Unattended item delivery system

Details Unattended item delivery system Unattended item delivery system

1999-06-21

2001-11-27

Horabik, Michael (Department: 2735)

Communications: electrical

Continuously variable indicating

With meter reading

C340S010310, C342S457000

Reexamination Certificate

active

06323782

ABSTRACT:

FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates generally to item delivery systems, and more particularly to an enclosure having controlled access thereto.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Improvements in the delivery process of items, packages, and transportable goods in general is a topic of attention. In particular, enhancing the quality of security regarding the delivery process is highly desirable.
In order to better understand the advantages of the present invention, a simplified discussion of a typical delivery process is useful. Those involved in the delivery process of an item may commonly fall within three functional groups with respect to one another. These are the receivers, senders and delivery personnel. The receiver may include those who are intended or are expecting to receive an item to be delivered. In the consumer context for example, the receiver may be a customer who initiates the delivery process by placing a product order with a sender. Thus, the sender may be a manufacturer, vendor, seller, or distributor of the item, for example. In response to such product order, the sender may enlist the services of delivery personnel (e.g., couriers, shippers, postal service). It is contemplated that the sender may also function as delivery personnel as well. Thus, it is understood that anyone may function as a receiver, sender and delivery personnel with respect to one another.
As a convenience to all involved, the secure unattended delivery of an item to a receiver is highly desirable. In this respect, various delivery arrangements have been developed to facilitate the drop-off of an item by delivery personnel to a location without the receiver being present to physically take possession of the item. For example, the receiver may have a lockable enclosure or safe located at its business, home or other pick-up location. The delivery personnel is provided with a means for accessing the lockable enclosure which, of course, will vary upon the type of locking mechanism utilized. For example, the enclosure may be protected by a padlock with an associated mechanical key. Another exemplary arrangement may include the provision of an alpha numeric key pad which is used by the delivery personal to enter an access code. Such a prior art arrangement is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,774,053 to Porter. Yet another arrangement may include an active radio frequency device which is similar to a car alarm remote, which not only deactivates a car alarm but also triggers she unlocking of automatic door locks.
Subsequent to the delivery of the item by the delivery personnel, the receiver may access the lockable enclosure to pick-up or retrieve the delivered item. Such an unattended delivery system conveniently allows for delivery personnel to drop-off an item at any time, even after normal operating hours. Furthermore, the receiver may retrieve the item at their leisure.
Various prior art attempts have been made to enhance the security of the above described delivery process. The security of such a prior art delivery process is potentially susceptible to the fact that the delivery personnel must be provided with the means by which to access the receiver's enclosure. Thus, the delivery personnel must be given a mechanical key, active remote (such as a button transmitter), access code, combination, etc. (figuratively referred to as the “key”), which unlocks the enclosure. Once the receiver turns over its “key” to the delivery personnel, however, the security of their enclosure becomes dependent upon, and therefore susceptible to, the security procedures of the delivery personnel. The concern is that by giving the “key” to the delivery personnel, the enclosure may be subject to unauthorized access (i.e., when not associated with the delivery or drop-off of an item). In addition, there are issues as to whether the “key” may be duplicated, and procedures when a “key” has been “lost” by delivery personnel.
Moreover, the requirement that a “key” be given to the delivery personnel may be logistically cumbersome. This is because regular delivery personnel will typically be required to be enlisted by the receiver prior to the initiation of the delivery process. Thus, the sender may be restricted in its usage of its own preferred delivery personnel and may have to use and coordinate with the regular delivery personnel of the receiver.
It is therefore evident that there exists a need in the art for an improved method and system for the delivery of items which mitigates the security susceptibility resulting from a requirement that delivery personnel be provided with a “key” to access an item storage enclosure.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
In accordance with the present invention, there is provided a controlled access storage system for the delivery and retrieval of an item having a transponder associated therewith. The transponder is configured to transmit item identification data. In this regard, the transponder is programmed with data specific to the item and its destination. The storage system is provided with an enclosure which is sized and configured to store the item. The storage system is further provided with locking mechanism for unlocking the enclosure for access therein in response to an unlock signal. The storage system is further provided with a transponder communications device which is configured to electrically interrogate the transponder and to receive the item identification data in response. The storage system is further provided with access control circuitry which is disposed in operable communication with the transponder communications device and the locking mechanism, for selectively providing an unlock signal to the locking mechanism in response to the received item identification data.
It is contemplated that once an item is “tagged” with its own specifically programmed transponder, the item itself provides the key to unlocking the enclosure by merely being transported adjacent to the enclosure so as to facilitate the transmission and receipt of the item identification data by the transponder communications device. In the preferred embodiment of the present invention, the transponder is a passive radio frequency device which is integrated with an adhesive label. Advantageously, such a label may be readily attachable to the item to be delivered.
Preferably, the storage system is provided with an external communications device which is in electrical communication with the access control circuitry. The external communications device is configured to establish a data link with an external host computer. In this respect, it is contemplated that the status of the enclosure and any items delivered thereto may be reported to the external host computer. The external communications device may take the form of a modem, cellular phone, radio frequency transmitter/receiver or other electronic device. In this respect, the external communications device may be configured to transmit a signal representative of the event that a particular item has been delivered to the enclosure as identified by the item's own specific item identification data.
It is contemplated that the data link with the external host computer may be two-way and that signals may be passed to the access control circuitry. As such, signals may be also transmitted to the access control circuitry for remotely unlocking the enclosure. Further, as the transponder may be programmed, the host computer may send signals which may then be used to update the item identification data contained within the transponder.
The access control circuitry has selection criteria data stored therein. The access control circuitry selectively provides the unlock signal in response to comparison of the selection criteria data to the item identification data. Thus, when a particular item with its attached transponder is brought to the enclosure, the transponder communications device receives the item identification data and compares it to the selection criteria data. In this regard, the enclosure may be primed to expect the delivery of a parti

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