Smart locker system and methods for use thereof

A locker for storage of a parcel, the locker comprising:

• i) a first and second side wall, each having the vertical height and a horizontal depth;
• ii) a front side with a vertical height and horizontal width, the vertical height being larger than the horizonal width, the horizontal width being less than three inches, for ensuring that a flat parcel inserted into the locker does not lie flat on a floor of the locker and is supported by at least one of the first and second walls;
• iii) a door configured for being opened to allow outside access to an inner volume of the locker and for being closed to deny outside access to the inner volume of the locker;
• iv) a sensor system comprising:
• an array of emitters located at the first side wall and facing the second side wall, each emitter being located at a distance of no more than five centimeters from a nearest emitter thereof and being configured for emitting a respective electromagnetic wave, wherein the emitters are disposed to form a first line at a bottom of the first side wall, along the horizontal depth of the first side wall, starting at a front of the first side wall and ending at a back end of the first side wall;
• an array of receivers located at the second side wall and facing the first side wall, each receiver being configured for detecting the electromagnetic waves from one or more of the emitters, each receiver being located at a distance of no more than five centimeters from a nearest receiver thereof and being configured for generating first signals indicative of detection and lack of detection of the electromagnetic waves, wherein the receivers are disposed to form a second line at a bottom of the second side wall, along the horizontal depth of the second side wall, starting at a front of the second side wall and ending at a back end of the second side wall;
• a door sensor, configured to sense whether the door is open or closed and to generate second signals indicative of the door being open and the door being closed;
• a controller configured for receiving the second signals from the door sensor and first signals from the emitters and processing the first signals to determine a presence or absence of the parcel in the locker every time and only when the door has been opened and closed;
• wherein the parcel located in the locker blocks a propagation of at least some of the electromagnetic waves toward the emitters;
• wherein the emitters are embedded in the first side wall and the receivers are embedded in the second side wall, such that the emitters and the receivers do not protrude out of the first side wall toward the second side wall and the receivers do not protrude out of the second side wall toward the first side wall.