Autonomous vehicle cargo bin loading

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11958702-B2
Application number	US-202117318192-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 12, 2021
Priority date	May 12, 2021
Publication date	Apr 16, 2024
Grant date	Apr 16, 2024

Abstract

A method for controlling a vehicle includes determining, via a processor disposed in communication with a sensory device disposed in an interior surface of a cargo bin of a delivery vehicle, that a first package is loaded in the cargo bin, causing to scan, via the processor, a bar code disposed on an exterior surface of the first package, causing to measure, via a RADAR sensory device disposed in the cargo bin, dimensional information associated with the first package, determining, based on the dimensional information, that the cargo bin is loaded at full capacity, causing to illuminate an output device indicative that the cargo bin is loaded at full capacity, determining, via the processor, a cargo bin door closed status and generating, via the processor, an output indicating whether the vehicle is ready for delivery.

First claim

That which is claimed is:

1. A method for controlling a delivery vehicle cargo bin loading system disposed on a vehicle, comprising:
determining, via a processor disposed in communication with a sensory device disposed in an interior surface of a cargo bin of the delivery vehicle, that a first package is loaded in the cargo bin;
causing to scan, via the processor, a barcode disposed on an exterior surface of the first package;
causing to measure, via a RADAR sensory device disposed in the cargo bin, dimensional information associated with the first package;
determining, based on the dimensional information, that the cargo bin is loaded at full capacity;
causing to illuminate an output device indicative that the cargo bin is loaded at full capacity;
determining, via the processor, a cargo bin door closed status; and
generating, via the processor, an output indicating whether the delivery vehicle is ready for delivery.

2. The method according to claim 1 , wherein determining that the first package is loaded in the cargo bin of the delivery vehicle comprises:
determining, via a trained machine learning algorithm, that the first package is loaded in the cargo bin.

3. The method according to claim 1 , further comprising,
determining, via the processor, that the barcode is not visible on the first package; and
causing to output, via the processor, a message indicative that the barcode is not visible.

4. The method according to claim 3 , further comprising:
causing to output an audible alert via a sound exciter disposed in communication with the processor.

5. The method according to claim 1 , wherein causing to measure the dimensional information associated with the first package comprises:
causing the RADAR sensory device disposed in the cargo bin to determine a first dimensional measurement associated with a first package position and a second dimensional measurement associated with the first package position;
determining, based on the first dimensional measurement and the second dimensional measurement that the first package is not positioned adjacent to a bin back surface; and
generating, via the processor, an output indicative that the first package requires repositioning.

6. The method according to claim 5 , further comprising,
determining, via the processor, that a second package is loaded in the cargo bin; and
generating, via the processor, an output indicative that the first package and the second package require a change in position in the cargo bin.

7. The method according to claim 1 , wherein determining that the cargo bin door closed status further comprises:
generating, via the processor, an output indicative that a cargo bin door is not closed.

8. A cargo bin loading system disposed on a delivery vehicle, comprising:
a processor; and
a memory for storing executable instructions, the processor programmed to execute the instructions to:
determine, via a sensory device disposed in an interior surface of a cargo bin of the delivery vehicle, that a first package is loaded in the cargo bin;
cause to scan a barcode disposed on an exterior surface of the first package;
cause to measure, via a RADAR sensory device, disposed in the cargo bin and in communication with the processor, dimensional information associated with the first package;
determine, based on the dimensional information, that the cargo bin is loaded at full capacity;
cause to illuminate an output device indicative that the cargo bin is loaded at full capacity;
determine, via the processor, a cargo bin door closed status; and
generate an output indicating whether the delivery vehicle is ready for delivery.

9. The system according to claim 8 , wherein the processor is further programmed to determine that the first package is loaded in the cargo bin of the delivery vehicle by executing the instructions to:
determine, via a trained machine learning algorithm, that the first package is loaded in the cargo bin.

10. The system according to claim 8 , wherein the processor is further programmed to execute the instructions to:
cause a sensory device in communication with the processor to scan the barcode disposed on an exterior surface of the first package;
determine that the barcode is not visible on the first package; and
cause to output a message indicative that the barcode is not visible.

11. The system according to claim 10 , wherein the processor is further programmed to execute the instructions to:
cause to output an audible alert via a sound exciter disposed in communication with the processor.

12. The system according to claim 8 , wherein the processor is further programmed to cause to measure the dimensional information associated with the first package by executing the instructions to:
cause the RADAR sensory device disposed in the cargo bin to determine a first dimensional measurement associated with a first package position and a second dimensional measurement associated with the first package position;
determine, based on the first dimensional measurement and the second dimensional measurement that the first package is not positioned adjacent to a bin back surface; and
generate an output indicative that the first package requires repositioning.

13. The system according to claim 12 , wherein the processor is further programmed to execute the instructions to:
determine that a second package is loaded in the cargo bin; and
generate an output indicative that the first package and the second package require a change in position in the cargo bin.

14. The system according to claim 8 , wherein the processor is further programmed to determine that the cargo bin door closed status by executing the instructions to:
generate an output indicative that a cargo bin door is not closed.

15. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium in a delivery vehicle, the computer-readable storage medium having instructions stored thereupon which, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to:
determine, via a sensory device disposed in an interior surface of a cargo bin of the delivery vehicle, that a first package is loaded in the cargo bin;
causing to scan a barcode disposed on an exterior surface of the first package;
causing to measure, via a RADAR sensory device disposed in the cargo bin and in communication with the processor, dimensional information associated with the first package;
determining, based on the dimensional information, that the cargo bin is loaded at full capacity;
causing to illuminate an output device indicative that the cargo bin is loaded at full capacity;
determining, via the processor, a cargo bin door closed status; and
generating an output indicating whether the delivery vehicle is ready for delivery.

16. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium according to claim 15 , having further instructions stored thereupon to determine that the first package is loaded in the cargo bin of the delivery vehicle by causing the processor to:
determine, via a trained machine learning algorithm, that the first package is loaded in the cargo bin.

17. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium according to claim 15 , having further instructions stored thereupon to:
cause a sensory device in communication with the processor to scan the barcode disposed on an exterior surface of the first package;
determine that the barcode is not visible on the first package; and
cause to output a message indicative that the barcode is not visible.

18. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium accord

Assignees

• Ford Global Tech Llc

Inventors

• Salter Stuart C
• Carlson Adam
• Phung Peter
• Berry Hussein
• Richer Benjamin

Classifications

• B65G67/04 Primary

  Loading land vehicles {(loading or unloading boats to or from land vehicles B60P3/10)} · CPC title

• B60P3/007

  for delivery of small articles, e.g. milk, frozen articles · CPC title

• B60Q3/30

  for compartments other than passenger or driving compartments, e.g. luggage or engine compartments · CPC title

• B60Q5/00

  Arrangement or adaptation of acoustic signal devices · CPC title

• G01S13/06

  Systems determining position data of a target · CPC title