Drop box for package

Abstract

A storage system configured to receive one or more packages is provided herein. The storage system may comprise a housing having an internal volume configured to receive and store the one or more packages and a package receptacle configured to move between an open configuration and a closed configuration. The package receptacle is configured such that in the open configuration the package receptacle is configured to receive the one or more packages and prevent user access to the internal volume of the housing, and in the closed configuration the package receptacle is configured to drop the one or more packages into the internal volume of the housing. In some aspects, the storage system comprises at least one sensor to detect at least one characteristic of the storage system and at least one processor to obtain sensor data from the at least one sensor.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A storage system configured to receive one or more packages, the storage system comprising:
 a housing having an internal volume configured to receive and store the one or more packages; and   a package receptacle configured to move between an open configuration and a closed configuration,   wherein in the open configuration the package receptacle is configured to receive the one or more packages and prevent user access to the internal volume of the housing, and wherein in the closed configuration the package receptacle is configured to drop the one or more packages into the internal volume of the housing.   
     
     
         2 . The storage system of  claim 1 , further comprising one or more lockers configured to be coupled to the housing, wherein the one or more lockers are configured to receive at least one of the one or more packages. 
     
     
         3 . The storage system of  claim 2 , further comprising one or more partitions configured to isolate an internal space of each of the one or more lockers from the internal volume of the housing. 
     
     
         4 . The storage system of  claim 1 , wherein the package receptacle comprises a first package receiving portion and a second package receiving portion. 
     
     
         5 . The storage system of  claim 4 , wherein in the open configuration the first package receiving portion and the second package receiving portion at least partially overlap with one another to prevent user access to the internal volume of the housing. 
     
     
         6 . The storage system of  claim 4 , wherein in the closed configuration the first package receiving portion and the second package receiving portion are configured to rotate away from one another to drop the one or more packages into the internal volume of the housing. 
     
     
         7 . The storage system of  claim 4 , further comprising a door having a door handle, wherein the door is configured to enclose an internal space of the package receptacle when the package receptacle is in the closed configuration, and wherein the door is configured to provide access to the internal space of the package receptacle when the package receptacle is in the open configuration. 
     
     
         8 . The storage system of  claim 7 , wherein the door includes a first portion and a second portion that are rotatable relative to one another. 
     
     
         9 . The storage system of  claim 8 , wherein the second door portion is operatively coupled to the second package receiving portion such that the second package receiving portion is configured to rotate in response rotation of the second door portion to drop the one or more packages into the internal volume of the housing. 
     
     
         10 . The storage system of  claim 8 , further comprising one or more linkages attached to the first and second portions of the door, wherein the one or more linkages are configured to urge the first and second portions of the door to rotate relative to one another when the package receptacle is in the closed configuration. 
     
     
         11 . A storage system configured to receive one or more packages, the storage system comprising:
 a housing having an internal volume configured to receive and store the one or more packages;   an opening in the housing for receiving the one or more packages;   at least one sensor configured to detect at least one characteristic of the storage system; and   at least one processor configured to obtain sensor data regarding the at least one characteristic from the at least one sensor.   
     
     
         12 . The storage system of  claim 11 , further comprising a door configured to move between an open configuration and a closed configuration, wherein the door, when in the open configuration, forms the opening in the housing for receiving the one or more packages. 
     
     
         13 . The storage system of  claim 12 , wherein the door comprises a packages receptacle and wherein in the open configuration the package receptacle is configured to receive the one or more packages and prevent user access to the internal volume of the housing, and wherein in the closed configuration the package receptacle is configured to drop the one or more packages into the internal volume of the housing. 
     
     
         14 . The storage system of  claim 11 , wherein the at least one characteristic of the storage system comprises a determination whether at least one of the one or more packages is present in the internal volume of the housing of the storage system. 
     
     
         15 . The storage system of  claim 11 , wherein the at least one sensor comprises a camera. 
     
     
         16 . The storage system of  claim 11 , wherein the at least one characteristic comprises at least one characteristic of the internal volume and at least one characteristic of the opening, and the at least one sensor comprises a first sensor for sensing the at least one characteristic of the internal volume and a second sensor for sensing the at least one characteristic of the opening. 
     
     
         17 . The storage system of  claim 16 , wherein the first sensor is disposed within the internal volume. 
     
     
         18 . The storage system of  claim 16 , further comprising a door configured to move between an open configuration and a closed configuration, wherein the door, when in the open configuration, forms the opening in the housing for receiving the one or more packages and wherein the second sensor is disposed on the door. 
     
     
         19 . The storage system of  claim 11 , wherein the at least one characteristic of the storage system comprises one or more of a total volume of the one or more packages present in the internal volume, a total height of the one or more packages present in the internal volume, and/or a total weight of the one or more packages present in the internal volume. 
     
     
         20 . A method for controlling a storage system configured to receive one or more packages, the method comprising:
 obtaining sensor data from at least one sensor regarding at least one characteristic of the storage system, wherein the storage system comprises:
 a housing having an internal volume configured to receive and storage the one or more packages; 
 an opening in the housing for receiving the one or more packages; and 
 the at least one sensor, the at least one sensor being configured to detect the at least one characteristic of the storage system; and 
   controlling the storage system using the sensor data.