Temperature-controlled receiving tunnel

Abstract

Examples provide an adjustable, temperature-controlled receiving tunnel for receiving after-hours delivery of pallets or other items and/or providing temporary overflow storage of items. The receiving tunnel includes a set of cooling units and drop-down bulkheads creating temperature-controlled storage zones within the receiving tunnel. A guidance system provides instructions to a delivery truck driver connecting to the receiving tunnel. An extension device enables the tunnel to connect to a delivery truck which is unaligned with the end of the receiving tunnel. An autonomous pallet jack can autonomously move pallets from the delivery truck storage area into the interior of the receiving tunnel. A set of doors associated with the receiving tunnel can be locked or unlocked providing a pass-through tunnel into a receiving facility storage area for transport of pallets from the delivery truck into the storage area of the receiving facility.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A system providing a temperature-controlled receiving tunnel, the system comprising:
 a main body comprising a first end, a second end, a first side member, a second side member, a top member, and a floor member;   a set of cooling devices associated with the top member configured to adjust an internal temperature of an interior compartment within the main body;   a set of adjustable bulkheads associated with the top member, at least one adjustable bulkhead in the set of adjustable bulkheads drops down to create a set of temperature-controlled zones within the interior compartment;   a control device comprising at least one processor communicatively coupled to a memory;   a temperature manager component, implemented on the at least one processor, analyzes dynamic truck delivery data and ambient temperature data to generate a predicted cooling time and a cooling initiation time, the predicted cooling time comprising an estimated quantity of time after cooling initiation to reach a target temperature for a set of pallets within a selected zone in the set of temperature-controlled zones;   a first door associated with the first end of the main body;   a docking device associated with the first end of the main body, the docking device configured to connect to an end of a delivery truck; and   an autonomous pallet loader associated with the interior compartment autonomously moves the set of pallets into at least one temperature-controlled zone within the interior compartment of the main body.   
     
     
         2 . The system of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a platform;   a door associated with the first side member; and   a biometric lock associated with the door.   
     
     
         3 . The system of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 an extension device associated with the first end of the main body, the extension device comprising a turntable configured to rotate within a one-hundred-and twenty-degree range, wherein the extension device connects to an end of the delivery truck which is unaligned with the first end of the main body.   
     
     
         4 . The system of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a guidance system, implemented on at least one processor, that analyzes sensor data associated with a location of the end of the delivery truck and outputs instructions assisting a driver of the delivery truck with connecting to the docking device.   
     
     
         5 . The system of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a set of sensor devices within the interior compartment generating sensor data associated with the set of pallets within the interior compartment.   
     
     
         6 . The system of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a pneumatic lift configured to self-level at least a portion of the main body based on a height of the delivery truck.   
     
     
         7 . The system of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 an inventory component, implemented on the at least one processor, updates perpetual inventory associated with a receiving facility, wherein the perpetual inventory is updated to include a set of items unloaded off the delivery truck and placed with the temperature-controlled receiving tunnel.   
     
     
         8 . The system of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a set of weight sensors associated with the floor member, wherein the set of weight sensors generates weight data associated with the set of pallets within at least one zone of the interior compartment.   
     
     
         9 . The system of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a map generation component, implemented on the at least one processor, generates a load map organizing placement of items within the interior compartment of the temperature-controlled receiving tunnel for prioritized unloading based on delivery schedules, delivery inventory, and perpetual inventory of a receiving facility associated with the temperature-controlled receiving tunnel, wherein the load map provides a placement configuration for placement of items within the interior compartment of the temperature-controlled receiving tunnel.   
     
     
         10 . A temperature-controlled receiving tunnel comprising:
 a set of cooling devices associated with a top member of the temperature-controlled receiving tunnel configured to adjust an internal temperature of an interior compartment within the interior compartment;   a control device comprising at least one processor communicatively coupled to a memory;   a temperature manager component, implemented on the at least one processor, analyzes dynamic truck delivery data and ambient temperature data to generate a predicted cooling time and a cooling initiation time, the predicted cooling time comprising an estimated quantity of time after cooling initiation to reach a target temperature for a set of pallets within a selected zone in a set of temperature-controlled zones within the temperature-controlled receiving tunnel;   a set of sensor devices associated with the interior compartment of the temperature-controlled receiving tunnel;   a guidance system, implemented on the at least one processor, analyzes sensor data associated with a location of an end of a delivery truck to generate docking instructions; and   an adjustable docking device associated with a first end of the temperature-controlled receiving tunnel, the adjustable docking device removably connecting the temperature-controlled receiving tunnel with the delivery truck.   
     
     
         11 . The temperature-controlled receiving tunnel of  claim 10 , further comprising:
 an autonomous pallet loader associated with the interior compartment autonomously moves the set of pallets from a storage area within the delivery truck connected to the adjustable docking device into at least one temperature-controlled zone within the interior compartment.   
     
     
         12 . The temperature-controlled receiving tunnel of  claim 10 , further comprising:
 an extension device associated with the first end of the temperature-controlled receiving tunnel, the extension device comprising a turntable configured to rotate within a one-hundred and twenty degree range, wherein the extension device connects to an end of the delivery truck which is unaligned with the first end of the temperature-controlled receiving tunnel.   
     
     
         13 . The temperature-controlled receiving tunnel of  claim 10 , further comprising:
 an inventory component, implemented on the at least one processor, updates perpetual inventory associated with a receiving facility associated with the temperature-controlled receiving tunnel, wherein the perpetual inventory is updated to include a set of items unloaded off the delivery truck and placed within the temperature-controlled receiving tunnel.   
     
     
         14 . The temperature-controlled receiving tunnel of  claim 10 , further comprising:
 a map generation component, implemented on the at least one processor, generates a load map organizing placement of items within the interior compartment of the temperature-controlled receiving tunnel for prioritized unloading based on delivery schedules, delivery inventory, cold-chain compliance for items and perpetual inventory of a receiving facility associated with the temperature-controlled receiving tunnel, wherein the load map provides a placement configuration for placement of items within the interior compartment of the temperature-controlled receiving tunnel.   
     
     
         15 . The temperature-controlled receiving tunnel of  claim 10 , further comprising:
 a set of adjustable bulkheads associated with the top member, at least one adjustable bulkhead in the set of adjustable bulkheads drops down to create a set of temperature-controlled zones within the interior compartment.   
     
     
         16 . The temperature-controlled receiving tunnel of  claim 10 , further comprising:
 an access component, implemented on the at least one processor, opens a door associated with a receiving facility and initiate autonomous unloading of a set of items from the temperature-controlled receiving tunnel into the receiving facility.   
     
     
         17 . A receiving tunnel comprising:
 a main body comprising a first end, a second end, a first side member, a second side member, a top member, and a floor member;   a set of cooling devices associated with the top member configured to adjust an internal temperature of an interior compartment within the main body;   a set of adjustable bulkheads associated with the top member, at least one adjustable bulkhead in the set of adjustable bulkheads drops down to create a set of temperature-controlled zones within the interior compartment;   a docking device associated with first end of the main body configured to connect to an end of a delivery truck;   a pneumatic lift configured to self-level at least a portion of the main body based on a height of the delivery truck;   a set of sensor devices associated with the interior compartment generating sensor data associated with at least one item within the main body; and   a first aperture associated with the first end of the main body connecting the interior compartment of the receiving tunnel with an interior storage area of the delivery truck.   
     
     
         18 . The receiving tunnel of  claim 17 , further comprising:
 an autonomous pallet loader associated with the interior compartment autonomously moves a set of pallets from a storage area within the delivery truck connected to the docking device into at least one temperature-controlled zone within the interior compartment of the main body.   
     
     
         19 . The receiving tunnel of  claim 17 , further comprising:
 an extension device associated with the first end of the main body, the extension device comprising a flexible sleeve and a turntable configured to rotate within a one-hundred and twenty degree range, wherein the extension device connects to an end of the delivery truck which is unaligned with the first end of the main body.   
     
     
         20 . The receiving tunnel of  claim 17 , further comprising:
 a second aperture associated with the second end of the main body connecting the interior compartment of the receiving tunnel with an interior of a receiving facility, wherein the second aperture is configured to permit transport of items from the interior compartment of the receiving tunnel into the interior of the receiving facility.