Interactive transport services provided by unmanned aerial vehicles

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10118699-B2
Application number	US-201815974311-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 8, 2018
Priority date	Jun 30, 2016
Publication date	Nov 6, 2018
Grant date	Nov 6, 2018

Abstract

Embodiments relate to a client-facing application for interacting with a transport service that transports items via unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs). An example graphic interface may allow a user to order items to specific delivery areas associated with their larger delivery location, and may dynamically provide status updates and other functionality during the process of fulfilling a UAV transport request.

First claim

We claim:

1. A method comprising:
receiving, by a client device, a transport request for transport of one or more items to a target location by an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV), and responsively:
displaying, by the client device, a preparation status screen including a first arrival-time estimate, wherein the first arrival-time estimate is determined based at least in part on: (i) a preparation-to-loading time estimate for the one or more items, and (ii) a flight time estimate for transport of the one or more items to the target location by a UAV;

receiving a status message indicating that the one or more items are loaded on the UAV and responsively:
displaying, by the client device, a flight progress screen comprising: (a) a map comprising a location indication for the UAV, and (b) an updated arrival time, wherein the updated arrival time is determined based an updated flight time estimate for transport of the one or more items to the target location; and

receiving a status message indicating that the UAV has released the one or more items at the target location, and responsively displaying a delivery confirmation screen.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the one or more items are one or more food items, and wherein the preparation-to-loading time estimate includes an estimated food preparation period.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the preparation-to-loading time estimate corresponds to a pre-flight phase of a fulfillment process for the one or more items.

4. The method of claim 3 , wherein the pre-flight phase comprises an item preparation sub-phase, the method further comprising:
during at least a portion of the item preparation sub-phase, displaying, in the preparation status screen, an indication that the one or more items are being prepared for transport.

5. The method of claim 4 , wherein the indication that the one or more items are being prepared for transport comprises a characterization of the one or more items as being at a gate.

6. The method of claim 3 , wherein the pre-flight phase comprises a loading sub-phase corresponding to a process of loading the one or more items onto the UAV, the method further comprising:
receiving an indication that the one or more items are being loaded onto the UAV; and
responsively displaying, in the preparation status screen, an indication that the one or more items are being loaded on to a UAV for transport.

7. The method of claim 6 , wherein the indication that the one or more items are being loaded comprises a characterization of the one or more items as boarding a UAV.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein the flight time estimate corresponds to a flight phase of a fulfillment process for the one or more items.

9. The method of claim 8 , wherein loading of the one or more items on to the UAV occurs at a source location, and wherein the flight phase comprises a departing sub-phase, the method further comprising:
determining that the one or more selected food items are loaded on the UAV and that the UAV is at or within a source area associated with the source location; and
responsively displaying, in a flight status screen, an indication that the UAV flight with the one or more selected is departing.

10. The method of claim 8 , wherein loading of the one or more items on to the UAV occurs at a source location, and wherein the flight phase comprises a mid-flight sub-phase, the method further comprising:
determining that the UAV has left the source location or is more than a predetermined distance from the source location, and is not located at the target location or is more than a predetermined distance from the target location; and
responsively displaying, in the flight progress screen, an indication that the UAV is en route to the target location.

11. The method of claim 8 , wherein the flight phase comprises an approach sub-phase, the method further comprising:
determining that the first UAV is at or within a threshold distance from the target location; and
responsively displaying, in the flight progress screen, an indication that the UAV is approaching the target location.

12. The method of claim 8 , wherein the flight phase comprises a tethered-delivery sub-phase, the method further comprising:
determining that the one or more items are being lowered from the UAV to the ground at the target location via a tether; and
responsively displaying a delivery progress screen comprising an indication that the one or more items are being lowered to the ground at the target location.

13. The method of claim 12 , wherein the delivery progress screen comprises a map showing a selected delivery area associated with the target location, wherein the selected delivery area is one of a plurality of delivery areas associated with the target location.

14. The method of claim 13 , further comprising detecting a de-coupling of the one or more items from the tether, and responsively displaying the delivery confirmation screen.

15. The method of claim 1 , further comprising, before receipt of the transport request:
determining, by the client computing device, the target location corresponding to a client computing device; and
displaying an order screen for selection of one or more items for UAV transport to the target location, wherein the input data comprising the transport request is received via the order screen.

16. The method of claim 15 , wherein the transport request comprises an order for the one or more items, the method further comprising:
in further response to receiving the transport request, displaying an order confirmation screen.

17. A computing system comprising:
a communication interface operable for communications with a service-provider system for a unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) transport service;
at least one processor; and
a non-transitory computer readable medium comprising program instructions stored thereon and executable by the at least one processor to cause the computing system to:
receive a transport request for transport of one or more items to a target location and responsively displaying a preparation status screen that comprises a first arrival-time estimate, wherein the first arrival-time estimate is determined based on a combination of at least (i) a preparation-to-loading time estimate for the one or more items, and (ii) a flight time estimate for transport of the one or more items to the target location by a UAV;
receive a status message indicating that the one or more items are ready for transport to the target location and responsively display a flight progress screen, wherein the flight progress screen comprises: (a) a map comprising a location indication for the UAV, and (b) an updated arrival time corresponding, wherein the updated arrival time is determined based an updated flight time estimate for transport of the one or more items to the target location; and
receive a status message indicating that the UAV has released the one or more items in a ground delivery area associated with the target location, and responsively display a delivery confirmation screen.

18. A method comprising:
receiving, by a computing device, a transport request for transport of one or more items to a target location by an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV);
responsive to receiving the transport request, the client computing device:
(i) determining a total transport time based on a combination of at least (a) a preparation-to-loading time estimate for the one or more items, and (b) a flight time estimate for transport of the one or more items to the target location by a UAV;
(

Assignees

• X Dev Llc
• Wing Aviation Llc

Inventors

• Lesser Jonathan
• Bauerly Michael
• Cheng May
• Song Rue

Classifications

• G06Q10/0832

  Special goods or special handling procedures, e.g. handling of hazardous or fragile goods · CPC title

• G06Q10/02

  Reservations, e.g. for tickets, services or events · CPC title

• B64U2201/20

  Remote controls · CPC title

• B64U30/20

  Rotors; Rotor supports · CPC title

• B64U70/80

  Vertical take-off or landing, e.g. using rockets (rotorcrafts B64U10/10; VTOL aircraft B64U10/20) · CPC title