Method and apparatus for notifying of receipt

• US 6,483,433 B2
• Filed: 02/20/2001
• Issued: 11/19/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 02/20/2001
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines SA (International Business Machines Corporation)
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Pickover, Clifford A., Moskowitz, Paul A., Grey, William, Boies, Stephen J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Tweel, John
• Application Number:
  US09/788,940
• Publication Number:
  US 20020113703A1
• Time in Patent Office: 637 Days
• Field of Search: 340/568.1, 340/569, 340/527, 340/539, 232/17, 232/34
• US Class Current: 340/568.1
• 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 29/141 comprising electronically controlled locking means
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/38 with central registration
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/00 User-to-user messaging in packet-switching networks, transmitted according to store-and-forward or real-time protocols, e.g. e-mail
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 68/00 User notification, e.g. alerting and paging, for incoming communication, change of service or the like

Abstract

A system, method, apparatus, and computer program code for notifying at least one entity upon receipt of an item is provided. According to embodiments of the present invention, a determination is made whether an item has been placed in a repository. This determination may be made using any of a number of different types and combinations of sensors. An identification of at least one entity to be notified is then made, and the entity is notified if a determination is made that an item has been placed in the repository.

Claims

1. A notification method, comprising:

determining whether an item has been placed in a repository, wherein said determining comprises operating a sensor located in a container of said repository and wherein said sensor includes a video camera and a microphone;

identifying at least one entity to be notified; and

notifying said at least one entity when said determining indicates that said item has been placed in said repository;

and wherein said notifying includes forwarding a picture and a sound recording to said at least one entity.

2. A notification method, comprising:

determining whether an item has been placed in a repository, wherein said determining comprises operating a sensor located in a container of said repository and wherein said sensor is an accelerometer adapted to detect a physical attack on said repository;

identifying at least one entity to be notified; and

notifying said at least one entity when said determining indicates that said item has been placed in said repository; and

notifying at least one entity when said repository is subject to said physical attack.

3. A notification method, comprising:

determining whether an item has been placed in a repository, wherein said determining comprises operating a sensor located in a container of said repository and wherein said sensor is adapted to detect a physical attack on said repository;

identifying at least one entity to be notified; and

notifying said at least one entity when said determining indicates that said item has been placed in said repository; and

notifying at least one entity when said repository is subject to said physical attack.

4. The notification method of claim 3, wherein said sensor is selected from at least one of:

an accelerometer;

a microphone; and

a video camera.

5. A notification device, comprising:

a repository, for receiving an item;

sensor, coupled to said repository, for detecting the presence or non-presence of said item and for reading information about said item; and

a communication device, coupled to said identification device, for transmitting a message to at least one entity when said identification device detects the presence of said item.

6. The device of claim 5 wherein said sensor is at least one of a RFID and a bar code reader.