US 9,619,955 B2 · Systems and methods for facilitating package delivery or pickup

Abstract

A system for facilitating package delivery or pickup at premises of senders or recipients has a package door that is used for receipt and collection of packages. The package door includes an input device for entering package information and an image capture device for visually recording the arrival of a courier. Based on the package information entered via the input device, the system determines whether the package information matches a predetermined value, such as a package tracking number. The system may automatically unlock the package door if the package information matches such predetermined value. In other embodiments, a user may remotely monitor the package information and/or information from the image capture device to determine whether to provide inputs for unlocking the package door. The system logs the package information received from the input device and the image capture device.

Claims28

Dependent claims

A package door system, comprising:

a first door;
a second door, wherein the first door is mounted in the second door;
a door locking mechanism coupled to the first door;
a data input device configured to receive, from a user, an authorization code for a package to be delivered or picked up through the first door;
a display screen configured to display to the user at least one image via the display screen, wherein the displayed at least one image includes an image of a signature from a system operator, wherein the image of the signature from the system operator is displayed to the user in response to receipt of the authorization code by the data input device;
and
at least one computing device configured to receive the authorization code from the data input device and to perform a comparison between the authorization code and attribute data indicative of at least one package to be delivered or picked up by a courier service, the at least one computing device further configured to control the door locking mechanism based on the comparison.

4 more elements

A system for facilitating deliveries, comprising:

a first door;
a door locking mechanism coupled to the first door;
a data input device configured to receive, from a user, an authorization code for a package to be delivered or picked up through the first door;
a user interface having a display screen mounted near the first door, wherein the user interface is configured to enable a system operator to provide a message for the user with the display screen, wherein the message includes an image of a signature from the system operator, and wherein the image of the signature from the system operator is displayed to the user in response to receipt of the authorization code by the data input device;
and
at least one computing device configured to receive the authorization code from the data input device and to perform a comparison between the authorization code and attribute data indicative of at least one package to be delivered or picked up by a courier service, the at least one computing device further configured to control the door locking mechanism based on the comparison, wherein the at least one computing device is configured to store in memory a plurality of attributes for a plurality of packages delivered through the first door thereby defining an attribute history for the plurality of packages, and wherein each of the attributes is selected from at least one of the group including:
a sender name and a category of a product contained by a respective one of the plurality of packages.

4 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Systems and methods for facilitating package delivery or pickup

Life of this patent

Systems and methods for facilitating package delivery or pickup

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims28