| 摘要 |
<p>A method of operating an item locker 2 includes remotely accessing an item inventory for a locker and pre-booking or reserving an item. An authorisation element, such as a PIN, is then sent to the user, perhaps in an email or other message, via a personal digital assistant or other portable control device 3. The locker has a number of compartments 5 with controllable locks, a controller having an item inventory store and an authorisation device, such as a keypad. When a user with a PDA 3 is in the vicinity of a locker, the locker may establish a wireless communication link 4 between the PDA 3and the locker controller. The authorisation element may be input to open the compartment containing the pre-booked or reserved item. The wireless link may be the first part, or pre-authorisation, of a two-part authorisation process, with the input of the PIN via a keypad 8 of the locker being the second part. The pre-booking process may involve the user selecting an item and also a time when the item is required and determining if the item is available. The locker may have a tag reader to read tags applied to items.</p> |
