Mailbox

Abstract

A mailbox comprises an outer shell and an inner shell mounted within a hollow interior of the outer shell, the inner shell defining a hollow interior for receiving mail contents and further defining one or more voids with the outer shell. A door is mounted of a movement to selectively open or close one end of the outer and inner shells. A camera is concealed in one void adjacent the front end, the camera being configured to capture an image in front of the mailbox when the door is moved to at least partially expose the hollow interior for receiving mail contents. A transmitter and a receiver are mounted adjacent the front end to generate an output signal when the mail contents break the light beam therebetween. A flag rotates on the outer shell and actuates a switch to annunciate a presence of the mail contents within the mailbox.

1 - 17 . (canceled) 
     
     
         18 . A mailbox, comprising:
 a mailbox housing comprising and open front end and a hollow interior, said hollow interior being accessible from said open front end, said hollow interior configured to receive mail contents therewithin;   a door mounted for a movement on said mailbox housing to selectively open and close said open front end of said mailbox housing; and   a camera mounted inside said hollow interior and adjacent said open front end of said mailbox housing, said camera being coupled to a power source and being configured to capture an image in front of said mailbox when said door is moved to at least partially open said open front end.   
     
     
         19 . A mailbox, comprising:
 an outer shell comprising a hollow interior and an open end, said hollow interior being accessible from said open end;   an inner shell mounted within said hollow interior of said outer shell, said inner shell comprising another hollow interior configured to receive mail contents therewithin through said open end;   one or more voids between said inner shell and said outer shell;   a door mounted for a movement on said outer shell to selectively open and close said open end of said outer shell; and   a camera concealed in said one or more voids adjacent said open end of said outer shell, said camera being coupled to a power source, said camera being configured to capture an image in front of said mailbox when said door is moved to at least partially open said open end.   
     
     
         20 . The mailbox of  claim 19 , further comprising:
 a flag, said flag comprising:
 a shaft configured to pass through an aperture in one side wall in said outer shell, 
 an elongated flag portion secured to an external end of said shaft for a rotation therewith between a first position indicating a presence of mail contents within said another hollow interior of said inner shell and a second position indicating an absence of mail contents within said another hollow interior of said inner shell, and 
 a switch actuating portion secured to an internal end of said shaft for said rotation therewith; and 
   a flag switch mounted on an interior surface of said one side wall in said outer shell, said flag switch configured to selectively engage said switch actuating portion of said flag, said flag switch configured to output a flag signal defining one of said first position and said second position of said elongated flag portion.   
     
     
         21 . The mailbox of  claim 20 , further comprising an indicator, mounted on said outer shell, in an electrical circuit with said flag switch and in a position to be viewed from a remote location, said indicator being actuated by said flag signal when said flag switch engages or senses said switch actuating portion of said flag, said electrical circuit being connected to the power source. 
     
     
         22 . The mailbox of  claim 19 , further comprising:
 a motion detection sensor being mounted in a position to detect a motion in a vicinity of said mailbox and output a signal representing said motion; and   an indicator being electrically coupled to the power source and being mounted on an exterior surface of a bottom wall of said outer shell, said indicator being configured to illuminate a ground area in a vicinity of said mailbox in a response to said signal representing said motion.   
     
     
         23 . The mailbox of  claim 19 , further comprising:
 a transmitter mounted in one void from said one or more voids and being electrically coupled to the power source, said transmitter configured to selectively emit a beam of light; and   a receiver mounted in another void from said one or more of voids, said receiver configured to selectively receive said beam of light emitted from said transmitter, said receiver configured to output a signal representing one of a received light condition and a not-received light condition.   
     
     
         24 . The mailbox of  claim 19 , further comprising:
 a lighted panel mounted on an exterior surface of said outer shell or at least partially within a side wall of said outer shell, said lighted panel being electrically coupled to the power source; and   a light sensor mounted in a position to sense an ambient light, said light sensor configured to selectively activate and de-activate said lighted panel.   
     
     
         25 . The mailbox of  claim 19 , further comprising a solar panel mounted on said outer shell and being electrically coupled to a charging circuit of the power source. 
     
     
         26 . The mailbox of  claim 19 , further comprising said power source being mounted in said one or more voids. 
     
     
         27 . The mailbox of  claim 19 , further comprising a controller being electrically coupled to the power source, said controller comprising one or more processors and a non-transitory computer readable medium comprising executable instructions that, when executed by said one or more processors, cause said one or more processors to perform the step of transmitting said image, captured by said camera, to a remote device. 
     
     
         28 . A method of securing mail contents placed into a hollow interior of a mailbox housing with a door mounted on a front end of said mailbox housing to selectively open and close said front end of said mailbox housing, the method comprises the steps of:
 mounting, in a concealed manner, a camera adjacent said door of said mailbox housing;   selectively activating said camera; and   capturing, with said selectively activated camera, an image in front of said mailbox housing when said door being opened to at least partially open said front end and at least partially expose said hollow interior.   
     
     
         29 . The method of  claim 28 , wherein the step of selectively activating said camera comprises the step of deactivating a switch mounted to sense a target on an interior surface of said door when said door is in a position to close said open end. 
     
     
         30 . The method of  claim 28 , wherein the step of selectively activating said camera comprises the step of detecting, with a motion detection sensor, a motion in a vicinity of said mailbox, the step of receiving an output signal from said motion detection sensor at a control unit and the step of outputting a control signal to said camera from said control unit. 
     
     
         31 . The method of  claim 30 , further comprising the step of raising a flag, mounted on said mailbox housing, into a generally vertical position and activating a flag switch sensing said flag being raised into said generally vertical position prior to detecting said motion with said motion detection sensor. 
     
     
         32 . The method of  claim 28 , further comprising the step of transmitting, with a controller, said image captured by said camera to a remote device. 
     
     
         33 . The method of  claim 32 , further comprising the step of displaying said image on said remote device. 
     
     
         34 . The method of  claim 28 , further comprising the step of outputting, with a receiver, mounted adjacent said front end of said mailbox housing, a signal defining placement of said mail contents into said hollow interior. 
     
     
         35 . The method of  claim 28 , wherein the step of mounting said camera adjacent said door of said mailbox housing and in said concealed manner comprises the step of mounting an inner shell within said hollow interior of said mailbox housing and the step of mounting said camera in a gap between an outer surface of said inner shell and an inner surface of said mailbox housing. 
     
     
         36 . The method of  claim 28 , further comprising the step of mounting a light emitting member on an exterior surface of said mailbox housing and the step of activating said light emitting member to identify one of a presence and an absence of mail contents within said hollow interior.