Demand-based distribution of items using intermodal carriers and unmanned aerial vehicles

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11427229-B2
Application number	US-202016883941-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 26, 2020
Priority date	Mar 16, 2017
Publication date	Aug 30, 2022
Grant date	Aug 30, 2022

Abstract

Intermodal vehicles may be loaded with items and an aerial vehicle, and directed to travel to areas where demand for the items is known or anticipated. The intermodal vehicles may be coupled to locomotives, container ships, road tractors or other vehicles, and equipped with systems for loading one or more items onto the aerial vehicle, and for launching or retrieving the aerial vehicle while the intermodal vehicles are in motion. The areas where the demand is known or anticipated may be identified on any basis, including but not limited to past histories of purchases or deliveries to such areas, or events that are scheduled to occur in such areas. Additionally, intermodal vehicles may be loaded with replacement parts and/or inspection equipment, and configured to conduct repairs, servicing operations or inspections on aerial vehicles within the intermodal vehicles, while the intermodal vehicles are in motion.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A distribution system comprising:
a plurality of locomotives;
a plurality of intermodal carriers, wherein each of the intermodal carriers is coupled to one of the plurality of locomotives, and wherein each of the intermodal carriers comprises:
a compartment;
a plurality of items within the compartment;
an aerial vehicle disposed within the compartment; and
at least one computer system;

at least one server in communication with each of the intermodal carriers,
wherein the at least one server is programmed with one or more sets of instructions that, when executed, cause the at least one server to at least:
receive an order for a delivery of a first item to a location;
determine that the first item is one of the plurality of items within the compartment of a first intermodal carrier, wherein the first intermodal carrier is one of the plurality of intermodal carriers;
transmit, to the first intermodal carrier, an instruction to cause the first item to be delivered to the location; and
in response to receiving the instruction, the first intermodal carrier is configured to:
cause at least the first item to be loaded onto a first aerial vehicle disposed within the compartment of the first intermodal carrier;
cause the first aerial vehicle to depart from the first intermodal carrier; and
cause the first aerial vehicle to execute the delivery of at least the first item to the location.

2. The distribution system of claim 1 , wherein the order is received at a first time,
wherein each of the plurality of intermodal carriers is in motion at the first time, and
wherein the one or more sets of instructions, when executed, further cause the at least one server to at least:
determine that the first item is within compartments of each of a subset of the plurality of intermodal carriers, wherein the first intermodal carrier is one of the subset of the plurality of intermodal carriers;
determine positions of each of the subset of the plurality of intermodal carriers at the first time;
determine, for each of the subset of the plurality of intermodal carriers, at least one of:
a net distance for a delivery of the first item from the position of the intermodal carrier to the location;
a net time for the delivery of the first item from the position of the intermodal carrier to the location; or
a net cost for the delivery of the first item from the position of the intermodal carrier to the location;

selecting one of the subset of the plurality of intermodal carriers based at least in part on the at least one of the net distance, the net time or the net cost for the selected one of the plurality of intermodal carriers, wherein the first intermodal carrier is the selected one of the subset of the plurality of intermodal carriers,
wherein the instruction is transmitted to the first intermodal carrier in response to selecting the first intermodal carrier.

3. The distribution system of claim 1 , wherein each of the intermodal carriers further comprises a steel frame having at least one automatic door at an upper surface of the steel frame and a compartment within the steel frame, and
wherein the steel frame has a height of at least nine feet, a width of approximately eight-and-one-half feet and a length of approximately fifty-three feet.

4. A method comprising:
loading a first plurality of items into a first intermodal carrier at a fulfillment center;
loading a first aerial vehicle into the first intermodal carrier at the fulfillment center;
placing the first intermodal carrier onto a well car;
coupling the first well car to a first locomotive;
causing, by the first locomotive, the first well car to travel on a first set of rails;
receiving a first order for a delivery of at least a first item to a first location by at least one computer server;
determining that the first item is one of the first plurality of items by the at least one computer server;
loading at least the first item onto the first aerial vehicle within the first intermodal carrier;
causing the first aerial vehicle to depart from the first intermodal carrier; and
causing the first aerial vehicle to execute the delivery of at least the first item to the first location.

5. The method of claim 4 , wherein the first intermodal carrier comprises an intermodal container having a steel frame with a height of at least nine feet, a width of approximately eight-and-one-half feet and a length of approximately fifty-three feet.

6. The method of claim 4 , wherein the first intermodal carrier further comprises:
a launch system within a compartment defined by the first intermodal carrier, wherein the launch system comprises at least one of an elevator, a pulley, a lift or a catapult, and wherein the first aerial vehicle is caused to depart from the first intermodal carrier by the launch system.

7. The method of claim 4 , further comprising:
after causing the first well car to travel on the first set of rails,
determining at least one of a course or a speed of the first intermodal carrier;
selecting a departure point for the first aerial vehicle based at least in part on the at least one of the course or the speed of the first intermodal carrier;
programming the first aerial vehicle with instructions to travel from the departure point to the first location; and
determining that the first intermodal carrier is within a predetermined range of the departure point,

wherein the first aerial vehicle is caused to depart from the first intermodal carrier in response to determining that the first intermodal carrier is within the predetermined range of the departure point.

8. The method of claim 4 , further comprising:
determining that the first aerial vehicle has executed the delivery of at least the first item to the first location; and
in response to determining that the first aerial vehicle has executed the delivery of at least the first item to the first location,
determining at least one of a course or a speed of the first intermodal carrier;
selecting a rendezvous point for the first aerial vehicle based at least in part on the course or the speed of the first intermodal carrier;
programming the first aerial vehicle with instructions to travel from the first location to the rendezvous point;
determining that the first intermodal carrier is at least within a predetermined range of the rendezvous point; and
in response to determining that the first intermodal carrier is at least within the predetermined range of the rendezvous point,
causing the first aerial vehicle to enter the first intermodal carrier.

9. The method of claim 4 , further comprising:
receiving a second order for a delivery of a second item to a second location by the at least one computer server;
determining that the first item is one of the first plurality of items by the at least one computer server, wherein loading at least the first item onto the first aerial vehicle comprises loading the first item and the second item onto the first aerial vehicle within the first intermodal carrier;
after causing the first well car to travel on the first set of rails,
determining at least one of a course or a speed of the first intermodal carrier;
selecting a departure point for the first aerial vehicle based at least in part on the at least one of the course or the speed of the first intermodal carrier;
determining a first course and a first speed from the departure point to the first location;
determining a second course and a second speed from the first location to the second location;
after causing the first aerial vehicle to depart from the first intermodal carrier,
causing the first aerial vehicle to travel from the first departure point to

Assignees

• Amazon Tech Inc

Inventors

• Beckman Brian C
• Bjone Nicholas

Classifications

• B61D3/18

  for vehicles {(vehicles adapted to carry other vehicles, in general, B60P3/06)} · CPC title

• B25J11/00

  Manipulators not otherwise provided for · CPC title

• B61L27/14

  Following schedules · CPC title

• B61L25/025

  Absolute localisation, e.g. providing geodetic coordinates · CPC title

• G06Q10/083

  Shipping · CPC title