System and method for remotely attended delivery

Abstract

A method and system for remotely monitoring deliveries, the method and system include detecting an arrival of a delivery at an access point and notifying a monitoring center of the arrival of the delivery at the access point. The method and system include verifying at least one verification detail, which correlates to the delivery, and sending a configuration signal from the monitoring center to the access point, which has instructions for controlling an entrance at the access point. The method and system can further include sending a second configuration signal from the monitoring center to the access point, which has instructions for controlling an entrance at the access point upon completion of the delivery. The method and system can further include sending an indication signal from the monitoring center to the access point, which has instructions for controlling an indicator at the access point.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated in and constitute part of this specification, illustrate embodiments of the invention and together with the description, serve to explain the principles of the invention. The embodiments illustrated herein are presently preferred, it being understood, however, that the invention is not limited to the precise arrangements and instrumentalities shown, wherein:

FIG. 1 is a block diagram of a remotely monitored delivery system constructed in accordance with the principles of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a block diagram of an exemplary installation of customer premises equipment constructed in accordance with the principles of the present invention;

FIG. 3 is a block diagram of another exemplary installation of customer premises equipment constructed in accordance with the principles of the present invention; and

FIG. 4 is a flowchart of a remotely monitored delivery process in accordance with the principles of the present invention.

Claims

1. A method for remotely monitoring deliveries, the method comprising: detecting an arrival of a delivery at an access point;notifying a monitoring center of the arrival of the delivery at the access point;verifying at least one verification detail, the at least one verification detail correlating to the delivery; andsending a configuration signal from the monitoring center to the access point, the configuration signal having instructions for controlling an entrance at the access point.

2. The method of claim 1, further including sending a second configuration signal from the monitoring center to the access point, the second configuration signal having instructions for controlling the entrance at the access point upon completion of the delivery.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein notifying a monitoring center of the arrival of the delivery includes using one of (a) a notification device integrated at the access point and (b) a notification device provided with the delivery.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein notifying a monitoring center of the arrival of the delivery includes using one of (a) a communication network integrated at the access point and (b) a communication network provided with the delivery.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the at least one verification detail is selected from the group consisting of delivery location, time of day, shipper, freight manifest, PIN codes, ID cards, RFID tokens, biometric identifiers, barcodes, RFID tags, and license plates.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the configuration signal includes instructions for disarming a burglar alarm subsystem at the access point.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the configuration signal includes instructions for unlocking a door of the entrance at the access point.

8. The method of claim 1, further including remotely monitoring the delivery at the access point.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein remotely monitoring the delivery at the access point includes using one of (a) video monitoring and (b) audio monitoring.

10. The method of claim 8, wherein remotely monitoring the delivery at the access point includes using a data collection system to physically track items of the delivery.

11. The method of claim 10, further including printing a receipt of all items tracked as delivered.

12. The method of claim 1, further including remotely printing a delivery confirmation notice.

13. The method of claim 1, further including generating a delivery report.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein generating a delivery report includes transmitting the delivery report by one of (a) uploading the generated report to a webpage and (b) e-mailing the generated report.

15. The method of claim 1, further including sending an indication signal from the monitoring center to the access point, the indication signal having instructions for controlling an indicator at the access point.

16. The method of claim 1, further including establishing a logical monitoring area at the delivery location.

17. The method of claim 1, further including monitoring the delivery at the access point by multiple users.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the multiple users simultaneously monitor the delivery at the access point.

19. The method of claim 1, further including issuing trouble signals for system malfunctions.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein the system malfunction is the loss of a monitoring connection with the customer premises equipment.

21. A monitoring center for monitoring and controlling customer premises equipment, the monitoring center comprising: a monitoring server having a monitoring application,a database, the database recording delivery data; anda monitoring terminal in communication with the monitoring server, the database, at least one communication network and the customer premises equipment,the monitoring server receiving a notification of an arrival of a delivery at an access point of the customer premises equipment, and verifying at least one verification detail that correlates to the delivery.

22. The monitoring center of claim 21, wherein the at least one communication network is a wireless network.

23. The monitoring center of claim 21, further comprising an electronic portal to provide access for authorized parties to the monitoring application.

24. The monitoring center of claim 21, further comprising an electronic publishing system for generating reports and notifications to authorized parties.

25. The monitoring center of claim 21, further comprising an email server.

26. The monitoring center of claim 21, further comprising an alarm receiver for receiving alarm signals from the customer premises equipment.

27. The monitoring center of claim 21, further comprising a web server.

28. A system for remotely monitoring deliveries, the system comprising: customer premises equipment, the customer premises equipment including: an access control system having a notification input device and a notification indicator, the access control system controls access to at least one door entrance of the customer premises equipment; anda monitoring center for monitoring and controlling the customer premises equipment, the monitoring center including: a monitoring server that contains a monitoring application,a database for recording delivery data; anda monitoring terminal in communication with the monitoring server, the database, at least one communication network and the customer premises equipment, the monitoring terminal receiving a notification of an arrival of a delivery at the at least one door entrance of the customer premises equipment and verifying at least one verification detail that correlates to the delivery.

29. The system of claim 28, wherein the customer premises equipment includes a media system in communication with the access control system, the media system manages voice and video data for the customer premises equipment.

30. The system of claim 28, wherein the customer premises equipment includes a burglar alarm system.

31. The system of claim 28, wherein the customer premises equipment includes an inventory management system.

32. The system of claim 28, wherein the customer premises equipment includes a printer.

33. The system of claim 28, wherein the customer premises equipment includes a card reader.

34. The system of claim 28, wherein the customer premises equipment includes a biometric input device.

35. The system of claim 28, wherein the customer premises equipment includes a motorized entrance door.

36. The system of claim 30, wherein a delivery location includes a logical delivery space, the burglar alarm system monitoring the logical delivery space to allow authorized deliveries within the logical delivery space and trigger an alarm if unauthorized activity is detected outside the logical delivery space.