EP2913462A1 - Improved box and method for operating same - Google Patents

Abstract

The invention relates to a lock (10) with double cylinder (20; 30), the first of said cylinders, called service cylinder (20), being operable by a first key, called service key, the second of said cylinders, called the owner's cylinder (30), being operable by a second key, called the owner's key, distinct from the service key, the actuation of said cylinders being intended to perform a locking or unlocking of said lock, the lock further comprising an electronic device (40) for controlling the locking and unlocking of said lock.

Description

The present invention relates to an improved box and its method of operation. More particularly, the invention relates to a secure lock for mailboxes and parcel boxes. In the present description and in the claims to which it gives rise, the term "box" both the mailboxes proper and the parcel boxes.

In the field of locksmithing, security is a paramount choice for the user. In the state of the art, we know in particular the teaching of the demand FR 1450436 which discloses a double cylinder lock, one of which, called a service cylinder, is operable by both an owner's key and a service key, also called a master key, separate from said owner's key, and another, called the owner's cylinder, is operable only by said owner's key.

However, this lock requires the physical intervention of the owner who must rearm it between each receipt of packages. This essential human operation can be omitted or poorly done by the owner, which blocks the box until said owner realizes his mistake.

This is particularly unfortunate for mailbox owners such as companies that often receive parcels.

There is therefore a real need for resolution of the technical problem previously exposed by an automation of the operation of a box with an improved lock.

• un cylindre, dit de service, actionnable par une clef, dite de service,
• un cylindre, dit de propriétaire, actionnable par une clef, dite de propriétaire, distincte de ladite clef de service,
  l'actionnement desdits cylindres étant destiné à réaliser un verrouillage ou un déverrouillage de ladite serrure,
• un dispositif électronique de contrôle du verrouillage et du déverrouillage de ladite serrure.

For this purpose, the present invention proposes a lock comprising

• a cylinder, called service, operable by a key, called service,
• a cylinder, said owner, operable by a key, said owner, separate from said service key,
  the actuation of said cylinders being intended to perform a locking or unlocking of said lock,
• an electronic device for controlling the locking and unlocking of said lock.

Thanks to these provisions, the owner does not need to think about rearming the lock of his box before each receipt of parcels.

• un capteur électrique disposé sur chaque cylindre,
• un clavier numérique de saisie,
• un verrou électrique.

According to one embodiment of the invention, the electronic control device comprises

• an electric sensor disposed on each cylinder,
• a numeric entry keypad,
• an electric lock.

According to additional features, the electronic control device is configured so that actuation of the service cylinder only locks or unlocks said lock after entering a predefined code, called service code, on the keypad the electronic control device.

With these provisions, it increases the overall security of the lock while allowing a carrier without a master key to open said lock.

According to additional features, the actuation of the owner cylinder or the entry of a predefined code, called the owner code, on the keypad of the electronic control device always performs a locking or unlocking of said lock.

Thanks to these provisions, the owner is never blocked to lock or unlock his lock.

According to particular characteristics, the electronic control device further comprises a communication interface with the outside.

Thanks to these provisions, information is exchanged with various interlocutors such as the owner, a management information system, carriers ...

According to one embodiment of the invention, the service code operates only once.

With these provisions, it prevents any malicious person who has observed a parcel carrier to enter this code, to reuse this code.

• le dispositif de contrôle comporte en outre une horloge,
• le code de service est opérant pendant un laps de temps prédéterminé.

According to another embodiment of the invention,

• the control device further comprises a clock,
• the service code is operative for a predetermined period of time.

The invention also relates to a box having a door provided with such a lock.

With these provisions, the owner of the mailbox may allow only one access to his box when he is waiting for a package. Therefore, no individual with a passepartout can open the mailbox after delivery of a package. Only the owner can recover the parcel with his own key or his own code.

• un transporteur demande, à un système informatique, une autorisation d'ouverture de la boîte,
• le système informatique transfère la demande d'autorisation à un propriétaire de la boîte,
• le propriétaire donne son autorisation au système informatique,
• le système informatique fournit au transporteur un code de service,
• le transporteur saisit le code sur la boîte,
• le transporteur dépose un colis dans la boîte,
• le système informatique est informé dudit dépôt,
• le système informatique transmet l'information de dépôt du colis au propriétaire,
• le propriétaire récupère le colis.

The subject of the invention is also a first method of operating such a box, in which

• a carrier requests, from a computer system, an authorization to open the box,
• the computer system transfers the request for authorization to an owner of the box,
• the owner gives his authorization to the computer system,
• the computer system provides the carrier with a service code,
• the carrier enters the code on the box,
• the carrier drops a package in the box,
• the computer system is informed of said deposit,
• the computer system transmits the package deposit information to the owner,
• the owner picks up the package.

Thanks to these provisions, the owner of a box according to the invention can recover his package from the first passage of the carrier.

• un propriétaire dépose un colis dans la boîte,
• un système informatique est informé dudit dépôt,
• le système informatique informe un transporteur dudit dépôt et lui fournit un code de service,
• le transporteur saisit le code sur la boîte,
• le transporteur retire le colis de la boîte,
• le système informatique est informé dudit retrait,
• le système informatique transmet l'information de retrait du colis au propriétaire.

Finally, the subject of the invention is a second method of operating such a box, in which

• an owner puts a package in the box,
• a computer system is informed of said deposit,
• the computer system informs a carrier of said deposit and provides a service code,
• the carrier enters the code on the box,
• the carrier removes the package from the box,
• the computer system is informed of said withdrawal,
• the computer system transmits the package withdrawal information to the owner.

Thanks to these provisions, any owner of a box according to the invention can ship a package securely, without leaving his home.

• figure 1, une représentation schématique d'un exemple de serrure sécurisée selon l'invention ;
• figure 2, une représentation, sous forme d'un logigramme, d'un premier exemple de procédé de fonctionnement d'une boîte munie d'une serrure sécurisée selon l'invention ;
• figure 3, une représentation, sous forme d'un logigramme, d'un deuxième exemple de procédé de fonctionnement d'une boîte munie d'une serrure sécurisée selon l'invention.

Other features and advantages of the invention will appear on reading the following description of a preferred embodiment of the invention, given by way of example and with reference to the appended drawings, which show:

• figure 1 a schematic representation of an example of a secure lock according to the invention;
• figure 2 a representation, in the form of a logic diagram, of a first example of a method of operating a box provided with a secure lock according to the invention;
• figure 3 , a representation, in the form of a logic diagram, of a second example of a method of operating a box provided with a secure lock according to the invention.

In the remainder of the description, the elements that are identical or of identical function bear the same reference sign. For the sake of brevity of the present description, the elements identical to the various examples are not described with respect to each of these examples. In other words, only the differences between various examples are described in detail, the common elements being described with regard to a single example.

The figure 1 represents an embodiment of an improved lock 10 according to the invention intended to be installed on a box. In a variant, the lock according to the invention can be fixed on a door or any other opening element.

The lock 10 is a double cylinder lock provided with an electronic device 40 for controlling the locking and unlocking of said lock. The lock 100 is intended to be installed on a door of a mailbox or a parcel box not shown in the figures.

The first of the cylinders, called the service cylinder 20, is actuable by a first key, called the service key, and the second of said cylinders, called the owner cylinder 30, is actuable by a second key, called the owner key, distinct from the service key. The actuation of the rolls 20 and 30 is intended to effect locking or unlocking of the lock 10.

The electronic control device 40 comprises a computer 42, a data memory 44, a digital keyboard 46, an electric lock 48 connected by a mechanical connection 34 and an electric sensor 22 and 32 disposed on each cylinder 20 and 40.

The electronic control device 40 is configured so that the manual actuation of the service cylinder 20 only locks or unlocks the lock 10 after entering a predefined code, called the service code, on the keypad. input 46 of said electronic control device. According to the invention, the service code is operating once so as to prevent any malicious person, who would have observed a parcel carrier enter this code, to reproduce once the package deposited in the box.

Conversely, manual actuation of the owner's cylinder 30 by the owner's key or the entry of a predefined code, called the owner's code, distinct from the service code, on the keyboard 46 always performs a locking or unlocking of the key. lock 10.

In one example, entering a service code or an owner code requests the electric lock 48 which drives, via the mechanical connection, the actuation of the owner cylinder in an opening direction or a closing direction .

Preferably, the electronic control device 40 further comprises an interface 49 for communication with the outside. This interface 49 may invariably be GSM, GPRS, WIFI or any other type of remote communication. Thus, when a code is entered on the keyboard 46, the Electronic control device 40 informs, via the communication interface 49, a package management computer system described below.

In an exemplary embodiment of the lock 10 according to the invention, the control device 40 further comprises a clock 47 so that the service code is operative for a predetermined period of time, for example thirty minutes.

In the example shown on the figure 1 , the computer 42, the data memory 44, the numeric entry keypad 46, the electric lock 48, the electrical sensors 22 and 32, the clock 47 and the communication interface 49 are connected by a bus of the CAN type (Controller Area Network).

The figure 2 represents, in the form of a logic diagram, a first example of a method of operation 50 of a box B provided with the secure lock 10 according to the invention.

On the figure 2 , as on the figure 3 , the physical entities, namely the owner A, the computer system S, the transporter T and the recipient D are represented by circles, the actions by rectangles, the box B by a triangle and the questions by lozenges.

The method 50 consists, for a first time, for a transporter T wishing to deposit a package C in the box B according to the invention of an owner A, to ask 52 to a computer system S, typically a website, an authorization to opening of said box.

Typically, various information concerning the owner A, the box B and the transporter T are previously recorded within the computer system S.

In a second step, the computer system S transfers 54, by SMS, e-mail or any other means of remote communication, the request for authorization to the owner A of the box B. Where appropriate, the owner A gives 56 his authorization to the computer system S, by one of the means of communication mentioned above.

The computer system S then supplies the carrier T with a service code X that the carrier enters 60 on the box B before depositing a package C.

Thirdly, the computer system S is informed 64 of the deposit of the package and transmits 66 the package deposit information to the owner A who can then retrieve the package 68.

In one example, for the computer system S to be informed 64 of the deposit of the package in the box B, the carrier T must send an SMS, an e-mail or any other type of information message to said computer system.

In the case described above where the electronic control device 40 is equipped with the communication interface 49, it is the entry of the service code X on the keypad 46 or the actuation of the service cylinder 20 which causes the transmitting an information message via said interface to the computer system S and / or the owner A. In this case, in parallel with the step of supplying the service code X to the carrier T, the computer system S parameter via the communication interface 49, the electronic control device 40 so that it accepts, as a service code, only said code X to open the box B. The actuation of the service cylinder 20 is detected by the sensor 22. The X code is stored in the data memory 44.

When the carrier T incorrectly enters the service code X or seizes it after the predetermined period of time has elapsed, the computer system S is informed by said carrier or by the control device 40. The computer system S then provides a new X 'service code to the transporter T.

The figure 3 represents, in the form of a logic diagram, a second example of a method of operation 100 of a box B provided with the secure lock 10 according to the invention.

The method 100 consists, for a first time, for an owner A of a box B according to the invention wishing to send a package C to a recipient D, to inform the computer system S.

In an example not shown on the figure 3 , following the receipt of the shipping wish information from the owner A, the computer system S proposes a list of carriers classified according to different criteria related to the weight, size and dimensions of the packages. The owner A then chooses the carrier T, makes a bank payment, prints a shipping label provided in digital form by the computer system S, then the glue on his package C.

In a second step, the owner A deposits 102 the package C in the box B and the computer system S is informed 104 of the deposit.

In one example, for the computer system S to be informed 104 of the deposit of the package C in the box B, the owner A must send an SMS, an e-mail or any other type of information message to said computer system.

In the case described above where the electronic control device 40 is equipped with the communication interface 49, it is the entry of the owner code on the keyboard 46 or the actuation of the owner cylinder 30 which causes the transmitting an information message via said interface to the computer system S and / or the transporter T. The actuation of the owner cylinder 30 is detected by the sensor 32.

In a third step, the computer system S informs the carrier T 106 and provides 106 a service code Z. In parallel, the computer system S parameter, via the communication interface 49, the electronic control device 40 so that it accepts, as a service code, only said code Z to open the box B. The code Z is stored in the data memory 44.

In a fourth step, the carrier enters the code Z on the box B, then withdraws the package C. The computer system S is then informed 112 of the withdrawal of the package and transmits the package withdrawal information to the package. owner A.

When the transporter T incorrectly enters the service code Z or seizes it after the predetermined lapse of time has elapsed, the computer system S is informed by said carrier or by the control device 40. The computer system S then provides a new Z 'service code to the transporter T.

In one example, for the computer system S to be informed 112 of the withdrawal of the package C, the carrier T must send an SMS, an e-mail or any other type of information message to said computer system.

In the case described above where the electronic control device 40 is equipped with the communication interface 49, it is the entry of the service code Z on the keypad 46 or the actuation of the service cylinder 20 which causes the transmitting an information message via said interface to the computer system S and / or the owner A. The actuation of the service cylinder 20 is detected by the sensor 22.

Finally, the carrier T delivers the package C to the consignee D and informs the owner A. directly or indirectly.

If the recipient D has a box B 'according to the invention, the conveyor T is made to reproduce the steps of the first method 50 of operation of said box.

Of course, the present invention is not limited to the examples described and shown, but it is capable of numerous variants accessible to those skilled in the art.

Claims (10)

Lock (10) comprising - a cylinder, called service (20), operable by a key, said service, - a cylinder, said owner (30), operable by a key, said owner, separate from said service key,
the actuation of said cylinders being intended to perform a locking or unlocking of said lock, an electronic device (40) for controlling the locking and unlocking of said lock. Lock according to claim 1, characterized in that the electronic control device comprises an electric sensor (22; 32) disposed on each cylinder, a numeric entry keypad (46), an electric lock (48). Lock according to claim 2, characterized in that the electronic control device is configured so that actuation of the service cylinder only locks or unlocks said lock after entering a code (X; Z) predefined, called service code, on the keypad of the electronic control device. Lock according to any one of claims 2 to 3, characterized in that the actuation of the owner cylinder or the entry of a predefined code, called the owner code, on the keyboard of the electronic control device always carries out a lock or an unlocking of said lock. Lock according to any one of claims 2 to 4, characterized in that the electronic control device further comprises an interface (49) for communication with the outside. Lock according to any one of claims 3 to 5, characterized in that the service code is operating only once. Lock according to any one of claims 3 to 6, characterized in that the control device further comprises a clock (47), the service code operates for a predetermined period of time. Box comprising a door provided with a lock according to one of claims 1 to 7. A method (50) for operating a can according to claim 8, the method comprising steps in which a carrier (T) requests (52), to a computer system (S), an authorization to open the box, the computer system transfers (54) the request for authorization to an owner (A) of the box, - the owner gives (56) his authorization to the computer system, the computer system (58) provides the carrier with a service code (X), the carrier enters (60) the code on the box, the carrier deposits (62) a package (C) in the box, the computer system is informed (64) of said depot, the computer system transmits (66) the package deposit information to the owner, - the owner recovers (68) the package. A method (100) of operation of a can according to claim 8, the method comprising steps in which an owner (A) deposits (102) a package (C) in the box, a computer system (S) is informed (104) of said depot, the computer system informs (106) a transporter of said depot and provides (106) a service code (Z), the carrier enters (108) the code on the box, the carrier removes (110) the package from the box, the computer system is informed (112) of said withdrawal, the computer system transmits (114) the package withdrawal information to the owner.

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