System and method for controlling access to a secured area for the delivery of parcel shipments

Abstract

A system for controlling access to a secured area for the delivery of parcel shipments comprises an access device, a central server unit that is connected to the access device, and at least one database, which is linked with the central server unit. The access device further comprises a reading unit for recognizing a shipment number of a parcel shipment that is to be submitted and a transmitting unit for transmitting to the central server unit the recognized shipment number together with an identification number that identifies the access device. The central server unit is configured to check the shipment number and the identification number against the at least one database in order to retrieve registration information and shipment status. The central server unit is configured to transmit a release signal to the access device and the access device is configured to receive the release signal activate door opener.

Claims

1. A system for controlling access to a secured area for a delivery of parcel shipments, the system comprising: an access device comprising a reading unit, a transmitting unit, a receiver, and a control unit having a control server; a central server in communication with the access device; and at least one database in communication with the central server, wherein the reading unit is configured to recognize a shipment number of a parcel shipment that is to be delivered and the transmitting unit is configured to transmit the recognized shipment number, together with an identification number identifying the access device, to the central server, wherein the central server is configured to check the shipment number against the at least one database in order to retrieve at least the recipient name and a shipment status and check the identification number against the at least one database in order to retrieve registration information, wherein the central server is further configured to check the at least one recipient name against the registration information in order to determine if the at least one recipient has registered a receiving address at a location of the access device, wherein the central server is configured to transmit a release signal to the access device, wherein the central server transmits the release signal to the access device if the shipment is out for delivery and the shipment recipient has registered a receiving address at the location of the access device, and wherein the receiver is configured to receive the release signal from the control server and the control unit is configured to activate a door opener in response to the release signal.

2. The system according to claim 1, wherein the reading unit of the access device further comprises a scanner configured to recognize the shipment number.

3. The system according to claim 1, further comprising a door configured to be opened by the door opener in reaction to the release signal.

4. The system according to claim 1, wherein the central server further comprises a display unit and is configured to transmit an error signal to the receiver of the access device when at least one of the shipment is not out for delivery and the at least one recipient has not registered a receiving address at the location of the access device, wherein the display unit produces an error message when the receiver receives an error signal.

5. The system according to claim 1, wherein the registration information includes a name of the at least one recipient registered at the location of the access device.

6. The system according to claim 5, wherein the registration information includes a delivery authorization for at least one delivery provider, wherein the central server is configured to check the name of the at least one recipient against a delivery authorization and transmits the release signal to the access device if the at least one delivery provider has been authorized by the at least one recipient.

7. The system according to claim 1, further comprising at least one delivery provider database and at least one recipient database, wherein the central server is configured to check the shipment number against the at least one delivery provider database in order to retrieve at least the recipient name and a shipment status, and wherein the central server is configured to check the identification number against the at least one recipient database in order to retrieve registration information.

8. The system according to claim 7, further comprising at least one delivery provider server, wherein the central server is configured to contact the at least one delivery provider database via the at least one delivery provider server in order to retrieve at least the recipient name and the shipment status.

9. The system according to claim 8, wherein the central server is configured to associate the shipment number with a delivery provider and to carry out the check of the shipment number against the at least one delivery provider database if the association was successful, and to perform the check of the shipment number against all delivery provider databases if the association was not successful.

10. The system according to claim 1, wherein the access device is configured to perform a preliminary check of a structure of a recognized shipment number in order to determine whether it is the shipment number.

11. A method for controlling access to a secured area for delivery of parcel shipments, the method comprising: recognizing a shipment number of a parcel shipment to be shipped using an access device located at a delivery location; transmitting the recognized shipment number and an identification number that identifies the access device to a central server using the access device; transmitting the shipment number from the central server to at least one database; retrieving a recipient name and shipment status from the central server in response to the transmission of the shipment number; transmitting the identification number from the central server to at least one database; receiving registration information from the central server in response to the transmission of the identification number; checking, using the central server, the recipient name against the registration information in order to determine if the shipment recipient has registered a receiving address at a location of the access device; transmitting a release signal via the central server to the access device when the shipment is out for delivery and the shipment recipient has registered a receiving address at the location of the access device; and activating a door opener by the access device in response to receipt of the release signal transmitted by the central server.

12. The method according to claim 11, further comprising scanning the shipment number of the parcel shipment that is to be delivered using a reading unit of the access device.

13. The method according to claim 12, wherein the reading unit comprises a scanner.

14. The method according to claim 12, further comprising transmitting an error signal from the central server to the access device if at least one of the parcel shipment is not out for delivery and the recipient has not registered a receiving address at the location of the access device, and wherein the access device further comprises a display apparatus configured to display an error message when the access device receives the error signal.

15. The method according to of claim 14, further comprising registering a recipient as part of the registration information stored in the at least one database, and wherein the registration information is retrieved by transmitting the identification number from the central server to the at least one database.

16. The method according to claim 15, further comprising authorizing at least one delivery provider by the recipient and storing the authorization in the at least one database as a part of the registration information, wherein the transmission of a release signal from the central server to the access device occurs only when the respective delivery provider has been authorized by the recipient.

17. The method according to claim 16, wherein a name of the recipient and shipment status are retrieved by transmitting the shipment number from the central server to at least one delivery provider database, and wherein the registration information is retrieved by transmitting the identification number from the central server unit to at least one recipient database.

18. The method according to claim 17, wherein the name of the recipient and shipment status are retrieved by transmitting the shipment number from the central server to at least one delivery provider database via at least one delivery provider server.

19. The method according to claim 17, further comprising associating the shipment number with a delivery provider by means of the central server based on a structure of the shipment number, wherein the name of the recipient and the shipment status are retrieved by transmitting the shipment number from the central server to a delivery provider database of the associated delivery provider if association was successful, and the name of the recipient and shipment status are retrieved by transmitting the shipment number from the central server to the delivery provider databases of all delivery providers if the association was not successful.

20. The method according to claim 18, further comprising performing a preliminary check of the structure of the recognized shipment number by means of the access device in order to determine whether it is the shipment number.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) Hereafter, the system according to the invention or respectively the method according to the invention will be explained on the basis of an exemplary embodiment. The following is shown:

(2) FIG. 1 illustrates a schematic representation of an embodiment of a system for controlling access to a secured area for the delivery of parcel shipments;

(3) FIG. 2 illustrates a schematic representation of an embodiment of an access device of the system;

(4) FIG. 3 illustrates a flow chart of an embodiment of a method of controlling access to a secured area for the delivery of parcel shipments; and

(5) FIG. 4 illustrates a flow chart detailing the step of verifying the access authorization from the flow chart according to FIG. 3.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

(6) In the text which follows, the same reference signs designate the same objects.

(7) FIG. 1 shows an embodiment of the system according to the invention or respectively the method according to the invention. A parcel carrier 101 with a shipment 100 and a label 102 attached to the shipment can be recognized. The label 102 includes a shipment number. Reference sign 103 identifies a detection area of a barcode scanner 104 of an access device 106. The access device 106 further includes a display apparatus 105. The access device 106 is linked with a door opener 108 and, via a wireless link 107, with a central server unit 109. The central server unit 109, in turn, is linked with a recipient database 110 and, via delivery provider servers 112, 112, 112, with delivery provider databases 111, 111, 111.

(8) FIG. 2 schematically shows the structure of the access device 106. A processor unit 61, a transmitting and receiving unit 62, a voltage source 63, a scanning unit 104 and an actuator control 64 for activating the door opener 108 are arranged on a circuit board 66.

(9) Hereafter, the operating principles of the system or respectively the method will be explained on the basis of all drawings (FIGS. 1-4). To deliver a parcel shipment 100, a parcel carrier 101 holds the label 102 with the shipment number in the detection area 103 of the reading unit 104 of the access device 106. The reading unit 104 of the access device 106 reads out the shipment number. In particular, said reading unit 104 can be a barcode scanner, which detects a shipment number that is provided as a barcode. This process is identified as step 1 in the flow chart in FIG. 3 (Code is scanned).

(10) The access device 106 can subsequently perform a preliminary check of the recognized shipment number using its processor unit 61. In this way, it is possible to screen out any detected numbers that are apparently not shipment numbers. For example, numbers with fewer than four digits can be categorically eliminated, since they usually do not represent shipment numbers. The step of preliminarily checking the shipment number is identified in FIG. 3 with reference sign 2 (Valid input?). If the detected number is apparently not a shipment number, i.e. if the input is not valid, then an error message is produced by the access device 106 (FIG. 3). The error message is produced via the display apparatus 105, which can include a display screen or a light source, for example. The light source can glow red to represent the error message, for instance.

(11) Recognized shipment numbers are transmitted from the access device 106 to the central server unit 109 via a wireless link 107, such as a mobile data network. In addition, the access device 106 transmits an identification number of the access device to the central server unit 109. The transmission of the recognized shipment number and the identification number is designated step 3 (Transmission to central server unit) in FIG. 3.

(12) The central server unit 109, such as a processor unit, of the central server unit 109, then associates the received shipment number with a possible delivery provider. This association can be made on the basis of structural patterns of the shipment number, which are usually different for all delivery providers. If the association with a particular delivery provider is successful, then the shipment number is transmitted by the central server unit 109 to the corresponding delivery provider to query corresponding shipment data; see step 5 in FIG. 3 (Query of shipment data from identified delivery provider). If the association with a specific delivery provider is not successful, then the shipment number is transmitted to all delivery providers that are linked with the central server unit 109; see step 6 in FIG. 3 (Query of shipment data from all delivery providers). If the central server unit 109 has direct access to the delivery provider databases 111, 111, 111, then a direct check of the shipment number against said delivery provider databases 111, 111, 111 can be made. In this way, the recipient name and the shipment status are determined from the shipment number recognized by the access device. If the central server unit 109 does not have direct access to the delivery provider databases 111, 111, 111, then a query can be sent via the servers/computer systems 112, 112, 112 of the delivery providers. In this case, the servers/computer systems 112, 112, 112 of the delivery providers can gain access to the delivery provider databases 111, 111, 111 in order to retrieve the recipient name and the shipment status of the recognized shipment number and transmit them to the central server unit 109. As a result of the query, the central server unit thus receives at least the name of the recipient for whom the shipment 100 is intended as well as the shipment status.

(13) The access authorization is verified using the available information, in particular the recipient name, the shipment status and the identification number of the access device 106, which were obtained from the shipment number. This corresponds to step 7 in FIG. 3 (Verify access authorization), which is shown in detail in FIG. 4.

(14) Based on the identified shipment status, the central server unit 109 verifies whether a requested delivery status has been accomplished; see step 7.1 in FIG. 4 (Requested delivery status accomplished). The requested status can be, for instance, that the shipment was defined by the delivery provider as out for delivery. If the requested delivery status has not been accomplished, then a No is returned; step 7.3 in FIG. 4. If the requested delivery status has been accomplished, then it is followed by the next step of verifying the access authorization. Accomplishing the requested delivery status is the first required condition for granting access to the secured area, i.e. the building or the parcel depot. It can be ensured in this way that a shipment number grants access to the secured area only during a particular period of time.

(15) This is followed by a Check of the identified recipient information against the stored user data; step 7.2 in FIG. 4. Here, the shipment data obtained in step 5, in particular the recipient name obtained in this way, is checked against the user data stored in a recipient database 110. Registration information is stored in the recipient database 110 as user data, wherein the registration information contains in particular the names of the registered users of the system as well as one or more receiving addresses of the registered users. A person who would like to use the system or respectively method according to the invention can provide this registration information ahead of time in the course of registering with the system. For example, an online portal that is connected to the central server unit 109 can be provided for this purpose. The central server unit 109 can transmit the user data entered via the online portal into the recipient database 110 as registration information. By checking the recipient information obtained from the delivery provider against the recipient database 110, the central server unit 109 can retrieve the names of the registered recipients and their stored receiving addresses. Additionally, the identification numbers of the access devices 106 can be linked in the recipient database or in any desired other data with the addresses of the locations of the access devices 106. The central server unit 109 thus verifies whether the recipient for whom the shipment is intended has saved a receiving address at the location of the access device 106; step 7.4 of FIG. 4 (Identified recipient can be associated with location). If the shipment recipient is not successfully associated with the location of the access device, then a No is again sent. If the identified shipment recipient is successfully associated with the location of the access device, in other words, if the planned shipment recipient has registered a receiving address at the location of the access device 106, then a Yes is sent back, and the check of the access authorization is concluded; step 7.5 in FIG. 4. Successfully associating the recipient with the location of the access device is thus the second required condition for granting access to the secured area, i.e. the building or the parcel depot. It is possible to ensure in this way that a shipment number does not grant access to every secured area having an access device that is a part of the system according to the invention.

(16) Moreover, the verification step 7.4 (a) (Recipient has authorized the identified delivery provider) can optionally be included. Here, the registration information also comprises the delivery providers permitted by the respective shipment recipient. An access authorization is granted only when the planned shipment recipient has authorized the provider delivering the shipment. In this way, access to the secured area can be fundamentally denied to particular delivery providers.

(17) Depending upon the results of the verification of the access authorization in step 7, the central server unit 109 generates a release signal or an error signal and transmits the corresponding signal to the access device 106; step 8 in FIG. 3 (Transmission of release or error signal to access device). If a Yes is sent by the central server unit after the previous verification of the access authorization, then the central server unit generates the release signal. If a No is sent by the central server unit after the previous verification of the access authorization, then the central server unit generates the error signal. Upon receipt of the release signal, the access device 106 activates the door opener 108 via the actuator control 64 in order to open the door to the secured area. Additionally, a light source in the display apparatus can glow green, for example. In reaction to the receipt of the error signal, the access device 106 produces an error message via the display apparatus 105. This corresponds to steps 9 through 11 in FIG. 3.