Systems and methods for smooth attended or unattended package delivery and retrieval may be provided through a container locker. Delivery companies and their respective delivery means may interact with the container locker wirelessly, through handheld devices, or through mechanisms provided on the container locker itself. The processes of receiving or pickup of a parcel or other item may be facilitated, regardless the user's presence or absence from the delivery/pickup location. Systems and methods may receive, secure, maintain, and temporarily house delivery or pickup items and concomitantly document, verify, confirm, and communicate data in varied forms to the parties interested or engaged in such deliveries or retrievals through a variety of connected networks, communication means and the use thereof.

The present disclosure relates to an article storage and retrieval apparatus, including a frame body, configured to be fixed on a vertical mounting surface; a cap body, the cap body, hinged with the frame body at upper end, left end or right end to rotate to open and close; and an accommodating box, arranged in a space formed between the frame body and the cap body, adopting a foldable structure and configured to be unfolded alter the cap body is opened relative to the frame body to form a space for accommodating articles and allow the cap body to be closed relative to the frame body after being folded.

A system for securing contents in a container that can include a housing, at least one electromechanically operated security door securing access to the housing and a control panel for receiving input to release the electromechanically secured door from the housing. Communications components, alarms and cameras can also be associated with the housing to facilitate its security and operation and can also adapt it for access and/or package receipt (delivery) by a third party, and overall preservation and security of contents stored therein. Heating and cooling system components can maintain contents of valuable contents held within the housing at a select temperatures.

A safe delivery container, system and method which permits tracking of the state of the container and controlled release of its contents. Determination of the state of the container is preferably provided according to a plurality of sensors, including without limitation a temperature sensor, GPS tracking device, accelerometer, gyroscope, and an IMU. Tracking of the state of the container is preferably supported through a communication module which may for example comprise a SIM card. Such a communication module preferably enables the sensor signals to be transmitted to a remote location. Alternatively and/or additionally, communication of such sensor signals may occur when the container is brought into communication contact with each of a plurality of local communication devices. Upon receipt of such state information for the container, optionally and preferably the state information is written to a distributed ledger technology (DLT) such as for example the blockchain.

A lock can include a motor assembly, a gear assembly, and an unlocking assembly. The motor assembly can include a motor and a drive shaft. The gear assembly can include a cam, a pinion gear, and a pinion. The pinion gear can include a plurality of teeth disposed along only a portion of a perimeter of the pinion gear. The pinion gear can be configured to engage the pinion. The pinion can be configured to translate laterally to release a biasing member to unlock a door of a container.

A secure parcel delivery assembly for securing parcels upon delivery includes a shell. A divider plate is hingedly engaged to the shell and defines upper and lower compartments within the shell, which are accessible via an upper and lower openings, respectively. First and second doors close the upper and lower openings, respectively. The first door is hingedly engaged to the divider plate so it only is hingable when the first door is closed. A parcel inserted into the upper compartment causes the divider plate to hinge upon closing of the first door so that the parcel drops to the lower compartment. The parcel is accessible via the lower opening. Wirelessly actuatable door locks secure the first and second doors to the shell, allowing a user to wirelessly actuate and deactuate the door locks to secure and to retrieve the parcel, respectively.

A handheld-device imaging and collection apparatus, associated techniques and systems are described. An example apparatus may include a first container and a second container attached to each other. The first container includes a top panel arranged to enable acquiring a clear view of an inside of the first container, and one or more mirrors arranged facing inside of the first container, such that an image captured by a camera through the top panel captures reflections, in the one or more mirrors, of an handheld-device placed inside the first container. The second container includes a collection chamber configured to store the handheld-device.

An intelligent item receptacle, system, and method for providing supplemental media content in response to depositing an item having media indicia disposed thereon. An intelligent item receptacle includes an item receptacle securely enclosing an interior volume, an item sensor configured to detect an inserted item, a camera within the interior volume configured to capture an image of the item, and an output configured to play audio or visual content to bystanders outside the item receptacle. Processing circuitry within the item receptacle analyzes the image to determine if the media indicia are present on the item and, if present, causes the output to play the audio or visual content associated with the media indicia.

Systems and methods for securely delivering, transferring ownership, storing, accessing and receiving or returning an item from another are disclosed herein. In one embodiment, a system and method are provided to securely receive a variety of different sizes and types of packages at one or more locations, including but not limited to on or adjacent a recipient's property. In another embodiment, the system and method allow a user to receive, store and/or return an item without exposing the item to loss, damage, spoilage or other events that would impair the value of the items. Methods of utilizing the systems described herein are also disclosed.

An apparatus for physical correspondence recognition and processing in a postal system is described, comprising a housing comprising an opening for receiving physical correspondence, the physical correspondence including a readable element including textual information, and a secure enclosure for storing the physical correspondence, a visual processing and digitizing component, for processing the physical correspondence and the at least one readable element, dimension and weighing component for determining dimensions and weight of the physical correspondence, and a communication component coupled to the housing, for transmitting and receiving recognition and processing information related to the physical correspondence and readable element.