Electronic device for packet boxes and related operating method

• US 20050015349A1
• Filed: 04/08/2004
• Published: 01/20/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 10/09/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Deutsche Post AG
• Original Assignee: Deutsche Post AG
• Inventors: Mayer, Boris, Tuna, Guldern
• Granted Patent: US 7,477,132 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/406
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/33 by means of a password
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/38 with central registration
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/13 the containers being a postal pick-up locker

Abstract

Disclosed herein is an electronic device for packet boxes and a related operating method. The electronic device includes a processor programmed to assign users to groups of users and a control system capable of managing the possibilities of access to functions of the device on the basis of the user'"'"'s membership to the user groups.

Claims

1. An electronic parcel compartment system with a user interface, the user interface comprising means for acquiring information from users of the electronic parcel compartment system, the electronic parcel compartment system comprises means for assigning the users to user groups and being provided with a system control that allows a user to have access to a selection of several functions of the electronic parcel compartment system, depending on the user group to which the user belongs.

2. The parcel compartment system of claim 1, wherein the means for assigning the users to user groups makes this assignment on the basis of information transmitted via a data line.

3. The parcel compartment system of claim 1, wherein the means for assigning users to user groups is connected to the user interface in such a way that the information acquired from the user interface is available to said means for the assignment of the users.

4. The parcel compartment system of claim 3, wherein the means for assigning the users to user groups makes this assignment on the basis of information transmitted via a data line.

5. The parcel compartment system of claim 1, wherein the assignment to the user groups is performed by acquiring user identification information and by making a comparison of the user identification information to an entry in a database.

6. The parcel compartment system of claim 1, wherein different access authorizations to functions of the electronic parcel compartment system can be selected for different user groups.

7. The parcel compartment system of claim 1, wherein at least one of certain parcel compartments and groups of parcel compartments are accessible only to certain user groups.

8. The parcel compartment system of claim 6, wherein the assignment of the parcel compartments to the user groups can be changed.

9. A method for operating an electronic parcel compartment system, whereby information of users of the electronic parcel compartment system is acquired, comprising the steps of assigning a user to a user group on the basis of the acquired information and enabling a user to have access to a selection of several functions of the electronic parcel compartment system, depending on the user group to which the user belongs.

10. The method of claim 9, comprising effecting control of the access possibilities in such a way that, after assignment of a user to at least one specific user group, a function can be activated that causes an essentially simultaneous opening of several parcel compartments.

11. An electronic parcel compartment system comprising:

(a) a user interface comprising a user input device capable of acquiring information from a user of the system;

(b) a processor programmed to assign the user to a user group; and

,

(c) a controller capable of providing the user with access to a selection of several functions of the system, depending on the user group to which the user belongs.