Methods for sending and receiving notifications in an unmanned aerial vehicle delivery system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10796269-B2
Application number	US-201815870205-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jan 12, 2018
Priority date	Apr 29, 2016
Publication date	Oct 6, 2020
Grant date	Oct 6, 2020

Abstract

Systems and methods include UAVs that serve to assist carrier personnel by reducing the physical demands of the transportation and delivery process. A UAV generally includes a UAV chassis including an upper portion, a plurality of propulsion members configured to provide lift to the UAV chassis, and a parcel carrier configured for being selectively coupled to and removed from the UAV chassis. UAV support mechanisms are utilized to load and unload parcel carriers to the UAV chassis, and the UAV lands on and takes off from the UAV support mechanism to deliver parcels to a serviceable point. The UAV includes computing entities that interface with different systems and computing entities to send and receive various types of information.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A method for providing a notification regarding delivery of a parcel by an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV), the method comprising:
after navigating a UAV to a serviceable point, establishing, via a UAV computing entity, a direct communication link between the UAV computing entity and a user computing entity, wherein (a) a UAV comprises the UAV computing entity, a UAV chassis, and a parcel carrier coupled to the UAV chassis, (b) the parcel carrier comprises an engagement housing selectively coupled to the UAV chassis, (c) a parcel carrying mechanism is engaged with and securing a parcel to the engagement housing, and (d) the user computing entity is associated with the serviceable point;
releasing the parcel from the parcel carrying mechanism of the parcel carrier; and
after releasing the parcel from the parcel carrying mechanism of the parcel carrier, providing, via the UAV computing entity, a notification to the user computing entity through the direct communications link, wherein the notification comprises information indicative of the release of the parcel at the serviceable point.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein (a) the UAV further comprises a camera, and (b) the notification comprises a video or a photo of the parcel at the serviceable point.

3. The method of claim 1 , further comprising, prior to navigating the UAV to the serviceable point, requesting authorization from the user to allow the UAV to deliver the parcel.

4. The method of claim 3 , further comprising, subsequent to requesting authorization from the user to allow the UAV to deliver the parcel, receiving a response allowing the UAV to deliver the parcel.

5. The method of claim 1 , further comprising, prior to navigating the UAV to the serviceable point, providing a notification to the user computing entity indicating that the UAV is inbound to the serviceable point.

6. The method of claim 5 , wherein the notification comprises an estimated time of arrival of the UAV at the serviceable point.

7. The method of claim 5 , wherein the notification comprises a link to a map with the current position of the UAV.

8. The method of claim 5 , wherein the notification comprises a link to a live video stream of the delivery by the UAV.

9. An unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) computing entity comprising at least one processor and at least one memory including program code, the at least one memory and the program code configured to, with the processor, cause the UAV computing entity to at least:
after navigating a UAV to a serviceable point, establish a direct communications link between the UAV computing entity and a user computing entity, wherein (a) a UAV comprises the UAV computing entity, a UAV chassis, and a parcel carrier coupled to the UAV chassis, (b) the parcel carrier comprises an engagement housing selectively coupled to the UAV chassis, (c) a parcel carrying mechanism is engaged with and securing a parcel to the engagement housing, and (d) the user computing entity is associated with the serviceable point;
release the parcel from the parcel carrying mechanism of the parcel carrier; and
after releasing the parcel from the parcel carrying mechanism of the parcel carrier, provide a notification to the user computing entity through the direct communications link, wherein the notification comprises information indicative of the release of the parcel at the serviceable point.

10. The UAV computing entity of claim 9 , wherein (a) the UAV further comprises a camera, and (b) the notification comprises a video or a photo of the parcel at the serviceable point.

11. The UAV computing entity of claim 9 , wherein the UAV computing entity is further configured to, prior to navigating the UAV to the serviceable point, request authorization from the user to allow the UAV to deliver the parcel.

12. The UAV computing entity of claim 11 , wherein the UAV computing entity is further configured to, subsequent to requesting authorization from the user to allow the UAV to deliver the parcel, receive a response allowing the UAV to deliver the parcel.

13. The UAV computing entity of claim 9 , wherein the UAV computing entity is further configured to, prior to navigating the UAV to the serviceable point, provide a notification to the user computing entity indicating that the UAV is inbound to the serviceable point.

14. The UAV computing entity of claim 13 , wherein the notification comprises an estimated time of arrival of the UAV at the serviceable point.

15. The UAV computing entity of claim 13 , wherein the notification comprises a link to a map with the current position of the UAV.

16. The UAV computing entity of claim 9 , wherein the notification comprises a link to a live video stream of the delivery by the UAV.

Assignees

• United parcel service america inc

Inventors

• Gil Julio
• Cooper Jeffrey

Classifications

• E05F15/77

  using wireless control · CPC title

• B65G1/06

  with means for presenting articles for removal at predetermined position or level (B65G1/12 takes precedence) · CPC title

• B65G1/0435

  with pulling or pushing means on either stacking crane or stacking area · CPC title

• B64F1/32

  for handling freight · CPC title

• B64F1/22

  for handling aircraft · CPC title