Package delivery system

• US 6,725,127 B2
• Filed: 11/12/2002
• Issued: 04/20/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 05/25/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: EBOX Incorporated (BCE Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: EBOX Incorporated (BCE Incorporated)
• Inventors: Stevens, John K
• Primary Examiner(s): Crawford, Gene O.
• Application Number:
  US10/293,521
• Publication Number:
  US 20030093180A1
• Time in Patent Office: 525 Days
• Field of Search: 700/225, 700/237, 700/226, 700/241, 700/244, 232/1.R, 232/19, 232/20, 232/21, 340/825.31, 342/457
• US Class Current: 700/225
• CPC Class Codes: A47G 2029/146 the receptacle comprising identification means, e.g. a bar code
• CPC Class Codes: A47G 29/141 comprising electronically controlled locking means
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 2009/00793 by Hertzian waves
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/28 the pass enabling tracking or indicating presence

Abstract

A package storage and delivery system includes electronically controlled lockers disposed at or near customer locations. Each locker is unlocked by a courier, preferably by means of a short-range transceiver or transmitter carried on the courier'"'"'s person. The customer can unlock the locker and receive the delivered package. Cryptographically signed communications are employed along with nonvolatile usage logs to minimize the risk of loss of a package or fraud by courier or customer. The lockers may be stackable, permitting a delivery courier to add lockers in the event a customer receives too many deliveries to fit into a single locker. Each box has, of course, a physical location, and has associated with it an address code indicative of the physical location, for example by means of a human-readable or compressed representation of the precise latitude and longitude. A package delivered to such a box preferably bears the address code. A merchant can greatly reduce the risk of credit card fraud by requiring the use of such codes for the simple reason that a fraudulent transaction may be traced to a specific physical location.

Claims

1. A method for delivery of parcels with respect to peak and off-peak times, the method comprising:

determining a physical location of a premises of a customer within a coordinate system to within a predetermined accuracy;

representing the physical location of the premises by means of an address code indicative of the physical location;

receiving an order for a parcel from the customer located at the premises, the order comprising the address code;

establishing, in connection with the order, a unique identifier;

communicating the unique identifier to a locker located at the premises;

addressing the parcel with information indicative of the address code;

transporting the parcel to the premises, the parcel arriving at the premises during an off-peak time;

entering a message to the locker;

testing for a predetermined relationship between the message and the unique identifier;

opening the locker in the event the predetermined relationship is found;

placing the parcel in the locker;

annunciating to the customer the placing of the parcel in the locker.