Interactive transport services provided by unmanned aerial vehicles

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10647425-B2
Application number	US-201916280448-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Feb 20, 2019
Priority date	Jun 30, 2016
Publication date	May 12, 2020
Grant date	May 12, 2020

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 an aerial vehicle 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 aerial vehicle, 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 corresponding to loading the one or more items onto the aerial vehicle at an item-loading location, and (ii) a flight time estimate for transport of the one or more items from the item-loading location to the target location by an aerial vehicle; and

subsequently receiving a status message indicating that the one or more items are loaded on the aerial vehicle and responsively:
displaying, by the client device, a flight progress screen comprising: (a) a map comprising a location indication for the aerial vehicle, 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.

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 aerial vehicle, the method further comprising:
receiving an indication that the one or more items are being loaded onto the aerial vehicle; and
responsively displaying, in the preparation status screen, an indication that the one or more items are currently being loaded on to an aerial vehicle for transport.

7. 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.

8. The method of claim 7 , wherein loading of the one or more items on to the aerial vehicle 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 aerial vehicle and that the aerial vehicle is at or within a source area associated with the source location; and
responsively displaying, in a flight status screen, an indication that the aerial vehicle flight with the one or more selected is departing.

9. The method of claim 7 , wherein loading of the one or more items on to the aerial vehicle occurs at a source location, and wherein the flight phase comprises a mid-flight sub-phase, the method further comprising:
determining that the aerial vehicle 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 aerial vehicle is en route to the target location.

10. The method of claim 7 , wherein the flight phase comprises an approach sub-phase, the method further comprising:
determining that the aerial vehicle is at or within a threshold distance from the target location; and
responsively displaying, in the flight progress screen, an indication that the aerial vehicle is approaching the target location.

11. The method of claim 7 , 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 aerial vehicle 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.

12. The method of claim 11 , 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.

13. The method of claim 12 , further comprising detecting a de-coupling of the one or more items from the tether, and responsively displaying a delivery confirmation screen.

14. 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 aerial vehicle transport to the target location, wherein the input data comprising the transport request is received via the order screen.

15. The method of claim 1 , wherein the item-loading location is different from an initial location of the aerial vehicle, wherein the aerial vehicle is dispatched from the initial location to fly to the item-loading location for pickup of the one or more items, and then transport the one or more items to the target location.

16. A computing system comprising:
a communication interface operable for data-network communications;
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, via the communication interface, a transport request for transport of one or more items to a target location;
responsive to receipt of the transport request, display, on a graphic display, 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 from the item-loading location to the target location by an aerial vehicle;
receive, via the communication interface, a status message indicating that the one or more items are ready for transport to the target location; and
responsive to receipt of the status message, display, on the graphic display, a flight progress screen, wherein the flight progress screen comprises: (a) a map comprising a location indication for the aerial vehicle, 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 from the item-loading location to the target location.

17. 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;
responsive to receiving the transport request, the client computing device:
(a) determining a total transport time based on a combination of at least (a) a preparation-to-loading time estimate corresponding to loading the one or more items onto the aerial vehicle at an item-loading location, and (b) a flight time estimate for transport

Assignees

• Wing Aviation Llc

Inventors

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

Classifications

• G06F3/0481

  based on specific properties of the displayed interaction object or a metaphor-based environment, e.g. interaction with desktop elements like windows or icons, or assisted by a cursor's changing behaviour or appearance · CPC title

• G06Q10/02

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

• G06F3/0488

  using a touch-screen or digitiser, e.g. input of commands through traced gestures · CPC title

• G06Q10/0833

  Tracking · CPC title

• G06Q10/0832

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