Modular autonomous bot apparatus assembly for transporting an item being shipped

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10875174-B2
Application number	US-201916351642-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 13, 2019
Priority date	Mar 14, 2018
Publication date	Dec 29, 2020
Grant date	Dec 29, 2020

Abstract

A modular autonomous bot apparatus assembly is described for transporting an item being shipped. The assembly includes a modular mobility base having propulsion, steering, sensors for collision avoidance, and suspension actuators; a modular auxiliary power module with a power source and cargo door; a modular cargo storage system with folding structural walls and a latching system; and a modular mobile autonomy module that covers the cargo storage system and provides human interaction interfaces, externals sensors, a wireless interface, and an autonomous controller with interfacing circuitry coupled to the human interaction interfaces and sensors on the mobile autonomy module. The assembly has a power and data transport bus that provides a communication and power conduit across the different modular components. A method for on-demand assembly of such a bot apparatus is further described with steps for authenticating the different modular components during assembly.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A modular autonomous bot apparatus assembly for transporting an item being shipped, comprising:
a modular mobility base comprising
a mobile base platform,
a mobility controller disposed as part of the base platform,
a propulsion system connected to the mobile base platform, the propulsion system being responsive to a propulsion control input from the mobility controller to cause changes in speed of the modular mobility base,
a steering system connected to the mobile base platform and coupled to the propulsion system, the steering system responsive to a steering control input from the mobility controller and operative to cause changes to directional movement of the modular mobility base,
a plurality of mobility base sensors coupled to the mobility controller and disposed on the base platform, the mobility base sensors being operative to autonomously detect an object in the path of the modular mobility base and provide base feedback sensor data to the mobility controller on the detected object, and
a first interface to a common modular component power and data transport bus, the first interface providing a power conduit for the modular mobility base and a command and data interface conduit for at least the mobility controller;

a modular auxiliary power module detachably attached to the modular mobility base, the modular auxiliary power module comprising
a base adapter platform detachably mounted to the mobile base platform of the modular mobility base, the base adapter platform having a payload support surface area, a top interlocking alignment interface, and a bottom interlocking alignment interface, wherein the payload support surface area is disposed on a top of the base adapter platform to support the item being shipped, and wherein the bottom interlocking alignment interface is disposed on a bottom of the base adapter platform to latch to the mobile base platform,
an articulating cargo door movably attached to and extending from the base adapter platform,
an auxiliary power source disposed as part of the base adapter platform, and
a second interface to the common modular component power and data transport bus, the second interface providing a power conduit for the modular auxiliary power module and a command and data interface conduit for the modular auxiliary power module, wherein the power conduit for the modular auxiliary power module is coupled to the auxiliary power source and provides access to power provided by the auxiliary power source;

a modular cargo storage system detachably attached to the modular auxiliary power module, the modular cargo storage system comprising
a set of folding structural walls configured to partially enclose the payload support area above the base adapter platform of the modular auxiliary power module, the folding structural walls forming vertical boundaries above the payload support area with the articulating cargo door of the auxiliary power module,
an actuated set of latches disposed on the at least one of the folding structural walls, and
a locking handle coupled to the actuated set of latches, the locking handle causing the actuated set of latches to detachably interlock with at least the base adapter platform of the modular auxiliary power module; and
a third interface to the common modular component power and data transport bus, the third interface providing a power conduit for the modular cargo storage system and a command and data interface conduit for the modular cargo storage system, wherein the power conduit for the modular auxiliary power module is operatively coupled to the auxiliary power source and provides access to power provided by the auxiliary power source; and

a modular mobile autonomy control module detachably attached to a top edge of the folding structure walls of the modular cargo storage system, the modular mobile autonomy control module completing the enclosure of the payload support area when connected to the top edge of the folding structure walls of the modular cargo storage system, the modular mobile autonomy control module comprising
a detachable modular housing detachably connected to the top edge of the folding structure walls of the cargo storage system,
a plurality of latching points disposed on the detachable modular housing, the latching points engaging the actuated set of latches when the locking handle detachably interlocks the actuated set of latches to the latching points,
an autonomous controller disposed within the detachable modular housing,
a plurality of human interaction interfaces disposed on the detachable modular housing, wherein each of the human interaction interfaces being operatively coupled to the autonomous controller,
location circuitry disposed within the detachable modular housing, the location circuitry being operatively coupled to the autonomous controller, the location circuitry generating location data on a location of the modular autonomous bot apparatus assembly and providing the location data to the autonomous controller;
a plurality of autonomy module sensors disposed on the mobile autonomy control module and operatively coupled to the autonomous controller, wherein the autonomy module sensors being operative to generate onboard sensor data on an environment external to the modular mobile autonomy control module as detected by the autonomy module sensors and providing the onboard sensor data to the autonomous controller, and
a fourth interface to the common modular component power and data transport bus, the fourth interface providing a power conduit for the modular mobile autonomy control module and a command and data interface conduit for the modular mobile autonomy control module, wherein the command and data interface conduit is operatively coupled to at least the autonomous controller; and
wherein the autonomous controller of the modular mobile autonomy control module is programmatically adapted and configured to be operative to at least
receive information from the mobility controller through the common modular component power and data transport bus, the received information being about the base feedback sensor data,
receive the onboard sensor data from the autonomy module sensors,
generate a steering control command and a propulsion control command based at least upon the location data from the location circuitry, the received information on the base feedback sensor data from the mobility controller, the onboard sensor data as received by the autonomous controller from the autonomy module sensors, and destination information data maintained by the autonomous controller,
transmit the steering control command and the propulsion control command through the common modular component power and data transport bus for receipt by the mobility controller, and
generate transport and delivery information to provide on the human interaction interfaces.

2. The modular autonomous bot apparatus assembly of claim 1 , wherein the modular mobility base, the modular auxiliary power module, the modular cargo storage system, and the modular mobile autonomy control module are each authenticated modular components based upon a component-to-component secure handshaking between proximately attached ones of the modular mobility base, the modular auxiliary power module, the modular cargo storage system, and the modular mobile autonomy control module.

3. The modular autonomous bot apparatus assembly of claim 2 , wherein the component-to-component secure handshaking comprises a challenge and security credential response between proximately attached ones of the modular mobility base, the modular auxiliary power module, the modular cargo storage system, and the modular mobile autonomy control module.

4. The modular autonomous bot apparatus assembly of claim 1 , wherein the modular mobility base, th

Assignees

• Fedex Corp Services Inc

Inventors

• Skaaksrud Ole-Petter
• Mayfield Frank
• Gates Daniel

Classifications

• G07C9/37

  using biometric data, e.g. fingerprints, iris scans or voice recognition · CPC title

• G07C9/00571

  operated by interacting with a central unit · CPC title

• G07C9/00563

  using personal physical data of the operator, e.g. finger prints, retinal images, voicepatterns · CPC title

• B60C5/005

  Ballast tyres · CPC title

• G07C9/27 Primary

  with central registration · CPC title