Secure container for package delivery

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12136305-B2
Application number	US-202318095290-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jan 10, 2023
Priority date	Nov 1, 2017
Publication date	Nov 5, 2024
Grant date	Nov 5, 2024

Abstract

A method includes transmitting, by a handler device associated with a package handler, a message to an access control system requesting access to a secure container secured by an electronic lock mechanism; determining, by the access control system, whether the package handler is authorized to access the secure container based on the received message; transmitting, by the access control system, an unlock command to the secure container in response to a determination that the package handler is authorized to access the secure container; and unlocking the electronic lock mechanism of the secure container in response to successful authentication of the unlock command.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A piece of furniture, comprising:
one or more furniture features forming a secure container, the one or more furniture features providing stealth to the secure container, the secure container including:
a chamber within the furniture features for storage of a package;
a movable barrier forming part of the furniture features and adapted to move between an open position to allow access to the chamber and a closed position to prevent access to the chamber;
a lock mechanism adapted to move between a locked position to lock the movable barrier in the closed position and an unlocked position; and
a control system at least incorporated in the secure container, the control system including a processor, a memory for storing programming instructions executable by the processor, an input/output subsystem connecting the memory to the processor, and one or more sensors configured to generate sensor data that is processed by the processor to determine one or more characteristics of the secure container.

2. The piece of furniture of claim 1 , wherein the one or more sensors include a barrier position sensor configured to determine whether the barrier is in the open position or the closed position and a latch sensor configured to determine whether the lock mechanism is in the unlocked position or the locked position.

3. The piece of furniture of claim 1 , wherein:
the one or more furniture features form a bench; and
the movable barrier is a seat of the bench.

4. The piece of furniture of claim 1 , further comprising a second lock mechanism configured to anchor the piece of furniture to an anchor point.

5. The piece of furniture of claim 1 , wherein the control system includes one or more indicators, the one or more indicators configured to display a message indicating the package is in the chamber of the secure container.

6. The piece of furniture of claim 5 , wherein the one or more indicators display patterns, shapes, and/or colors that identify a delivery company that delivered the package into the chamber.

7. An access control system that provides controlled access to one or more packages stored therein, the access control system comprising:
a plurality of secure containers for receiving separate packages in a plurality of separate secure deliveries, each of the plurality of secure containers including:
a housing having a chamber defined therein for storage of a package;
a movable barrier secured to the housing and adapted to move between an open position to allow access to the chamber and a closed position to prevent access to the chamber;
a lock mechanism adapted to move between a locked position to lock the movable barrier in the closed position and an unlocked position; and

a control system for controlling access to each of the plurality of secure containers, at least a portion of the control system embedded in a wall of the housing of at least one of the plurality of secure containers, the control system including:
a processor, a memory for storing programming instructions executable by the processor, and an input/output subsystem connecting the memory to the processor; and
one or more sensors configured to generate sensor data that is processed by the processor to determine one or more characteristics of each of the plurality of secure containers, the one or more sensors including a barrier position sensor configured to determine whether the barrier of each of the plurality of secure containers is in the open position or the closed position and a latch sensor configured to determine whether the lock mechanism of each of the plurality of secure containers is in the unlocked position or the locked position.

8. The access control system of claim 7 , wherein the control system comprises a plurality of control systems for corresponding ones of the plurality of secure containers.

9. The access control system of claim 7 , wherein at least part of the control system is shared by at least two of the plurality of secure containers.

10. The access control system of claim 7 , wherein a first part of the plurality of secure containers are configured to be heated and a second part of the plurality of secure containers are configured to be cooled.

11. The access control system of claim 10 , wherein a third part of the plurality of secure containers are not configured to be heated or cooled.

12. A secure container that provides controlled access to a package stored therein, the secure container comprising:
a housing having a chamber defined therein for storage of the package;
a movable barrier secured to the housing and adapted to move between an open position to allow access to the chamber and a closed position to prevent access to the chamber;
a lock mechanism adapted to move between a locked position to lock the movable barrier in the closed position and an unlocked position; and
a control system at least partially incorporated in a wall of the housing, the control system including:
a processor, a memory for storing programming instructions executable by the processor, and an input/output subsystem connecting the memory to the processor; and
one or more sensors configured to generate sensor data that is processed by the processor to determine one or more characteristics of the secure container, the one or more sensors including a barrier position sensor configured to determine whether the barrier is in the open position or the closed position and a latch sensor configured to determine whether the lock mechanism is in the unlocked position or the locked position.

13. The secure container of claim 12 , wherein the one or more sensors include a temperature sensor to generate temperature data that is processed by the processor to determine a temperature of the chamber of the secure container.

14. The secure container of claim 13 , wherein the control system includes a temperature control system configured to heat and/or cool the chamber in response to the temperature data to a predefined temperature based on a type of the package to be placed in the chamber.

15. The secure container of claim 14 , wherein:
the temperature control system is configured to cool the chamber in response to the temperature data to a predefined temperature for a frozen type of package to be placed in the chamber; and
the temperature control system is configured to heat the chamber in response to the temperature data to a predefined temperature that maintains a warm type of package to be placed in the chamber.

16. The secure container of claim 12 , wherein the control system includes at least one camera attached to the housing, the at least one camera configured to capture an image of at least one of the package or a package handler and the processor is configured to process the image.

17. The secure container of claim 16 , wherein the control system is configured to transmit a control signal to the lock mechanism to lock the lock mechanism in response to a determination that the package has been placed in the chamber of the housing and the movable barrier is in the closed position.

18. The secure container of claim 17 , wherein the at least one camera is configured to capture a unique identifier and the processor is configured to process the unique identifier to unlock the lock mechanism in response to the unique identifier indicating the package handler is authorized to access the secure container.

19. The secure container of claim 17 , wherein the control system comprises a wireless communication circuitry configured to transmit a notif

Assignees

• Schlage Lock Co Llc

Inventors

• Barrett Roger
• Prostko Robert
• Eickhoff Brian C
• Roberts Iii Rockwood T
• Martens Robert
• Baxter Scott
• Baumgarte Joseph W

Classifications

• G07C9/215

  the system having a variable access-code, e.g. varied as a function of time · CPC title

• H04L9/3242 Primary

  involving keyed hash functions, e.g. message authentication codes [MACs], CBC-MAC or HMAC · CPC title

• G07C9/00309

  operated with bidirectional data transmission between data carrier and locks · CPC title

• G07C2009/0092

  for cargo, freight or shipping containers and applications therefore in general · CPC title

• G05B2219/37431

  Temperature · CPC title