Electronically controlled lockbox

• US 7,518,485 B2
• Filed: 06/08/2004
• Issued: 04/14/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 07/11/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Intellectual Ventures I LLC (Intellectual Ventures LLC)
• Original Assignee: Hoshiko LLC (Raoul Management LLC)
• Inventors: Shuster, Gary Stephen
• Primary Examiner(s): Zimmerman; Brian A
• Assistant Examiner(s): Syed; Nabil H
• Application Number:
  US10/864,781
• Publication Number:
  US 20040252018A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,771 Days
• Field of Search: 340/5.73, 340/568.1, 340/569, 340/543, 700/213, 700/214, 700/228
• US Class Current: 340/5.73
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/08 Logistics, e.g. warehousing, loading or distribution; Inventory or stock management
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/13 the containers being a postal pick-up locker

Abstract

A method and apparatus for providing security for delivered goods purchased via electronic or telephonic commerce is provided in the form of a digital lock box, and method of operating the lock box in cooperation with senders of goods. This method further comprises generating a owner access code for full access to a secured area, individually dividing this secured area into a plurality of sections after each delivery, generating a delivery access code for access to particular sections of a secured area, forwarding this delivery access code to senders of deliverable goods, and deactivating this delivery access code after the delivery of these goods.

Claims

1. A lockbox, comprising:

a housing enclosing a secure storage volume;

an access door disposed to provide an opening into the housing, and configured for delivery of items to the storage volume;

a lock securing the access door from opening, configured to be unlocked by an access code;

a data entry device disposed exterior to the lockbox and communicatively linked to the lock, operative to receive access codes for unlocking the lock;

a lockbox controller operatively associated with the lock and configured to control access codes operative for unlocking the lock, the lock controller further configured for connection to a remote communication link; and

a sensor communicatively linked to the lockbox controller, and disposed to sense an amount of available space in the secure storage volume, wherein the lockbox controller is configured to communicate with the sensor to determine a measure of the amount of available space in the secure storage volume, and to communicate information relating to the measure to a remote site.

2. The lockbox of claim 1, further comprising a plurality of movable barriers dividing the secure storage into a plurality of separate sections, wherein at least one of the movable barriers is configured to move after an item is deposited in the secure storage volume to retain the deposited item in one of a plurality of separate sections.

3. The lockbox of claim 2, wherein the sensor further comprises a plurality of position detectors disposed to detect positions of the plurality of movable barriers.

4. The lockbox of claim 2, wherein the plurality of movable barriers operate cooperatively with the lockbox controller to adjust at least one dimension of the at least one of the plurality of separate sections according to at least one dimension of a package delivered therein.

5. The lockbox of claim 1, wherein the secure storage volume is divided into a plurality of separate sections each accessible via the access door.

6. The lockbox of claim 5, wherein the lockbox controller is configured to unlock access to all contents of the secure storage volume upon entry of a owner access code into the data entry device.

7. The lockbox of claim 5, wherein the lockbox controller is configured to unlock access to only one of the plurality of separate sections upon entry of a delivery access code into the data entry device.

8. The lockbox of claim 1, wherein the lockbox controller is configured to not unlock the access door upon entry of a delivery access code into the data entry device, once the delivery access code has already been used to unlock the access door.

9. The lockbox of claim 1, wherein the lockbox controller is further comprised to compare the amount of available space with dimensions of a package that is not yet delivered to the secure storage volume.

10. The lockbox of claim 9, wherein the lockbox controller is further comprised to transmit a message when the dimensions of the package that is not yet delivered exceeds the amount of available space.

11. The lockbox of claim 1, wherein the lockbox further comprises a reset mechanism triggered upon removal of all delivered contents of the secured area.

12. The lockbox of claim 1, wherein the data entry device comprises a digital interface.

13. The lockbox of claim 12, wherein the data entry device comprises a key pad.

14. The lockbox of claim 1, further comprising a plurality of movable dividers disposed in the secure storage volume, for partitioning the volume.

15. The lockbox of claim 14, wherein the plurality of movable dividers are moved using a motor controlled by the lockbox controller.

16. The lockbox of claim 14, wherein the plurality of movable dividers are configured for individual manual movement while the access door is open.

17. The lockbox of claim 16, further comprising a one-way movement mechanism attached to the plurality of dividers for preventing reverse movement of individual ones of the dividers.

18. The lockbox of claim 17, further comprising an unlocking mechanism for temporarily disabling the one-way movement mechanism, thereby permitting moved ones of the plurality of dividers to be returned to a standby position.

19. The lockbox of claim 18, wherein the unlocking mechanism is configured to be activated by a mechanical key.

20. The lockbox of claim 19, wherein the unlocking mechanism is configured to be activated by entry of a master access code into the data entry device.