Configurable vehicle

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11087267-B1
Application number	US-201715485869-A
Country	US
Kind code	B1
Filing date	Apr 12, 2017
Priority date	Apr 12, 2017
Publication date	Aug 10, 2021
Grant date	Aug 10, 2021

Abstract

A modular vehicle system includes a plurality of vehicle modules with at least one autonomous vehicle module. A request from a user located at a user location specifies a plurality of the vehicle modules. The user location is specified, and a module location is determined for each of the specified vehicle modules. Based on the request, the specified modules are retrieved from the module locations, and assembled into a configured vehicle. The configured vehicle is located at a dispatch location. The configured vehicle is then dispatched from the dispatch location to the user location.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A vehicle system, comprising:
a plurality of vehicle modules, each with a controller, the plurality of vehicle modules including at least one autonomous vehicle module, at least one passenger module, and at least one cargo module, wherein each passenger module includes an autonomous vehicle;
a processor;
a memory accessible by the processor storing program instructions that configure the processor to:
generate a user interface;
receive a personalized vehicle rental request for a re-configurable rental vehicle from a user located at a user location via the user interface, the personalized vehicle rental request specifying a plurality of the vehicle modules, including:
a number of passengers, the number of passengers defining a number of passenger modules to include with the re-configurable rental vehicle to accommodate the passengers; and
an amount of cargo, the amount of cargo defining a number of cargo modules to include with the re-configurable rental vehicle to accommodate the cargo;

determine the user location;
determine a module location for each specified vehicle module, including the passenger modules and the cargo modules;
based on the personalized vehicle rental request, output configuration instructions for retrieving the specified modules from the module locations based on the proximity to the user location, and assemble the specified modules into the re-configurable rental vehicle, wherein:
the controller of each respective vehicle module communicates with one another and designates a master controller which controls the re-configurable rental vehicle; and
the re-configurable rental vehicle is located at a dispatch location;

assemble the re-configurable rental vehicle based upon the configuration instructions, including coupling each of the passenger modules and the cargo modules to form the re-configurable rental vehicle; and
dispatch the re-configurable rental vehicle from the dispatch location to the user location.

2. The system of claim 1 , further comprising supplies stored at a storage location, and wherein the program instructions further configure the processor to, based on the personalized vehicle rental request, dispatch the re-configurable rental vehicle to the storage location to pick up supplies.

3. The system of claim 2 , wherein the supplies include user items stored by the user, and wherein and assembling the specified modules includes loading the user items into the re-configurable rental vehicle.

4. The system of claim 1 , further comprising supplies stored at a storage location, wherein the program instructions further configure the processor to, based on the personalized vehicle rental request, dispatch the re-configurable rental vehicle to the storage location to load the supplies into the cargo modules.

5. The system of claim 1 , wherein the program instructions further configure the processor to, based on the personalized vehicle rental request, return the vehicle to the dispatch location.

6. The system of claim 1 , wherein the program instructions further configure the processor to disassemble the re-configurable rental vehicle and return the modules to the module locations.

7. A computer implemented method, comprising:
generating a user interface;
receiving a personalized vehicle rental request for a re-configurable rental vehicle from a user located at a user location via the user interface, the personalized vehicle rental request specifying a plurality of vehicle modules, each with a controller, the plurality of vehicle modules including at least one autonomous vehicle module, at least one passenger module, and at least one cargo module, wherein each passenger module includes an autonomous vehicle, including:
a number of passengers, the number of passengers defining a number of passenger modules to include with the re-configurable rental vehicle to accommodate the passengers; and
an amount of cargo, the amount of cargo defining a number of cargo modules to include with the re-configurable rental vehicle to accommodate the cargo;

determining a user start location;
determining a module location for each specified vehicle module based on the proximity to the user location, including the passenger modules and the cargo modules;
based on the personalized vehicle rental request, outputting instructions for assembling the specified modules into the re-configurable rental vehicle, wherein:
the controllers of the respective vehicle modules communicate with one another and designate a master controller which controls the functions of each module of the re-configurable rental vehicle; and
the re-configurable rental vehicle is located at a dispatch location;

assembling the re-configurable rental vehicle based upon the configuration instructions, including coupling each of the passenger modules and the cargo modules to form the re-configurable rental vehicle;
dispatching the re-configurable rental vehicle from the dispatch location to the user start location;
receiving an indication from the user that use of the re-configurable rental vehicle is complete;
determining a user end location; and
dispatching the re-configurable rental vehicle from the user end location to the dispatch location.

8. The method of claim 7 , further comprising dispatching the re-configurable rental vehicle to a storage location to pick up supplies.

9. The method of claim 7 , further comprising disassembling the re-configurable rental vehicle and returning the modules to the module location.

Assignees

• Wells Fargo Bank Na

Inventors

• Hatch David C
• Munir Muhammad Farukh
• Petrik Aaron Francis Colfax
• Suen Darrell L
• Fisi Suzanne M
• Wyler Ryan James
• Zimmerman Nancy B
• Harvey Simone Olivia
• Ward Timothy Roger
• Wirt Steven J
• Copeland Jennifer Lynn Semien

Classifications

• B60P3/423

  from transport of persons to transport of goods · CPC title

• G06Q10/0832 Primary

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