Method for Delivering Mail, a Mail Delivery System and a Software Product

Abstract

Item delivery system comprises at least one personal mailbox and optionally a publicly available post box. The mailbox doors are provided with an electronic lock operated by a radio frequent signal containing an authentication code, sent from a nearby personal communication device provided with software. The software contains modules for performing online payment for mail delivery services and modules for granting or revoking access to mailboxes.

Claims

1-12. (canceled)

13. An item delivery system, arranged to receive and optionally deliver items to and from an end user via a modular mailbox assembly (11) having one or more personal mailboxes (12), and optionally one or more publicly available post boxes (13), each of said one or more mailboxes (12) and one or more post boxes (13), if present, having a door (14) and further provided with an electronic lock (26) which can be activated wirelessly by receiving a radio frequent signal, including a communication protocol containing a unique authentication code, sent from either a short-range mail receiver communication device (20), or a courier communication device (23), wherein the respective one or more personal mailboxes (12) are assigned a unique authentication code which can be verified by a remote back-end information system (16) by wireless communication, the respective one or more post boxes (13), if present, are arranged to receive a temporary authentication code from the short-range courier communication device (23) and to be opened by a radio frequent signal sent from either the mail receiver communication device (20) or the courier communication device (23), the respective mail receiver communication device (20) and the courier communication device (23) is a handheld device selected from the group consisting of a smartphone, personal digital assistant (PDA) and tablet provided with a software product, the handheld device configured to operate a radio frequent signal sender and receiver in the form of a near-field communication means (NFC means) or a Bluetooth communication means arranged within the respective mail receiver communication device (20) or courier communication device (23), to activate the lock (26) in the respective one or more mail boxes (12) and one or more post boxes (13), if present, without need for online communication, and the back-end communication system (16) is arranged to communicate with back-end communication systems operated by a courier company, and wherein the electronic lock (26) and the radio frequent signal emitter are driven by one or more of a battery and a solar cell device.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein said software for the mail receiver communication device (20) further comprises a component arranged to grant or remove courier access to the mail receiver's personal mail box (12) by Internet communication with the back-end information system (16).

15. The system of claim 13, wherein said software for the mail receiver communication device (20) further comprising a component arranged to perform online payment of mail delivery services.

16. The system of claim 13, wherein said software for the mail receiver communication device (20) further comprises a component arranged to grant or revoke access to additional persons to the personal mailbox (12).

17. The system of claim 13, wherein the respective one or more mail boxes (12) and one or more post boxes (13), if present, include a sensor arranged to detect presence or absence of a mail item within the respective one or more mail boxes (12) and one or more post boxes (13), if present, in communication with a radio frequent signal emitter in the respective one or more mail boxes (12) and one or more post boxes (13), if present, arranged to emit a signal to an adjacent mail receiver communication device (20) or courier communication device (23).

18. A method of sending or returning mail by an end user (21), by using a publicly available post box (13) in an item delivery system according to claim 13, comprising the steps of: n) providing a mail receiver communication device (20) exhibiting a radio frequent signal emitter means, o) providing a publicly available post box (13) exhibiting a radio frequent signal emitter and receiver means, p) installing mail receiver software on the mail receiver communication device (20), q) optionally executing a function in mail receiver software installed in the mail receiver communication device (20) and performing payment for the mail return to a back-end information system (16) or directly to a service provider, r) providing a unique temporary authentication code for the publicly available post box (13) via the back-end information system (16), and storing the authentication code in the mail receiver communication device (20), s) positioning the mail receiver communication device (20) in the vicinity of the publicly available post box (13), t) executing a function in the mail receiver software and sending the authentication code to the publicly available post box (13) by the radio frequent signal emitter means to open the lock (26) and hence the door (14), u) depositing one or more mail items to be returned or sent in the publicly available post box (13), v) notifying the back-end information system (16) that mail is available in the publicly available post box (13) via the end user communication device (20) or publicly available post box (13), w) notifying mail service provider that mail is available to be picked up via the back-end information system (16), x) positioning the courier communication device (23) in the vicinity of the post box (13), y) executing a function in the courier software, sending a radio frequent signal from the courier communication device (23) to the publicly available post box (13) and opening the lock (26) and hence the door (14) of the publicly available post box (13), and z) retrieving said one or more mail items from the publicly available post box (13).

19. A method of performing mail delivery to, and fetching mail from, a publicly available post box (13) by a courier (24) and mail receiver (21), respectively, in an item delivery system according to claim 13, comprising the steps of: l) providing a courier communication device (23) exhibiting a radio frequent signal sender means, m) providing a publicly available post box (13) arranged to accommodate mail items and having a radio frequent signal sender and receiver means, n) installing mail delivery software on the courier communication device (23), o) providing a unique temporary authentication code for the publicly available post box (13), p) positioning the courier communication device (23) in the vicinity of the publicly available post box (13), q) executing a function in the mail delivery software and sending a code to the publicly available post box (13) by the radio frequent signal sender means and storing the authentication code in the publicly available post box (13), r) executing a function in the mail delivery software and opening the lock (26) and door (14) of the publicly available post box (13), and depositing one or more mail items in the publicly available post box (13), s) using the courier communication device (23) to notify the back-end system (16) that mail is available in the publicly available post box (13), t) notifying mail receiver (21) that mail is available and providing the mail receiver communication device (20) with the temporary authentication code by the back-end system (16), u) positioning the mail receiver communication device (20) in the vicinity of the publicly available post box (13), and v) executing a function in the mail receiver software, sending a radio frequent signal to the post box (13) and opening the lock (26) and door (14) of the post box (13), and retrieving mail items from the post box (13).

20. The method of claim 19, comprising the step of executing a payment function in the mail receiver software to perform payment of mail service consumed before opening the lock (26) before step (k).

21. The system of claim 14, wherein said software for the mail receiver communication device (20) further comprising a component arranged to perform online payment of mail delivery services.

22. The system of claim 14, wherein said software for the mail receiver communication device (20) further comprises a component arranged to grant or revoke access to additional persons to the personal mailbox (12).

23. The system of claim 14, wherein the respective one or more mail boxes (12) and one or more post boxes (13), if present, include a sensor arranged to detect presence or absence of a mail item within the respective one or more mail boxes (12) and one or more post boxes (13), if present, in communication with a radio frequent signal emitter in the respective one or more mail boxes (12) and one or more post boxes (13), if present, arranged to emit a signal to an adjacent mail receiver communication device (20) or courier communication device (23).

24. The system of claim 15, wherein said software for the mail receiver communication device (20) further comprises a component arranged to grant or revoke access to additional persons to the personal mailbox (12).

25. The system of claim 15, wherein the respective one or more mail boxes (12) and one or more post boxes (13), if present, include a sensor arranged to detect presence or absence of a mail item within the respective one or more mail boxes (12) and one or more post boxes (13), if present, in communication with a radio frequent signal emitter in the respective one or more mail boxes (12) and one or more post boxes (13), if present, arranged to emit a signal to an adjacent mail receiver communication device (20) or courier communication device (23).

26. The system of claim 16, wherein the respective one or more mail boxes (12) and one or more post boxes (13), if present, include a sensor arranged to detect presence or absence of a mail item within the respective one or more mail boxes (12) and one or more post boxes (13), if present, in communication with a radio frequent signal emitter in the respective one or more mail boxes (12) and one or more post boxes (13), if present, arranged to emit a signal to an adjacent mail receiver communication device (20) or courier communication device (23).

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0066] The invention is now illustrated in further detail by means of drawings, where

[0067] FIG. 1 is a schematic illustration of some of the components and collaborators in the system,

[0068] FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a mailbox,

[0069] FIG. 3 is a sectional view of a mailbox lock, and

[0070] FIG. 4 is another embodiment of the lock.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0071] Reference is now made to FIGS. 1-3. These drawings are in part consistent with drawings in the applicant's earlier application WO 2013/169114 A1 and are not described in full detail here. FIG. 1 shows two of the collaborators, the courier 24 and the mail receiver or end user 21. The courier 23 is provided with a smartphone 23 with NFC means and optionally Bluetooth means. Similarly, the end user 21 is provided with a smartphone 20 with NFC means and optionally Bluetooth means, A third collaborator, a back-end information system 16, is arranged to generate authentication codes, to store information about customers and service providers, and means for receiving and sending messages by Internet between courier and end user. The system also includes another collaborator, the service providers. The service providers are preferably integrated in the system, where the end users can grant or revoke access to their personal mailbox, and where all collaborators can exchange messages by Internet.

[0072] The back-end information systems is arranged to handle all logic regarding distribution of authentication codes and updates regarding permissions and post item flow, and keeps information about users, vendors and deliveries in databases.

[0073] FIG. 1 illustrates an item delivery system 11, e.g. for housing cooperative, with numerous personal mailboxes 12 and a publicly available post box 13. The respective mailbox exhibits a door 14, optionally with a slot 15 and an indicator 28. The item delivery system 11 is advantageously not provided with any Internet connection or power supply.

[0074] FIG. 2 shows a personal mail box 12 with a door, 14, a slot 15 and an electrical lock 26, 27. A section of an embodiment of a possible lock is illustrated in FIG. 3 by locking elements 51 operated by a motor 54 and batteries. Moreover, the lock is provided with an electronic circuit board 56 and a short range radio frequent communication means 57.

[0075] Moreover, the communication devices 20 and 23 are arranged to exchange authentication codes, directly with the mail box 12 and post box 13 by means of their radio frequent communication means. The mail boxes 12 and post box 13 are arranged to store temporary or permanent authentication codes and to send messages by their radio frequent communication means the communication devices 20 and 23.

[0076] In a preferred embodiment, the communication devices 20 and 23 are regular smartphones or similar, provided with software arranged to operate the NFC and Bluetooth means in the smartphone that enables exchange of authentication codes between the communication devices and the mailboxes or post box and to operate their electronic lock, without accessing Internet or the telephone network. The mail box system 11 does not need to be connected to any power supply or communication network, and is solely powered by batteries or solar cells.

[0077] FIG. 4 illustrates another embodiment of a lock for use with the disclosed embodiments. The lock comprises a housing accommodating a latch 60, preferably of steel, connected to a release arm 61 driven by a motor 62 powered by a battery supply 63, arranged to operate the latch 60 between a locked and unlocked position via a switch 67. The radio frequent communication means is implemented in the form of an antenna 66 operated by a NFC/Bluetooth controller card 65. The lock is also provided with a power backup 64 in case of battery failure. This arrangement provides a very compact and energy efficient lock that provides secure and long lasting service.

[0078] Modifications

[0079] Whereas the delivery system has been illustrated by an item delivery system, the system according to the and the accompanying method and software product of the disclosure is applicable to delivery or exchange of any physical items, not limited to mail items only.