Electronic lockbox with sensor and removable magnetic key fob

An electronic lockbox, comprising:

• (a) a housing that includes a lock;
• (b) an electronic control circuit, including:
• a processing circuit, a memory circuit including instructions executable by the processing circuit, and an input/output interface circuit, wherein the processing circuit is in communication with at least one of the memory circuit and the input/output interface circuit;
• (c) a closable secure container that is either locked in place or is released, which is under the control of the processing circuit;
• (d) a removable key fob that is storable in the closable secure container;
• and
• (e) a single sensor mounted in the housing;
• wherein:
• (f) the single sensor is operable to detect whether the closable secure container is locked in place or is released;
• and
• (g) if the closable secure container is locked in place, then the single sensor is also operable to detect the presence or absence of the removable key fob.

An electronic lockbox with a multifunction sensor comprising:

• (a) a housing, the housing including:
• a bin receptacle space;
• and
• a lock that is associated with the bin receptacle space;
• (b) an electronic control circuit, including:
• a processing circuit, a memory circuit including instructions executable by the processing circuit, and an input/output interface circuit, wherein the processing circuit is in communication with at least one of the memory circuit and the input/output interface circuit;
• (c) a movable bin that is either locked in place at the bin receptacle space, or is in a released state so as to be removable from at least a portion of the bin receptacle space, in which the lock is under the control of the processing circuit;
• (d) a magnetic sensor mounted inside the housing, proximal to the bin receptacle space;
• (e) a first magnet mounted on the movable bin;
• (f) a removable magnetic cap that includes a second magnet, in which the removable magnetic cap is magnetically attachable to the first magnet;
• wherein:
• (g) the electronic lockbox exhibits three operating states, such that
• (i) in a first operating state;
• (A) the movable bin is released from the bin receptacle space, and
• (B) the first magnet is positioned distal from the magnetic sensor at a sufficiently far distance so that the magnetic sensor effectively does not detect the first magnet;
• (ii) in a second operating state:
• (A) the movable bin is locked in place at the bin receptacle space, and
• (B) the first magnet is positioned proximal to the magnetic sensor at a sufficiently close distance so that the magnetic sensor effectively detects the first magnet;
• (C) the removable magnetic cap is not attached to the first magnet, and the second magnet is positioned distal from the magnetic sensor at a sufficiently far distance so that the magnetic sensor effectively does not detect the second magnet;
• (iii) in a third operating state:
• (A) the movable bin is locked in place at the bin receptacle space;
• (B) the removable magnetic cap is magnetically attached to the first magnet;
• and
• (C) the first magnet and the removable magnetic cap are both positioned proximal to the magnetic sensor at a sufficiently close distance so that the magnetic sensor effectively detects both the first magnet and the second magnet;
• (h) in the first operating state, the magnetic sensor outputs a first signal having a first voltage magnitude, the first signal is communicated to at least one of the input/output interface circuit and the processing circuit, and, if the first voltage magnitude is within a predetermined first range of values, then the processing circuit determines that the first voltage magnitude indicates that the movable bin is in a released position;
• (i) in the second operating state, the magnetic sensor outputs the first signal having a second voltage magnitude, the first signal is communicated to at least one of the input/output interface circuit and the processing circuit, the second voltage magnitude is subtracted from one volt (“1V”), and the absolute value is taken of the subtraction result to create a first difference value, and, if the first difference value is within a predetermined second range of values, then the processing circuit determines that the first difference value indicates that the movable bin is in a locked position, and that the removable magnetic cap is not present in the movable bin;
• and
• (j) in the third operating state, the magnetic sensor outputs the first signal having a third voltage magnitude, the first signal is communicated to at least one of the input/output interface circuit and the processing circuit, the third voltage magnitude is subtracted from 1V, and the absolute value is taken of the subtraction result to create a second difference value, and, if the second difference value is within a predetermined third range of values, then the processing circuit determines that the second difference value indicates that the movable bin is in a locked position, and that the removable magnetic cap is present in the movable bin.