# US 11,998,131 B1 · Automatic mail notification system > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 11,998,131 B1 - Document ID: US11998131B1 - Status: Granted - Kind: B1 - Application number: 18/314,507 - Filed: 2023-05-09 - Granted: 2024-06-04 - Earliest claimed: 2023-05-09 - Applicants: Barry N. Marlin - Inventors: Barry N. Marlin - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11998131B1 ## CPC - A47G 29/1225: {Signalling devices} - A47G 29/1214: {including a receiver located remotely from the letter-box and a transmitter} - G08B 5/223: {using wireless transmission} - A47G 2029/1226: {comprising electrical parts} - A47G: HOUSEHOLD OR TABLE EQUIPMENT (book-ends A47B5/00; knives B26B) - G08B: SIGNALLING SYSTEMS, e.g. PERSONAL CALLING SYSTEMS; ORDER TELEGRAPHS; ALARM SYSTEMS ## Abstract Aspects of the disclosure are directed to a mail notification system. In accordance with one aspect, a mail notification system, includes an energy emitter device configured to emit energy; a sensing device coupled to the energy emitter device, the sensing device configured to receive the energy from the energy emitter device to produce a sensed signal; a detection device coupled to the sensing device, the detection device configured to detect a transition state of the sensed signal and configured to produce a digital message; and a housing configured to receive one or more mail, wherein the housing houses the energy emitter device, the sensing device, and the detection device. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A mail notification system, comprising: an energy emitter device configured to emit energy; a sensing device coupled to the energy emitter device, the sensing device configured to receive the energy from the energy emitter device to produce a sensed signal; a detection device coupled to the sensing device, the detection device configured to detect a transition state of the sensed signal based on a comparison of a sensed signal amplitude to a threshold level, and configured to produce a digital message; and a housing configured to receive one or more mail, wherein the housing houses the energy emitter device, the sensing device, and the detection device. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The mail notification system of claim 1, further comprising a communication device coupled to the detection device, the communication device configured to convey the digital message from a source to a destination. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The mail notification system of claim 2, further comprising an energy source configured to provide electrical energy to one or more of the following: the energy emitter, the sensing device, the detection device and the communication device. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The mail notification system of claim 3, wherein the source is the housing. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The mail notification system of claim 4, wherein the destination is a receiving device. ### Claim 6 (depends on 4) The mail notification system of claim 4, wherein the destination is a destination section comprising a receiving device, a processing device and a notification device. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The mail notification system of claim 6, wherein the destination is a home or a business location of a user. ### Claim 8 (depends on 6) The mail notification system of claim 6, wherein the receiving device is configured to retrieve the digital message. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The mail notification system of claim 8, wherein the processing device is coupled to the receiving device and the processing device is configured to prepare a notification message based on the digital message. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The mail notification system of claim 9, wherein the notification device is coupled to the processing device and the notification device is configured to notify a user with the notification message, and wherein the notification message conveys a container state of the housing. ### Claim 11 A method for implementing an automatic mail notification, the method comprising: emitting energy from an energy emitter device; receiving the energy from the energy emitter device to produce a sensed signal; detecting a transition state of the sensed signal to produce a digital message, wherein the sensed signal is based on a comparison of a sensed signal amplitude to a threshold level; and conveying the digital message from a housing to a destination, wherein the housing is configured to receive one or more mail. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The method of claim 11, wherein the energy is an electromagnetic energy with one of the following: visible wavelengths, infrared wavelengths, microwave or radio wavelengths. ### Claim 13 (depends on 11) The method of claim 11, wherein the energy is an acoustic energy with one of the following: a sonic frequency band, an ultrasonic frequency band or an infrasonic frequency band. ### Claim 14 (depends on 11) The method of claim 11, wherein the energy is emitted by a light emitting diode (LED), an acoustic source, an ultrasonic source or an infrasonic source. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The method of claim 14, wherein the transition state includes a hysteresis logic. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The method of claim 15, further comprising encoding the digital message into a communication signal, wherein the communication signal is configured to convey the digital message to the destination. ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) The method of claim 16, further comprising transporting the communication signal over a wireless communication link, wherein the wireless communication link conforms with one of the following wireless protocols: Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, near field communication (NFC), Infrared Data Association (IrDA), long-term evolution (LTE), a 3rd Generation Partnership Project (3GPP) wireless protocol. ### Claim 18 (depends on 17) The method of claim 17, further comprising retrieving the digital message from the communication signal; and preparing a notification message based on the digital message, wherein the notification message conveys a container state of the housing. ### Claim 19 An apparatus implementing an automatic mail notification, the apparatus comprising: means for emitting energy from an energy emitter device; means for receiving the energy from the energy emitter device to produce a sensed signal; means for detecting a transition state of the sensed signal to produce a digital message, wherein the sensed signal is based on a comparison of a sensed signal amplitude to a threshold level; means for encoding the digital message into a communication signal; and means for conveying the digital message from a housing to a destination, wherein the housing is configured to receive one or more mail. ### Claim 20 (depends on 19) The apparatus of claim 19, further comprising: means for retrieving the digital message from the communication signal; and means for preparing a notification message based on the digital message, wherein the notification message conveys a container state of the housing.