Network connected delivery box using access codes and methods for providing same
OwnerReinhold Holtkamp, Jr., Jean-Stephan Rovaniinventors
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A network connected delivery box includes an input unit for inputting a user code. A communication unit communicates with a computer through the network so that an electrically controlled lock in the delivery box can be opened by a signal from the computer when the input user code matches a valid user code stored in the computer. Also provided is a method of managing purchase and delivery information associated with deliveries to a delivery box by storing, at a central computer, delivery information for each delivery by a delivery company. Aggregate and average delivery information is calculated and presented to a delivery box user to make an informed selection of a delivery company.
Claims20
A method of managing purchase, delivery, and user information in a delivery system comprising a delivery box user, a delivery company, and a network connected delivery box, the method comprising the steps of:
- receiving a purchase order for goods from a delivery box user;
- associating, at a central computer, a valid user code with the purchase order;
- delivering the ordered goods to the network connected delivery box, the network connected delivery box being connected to the central computer through a computer network and having an enclosure configured to store the ordered goods, wherein delivering the ordered good comprises:
- providing, at the network connected delivery box, a user code by the delivery company,
- verifying the provided user code by an automated comparison to the valid user code associated at the central computer, and
- providing access to the delivery box if the provided user code is verified based on the automated comparison to the valid user code.
A method of managing purchase and delivery information in a delivery system comprising a delivery box user, a delivery box company, a goods supplier, a delivery company, and a network connected delivery box having an enclosure configured to store goods, comprising the steps of:
- detecting, tracking and storing a purchase order for goods transmitted from the delivery box user to the goods supplier by a central computer in the delivery box company so as to form a database of information on purchases by the delivery box user;
- providing a valid user code to be used to open the enclosure of the delivery box from the central computer in the delivery box company to the delivery company and maintaining a database of information on delivery by tracking the user code;
- and
- transmitting a completion signal from the delivery box to the computer in the delivery box company over a computer network after the delivery of goods by the delivery company is complete so as to update the database of delivery information, wherein the delivery of goods by the delivery company includes an automated comparison of the valid user code before access to the delivery box is permitted.
A method for managing purchase and delivery information in a delivery system comprising a delivery box user, a delivery box company, a goods supplier, a delivery company, and a network connected delivery box having an enclosure configured to store goods, comprising the steps of:
- providing a purchase order from the delivery box user to the delivery box company;
- relaying the purchase order from the delivery box company to the goods supplier and maintaining the information on the purchase order in the delivery box company so as to form a database of information on purchases by the delivery box user;
- providing, at a central computer, a valid user code to be used to open the enclosure of the delivery box from the delivery box company to the delivery company and maintaining a database of information on delivery by tracking the user code;
- and
- transmitting a completion signal from the delivery box to the central computer in the delivery box company after the delivery of goods by the delivery company is complete so as to update the database of delivery information, wherein the delivery of goods by the delivery company includes an automated comparison of the user code before access to the delivery box is permitted.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.