Movable item receptacles

Abstract

Systems and methods of delivering an item to a mobile delivery receptacle are disclosed. A method of delivering an item to a mobile delivery receptacle can include receiving from a mobile delivery receptacle a location of the mobile delivery receptacle. Based on a cross-referencing credential, the method can include verifying the location of the mobile delivery receptacle. The method may include identifying a mobile delivery unit and determining a position of the mobile delivery unit. The method can include calculating a delivery route from the position of the mobile delivery unit to the mobile delivery receptacle and passing the location of the delivery resource and the delivery route to the mobile delivery unit.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A computer-implemented method of delivering an item to a mobile delivery receptacle using a network of computing devices, the method comprising:
 receiving, via a user interface, a first location of the mobile delivery receptacle;   receiving, via the user interface, a second location of the mobile delivery receptacle;   transmitting the first location and the second location to a server of a distribution network;   receiving, in item processing equipment of the distribution network, the item having an address of a recipient thereon;   determining whether to deliver the item to the first location or the second location;   receiving, using a location sensor of the delivery resource, a specific location of the mobile delivery receptacle from a proxy sensor of the mobile delivery receptacle;   receiving, by the delivery resource, a unique identifier of the mobile delivery receptacle; and   releasing, using the delivery resource and based on the specific location and the unique identifier, the item into a receiving device of the mobile delivery receptacle.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the first and second locations are different. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the first location corresponds to a first timeframe and the second location corresponds to a second timeframe. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 3 , wherein determining whether to deliver the item to the first location or the second location is based on the first and second timeframes and a time of delivery of the item. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein determining whether to deliver the item to the first or second location is based on a content of the item to be delivered. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein determining whether to deliver the item to the first or second location is based on a distance of each location from a recipient address. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein determining whether to deliver the item to the first or second location is based on historical locational data associated with the mobile delivery receptacle. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein determining whether to deliver the item to the first or second location is based on a preference submitted by a user, via a user interface, to the distribution network. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein determining whether to deliver the item to the first or second location is based on real-time locational data received from a mobile computing device. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the item is delivered to the second location after attempting to deliver the item to the first location. 
     
     
         11 . A system for delivering an item, the system comprising:
 a memory storing:
 a plurality of unique identifiers for mobile delivery receptacles; 
 associations between the plurality of unique identifiers and a plurality of user credentials; and 
 location information for the mobile delivery receptacles; 
   a user interface configured to receive, from a user:
 a request to update a first and second location of a mobile delivery receptacle; and 
 information indicative of an address of a recipient; and 
   one or more processors configured to:
 associate in a server, based on the address of the recipient, the item with the first and second location of the mobile delivery receptacle; 
 generate routing instructions for a delivery resource to the mobile delivery receptacle based on the address of the recipient and the first or second location; 
 transmit, to the delivery resource, the routing instructions; 
 control, based on the routing instructions, the delivery resource to the first or second location; 
 receive, using a location sensor of the delivery resource, a specific location of the mobile delivery receptacle from a proxy sensor of the mobile delivery receptacle; 
 receive, by the delivery resource, the unique identifier of the mobile delivery receptacle; and 
 release, using the delivery resource and based on the specific location and on the unique identifier, the item into a receiving device of the mobile delivery receptacle. 
   
     
     
         12 . The system of  claim 11 , wherein the one or more processors are further configured to determine whether to deliver the item to the first or second location. 
     
     
         13 . The system of  claim 12 , wherein the one or more processors consider a content of item to be delivered when determining whether to deliver the item to the first or second location. 
     
     
         14 . The system of  claim 12 , wherein the one or more processors consider historical locational data when determining whether to deliver the item to the first or second location. 
     
     
         15 . The system of  claim 12 , wherein the one or more processors consider real-time locational data received from a mobile computing device when determining whether to deliver the item to the first or second location. 
     
     
         16 . The system of  claim 11 , wherein the user interface is further configured to receive a delivery timeframe associated with the first location and the second location. 
     
     
         17 . A computer-implemented method of registering a mobile delivery receptacle using a network of computing devices, the method comprising:
 receiving, via a user interface, user information, the user information comprising a name and a delivery address;   receiving, via the user interface, a unique identifier disposed on the mobile delivery receptacle;   associating, the unique identifier with the user information;   linking a user mobile computing device to user information and the unique identifier;   associating the unique identifier with the location data of the user mobile computing device; and   determining a current location of the mobile delivery receptacle based on the location data of the user mobile computing device.   
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein the mobile computing device is a cell phone. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein the mobile computing device is a user vehicle. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein determining the current location of the mobile delivery receptacle comprises:
 receiving, in item processing equipment, an item for delivery to the delivery address;   requesting location data of the user mobile computing device;   identifying the location of the user mobile computing device as the location of the mobile delivery receptacle based on the linking; and   automatically sorting, in the item processing equipment, the item for delivery to the delivery address.