Patents by Inventor Melissa M. Wacha

Melissa M. Wacha 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).

  • Patent number: 11810414
    Abstract: Systems, apparatuses, and methods are provided herein for user access to smart locks at a retail shopping facility. In one embodiment, a system for user access to smart locks at a retail shopping facility includes an access member, a smart lock securing the access member, and a control circuit. The control circuit configured to receive authentication data from the user interface device; determine whether the authentication data matches within a threshold of stored authentication data associated with a profile stored in a database; determine that the user is a trusted user based on the determination that the authentication data matches with the stored authentication data within the threshold; and provide an optical key to the user interface device, wherein the smart lock is configured to unlock the access member in response to receiving the optical key from the user interface device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 20, 2022
    Date of Patent: November 7, 2023
    Assignee: WALMART APOLLO, LLC
    Inventors: Robert J. Taylor, Jeffrey D. Franklin, Melissa M. Wacha, Mark McCrary
  • Publication number: 20220358803
    Abstract: Systems, apparatuses, and methods are provided herein for user access to smart locks at a retail shopping facility. In one embodiment, a system for user access to smart locks at a retail shopping facility includes an access member, a smart lock securing the access member, and a control circuit. The control circuit configured to receive authentication data from the user interface device; determine whether the authentication data matches within a threshold of stored authentication data associated with a profile stored in a database; determine that the user is a trusted user based on the determination that the authentication data matches with the stored authentication data within the threshold; and provide an optical key to the user interface device, wherein the smart lock is configured to unlock the access member in response to receiving the optical key from the user interface device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 20, 2022
    Publication date: November 10, 2022
    Inventors: Robert J. Taylor, Jeffrey D. Franklin, Melissa M. Wacha, Mark McCrary
  • Publication number: 20210110624
    Abstract: Systems, apparatuses, and methods are provided herein for determining and executing trusted user access. In one embodiment, a system for determining and executing trusted user access for smart locks at a retail shopping facility includes an access member, a smart lock securing the access member, a user interface device, and a control circuit coupled to the user interface device. The control circuit being configured to determine whether a user is a trusted user based on a determination that authentication data matches with stored authentication data within a threshold accuracy, and provide an optical key to the user interface device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 22, 2020
    Publication date: April 15, 2021
    Inventors: Robert J. Taylor, Jeffrey D. Franklin, Melissa M. Wacha, Mark McCrary
  • Publication number: 20200327760
    Abstract: Systems, apparatuses, and methods are provided herein for determining and executing trusted customer access. In one embodiment, a system for determining and executing trusted customer access for smart locks at a retail shopping facility includes an access door, a smart lock securing the access door, a user interface device, and a control circuit coupled to the user interface device. The control circuit being configured to determine whether a user is a trusted user based on a determination that authentication data matches with stored authentication data within a threshold accuracy, a store-risk value associated with a retail shopping facility is within a risk threshold value, and a crime index value associated with an area that is within a threshold distance from the retail shopping facility is within the index threshold value, and provide an optical key to the user interface device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 15, 2020
    Publication date: October 15, 2020
    Inventors: Robert J. Taylor, Jeffrey D. Franklin, Melissa M. Wacha, Mark McCrary