Secured package holder device

• US 10,537,195 B1
• Filed: 02/16/2018
• Issued: 01/21/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 02/16/2017
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Alarm.com Inc. (Alarm.com Holdings, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Alarm.com Inc. (Alarm.com Holdings, Inc.)
• Inventors: Giles, Chad, Giles, Linnea
• Primary Examiner(s): Lu, Shirley
• Application Number:
  US15/932,352
• Time in Patent Office: 704 Days
• CPC Class Codes: A47G 2029/144 the receptacle being transportable and attachable to a building
• CPC Class Codes: A47G 2029/146 the receptacle comprising identification means, e.g. a bar code
• CPC Class Codes: A47G 2029/149 with central server link
• CPC Class Codes: A47G 29/141 comprising electronically controlled locking means
• CPC Class Codes: A47G 29/20 with appliances for preventing unauthorised removal of the deposited articles
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/00309 operated with bidirectional data transmission between data carrier and locks
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/00912 for safes, strong-rooms, vaults or the like
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 1/00 Systems for signalling characterised solely by the form of transmission of the signal
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/19602 Image analysis to detect motion of the intruder, e.g. by frame subtraction
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/19697 Arrangements wherein non-video detectors generate an alarm themselves
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 19/00 Alarms responsive to two or more different undesired or abnormal conditions, e.g. burglary and fire, abnormal temperature and abnormal rate of flow
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/0261 System arrangements wherein the object is to detect trespassing over a fixed physical boundary, e.g. the end of a garden
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 25/008 Alarm setting and unsetting, i.e. arming or disarming of the security system
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 29/046 prevention of tampering with detection circuits

Abstract

A monitoring system is configured to monitor a property. The monitoring system includes a package holder device that is configured to receive a package at the package holder device. The package holder device is configured to secure the package. The package holder device is configured to arm the package holder device. The monitoring system includes a monitoring control unit that is configured to receive, from the package holder device, data indicating that the package holder device secured the package and that the package holder device armed. The monitoring control unit is configured to communicate, to a user device of a resident of the property, a package delivery confirmation notification indicating that the package holder device received and secured the package.

Claims

1. A monitoring system that is configured to monitor a property, comprising:

a package holder device that is configured to;

receive a package at the package holder device;

secure the package; and

arm the package holder device;

generate location data that indicates a location of the package holder device; and

a monitoring control unit that is configured to;

receive, from the package holder device, data indicating that the package holder device secured the package and that the package holder device is armed;

communicate, to a user device of a resident of the property, a package delivery confirmation notification indicating that the package holder device received and secured the package;

receive, from the package holder device, the location data that indicates the location of the package holder device;

determine that the location of the package holder device is within a building of the property; and

based on determining that the location of the package holder device is within the building of the property, disarm the package holder device.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the package holder device is configured to:

receive a disarm code;

compare the received disarm code to a stored disarm code;

based on comparing the received disarm code to the stored disarm code, determine that the received disarm code matches the stored disarm code; and

disarm the package holder device by disarming the pack based on determining that the location of the package holder device is within the building of the property and based on determining that the received disarm code matches the stored disarm code.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein the monitoring control unit is configured to:

compare the received disarm code to the stored disarm code by comparing the received disarm code to a disarm code that disarms the monitoring system while the monitoring system is in an armed state, and

disarm the package holder device by disarming the package holder device based on the received disarm code matching the disarm code that disarms the monitoring system while the monitoring system is in an armed state.

4. The system of claim 2, wherein the monitoring control unit is configured to:

compare the received disarm code to the stored disarm code by comparing the disarm code to a disarm code that disarms the package holder device and that does not disarm the monitoring system while the monitoring system is in an armed state, and

disarm the package holder device by disarming the package holder device based on the received disarm code matching the disarm code that disarms the package holder device and that does not disarm the monitoring system while the monitoring system is in an armed state.

5. The system of claim 2, wherein the monitoring control unit is configured to:

receive the disarm code by receiving, from a monitoring system application running on a user device of a resident of the property, the disarm code.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein:

the package holder device is configured to;

receive an additional package at the package holder device;

secure the additional package;

arm the package holder device;

generate additional location data that indicates an additional location of the package holder device; and

the monitoring control unit is configured to;

receive, from the package holder device, additional data indicating that the package holder device secured the additional package and that the package holder device is armed;

communicate, to the user device of the resident of the property, an additional package delivery confirmation notification indicating that the package holder device received and secured the additional package;

receive, from the package holder device, the additional location data that indicates the additional location of the package holder device;

determine that the additional location of the package holder device is outside of a threshold distance from the property;

receive an additional disarm code;

determine that the additional received disarm code to an additional stored disarm code; and

based on determining that the package holder device is outside of the threshold distance from the property and determining that the additional received disarm code matches the additional stored disarm code, communicate, to the user device of the resident of the property, a notification indicating the additional location of the package holder device.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein:

the monitor control unit is configured to disarm the package holder device by communicating, to the package holder device, a command to disarm, and

the package holder device is configured to;

receive, the command to disarm; and

disarm by unlocking one or more arms of the package holder device from around the package.

8. A computer-implemented method comprising:

detecting, by a package holder device of a monitoring system that is configured to monitor a property and that includes the package holder device, that a package has been placed on and secured by the package holder device; and

in response to detecting that the package has been placed on and secured by the package holder device;

arming the package holder device; and

communicating, to a user device of a resident of the property, a package delivery confirmation notification indicating that the package holder device received and secured the package;

determining that a location of the package holder device is within a building of the property; and

based determining that the package holder device is within a building of the property, disarming the package holder device.

9. The method of claim 8, comprising:

receiving a disarm code;

comparing the received disarm code to a stored disarm code;

based on comparing the received disarm code to the stored disarm code, determine that the received disarm code matches the stored disarm code; and

disarming the package holder device by disarming the pack based on determining that the location of the package holder device is within the building of the property and based on determining that the received disarm code matches the stored disarm code.

10. The method of claim 9, comprising:

comparing the received disarm code to the stored disarm code by comparing the received disarm code to a disarm code that disarms the monitoring system while the monitoring system is in an armed state, and

disarming the package holder device by disarming the package holder device based on the received disarm code matching the disarm code that disarms the monitoring system while the monitoring system is in an armed state.

11. The method of claim 9, comprising:

comparing the received disarm code to the stored disarm code by comparing the disarm code to a disarm code that disarms the package holder device and that does not disarm the monitoring system while the monitoring system is in an armed state, and

disarming the package holder device by disarming the package holder device based on the received disarm code matching the disarm code that disarms the package holder device and that does not disarm the monitoring system while the monitoring system is in an armed state.

12. The method of claim 9, comprising:

receiving the disarm code by receiving, from a monitoring system application running on the user device of a resident of the property, the disarm code.

13. The method of claim 8, comprising:

disarming the package holder device by unlocking one or more arms of the package holder device from around the package.