Patent Publication Number: US-11641966-B2

Title: Package receiving device and package receiving method

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION 
     This application claims priority to Japanese Patent Application No. 2020-011587 filed on Jan. 28, 2020, the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The present invention relates to a package receiving device and a package receiving method. 
     2. Description of the Related Art 
     In recent years, a technique of delivering a delivery article to a receiving container of a user by an unmanned airplane such as a drone has been known (see, for example, Japanese Patent No. 6201092 (JP6201092B)). The receiving container disclosed in Japanese Patent No. 6201092 has an automatic opening/closing delivery article receiving door, an automatic slide-type receiving table, a delivery-article-taking-out door, and a communication device for communicating information or the like that is a key for unlocking a lock mechanism upon receipt. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The receiving container disclosed in Japanese Patent No. 6201092 needs to be installed on a part of a building such as a window, a veranda terrace, or a wall of the building, and there are restrictions on the installation location. In addition, the receiving container disclosed in Japanese Patent No. 6201092 does not have a shape suitable for receiving a delivery article delivered in a suspended state by an unmanned airplane such as a drone. 
     The present invention has been made in consideration of such circumstances, and an object of the present invention is to provide a package receiving device and a package receiving method that allow a package delivered by a flight vehicle to be received and housed inside a casing. 
     A package receiving device according to the present invention includes: a casing having an opening formed in an upper surface thereof; a placement table configured to move up and down between a raised position at which the placement table is located at the upper surface opening of the casing and a lowered position at which the placement table is located inside the casing; a first drive unit configured to move the placement table between the raised position and the lowered position; a lid member configured to move between an opening position at which the lid member opens the upper surface opening of the casing and a closing position at which the lid member closes the upper surface opening of the casing; a second drive unit configured to move the lid member between the opening position and the closing position; and a control unit configured to control the first drive unit and the second drive unit such that a package placed on the placement table is housed inside the casing, by moving the placement table from the raised position to the lowered position from an initial state where the placement table is located at the raised position and the lid member is located at the opening position, and subsequently moving the lid member from the opening position to the closing position. 
     A package receiving method according to the present invention is a package receiving method by a package receiving device including a casing having an opening formed in an upper surface thereof, a placement table configured to move up and down between a raised position at which the placement table is located at the upper surface opening of the casing and a lowered position at which the placement table is located inside the casing, and a lid member configured to move between an opening position at which the lid member opens the upper surface opening of the casing and a closing position at which the lid member closes the upper surface opening of the casing, the package receiving method including the steps of: moving the placement table from the raised position to the lowered position from an initial state where the placement table is located at the raised position and the lid member is located at the opening position; and moving the lid member from the opening position to the closing position after moving the placement table from the raised position to the lowered position. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG.  1    is a perspective view schematically illustrating the appearance of a package receiving device according to an embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG.  2    is a perspective view illustrating a state when a placement table of the package receiving device shown in  FIG.  1    is lowered after a package is placed on the placement table; 
         FIG.  3    is a perspective view illustrating a state when an upper opening is closed by a lid member in the package receiving device shown in  FIG.  2   ; 
         FIG.  4    is a configuration diagram illustrating the internal configuration of the package receiving device shown in  FIG.  1   , etc.; 
         FIG.  5    is a configuration diagram illustrating the internal configuration when the placement table of the package receiving device shown in  FIG.  4    is lowered after a package is placed on the placement table; 
         FIG.  6    is a configuration diagram illustrating the internal configuration when the upper opening is closed by the lid member in the package receiving device shown in  FIG.  5   ; 
         FIG.  7    is a configuration diagram illustrating the configuration of a control system of the package receiving device shown in  FIG.  1   , etc.; 
         FIG.  8    is a flowchart showing operation when a package is delivered to the package receiving device shown in  FIG.  1   , etc.; 
         FIG.  9    is a flowchart showing operation when the package is taken out from the package receiving device shown in  FIG.  1   , etc.; 
         FIG.  10    is a perspective view schematically illustrating the appearance of a package receiving device according to another example of the embodiment of the present invention; and 
         FIG.  11    is a perspective view illustrating a state when a placement table of the package receiving device shown in  FIG.  10    is lowered and an upper opening is closed by a lid member after a package is placed on the placement table. 
     
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENT 
     Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.  FIG.  1    to  FIG.  9    illustrate a package receiving device according to the present embodiment. Among them,  FIG.  1    to  FIG.  3    are each a perspective view schematically illustrating the appearance of the package receiving device according to the present embodiment, and  FIG.  4    to  FIG.  6    are each a configuration diagram illustrating the internal configuration of the package receiving device shown in  FIG.  1   , etc. In addition,  FIG.  7    is a configuration diagram showing the configuration of a control system of the package receiving device shown in  FIG.  1   , etc. Moreover,  FIG.  8    and  FIG.  9    are flowcharts showing operation when a package is delivered to the package receiving device shown in  FIG.  1   , etc., and when the package is taken out from the package receiving device, respectively. In  FIG.  1    to  FIG.  9   , etc., the package delivered to the package receiving device is denoted by reference character W. 
     The package receiving device  10  according to the present embodiment receives a package from a flight vehicle  90  such as a drone and houses the received package thereinside. In addition, the package housed inside the package receiving device  10  can be taken out only by a specific user. 
     First, the flight vehicle  90  such as a drone which delivers a package will be briefly described. The flight vehicle  90  delivers a package from a warehouse or the like of a package delivery company to the package receiving device  10  while suspending the package. In addition, the flight vehicle  90  is provided with a communication unit and a GPS for detecting the current position of the flight vehicle  90 , and information about the current position of the flight vehicle  90  detected by the GPS is wirelessly transmitted by the communication unit to a computer  94  (see  FIG.  7   ) of the package delivery company. Moreover, the flight vehicle  90  is provided with an imaging unit such as a camera and can take an image of an area around the flight vehicle  90  (particularly, an area below the flight vehicle  90 ) by the imaging unit. Image data taken by the imaging unit is also wirelessly transmitted by the communication unit to the computer  94  of the package delivery company. 
     Next, the configuration of the package receiving device  10  which receives a package delivered by such a flight vehicle  90  will be described with reference to  FIG.  1    to  FIG.  7   . As shown in  FIG.  1    to  FIG.  6   , particularly, in  FIG.  1    and  FIG.  4   , the package receiving device  10  according to the present embodiment includes: a casing  12  that has an opening  12   a  formed in an upper surface thereof and that has a substantially rectangular parallelepiped shape; a placement table  22  that is provided at the upper surface opening  12   a  of the casing  12 ; a first drive unit  26  that raises and lowers the placement table  22 ; a lid member  32  for closing the upper surface opening  12   a  of the casing  12 ; and a second drive unit  36  that rotates the lid member  32  about a shaft  34 . A package sent from the flight vehicle  90  to the package receiving device  10  is placed on the placement table  22  of the package receiving device  10 . Each component of such a package receiving device  10  will be described in detail below. 
     The placement table  22  is composed of a flat-plate-shaped stage. The placement table  22  is raised and lowered between a raised position shown in  FIG.  4    and a lowered position shown in  FIG.  5   . Specifically, guide rails  24  for guiding the placement table  22  are disposed on an inner wall of the casing  12  and extend along the height direction of the casing  12 . In addition, as shown in  FIG.  7   , the package receiving device  10  includes the first drive unit  26  such as an actuator which raises and lowers the placement table  22  along the guide rails  24 . The placement table  22  is moved between the raised position shown in  FIG.  4    and the lowered position shown in  FIG.  5    by the first drive unit  26 . When the placement table  22  is located at the raised position shown in  FIG.  4   , the height level of the placement table  22  is substantially equal to the height level of the upper surface opening  12   a  of the casing  12 . Moreover, when the placement table  22  is located at the lowered position shown in  FIG.  5   , the height level of the placement table  22  is a height level that is substantially half the height of the casing  12 . Accordingly, after a package is placed on the placement table  22  located at the raised position, when the placement table  22  is lowered from the raised position to the lowered position, the placement table  22  and the package placed on the placement table  22  are housed inside the casing  12 . 
     As shown in  FIG.  1   , a code  22   a  such as a bar code or a two-dimensional code (for example, a QR code (registered trademark)) is provided on the upper surface of the placement table  22 . The code  22   a  indicates identification information of the package receiving device  10  and information about the owner of the package receiving device  10 . When such a code  22   a  is read by the imaging unit such as a camera provided in the flight vehicle  90  such as a drone, the identification information of the package receiving device  10  and the information about the owner of the package receiving device  10  are acquired by the flight vehicle  90 . The code  22   a  is not limited to a code indicating both the identification information of the package receiving device  10  and the information about the owner of the package receiving device  10 . The code  22   a  may indicate either information of the identification information of the package receiving device  10  and the information about the owner of the package receiving device  10 . 
     As shown in  FIG.  4   , etc., a package detection unit  28  such as a weight meter for detecting placement of a package on the placement table  22  when the package is placed on the placement table  22  is provided on the placement table  22 . The package detection unit  28  is not limited to a weight meter that detects the weight of a package placed on the placement table  22 . An optical sensor, a camera, or the like that detects a package placed on the placement table  22  may be used as the package detection unit  28 . 
     The lid member  32  is used to close the upper surface opening  12   a  of the casing  12 . More specifically, the lid member  32  is composed of a plate-shaped member having substantially the same size as the upper surface opening  12   a  of the casing  12 . Such a lid member  32  rotates between an opening position shown in  FIG.  4    and a closing position shown in  FIG.  6    about the shaft  34  provided at an edge portion of the upper surface opening  12   a  of the casing  12 . In addition, as shown in  FIG.  7   , the package receiving device  10  includes the second drive unit  36  such as a motor which rotates the lid member  32  about the shaft  34 . The lid member  32  is rotated between the opening position shown in  FIG.  4    and the closing position shown in  FIG.  6    by the second drive unit  36 . When the lid member  32  is located at the opening position shown in  FIG.  4   , the lid member  32  is in contact with a side surface of an outer wall of the casing  12 . In this case, the upper surface opening  12   a  of the casing  12  is opened. On the other hand, when the lid member  32  is located at the closing position shown in  FIG.  6   , the upper surface opening  12   a  of the casing  12  is closed by the lid member  32 . In this case, when the placement table  22  on which a package has been placed is located at the lowered position, the placement table  22  and the package placed on the placement table  22  cannot be accessed from the outside of the casing  12 . 
     As shown in  FIG.  1   , etc., a button  40 , a display unit  42  such as a monitor, and an imaging unit  44  such as a camera are provided on a front surface of the casing  12 . In a state where the lid member  32  is located at the closing position and the upper surface opening  12   a  of the casing  12  is closed by the lid member  32 , when the button  40  is pressed by a user, if it is determined by a control unit  50  that this user is a valid package recipient, the lid member  32  rotates about the shaft  34  from the closing position to the opening position, so that the upper surface opening  12   a  of the casing  12  is opened. In addition, in a state where a package has been delivered from the flight vehicle  90  such as a drone to the package receiving device  10  and housed inside the package receiving device  10 , information that the package has been housed inside the package receiving device  10  is displayed on the display unit  42 . At that time, a message that prompts the user to take out the package from the package receiving device  10  may be displayed on the display unit  42 . In addition, information about the date and time at which the package was housed inside the package receiving device  10 , information about the type of the package housed inside the package receiving device  10 , etc., may be displayed on the display unit  42 . Moreover, the imaging unit  44  acquires information about a face image of the user by taking an image of the face of the user. 
     Next, the configuration of the control system of the package receiving device  10  will be described with reference to  FIG.  7   . As shown in  FIG.  7   , the package receiving device  10  includes the control unit  50  for controlling each component of the package receiving device  10 , and the control unit  50  is composed of a processor such as a CPU. Specifically, the first drive unit  26 , the second drive unit  36 , the package detection unit  28 , the imaging unit  44 , the display unit  42 , etc., are connected to the control unit  50 . When placement of a package on the placement table  22  is detected by the package detection unit  28 , information that the package has been placed on the placement table  22  is sent from the package detection unit  28  to the control unit  50 . In addition, information about a face image or the like of the user taken by the imaging unit  44  is sent from the imaging unit  44  to the control unit  50 . Moreover, the control unit  50  controls the first drive unit  26  and the second drive unit  36  by sending command signals to the first drive unit  26  and the second drive unit  36 . Furthermore, the control unit  50  controls a content to be displayed on the display unit  42 , by sending display information to the display unit  42 . 
     As shown in  FIG.  7   , a storage unit  52  such as a memory is connected to the control unit  50 . The storage unit  52  stores therein information about a face image of the user who owns the package receiving device  10 . Such a face image of the user can be registered by the user, for example, when the package receiving device  10  is installed. In addition, information such as history of packages housed inside the package receiving device  10  is stored in the storage unit  52 . Moreover, a communication unit  54  is connected to the control unit  50 . The control unit  50  can transmit and receive signals to and from the flight vehicle  90  such as a drone, a user terminal  92  such as a smartphone carried by the user, and an external device such as the computer  94  of the package delivery company, via the communication unit  54 . 
     Next, the user terminal  92  (for example, a smartphone or the like) of the user who owns the package receiving device  10  will be briefly described. When a package is delivered to the package receiving device  10  by the flight vehicle  90  such as a drone and housed inside the package receiving device  10 , information that the package has been housed inside the package receiving device  10  is transmitted from the control unit  50  of the package receiving device  10  to the user terminal  92  by the communication unit  54 . Accordingly, the user terminal  92  is notified of the information that the package has been housed inside the package receiving device  10 , and the user is notified of this information through screen display or sound by the user terminal  92 . In this manner, the user can recognize that the package has been housed inside the package receiving device  10 . In addition, during delivery of a package by the flight vehicle  90  such as a drone from the warehouse or the like of the package delivery company to the package receiving device  10 , information about the current position of the flight vehicle  90  detected by the GPS, which is provided in the flight vehicle  90 , may be transmitted to the user terminal  92  by the communication unit of the flight vehicle  90  or transmitted from the computer  94  of the package delivery company to the user terminal  92 . In this case, the user can know where the package is currently located. In addition, code information such as a bar code or a two-dimensional code about key information for opening the lid member  32  of the package receiving device  10  may be transmitted from the computer  94  of the package delivery company or the package receiving device  10  to the user terminal  92 . In this case, the code such as a bar code or a two-dimensional code is displayed on the user terminal  92  and the imaging unit  44  such as a camera, which is provided in the package receiving device  10 , is caused to read the code, thereby allowing the control unit  50  to determine whether the user is a valid package recipient. Such use of the user terminal  92  will be described in detail later. 
     Next, operation when a package is delivered to such a package receiving device  10  and operation when the package is taken out from the package receiving device  10  will be described with reference to flowcharts shown in  FIG.  8    and  FIG.  9   . The following operation is performed by the control unit  50  of the package receiving device  10  controlling each component of the package receiving device  10 . 
     First, the operation when the package is delivered to the package receiving device  10  will be described with reference to the flowchart shown in  FIG.  8   . In an initial state of the package receiving device  10 , as shown in  FIG.  1    and  FIG.  4   , the placement table  22  is located at the raised position, and the lid member  32  is located at the opening position. When a package is taken out from the warehouse or the like of the package delivery company by the flight vehicle  90  such as a drone, information that the package has been taken out from the warehouse or the like of the package delivery company is transmitted from the computer  94  of the package delivery company or the flight vehicle  90  to the user terminal  92 . Accordingly, the user can recognize that delivery of the package has been started. 
     Then, when the flight vehicle  90  delivering the package has come close to the package receiving device  10 , the code  22   a  such as a bar code or a two-dimensional code, which is provided on the placement table  22  of the package receiving device  10 , is read by the imaging unit such as a camera provided in the flight vehicle  90 . Accordingly, the identification information of the package receiving device  10  and the information about the owner of the package receiving device  10  are acquired by the flight vehicle  90 . Then, when the package receiving device  10  having the code  22   a  an image of which has been taken by the flight vehicle  90  is a package receiving device  10  to which the package is to be delivered, the flight vehicle  90  wirelessly transmits information about a package delivery command to the package receiving device  10  by the communication unit. Accordingly, the control unit  50  of the package receiving device  10  receives the package delivery command from the flight vehicle  90  such as a drone via the communication unit  54  (“YES” in STEP  1 ). Then, the flight vehicle  90  places the package suspended by the flight vehicle  90 , on the placement table  22  of the package receiving device  10 . At that time, the placement of the package on the placement table  22  is detected by the package detection unit  28  such as a weight meter or an optical sensor (“YES” in STEP  2 ). 
     When the control unit  50  of the package receiving device  10  has received the package delivery command from the flight vehicle  90  such as a drone and the placement of the package on the placement table  22  has been detected by the package detection unit  28 , the placement table  22  is lowered from the raised position shown in  FIG.  4    to the lowered position shown in  FIG.  5    by the first drive unit  26  (STEP  3 ). Accordingly, as shown in  FIG.  2    and  FIG.  5   , the placement table  22  and the package placed on the placement table  22  are housed inside the casing  12 . Then, after the placement table  22  is lowered to the lowered position shown in  FIG.  5   , the lid member  32  is rotated from the opening position shown in  FIG.  5    to the closing position shown in  FIG.  6    by the second drive unit  36 . Accordingly, the upper surface opening  12   a  of the casing  12  is closed by the lid member  32  (STEP  4 ). In this case, the placement table  22  and the package placed on the placement table  22  cannot be accessed from the outside of the casing  12 . 
     When the upper surface opening  12   a  of the casing  12  has been closed by the lid member  32 , information that the package is being housed inside the package receiving device  10  is displayed on the display unit  42  of the package receiving device  10  (STEP  5 ). Accordingly, the user who has seen the display unit  42  can recognize that the package has been housed inside the package receiving device  10 . In addition, the control unit  50  transmits information that the package has been delivered to the package receiving device  10 , to the user terminal  92  by the communication unit  54  (STEP  6 ). Accordingly, the information that the package has been delivered to the package receiving device  10  is displayed on the user terminal  92 , so that the user can recognize that the package has been delivered to the package receiving device  10 , even when the user is distant from the package receiving device  10 . The control unit  50  also transmits the information that the package has been delivered to the package receiving device  10 , to the computer  94  of the package delivery company by the communication unit  54 . Thereafter, the flight vehicle  90  such as a drone returns from the package receiving device  10  to the warehouse or the like of the package delivery company. 
     Next, the operation when the package is taken out from the package receiving device  10  shown in  FIG.  1   , etc., will be described with reference to the flowchart shown in  FIG.  9   . The user who is about to take out the package from the package receiving device  10  initially comes close to the package receiving device  10  to cause the imaging unit  44  such as a camera, which is provided in the package receiving device  10 , to take a face image. Since the information about the face image of the user who owns the package receiving device  10  is registered in the storage unit  52  of the package receiving device  10  as described above, the control unit  50  can determine whether the user is a valid package recipient, on the basis of the face image taken by the imaging unit  44  (STEP  11 ). That is, if the face image taken by the imaging unit  44  substantially matches the face image of the user stored in the storage unit  52 , the control unit  50  determines that the user is the valid package recipient. 
     Then, the user who is about to take out the package from the package receiving device  10  presses the button  40  which is provided on the front surface of the casing  12 . When the button  40  is pressed, if the control unit  50  has determined that the user is the valid package recipient (“YES” in STEP  11 ), the lid member  32  is rotated from the closing position shown in  FIG.  6    to the opening position shown in  FIG.  5    by the second drive unit  36 . Accordingly, the upper surface opening  12   a  of the casing  12  is opened (STEP  12 ). As a result, the user can access the package placed on the placement table  22  from the outside of the casing  12  and take out the package. Even if the user does not press the button  40 , when a face image of the user is taken by the imaging unit  44 , if the control unit  50  determines that the user is the valid package recipient on the basis of the face image, the lid member  32  may be automatically rotated from the closing position shown in  FIG.  6    to the opening position shown in  FIG.  5   . 
     When the package has been taken out from the inside of the package receiving device  10  by the user, the taking-out of the package from the placement table  22  is detected by the package detection unit  28  such as a weight meter or an optical sensor (“YES” in STEP  13 ). Then, when the taking-out of the package from the placement table  22  has been detected by the package detection unit  28 , the placement table  22  is raised from the lowered position shown in  FIG.  5    to the raised position shown in  FIG.  4    by the first drive unit  26  (STEP  14 ). Accordingly, the package receiving device  10  returns to the initial state shown in  FIG.  1    and  FIG.  4   . In addition, the control unit  50  transmits information that the package has been taken out from the package receiving device  10 , to the computer  94  of the package delivery company by the communication unit  54  (STEP  15 ). Accordingly, the computer  94  of the package delivery company determines that the task of package delivery has been completed. 
     The method by which the control unit  50  determines whether the user who has come close to the package receiving device  10  is the valid package recipient is not limited to the above method. Another method will be described below. First, when a user requests the package delivery company to deliver a package, an e-mail address or the like of a package recipient is registered. In addition, the computer  94  of the package delivery company issues key information for opening the lid member  32  of the package receiving device  10 . Then, when the package is delivered to the package receiving device  10  by the flight vehicle  90  such as a drone, a code information such as a bar code or a two-dimensional code about the key information issued by the computer  94  is transmitted from the flight vehicle  90  or the computer  94  of the package delivery company to the registered e-mail address of the package recipient. In this case, a user who is about to take out the package from the package receiving device  10  comes close to the package receiving device  10  and also causes the user terminal  92  to display the code and causes the imaging unit  44  such as a camera, which is provided in the package receiving device  10 , to take an image of the code. Then, if the key information based on the code read by the imaging unit  44  substantially matches the key information issued by the computer, the control unit  50  determines that the user is the valid package recipient. In such an aspect, when a user requests the package delivery company to deliver a package, the user registers an e-mail address or the like of a user other than the owner of the package receiving device  10  as an e-mail address or the like of a package recipient, thereby allowing even the user other than the owner of the package receiving device  10  to take out the package from the package receiving device  10 . 
     In the package receiving device  10  and the package receiving method according to the present embodiment having the above configuration, in the initial state where the placement table  22  is located at the raised position and the lid member  32  is located at the opening position, when a package delivered by the flight vehicle  90  such as a drone is placed on the placement table  22 , the placement table  22  is moved from the raised position to the lowered position, and the lid member  32  is subsequently moved from the opening position to the closing position. Accordingly, the package delivered by the flight vehicle  90  can be received and housed inside the casing  12 . More specifically, in the case where the placement table  22  cannot be raised and lowered between the raised position and the lowered position and is merely provided and fixed inside the casing  12 , when a package delivered by the flight vehicle  90  is placed on the placement table located inside the casing  12 , a propeller or the like of the flight vehicle  90  may come into contact with the upper edge of the casing  12 , so that the flight vehicle  90  may lose balance or be damaged. In contrast, in the present embodiment, when the placement table  22  is located at the upper surface position at which the upper surface opening  12   a  of the casing  12  is located, a package is placed on the placement table  22  from the flight vehicle  90 , and thus a propeller or the like of the flight vehicle  90  can be prevented from coming into contact with the casing  12 . In addition, after the placement table  22  on which the package has been placed is moved from the raised position to the lowered position, the lid member  32  is moved from the opening position to the closing position, whereby the package can be prevented from being accessed from the outside of the casing  12 , so that anti-theft performance can be improved. Moreover, since the upper surface opening  12   a  of the casing  12  is closed by the lid member  32 , the package housed inside the casing  12  can be prevented from getting wet with rain. 
     In the package receiving device  10  and the package receiving method according to the present embodiment, as described above, in the initial state where the placement table  22  is located at the raised position and the lid member  32  is located at the opening position, when placement of a package on the placement table  22  is detected by the package detection unit  28  and a package delivery command is received from an external device (specifically, the computer  94  of the package delivery company or the flight vehicle  90 ) via the communication unit  54 , the placement table  22  is moved from the raised position to the lowered position, and the lid member  32  is subsequently moved from the opening position to the closing position. In this case, only the package delivered to the package receiving device  10  by the flight vehicle  90  can be reliably housed inside the casing  12 . More specifically, for example, even when a small animal such as a cat or a squirrel gets on the placement table  22  or an object is placed on the placement table  22  by mischief and the placement of the small animal or the object on the placement table  22  is detected by the package detection unit  28 , the placement table  22  does not move from the raised position to the lowered position only for that reason. Thus, a small animal or an object other than a package delivered by the flight vehicle  90  can be prevented from being accidentally housed inside the casing  12 . Moreover, an error signal, on the basis of which the placement table  22  is moved from the raised position to the lowered position, can be prevented from being transmitted from the flight vehicle  90  to the communication unit  54  of the package receiving device  10  even when a package has not been placed on the placement table  22 . 
     The present embodiment is not limited to such an aspect. In another aspect, in the initial state where the placement table  22  is located at the raised position and the lid member  32  is located at the opening position, when placement of a package on the placement table  22  is detected by the package detection unit  28 , the placement table  22  may be moved from the raised position to the lowered position, and the lid member  32  may be subsequently moved from the opening position to the closing position. In the case where a small animal does not get on the placement table  22  or an object is not placed on the placement table  22  by mischief, for example, in the case where the package receiving device  10  is surrounded by a fence or the like, even if a package delivery command is not received from an external device (specifically, the computer  94  of the package delivery company or the flight vehicle  90 ) via the communication unit  54 , only when placement of a package on the placement table  22  is detected by the package detection unit  28 , the placement table  22  may be moved from the raised position to the lowered position. 
     In still another aspect, in the initial state where the placement table  22  is located at the raised position and the lid member  32  is located at the opening position, when a package delivery command is received from an external device (specifically, the computer  94  of the package delivery company or the flight vehicle  90 ) via the communication unit  54 , the placement table  22  may be moved from the raised position to the lowered position, and the lid member  32  may be subsequently moved from the opening position to the closing position. In this case, installation of the package detection unit  28  such as a weight meter or an optical sensor can be omitted. 
     After a package delivered by the flight vehicle  90  is placed on the placement table  22  of the package receiving device  10 , the placement table  22  may be moved from the raised position to the lowered position by the user sending a command with the user terminal  92  such as a smartphone. 
     In the package receiving device  10  according to the present embodiment, as described above, the lid member  32  rotates between the opening position and the closing position about the shaft  34  provided at the edge portion of the upper surface opening  12   a  of the casing  12 . In this case, when the lid member  32  is located at the opening position, the lid member  32  is in contact with the side surface of the outer wall of the casing  12 . Thus, the lid member  32  does not become an obstacle in the initial state of the package receiving device  10 , and the entire configuration of the package receiving device  10  can be compact. 
     In the package receiving device  10  according to the present embodiment, as described above, the code  22   a  indicating at least either information of the identification information of the package receiving device  10  and the information about the owner of the package receiving device  10  is provided on the surface of the placement table  22  such that the code  22   a  is readable by the imaging unit of the flight vehicle  90 . In this case, the flight vehicle  90  can more reliably identify a package receiving device  10  to which a package is to be delivered, and thus can accurately place a package delivered by the flight vehicle  90 , on the placement table  22  of a predetermined package receiving device  10 . 
     In the package receiving device  10  according to the present embodiment, as described above, when the control unit  50  has determined that a user who is about to take out a package housed inside the casing  12  is a valid package recipient, the control unit  50  controls the second drive unit  36  to move the lid member  32  from the closing position to the opening position. In this case, the package can be prevented from being taken away from the inside of the casing  12  by a third party after the package is housed inside the casing  12 . 
     Here, the package receiving device  10  according to the present embodiment further includes the imaging unit  44  and the storage unit  52 , and a face image of a certain user is stored in the storage unit  52 . When a face image of a user taken by the imaging unit  44  substantially matches the face image of the certain user stored in the storage unit  52 , the control unit  50  determines that the user who is about to take out a package housed inside the casing  12  is a valid package recipient. In this case, only the user registered in advance in the storage unit  52  of the package receiving device  10  (specifically, for example, the owner of the package receiving device  10 ) can take out the package housed inside the casing  12 , and thus the anti-theft performance of the package receiving device  10  can be improved. 
     In another method, the package receiving device  10  according to the present embodiment may further include: a communication unit  54  that receives at least a signal from an external device; and an input means for inputting key information for opening the lid member  32 , and, when key information, for opening the lid member  32 , that is inputted by the input means substantially matches key information, for opening the lid member  32 , that is received from an external device by the communication unit  54 , the control unit  50  may determine that a user who is about to take out a package housed inside the casing  12  is a valid package recipient. Here, the input means is, for example, an imaging unit  44 , and the imaging unit  44  takes an image of a code about key information displayed on the user terminal  92  carried by the user, whereby the key information is inputted to the control unit  50 . The input means is not limited to the imaging unit  44 . Input buttons, a touch panel, or the like used by an operator to input key information (specifically, for example, several or dozens of digits or roman letters) may be provided on the front surface of the casing  12 , and the user may input key information by using the input buttons, the touch panel, or the like. 
     The package receiving device and the package receiving method according to the present invention are not limited to the above-described aspects, and various modifications can be made. 
     For example, the package receiving device  10  shown in  FIG.  1   , etc., may be provided with a beacon (a transmitter that transmits a radio signal within a range having a radius of several tens of meters). When delivery of a package by the flight vehicle  90  such as a drone has been started, the control unit  50  of a package receiving device  10  to which the package is to be delivered receives information about a package delivery command from the computer  94  of the package delivery company or the flight vehicle  90 . When the control unit  50  of the package receiving device  10  has received the information about the package delivery command, the control unit  50  transmits a radio signal within a range having a radius of several tens of meters by the beacon. Meanwhile, the package receiving device  10  and the flight vehicle  90  such as a drone are each provided with a GPS. The flight vehicle  90  such as a drone that is delivering the package grasps the current position of the flight vehicle  90  by the GPS provided in the flight vehicle  90 , and also grasps the position of the package receiving device  10  that is the delivery destination of the package, by the GPS provided in the package receiving device  10 . Then, the flight vehicle  90  comes close to the package receiving device  10  to which the package is to be delivered, on the basis of the current position of the flight vehicle  90  and the position of the package receiving device  10  grasped by the GPSs. The flight vehicle  90  that has come close to the package receiving device  10  can know the accurate position of the package receiving device  10  by receiving the radio signal transmitted from the beacon. Then, the flight vehicle  90  places the package suspended by the flight vehicle  90 , on the placement table  22  of the package receiving device  10  on the basis of the radio signal transmitted from the beacon. With such a method, the flight vehicle  90  can more accurately deliver the package to the placement table  22  of the package receiving device  10 . 
     A device configured as shown in  FIG.  10    and  FIG.  11    may be used as a package receiving device.  FIG.  10    and  FIG.  11    are perspective views schematically illustrating the appearance of a package receiving device  110  according to a modification of the present embodiment. 
     The package receiving device  110  according to the modification includes: a casing  112  that has an opening  112   a  formed in an upper surface thereof and that has a substantially rectangular parallelepiped shape; a placement table  122  that is provided at the upper surface opening  112   a  of the casing  112 ; a first drive unit (not shown) that raises and lowers the placement table  122 ; a lid member  132  for closing the upper surface opening  112   a  of the casing  112 ; and a second drive unit (not shown) that slides the lid member  132  along guide rails  134 . A package sent from the flight vehicle  90  to the package receiving device  110  is placed on the placement table  122  of the package receiving device  110 . In the package receiving device  110  shown in  FIG.  10   , etc., unlike the package receiving device  10  shown in  FIG.  1   , etc., the opening  112   a  is not formed in the entirety of the upper surface of the casing  112  but formed only in a part of the upper surface of the casing  112 . Each component of such a package receiving device  110  will be described below. 
     The placement table  122  is composed of a flat-plate-shaped stage. The placement table  122  is raised and lowered between a raised position and a lowered position. Specifically, guide rails (not shown) for guiding the placement table  122  are disposed on an inner wall of the casing  112  and extend along the height direction of the casing  112 . In addition, the package receiving device  110  includes the first drive unit such as an actuator which raises and lowers the placement table  122  along the guide rails. The placement table  122  is moved between the raised position and the lowered position by the first drive unit. When the placement table  122  is located at the raised position shown in  FIG.  10   , the height level of the placement table  122  is substantially equal to the height level of the upper surface opening  112   a  of the casing  112 . Moreover, when the placement table  122  is located at the lowered position, the height level of the placement table  122  is a height level that is substantially half the height of the casing  112 . Accordingly, after a package is placed on the placement table  122  located at the raised position, when the placement table  122  is lowered from the raised position to the lowered position, the placement table  122  and the package placed on the placement table  122  are housed inside the casing  112 . 
     As shown in  FIG.  10   , a code  122   a  such as a bar code or a two-dimensional code (for example, a QR code (registered trademark)) is provided on the upper surface of the placement table  122 . The code  122   a  indicates identification information of the package receiving device  110  and information about the owner of the package receiving device  110 . When such a code  122   a  is read by the imaging unit such as a camera provided in the flight vehicle  90  such as a drone, the identification information of the package receiving device  110  and the information about the owner of the package receiving device  110  are acquired by the flight vehicle  90 . Moreover, a package detection unit (not shown) such as a weight meter or an optical sensor for detecting placement of a package on the placement table  122  when the package is placed on the placement table  122  is provided on the placement table  122 . 
     The lid member  132  is used to close the upper surface opening  112   a  of the casing  112 . More specifically, the lid member  132  is composed of a plate-shaped member having substantially the same size as the upper surface opening  112   a  of the casing  112 . Such a lid member  132  slides along the guide rails  134  between an opening position shown in  FIG.  10    and a closing position shown in  FIG.  11   . In addition, the package receiving device  110  includes the second drive unit such as an actuator which slides the lid member  132  along the guide rails  134 . The lid member  132  is moved between the opening position shown in  FIG.  10    and the closing position shown in  FIG.  11    by the second drive unit. When the lid member  132  is located at the closing position shown in  FIG.  11   , the upper surface opening  112   a  of the casing  112  is closed by the lid member  132 . In this case, when the placement table  122  on which a package has been placed is located at the lowered position, the placement table  122  and the package placed on the placement table  122  cannot be accessed from the outside of the casing  112 . 
     As shown in  FIG.  10   , etc., a button  140 , a display unit  142  such as a monitor, and an imaging unit  144  such as a camera are provided on a front surface of the casing  112 . The button  140 , the display unit  142 , and the imaging unit  144  have substantially the same configurations and functions as the button  40 , the display unit  42 , and the imaging unit  44  shown in  FIG.  1   , etc., respectively, and thus the description thereof is omitted. 
     Similar to the package receiving device  10  shown in  FIG.  1   , etc., the package receiving device  110  shown in  FIG.  10   , etc., also includes a control unit (not shown) for controlling each component of the package receiving device  110 , and the control unit is composed of a processor such as a CPU. The control unit of the package receiving device  110  has substantially the same configuration and function as the control unit  50  of the package receiving device  10 , and thus the description thereof is omitted. 
     In the package receiving device  110  shown in  FIG.  10   , etc., and a package receiving method by such a package receiving device  110 , in an initial state where the placement table  122  is located at the raised position and the lid member  132  is located at the opening position (specifically, the state shown in  FIG.  10   ), when a package delivered by the flight vehicle  90  such as a drone is placed on the placement table  122 , the placement table  122  is moved from the raised position to the lowered position, and the lid member  132  is subsequently slid from the opening position shown in  FIG.  10    to the closing position shown in  FIG.  11   . Accordingly, the package delivered by the flight vehicle  90  can be received and housed inside the casing  112 . More specifically, in the case where the placement table  122  cannot be raised and lowered between the raised position and the lowered position and is merely provided and fixed inside the casing  112 , when a package delivered by the flight vehicle  90  is placed on the placement table located inside the casing  112 , a propeller or the like of the flight vehicle  90  may come into contact with the upper edge of the casing  112 , so that the flight vehicle  90  may lose balance or be damaged. In contrast, in the package receiving device  110  shown in  FIG.  10   , etc., when the placement table  122  is located at the upper surface position at which the upper surface opening  112   a  of the casing  112  is located, a package is placed on the placement table  22  from the flight vehicle  90 , and thus a propeller or the like of the flight vehicle  90  can be prevented from coming into contact with the casing  112 . In addition, after the placement table  122  on which the package has been placed is moved from the raised position to the lowered position, the lid member  132  is moved from the opening position to the closing position, whereby the package can be prevented from being accessed from the outside of the casing  112 , so that anti-theft performance can be improved. Moreover, since the upper surface opening  112   a  of the casing  112  is closed by the lid member  132 , the package housed inside the casing  112  can be prevented from getting wet with rain. In the package receiving device  110  shown in  FIG.  10   , etc., unlike the package receiving device  10  shown in  FIG.  1   , etc., the lid member  132  is slid along the guide rails  134 . Thus, a space for placing the lid member  132  located at the opening position is required, and the size of the package receiving device  110  needs to be increased.