Method and system for remotely accessing mailbox to verify contents using tagged mails

• US 20030105729A1
• Filed: 11/30/2001
• Published: 06/05/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 11/30/2001
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Koninklijke Philips Electronics N.V. (Koninklijke Philips N.V.)
• Original Assignee: Koninklijke Philips Electronics N.V. (Koninklijke Philips N.V.)
• Inventors: Waxler, Aaron
• Application Number:
  US10/015,839
• Publication Number:
  US 20030105729A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/404
• 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: 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 2017/0062 Label
• CPC Class Codes: G07B 2017/00717 Reading barcodes

Abstract

The invention includes a system for, a method for, and a method of doing business by remotely determining the contents of a mail receptacle. Mail includes a machine-readable label incorporated into a piece of mail programmed with at least one property of the piece of mail. A mail receptacle includes a machine-readable label reader for reading the machine-readable label, a processor for receiving the at least one property of the piece of mail from the machine-readable label reader, and a memory for storing the at least one property of the piece of mail. The memory can be remotely accessed by a means for remotely accessing the memory to determine the contents of the mail receptacle.

Claims

1. A system for remotely determining the contents of a mail receptacle comprising:

a machine-readable label programmed with at least one property of a piece of mail, said machine-readable label being incorporated into the piece of mail;

a machine-readable label reader for reading the machine-readable label;

a processor for receiving the at least one property of the piece of mail from the machine-readable label reader;

a memory for storing the at least one property of the piece of mail; and

a means for remotely accessing the memory to determine the contents of the mail receptacle.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein said machine-readable label includes a radio transponder or transmitter.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the means for remotely accessing further comprises a telephony means, an internet means, a wireless means, or an email means.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the processor is programmable.

5. The system of claim 4, wherein the processor is programmable to initiate the means for remotely accessing the memory to contact a user.

6. The system of claim 5, wherein the processor initiates the means for remotely accessing the memory when the processor detects a piece of mail containing at least one property programmed by the user.

7. A method for notification of the contents of a mail receptacle comprising:

incorporating a machine-readable label into a piece of mail, said machine-readable label containing information about at least one property of the piece of mail;

receiving the information from the machine-readable label;

storing the information from the machine-readable label; and

communicating the information from the machine-readable label to a user.

8. The method of claim 7, further comprising the steps of programming a processor to initiate the communicating step when at least one property of a piece of mail is detected, and detecting the at least one property of a piece of mail.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the communicating step further comprises notifying the user that a piece of mail is within the mail receptacle when the at least one property of a piece of mail is detected in the detecting step.

10. A method for remotely determining the contents of a mail receptacle comprising:

incorporating a machine-readable label to a piece of mail, said machine-readable label containing information about at least one property of the piece of mail;

receiving the information from the machine-readable label;

storing the information from the machine-readable label; and

remotely accessing the information to determine the contents of the mail receptacle.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the remotely accessing step further comprises remotely accessing the stored information by telephony means, an internet means, a wireless means, or an email means.

12. A method of doing business comprising:

incorporating a machine-readable label to a piece of mail, said machine-readable label containing information about at least one property of the piece of mail;

receiving the information from the machine-readable label;

storing the information from the machine-readable label;

remotely accessing the information to determine the contents of the mail receptacle; and

affecting the sale of goods or services based on the information.