Landing pad receptacle for package delivery and receipt

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10874240-B2
Application number	US-201715712510-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 22, 2017
Priority date	Oct 4, 2016
Publication date	Dec 29, 2020
Grant date	Dec 29, 2020

Abstract

A landing pad receptacle receives and stores a package delivered by an unmanned vehicle, comprising: a housing; a storage compartment in the housing; and a validation device that detects a presence of a package delivered by a unmanned vehicle in the storage compartment and authenticates a package for return by a unmanned vehicle.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A landing pad receptacle that receives and stores a package delivered by an unmanned vehicle, comprising:
a housing;
a storage compartment in the housing, including a plurality of sub-compartments each having a unique identification used by the unmanned vehicle to distinguish the sub-compartments from one another and each maintained independently of one another, wherein one sub-compartment of the plurality of sub-compartments has a unique cover specifically for the one sub-compartment and is secured in a different manner than other sub-compartments of the plurality of sub-compartments, and wherein the unique identification distinguishes a package in the one sub-compartment;
a validation device that detects a presence of a package delivered by an unmanned vehicle in one or more of the sub-compartments of the storage compartment and authenticates the package distinguished by the unique identification for return by an unmanned vehicle; and
an on-board navigation system for directing the unmanned vehicle to the landing pad, wherein the on-board navigation system includes a spatial or obstruction sensor or related object recognition device to guide the unmanned vehicle to the landing pad away from objects or impediments about the landing pad that pose a danger to an exchange of the package between the unmanned vehicle and the storage compartment.

2. The landing pad receptacle of claim 1 , wherein the unmanned vehicle is an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV).

3. The landing pad receptacle of claim 1 , wherein the housing includes a theft-deterrent mesh material.

4. The landing pad receptacle of claim 1 , wherein the validation device includes a weight sensor comprising:
a platform on which the package is positioned; and
a spring or hydraulic mechanism under the platform that detects a force applied to the platform, the force including the weight of the package.

5. The landing pad receptacle of claim 4 , further comprising a cover at an opening to the housing, the cover automatically covering the opening to the housing when the weight sensor detects the weight of the package positioned on the platform of the weight sensor.

6. The landing pad receptacle of claim 1 , further comprising a lock that automatically secures the package in the storage compartment in response to the validation device detecting the presence of the package.

7. The landing pad receptacle of claim 1 , further comprising a plurality of light emitting diodes or fluorescent rim about the periphery of an opening to the housing for identifying the opening or for notifying a viewer of the presence of the package in the storage compartment.

8. The landing pad receptacle of claim 1 , further comprising an on-board wireless interface for communicating with the unmanned vehicle.

9. The landing pad receptacle of claim 1 , further comprising an alarm device for generating an alarm when an object is near the landing pad when the compartment includes the package.

10. The landing pad receptacle of claim 1 , wherein the sub-compartments further comprise an Internet of Things (IoT) device.

11. The landing pad receptacle of claim 10 , wherein the IoT device comprises a temperature controller for determining a temperature of the sub-compartments of the storage compartment.

12. The landing pad receptacle of claim 10 , wherein the sub-compartments of the storage compartment comprises a first compartment that is temperature controlled at cold temperatures, and a second compartment that is temperature controlled at hot temperatures.

13. The landing pad receptacle of claim 1 , wherein the storage compartment is configured for receiving at least a removable modular unit for accommodating a particular package.

14. The landing pad receptacle of claim 13 , wherein the sub-compartments are each configured for being assigned and receiving a different package.

15. The landing pad receptacle of claim 1 , wherein the validation device confirms the authenticity of the package for return by the unmanned vehicle.

16. The landing pad receptacle of claim 1 , wherein the sub-compartment having the unique cover is constructed and arranged to receive a package including a prescription from the unmanned vehicle, and includes a unique security lock for allowing access to the one sub-compartment to an authorized user of the prescription.

17. A system for package delivery and receipt, comprising:
a landing pad receptacle that receives and stores a package delivered by an unmanned vehicle, comprising plurality of sub-compartments each having a unique identification used by the unmanned vehicle to distinguish the sub-compartments from one another and each maintained independently of one another, wherein one sub-compartment is constructed and arranged to receive a package including a prescription from the unmanned vehicle, and includes a unique security lock for allowing access to the one sub-compartment to an authorized user of the prescription, wherein the one sub-compartment of the plurality of sub-compartments has a unique cover and is secured in a different manner than other sub-compartments of the plurality of sub-compartments, and wherein the unique identification distinguishes a package in the one sub-compartment; and
a navigation system for directing the unmanned vehicle to the landing pad receptacle, including a spatial or obstruction sensor or related object recognition device to guide the unmanned vehicle to the landing pad away from objects or impediments about the landing pad that pose a danger to an exchange of the package between the unmanned vehicle and the sub-compartments.

18. The system of claim 17 , wherein the landing pad receptacle comprises:
a validation device that detects a presence of a package delivered by the unmanned vehicle in one or more of the sub-compartments of and authenticates a package for return by the unmanned vehicle.

Assignees

• Walmart Apollo Llc

Inventors

• Lewis Steven
• Biermann Matthew Dwain
• Charles Kevin Matthew

Classifications

• B64U2101/60

  for transporting passengers; for transporting goods other than weapons · CPC title

• G08G5/57

  for unmanned aircraft · CPC title

• G08G5/55

  for a single aircraft · CPC title

• G08G5/54

  for approach or landing · CPC title

• G08G5/22

  located on the ground · CPC title