Electronic device for packet boxes and related operating method

• US 7,477,132 B2
• Filed: 04/08/2004
• Issued: 01/13/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 10/09/2001
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Deutsche Post AG
• Original Assignee: Deutsche Post AG
• Inventors: Tuna, Guldern, Mayer, Boris
• Primary Examiner(s): Zimmerman; Brian A
• Assistant Examiner(s): Nguyen; Nam V
• Application Number:
  US10/820,586
• Publication Number:
  US 20050015349A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,741 Days
• Field of Search: 340/5.73, 340/5.7, 340/5.9, 340/568.1, 340/572.1, 340/569, 340/539.1, 340/543, 340/10.31, 700/233, 700/244, 700/214, 700/237, 700/242, 235/385, 235381-382, 235/378, 235/375, 235/380, 232/45, 232/19, 705/418
• US Class Current: 340/5.73
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/33 by means of a password
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/38 with central registration
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/13 the containers being a postal pick-up locker

Abstract

An electronic device for packet boxes includes a processor programmed to assign users to groups of users and a control system capable of managing the possibilities of access to functions of the device on the basis of the user'"'"'s membership to the user groups.

Claims

1. A method for operating an electronic parcel compartment system, whereby information of users of the electronic parcel compartment system is acquired via a user interface, the method comprising:

assigning a registered user to a user group on the basis of the acquired information wherein the user group comprises a group of registered users having the same access profile to the parcel compartment system;

enabling the registered user of the user group to have access to a selection of several functions of the electronic parcel compartment system via controls of the electronic parcel system depending on the user group to which the registered user belongs,

effectuating control of access possibilities, whereby the user is given access to the particular starting menu of his user group, wherein at least one of certain parcel compartments and groups of parcel compartments are accessible only to certain user groups; and

activating, after assignment of a registered user to at least one specific user group, a function that causes an essentially simultaneous opening of several parcel compartments.

2. An electronic parcel compartment system with a user interface, the user interface comprising a means for acquiring information from registered users of the electronic parcel compartment system via a user interface, the electronic parcel compartment system comprising:

means for assigning the registered user to user groups on the basis of the acquired information wherein the user group comprises a group of registered users having the same access profile to the parcel compartment system;

a system control that allows a registered user of the user group to have access to a selection of several functions of the electronic parcel compartment system, depending on the user group to which the registered user belongs, and

means to effectuate control of access possibilities and means for giving the user access to the particular starting menu of his user group, wherein at least one of certain parcel compartments and groups of parcel compartments are accessible only to certain user groups; and

means for activating, after assignment of a registered user to at least one specific user group, a function that causes an essentially simultaneous opening of several parcel compartments.

3. The parcel compartment system of claim 2, wherein the means for assigning the users to user groups makes this assignment on the basis of information transmitted via a data line.

4. The parcel compartment system of claim 2, wherein the means for assigning users to user groups is connected to the user interface in such way that the information acquired from the user interface is available to said means for the assignment of the users.

5. The parcel compartment system of claim 4, wherein the means for assigning the users to user groups makes this assignment on the basis of information transmitted via a data line.

6. The parcel compartment system of claim 2, wherein the assignment to the user groups is performed by acquiring user identification information and by making a comparison of the user identification information to an entry in a database.

7. The parcel compartment system of claim 2, wherein different access authorizations to functions of the electronic parcel compartment system can be selected for different user groups.

8. The parcel compartment system of claim 2, wherein the assignment of the parcel compartments to the user groups can be changed.