Methods of performing a dispatched medical logistics operation related to a diagnosis kit for treating a patient and using a modular autonomous bot apparatus assembly and a dispatch server

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12008853-B2
Application number	US-202217713319-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Apr 5, 2022
Priority date	Mar 14, 2018
Publication date	Jun 11, 2024
Grant date	Jun 11, 2024

Abstract

Methods perform one or more dispatched medical logistics operations using a modular autonomous bot apparatus assembly and a dispatch server where the operations are related to a diagnosis kit for treating a patient. The MAM of the bot receives a dispatch command, verifies compatibility of the bot assembly with the dispatched operation(s), receives a diagnosis kit in the CSS, has the MAM autonomously causing the MB to move to a destination location while notifying the authorized delivery recipient for the diagnosis kit of the approaching delivery. With appropriate authentication input received, the MAM coordinates with the CSS to provide access to the kit, monitor unloading of the kit, provide instructional information on use of the kit, and autonomously cause the MB to return to the original location with a return item related to the diagnosis kit with notification to personnel at the medical entity about the return item.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method of performing a dispatched medical logistics operation related to a diagnosis kit for treating a patient and using a modular autonomous bot apparatus assembly and a dispatch server, the method comprising the steps of:
receiving, by the modular autonomous bot apparatus assembly, a dispatch command from the dispatch server, the dispatch command initiated by a medical entity providing the diagnosis kit, the dispatch command comprising at least
identifier information on the diagnosis kit,
transport parameters on the diagnosis kit,
destination delivery information related to delivery of the diagnosis kit, and
delivery authentication information related to an authorized delivery recipient of the diagnosis kit;

receiving, by the modular autonomous bot apparatus assembly, the diagnosis kit in a payload area within the modular autonomous bot apparatus assembly at an origin location related to the medical entity;
autonomously moving, by the modular autonomous bot apparatus assembly, from the origin location on a route to a destination location identified by the destination delivery information;
receiving delivery recipient authentication input by the modular autonomous bot apparatus assembly from a delivery recipient disposed external to the modular autonomous bot apparatus assembly at the destination location;
providing, by the modular autonomous bot apparatus assembly, selective access to the diagnosis kit within the modular autonomous bot apparatus assembly only when the delivery recipient authentication input correlates to the delivery authentication information indicating that the delivery recipient providing the delivery recipient authentication input is the authorized delivery recipient;
detecting, by the modular autonomous bot apparatus assembly, when at least a return item related to the diagnosis kit is located in the payload area of the modular autonomous bot apparatus assembly using one or more sensors on the modular autonomous bot apparatus assembly; and
autonomously moving, by the modular autonomous bot apparatus assembly, from the destination location on a return route to the origin location after the return item related to the diagnosis kit is detected.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising, prior to receiving the diagnosis kit, the step of verifying that at least one modular component of the modular autonomous bot apparatus assembly is compatible with the dispatched medical logistics operation based upon the dispatch command.

3. The method of claim 2 , wherein the at least one modular component of the modular autonomous bot apparatus assembly comprises at least one of a modular mobility base propelling the modular autonomous bot apparatus assembly, a modular auxiliary power module providing power for the modular autonomous bot apparatus assembly, a modular cargo storage system configured to at least temporarily maintain the diagnosis kit within the modular autonomous bot apparatus assembly, and a modular mobile autonomy control module that autonomously controls operation of the modular autonomous bot apparatus assembly during the dispatched medical logistics operation.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the modular autonomous bot apparatus assembly includes at least a modular mobility base propelling the modular autonomous bot apparatus assembly, a modular auxiliary power module providing power for the modular autonomous bot apparatus assembly, a modular cargo storage system configured to at least temporarily maintain the diagnosis kit within the modular autonomous bot apparatus assembly, and a modular mobile autonomy control module that autonomously controls operation of the modular autonomous bot apparatus assembly during the dispatched medical logistics operation; and
further comprising, prior to receiving the diagnosis kit, the step of verifying, by the modular mobile autonomy control module, that each of the modular mobile autonomy control module, the modular mobility base, the modular auxiliary power module, and the modular cargo storage system are compatible with the dispatched medical logistics operation based upon the dispatch command.

5. The method of claim 1 further comprising, prior to receiving the delivery recipient authentication input, the step of notifying, by the modular autonomous bot apparatus assembly, the authorized delivery recipient of the diagnosis kit of an approaching delivery once the modular autonomous bot apparatus assembly is within a threshold notification range of the destination location identified by the destination information.

6. The method of claim 1 further comprising, after providing the selective access to the diagnosis kit, the step of notifying, by the modular autonomous bot apparatus assembly, the authorized delivery recipient with instructional information related to prescribed use of the diagnosis kit.

7. The method of claim 1 further comprising, after providing the selective access to the diagnosis kit, the step of monitoring unloading of the diagnosis kit from within the modular autonomous bot apparatus assembly using the one or more sensors.

8. The method of claim 1 further comprising the step of notifying, by the modular autonomous bot apparatus assembly, personnel associated with the medical entity about a return delivery of the return item related to the diagnosis kit when the modular autonomous bot apparatus assembly is at least within a return notification range of the origin location.

9. The method of claim 1 , further comprising the step of notifying, by the modular autonomous bot apparatus assembly, personnel associated with the medical entity about a return delivery of the return item related to the diagnosis kit once the modular autonomous bot apparatus assembly has arrived at the origin location.

10. The method of claim 1 , wherein the authorized delivery recipient is the patient to be treated with the diagnosis kit.

11. The method of claim 1 , wherein the authorized delivery recipient is an authorized agent of the patient to be treated with the diagnosis kit.

12. The method of claim 5 , wherein the step of notifying the authorized delivery recipient of the diagnosis kit of the approaching delivery comprises generating a display alert for the authorized delivery recipient on a display on the modular autonomous bot apparatus assembly once the modular autonomous bot apparatus assembly is within the threshold notification range of the destination location identified by the destination information.

13. The method of claim 5 , wherein the step of notifying the authorized delivery recipient of the diagnosis kit of the approaching delivery comprises generating an audio notification for the authorized delivery recipient on a speaker on the modular autonomous bot apparatus assembly once the modular autonomous bot apparatus assembly is within the threshold notification range of the destination location identified by the destination information.

14. The method of claim 5 , wherein the step of notifying the authorized delivery recipient of the diagnosis kit of the approaching delivery comprises transmitting a delivery notification message to an external wireless node once the modular autonomous bot apparatus assembly is within the threshold notification range of the destination location identified by the destination information, the external wireless node being related to the authorized delivery recipient according to the destination delivery information.

15. The method of claim 5 , wherein the step of notifying the authorized delivery recipient of the diagnosis kit of the approaching delivery comprises transmitting a delive

Assignees

• Fedex Corp Services Inc

Inventors

• Skaaksrud Ole-Petter
• Mayfield Frank
• Gates Daniel

Classifications

• G05D1/43

  Control of position or course in two dimensions [2D] · CPC title

• G05D1/226

  Communication links with the remote-control arrangements · CPC title

• G05D1/245

  using dead reckoning · CPC title

• G05D1/227

  Handing over between remote control and on-board control; Handing over between remote control arrangements · CPC title

• G05D1/692

  involving a plurality of disparate vehicles · CPC title