract: Described herein are an automatic package delivery and retrieval apparatus, system and method. The automatic package delivery and retrieval includes a Package Delivery Kiosk (PDK), associated front end and back end package delivery management systems, portals for the consumer and the retailer, portals for the common carrier, sender, and recipient, a package inventory management system, integrated retailer access, a real and automated retailer bidding system and a kiosk for distribution. In one embodiment, a system for automated package retrieval and delivery includes a kiosk, package retrieval apparatus, and various computing systems for running the systems. A method for providing packages to customers includes providing a notification with a code to a user that a package is available for retrieval. The method includes storing a package in the kiosk. The method further includes receiving the code from a user at the kiosk and retrieving the package with the automatic retrieval mechanism.Type: GrantFiled: July 31, 2012Date of Patent: October 14, 2014Assignee: Flextronics AP, LLCInventors: Stephen H. Hancock, Norman B. Desrosiers, Eric Fiest, John Rupert
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Publication number: 20140039998Abstract: Described herein are an on demand kiosk commerce system and method. The on demand kiosk commerce system and method may include a Package Delivery Kiosk (PDK), associated front end and back end package delivery management systems, portals for the consumer and the retailer, portals for the common carrier, sender, and recipient, a package inventory management system, integrated retailer access, a real and automated retailer bidding system and a kiosk for distribution. A system for fulfilling customer orders includes an Internet accessed shopping site that permits customers to purchase a product and a product fulfillment page that allows a customer to choose among fulfillment choices including common carrier delivery and kiosk pickup. The system includes kiosks for fulfilling the kiosk pickup choice, each of the kiosks being an automatic purchase fulfillment center. The system for rapid fulfillment may include an order for immediate pickup button as part of a web interface.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 31, 2012Publication date: February 6, 2014Applicant: FLEXTRONICS AP, LLCInventors: Stephen H. Hancock, Norman B. Desrosiers, Eric Fiest, John Rupert
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Publication number: 20140034727Abstract: Described herein are an automatic package delivery and retrieval apparatus, system and method. The automatic package delivery and retrieval includes a Package Delivery Kiosk (PDK), associated front end and back end package delivery management systems, portals for the consumer and the retailer, portals for the common carrier, sender, and recipient, a package inventory management system, integrated retailer access, a real and automated retailer bidding system and a kiosk for distribution. In one embodiment, a system for automated package retrieval and delivery includes a kiosk, package retrieval apparatus, and various computing systems for running the systems. A method for providing packages to customers includes providing a notification with a code to a user that a package is available for retrieval. The method includes storing a package in the kiosk. The method further includes receiving the code from a user at the kiosk and retrieving the package with the automatic retrieval mechanism.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 31, 2012Publication date: February 6, 2014Applicant: FLEXTRONICS AP, LLCInventors: Stephen H. Hancock, Norman B. Desrosiers, Eric Fiest, John Rupert
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Publication number: 20140034589Abstract: Described herein are a robotic distribution apparatus, system and method. The robotic distribution system may include a Package Delivery Kiosk (PDK), associated front end and back end package delivery management systems, portals for the consumer and the retailer, portals for the common carrier, sender, and recipient, a package inventory management system, integrated retailer access, a real and automated retailer bidding system and a kiosk for distribution. The PDK includes a distribution kiosk and shelving system. The kiosk and shelving system includes configurable shelves and dividers to enable access to the packages. The shelving system handles packages from a robotic placement mechanism and includes shelves that have receiving apertures. The shelving system further includes dividers that fit into the receiving apertures. Each of the dividers has a receiving slot that allows a robotic gripper arm to grab or handle a package with respect to a slot between a pair of dividers.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 31, 2012Publication date: February 6, 2014Applicant: FLEXTRONICS AP, LLCInventors: Stephen H. Hancock, Norman B. Desrosiers, Eric Fiest, John Rupert
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Publication number: 20140037404Abstract: Described herein is a package delivery kiosk (PDK) including an integrated robotic package lifting assembly and shelving system. The system includes a PDK, associated front end and back end package delivery management systems, including portals for the consumer, retailer, common carrier, sender, and recipient, a package inventory management system, integrated retailer access, and a real and automated retailer bidding system. The shelving system has shelves with receiving apertures and dividers configured to fit into the receiving apertures, where the dividers each have a receiving slot. A package retrieving apparatus includes a base, a vertical support interconnected with the base, and a package picker module. The package picker module is oriented to move up and down on the vertical support. The package picker module includes grippers configured to surround and grip the object. A kiosk includes a kiosk body having a package delivery slot and an interface slot.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 31, 2012Publication date: February 6, 2014Applicant: FLEXTRONICS AP, LLCInventors: Stephen H. Hancock, Norman B. Desrosiers, Eric Fiest, John Rupert
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Publication number: 20140037417Abstract: Described herein are a robotic distribution apparatus, system and method. The robotic distribution system may include a Package Delivery Kiosk (PDK), associated frontend and backend package delivery management systems, a package inventory management system. The PDK includes a Robotic Package Lifting Assembly which may be configured to remember the location of packages and slots and provide for automated retrieval and placement of the packages. In an embodiment, a package retrieving apparatus includes a track, a base slidably interconnected with the track, and a vertical support interconnected with the base. The apparatus includes a package picker module oriented on the vertical support to vertically move on the vertical support. The package picker module including a conveyer belt oriented in a plane parallel to the ground and first and second grippers oriented parallel to the conveyer belt to surround and grip an object beyond the surface of the conveyer belt.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 31, 2012Publication date: February 6, 2014Applicant: FLEXTRONICS AP, LLCInventors: Stephen H. Hancock, Norman B. Desrosiers, Eric Fiest, John Rupert