Systems and methods for evaluating loading and unloading times of items in a vehicle

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11699121-B2
Application number	US-202017063015-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 5, 2020
Priority date	Oct 5, 2020
Publication date	Jul 11, 2023
Grant date	Jul 11, 2023

Abstract

The disclosure is generally directed to evaluating loading and unloading times of items in a vehicle. The vehicle may be equipped with an object-sensing mat placed in a cargo area and coupled to a computer configured to execute a timing evaluation module. A first change in weight or pressure is sensed when an item is either placed upon, or removed from, the object-sensing mat. An increase in weight or pressure indicates loading of the item on to the vehicle, and vice-versa. The computer can generate a timing prediction model based on processing sensor signals from the object-sensing mat and determining the amount of time taken for loading or unloading items from the vehicle. In one application, a timing prediction model may be generated for each customer of a goods delivery service and used for optimizing delivery operations.

First claim

That which is claimed is:

1. A method comprising:
loading a first item into a vehicle or unloading the first item from the vehicle, wherein loading the first item into the vehicle comprises placing the first item upon an object-sensing mat on a cargo bed of the vehicle and unloading the first item from the vehicle comprises removing the first item from the object-sensing mat;
sensing a first change in weight or pressure by the object-sensing mat;
detecting, based on sensing the first change in weight or pressure by the object-sensing mat, the loading of the first item into the vehicle or unloading of the first item from the vehicle; and
generating, based in part on a first amount of time taken for the loading of the first item into the vehicle or unloading of the first item from the vehicle, a timing prediction model configured to provide information about loading timing characteristics associated with loading or unloading one or more items onto or from the vehicle.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein sensing the first change in weight or pressure by the object-sensing mat comprises sensing a first increase in weight or pressure when the first item is loaded into the vehicle or a first decrease in weight or pressure when the first item is unloaded from the vehicle.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the vehicle is an autonomous vehicle and the loading of the first item into the vehicle or unloading of the first item from the vehicle is performed by an individual, wherein the individual is a human.

4. The method of claim 3 , further comprising:
loading a second item into the vehicle or unloading the second item from the vehicle, wherein loading the second item into the vehicle comprises placing the second item upon the object-sensing mat and unloading the second item from the vehicle comprises removing the second item from the object-sensing mat;
sensing a second change in weight or pressure by the object-sensing mat;
detecting, based on sensing the second change in weight or pressure by the object-sensing mat, the loading of the second item into the vehicle or unloading of the second item from the vehicle; and
updating, based in part on a second amount of time taken for the loading of the second item into the vehicle or unloading of the second item from the vehicle, the timing prediction model, wherein the second amount of time is indicative of a time period that has lapsed since the loading of the first item into the vehicle or unloading of the first item from the vehicle.

5. The method of claim 4 , wherein the updating of the timing prediction model is further based in part on a first footprint of the first item determined by the object-sensing mat and a second footprint of the second item determined by the object-sensing mat.

6. The method of claim 4 , wherein the loading of the second item into the vehicle or unloading of the second item from the vehicle is performed by the individual, and wherein the timing prediction model indicates a loading rate or an unloading rate of the individual who one of loads the first item and the second item into the vehicle or unloads the first item and the second item from the vehicle.

7. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
determining whether a weight of the first item exceeds a threshold weight; and
performing a remedial action in response to a determination that the weight of the first item exceeds the threshold weight.

8. The method of claim 5 , wherein the first footprint and the second footprint indicate a weight distribution of the first item and the second item upon the object-sensing mat, and further comprising:
relocating one of the first item or the second item on the object-sensing mat based on the weight distribution.

9. A method comprising:
unloading a first item from a vehicle, comprising removing the first item from an object-sensing mat on a cargo bed of the vehicle;
unloading a second item from the vehicle, comprising removing the second item from the object-sensing mat;
detecting the unloading of the first item from the vehicle based on sensing a first change in weight or pressure by the object-sensing mat;
detecting the unloading of the second item from the vehicle based on sensing a second change in weight or pressure by the object-sensing mat;
determining a first amount of time that has lapsed between the detecting of the unloading of the first item from the vehicle and the detecting of the unloading of the second item from the vehicle; and
generating a timing prediction model for unloading items from the vehicle based in part on the first amount of time, wherein the timing prediction model is configured to provide information about loading timing characteristics associated with unloading one or more items from the vehicle.

10. The method of claim 9 , wherein sensing the first change in weight or pressure by the object-sensing mat comprises sensing a first decrease in weight or pressure when the first item is unloaded from the vehicle and sensing the second change in weight or pressure by the object-sensing mat comprises sensing a second decrease in weight or pressure when the second item is unloaded from the vehicle.

11. The method of claim 9 , wherein the vehicle is an autonomous vehicle and the unloading of the first item and the second item from the vehicle is performed by an individual, wherein the individual is a human.

12. The method of claim 11 , wherein the generating of the timing prediction model is further based in part on a first footprint of the first item determined by the object-sensing mat and a second footprint of the second item determined by the object-sensing mat.

13. The method of claim 12 , wherein the first footprint and the second footprint indicate a weight distribution of the first item and the second item upon the object-sensing mat.

14. The method of claim 11 , wherein the timing prediction model to indicates an unloading rate of the individual who unloads the first item and the second item from the vehicle.

15. The method of claim 14 , further comprising:
determining a physical characteristic or a behavior characteristic of the individual based on the unloading rate.

16. A vehicle comprising:
an object-sensing mat on a cargo bed of the vehicle;
a memory that stores computer-executable instructions; and
a processor configured to access the memory and execute the computer-executable instructions to at least:
sense a first change in weight or pressure by the object-sensing mat;
detect, based on sensing the first change in weight or pressure by the object-sensing mat, loading of a first item into the vehicle or unloading of the first item from the vehicle; and
generate, based in part on a first amount of time taken for the loading of the first item into the vehicle or unloading of the first item from the vehicle, a timing prediction model configured to provide information about loading timing characteristics associated with loading or unloading one or more items onto or from the vehicle.

17. The vehicle of claim 16 , wherein generating the timing prediction model is further based in part on a footprint of the first item determined by the object-sensing mat.

18. The vehicle of claim 17 , wherein the footprint indicates a weight distribution of the first item upon the object-sensing mat.

19. The vehicle of claim 16 , wherein the processor is further configured to access the memory and execute additional computer-executable instructions to at least:
determine a loading rate or an unloading rate of an individual who loads t

Assignees

• Ford Global Tech Llc
• Ford Global Tech Tlc

Inventors

• Salter Stuart C
• White Kendra
• Huebner Annette
• Buttolo Pietro

Classifications

• G06Q10/04

  Forecasting or optimisation specially adapted for administrative or management purposes, e.g. linear programming or "cutting stock problem" (market predictions or forecasting for commercial activities G06Q30/0202) · CPC title

• G01G19/08

  for incorporation in vehicles · CPC title

• G06Q10/0832

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

• G06Q10/06398 Primary

  Performance of employee with respect to a job function · CPC title

• G06Q10/083 Primary

  Shipping · CPC title