Intelligent item receptacle

An item receptacle comprising:

• an interior volume;
• an intake item guide disposed within the interior volume;
• an intake sensor oriented proximate the intake item guide, the intake sensor emitting a light beam;
• a receiving item guide positioned proximate the intake item guide, the receiving item guide and the intake item guide forming a receiving channel therebetween;
• a jam detector sensor configured to detect items in the receiving channel, the jam detector sensor having an activatable light beam;
• and
• a processor in communication with the intake sensor and the jam detector sensor, the processor configured to:
• receive an intake signal from the intake sensor when an item breaks the light beam of the intake sensor;
• determine that a predetermined delay time has elapsed since the intake signal was received from the intake sensor;
• in response to determining that the predetermined time delay has elapsed, activate the jam detector sensor to produce the activatable light beam;
• receive a jam signal from the jam detector sensor when the item breaks the activatable light beam of the jam detector sensor;
• and
• determine that the item is jammed in the receiving channel based on the received jam signal.