SMART PARCEL SAFE

• US 20180220827A1
• Filed: 05/15/2017
• Published: 08/09/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 02/03/2017
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Rebecca Romanucci
• Original Assignee: Rebecca Romanucci
• Inventors: Romanucci, Rebecca
• Granted Patent: US 10,039,401 B1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: A47C 11/00 Benches not otherwise provided for school forms A47B39/00
• CPC Class Codes: A47C 7/628 accessible by displacement of seat
• CPC Class Codes: A47G 2029/145 the receptacle comprising means for identifying a deposit; Deposits carrying identification means, e.g. a bar code
• CPC Class Codes: A47G 2029/146 the receptacle comprising identification means, e.g. a bar code
• CPC Class Codes: A47G 2029/147 the receptacle comprising heating or cooling means
• CPC Class Codes: A47G 2029/149 with central server link
• CPC Class Codes: A47G 29/1225 Signalling devices
• CPC Class Codes: A47G 29/126 Lids for access slits
• CPC Class Codes: A47G 29/141 comprising electronically controlled locking means
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/0832 Special goods or special handling procedures, e.g. handling of hazardous or fragile goods
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/0833 Tracking

Abstract

A smart parcel safe including a container defining an enclosure with an opening, a lid attached to the container by hinges and formed to fit over the opening and securely close the enclosure in a closed orientation, the lid being hinged to move from the closed orientation into an open orientation so as to provide access to the enclosure through the opening, a mobile communication device including an app designed to control locking/unlocking of an associated locking mechanism, and an electronically controlled locking mechanism affixed to the container and the lid, the electronically controlled locking mechanism being associated with the mobile communication device so as to be locked/unlocked in response to operation of the mobile communication device.

Claims

1. A smart parcel safe designed to receive and protect parcels delivered to an owner by a delivery service comprising:

an owner-container defining an enclosure with an opening and a lid attached to the owner-container by hinges and formed to fit over the opening and securely close the enclosure in a closed orientation, the lid being hinged to move from the closed orientation into an open orientation so as to provide access to the enclosure through the opening;

an electronically controlled locking mechanism affixed to the owner-container and the lid;

the smart parcel safe including a smart temperature control refrigeration unit attached to the owner-container and positioned to control temperatures in the owner-container;

an owner mobile communication device and a delivery service mobile communication device each including an app designed to remotely control locking/unlocking of the electronically controlled locking mechanism; and

the electronically controlled locking mechanism being responsive to the app included in the owner mobile communication device and the delivery service mobile communication device so as to be remotely locked/unlocked in response to operation of either the owner mobile communication device or the delivery service mobile communication device, whereby parcels can be securely delivered to the owner via the smart parcel safe by the delivery service.

2. The smart parcel safe as claimed in claim 1 and further including apparatus affixing the safe to a permanent immovable structure to retard unauthorized movement.

3. The smart parcel safe as claimed in claim 2 wherein the apparatus affixing the safe to a permanent structure includes, screws, bolts, a bar imbedded in the container with associated cable or chain, and heavy additional portion attached to the container.

4. The smart parcel safe as claimed in claim 1 wherein the hinges further include electronically controllable hinges responsive to the owner mobile communication device or the delivery service mobile communication device so as to move the lid between the closed orientation and the open orientation in response to operation of the owner mobile communication device or the delivery service mobile communication device.

5. The smart parcel safe as claimed in claim 1 wherein the smart temperature control refrigeration unit attached to the container is responsive to one of an off/on switch on the smart parcel safe, the app included in the owner mobile communication device or the delivery service mobile communication device so as to control the unit to one of cooling and heating in response to operation of either the off/on switch, the owner mobile communication device or the delivery service mobile communication device.

6. The smart parcel safe as claimed in claim 1 wherein electrical power is provided by at least one of commercial electricity, batteries, and/or solar panels.

7. The smart parcel safe as claimed in claim 1 wherein the safe is included in an article of furniture.

8. The smart parcel safe as claimed in claim 7 wherein the article of furniture includes a bench with the lid forming a seat of the bench.

9. The smart parcel safe as claimed in claim 1 wherein the safe further includes an alarm, visual and/or audible, incorporated to activate in response to unauthorized activity in conjunction with the safe.

11. The smart parcel safe as claimed in claim 1 further comprising a GPS tracking mechanism included with the container and self opening hinges connected between the container and the lid, whereby when the lid is unlocked the lid is pushed open by the hinges and the hinges are controllable to close and lock the lid.

10. (canceled)

12. A method of providing secure parcel delivery to an owner comprising the steps of:

providing an owner smart parcel safe including a container defining an enclosure with an opening, a lid attached to the container by hinges and formed to fit over the opening and securely close the enclosure in a closed orientation, the lid being hinged to move from the closed orientation into an open orientation so as to provide access to the enclosure through the opening, and an electronically controlled locking mechanism affixed to the container and the lid, the electronically controlled locking mechanism being associated with a mobile communication device so as to be locked/unlocked in response to operation of the mobile communication device;

providing an owner mobile communication device including an app designed to remotely control locking/unlocking of the associated locking mechanism; and

syncing the owner mobile communication device with at least one parcel delivery service mobile communication device or other entity mobile communication device to interact with the delivery service or other entity and allow remote control of the locking/unlocking of the associated locking mechanism through the mobile communication device of the delivery service or other entity and parcel delivery to the owner smart parcel safe container.

13. The method as claimed in claim 12 and further including the step of providing apparatus affixing the safe to a permanent immovable structure to retard unauthorized movement.

14. The method as claimed in claim 12 further including a step of providing electronically controllable hinges associated with the owner mobile communication device so as to move the lid between the closed orientation and the open orientation in response to operation of the owner mobile communication device or other synced mobile device.

15. The method as claimed in claim 12 further including a step of providing a smart temperature control refrigeration unit within/attached to the container, the smart temperature control refrigeration unit responsive to one of an off/on switch on the owner smart parcel safe or the owner mobile communication device so as to control the unit to one of cooling and heating in response to operation of the off/on switch, the owner mobile communication device or other synced mobile device.

16. The method as claimed in claim 12 further including a step of providing electrical power to the safe by at least one of commercial electricity, batteries, and/or solar panels.

17. The method as claimed in claim 12 including a step of providing an alarm, visual and/or audible, incorporated in the safe to activate in response to unauthorized activity in conjunction with the safe.

18. The method as claimed in claim 12 wherein the step of syncing the mobile communication device with at least one parcel delivery service or other entity to interact with the delivery service includes communicating special delivery instructions from the mobile communication device of the delivery service or other entity to the owner mobile communication device or from the owner mobile communication device to the mobile communication device of the delivery service or other entity.

19. A method of providing secure parcel delivery from a parcel delivery service to an owner comprising the steps of:

the owner;

providing a smart parcel safe including a container defining an enclosure with an opening, a lid attached to the container by hinges and formed to fit over the opening and securely close the enclosure in a closed orientation, the lid being hinged to move from the closed orientation into an open orientation so as to provide access to the enclosure through the opening, an electronically controlled locking mechanism affixed to the container and the lid, and an owner mobile communication device including an app designed to control locking/unlocking of an associated locking mechanism;

the electronically controlled locking mechanism being associated with the owner mobile communication device so as to be locked/unlocked in response to operation of the owner mobile communication device;

the parcel delivery service providing at least one parcel delivery service mobile communication device; and

syncing the owner mobile communication device with the at least one parcel delivery service mobile communication device to allow control of locking/unlocking of the associated locking mechanism through the at least one parcel delivery service mobile communication device.

20. The method as claimed in claim 19 further including steps of:

the parcel delivery service delivering a parcel to the smart parcel safe using the at least one parcel delivery service mobile communication device to unlock the associated locking mechanism and locking the associated locking mechanism after placing the parcel in the container; and

subsequently the owner opening the smart parcel safe, removing the parcel and closing the smart parcel safe.

21. The method as claimed in claim 19 wherein the step of syncing the owner mobile communication device with the at least one parcel delivery service mobile communication device to interact with the delivery service further includes communicating special delivery instructions from the mobile communication device of the delivery service to the owner mobile communication device or from the owner mobile communication device to the mobile communication device of the delivery service.