Method for securely storing objects

• US 20050075989A1
• Filed: 09/30/2004
• Published: 04/07/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 10/07/2003
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Receiving Bowes, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Pitney Bowes Incorporated (Böwe Systec AG)
• Inventors: Nazareth, Linda A., Heiden, Richard W., Foth, Thomas J., Biasi, Theresa
• Application Number:
  US10/955,730
• Publication Number:
  US 20050075989A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/404
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/08 Logistics, e.g. warehousing, loading or distribution; Inventory or stock management

Abstract

A method for temporarily assigning secure boxes for the transfer of objects when the person who placed the objects in the box and the person who removed the objects from the box are known to the administrator of the system, wherein the system is not owned by the people who placed or removed objects from the box. The depositor of the object is informed of the most desirable location of a box for delivering objects to a recipient.

Claims

1. A method for providing a secure box for the transfer of objects from a sender to a recipient, the method comprising the steps of:

A) specifying recipient delivery object preference;

B) notifying by a sender the intention of delivering an object to the recipient;

C) assigning a secure box to the recipient based upon the recipient'"'"'s preferences and current box availability;

D) unlocking the assigned box;

E) placing an object in the assigned box;

F) locking the assigned box;

G) recording the placing of the object in the assigned box by the sender or the sender'"'"'s agent, the identification of the object, and the identification of the person who placed the object in the assigned box;

H) notifying the recipient of the delivery of the object to the assigned box;

I) unlocking the recipient assigned box upon the recipient providing appropriate identification; and

J) recording the recipient'"'"'s removal of the object.

2. The method claimed in claim 1, wherein the recipient preference is the location of the secure box.

3. The method claimed in claim 1, wherein the recipient preference is the recipient stated media in which the recipient will be notified that the object is being placed in a secure box.

4. The method claimed in claim 1, wherein step G, further comprises the step of:

capturing an image of the sender or sender'"'"'s agent who access one of the secure boxes.

5. The method claimed in claim 4, further including the step of:

storing the image.

6. The method claimed in claim 5, further including the step of:

sending the image of the sender or sender'"'"'s agent who accessed one of the secure boxes to the recipient.

7. The method claimed in claim 5, further including the steps of:

recording the date and time the image was captured, and sending the date and time the image was captured to the recipient.

8. The method claimed in claim 5, further including the steps of:

recording a unique identification code the is affixed to the object;

recording a unique identification code that is affixed to the secure box; and

sending the unique code that is on the object and the unique code that is on the box to the recipient.

9. The method claimed in claim 1, wherein step J, further comprises the step of:

capturing an image of the recipient who removes the object from one of the secure boxes.

10. The method claimed in claim 9, further including the step of:

storing the image.

11. The method claimed in claim 9, further including the step of:

sending the image of the recipient who removes the object from one of the secure boxes to the sender.

12. The method claimed in claim 9, further including the steps of:

recording the date and time the image was captured, and sending the date and time the image was captured to the sender.

13. The method claimed in claim 9, further including the steps of:

recording a unique identification code the is affixed to the object;

recording a unique identification code that is affixed to the secure box; and

sending the unique code that is on the object and the unique code that is on the box to the sender.

14. The method claimed in claim 1, wherein the object contains a unique identification code.

15. The method claimed in claim 1, wherein the secure box contains a unique identification code.

16. The method claimed in claim 1, further including the step of:

sending the recipient identification of the sender.

17. The method claimed in claim 1, further including the step of:

sending the sender identification of the recipient.