Secure parcel delivery with electronic notification and approval
First Claim
1. An electronic mailbox, comprising:
- a mail storage area;
a lock preventing access to said mail storage area; and
a transmitter/receiver coupled to said lock, said transmitter/receiver in wireless communication with a service provider such that a signal received from said service provider may act to open said lock.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A customized mailbox is provided to customers for placement outside their home. Simple electronics, such as a display, keypad, bar-code reader, and transmitter/receiver may be contained within the mailbox. When parcel delivery is attempted, the deliveryperson may facilitate the notification of the user by, for example, scanning a bar code on the parcel with the bar code reader. Parcel information is then wirelessly forwarded to a service provider. The service provider may forward parcel information a mobile device or other notification mechanism as specified in user preferences. Upon receipt of the parcel delivery information, the user may, through the mobile device or other notification mechanism, approve delivery of the parcel. The service provider may then forward this approval to the electronic mailbox, where an electronic lock may be opened and the deliveryperson may place the parcel in the electronic mailbox.
94 Citations
38 Claims
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1. An electronic mailbox, comprising:
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a mail storage area;
a lock preventing access to said mail storage area; and
a transmitter/receiver coupled to said lock, said transmitter/receiver in wireless communication with a service provider such that a signal received from said service provider may act to open said lock. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6)
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7. A method for secure parcel receipt at an electronic mailbox, comprising:
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receiving information regarding a delivered parcel from a data input device;
forwarding said information to a service provider via a wireless transmitter contained in the electronic mailbox;
receiving an approval response from said service provider via a wireless receiver contained in the electronic mailbox; and
opening said electronic mailbox in response to said approval response via communication to an electronic lock barring access to said electronic mailbox. - View Dependent Claims (8, 9, 10, 11)
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12. A method for approving delivery of a parcel to a remote electronic mailbox, comprising:
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receiving parcel information from said electronic mailbox on a mobile device;
receiving approval of the delivery of the parcel on said mobile device from a user; and
forwarding said approval to said electronic mailbox to facilitate the opening of an electronic lock on said electronic mailbox. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15, 16)
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17. A method for coordinating approval of secure parcel delivery to an electronic mailbox, comprising:
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receiving parcel information from the electronic mailbox;
retrieving a user profile corresponding to the electronic mailbox;
forwarding said parcel information to said user as per user preferences described in said user profile;
receiving an approval message from said user;
forwarding said approval message to the electronic mailbox to facilitate the opening of an electronic lock on the electronic mailbox. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19)
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20. An apparatus for secure parcel receipt at an electronic mailbox, comprising:
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a delivered parcel information receiver;
a service provider parcel information forwarder coupled to said delivered parcel information receiver;
a service provider approval response receiver; and
an electronic mailbox opener coupled to said service provider approval response receiver.
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21. An apparatus for approving delivery of a parcel to a remote electronic mailbox, comprising:
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a parcel information receiver;
a delivery approval receiver coupled to said parcel information receiver; and
a delivery approval forwarder coupled to said delivery approval receiver.
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22. An apparatus for coordinating approval of secure parcel delivery to an electronic mailbox, comprising:
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an electronic mailbox parcel information receiver;
a database;
a user profile retriever coupled to said database and to said electronic mailbox parcel information receiver;
a parcel information forwarder coupled to said user profile retriever and to said electronic mailbox parcel information receiver;
a user approval message receiver; and
an electronic mailbox approval message forwarder coupled to said user approval message receiver.
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23. An apparatus for secure parcel receipt at an electronic mailbox, comprising:
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means for receiving information regarding a delivered parcel from a data input device;
means for forwarding said information to a service provider via a wireless transmitter contained in the electronic mailbox;
means for receiving an approval response from said service provider via a wireless receiver contained in the electronic mailbox; and
means for opening said electronic mailbox in response to said approval response via communication to an electronic lock barring access to said electronic mailbox. - View Dependent Claims (24, 25, 26, 27)
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28. An apparatus for approving delivery of a parcel to a remote electronic mailbox, comprising:
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means for receiving parcel information from said electronic mailbox on a mobile device;
means for receiving approval of the delivery of the parcel on said mobile device from a user; and
means for forwarding said approval to said electronic mailbox to facilitate the opening of an electronic lock on said electronic mailbox. - View Dependent Claims (29, 30, 31, 32)
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33. An apparatus for coordinating approval of secure parcel delivery to an electronic mailbox, comprising:
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means for receiving parcel information from the electronic mailbox;
means for retrieving a user profile corresponding to the electronic mailbox;
means for forwarding said parcel information to said user as per user preferences described in said user profile;
means for receiving an approval message from said user;
means for forwarding said approval message to the electronic mailbox to facilitate the opening of an electronic lock on the electronic mailbox. - View Dependent Claims (34, 35)
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36. A program storage device readable by a machine, tangibly embodying a program of instructions executable by the machine to perform a method for secure parcel receipt at an electronic mailbox, the method comprising:
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receiving information regarding a delivered parcel from a data input device;
forwarding said information to a service provider via a wireless transmitter contained in the electronic mailbox;
receiving an approval response from said service provider via a wireless receiver contained in the electronic mailbox; and
opening said electronic mailbox in response to said approval response via communication to an electronic lock barring access to said electronic mailbox.
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37. A program storage device readable by a machine, tangibly embodying a program of instructions executable by the machine to perform a method for approving delivery of a parcel to a remote electronic mailbox, the method comprising:
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receiving parcel information from said electronic mailbox on a mobile device;
receiving approval of the delivery of the parcel on said mobile device from a user; and
forwarding said approval to said electronic mailbox to facilitate the opening of an electronic lock on said electronic mailbox.
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38. A program storage device readable by a machine, tangibly embodying a program of instructions executable by the machine to perform a method for coordinating approval of secure parcel delivery to an electronic mailbox, the method comprising:
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receiving parcel information from the electronic mailbox;
retrieving a user profile corresponding to the electronic mailbox;
forwarding said parcel information to said user as per user preferences described in said user profile;
receiving an approval message from said user;
forwarding said approval message to the electronic mailbox to facilitate the opening of an electronic lock on the electronic mailbox.
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Specification