Network support for post office box mail deposit notification
First Claim
1. A method for notifying a post office box renter when mail is available for pickup, the method comprising the steps of:
- detecting at least one mail item being in a post office box and detecting when the post office box is empty;
sending a signal indicative of the mail item being in the post office box to a P.O. Box Mail Notification Server;
sending a signal indicative of the post office box becoming empty to a P.O. Box Mail Notification Server;
sending a message from the P.O. Box Mail Notification Server to a mobile switching center; and
sending a notification indicating the presence or absence of mail in the post office box from the mobile switching center to a mobile terminal associated with the post office box.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
Embodiments of the method and system provide for notifying a post office box renter when mail is available for pickup. The method in an embodiment may have the steps of: detecting at least one mail item in a post office box; sending a signal indicative of the mail item being in the post office box to a P.O. Box Mail Notification Server; sending a message from the P.O. Box Mail Notification Server to a mobile switching center; and sending a notification indicating the presence of mail in the post office box from the mobile switching center to a mobile terminal associated with the post office box. The system implements the method.
24 Citations
23 Claims
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1. A method for notifying a post office box renter when mail is available for pickup, the method comprising the steps of:
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detecting at least one mail item being in a post office box and detecting when the post office box is empty;
sending a signal indicative of the mail item being in the post office box to a P.O. Box Mail Notification Server;
sending a signal indicative of the post office box becoming empty to a P.O. Box Mail Notification Server;
sending a message from the P.O. Box Mail Notification Server to a mobile switching center; and
sending a notification indicating the presence or absence of mail in the post office box from the mobile switching center to a mobile terminal associated with the post office box. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
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10. A method for notifying a post office box renter when mail is available for pickup, the method comprising the steps of:
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sending signals indicative of mail items being in post office boxes and the post office boxes being empty to a P.O. Box Mail Notification Server;
sending a message from the P.O. Box Mail Notification Server to a short message center;
sending a text message from the short message center to a mobile switching center; and
sending notifications indicating the presence of mail in the post office boxes from the mobile switching center to respective mobile terminals associated with the post office boxes. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17)
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18. A system that provides network support for notifying a post office box renter when mail is available for pickup, the system comprising:
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at least one post office box having a mail sensor that outputs a sensor signal indicative of at least one mail item being in the post office box;
a P.O. Box Mail Notification Server operatively coupled to the mail sensor; and
a short message center operatively coupled to the P.O. Box Mail Notification Server, the short message center outputting a text message to a mobile switching center when mail is present in the post office box;
wherein the mobile switching center sends at least one notification, which indicates the presence of mail in the post office box, to a respective mobile terminal associated with the post office box. - View Dependent Claims (19, 20, 21, 22, 23)
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Specification