PARCEL DEPOSITORY

Abstract

A parcel depository is provided with a housing having an access point for receipt of a parcel and a secure space from which a delivered parcel can only be subsequently removed from by an authorized person, such as an owner of the depository. The depository has a device, such as a camera, to identify or to take an image of a courier delivering the parcel, to take an image of the parcel when the parcel is in the secure space, and to associate the images of the parcel with the courier identity, or the image of the courier. The depository may be part of a larger parcel delivery system and provide a courier and or owner of the depository, with proof of delivery.

Claims

1. A parcel depository, comprising: a housing having an access point for receipt of a parcel; and a secure space from which a delivered parcel can only be subsequently removed by an authorized person, the depository having means to identify or to take an image of a courier delivering the parcel, to take an image of the parcel when the parcel is in the secure space; and to associate the images of the parcel with the courier identity or the image of the courier.

2. The parcel depository as claimed in claim 1, wherein the access point is arranged to receive a parcel from any individual without the requirement for the individual to have a key, code or any identification means, the depository further comprising: a secured retrieval point providing access to a parcel in the secure space, the secured retrieval point being arranged to be accessed only by the authorized person.

3. The parcel depository as claimed in claim 1, further comprising: means for detecting the presence of a courier; means for operating in response thereto the means to identify or to take an image of a courier delivering the parcel; means for detecting operation of the depository appropriate to place a parcel in the secure space; and means for taking an image of the secure space.

4. The parcel depository as claimed in claim 3, wherein the means for detecting the presence of a courier comprises means for detecting opening of the access point.

5. The parcel depository as claimed in claim 1, wherein the courier identity or the image of the courier is associated with the image of the parcel in the secure holding space by the time at which they are recorded.

6. The parcel depository as claimed in claim 1, further comprising: means to take an image of the courier; and a unique identifier which can be read by a reader carried by a courier.

7. The parcel depository as claimed in claim 1, further comprising: means to identify a courier being comprised of means to read an identification device carried by the courier.

8. The parcel depository as claimed in claim 1, further comprising: means for transmitting the image of the parcel together with the associated image of the courier or the courier identity to a remote electronic device.

9. The parcel depository as claimed in claim 1, wherein the access point is a drawer in the top portion of the housing, wherein the drawer is arranged to slide to an open position where it extends through an opening in the housing and permits a courier outside the housing to place a parcel in the drawer and wherein the drawer is arranged to slide to a closed position, where a courier outside the housing is prevented from accessing the drawer, the drawer having one or more flaps in the bottom which, when the drawer is closed, permits the parcel to drop through the bottom of the drawer into a secure space in the housing below the drawer, which is a secure holding space.

10. The parcel depository as claimed in claim 9, further comprising: a detector to detect that the drawer is sufficiently closed for the flaps to have opened, or to detect that the flaps have opened, wherein the depository is arranged to take an image of the secure holding space in response thereto.

11. The depository as claimed in claim 9, wherein the drawer is prevented from being opened unless the one or more flaps are closed, such that the one or more flaps prevent access by a person outside the housing to the secure holding space through the drawer, when the drawer is open or partly open.

12. The depository as claimed in claim 9, wherein one or more flaps, when open, extend below the level of the opening and directly prevent the drawer from being opened by coming into contact with the housing.

13. The depository as claimed in claim 9, further comprising: mechanical means for closing the one or more flaps prior to the drawer being opened, wherein the mechanical means may be operated from the outside of the housing.

14. A parcel delivery system, comprising: parcel depository being comprised of a housing having an access point for receipt of a parcel and a secure space from which a delivered parcel can only be subsequently removed by an authorized person; means to take an image of the parcel when the parcel is in the secure space; means for transmitting the image of the parcel to a remote electronic device; and a remote electronic device arranged to: receive the transmitted image of the parcel and the identity of the parcel depository; to receive the identity of the courier delivering the parcel; and to associate the identity of the courier with the image of the delivered parcel.

15. The parcel delivery system as claimed in claim 14, further comprising: a reader to be carried by the courier, wherein the parcel depository further comprises means to take an image of the courier and to associate this with the image of the parcel; a unique identifier that can be read by the reader to be carried by the courier; and means to transmit the two associated images to the remote electronic device, the reader to be carried by the courier having means to transmit the identity of the parcel depository with a time stamp indicative of when the parcel depository was visited by the courier to the electronic device associated with the service provider, the electronic device being arranged to match this data with the data received from the parcel depository to identify the courier imaged by the parcel depository.

16. The parcel delivery system as claimed in claim 14, further comprising: an identification device to be carried by a courier, wherein the parcel depository comprises means to read the identification device carried by the courier to identify the courier and to transmit this with an associated image of a delivered parcel and the identity of the parcel depository to the remote electronic device, the remote electronic device being arranged to match the data received from the parcel depository with stored data to identify the courier.

17. The parcel delivery system as claimed in claim 14 further comprising: an identification device carried by a courier arranged to transmit either the location of the identification device at the time a parcel is delivered to a depository, or to transmit the identity of a depository to which a parcel is delivered, to the remote electronic device to permit the remote electronic device to associate the identity of a courier associated with identification device with the image received of the delivered parcel.

18. The parcel delivery system as claimed in claim 17, wherein the identification device includes a GPS receiver and transmits its location information to the remote electronic device which identifies the parcel depository to which a delivery was made from this location information.

19. The parcel delivery system as claimed in claim 17, wherein the identification device comprises a reader which reads the identification of the parcel depository to which a delivery is made, and transmits this information to the remote electronic device.

20. The parcel delivery system as claimed in claim 17, wherein the remote electronic device is associated with the service provider and is arranged to transmit the image of the parcel to at least one of a courier company and the owner of the depository.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS

[0044] One embodiment of the present invention will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0045] FIG. 1 is a front elevation view of a parcel depository in accordance with the present invention with a drawer open.

[0046] FIG. 2 is a side elevation view of the parcel depository of FIG. 1.

[0047] FIGS. 3 and 4 are front elevation and side elevation views corresponding to FIGS. 1 and 2 but show the drawer closed.

[0048] FIGS. 5 and 6 are front elevation and side elevation views corresponding to FIGS. 3 and 4, again showing the drawer closed but now with the flaps partially raised.

[0049] FIG. 7 is a schematic view of an illustration of a parcel delivery system in accordance with a second aspect of the invention and incorporating the parcel depository of FIGS. 1 to 6.

[0050] FIG. 8 is a schematic view of a flow diagram of the steps performed by the parcel delivery system of FIG. 7.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0051] Referring now to FIGS. 1 and 2, a parcel depository, indicated generally as 1, comprises a metal housing 2 having a lid 3 attached to the main body 4 by hinge 5. The lid 3 is retained in a closed position by lock 6. In an opening 7, in the front of the housing 2, is located a drawer 8. The drawer 8 is mounted on runners (not shown) so that it may extend in an open position out of the housing 2, as illustrated in FIG. 2. In this position, a parcel 9, to be deposited in the depository for subsequent collection, is placed in the drawer 8, the parcel 9 being shown in broken line.

[0052] The bottom of the drawer 8 is formed by two flaps 10 and 11 (shown in broken line) hinged to respective sides of the drawer 8. The flaps 10 and 11 are held closed by resting on the bottom of the opening 7, which even in the fully opened position shown in FIG. 1 still supports the back edge of flaps 10 and 11. However, any number of suitable devices or mechanisms may be employed to ensure the flaps cannot open when the drawer is open.

[0053] The lid 3 of the parcel depository 1 houses an electronic processor 16 and power supply and is connected to two switches 17 and 18 and two cameras 19 and 20. When the drawer 8 is opened the first switch 17 is closed and the processor 16 causes the first camera to take an image, which will be of a person, such as a courier, opening the drawer 8 to deposit a parcel 9 in the depository 1.

[0054] Referring now to FIGS. 3 and 4, these show the drawer in a closed position where the flaps 10 and 11 are no longer held closed by the bottom of the opening 7 in the housing 2. Here the flaps 10, 11 may swing open, either under gravity or by biasing means, to permit the parcel 9 to fall into holding space 12 below the drawer. When the flaps open they come into contact and close the second switch 18 and the processor 16 causes the second camera 20 to take an image of the received parcel 9 in the secure holding space 12. The images are stored by the processor and used, together with a barcode 13 on the front of the depository, in a parcel delivery system of which the depository 1 forms a part and which is described later, with reference to FIGS. 7 and 8.

[0055] The flaps 10 and 11 are connected via a linkage mechanism (not shown) to handle 14 on the front of the drawer 8. The opening of the flaps 10 and 11, by gravity, causes the handle 14 to rotate in the direction of arrow 15, until it is in a vertical position as shown in FIGS. 3 and 4.

[0056] In order to retrieve a parcel 9, a person with a key unlocks lock 6, opens the lid 3 and reaches down through the open flaps 10 and 11 to lift the parcel from the holding space 12.

[0057] In the position shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, the flaps 10 and 11 prevent the drawer 8 being opened and thereby prevent access to (and thus through) the drawer 8 to the parcel 9. On arriving at the parcel depository 1 and finding it with the drawer 8 closed, as illustrated in FIGS. 3 and 4, either with or without a parcel 9 already present, a courier rotates the handle 14 in the direction of arrow 16, as shown in FIG. 5. If a parcel 9a, as shown in FIG. 5, or a plurality of parcels previously delivered (not shown) are small enough to permit the flaps 10 and 11 to close on rotation of the handle 14, the flaps 10 and 11 may be raised, through the intermediate position shown in FIGS. 5 and 6, back to the position shown in FIGS. 1 and 2. Thus the drawer 8 may again be opened to receive another parcel, as shown in FIG. 2. Here the flaps 10 and 11 will again prevent access to any parcel already in the holding space 12, as previously described.

[0058] If a number of small parcels have been received, or a large parcel 9 has been received, as illustrated in FIGS. 3 and 4, then the flaps 10 and 11 will be prevented from closing from closing, preventing the handle 14 being rotated and the drawer 8 being opened. Thus nobody will then be able to open the drawer 8 until the parcel 9 has been removed by the owner of the depository with a key for the lock 6.

[0059] An important advantage of the present invention is that it permits a parcel 9 to be received in the depository 1, which parcel 9 may have maximum dimensions almost equal to the internal space of the drawer 8. Although no subsequent parcels may be delivered, a large parcel may be safely stored, because on closing of the drawer 8 it will at least partially drop through flaps 10 and 11, preventing the drawer 8 from subsequently being opened and instead requiring the parcel 9 to be removed by unlocking the lid 3 and taking the parcel out the top. This is particularly advantageous, for many households receive a number of small parcels and thus the depository 1 will enable subsequent deliveries of small parcels to be made without the parcel depository being emptied. However, in the event that a single large parcel should be delivered on any particular day, this may still be safely received, though any parcels received subsequently may have to be redelivered.

[0060] The parcel depository 1 may also additionally receive letters and may be provided with a standard letterbox opening 15. This will normally permit letters to be delivered even in the event that no further parcels may be delivered.

[0061] Referring now to FIG. 7, there is illustrated a parcel delivery system in accordance with the second aspect of the invention. The parcel delivery system incorporates a parcel depository 1 of FIGS. 1 to 6 and there is illustrated in FIG. 7 the first switch 17, first camera 19, the second switch 18 and the second camera 20, all connected to the processor 16.

[0062] The electronic processor 16 of the parcel depository 1 is connected by the Worldwide Web, represented by The Cloud 21. Also connected to the Cloud 21 is a bar code reader 22 carried by a courier, a computer device associated with an owner 25 of the depository 1, a computer system of a service provider 23 and a computer system of a courier company 24.

[0063] The computer system of the service provider may be part of a courier company computer system 24, it may be a service provider 23 associated with the manufacturer or distributor of parcel depositaries 1, or a separate company providing a service to owners 25 of parcel depositaries 1 and courier companies 24.

[0064] Operation of the parcel delivery system illustrated in FIG. 7 will now be described with reference to FIG. 8.

[0065] With particular reference to FIG. 8, but also with reference to the parcel depository 1 of FIGS. 1 to 6 and the parcel delivery system of FIG. 7, in step A of FIG. 8, opening of the draw 8 of parcel depository 1 causes the first switch 17 to trigger the first camera 19, to take an image of the courier delivering the parcel, as per step B of FIG. 8.

[0066] On closing the draw 8, flaps 10 and 11 contact the second switch 18, causing the second switch 18 to trigger the second camera 20, to take an image of the delivered parcel 9 once in the secure holding space 12, as per step C of FIG. 8.

[0067] In its simplest form, the only other component of the parcel delivery system may be the computer device associated with an owner 25. In this case the electronic processor 16 in the parcel depository 1 may then provide an image of both the parcel delivered and the courier to the computer device associated with an owner 25 of the parcel depository 1 and this may be provided, via The Cloud 21 or by a direct link. This would be in accordance with step D of FIG. 8.

[0068] Alternatively, where the parcel delivery system additionally includes the bar code reader 22, service provider 23 and courier company 24, as illustrated in FIG. 7, the courier on delivering the parcel, either before delivering the parcel or after delivering the parcel, uses bar code reader 22 to read bar code 13 on the outside of the parcel depository 1, as per step E of FIG. 8. The information from the bar code reader 22 is then provided to service provider 23. The service provider receives, from the bar code reader 22, information relating to the parcel depository 1 and information relating to the bar code reader 22 which is associated with the courier delivering the parcel and the courier company 24. The bar code reader 22 may provide all the information regarding the courier company 24, or the service provider may already hold this information and match it with the bar code reader 22. Either way the bar code reader 22 notifies the service provider of the identity of the courier, as per step F of FIG. 8.

[0069] As per step G of FIG. 8 the service provider 23 then notifies the courier company 24 and the owner 25 of the parcel delivery, providing images to both of the safely received parcel 9 and the courier delivering the parcel 9.

[0070] In the system described with reference to FIGS. 7 and 8, the bar code reader 22 and the bar code 13 on the parcel depository 1 are used to identify the courier at the parcel depository at a particular time. The system takes an image of the courier to further assist in identification of the courier, but if the parcel depository 1 did not have a second camera the service provider would still be able to match the identity of the courier delivering the parcel 9, by matching the information read by the bar code reader 22 and the time at which the bar code reader 22 was at the parcel depository 1, with the image the service provider receives from the parcel depository 1. As an alternative to the bar code 13 and bar code reader 22, the bar code reader 22 could instead be a GPS device, which would again be able to identify that the GPS device 22 was at the parcel depository 1 at the time of the parcel 9 was delivered, as evidenced by the image taken by the second camera 20.

[0071] As an example of a further alternative, the bar code reader carried by the courier could be an RFID device or similar device, which could be identified by the electronic processor 16 of the parcel depository 1. The parcel depository 1 would then itself be able to associate the identity of the person delivering the parcel 9 with the image taken of the parcel 9.

[0072] The invention has been described above with reference to the specific embodiment illustrated and with reference to examples of alternative implementations. These are again given by way of example only and it should be appreciated that many different arrangements of parcel depositaries and parcel delivery systems are possible, which fall within the scope of the appended claims. For example, it will be appreciated that instead of a lockable lid on the depository a lockable access panel or door could be provided elsewhere in the housing to provide access to the holding spacing 12.