Systems, devices, and methods for providing passenger transport

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10071891-B2
Application number	US-201615061203-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 4, 2016
Priority date	Mar 6, 2015
Publication date	Sep 11, 2018
Grant date	Sep 11, 2018

Abstract

Systems, apparatuses and methods for providing passenger transport are provided. A system for providing passenger transport includes a plurality of passenger carriers, a plurality of motorized transport units each configured to mechanically couple at least one of the plurality of passenger carriers, and a central computer system communicatively coupled to the plurality of motorized transport units. The central computer system being configured to receive a ride request from a customer, instruct a motorized transport unit to travel to a passenger carrier and couple to the passenger carrier, and instruct the motorized transport unit coupled to the passenger carrier to travel to the customer to provide transportation to the customer.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A system for providing passenger transport, comprising:
a plurality of passenger carriers;
a plurality of motorized transport units each configured to mechanically couple to at least one of the plurality of passenger carriers;
a central computer system communicatively coupled to the plurality of motorized transport units, the central computer system being configured to:
receive a ride request from a customer;
selecting a passenger carrier from the plurality of passenger carriers and a motorized transport unit from the plurality of motorized transport units, wherein the passenger carrier is selected based on a number of passengers indicated in the ride request received from the customer;
instruct the motorized transport unit to travel to the passenger carrier and couple to the passenger carrier; and
instruct the motorized transport unit coupled to the passenger carrier to travel to the customer to provide transportation to the customer.

2. The system of claim 1 , wherein the passenger carrier is not motorized and a motorized wheel system of the motorized transport unit provides locomotion when coupled to the passenger carrier.

3. The system of claim 1 , wherein the ride request comprises a ride reservation made by the customer prior to the customer arriving at a shopping space associated with the central computer system.

4. The system of claim 1 , wherein the central computer system determines a location of the customer based on location information of a user device associated with the customer and instructs the motorized transport unit to travel to the customer according to the determined location of the customer.

5. The system of claim 1 , wherein the central computer system is further configured to instruct one or more additional motorized transport units to travel to the passenger carrier and the one or more additional motorized transport units are configured to couple to and drive the passenger carrier together with the motorized transport unit.

6. The system of claim 1 , wherein the central computer system is further configured to:
store an initial location corresponding to one or more of: a location of the customer when the customer makes the ride request, a location of the customer when the customer boards the passenger carrier, and a location where a customer vehicle is parked; and
instruct the motorized transport unit to transport the customer to the initial location at the end of a shopping trip.

7. The system of claim 1 , wherein the central computer system is further configured to instruct the motorized transport unit to transport the customer through a shopping space based on one or more of: a customer voice command, a customer selected destination, a customer shopping list, store area restrictions, a customer profile, and store promotions.

8. The system of claim 7 , wherein the central computer system is further configured to verify that a customer boarding the passenger carrier is the customer that made the ride request before instructing the motorized transport unit to transport the customer through the shopping space.

9. The system of claim 1 , wherein the passenger carrier comprises at least a set of wheels and a seat for the customer.

10. The system of claim 1 , wherein the motorized transport unit comprises an audio input device for receiving voice commands from the customer.

11. A method for providing passenger transport, comprising:
receiving, at a central computer system, a ride request from a customer;
selecting, by the central computer system, a motorized transport unit from a plurality of motorized transport units and a passenger carrier from a plurality of passenger carriers, wherein the passenger carrier is selected based on a number of passengers indicated in the ride request received from the customer;
instructing the motorized transport unit to travel to the passenger carrier and mechanically couple to the passenger carrier; and
instructing the motorized transport unit coupled to the passenger carrier to travel to the customer.

12. The method of claim 11 , wherein the passenger carrier is not motorized and a motorized wheel system of the motorized transport unit provides locomotion when coupled to the passenger carrier.

13. The method of claim 11 , wherein the ride request comprises a ride reservation made by the customer prior to the customer arriving at a shopping space associated with the central computer system.

14. The method of claim 11 , further comprising:
determining a location of the customer based on location information of a user device associated with the customer, wherein the central computer system instructs the motorized transport unit to travel to the customer according to the determined location of the customer.

15. The method of claim 11 , further comprising:
instructing one or more additional motorized transport units to travel to the passenger carrier and the one or more additional motorized transport units are configured to couple to and drive the passenger carrier together with the motorized transport unit.

16. The method of claim 11 , further comprising:
storing an initial location corresponding to one or more of: a location of the customer when the customer makes the ride request, a location of the customer when the customer boards the passenger carrier, and a location where a customer vehicle is parked; and
instructing the motorized transport unit to transport the customer to the initial location at the end of a shopping trip.

17. The method of claim 11 , further comprising:
instructing the motorized transport unit to transport the customer through a shopping space based on one or more of: customer voice command, customer selected destination, customer shopping list, store area restrictions, customer profile, and store promotions.

18. The method of claim 17 , further comprising:
verifying that a customer boarding the passenger carrier is the customer that made the ride request before instructing the motorized transport unit to transport the customer through the shopping space.

19. The method of claim 11 , wherein the passenger carrier comprises at least a set of wheels and a seat for the customer.

20. The method of claim 11 , wherein the motorized transport unit comprises an audio input device for receiving voice commands from the customer.

21. An apparatus for passenger transport comprising:
a wireless transceiver configured to communicate wirelessly with a central computer system;
a motorized wheel system;
a coupling structure for mechanically coupling with a plurality of types of passenger carriers; and
a control circuit coupled to the wireless transceiver and the motorized wheel system, the control circuit being configured to cause the apparatus to:
travel, using the motorized wheel system, to a passenger carrier selected from a plurality of passenger carriers by the central computer system, wherein the passenger carrier is selected based on a number of passengers indicated in the ride request received from the customer;
couple to a passenger carrier apparatus via the coupling structure;
travel, using the motorized wheel system, to a passenger location for passenger pickup; and
travel through a shopping space based on instructions received from the central computer system via the wireless transceiver.

Assignees

• Wal Mart Stores Inc
• Walmart Apollo Llc

Inventors

• High Donald R
• Welch Eric E
• Atchley Michael D
• Winkle David C

Classifications

• G01S2201/02

  Indoor positioning, e.g. in covered car-parks, mining facilities, warehouses · CPC title

• G01S1/7038

  Signal details · CPC title

• G01S1/7034

  Mounting or deployment thereof · CPC title

• G06Q30/0631

  Recommending goods or services · CPC title

• E01H5/12

  Apparatus or implements specially adapted for breaking, disintegrating, or loosening layers of ice or hard snow {with or without clearing or removing (E01H5/10 takes precedence); Roughening ice or hard snow by means of tools (by means of gritting materials E01H10/00; roughening or breaking-up pavements E01C23/08, E01C23/12)} · CPC title