Systems and methods for autonomously loading and unloading autonomous vehicles

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10864885-B2
Application number	US-201816048669-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 30, 2018
Priority date	Jul 28, 2017
Publication date	Dec 15, 2020
Grant date	Dec 15, 2020

Abstract

An autonomous system for loading or unloading an autonomous vehicle, in accordance with aspects of the present disclosure, includes one or more module(s) that include at least one of a compartment or a sub-compartment where the module(s) are located in an autonomous vehicle, a robotic movement apparatus configured to autonomously move items to or from the module(s), one or more processors, and at least one memory storing instructions which, when executed by the processor(s), cause the autonomous system to autonomously move an item, using the robotic movement apparatus, to or from the at least one module of the autonomous vehicle.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An autonomous system for loading or unloading an autonomous vehicle, the autonomous system comprising:
at least one module including at least one of: a compartment or a sub-compartment, the at least one module located in the autonomous vehicle;
a robotic movement apparatus configured to autonomously move items to or from the at least one module;
one or more processors;
at least one memory storing instructions which, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the autonomous system to autonomously move an item, using the robotic movement apparatus, to or from the at least one module of the autonomous vehicle; and
an imaging device configured to capture imaging information of the at least one module.

2. The autonomous system of claim 1 , wherein the at least one module includes a plurality of modules, wherein the instructions, when executed by the one or more processors, further cause the autonomous system to:
associate each of the plurality of modules with respective customers;
identify a customer of the item;
determine that the at least one module is associated with the customer of the item; and
autonomously move the item to or from the at least one module.

3. The autonomous system of claim 2 , wherein the robotic movement apparatus includes a conveyor belt.

4. The autonomous system of claim 1 , wherein the instructions, when executed by the one or more processors, further cause the autonomous system to:
identify, based on the imaging information, an available space within the at least one module that can receive the item; and
autonomously move the item to the available space.

5. The autonomous system of claim 1 , wherein the item is contained in the at least one module, and wherein the instructions, when executed by the one or more processors, further cause the autonomous system to:
based on the imaging information, locate the item within the at least one module; and
autonomously move the item out of the at least one module.

6. The autonomous system of claim 1 , wherein the item is contained in the at least one module and includes a barcode, the imaging information includes an image of the barcode, and the instructions, when executed by the one or more processors, further cause the autonomous system to locate the item in the at least one module based on the image of the barcode.

7. The autonomous system of claim 1 , wherein the imaging device is located in the autonomous vehicle.

8. The autonomous system of claim 7 , wherein the robotic movement apparatus is located within the autonomous vehicle, and wherein the imaging device is secured to the robotic movement apparatus.

9. The autonomous system of claim 1 , wherein the imaging device is located outside the autonomous vehicle and in a facility where the autonomous vehicle is to be loaded or unloaded.

10. The autonomous system of claim 1 , wherein the robotic movement apparatus is separate from the autonomous vehicle.

11. The autonomous system of claim 1 , wherein the item includes an RFID tag and the robotic movement apparatus includes a robotic arm, the autonomous system further comprising an RFID reader secured to the robotic arm and configured to read the RFID tag.

12. The autonomous system of claim 1 , further comprising:
a communication sub-system of the autonomous vehicle; and
at least one access door of the autonomous vehicle, the at least one access door corresponding to the at least one module and configured to open to provide access to the at least one module.

13. The autonomous system of claim 12 , wherein the instructions, when executed by the one or more processors, further cause the autonomous system to:
authenticate a transfer operation with a transfer confirmation system, the transfer operation including a customer identifier;
determine one module of the at least one module assigned to the customer identifier; and
open one of the at least one access door corresponding to the one module to provide access to the one module.

14. The autonomous system of claim 13 , wherein the transfer operation is a loading operation, and wherein the transfer confirmation system is a system of a facility.

15. The autonomous system of claim 13 , wherein the transfer operation is an unloading operation, and wherein the transfer confirmation system is a customer management system.

16. The autonomous system of claim 15 , wherein the unloading operation includes autonomously unloading, by the robotic movement apparatus, the item out of the one module at a customer location.

17. An autonomous method for autonomously loading or unloading an autonomous vehicle, the method comprising:
establishing communications between a transfer confirmation system and the autonomous vehicle, wherein the autonomous vehicle includes:
at least one module that includes at least one of: a compartment or a sub-compartment,
at least one access door corresponding to the at least one module and configured to open to provide access to the at least one module; and
an imaging device configured to obtain imaging information of the at least one module;

authenticating a loading operation with the transfer confirmation system, the loading operation including a customer identifier;
determining one module of the at least one module assigned to the customer identifier;
opening one access door of the at least one access door corresponding to the one module to provide access to the one module; and
autonomously moving an item included in the loading operation to the one module of the autonomous vehicle.

18. The autonomous method of claim 17 , further comprising:
identifying, based on the imaging information, an available space within the at least one module that can receive the item, wherein autonomously moving the item includes moving the item to the available space.

19. The autonomous method of claim 17 , further comprising:
authenticating an unloading operation with a customer management system;
opening the one access door to provide access to the one module; and
autonomously moving the item out of the one module of the autonomous vehicle.

20. The autonomous method of claim 19 , the method further comprising:
locating the item within the one module based on the imaging information.

21. An autonomous system for loading or unloading an autonomous vehicle, the autonomous system comprising:
one or more memories configured to store processor-executable instructions;
one or more processors configured to execute the processor-executable instructions, wherein the processor-executable instructions, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to:
establish communications between a transfer confirmation system and the autonomous vehicle, wherein the autonomous vehicle includes at least one module that includes at least one of: a compartment or a sub-compartment, and at least one access door corresponding to the at least one module and configured to open to provide access to the at least one module;
authenticate a loading operation with the transfer confirmation system, the loading operation including a customer identifier;
determine one module of the at least one module assigned to the customer identifier;
open one access door of the at least one access door corresponding to the one module to provide access to the one module; and
autonomously move an item included in the loading operation to the one module of the autonomous vehicle; and

an imaging device configured to obtain ima

Assignees

• Nuro Inc

Inventors

• Ferguson David
• Zhu Jiajun

Classifications

• B64U2201/10

  autonomous, i.e. by navigating independently from ground or air stations, e.g. by using inertial navigation systems [INS] · CPC title

• G05D1/651

  with controlled time of arrival at target points, e.g. 4D navigation · CPC title

• G05D1/2235

  involving the operator tracking the vehicle by direct line of sight · CPC title

• G05D1/6445

  for optimising payload operation, e.g. camera or spray coverage · CPC title

• G05D1/2247

  providing the operator with simple or augmented images from one or more cameras · CPC title