Patent ID: 7518485

Claim:
A lockbox, comprising: a housing enclosing a secure storage volume; an access door disposed to provide an opening into the housing, and configured for delivery of items to the storage volume; a lock securing the access door from opening, configured to be unlocked by an access code; a data entry device disposed exterior to the lockbox and communicatively linked to the lock, operative to receive access codes for unlocking the lock; a lockbox controller operatively associated with the lock and configured to control access codes operative for unlocking the lock, the lock controller further configured for connection to a remote communication link; and a sensor communicatively linked to the lockbox controller, and disposed to sense an amount of available space in the secure storage volume, wherein the lockbox controller is configured to communicate with the sensor to determine a measure of the amount of available space in the secure storage volume, and to communicate information relating to the measure to a remote site.