Delivery drop points for autonomous delivery vehicles

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12434836-B2
Application number	US-202217930849-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 9, 2022
Priority date	Jan 3, 2017
Publication date	Oct 7, 2025
Grant date	Oct 7, 2025

Abstract

Autonomous delivery drop points for delivery of an item are provided. The autonomous delivery drop points can include a proxy sensor to communicate information related to the autonomous delivery drop point to an autonomous delivery vehicle. The autonomous delivery drop points can include a delivery inlet configured to accept the item. The autonomous delivery drop points can include a storage receptacle configured to store the item until the item is retrieved by the owner of the item. The autonomous delivery drop points can include an attachment member coupled to the item. The autonomous delivery drop points can include a hook configured to couple to the attachment member to accept the item, wherein the hook comprises the proxy sensor.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An autonomous delivery receptacle comprising:
a proxy sensor disposed on the autonomous delivery receptacle comprising a plurality of storage receptacles, the proxy sensor configured to:
communicate information related to the autonomous delivery receptacle to an autonomous delivery vehicle;
receive a recipient identifier from the autonomous delivery vehicle;
identify a storage receptacle of the plurality of storage receptacles corresponding to the received recipient identifier; and
instruct the autonomous delivery vehicle to deposit an item for delivery into the identified receptacle;

a delivery inlet configured to accept the item; and
a storage receptacle configured to store the item; and
an access port to allow access to the item within the storage receptacle.

2. The autonomous delivery receptacle of claim 1 , wherein the delivery inlet is an aerial port.

3. The autonomous delivery receptacle of claim 1 , further comprising one or more arms configured to accept the item.

4. The autonomous delivery receptacle of claim 1 , wherein the item is delivered via an autonomous delivery vehicle.

5. The autonomous delivery receptacle of claim 1 , wherein each of the plurality of storage receptacles has a unique identifier thereon.

6. The autonomous delivery receptacle of claim 5 , wherein each of the plurality of storage receptacles is assigned to a different recipient, and wherein the unique identifier on each of the plurality of storage receptacles is associated with the recipient assigned thereto.

7. The autonomous delivery receptacle of claim 1 , wherein the proxy sensor is configured to interact with an autonomous delivery vehicle, and wherein the delivery inlet is configured to be opened upon completing a virtual handshake with the proxy sensor and the autonomous vehicle.

8. The autonomous delivery receptacle of claim 1 , wherein the proxy sensor identifies the autonomous delivery receptacle as associated with a multi-unit dwelling.

9. The autonomous delivery receptacle of claim 1 , wherein the delivery inlet is automatically operable.

10. The autonomous delivery receptacle of claim 9 , wherein the delivery inlet is configured to automatically open in response to a virtual handshake between the autonomous delivery receptacle and an autonomous delivery vehicle.

Assignees

• United States Postal Service

Inventors

• Luckay Ryan M
• Dixon Jr Robert E
• Cooil Gregory

Classifications

• G05D1/667

  Delivering or retrieving payloads · CPC title

• B65G1/00

  Storing articles, individually or in orderly arrangement, in warehouses or magazines (conveyor combinations in warehouses, magazines or workshops B65G37/00; stacking of articles B65G57/00; removing articles from stacks B65G59/00; loading machines B65G65/02) · CPC title

• B65G2209/04

  Indication location means · CPC title

• B64F1/32

  for handling freight · CPC title

• B64U2101/69

  the UAVs provided with means for airdropping goods, e.g. deploying a parachute during descent · CPC title