Baggage transportation using autonomous vehicle

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11875422-B2
Application number	US-201716770782-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 14, 2017
Priority date	Dec 14, 2017
Publication date	Jan 16, 2024
Grant date	Jan 16, 2024

Abstract

Techniques and examples pertaining to baggage transportation in a vehicle-sharing environment are described. An automotive vehicle may have a plurality of baggage compartments each respectively having a size capacity and a weight capacity. The vehicle may also have a plurality of sensors capable of monitoring a loading situation of the plurality of baggage compartments. The vehicle may further have a memory element capable of storing capacity data representing the loading situation, as well as a processor capable of updating the capacity data in an event that the loading situation is changed due to a baggage having been loaded to, or unloaded from, a baggage compartment of the plurality of the baggage compartment. The automotive vehicle may be an autonomous ride-sharing vehicle.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A method, comprising:
generating at least one of an image of a baggage and a three-dimensional (3D) scan of the baggage, wherein the image is generated by a camera and the 3D scan is generated by a 3D scanner;
receiving, by a first processor from a second processor, a transportation request, wherein the first processor is included within a network of distributed processors each disposed in a respective vehicle of a fleet of vehicles comprising a plurality of vehicles and communicatively coupled to the second processor, wherein the transportation request comprises itinerary data and baggage data relevant to transporting a baggage, a passenger, or both, from a pickup location to a destination, wherein the itinerary data comprises information relevant to the pickup location and information relevant to the destination, wherein the baggage data comprises information relevant to a size of the baggage and information relevant to a weight of the baggage, wherein the information relevant to the size of the baggage comprises a measured dimension of the baggage and at least one of the image of the baggage generated by the camera and the 3D scan of the baggage generated by the 3D scanner, and wherein the information relevant to the weight of the baggage comprises a measured weight of the baggage or an estimated weight of the baggage;
accessing, by the first processor, a database storing capacity data of the fleet of vehicles, wherein the database comprises a distributed database comprising a network of memory elements each disposed in the respective vehicle of the fleet of vehicles, wherein the capacity data records, for each vehicle of the fleet of vehicles, a loading situation of one or more baggage compartments of the respective vehicle, each of the one or more baggage compartments respectively having a size capacity and a weight capacity, wherein the loading situation comprises a baggage space of the one or more baggage compartments of the respective vehicle, the baggage space being at least one of virtually divisible or combinable by a virtual adjustment and physically divisible by use of one or more physical dividers such that the baggage space is divisible or combinable into the one or more baggage compartments of the respective vehicle, and wherein the respective vehicle is capable of updating the capacity data of the respective vehicle in a real-time manner;
selecting, by the first processor, a vehicle of the fleet of vehicles based on the transportation request and the capacity data, wherein the capacity data comprises a positive size tolerance, a negative size tolerance, a positive weight tolerance, and a negative weight tolerance; and
performing, by the vehicle, a transportation service that fulfills the transportation request, wherein performing the transportation service that fulfills the transportation request comprises:
unlocking a baggage compartment based on:
determining, by the vehicle, an estimated size of the baggage based on the image of the baggage or the three-dimensional (3D) scan of the baggage;
obtaining the measured weight of the baggage by a weight scale on the vehicle;
verifying that the estimated size is within the positive size tolerance and the negative size tolerance from the size of the baggage indicated by the baggage data; and
verifying that the measured weight is within the positive weight tolerance and the negative weight tolerance from the weight of the baggage indicated by the baggage data;

securing, by the vehicle, the baggage, the passenger, or both, to the vehicle at the pickup location;
transporting, by the vehicle, the baggage, the passenger, or both, from the pickup location to the destination; and
releasing, by the vehicle, the baggage, the passenger, or both, from the vehicle at the destination.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein:
the first processor further comprises a centralized server communicatively coupled to the second processor,
the database further comprises a centralized database, and
each vehicle of the fleet of vehicles is communicatively coupled to the database and capable of updating the capacity data of the respective vehicle in a real-time manner.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the selecting of the vehicle comprises comparing the baggage data with the capacity data to determine whether one of the one or more baggage compartments of the vehicle is available to accommodate the baggage.

4. The method of claim 3 , wherein, in an event that the one of the one or more baggage compartments is determined not available, the selecting of the vehicle further comprises:
sending, by the first processor to the second processor, a repackaging suggestion comprising a suggestion to repackage the baggage into a plurality of packages each smaller, lighter, or both, than the baggage if no vehicle of the fleet of vehicles is currently available to accommodate the baggage;
receiving, by the first processor from the second processor, a modified baggage data comprising information relevant to the plurality of packages; and
comparing, by the first processor, the modified baggage data with the capacity data to determine whether one or more baggage compartments of the vehicle are available to accommodate the plurality of packages.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the baggage data further comprises a credential of a recipient of the baggage, and wherein the releasing of the baggage comprises:
sending, by the first processor, a notification to the recipient, the notification indicating an arrival of the baggage at the destination;
receiving, by the vehicle from the recipient, a verification of the credential of the recipient while both the vehicle and the recipient are at the destination; and
providing, by the vehicle, an access to the baggage for the recipient to unload the baggage from the vehicle.

6. A vehicle, comprising:
a plurality of baggage compartments each respectively having a size capacity and a weight capacity, wherein the size capacity comprises a positive size tolerance and a negative size tolerance, and wherein the weight capacity comprises a positive weight tolerance and a negative weight tolerance;
a plurality of sensors capable of autonomously monitoring a loading situation of the plurality of baggage compartments, wherein the loading situation comprises a baggage space of the plurality of baggage compartments, the baggage space being at least one of virtually divisible or combinable by a virtual adjustment and physically divisible by use of one or more physical dividers such that the baggage space is divisible or combinable across the plurality of baggage compartments;
a memory element capable of storing capacity data generated in response to the autonomous monitoring by the plurality of sensors and representing the loading situation;
a communication module capable of receiving a transportation request for transporting a baggage from a pickup location to a destination, wherein the transportation request comprises baggage data comprising information relevant to a size of a baggage and information relevant to a weight of the baggage;
a baggage measuring device capable of measuring the size of the baggage and the weight of the baggage at the pickup location, wherein the baggage measuring device comprises a camera on the vehicle and a three-dimensional (3D) scanner on the vehicle; and
a processor capable of updating the capacity data, responsive to the autonomous monitoring by the plurality of sensors, in an event that the loading situation is changed due to the baggage having been loaded to, or unloaded from, a respective baggage compartment of the plurality of baggage compartments, wherein the processor is further capable of determining, based on the baggage data received by the communication modu

Assignees

• Ford Global Tech Llc

Inventors

• Krishnamurthy Vivekananda
• Hamilton Kathryn
• Siciak Ray
• Damsaz Mahrdad

Classifications

• G06Q50/30 Primary

  Physics · mapped topic

• G06F16/24

  Querying · CPC title

• G06V20/56

  exterior to a vehicle by using sensors mounted on the vehicle · CPC title

• G06Q10/083 Primary

  Shipping · CPC title

• G06Q50/40 Primary

  Business processes related to the transportation industry (shipping G06Q10/083) · CPC title