LOCKABLE ENCLOSURE WITH CONTROLLED SANITIZATION CYCLE

1 . A method of sanitization, comprising:

determining a door of an enclosure is closed, the door separating a compartment within the enclosure from ambient air; and

performing a sanitization process, the sanitization process comprising:

determining an article has been placed into the compartment;

initiating a treatment timer;

introducing a sanitization agent into a volume of the compartment with a sanitization device; and

determining the treatment timer has expired.

2 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

determining the door of the enclosure has opened after initiating the treatment timer and before determining the treatment timer has expired; and

reinitiating the treatment timer in response to determining the door has opened.

3 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

providing a visual indication of a status of the sanitization process on a display.

4 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

initiating a depletion timer in response to determining the treatment timer has expired; and

providing an indication that the sanitization process is complete in response to expiration of the depletion timer.

5 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

initiating a purge timer in response to determining the treatment timer has expired;

activating a purge fan configured to purge air inside the compartment to the ambient air; and

deactivating the purge fan in response to determining the purge timer has expired.

6 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

monitoring a concentration of the sanitization agent within the compartment, wherein the treatment timer is initiated in response to the monitored concentration reaching a predetermined target concentration.

7 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

monitoring a concentration of the sanitization agent within the compartment; and

providing an indication that the sanitization process is complete in response to determining the monitored concentration is less than a predetermined threshold.

8 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

locking the door of the enclosure during the sanitization process.

9 . The method of claim 8 , further comprising:

unlocking the door of the enclosure after initiating the treatment timer and before determining the treatment timer has expired in response to authenticating a received request for access into the compartment.

10 . A sanitization system, comprising:

an enclosure configured to receive and secure one or more articles, the enclosure having a door separating a compartment within the enclosure from ambient air;

a controller; and

a sanitization device;

wherein the controller is configured to:

determine an article has been placed into the compartment;

initiate a treatment timer;

instruct the sanitization device to introduce a sanitization agent into a volume of the compartment; and

determine the treatment timer has expired.

11 . The sanitization system of claim 10 , further comprising:

a locking mechanism configured to receive a command from the controller and actuate a lock in response to the received command, wherein the controller is further configured to transmit a command to the locking mechanism to actuate the lock to a locked configuration prior to introducing the sanitization agent into the volume.

12 . The sanitization system of claim 11 , wherein the controller is further configured to:

initiate a depletion timer in response to determining the treatment timer has expired; and

prevent unlocking of the locking mechanism until expiration of the depletion timer.

13 . The sanitization system of claim 10 , further comprising:

one or more sensors, wherein the controller is configured to monitor a concentration of the sanitization agent within the volume based on signals received from the one or more sensors.

14 . The sanitization system of claim 13 , further comprising:

one or more purge fans in operative communication with the controller, wherein the controller is further configured to:

activate the one or more purge fans;

monitor the concentration of the sanitization agent within the volume; and

deactivate the one or more purge fans in response to determining the concentration is below a threshold value.

15 . The sanitization system of claim 13 , wherein the controller is further configured to:

determine the monitored concentration of the sanitization agent within the volume is less than a target concentration; and

instruct the sanitization device to dispense an additional quantity of sanitization agent in response to determining the monitored concentration is less than the target concentration.

16 . The sanitization system of claim 13 , wherein the controller is further configured to:

delay the initiation of the treatment timer or modify a timer value of the treatment value based on the monitored concentration of the sanitization agent within the volume.

17 . A parcel receptacle, comprising:

an enclosure configured to receive and secure one or more parcels, the enclosure having a door separating a compartment within the enclosure from ambient air;

a sanitization device configured to introduce a sanitization agent into a volume of the compartment; and

a controller configured to:

communicate with a remote access device to selectively provide access into the compartment to delivery personnel;

determine a parcel has been placed into the compartment;

initiate a treatment timer;

instruct the sanitization device to introduce the sanitization agent into the volume of the compartment;

determine the treatment timer has expired; and

provide a visual indication that the treatment timer has expired.

18 . The system of claim 17 , wherein the sanitization device is an ozone generator and the sanitization agent is ozone.

19 . The system of claim 18 , wherein the controller is further configured to:

initiate a depletion timer in response to expiration of the treatment timer; and

prevent access into the compartment until expiration of the depletion timer, wherein a timer value of the depletion timer is based on a period of time associated with degradation of ozone.

20 . The system of claim 17 , further comprising:

one or more ozone sensors, wherein the controller is configured to monitor a concentration of ozone within the volume based on signals received from the one or more sensors; and

one or more purge fans in operative communication with the controller, wherein the controller is further configured to:

activate the one or more purge fans;

monitor the concentration of ozone within the volume during operation of the one or more purge fans; and

deactivate the one or more purge fans in response to determining the monitored concentration is below a threshold value.

21 . A method of sanitization, comprising:

performing a sanitization process upon closure of a door separating a package-receiving compartment within a package-receiving enclosure from ambient air, the sanitization process comprising:

determining an article has been placed into the compartment;

initiating a treatment timer;

introducing a sanitization agent into a volume of the compartment with a sanitization device; and

determining the treatment timer has expired.

22 . The method of claim 21 , further comprising:

determining the door of the enclosure has opened after initiating the treatment timer and before determining the treatment timer has expired; and

reinitiating the treatment timer in response to determining the door has opened.