Real-time processing and managing of product orders

Abstract

A product transfer enclosure comprising: a back door assembly; a front door assembly; an electronics module comprising a communication chip for enabling data communication over a network; and a display screen, coupled to the front door, for displaying dynamic messages based on the data communication.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A product transfer enclosure comprising:
 a back door assembly;   a front door assembly;   an electronics module comprising:
 a communication chip for enabling data communication over a network; 
 a display screen, coupled to the front door, for displaying dynamic messages based on the data communication. 
   
     
     
         2 . The product transfer enclosure of  claim 1 , the electronics module further comprising a light source for illuminating an interior space of the product transfer enclosure. 
     
     
         3 . The product transfer enclosure of  claim 1 , the display screen being configurable to go dark, clear, or display an order status, a product transfer enclosure identifier, or a personalized message. 
     
     
         4 . The product transfer enclosure of  claim 1 , the display screen being configurable to go blank when the product transfer enclosure is assigned to a particular order. 
     
     
         5 . The product transfer enclosure of  claim 1 , the electronics module further comprising one or more sensors configured to sense presence of content placed within the product transfer enclosure. 
     
     
         6 . The product transfer enclosure of  claim 5 , the one or more sensors comprising one or more of a mechanical weight sensor, a capacitive sensor, an ultrasonic range sensor, an infrared (IR) range sensor, a break-beam sensor, or a LIDAR sensor. 
     
     
         7 . The product transfer enclosure of  claim 5 , further comprising a host processor coupled to the communication chip, the display screen, and the one or more sensors, the host processor being programmed to respond to signals from the one or more sensors in response to the one or more sensors to detect presence of content placed within the product transfer enclosure and to drive the display screen to display a name or an order number of a customer associated with an order for the content. 
     
     
         8 . The product transfer enclosure of  claim 7 , the host processor being further programmed to sense that the content has been picked up and, in response, communicate via the communication chip that the product transfer enclosure is empty and ready for another order. 
     
     
         9 . The product transfer enclosure of  claim 7 , the host processor being further programmed to drive the display screen to display, an order status, a shelf identifier, or a personalized message. 
     
     
         10 . The product transfer enclosure of  claim 1 , the display screen comprising a rear projection module arranged to project onto a diffuser layer. 
     
     
         11 . The product transfer enclosure of  claim 1 , the front door assembly comprising a mechanism configured to open the front door assembly to provide a user with access to content within the product transfer enclosure. 
     
     
         12 . The product transfer enclosure of  claim 11 , the mechanism being configurable with a keycode mechanism or a biometric recognition mechanism. 
     
     
         13 . The product transfer enclosure of  claim 1 , the back door assembly comprising a mechanism configured to open the back door assembly to provide an employee with access into the product transfer enclosure. 
     
     
         14 . A system for managing product orders, comprising:
 a plurality of product transfer enclosures, each of the plurality of product transfer enclosures comprising (1) a base electronics module configured to showcase a product to a designated recipient, (2) a front door assembly, and (3) a back door assembly, the base electronics module comprising a display screen coupled to the front door assembly;   a plurality of modular accessories comprising:
 a power interface for providing power connections to the base electronic modules of the plurality of product transfer enclosures; 
 a data interface for providing data connections to the base electronic modules of the plurality of product transfer enclosures; 
 one or more sensors configured to monitor presence of products within the plurality of product transfer enclosures. 
   
     
     
         15 . The system of  claim 14 , the display screen associated with each of the base electronics modules being configured to display dynamic messages based on at least the monitoring. 
     
     
         16 . The system of  claim 15 , the display screen associated with each of the base electronics modules being configured to display a first message when the one or more sensors detect that the respective product transfer enclosure is empty. 
     
     
         17 . The system of  claim 15 , the display screen associated with each of the base electronics modules being configured to display a second message when the respective product transfer enclosure is assigned to a particular order. 
     
     
         18 . The system of  claim 15 , the display screens associated with the plurality of base electronics modules being configured to display multimedia content in a coordinated fashion. 
     
     
         19 . The system of  claim 14 , wherein each of the base electronics modules comprises a light source for illuminating an interior space of the product transfer enclosure. 
     
     
         20 . The system of  claim 14 , wherein the one or more sensors comprise one or more of a mechanical weight sensor, a capacitive sensor, an ultrasonic range sensor, an infrared (IR) range sensor, a break-beam sensor, or a LIDAR sensor. 
     
     
         21 . The system of  claim 14 , wherein the plurality of product transfer enclosure are paired with an order status display board configured as a functional screen. 
     
     
         22 . A method of managing product orders, comprising:
 receiving, over a communications network, an order preparation completion data;   using one or more sensors, detecting presence of a product within a product transfer enclosure;   in response to detecting presence of the product within the product transfer enclosure, using a display screen of the product transfer enclosure to display a first message based on the order preparation completion data, the display screen being coupled to a front door assembly of the product transfer enclosure;   using the one or more sensors, detecting the product transfer enclosure is empty;   in response to detecting the product transfer enclosure is empty, using a display screen of the product transfer enclosure to display a second message that is different from the first message.   
     
     
         23 . The method of  claim 22 , wherein the order preparation completion data relates to the product. 
     
     
         24 . The method of  claim 22 , wherein the first message includes a name of a customer, and the second message includes a dynamic brand graphic. 
     
     
         25 . The method of  claim 22 , further comprising, in response to detecting presence of the product, using a light source to illuminate an interior space of the product transfer enclosure.