Patent Grant
6980110
The present embodiment relates to an apparatus for identifying items present or not present in a container to a user interface.
The present apparatus relates to a remote notification system concerning the status of containers in remote locations. More particularly, to the automatic notification, to a remote station or operator in response to whether a container has a package and whether that package has been removed.
It is important in the tracking of numerous remote containers, such as common carrier drop boxes, group mail collection sites, federal post office boxes, and private postal boxes, to know when packages have been delivered and picked up. The ability to know whether a given container is full or empty would reduce the time it takes to check each box individually, especially boxes that are empty.
Cutting down on the number of trips necessary to these remote container locations would reduce wear on vehicles, reduce gasoline wasted on the delivery/pick-up trucks, and increase the overall pick-up efficiency, especially operator time spent in checking and re-checking empty container boxes. Further, a fewer number of delivery trips to the containers would reduce the danger to the drivers and others that occur on the roads.
In addition, since the status of whether a container has a package or not is known and the extra trips to check boxes are reduced, companies can afford to install more boxes at more locations, thereby increasing coverage to better serve the consumers. The notification also allows user to be alerted when vandalism has occurred to the containers and allow the user to quickly notify the police.
The object of the present apparatus, therefore, is to provide a new and improved technique for notification to a user of the status of remote containers as to whether the container has a package or not.
Other advantages of the present apparatus will become apparent as the following description proceeds, and the features characterizing the apparatus will be pointed out with particularity in the claims annexed to and forming a part of this specification.
The apparatus for providing notices to a user interface concerning status of at least one item in a container has a container with an opening and two sensors to generate signals, one for when an item is inserted in the container and one for when the item is removed from the container. The apparatus also has an intelligent device connected to the sensors for receiving the signals and generating intelligent device signals. The intelligent device signals are sent to a communication system. The communication system is radio, cellular, fiber optic, satellite, and wires. The apparatus also entails a software interface in contact with the communication system that processes the intelligent device signals. Finally, the apparatus has a user interface in contact with the software interface that receives the intelligent device signals processed from the software interface.
The apparatus is also used as a security system for providing security notice to a user interface concerning a container.
The present method will be explained in greater detail with reference to the appended Figures, in which:
The present apparatus is detailed below with reference to the listed Figures.
Before explaining the present apparatus in detail, it is to be understood that the apparatus is not limited to the particular embodiments and that it can be practiced or carried out in various ways.
An embodiment of the application is an apparatus for providing notices to a user interface concerning status of at least one item (10) in a container (14). The apparatus is shown in detail in
The apparatus includes a container (14), as shown in
The apparatus also has a second sensor (32) connected to the collection opening (18), which can be a door, for generating a second signal (34) to the intelligent device (24), wherein the intelligent device (24) is adapted to generate a second intelligent device signal (36) and communicate the second intelligent device signal to a network. The apparatus has a user interface (50) for receiving at least one signal from the communication system. Finally, the apparatus has a software interface (12) for receiving at least one signal from the communication system.
In another preferred embodiment, the loading opening (16) and the collection opening (18) are one opening.
In another preferred embodiment, the intelligent device (24) further has a counter (70) to provide information on sensor activity on a timed basis to the user interface.
In other preferred embodiments, the apparatus also has an antenna (27) for communicating the intelligent device signals to the communication system (28) and the apparatus can also have software adapted to buffer the intelligent device signals from the first sensor prior to communicating the sensor signals.
The second sensor in the apparatus can be a manually operated sensor. The sensor is an electromechanical switch, a magnetic switch, optical switch, an infrared switch, pressure sensor, strain gauge, analytical sensor, an ultrasonic switch, or the like.
The container (14) in the apparatus can further comprise a lock (40), as seen in
The intelligent device (24) in the apparatus is a digital remote terminal unit, discrete remote terminal unit, analog remote terminal unit, combinations thereof, or the like.
The communication system (28) in the apparatus is the Internet, intranet, LAN, peer- to-peer network, or the like.
The apparatus's software interface can communicate with a file transfer protocol, an internet home page, email, pager, telephone, voice activated auto-dialer, or the like.
As seen in
Another embodiment entails the apparatus having an analyzer (72) to monitor and evaluate sensor activity.
The apparatus can also involve a fourth sensor (52) to ascertain whether the container has been tampered with. The fourth sensor (52) is in communication with the intelligent device (24) to provide a tamper notification (62) from the communication system (28) to the user. The fourth sensor (52) is shown in
The apparatus can also involve a fifth sensor (54) for detecting hazardous materials. The fifth sensor (54) is in communication with the intelligent device (24) providing a hazardous material notification (64) from the communication system (28) to the user. The fifth sensor (54) is shown in
In another embodiment, the apparatus includes a counter to store sensor activity and report to the user interface on a timed basis.
The apparatus is also used as a security system for providing security notice to a user interface concerning a container. The security system is shown in
In another embodiment, the security system further includes a counter to provide information on sensor activity on a timed basis to the user interface.
While this apparatus has been described with emphasis on the preferred embodiments, it should be understood that within the scope of the appended claims, the invention might be practiced other than as specifically described herein.
This application claims benefit of 60/416,012 filed Oct. 4, 2002.
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| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 60416012 | Oct 2002 | US |
