Hybrid secure locker system for mailing, deposition and retrieval of shipments

• US 10,643,172 B2
• Filed: 01/06/2015
• Issued: 05/05/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 01/06/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Quadient Technologies France
• Original Assignee: Neopost Technologies S.A. (Quadient SA)
• Inventors: Bouzit-Benbernou, Samira
• Primary Examiner(s): Chen, George
• Assistant Examiner(s): El-Bathy, Ibrahim N
• Application Number:
  US14/590,539
• Publication Number:
  US 20150193733A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,946 Days
• Field of Search: None
• CPC Class Codes: A47G 2029/1221 comprising means to detect or prevent a terrorist attack, e.g. to detect anthrax-laced letters
• CPC Class Codes: A47G 2029/145 the receptacle comprising means for identifying a deposit; Deposits carrying 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: G01N 21/3581 using far infrared light; using Terahertz radiation
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/08 Logistics, e.g. warehousing, loading or distribution; Inventory or stock management
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/0832 Special goods or special handling procedures, e.g. handling of hazardous or fragile goods
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/0836 Recipient pick-ups
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/60 Business processes related to postal services shipping G06Q10/083; franking apparatus G07B17/00
• CPC Class Codes: G07B 17/00193 Constructional details of apparatus in a franking system
• CPC Class Codes: G07B 2017/00153 for sending information
• CPC Class Codes: G07B 2017/00209 Mailbox, i.e. container for outgoing mail
• CPC Class Codes: G07B 2017/00233 Housing, e.g. lock or hardened casing
• CPC Class Codes: G07B 2017/00685 Measuring the dimensions of mailpieces
• CPC Class Codes: G07B 2017/00701 Measuring the weight of mailpieces
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/13 the containers being a postal pick-up locker

Abstract

A hybrid system for securely controlling deposition and retrieval of shipments, including a managing distribution centre, at least one electronic locker unit connected to the managing distribution centre through a communication network, and having a control desk and several lockable compartments of different sizes, wherein the electronic locker unit comprises a shape measurement module located inside each compartment for acquiring the shipment content'"'"'s shape.

Claims

1. A method for securely controlling mailing, deposition and retrieval of shipments into at least one electronic locker unit connected to a managing distribution center through a communication network and having several lockable compartments of different sizes, each shipment having three-dimensions and a weight, the method comprising:

generating an identification code of the shipment and specific information associated with the shipment;

unlocking by an electronic locker unit a compartment of said at least one electronic locker unit;

receiving the shipment inside the compartment, the shipment which has at least one opaque exterior wall that delineates an interior cavity, the shipment containing a shipment content within the interior cavity;

acquiring by the electronic locker unit, while the shipment is stationary in the compartment, a shape measurement of the shipment content through the opaque exterior wall with a shape measurement module located inside the compartment;

comparing by the electronic locker unit the shape measurement of the shipment content with shape information of the shipment content, the shape information of the shipment content included within the specific information associated with the shipment;

comparing by the electronic locker unit the shape measurement of the shipment content with shape information of a set of hazardous items; and

as a result of determining that the shape measurement i) matches the shape information of the shipment content included within the specific information associated with the shipment, and ii) does not match the shape information of any of the set of hazardous items, locking and logging by the electronic locker unit the compartment containing the shipment as being successfully filled and the shipment as being ready for retrieval.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the specific information includes the three dimensions of the shipment or the weight of the shipment.

3. The method according to claim 2, further comprising indicating to a sender at least one appropriate compartment according to the three dimensions or the weight of the shipment.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the specific information is generated on a computer of the sender.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the specific information is generated at a control desk of the electronic locker unit.

6. The method of claim 4, wherein the specific information is sent to a remote database accessible by the electronic locker unit.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising measuring the dimensions of the shipment by a three-dimensional measuring device located within a control desk.

8. The method of claim 7, further comprising weighing the shipment at a built-in scale located within said control desk.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the identification code is printed as a barcode or included in a radio frequency identification (RFID) tag which is affixed to the shipment.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising securely paying postage and services fees for franking the shipment at a control desk of the electronic locker unit.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein the shape measurement of the shipment content is also compared to hazardous items listed in a surveillance bank of pictures, the compartment containing the shipment is locked and logged as being successfully filled and the shipment is logged as being ready for retrieval if no one of such hazardous items is identifiable.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein, if at least one of such hazardous items is identifiable, an error message is sent at a control desk of the electronic locker unit.

11. A method for securely controlling deposition and retrieval of shipments on at least one electronic locker unit connected to a managing distribution center through a communication network, and having several lockable compartments of different sizes, the method comprising:

receiving by an electronic locker unit an identification code of the shipment and retrieving specific information associated with the shipment based on the identification code of the shipment;

unlocking by the electronic locker unit a compartment of said at least one electronic locker unit;

receiving the shipment inside the compartment, the shipment which has at least one opaque exterior wall that delineates an interior cavity, the interior cavity which contains a shipment content that has a shape;

acquiring by the electronic locker unit, while the shipment is stationary in the compartment, a shape measurement of the shipment content through the opaque exterior wall of the shipment with a shape measurement module located inside the compartment and comparing in a processing module the shape measurement of the shipment content with shape information of the shipment content, the shape information of the shipment content included within the retrieved specific information;

causing by the electronic locker unit the compartment containing the shipment to be locked; and

logging by the electronic locker unit the compartment as being filled and locked upon close match and validation of comparison of the shape of the shipment content with the shape information included within the retrieved specific information.

12. The method of claim 11, further comprising notifying the managing distribution center of the safe deposition or retrieval of the shipment with an electronic message linked to the identification code of the shipment.

15. A hybrid system for securely controlling mailing, deposition and retrieval of shipments, each shipment which has at least one opaque exterior wall that delineates an interior cavity, the interior cavity which contains the shipment content, the hybrid system comprising:

a managing distribution center; and

at least one electronic locker unit connected to the managing distribution center through a communication network, and having a control desk and several lockable compartments of different sizes;

wherein said at least one electronic locker unit comprises;

a shape measurement module located inside each compartment for acquiring a shape measurement, while the shipment is stationary in a compartment, of a shipment content through the opaque exterior wall and

at least one processor that;

i) compares the acquired shape of the shipment content with shape information of the shipment content, the shape information of the shipment content included within a set of specific information, the set of specific information associated with the shipment via an identification code, and ii) that compares the acquired shape of the shipment content with hazardous items listed in a surveillance bank of images.

16. The hybrid system of claim 15, wherein said electronic locker unit further includes a weighing module inside each compartment for weighing the shipment, and a processing module that compares the measured weight with a corresponding recorded weight.

17. The hybrid system of claim 15, wherein said electronic locker unit further includes a three-dimensional measuring device located on said control desk for measuring the dimensions of the shipment.

18. The hybrid system of claim 15, wherein said electronic locker unit further includes a built-in scale located on said control desk for measuring a weight of the shipment.

19. The hybrid system of claim 15, wherein said shape measurement module comprises a terahertz vision device mounted on a ceiling of compartment for covering any shipment resting on an upper bearing plate.

20. The hybrid system of claim 15, wherein the managing distribution center is external to the at least one locker unit.