FR3016385A1 - CLOSED BOX, RELAY FOR CONTROLLING A BOX, DEVICE FOR OPENING A BOX AND METHOD FOR OPENING A BOX - Google Patents

Abstract

The closed box for receiving an object in storage comprises: - a lock (105) configured to lock or unlock an opening (110) of the box, - means (115) for wireless reception of a short-range signal, on a public frequency band, representing a command to open the lock and - a means (120) for controlling the lock, configured to control the unlocking of the lock according to the receipt of the command to open the lock .

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION The present invention is directed to a closed box for receiving an object in storage, a relay for controlling a box, a device and a method of opening a closed box to receive a correspondence. It applies, in particular, to parcel boxes of residential or activity sites. STATE OF THE ART When a parcel or more generally a correspondence is delivered on a residential or activity site, the recipient of this parcel must be physically present to recover said parcel from the deliveryman. When it is not possible to be present at the times of passage of the deliveryman, it then becomes necessary to go to a place of deposit of the parcel. Sometimes, after a delay has elapsed, the package is returned from the depot to the sender of the package. Thus, this mode of operation leads to loss of time for the recipient of the package if the recipient does not have availability to be present and receive the package. To overcome these disadvantages, some systems offer a mailbox sized to receive a package. In order to open this parcel box, the deliveryman must have the key of the box. For this reason, these systems only work in the case of a regular deliveryman, such as a factor for example, having a key box package. These systems do not remedy the aforementioned drawbacks for most of the current means of delivery, resulting in particular from the rise of electronic commerce.

OBJECT OF THE INVENTION The present invention aims to remedy all or part of these disadvantages. For this purpose, according to a first aspect, the present invention aims a closed box to receive an object in storage, which comprises: - a lock configured to lock or unlock an opening of the box, - a means for receiving a signal to short range, representing a command to open the lock and - a control means of the lock, configured to control the unlocking of the lock according to the receipt of the command to open the lock. Thanks to these provisions, a user unavailable to receive a package transported by a deliveryman can remotely open the box for receiving the package. The invention is advantageously implemented according to the embodiments described below, which are to be considered individually or in any technically operative combination.

According to embodiments, the box that is the subject of the present invention comprises: a means for receiving a signal, with a very short range, representing an identifier representative of the box, a means for verifying the correspondence between the identifier representative of the box received and an identifier of the predetermined box, the control means being configured to control the unlocking of the lock when a command is received and the identifier representative of the signal box and the identifier of the box predetermined match. According to a particular embodiment of the box object of the invention, it comprises: means for transmitting a very short-range radio signal capable of interacting with a transponder; - Means, accessible from outside the box, adapted to control the transmission of said radio signal. Said transponder is for example a radio frequency tag or "RFID", which label is for example glued to the object to be deposited in the box. These embodiments allow a deliveryman to control the opening of the box when said delivery man is close to the box. These embodiments 30 therefore have the advantage of eliminating the risk of remote opening and involuntary box. In some embodiments: the opening control signal is representative of an opening time; the control means is configured to control the unlocking of the lock as long as a measured duration is less than the duration of the lock; opening received. The advantage of these embodiments is that they allow to limit in time the opening capacity of the box so as to limit the possibility of burglary and theft. Advantageously, the opening control short-range signal uses a public frequency band. Thus, the use of a public frequency band makes it possible to reduce the cost of operating and manufacturing the box. According to particular embodiments, the box includes a means 10 for time stamping, the control means being configured for controlling the unlocking of the lock according to at least one date datum of the short-range signal and the determined time stamp. These embodiments have the advantage of allowing the box to be opened at a scheduled time and / or date so as to limit the possibility of burglary and theft. According to a second aspect, the present invention aims a relay for controlling a box object of the present invention, which comprises: - opening authorization means configured to receive a signal representative of an opening command of the box and Means for transmitting a short-range signal representative of a command to open the lock to the box. The aims, advantages and characteristics of the relay object of the present invention being similar to those of the box object of the present invention, they are not recalled here. According to a particular embodiment of the relay which is the subject of the invention, the opening authorization means is a means of communication with a data network configured to receive a signal representative of a command to open the box according to the invention. Embodiments: The signal received by the communication means represents a predetermined duration, the transmitting means being configured to transmit the signal on a public frequency band according to the predetermined duration received.

The advantage of these embodiments is that they allow to limit in time the opening capacity of the box so as to limit the possibility of burglary and theft. According to embodiments: the signal received by the communication means represents a datum of dating, the transmitting means being configured to emit the short-range signal as a function of the date datum received. These embodiments have the advantage of allowing the opening of the box to a schedule and / or date determined so as to limit the possibility of burglary and theft. According to embodiments, the transmission means is configured to send a signal representative of the opening of the opening to a communicating portable terminal associated with the relay.

The advantage of these embodiments is that they prevent a user associated with the relay, and the box controlled by the relay, the presence of an object in deposit in the box. According to a third aspect, the present invention aims at a device for opening a closed box to receive a correspondence, which comprises: a box object of the present invention and a relay object of the present invention configured to emit a short-range signal to the box. The aims, advantages and features of the device object of the present invention being similar to those of the relay and the box objects of the present invention, they are not recalled here. According to a particular embodiment of the opening device according to the invention, the relay comprises an opening authorization means in the form of a radio frequency tag carried by the correspondence. Thus the authorization to open the box is carried directly by correspondence.

According to a fourth aspect, the present invention aims at a method of opening a closed box to receive a correspondence, which comprises: a step of receiving a short-range signal, representative of an opening command; a lock of the box and - a step of controlling the lock, for controlling the unlocking of the lock according to the receipt of the command to open the lock. Since the aims, advantages and characteristics of the method which is the subject of the present invention being similar to those of the box object of the present invention, they are not recalled here. According to particular embodiment of the method for opening a box according to the invention, adapted to the configuration where the box is equipped with a radio transmission means capable of interacting with a radio frequency tag, the step method of receiving the short-range signal comprises the steps of: - activating the transmission means of the box; - present the correspondence provided with a radio frequency label in front of the said box.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES Other advantages, objects and particular features of the invention will emerge from the following nonlimiting description of at least one particular embodiment of the box, the relay, the device and the method that are the subject of the present invention. invention, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: - Figure 1 shows schematically and in perspective, a particular embodiment of the box object of the present invention, - Figure 2 shows, schematically and in section, a mode of Specific embodiment of the relay object of the present invention, - Figure 3 shows schematically and in perspective, a particular embodiment of the device object of the present invention, - Figure 4 shows a flow diagram of steps of an embodiment. process of the present invention and - Figure 5 shows, schematically, a particular embodiment of the device. tif object of the present invention; - And Figure 6 shows in a schematic perspective view an embodiment of the device of the invention comprising a transponder related to the correspondence and means carried by the box capable of interacting with said transponder.

DESCRIPTION OF EXAMPLES OF THE INVENTION This description is given in a non-limiting manner. The term "short-range signal" refers to a signal whose range is of the order of thirty meters. These signals correspond to networks called "LAN" (for "Local Area Network", translated into French as "Local Area Network"). The term "very short-range signal" designates a signal whose range is at most of the order of ten meters or even a few centimeters depending on the embodiment. These signals correspond, for example, to so-called "PAN" networks (for "Personal Area Network"), or to transponder identification technologies, passive or active, such as for example a label. radio frequency, commonly referred to as Anglo-Saxon "RFID tag". Figure 1, which is not to scale, shows in a sectional view, an embodiment of the box 10 object of the present invention. This box 10 comprises: a lock 105 configured to lock or unlock an opening 110 of the box 10, a means 115 for wireless reception of a short-range signal, on a public frequency band, representing a control of opening of the lock 105, a means 125 for receiving a signal, wireless very short range, representing an identifier representative of the box 10, a means 130 for checking the correspondence between the representative identifier of the box 10 and an identifier of the predetermined box 10, a means 135 for time stamping and a means 120 for controlling the lock 105. The box 10 is, for example, a modular metal structure assembled by clipping of the walls to each other. other. The box 10 comprises at least one opening 110 which is, for example, a wall fixed to a hinge and secured to the lock 105 by means of a magnetic connection. In variants, the box has two openings, 110 and 145. In these variants, an opening 110 is oriented outwardly from the site to which the box 10 is associated and the other opening 145 is oriented towards the interior of the site. For example, the box 10 is mounted through a door of the site and the opening 110 is outside the site while the opening 145 is inside the site. The opening 145 is open, for example, by the implementation of a mechanical key. According to an exemplary embodiment, the box 10 is connected to an autonomous power source, not shown, such as a battery or batteries for example. The box 10 includes a lock 105 configured to lock or unlock the opening 110 of said box 10. This lock 105 is, for example, a magnetic lock configured to retain a metal part 107 of the opening against the lock 105 as long as the lock 105 does not receive an unlock command. According to this embodiment, the box 10 also comprises a means 115 for wireless reception of a short-range signal, representing an opening command of the lock 105. Advantageously this short-range signal is transmitted at a frequency included in FIG. a public frequency band, for example, a frequency of 868 MHz in Europe, or 900 MHz in the United States. This reception means 115 is, for example, an antenna configured to receive a radio frequency signal. This signal comes, for example, a relay 20 as shown in Figure 2 and detailed below. Advantageously, the box 10 further comprises a means 125 for wireless reception of a signal, with a very short range, representing an identifier representative of the box 10. This receiving means 125 is, for example, an antenna configured to receive a signal compliant with the Bluetooth 4.0 standard. The representative identifier received is, for example, transmitted by a portable terminal communicating with a delivery person carrying an object to be deposited in the box 10. In variants, the receiving means 125 is also configured to transmit to an associated communicating portable terminal to the box 10 a signal representative of the presence of an object in the box when the communicating portable terminal is close to the box 10. The verification means 130 of the correspondence between the representative identifier of the box 10 received and a The identifier of the predetermined box 10 is, for example, an electronic circuit configured to compare the received identifier and the predetermined identifier. If these two identifiers are similar, the verification means 130 transmits to the control means 120 an opening command of the lock 105.

FIG. 6, according to another exemplary embodiment, the box 600 comprises an antenna 610 for transmitting and receiving very short-range radio waves of appropriate frequency to activate a RIFD tag 630, which tag is, according to this example embodiment, carried by a correspondence, letter or package, intended to be deposited in said box. According to an advantageous embodiment, said RFID tag is a so-called passive tag, comprising a loop antenna printed on a self-adhesive support. According to this exemplary embodiment, the antenna 610 of the box uses a reception frequency of 125 KHz. Still according to this embodiment, the box 600 comprises means, for example a push button 620, accessible from the outside, to activate the means 610 for transmitting radio waves. The other features and functionality of the box 600 according to this embodiment are identical or equivalent to the characteristics described for the embodiment shown in FIG.

Returning to FIG. 1, the control means 120 is configured to control the unlocking of the lock 105 as a function of the receipt of the lock opening command 105. This control means 120 is, for example, a circuit associated with the verification means 130 and the receiving means 115 of a signal on a public frequency band. When an opening command of the lock 105 is received and the verification means 130 determines that the predetermined identifier and the received identifier correspond, the control means 120 controls the opening of the lock 105. magnetic attraction of the lock 105 is neutralized so that the opening 110 can be opened.

The time stamping means 135 is, for example, an electronic clock. The control means 120 is configured to control the unlocking of the lock 105 as a function of at least one date datum of the signal on a public frequency band and the determined time stamp. Thanks to these arrangements, it is possible to limit the opening capacity of the box 10 over time.

According to an advantageous embodiment, the short-range signal is representative of a duration of opening of the lock 105. In these variants, the control means 120 is configured to control the opening of the lock 105 as long as a measured time is less than the open time received.

Figure 2, which is not to scale, shows schematically and in section, a particular embodiment of the relay 20 to control a box 10 object of the present invention. According to an exemplary embodiment, said active, this relay 20 comprises: an opening authorization means in the form of a means 205 for communication with a data network configured to receive a signal representative of an opening command the box 10 and a means 210 for transmitting a short-range wireless signal, representative of an opening command of the lock 105 to the box 10. The communication means 205 is, for example, a cable type RJ-45 connected to a set-top box (translated as "set-top box" in French). This set-top box is connected to the internet network. When the box 10 must be unlocked, a remote server, not shown, transmits an opening command of the lock 105 of the box 10 to the relay 20 via the Internet. When the relay 20 receives this opening command, a short-range wireless signal is transmitted through the means 210 for transmitting a signal. This means 210 for transmitting a signal is, according to an exemplary embodiment, an antenna configured to emit a signal representative of a command to open the lock 105 at a frequency of 868 MHz in Europe and 900 MHz to the States. -United. According to variants, the signal received by the communication means 205 represents a predetermined duration, and the transmission means 210 is configured to transmit the signal on a public frequency band according to the predetermined duration received. For example, the transmitting means 210 is configured to transmit the signal after the predetermined duration. According to variants that are compatible with the preceding ones, the signal received by the communication means 205 represents a datum datum, and the transmission means 210 is configured to emit the short-range signal as a function of the datum datum received. For example, the transmission means 210 is configured to transmit the signal when a measured date corresponds to the received date. When the opening 110 of the box 10 is open, the relay 20 receives a signal representative of the opening of the box 10 and the transmission means 210 is configured to send a signal representative of the opening of the opening 110 to a communicating portable terminal associated with the relay. This communicating portable terminal is, for example, a smartphone of a user receiving the object in storage in the box 10. Figure 6, according to another embodiment, the opening authorization means is a label RFID 630 carried by the correspondence 690 intended to be deposited in the box 600 object of the invention. According to this exemplary embodiment, the box 600 is identified by a unique identification number. This identification number is part of the profile of the recipient of the correspondence and corresponds to the box 600. Thus, the sender of a correspondence 690 to the holder of the box 600, according to this embodiment, sticks on said correspondence an RFID Io tag 630 comprising the identification of said box. To obtain the opening of the box 600 the attendant responsible for delivering the correspondence, actuates the push button 630, which has the effect of activating the antenna 610, then, said attendant has the correspondence 690 in front of the box 600. If the code, issued by the tag 630 and received by the box via the antenna 610, corresponds to the identifier of the box, the opening is allowed. According to a non-limiting exemplary embodiment, the box comprises two light indicators, for example a green indicator 641 and a red indicator 642. Also, according to an exemplary embodiment, if the identifier issued by the label 630 corresponds to the identifier of the box 600 then the green light 641 turns on and the attendant has a determined time to operate again the push button 620 and get the opening of the box 600. Figure 3, which is not to Scale, shows schematically, a particular embodiment of the device 10 object of the present invention. This device 10 comprises: a box 10 as illustrated in FIG. 1 and a relay 20 as illustrated in FIG. 2 configured to transmit a short-range wireless signal on a public frequency band to the box Figure 4 is an example of a particular flow diagram of the process of the present invention. This method 40 comprises: a step 405 for receiving a short-range signal, on a public frequency band, representative of a command to open a lock of a box, n a command step 410 of the lock, to control the unlocking of the lock according to the receipt of the command to open the lock. The reception step 405 is performed, for example, by the implementation of an antenna configured to receive a radio frequency signal, advantageously using a public frequency band, for example, a frequency of 868 MHz in Europe and 900 MHz in the United States. According to another exemplary embodiment, using an RFID tag as an opening authorization means, the reception step 405 is a transmission-reception step, able to activate said RFID Io tag, for example at a frequency of 125. KHz. The control step 410 is performed by the implementation of an electronic circuit configured to control the unlocking of the lock of the box when an opening command is received. Figure 5, which is not to scale, schematically illustrates a particular embodiment of the device 10 object of the present invention. This device 10 allows, in particular, to achieve three scenarios. In the first case, a user receiving an object to be deposited in a box 530, similar to the box illustrated in Figure 1, is not present near the box 530 when the delivery of the object by a delivery man takes place. In this case, the deliveryman calls the user, and the user orders the unlocking of the box 530. To unlock the box 530, the user uses an application installed in a communicating portable terminal 505. This application communicates, via a mobile data network, such as a "3G" or WIFI® network, for example, with a remote server 510. This remote server 510 comprises a database of identifiers and computer addresses of boxes 530 associated with the server 510. The application can also implement an encryption of the signal transmitted to the server 510 enabling the server 510 to authenticate the server. communicating portable terminal 505. The server 510 identifies, according to an identifier transmitted by the communicating portable terminal 505, the box 530 to unlock. The server 510 transmits, via an Internet network, a command to open the box 530. This opening command is received, for example, by a set-top box 520 at the user's address. recipient. This set-top box 520 is positioned, for example, in the home 515 of the destination user. This set-top box 520 is connected to a destination relay 525 as shown in FIG. 2. The remote server 510 can also perform a change of association between a portable terminal communicating with a box 505 and a box 530 as part of a move. , for example. The server 510 can also disable a box 530 that would have been stolen, for example. Once a box 530 is deactivated, the server 510 no longer transmits an opening command to this box 530. This destination relay 525 transmits a short range signal, representative of the received opening command, to the box 530. When the box 530 receives the opening command, the lock of the box 530 is opened. The deliveryman can then drop the object into the box 530 and close the box 530. When the box 530 is closed, the lock is locked again. According to one embodiment of the device that is the subject of the invention, the user defines a time slot or a duration during which the deliveryman is authorized to open the box 530. Outside this time slot or this duration, the box 530 is locked. In the second case, the recipient user is not asked to open the box 530. In this case, the deliveryman is said to be "certified", that is to say that the deliverer is associated with the server 510 remote and can therefore be authenticated and identified during the opening of the box 530. When the delivery man is close to the box 530, this deliveryman uses a communicating portable terminal 505 to control the opening of the box 530. parallel to the opening command which follows a path similar to that described in the first case, the communicating portable terminal 505 transmits a very short range signal representative of an identifier of the box 530. When the box 530 receives the opening command, the box verifies that a communicating portable terminal 505 emitting a signal representative of an identifier of the box is close to open the box.

According to a third scenario, the opening authorization is carried by the correspondence, for example by means of an RFID tag. According to an advantageous embodiment adapted to all cases, when the recipient user arrives at the site 515 where the box 530 is installed, the application of its communicating portable terminal 505 notifies the presence of an object in the box. 530. This notification is made, for example, by means of an audible signal controlled by the application of the communicating portable terminal 505. According to an advantageous embodiment, the box 530 is configured to send a signal to the destination relay 525 so that information on the box 530 is stored on the server 510. This information includes, for example: a number of openings of the box 530, a quantity of energy remaining in a source of standalone power supply of Io box 530 and / or - a presence of an object in box 530. When an object is dropped in box 530, server 510 sends to the recipient user an alert, which is for example an email or a notification of the application of the communicating portable terminal 505, 15 representative of the presence of an object in the box 530.

Claims (4)

REVENDICATIONS1. Box (10) closed to receive an object in storage, characterized in that it comprises: - a lock (105) configured to lock or unlock an opening (110) of the box, means (115) for receiving a short-range signal, representing an opening command of the lock and a means (120) for controlling the lock, configured to control the unlocking of the lock according to the receipt of the command to open the lock. Box (10) according to claim 1, which comprises: means (125) for receiving a signal, very short range, representing an identifier representative of the box, means (130) for checking the correspondence between the representative identifier of the box received and an identifier of the predetermined box, the control means (120) being configured to control the unlocking of the lock (105) when a command is received and the identifier representative of the box of the signal and the identifier of the predetermined box correspond. 3. Box according to claim 2, comprising: means (610) for transmitting a very short-range radio signal capable of interacting with a transponder; means (620), accessible from outside the box, adapted to control the transmission of said radio signal. 4. Box (10) according to one of claims 1 to 3, wherein: the short-range opening signal is representative of an opening time, the control means (120) is configured to control the unlocking of the lock (105) as long as a measured duration is less than the received opening time. . The box (10) of claim 1, wherein the short-range aperture signal uses a public frequency band. 6. Box (10) according to one of claims 1 to 5, which comprises a means (135) 5 timestamp 5, the means (120) for controlling being configured to control the unlocking of the lock (105) as a function of at least one date datum of the short-range signal and the determined time stamp. 7. Relay (20) for controlling a box (10) according to one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that it comprises: - means (205, 630) for opening authorization configured to receive a signal representative of an opening command of the box and - means (210) for transmitting a short-range signal, representative of a command to open the lock to the box. 8. Relay according to claim 7, wherein the opening authorization means 15 is a means (205) for communication with a data network configured to receive a signal representative of an opening command of the box. The relay (20) according to claim 8, wherein: - the signal received by the communication means (205) represents a predetermined duration, - the transmitting means (210) being configured to transmit the short signal range according to the predetermined duration received. 10. Relay (20) according to one of claims 8 or 9, wherein: - the signal received by the means (205) of communication represents a datum dating, 25 - the means (210) of emission being configured for transmit the short-range signal according to the received dating datum.11. Relay (20) according to one of claims 8 to 10, wherein the transmission means (210) is configured to send a signal representative of the opening of the opening to a communicating portable terminal associated with the relay. 12. Device (30) for opening a closed box to receive a correspondence, characterized in that it comprises: a box (10) according to one of claims 1 to 6 and a relay (20) according to the one of claims 7 to 11 configured to transmit a short-range signal to the box. 13. The device of claim 12, wherein: the relay comprises an opening authorization means in the form of a radio frequency tag (630) carried by the correspondence (690). 14. The method (40) for opening a closed box according to claim 1 by means of a device according to claim 12, for receiving a correspondence, characterized in that it comprises: - a step (405) of reception a short-range signal, representative of a command to open a lock of the box and a step (410) for controlling the lock, for controlling the unlocking of the lock according to the receipt of the command opening of the lock. The method of claim 14 for opening a box according to claim 3 by means of a device according to claim 13, wherein the step (405) of receiving the short-range signal comprises the steps of activate the transmission means (610) of the box; presenting the correspondence (690) provided with a radio frequency tag (630) in front of said box (600).