MAIL DETECTION AND NOTIFICATION SYSTEM

• US 20080278323A1
• Filed: 05/06/2008
• Published: 11/13/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 05/07/2007
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Wayne Jackson
• Original Assignee: Wayne Jackson
• Inventors: Jackson, Wayne
• Application Number:
  US12/115,710
• Publication Number:
  US 20080278323A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/569
• CPC Class Codes: A47G 29/1214 including a receiver located remotely from the letter-box and a transmitter
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/2414 using inductive tags
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 25/008 Alarm setting and unsetting, i.e. arming or disarming of the security system
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 25/10 using wireless transmission systems G08B25/009 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 3/10 using electric transmission; using electromagnetic transmission

Abstract

A system and method is provided for detecting the presence of mail articles in individual mailboxes, and informing the mailbox owner at a remote location of the presence and even sender of such mail articles. The method uses sensors in the mailbox to detect the articles and a scanner to capture images of the articles. Information about the mailbox and articles is stored in electronic memory for remote retrieval, i.e., over the Internet. Automatic alerts may also be sent.

Claims

1. A mail detection and identification process, comprising the steps of:

scanning the interior of a mailbox to detect the presence of articles;

collecting data about the presence of articles in the mailbox;

storing the collected data; and

making the collected data accessible at a location remote from the mailbox.

2. The process of claim 1, including a sensor associated with the mailbox for detecting the presence of articles therein.

3. The process of claim 2, wherein the sensor comprises a photo-electric, motion, or mechanical sensor.

4. The process of claim 1, wherein the collected data includes the number of articles in the mailbox or the weight of the articles in the mailbox.

5. The process of claim 1, wherein the collected data is electronically stored in temporary memory associated with the mailbox.

6. The process of claim 1, wherein the collected data is stored in memory on a computer server associated with the mailbox.

7. The process of claim 1, further comprising the step of scanning images of the articles in the mailbox.

8. The process of claim 7, wherein the step of collecting data includes collecting the scanned images.

9. The process of claim 7, further comprising the step of generating electronically readable indicia associated with the mailbox for each scanned image.

10. The process of claim 1, further comprising the step of activating an alarm when articles are detected in the mailbox.

11. The process of claim 10, wherein the activating an alarm step utilizes e-mail, voice mail, text message or beeper alert.

12. The process of claim 1, wherein the collected data is made accessible over the Internet.

13. A mail detection and identification process, comprising the steps of:

scanning the interior of a mailbox with a sensor associated with the mailbox to detect the presence of articles therein;

scanning images of the articles in the mailbox;

collecting data about the presence of articles in the mailbox;

storing the collected data; and

making the collected data accessible at a location remote from the mailbox.

14. The process of claim 13, wherein the sensor comprises a photo-electric, motion, or mechanical sensor.

15. The process of claim 13, wherein the collected data includes the number of articles in the mailbox or the weight of the articles in the mailbox.

16. The process of claim 13, wherein the collected data is electronically stored in temporary memory associated with the mailbox.

17. The process of claim 13, wherein the collected data is stored in memory on a computer server associated with the mailbox.

18. The process of claim 13, wherein the step of collecting data includes collecting the scanned images.

19. The process of claim 13, further comprising the step of generating electronically readable indicia associated with the mailbox for each scanned image.

20. The process of claim 13, further comprising the step of activating an alarm when articles are detected in the mailbox.

21. The process of claim 20, wherein the activating an alarm step utilizes e-mail, voice mail, text message or beeper alert.

22. The process of claim 13, wherein the collected data is made accessible over the Internet.

23. A mail detection and identification process, comprising the steps of:

scanning the interior of a mailbox with a photo-electric, motion, or mechanical sensor associated with the mailbox to detect the presence of articles therein;

scanning images of the articles in the mailbox;

generating electronically readable indicia associated with the mailbox for each scanned image;

collecting data including the number, the weight or the scanned images of the articles in the mailbox;

storing the collected data electronically in temporary memory associated with the mailbox or in memory on a computer server associated with the mailbox;

making the collected data accessible over the Internet at a location remote from the mailbox; and

activating an alarm utilizes e-mail, voice mail, text message or beeper alert when articles are detected in the mailbox.