System and method for delivering products using lock boxes via autonomous ground vehicles

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10520945-B2
Application number	US-201916264351-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jan 31, 2019
Priority date	Jan 31, 2018
Publication date	Dec 31, 2019
Grant date	Dec 31, 2019

Abstract

A method for unloading and loading a lock box are provided. An autonomous ground vehicle (AGV) stores a lock box to be delivered. The lock box includes a box body, a first set of stands and a second set of stands, and a first set of wheels and a second set of wheels. The first set of stands can extend of the lock box outwardly to contact the ground. The second set of stands can extend out of the lock box outwardly to contact the ground. It is determined that the package has been removed from the lock box and the lock box is automatically loaded onto the AGV.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A system comprising:
a lock box stored in an autonomous ground vehicle (AGV), the lock box comprising:
a box body detecting a space therein and storing a package to be delivered;
a first set of stands and a second set of stands extending from a bottom of the box body, the first set of stands and the second set of stands being configured to support the box body when extended; and
a first set of wheels and a second set of wheels coupled to the first set of stands and the second set of stands at respective ends;

the AGV comprising:
at least one sensor configured to detect a location of a center of gravity of the lock box;
a processor; and
a memory coupled to the processor and storing program instructions that when executed by the processor and based on a sensor detection, cause the processor to instruct the lock box to perform operations comprising:
moving the lock box out of the AGV when the sensor detects the center of gravity of the lock box is in the AGV;
extending the first set of stands of the lock box outwardly to contact the ground via the first set of wheels when the center of gravity of the lock box is in the AGV;
extending the second set of stands of the lock box outwardly to contact the ground via the second set of wheels when the lock box is supported by AGV;
determining that the package has been removed from the lock box; and
automatically loading the lock box onto the AGV.

2. The system of claim 1 , wherein the operation of returning to the AGV further comprises:
retracting the second set of stands inwardly to the bottom of the lock box when the lock box is supported by a lip of the AGV; and
retracting the first set of stands outwardly to a side of the lock box when the center of gravity of the lock box is within the AGV.

3. The system of claim 1 , wherein the lock box comprises one or more sensors to provide lock box status information comprising location information, empty information, and folding information.

4. The system of claim 3 , wherein the operations further comprise:
based on the lock box status information,
determining a location of the lock box via the sensors in the lock box;
authenticating a customer before allowing the lock box to be unloaded and opened;
determining when the lock box has been emptied by the customer; and
determining whether the lock box has been folded.

5. The system of claim 1 , wherein the lock box further comprises a lock-down mechanism detached to a stand of the lock box.

6. The system of claim 1 , wherein the AGV includes a mechanism controller configured to load a plurality of lock boxes to be nested inside the AGV.

7. The system of claim 6 , wherein the plurality of the lock boxes are loaded by the mechanism controller onto a shelf of the AGV with sides of boxes forming an outside shell of the AGV.

8. The system of claim 1 , wherein the AGV comprises a slide, a conveyor, or any combination thereof, and the lock box slides into the AGV or slides out from the AGV along the slide.

9. The system of claim 1 , wherein the first set of stands and the second set of stands of the lock box are retractable to be lowered or raised.

10. The system of claim 1 , wherein the lock box includes a GPS and navigation module and a communication module.

11. A computer-implemented method comprising:
providing an autonomous ground vehicle (AGV) storing a lock box to be delivered, the AGV comprising:
at least one sensor configured to detect a location of a center of gravity of the lock box;
a processor; and
a memory coupled to the processor and storing program instructions that when executed by the processor and based on a sensor detection, cause the processor to instruct the lock box to perform operations comprising:

moving out of the AGV when the center of gravity of the lock box is in the AGV, wherein the lock box comprises:
a box body detecting a space therein and to storing a package to be delivered;
a first set of stands and a second set of stands extending from a bottom of the box body, the first set of stands and the second set of stands being configured to support the box body when extended; and
a first set of wheels and a second set of wheels coupled to the first set of stands and the second set of stands at respective ends,

extending the first set of stands of the lock box outwardly to contact the ground via the first set of wheels when the sensor detects the center of gravity of the lock box is still in the AGV;
extending the second set of stands of the lock box outwardly to contact the ground via the second set of wheels when the lock box is supported by a lip of the AGV;
determining that the package has been removed from the lock box; and
automatically loading the lock box onto the AGV.

12. The computer-implemented method of claim 11 , wherein the operation of loading the lock box onto the AGV, based on the sensor detection, comprises:
retracting the second set of stands inwardly to the bottom of the lock box when the lock box is supported by an lip of the AGV; and
retracting the first set of stands outwardly to a side of the lock box when the center of gravity of the lock box is within the AGV.

13. The computer-implemented method of claim 11 , wherein the lock box comprises one or more sensors to provide lock box status information comprising location information, empty information and folding information.

14. The computer-implemented method of claim 13 , further comprises:
based on the lock box status information,
determining a location of the lock box via the sensors in the lock box;
authenticating a customer before allowing the lock box to be unloaded and opened;
determining when the lock box has been emptied by the customer; and
determining whether the lock box is folded.

15. The computer-implemented method of claim 11 , wherein the lock box further comprises a lock-down mechanism detached to a stand of the lock box.

16. The computer-implemented method of claim 11 , wherein the AGV includes a mechanism controller configured to load a plurality of the lock boxes to be nested inside the AGV.

17. The computer-implemented method of claim 11 , wherein the plurality of the lock boxes are loaded onto a shelf of the AGV with sides of boxes forming an outside shell of the AGV.

18. The computer-implemented method of claim 11 , wherein the AGV comprises a slide, a conveyor, or any combination thereof, and the lock box slides into the AGV or slides out from the AGV along the slide.

19. The computer-implemented method of claim 11 , wherein the first set of stands and the second set of stands of the lock box are retractable to be lowered or raised.

20. The computer-implemented method of claim 11 , wherein the lock box includes a GPS and navigation module and a communication module.

Assignees

• Walmart Apollo Llc

Inventors

• Cantrell Robert
• Mchale Brian
• O'Brien John J

Classifications

• G07C2009/0092

  for cargo, freight or shipping containers and applications therefore in general · CPC title

• G05D1/0212 Primary

  with means for defining a desired trajectory (involving a plurality of land vehicles G05D1/0287) · CPC title

• B60P3/007

  for delivery of small articles, e.g. milk, frozen articles · CPC title

• G06Q10/08355 Primary

  Routing methods · CPC title

• G05D1/0278

  using satellite positioning signals, e.g. GPS · CPC title